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 MoreTag / New York
June 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 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 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 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 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 24, 2014
…ate some English grub for St George’s Day
Growing up, I never felt particularly patriotic. I didn’t weep when David Beckham got us kicked out of the World Cup in 1998, and at university in Scotland, I learned that having an English accent wasn’t a point of pride. But since moving to New York, everything has changed. I am constantly telling Americans that they haven’t tasted …
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 21, 2014
…saw a subway map embedded in the sidewalk
I’m always nagging people to look up as they walk through New York (just look at what you can seeee), but this morning as I was shuffling towards work as the sun rose, I spied something special on the sidewalk. And it’s worth looking down for. On the sidewalk on Greene Street in Soho (between Spring …
Read MoreApril 16, 2014
…took a food tour of the Lower East Side
New York is constantly evolving, and nowhere is a better example of this than the Lower East Side. While it was once filled with immigrants crammed into tenement houses, now there are swanky coffee shops and hipsters. But while most of the area has drastically changed, some tasty relics remain. I’ve previously toured businesses and buildings in …
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 11, 2014
Lydia’s List for the weekend
I’ve been doing a lot of stuff for a long time now (see how well I sell it?) and I know this blog can be a little un-user friendly if you’re looking for things to do. So every Friday, I’m going to give you a few suggestions for the weekend. You in? 1 :: Saturday …
Read MoreApril 9, 2014
…saw The Kelpies
As great as the Tartan Day Parade was on Saturday, it wasn’t enough of a Scotland fix, so I headed to Bryant Park for another. I knew it was hosting The Kelpies – two massive horse sculptures by Scottish artist Andy Scott (yes, Scott) that celebrate the nation’s reliance on horses throughout the years. But after seeing online …
Read MoreApril 7, 2014
…cheered for the Tartan Day Parade
I went to university in St Andrews, Scotland – a cobble-stoned village by the sea – and I remember it so fondly. It gave me some of my best friends, happiest memories and brilliant opportunities (and some semi useful knowledge). So when my Scottish pal Louise said that a Tartan Parade was coming to toun, I jumped …
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