Part of me laughs when New Yorkers lust after tiny houses (we already live in tiny houses), but another, larger part of me gets it. I get the desire to be snug, surrounded by the wilderness or mountains. I get wanting to scale back to only what you need. The sleekness, the simplifying. Getaway is …
Read MoreTag / NYC
April 2, 2016
1 Second Every Day
It’s been a while! I’ve wanted to get back to blogging for many months but, with long work weeks, it hasn’t been easy. But! I now have a very simple way to show you what I’ve been upto in New York (and beyond) for the past year. Between February 2015 and February 2016, I recorded a second of video …
Read MoreJuly 2, 2015
…went to a restaurant serving bugs
When people come to town, I usually have a few tips for things they should do, but when Adam was visiting last week, his suggestion was far more creative than anything I might have come up with. He wanted to head to Korea Town to eat bugs. Silk worm lava, to be exact. Adam and …
Read MoreJune 25, 2015
…felt small next to the Unisphere
I’d long seen pictures of this giant metal globe up in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens but when I finally visited, I could not believe how huge it is. It’s called the Unisphere and it’s an incredible remnant of the 1964-65 World’s Fair. The stainless steel structure was designed by top landscape architect Gilmore D. Clarke …
Read MoreJune 9, 2015
…saw New York City from One World Observatory
It’s here. For the first time in nearly 14 years, visitors can look over the city from a skyscraper in downtown Manhattan again. And not just any skyscraper – the tallest one in the entire Western Hemisphere. Finally, the One World Observatory is open – and of course, it’s incredible. I went on opening day about 10 days …
Read MoreMay 31, 2015
Things I’ve liked about New York this week
Well hello there, how was your week? Here are some of the highlights from mine: 1 :: Heading to the top of the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere! I visited the One World Observatory (at the top of that big shiny building pictured above) when it opened on Friday and it was incredible. (Blog post to …
Read MoreMay 28, 2015
Lydia’s List: My favorite city spots for iced coffee
This warm weather means I’ve finally made the switch to iced coffee. Yesss. Since last summer, I’ve moved offices to Astor Place, giving me the chance to discover a few new places. So I thought I’d share a few of my top spots with you – near Astor Place and beyond – and ask for your tips on where I should …
Read MoreMay 26, 2015
…took a bus tour through the Bronx
Midtown is clogged with tour buses, especially if you are looking for tours to new york, but did you know that some companies take you to less touristy corners, such as the Bronx? When City Sights NY asked me if I wanted to join one of their groups, I jumped at the chance to check …
Read MoreMay 20, 2015
…visited Grant’s Tomb
If you jump on the subway and ride north to Morningside Heights, you’ll reach a very different part of the city. It’s quieter and greener, and has much more space. So much space in fact that it’s home to the world’s largest cathedral and North America’s largest mausoleum. Laid to rest in that mausoleum are President Ulysses S. Grant and his wife, …
Read MoreMay 17, 2015
…got tipsy on a cocktail tour of the East Village
By now you probably know that I am a walking tour fan. There’s no better way to see the city than on foot accompanied by someone who knows their stuff. And among the tour groups, Urban Adventures is one of my favorites thanks to their wealth of knowledge, small group sizes and choice of lesser-known locations. So when I …
Read MoreMay 1, 2015
…went camping at Alder Lake
For months now, Ryan and I have been keen to go camping — and we weren’t going to let a bit of snow stop us. So last weekend, despite predicted freezing temperatures, we stuffed our backpacks with sleeping bags, snacks and plenty of layers, jumped in the car and headed to the Catskills. If we …
Read MoreApril 29, 2015
…(barely) saw the cherry blossoms at Brooklyn Botanic Gardens
Seeing the cherry blossoms at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens is an NYC must, so last weekend, I headed there hoping that a few blossoms had defied the unseasonably cold weather to make an appearance. Thankfully, one or two had. Yes, they were few and far between – but ooh, they were lovely. Last weekend was the annual Sakura Matsuri …
Read MoreApril 22, 2015
…visited Al Capone’s wedding chapel
Earlier this week, my friend Claire sent me a great New York Times video about my neighborhood, Carroll Gardens. The short film gives an interesting insight into the historically-Italian neighborhood and how it’s changed (and gives plenty of the reasons why I love it so much): For me, the most interesting factoid from the video was …
Read MoreApril 17, 2015
…tested out the Macaron Cafe
We already know that macarons are man’s best invention, but until now I’ve relied on the East Village’s Macaron Parlour for my fix. This week I passed Maracon Cafe on 36th Street so, charitably, decided to give them a chance as well. This location, which is between Broadway and 7th Avenue, has a teeny store front and just …
Read MoreApril 5, 2015
Things I’ve loved about New York this week
Happy Easter/Passover! Let’s look at some of the things I’ve liked about this week (pictured above)… 1 :: My favorite view from the Promenade during a springtime walk with Georgia. 2 :: Crocuses in the garden. A week ago, there was snow on the ground so this is pretty miraculous. Not long until we’ll be …
Read MoreMarch 30, 2015
…snuck into a Pizza Speakeasy
Ever since moving to NYC, I’ve loved tracking down its speakeasies – whether it’s one behind a secret door in a Japanese restaurant, through a phone booth in a hotdog store or down an alleyway for cocktails in teacups. They’re quirky and fun and our little secret. So when I found out that a pizza speakeasy, SRO, had snuck …
Read MoreMarch 25, 2015
…welcomed in spring at Macy’s Flower Show
I’m sorry to keep going on about it, but I’m fed up of winter. So thank you Macy’s for allowing me to pretend it’s spring. Last night I headed to Macy’s Flower Show, a mixture of art, botany, sweet scents and of course, window displays. It really does brighten up the dreary streets this time of year. When I got there, …
Read MoreMarch 22, 2015
Things I’ve loved about NYC this week
I’ve been a bit of a hermit this week (as I’m sure you realized from lack of posts…) but I must say the sprinkling of snow we had on Friday made the city a real beaut. Even better – it’s now completely gone! Let’s hope that’s the last of it. As to a few things I liked …
Read MoreMarch 21, 2015
…tasted Insomnia Cookies
Look at this awful weather! What you need is a pick-me-up. How about one delivered right to your door? I say you turn your attention to Insomnia Cookies. As the name suggests, they help you get your cookie fix (nearly) all hours of the day and night, but unlike some of you may be thinking, …
Read MoreMarch 18, 2015
…took a trip to Kingston, New York
If you live in New York City, it’s necessary to escape it every now and then. Earlier this month, I had a couple of days off work and decided to take myself on a trip. I picked Kingston because I’d read it was historic and cute, plus I found a beautiful apartment above a gallery on Airbnb, …
Read MoreMarch 10, 2015
…visited the United Nations HQ
Being British, I have two deeply ingrained traits: 1) I will never complain if someone puts me out. And 2) I am a firm believer in queues being properly maintained. But last week, as I lined up to enter the United Nations for a tour, there was a clash. An old woman who had been muttering …
Read MoreMarch 6, 2015
…toured New York’s top movie sites
Give me a decent science museum or a must-see art exhibit and I’m all for it, but I usually draw the line at super touristy activities (well, if you ignore this). That all changed last weekend when I had the joy – yes, joy – of being a tourist in my own city. On Location Tours …
Read MoreMarch 4, 2015
…discovered Shuffleboard at Royal Palms
If you want to take on Royal Palms‘ shuffleboard courts in Gowanus, not only do you need to be surprisingly agile and focused – you also have to be very, very prompt. Ryan and I headed there on Sunday at 1pm – just an hour after it opened – and there was already an hour’s wait. …
Read MoreFebruary 25, 2015
…visited Dylan’s Candy Bar
It sounds so cliché, but Dylan’s Candy Bar on 60th Street took me right back to my childhood. The shop – which is owned by Ralph Lauren’s daughter, Dylan – may be very modern and a little flashy, but it reminded me of when I was little for three main reasons: 1 :: Because my brother …
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