I have about four pairs of shoes and will probably buy exactly the same ones when they wear through. My friend Rachel, however, seems to have several new pairs delivered every week; I will never understand how she makes it to the office without spraining an ankle. So the Shoe Obsession exhibit at the Fashion …
Read MoreCategory / Free Stuff
February 19, 2013
…visited a nighttime art installation at FIT
New York cares about us city dwellers who only emerge from our offices when it’s dark and rarely catch exhibits before they close. For us, they’ve provided Light Cycles in the Winter Garden of the World Financial Center. The three-month installation (should that be outstallation?) by Anne Militello is comprised of different-sized disks of colour that glow hypnotically …
Read MoreFebruary 18, 2013
…went to a book reading for Black History Month
With the end of Black History Month fast approaching, tonight I attended an event at McNally Jackson that marked the month with readings from two black authors – one from the U.S., the other from the U.K.
Read MoreFebruary 17, 2013
…watched the Chinese New Year Parade
Events celebrating Chinese New Year have been held across New York for a week now (including my dim sum making last Sunday), but today they reached a dramatic, colourful conclusion with the parade. The event was very nearly right on my doorstep. Furry dragons, sequined snakes and lantern-adorned floats left Chinatown, bobbed along Mott Street (parallel to …
Read MoreFebruary 13, 2013
…went to a (secret) movie screening
February 9, 2013
…made a snow angel
Winter Storm Nemo dumped a foot of snow on New York last night. For Lower Manhattan – where I live – that means brown slush lining every street for a few days. But for the city’s parks, it means a soft, welcoming blanket – and the opportunity to be a big kid. So I donned …
Read MoreFebruary 6, 2013
…rocked out at Bowery Electric
Tonight I battled the cold to walk a few blocks north to Bowery Electric, where I thawed out to a couple of sets in the Map Room. It’s the first time I’ve been to the venue, which is owned by Jesse Malin and Johnny T, and is was reportedly a favourite haunt of Drew Barrymore …
Read MoreFebruary 5, 2013
…ran over the Brooklyn Bridge
With all these vats of cheese and doughnuts I’ve been consuming, it’s about time I did some exercise. I combined it with a New York must-see by running over the Brooklyn Bridge. Twice actually, if you count there and back.
Read MoreFebruary 3, 2013
…watched the Super Bowl
Tonight I dunked chips in dip, swilled beer, oohed at the halftime show, groaned at the commercials and yelled at the players – just like a true American. And you know what? I still don’t understand football.
Read MoreFebruary 1, 2013
…went to see can-struction works
That ‘balloon animal’ is actually made of cans. Crabmeat cans to be precise. And it’s just one of 28 sculptures made out of non-perishables on display at the World Financial Center to encourage people to donate food as part of a massive food drive.
Read MoreJanuary 31, 2013
…performed a set in the West Village
Well, this was pretty horrific. A few months ago I sang a song at one of Dylan’s shows and felt like it was over far too soon. So when some our friends suggested a ‘couple’s music night’ at Think on 8th Avenue, I thought it would be a good chance to attempt my first ever full set …
Read MoreJanuary 29, 2013
…learned how to kick ass
Mayor Bloomberg may always be reminding us that New York is the ‘safest big city in the U.S.’, but it still has a lot of dark corners. So I thought it might not be a bad idea to learn some moves to protect myself – just in case.
Read MoreJanuary 28, 2013
…tried a new tipple at Arlene’s Grocery
As I made my way to watch some music at Arlene’s Grocery in the Lower East Side, I thought about what new drink I could try. I had visions of a blog post entitled ‘…drank a Manhattan in Manhattan’. But as it turns out, there’s not really that sort of selection in the basement of …
Read MoreJanuary 27, 2013
…meditated
I had no idea how many things could go through your mind in ten minutes. In the time I was supposed to be concentrating on my breathing at my beginners meditation class, my phone bill, John Kerry, these French-singing cats and how I really, really wanted a Diet Coke all crept into my mind instead. …
Read MoreJanuary 26, 2013
…saw Central Park covered in snow
It snowed! And it’s bloody cold. But not so cold to put me off trekking to Midtown to see what Central Park looked like. I managed to drag an unenthusiastic Dylan along (“I’m from Minnesota! I know what snow looks like!”) and we entered the park at 72nd Street, where Winter Jam was underway. The organisers …
Read MoreJanuary 25, 2013
…saw ‘The Scream’ up close
The Museum of Modern Art has free entry on a Friday evening so, after work, I jumped on the E train and shuffled through the snow to claim my ticket. Aside from saving $25, the real draw was seeing Edvard Munch’s The Scream up close. Or so I’d hoped. Everyone else in the city apparently …
Read MoreJanuary 23, 2013
…got lost in translation
Continuing on my ‘free stuff in New York’ streak, tonight I went to watch what I thought was a student piano concert at the New School. I’ve been to a strings recital at Juilliard before and getting to see world-class performers for free is just too good to miss. The only problem here? Said students turned out …
Read MoreJanuary 22, 2013
…watched a squash tournament at Grand Central Station
For some bizarre reason, the Squash Tournament of Champions chose to set up its court in Grand Central Station, so tonight I went to watch the women’s quarterfinals. For the non-paying spectators, the game is viewed through the massive glass back wall, which means they smack the ball directly at us. I spent the first ten minutes …
Read MoreJanuary 21, 2013
…saw Buckyball
The bank called to ask whether I’d tried to spend $800 at one of the online casinos uk. Luckily they guessed the chances were slim. While I’ve always been interested in something like a paypal casino, this particular effort was not my doing. Now thanks to my entire lack of a contingency plan (and my …
Read MoreJanuary 20, 2013
…played freeze tag on Wall Street
Forget Occupy. Today, hundreds of us unleashed chaos on Wall Street – in the form of a massive Freeze Tag game. The annual event organised by father-and-sons company Levys’ Tours celebrated its eighth year with two hours of playground favourites, including Blob Tag (where tagged players join hands with the tagger), and a few games I’d never …
Read MoreJanuary 14, 2013
…learned to play the cello
I know, I know, pretty impressive. My friend Jane (who I’m staying with on an island off Washington state) gave me a cello lesson this morning, and after initially struggling to balance the bow in my grip, I eventually managed to play a scale. You can’t see it on the footage, but minutes later I …
Read MoreJanuary 5, 2013
…helped Hurricane Sandy victims
When Hurricane Sandy lumbered through New York two months ago, I was wrapped up in my 6th-floor-level flat, with my only worry that my windows could break. A week later and without a damaged window in sight, my power was back on and it was easy to forget that just a few miles down the …
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