This past weekend was one of the best in recent memories. The weather felt like spring, I spent some time at the barn, and I capped it off with a visit to a new restaurant in town that I have wanted to try. It’s weekends like these that make starting another week easier.
After a couple of weeks away from the barn due to the cold weather and other commitments, I spent both weekend days back in the saddle. It felt nice to ride outside (without a ton of layers on) and reconnect with some of my new barn friends that I haven’t seen in a while. The barn has become my sanity break these days!
On Sunday, I decided to try a new restaurant that recently opened in my neighborhood called The Farm Italy. If you’re a Long Island local and familiar with The Shed and Besito, you’ll love this place. As the name implies, the vibes give off a rustic-meets-Italian feel that perfectly blends indoor/outdoor dining. With its ample outdoor patio space and warm fire pits, The Farm will be a great place for al fresco meals this spring and summer. While I couldn’t snag a table reservation because the timing conflicted with my evening caregiving duties, I can tell you that the bar seating was ample and that their drink menu is on another level. Actually, what first attracted me to the place was the array of drinks they had on their menu. While I was drawn to so many of their intriguing drink options, I decided to try a Negroni, which I had never had before. Considering I love a good Gin & Tonic and am always happy to have an Aperol Spritz, a Negroni turned out to be the best of both worlds (and my new go-to drink of choice). For dinner, I ordered the Cacio e Pepe with bucatini, cracked pepper, and pecorino. While it sounds like a simple dish, the pasta, combined with the spicy lemon flavors, was delicious. To complete the dining experience, I ordered dessert but strayed a bit out of my comfort zone with a basil gelato with strawberries and a balsamic drizzle. I wasn’t sure I would like the flavor combination, but there was something about the sweet hint of the basil gelato mixed with a slight salty taste from the balsamic that came together perfectly. After this impromptu meal at The Farm, I can already tell that there will be another (more well-planned) visit there in my future so I can enjoy the full ambiance of the space.
Aside from riding and dining, I used the long weekend to work on the website for my new consulting agency. Last week, I decided to rebrand my business name, which also meant redoing the entire website. It has certainly taken a lot of time on the copy and design front, and there’s still more work to be done, but I am happy to announce that In Steil Comms has been rebranded as In Steil Creative, which I feel better articulates the array of services that will be offered to clients.
There was something about having a little extra time this past weekend to do things I enjoy that has made me feel a bit more like myself this week. I haven’t gotten back to eating in a restaurant after the pandemic, so doing that felt like revisiting my old life in a way. And spending both weekend days at the barn helped me feel like a whole new person who is ready to tackle the week ahead.
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