All you need.

My love for an expertly-made cocktail is well-documented - but, sometimes, given a gorgeous sunset and a warm evening, any cold drink will do.

A few weekends ago, when the sunny weather still felt like an early release from prison, I met my brother and sister-in-law for a drink at the Boat Basin Cafe. The Boat Basin is down at the end of West 79th Street, below the West Side Highway. You can't reach it by cab; you have to walk through an odd little bit of Riverside Park to get to the stepped ramp that leads down to the restaurant, where you're liable to do battle with hordes of people to get a chair near the water.

But, if you do, you'll be rewarded with a gorgeous view across the Hudson, a generously poured gin & tonic, and a low-key hour or two in the sun.

High-falutin' it is not (and you'd do well to give the food a pass), but it makes for a lovely evening.