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 MoreTag / Brooklyn
July 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 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 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 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 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 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 19, 2014
Lydia’s List :: NYC’s best vegetarian spots
Over in the UK, National Vegetarian Week has kicked off. Perhaps someone can correct me, but as far as I can see, we don’t have an equivalent here. There’s a Veg Week in April, but no week set aside specifically to celebrate us bean curd lovers. So I thought I’d use the UK’s celebration as an excuse to …
Read MoreApril 29, 2014
Don’t miss :: PopUp Dinner Brooklyn
This weekend, I penned a piece for Edible Brooklyn about an elegant popup dinner party that’s coming to Prospect Park this summer — and I thought it looked too good not to share, especially as tickets have just gone on sale. On June 28, as many as 5,000 people – all dressed head-to-toe in white – …
Read MoreApril 28, 2014
…went roller skating in Prospect Park
A couple of weekends ago in Lydia’s List, I told you about the skate rink that had opened at the new LeFrak Center in Prospect Park. This weekend, I re-lived my days as a six-year-old roller disco queen and gave it a spin. It was great. The rink, which is on the northeast side of …
Read MoreApril 22, 2014
…took a daytrip to Ward Pound Ridge Reservation
While I was tied to my desk in Manhattan yesterday, Ryan was exploring trails, peeking into caves and filling his lungs with fresh air at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation. Despite my jealousy, I was excited to see his pictures at the end of the day – and I thought they were too good for him to keep to himself. …
Read MoreApril 14, 2014
…fell in love with Italian ice
Ice cream is hands down my favorite food group. I’d opt for a pot of mint chocolate chip over a real meal any day. And since being in the U.S., I’ve discovered a number of ways to eat it that don’t involve vats of cream – from fruity frozen yogurts to shaved ice or snow cones. …
Read MoreApril 8, 2014
…brunched at Korzo
Waking up when it’s still dark in the week means that I’m usually stirring far before a socially acceptable time at the weekends too. And as soon as I do, what am I thinking about? You got it. Brunch. Unfortunately, not too many places are open that early for brunch, but thankfully Korzo, which is …
Read MoreMarch 31, 2014
…toured the Brooklyn Brewery
Of course, the first time in weeks that I have visitors, it rains. All weekend. Thankfully, the Brooklyn Brewery gave us a delicious indoor alternative to checking out the sites. Kate (who has her own very amazing blog here) and Darius had popped up from Washington D.C. for a couple of days and I was glad to hear that Darius …
Read MoreMarch 16, 2014
…welcomed spring at Prospect Park
I don’t want to jinx it, but I think spring is finally coming. We’ve had a horrendous winter of endless snow days, icy puddles and bone-chilling winds. But this week, those big mounds of snow that have built up on sidewalks for the past three months finally appeared to be melting. So Ryan and I …
Read MoreFebruary 19, 2014
…laughed my way through a murder mystery
Remember a couple of months ago when I went to a terrible, terrible murder mystery? The event, which was held in Midtown, was the only thing I walked out of all year – and whenever anyone asked, I warned them never, ever to go. Auntie Susie didn’t like that. My blog’s number #1 fan had …
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 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 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 …
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