“Yeah, Milk Bar is alright, but the best cookies are actually at Levain”, Shuyang tells me. I have at this point very much learnt to trust Shuyang, and so on my last day, as pretty much the last thing I do before heading to JFK (the airport, not the deceased president), I pop to a nearby locale and try it for myself. Hooh boy. Their the size of my fist! And sure, I have a pretty small fist, but that shouldn’t even be a comparison! I go - inevitably - for the dark chocolate cookie, full of molten chocolate chips, enhancing the gooey texture. Each bite clings to the mouth, densely rich, a paradox of feeling instantly like that bite is enough, but also just wanting another one. I have to pace myself, taking bites between packing and tidying the spare room, knowing that I’ve got to not collapse into a sweet coma for a good few hours until I’m on the plane, hoping that the physical movement somehow balances out the sugar rush. I buy a couple extra for Alex and Shuyang as a surprise, leaving them in the apartment on my departure, as thanks for the stay. It won’t make up for it, but it’s a token of appreciation.