Did you know that ‘Manhattan’ comes from the native American term, ‘Manna-hata’? That The Bronx was initially called ‘Bronck’s Land’ after a wealthy emigrant, Jonas Bronck, who acquired it from tribes? And that ‘Brooklyn’ was first called Breuckelen, named after the town in the Netherlands by Dutch settlers? Well, I didn’t – until I went to the …
Read MoreArchive / January 2014
January 23, 2014
…watched a Juilliard organ recital
Remember a year ago, when I went to a free concert and inadvertently ended up watching six-year-olds play the piano? Well, today I actually got it right. I’ve been missing my old habits so decided to scour free events and came across a concert by Juilliard organists near Times Square. Sorry to say it, but …
Read MoreJanuary 21, 2014
…took a vegetarian cooking class
Every month, I spend at least half of my paycheck on Seamless. So at the start of the year, I made a resolution to cook more. And of course it hasn’t happened. To give us some inspiration, I booked Ryan and I into a Vegetarian Couple’s Cooking class at the Brooklyn Kitchen. If you remember, …
Read MoreJanuary 17, 2014
…went scuba diving
A few months ago, Ryan and I spotted a Gilt City deal for an introductory scuba diving class. A little bit random perhaps… but why not? After months of canceled classes and wrangling with the company, we finally managed to use the deal tonight. And while there was even more waiting once we got there, …
Read MoreJanuary 16, 2014
…fronted a rock band
When I was 11, my sister Charlotte, our friend Lara and I started a pretty great band. While it didn’t have a name, it did have an interesting sound: Charlotte on the drums, me on the keys and Lara on the violin. We penned a surprisingly dark song for our tender years and set our …
Read MoreJanuary 15, 2014
…ate a Korean feast
Ryan and I love a good feast, so for his birthday treat, we decided to try out Hangawi in Midtown. As well as serving one of his favorite cuisines – Korean – Hangawi is also entirely vegetarian, so it seemed perfect for us. I’ve not actually been to a Korean restaurant since living in New York. …
Read MoreJanuary 14, 2014
…got creative with For the Makers
For Christmas, Ryan bought me a crafts subscription that has changed my life. At first, when I opened the little cardboard box and saw it was filled with threads and beads, I thought it looked cute – but man, did I underestimate it. And now that I’ve cracked the box open properly, I’m addicted. He …
Read MoreJanuary 12, 2014
…saw old movies at Videology
In this age of Netflix and DVR (that’s Sky Plus to you Brits), video stores are becoming obsolete. But one shop in Williamsburg – Videology – knows that if you throw in a bar, boozy milkshakes and classic movies, you’re going to be on to a winner. Tonight they were showing Back To The Future, which …
Read MoreJanuary 11, 2014
…watched a play at BAM
Before I did a new activity every day last year, the one thing I always made sure to appreciate was the theater. So now that I’ve got a bit of respite from playing the tourist, I thought it was time to rekindle my love. Meghan pointed out that there were cheap tickets for King Lear at …
Read MoreJanuary 7, 2014
…rocked out at Bowery Ballroom
Okay, I cracked! I lasted a whole two days without doing something new. On Saturday night, I headed to a Lower East Side music venue I’d never been to before: Bowery Ballroom. It’s hosted a whole range of acts – from Lauryn Hill and Kanye West to Queens of the Stone Age and the Pixies. And tonight …
Read MoreJanuary 6, 2014
…review the best and worst of NYC
*** This post was first shared in January 2014 after I finished a year of doing a new activity in New York every day. This blog is largely defunct so this post is a great place to start if you’re visiting New York and looking for things to do! For more on this project, visit …
Read MoreJanuary 2, 2014
…said ‘cheers!’ to a year of daily new experiences
Guys, I’ve done it! Since January 2013, I have done a new thing every single day here in New York City (okay, I also went on a fair few trips out of New York – but I did new things there too!). The thought has made me a bit emotional to be honest. Lots of …
Read MoreJanuary 1, 2014
…started off the New Year with a bang at Prospect Park
New Year’s Eve can be rubbish can’t it? The first year I got here, I paid $100 to get into a creepy club with sticky floors, lecherous men and no way of getting to the bar. I vowed never to do it again. This year I also had to factor in a 7 a.m. shift …
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