Scraps, Scribbles: Rain Or Shine

It's raining today, but last week (and especially the weekend that concluded it), summer trotted out its feathers for an unofficial kick-off to a festive season in the city. In California, I prefer to distill summer into one of those endless days at the beach, when the sun is eager to rise and slow to set; in New York, it's best captured by one of those outdoor events that blooms and breaks in any of the city's many sprawling parks throughout the season.

When the weather starts to warm, a buzz that you don't see as often in the languid sunshine of southern California starts to kick up in the city. Shorts, sundresses, and daytime drinking spread as the pollen count spikes, and an eagerness to get outdoors invigorates even the groggiest of spirits. Hibernating appetites come to life, quelled only when legs have been stretched and sweat has been lost. The city is primed to boogie.

Summer woke this year with the debut of The Great GoogaMooga -- a food and music festival put on by the folks who do Bonnaroo and Outside Lands. Summer festivals weren't all created equal, but I'm always game to give a new one a shot. This one definitely had its share of growing pains, but given the fact that general admission was free for the 40,000 or so folks who could snag a ticket, I really can't see too much room for complaint. The 2,000 some people who shelled out an extra $250 for the VIP package, on the other hand, might have a right to gripe, but that's another story. I was lucky enough to get the VIP hook-up from some friends, so I won't pretend to bear any vitriol. Generally speaking, when you bring together some of the city's most eclectic restaurants in one place and mix it with live music, I'm a happy camper.

One weekend down, 15 more to go. Hello, summer.