It’s been a gluttonous slog, but I’ve nearly worked my way through New York’s top vegetarian restaurants. Yet one has been left on the list for ages now: Dirt Candy. There’s a reason it’s been on my list – unvisited – for a while. It’s a nightmare to get a reservation. When I decided to look for a spot in …
Read MoreArchive / 2014
July 18, 2014
…checked out art on the Williamsburg Bridge
During Hurricane Sandy, when subway stations were submerged and half the city was plunged into darkness, one of the only ways out of lower Manhattan was walking over the Williamsburg Bridge. A couple of times that week, I grabbed a torch and joined the mass exodus to reach friends’ warm apartments on the other side. It was very dark, very quiet and very …
Read MoreJuly 17, 2014
…visited the Doughnut Plant
Despite what my Instagram feed might suggest, I swear I’m not a doughnut addict. Well… not yet. Ryan and I bought a fresh batch from Baked In Brooklyn to share with his family last weekend – and although they were the first I’d had in years, they convinced me they’re all I should eat, ever. Yesterday, after a trying day, …
Read MoreJuly 14, 2014
…donated books to the Little Free Library
As I’ve been packing up my East Village apartment ahead of moving, I’ve been thinking about where I can donate the alarming collection of stuff I never use. I plan to take most of it to the Housing Works in SoHo, but I thought I’d share my books with the people of New York City. There was only one option: New York’s Little …
Read MoreJuly 13, 2014
Lydia’s List :: Tips for apartment hunting in New York
I love peeking inside other people’s homes, so I was kind of looking forward to apartment hunting this summer. But I soon realized that it can quickly become frustrating thanks to eye-watering broker fees, unanswered emails and learning the real meaning of words like ‘cosy’. It definitely was a few months of chaos trying to …
Read MoreJuly 10, 2014
…met the Rockefeller Plaza’s newest resident
Between searching for new apartments and finding someone to take over mine, I’ve not had much time for many new things recently. One thing I’ve fancied – but haven’t got around to yet – is Jeff Koons’ new exhibit at the Whitney Museum. But this is New York, so there’s always a much quicker, cheaper alternative – if …
Read MoreJuly 7, 2014
…slurped a milkshake at Brooklyn’s soda fountain
I’ve loved living in the East Village – the coffee! the food! the transport! the very suspicious smells! – but I’ve decided to make the move to Brooklyn with Ryan. We both love Carroll Gardens (just look at how leafy it is!) so we’re hoping to nab a place there. But I’ve only been semi honest with Ryan about my …
Read MoreJuly 4, 2014
….went scuba diving in Dutch Springs
Before I went to Dutch Springs – a lake in Pennsylvania filled with sunken helicopters, school buses and fire trucks – I had no idea how I’d react. Having only ‘dived’ in a swimming pool in Chelsea, I didn’t know how I’d cope with that murky expanse reaching beneath me on my first ever open-water …
Read MoreJuly 1, 2014
…partied at a popup dinner in Prospect Park
Before Saturday night, I picked out a white dress and filled a white basket with sugar-dusted cookies. The only hitch? I had no idea where I’d be taking them. But a few hours before heading to Prospect Park for an all-white PopUp Dinner Party, I finally learned that I – and 4,200 other guests – would be drinking, dining and …
Read MoreJune 27, 2014
Lydia’s List :: Ideas for the weekend
My weekend will involve flat hunting (I’m making the move to Brooklyn!), first birthday parties, all-white dinners and a trip to Pennsylvania for some scuba diving. Let’s hope the weekend is long enough to fit it all in, eh? If you don’t fancy jumping into a lake wearing a thick neoprene suit, here are some other suggestions for stuff that’s …
Read MoreJune 25, 2014
…feasted at Candle 79
Among the many things I like about Ryan, I love that 1) he’s a fellow vegetarian, 2) he loves a good feast, and 3) he booked somewhere for our one-year date that lived up to 1) and 2) perfectly. The chosen place – Candle 79 on the Upper East Side – did not disappoint. Honestly, wherever you are …
Read MoreJune 23, 2014
…painted pottery in Tribeca
A little over a year ago, I was slurping drinks in a bar in SoHo when a stranger sat next to me. About three minutes later, I texted Rachel and Meghan saying, ‘I think I’m in love’ – and that was that. Now 12 months on, I decided to make Ryan a gift to mark a year since our first date. I love …
Read MoreJune 17, 2014
…toured inside the Woolworth Building
A few weeks ago, I got an email from a reader suggesting I check out the Woolworth Building. To be honest, I didn’t even know it was possible, thanks to the ‘No Tourists Beyond This Point’ sign outside. But as I discovered, the Woolworth does open its doors to small groups – a new development over the past …
Read MoreJune 16, 2014
…snacked at Broadway Bites
From Madison Square Eats to Smorgasburg, New York hosts some delicious outdoor food markets over the summer. Last week, another called Broadway Bites arrived in town and I thought it seemed like the perfect spot for some post-work snacking. I met Ryan near Bryant Park and we headed down to Greeley Square, which is at 33rd Street and Broadway. …
Read MoreJune 12, 2014
…headed to the beach at Fire Island
Some of my most horrifying memories – Portuguese strippers, early-morning dashes to the ER – are from bachelorette parties. So when Ryan said that his high school friend Nick was hanging out at Fire Island for his bachelor blowout, I thought it sounded like a much saner idea. And even better – Nick and his fiancée Christine were having a …
Read MoreJune 10, 2014
Lydia’s List :: My favorite things to do in summer in NYC
Finally! The weekends are getting hotter. I may not be looking forward to the whiff of the East Village in the summer, but I’m so glad to be enjoying the city’s glorious outdoor activities again. If you’re looking for things to do, here are my suggestions:1 :: Luna Park :: You can be a big kid again at this Coney Island …
Read MoreJune 9, 2014
…listened to music at ‘Target Free Thursday’
Thanks to some talented musical friends, I’ve been fortunate to discover a cracking range of new musicians while living in New York. But none has stuck with me as much as Kate Davis. I first heard her play at Bowery Electric about 18 months ago – and I was transfixed. She has this timeless voice that …
Read MoreJune 5, 2014
Lydia’s List :: Where to get the best ice cream in NYC
The weather’s been getting warm and sticky, which only means one thing as far as I’m concerned: ice cream for every meal. Here’s my take on the best sweet frozen treats the city has to offer: 1 :: Ample Hills Creamery :: This friendly Prospect Heights store scoops up the richest flavors perfect for an afternoon treat. …
Read MoreJune 3, 2014
…became an animator at the Museum of the Moving Image
Thanks to the Museum of the Moving Image, I can now add ‘animator’ and ‘voice actor’ to my resumé. It all began when I finally trekked there this weekend after months of meaning to go. And I was chuffed to see it’s a great interactive museum that also gives plenty of ‘ooh, I haven’t thought about that in …
Read MoreJune 2, 2014
…beautified Prospect Park
The fact that I don’t really do much good for humanity every week really bothers me. It’s so easy to fret over inconsequential things — but thankfully New York Cares makes it easy to start thinking about other people, too. I’ve done a few volunteer projects over the past year, but now I’ve decided to get really stuck in. …
Read MoreMay 30, 2014
Lydia’s List :: Ideas for the weekend
I’ve had one of those weeks where every day felt like it was Friday. So I am relieved that it finally is – and now I can look forward to my weekend plan of cleaning up Prospect Park with New York Cares and heading to the Museum of the Moving Image. There will also be …
Read MoreMay 28, 2014
…explored the Brooklyn Botanic Garden
When I tell people back in England that Ryan lives in Brooklyn, their eyes widen. ‘Is that safe?’ they ask. ‘Aren’t there gangs there? Like in films and stuff?’ So when my mum and aunt visited this weekend, Ryan and I thought we’d take them to Brooklyn to show them that it’s really quite safe, actually. We spent …
Read MoreMay 27, 2014
…visited Libby
I’ve called her Libby for years now, but we really don’t know each other well enough to be so informal. We first met very briefly five years ago when I was roadtripping around the U.S.. I was traveling on my own so I asked a stranger to take a photo of me and Libby together, but for some …
Read MoreMay 21, 2014
…ate tacos cooked in a Volkswagen campervan
When I was about 12, my dad bought a bright turquoise VW campervan and I remember he spent ages trying to find the best Campervan Insurance. But when he did he was over the moon and ready to take it on a proper adventure. It all seemed very cute until he decided to take me …
Read More
Recent Comments