A last New York City sunset....

Last night I said farewell to two friends I originally met when we all worked at the Delamar Hotel back in 2002. Magic Hat #9, on tap, at Water Taxi Beach in Long Island City -a nice backdrop for what might be my last NYC sunset for a little while.

View to the west from Water Taxi Beach.

Pretty soon I will be trading in this spot along the East River in Queens for the entirely different beaches of Maui. No value judgement here - I love them both. At Water Taxi Beach, you get the premium Black Angus hot dogs and a nice selection of draft beer against the skyline at sunset. Not a bad deal.

The background: a year or two ago, someone trucked 400 tons of sand to a vacant lot on the Long Island City waterfront (near the water taxi dock) and opened a bar. As it always happens, what was once an under-the-radar spot for locals has now become a full fledged destination for the masses - complete with an army of security guys and a $5 per person cover charge. While it doesn't entirely ruin the mood, it's certainly a sign of the times.

The word is out on this spot and has been for a while.

The well stocked beer bar. (we had "Magic Hat #9" - a solid summer brew from Vermont).