Part of me laughs when New Yorkers lust after tiny houses (we already live in tiny houses), but another, larger part of me gets it. I get the desire to be snug, surrounded by the wilderness or mountains. I get wanting to scale back to only what you need. The sleekness, the simplifying. Getaway is …
Read MoreAuthor / Lydia
April 2, 2016
1 Second Every Day
It’s been a while! I’ve wanted to get back to blogging for many months but, with long work weeks, it hasn’t been easy. But! I now have a very simple way to show you what I’ve been upto in New York (and beyond) for the past year. Between February 2015 and February 2016, I recorded a second of video …
Read MoreAugust 23, 2015
…assure you I am alive
Do you remember when I used to blog? No, neither do I. I’ve actually received concerned messages over the past month asking if I’m okay. Others have suggested there’s a glitch with my website, seeing as they haven’t been receiving any email updates. But no – the website is just fine. And yes, so am I. A couple …
Read MoreJuly 2, 2015
…went to a restaurant serving bugs
When people come to town, I usually have a few tips for things they should do, but when Adam was visiting last week, his suggestion was far more creative than anything I might have come up with. He wanted to head to Korea Town to eat bugs. Silk worm lava, to be exact. Adam and …
Read MoreJune 25, 2015
…felt small next to the Unisphere
I’d long seen pictures of this giant metal globe up in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens but when I finally visited, I could not believe how huge it is. It’s called the Unisphere and it’s an incredible remnant of the 1964-65 World’s Fair. The stainless steel structure was designed by top landscape architect Gilmore D. Clarke …
Read MoreJune 11, 2015
…met lots of cousins at the Global Family Reunion
Hello cousin! That’s right. You may not know it, but you’re my cousin… maybe my 19th cousin twice removed but still, my cousin. And while it means you owe me 29 birthday presents and 28 Christmas presents, I’ll overlook it because, well, we’re family. I actually only just realized that we’re cousins recently thanks to the Global Family …
Read MoreJune 9, 2015
…saw New York City from One World Observatory
It’s here. For the first time in nearly 14 years, visitors can look over the city from a skyscraper in downtown Manhattan again. And not just any skyscraper – the tallest one in the entire Western Hemisphere. Finally, the One World Observatory is open – and of course, it’s incredible. I went on opening day about 10 days …
Read MoreJune 7, 2015
Things I’ve loved about New York this week
The sun is back and sanity has been restored! How was your weekend? Here are some of the things I’ve enjoyed in and around New York this week: 1 :: My first visit to a beach this year (well, if you forget a quick visit to one while in Florida in January). It was a …
Read MoreJune 3, 2015
…ran 5k during a rave
I may not be a fan of running and I may not be a fan of Electronic Dance Music, but it turns out I quite like it when they’re mixed together. Last weekend, Ryan and I donned our running shoes – honestly the first time I have worn mine in many, many months years – and drove 40 …
Read MoreJune 2, 2015
…hopped on the Water Taxi
If the subways seem too hot and cabs seem too pricey, there’s a far breezier and cheaper way to get from Brooklyn to Manhattan: the water taxi. The New York Water Taxi has several routes but one of them – between Van Brunt Street in Red Hook, IKEA and Lower Manhattan – is completely free …
Read MoreMay 31, 2015
Things I’ve liked about New York this week
Well hello there, how was your week? Here are some of the highlights from mine: 1 :: Heading to the top of the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere! I visited the One World Observatory (at the top of that big shiny building pictured above) when it opened on Friday and it was incredible. (Blog post to …
Read MoreMay 28, 2015
Lydia’s List: My favorite city spots for iced coffee
This warm weather means I’ve finally made the switch to iced coffee. Yesss. Since last summer, I’ve moved offices to Astor Place, giving me the chance to discover a few new places. So I thought I’d share a few of my top spots with you – near Astor Place and beyond – and ask for your tips on where I should …
Read MoreMay 26, 2015
…took a bus tour through the Bronx
Midtown is clogged with tour buses, especially if you are looking for tours to new york, but did you know that some companies take you to less touristy corners, such as the Bronx? When City Sights NY asked me if I wanted to join one of their groups, I jumped at the chance to check …
Read MoreMay 20, 2015
…visited Grant’s Tomb
If you jump on the subway and ride north to Morningside Heights, you’ll reach a very different part of the city. It’s quieter and greener, and has much more space. So much space in fact that it’s home to the world’s largest cathedral and North America’s largest mausoleum. Laid to rest in that mausoleum are President Ulysses S. Grant and his wife, …
Read MoreMay 17, 2015
…got tipsy on a cocktail tour of the East Village
By now you probably know that I am a walking tour fan. There’s no better way to see the city than on foot accompanied by someone who knows their stuff. And among the tour groups, Urban Adventures is one of my favorites thanks to their wealth of knowledge, small group sizes and choice of lesser-known locations. So when I …
Read MoreMay 14, 2015
…won at Brooklyn Bowl
If you’re looking for an easygoing night out, complete with live music and some finger-lickin’ good comfort food, I’ve found your place. Last weekend, I headed to Brooklyn Bowl, which is inside a Williamsburg warehouse, and it was a winner. (And as it turns out, so was I.) I was a fan of the huge space, which …
Read MoreMay 10, 2015
Things I’ve loved about New York this week
Another busy week (hence the lack of posts… I’m rubbish, I know) and another busy one ahead of me, but I’m happy to say that it’s finally feeling like summer! As evidenced by an outdoor wedding, iced coffees and my first rooftop bar of the season… 1 :: Outdoor meals at Pazzi Pasta. I know, I …
Read MoreMay 6, 2015
…explored Washington DC’s Union Market
Essex Street Market, Chelsea Market, Smorgasburg — New York knows how to do food markets. So this weekend, when I headed to Washington D.C. for my friend Kate’s bridal shower (you remember Kate!), I was happy to see how the city’s markets compared. And, ooh, I was impressed. She and her husband-to-be, Darius, took me to Union …
Read MoreMay 1, 2015
…went camping at Alder Lake
For months now, Ryan and I have been keen to go camping — and we weren’t going to let a bit of snow stop us. So last weekend, despite predicted freezing temperatures, we stuffed our backpacks with sleeping bags, snacks and plenty of layers, jumped in the car and headed to the Catskills. If we …
Read MoreApril 29, 2015
…(barely) saw the cherry blossoms at Brooklyn Botanic Gardens
Seeing the cherry blossoms at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens is an NYC must, so last weekend, I headed there hoping that a few blossoms had defied the unseasonably cold weather to make an appearance. Thankfully, one or two had. Yes, they were few and far between – but ooh, they were lovely. Last weekend was the annual Sakura Matsuri …
Read MoreApril 26, 2015
Things I’ve loved about New York this week
I’ve been out of the city this weekend, which means that I’ve been looking back at photos from this week, and it seems like forever ago! But there were plenty of treats to be remembered… 1 :: Subway art I spotted as I changed at Jay Street Metrotech. There’s art in pretty much every subway station, and …
Read MoreApril 22, 2015
…visited Al Capone’s wedding chapel
Earlier this week, my friend Claire sent me a great New York Times video about my neighborhood, Carroll Gardens. The short film gives an interesting insight into the historically-Italian neighborhood and how it’s changed (and gives plenty of the reasons why I love it so much): For me, the most interesting factoid from the video was …
Read MoreApril 21, 2015
…watched a living room chamber concert
My friend Gina had a great idea. Why not get a group of friends together one lazy Sunday afternoon, make some delicious snacks, pour some drinks and then invite a string trio to entertain everyone? She turned to GroupMuse, a website that organizes the whole thing for you (minus the snacks), and on Sunday, three very friendly musicians …
Read MoreApril 17, 2015
…tested out the Macaron Cafe
We already know that macarons are man’s best invention, but until now I’ve relied on the East Village’s Macaron Parlour for my fix. This week I passed Maracon Cafe on 36th Street so, charitably, decided to give them a chance as well. This location, which is between Broadway and 7th Avenue, has a teeny store front and just …
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