Not too far from my apartment is a site that has a place in British history. If you wander along Henry Street in Cobble Hill and stop at number 426, you’ll be looking at the birthplace of Jennie Jerome. While her name might not ring any bells, you might know her son: Winston Churchill. If you …
Read MoreTag / Location
August 12, 2014
…worked on the Red Hook Community Farm
Our new garden has proved to be a handy spot for grilling corn and drinking cold beers during these sticky summer evenings. But in terms of being used for actual gardening, it’s not quite up to scratch yet. Thankfully, we’re not far from the Red Hook Community Farm, a surprisingly large operation that lives on top of …
Read MoreAugust 8, 2014
…watched Shakespeare in Carroll Park
Outdoor theater is one of my favorite things about New York in the summer. World-class acting in one of the city’s gorgeous green spaces… for free?! Why, yes please. Last week I was leaving the subway at Carroll Street when I heard some hollers nearby and realized that Carroll Park, which is usually home to lots of …
Read MoreAugust 7, 2014
The best places to go near Carroll Gardens (according to a local)
Apart from the rows of trees, brownstones and ice cream shops, one of the best things about moving to Carroll Gardens is that we actually know people who live here. It means we can grab coffee with friends without too much notice – a novel idea in New York. Among those friends are J and Marie, two …
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 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 20, 2014
…fell in love with the Planting Fields Arboretum
Yes, I love New York, but there’s no denying that the longer I live here, the more I seek out huge open spaces and greenery. I’m shocked when I see a front yard. Luckily, there are plenty of places for day trips from the city, from Beacon to Cooperstown. Last weekend I got my fix …
Read MoreMay 8, 2014
…explored Edinburgh Castle
I know I’ve not blogged in a few days, but I have a good excuse, I swear! Last week, Ryan and I popped over to Scotland (via Ireland) for a wedding – and got to work on a long list of things we wanted to see//eat//do. It means that we’ve returned from the holiday more …
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 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 15, 2014
…was tricked by St Ann’s Church
When I’m walking north, I always do my best to avoid the madness of Union Square. One recent route took me along 12th Street between 3rd and 4th avenues, where I spotted this gorgeous church – St Ann’s – snug against the other buildings. But something wasn’t quite right. The buildings behind looked almost too …
Read MoreMarch 5, 2014
…was dazzled by Kinky Boots
In a small corner of Northampton in the 1990s, there was a generations-old men’s shoe factory struggling to stay on its feet. One day, with its closing imminent, owner Steve Pateman received a phone call from a transgender shop owner he’d never met before. ‘You should be manufacturing women’s shoes built for men,’ Sue Sheppard …
Read MoreFebruary 27, 2014
…visited a Venetian Palace (in the West Village)
Despite the chill that’s gripped New York, I was itching for a walk after work and decided to head to the West Village – an area of Manhattan I don’t know too well. Blowing into my hands, I meandered through the diagonal streets, admiring the typically New York apartment blocks with fire escapes snaking up their sides. But …
Read MoreFebruary 24, 2014
…went snowboarding at Hunter Mountain
I woke up this morning aching and bruised… and it was well-earned. Yesterday, a Sochi-inspired Ryan and I headed to Hunter Mountain, a small ski-resort town about two hours north of New York City. We had nabbed a Groupon deal, which included equipment, ski passes and a bus trip organized by Sourced Adventures. The only problem was …
Read MoreFebruary 11, 2014
…saw Paul, John, Ringo and George at the Morrison Hotel Gallery
There was something amiss when I left work tonight… It was still light. Feeling there were hours ahead of me before I needed to be anywhere, I decided to check out a gallery a few blocks from the office that I’d seen mentioned by the MurphGuide: the Morrison Hotel Gallery. I’d read that it was hosting …
Read MoreFebruary 5, 2014
…spotted celebrities at a Polaroid exhibit
I know. I’ve not blogged in a week. It’s the first time in more than a year that I’ve headed home, eaten dinner and watched TV. And it feels terrible. Yesterday, my restlessness finally reached a crescendo. So after work, Ryan and I wandered to a tiny gallery just around the corner from my SoHo …
Read MoreJanuary 27, 2014
…checked out the Museum of the City of New York
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 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 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 MoreDecember 31, 2013
…watched the ball rise
Tonight after work I scuttled up to Bryant Park after spotting that its regular juggling class was still going ahead, despite looming New Year celebrations. But when I got there – there wasn’t a bean bag in sight. Gaah. Wandering around the park at a loss for what to do, I spied a crowd gathering …
Read MoreDecember 29, 2013
…went aboard the USS Intrepid
We landed in New York last night – and unfortunately brought the bad weather back with us. But while it wasn’t particularly pleasant to be walking around with a soaked jacket, it did mean that I got a very authentic experience when I went to The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum this afternoon. You know …
Read MoreDecember 17, 2013
…met Santa at Macy’s
I’ve seen Santa a few times over the past week but today I decided to visit him in one of his most famous spots – Macy’s on 34th Street. Rachel and I prepared our wish lists and angelic faces before heading to Santaland on the 8th floor of Macy’s, the world’s largest department store. All …
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