Picnic in Central Park, Memorial Day 2010. One of my first meals in New York City. We all gathered on a huge blanket with our packed fresh ingredients, constructed our sandwiches, and enjoyed them leisurely under the shade of a tree, to the hum of the masses of people in the background. Some throwing frisbees, some just relaxing, others playing with children. Sandwich consisted of turkey, sundried tomatoes, normal tomatoes, basil, brie, lettuce, and love. Few things are better than good company, being in nature, and eating an impeccable sandwich.

‘wichcraft, Herald Square

It had been on my to-do list to visit Top Chef-famed Tom Colicchio’s answer to high-end casual dining. But funnily enough, I wasn’t even intending to eat there when I ran into it. It was sort of an accident. I was on my lunch break walking around, looking for cheap eats, when I came across the stand on 35th and Broadway.

I was enticed by the tuna sandwich. The roasted turkey also caught my eye. However, I decided against dropping nine or ten bucks on a sandwich, and went cheap with the smoked ham, avocado, and butter sandwich. It was well worth the $4.50.

Around a month or so later, I took AJ there on our way to apartment hunting since she said she wanted a snack. I didn’t get anything because I was full from (foolishly) having eaten my own lame homemade sandwich at lunch. But she let me have a bite of her gruyere and caramelized onion sandwich, which was like an elevated grilled cheese. Or, as its ingredients suggest, like a french onion soup in sandwich form. It was very close to perfection. It could have been made better only with a soupy companion. Tomato perhaps? Onion on onion? Au jus dipping sauce? Funny how the delicious can get the wheels turning.