Gather

I seem to have fallen into a new, well-loved weekend routine: a long run followed by a slow, lazy brunch. I run faster with the knowledge that there's food and coffee waiting for me at the end, and the coffee and food tastes better thanks to the fast run. Plus, I feel like I'm living the lifestyle of someone who lives in a beautiful sun-drenched country, and not struggling through a long New York winter.

So after yesterday's sprints round the park, I met still-injured B in the heart of grown-up Park Slope at the beautifully light and bright café, Gather. White walls, huge glass windows, tiny round tables, the prettiest array of cakes and baked treats, the must-have Marzocco coffee machine, and a gathering of Park Slope locals - Gather is exactly what these lazy Sunday mornings are about. 

Two (generous-sized) flat whites were ordered (I told you, I'm spending most my days trying my hardest to replicate that Aussie lifestyle), with an avocado toast for me and egg, hash brown, and sausage hash for B. The avo toast took avo toast to a new level: packed full of cumin, chili flakes, citrus, sunflower seeds, and topped with a perfectly poached egg and fresh cilantro. It's time for everyone else to start upping their avo toast game. B's hash was meaty, salty, and exactly what B wants to eat for breakfast - preferably every day - and not just on the weekend.

We resisted buying a cookie to eat on the walk home, and instantly regretted it. The man next to us who was having a triple chocolate chip cookie alongside his avo toast for breakfast had made the best decision.

Gather, 341 7th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11215.