Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you’re enjoying a calorific dinner with loved ones – or if you’re in the UK, I hope you’re enjoying your Thursday. Sadly, I’m in the office until 5pm. When I reached Astor Place this morning, it was a ghost town. But while I might grumble about working holidays and starting at …
Read MoreTag / NYC
November 26, 2014
…visited Matisse’s cutouts (and survived being in Midtown at the weekend)
The week I started this blog, I flew across the country to the furthest, greenest corner to visit a university friend, Jane. She lives on San Juan Island, which is off the coast of Washington state and is so far north that its residents can see Canada. After reaching the island by a teeny six-seater plane, I …
Read MoreNovember 12, 2014
…dosey doed at a barn dance
Some parts of this country remain completely alien to me. The way you write the date? Weird. American supermarkets? I’ll never understand them. That plastic neon yellow stuff you put on burgers and claim is ‘cheese’? No thanks. So every now and then it’s nice to get a little taste of home. Enter… the barn dance. …
Read MoreNovember 9, 2014
Things I’ve loved about New York this week
Oops, I’ve neglected these lists for a while, but they’re back! Here are just some of the small but lovely things that I’ve appreciated in the city this week. 1. The final glimpses of creative pumpkins. I spotted this one in Brooklyn Heights. 2:: The best new lunch spot I have found in a long …
Read MoreNovember 7, 2014
…was spooked by the Rise of the Jack O’Lanterns
Ever since I started this blog last year, I’ve loved how it’s been a group effort. Friends, family and strangers are always suggesting the next place for me to visit or sharing something exciting that they’ve got planned. Last week, my friend Justin was telling me about a Halloween event he was going to out on …
Read MoreNovember 4, 2014
…visited Minnewaska State Park in time to see the leaves
The clocks have changed, the mercury has plunged and I’m back on the hot coffees. I think we’re nearing winter. Thankfully when I went upstate last weekend (yes, another escape from the city), the leaves were still holding on. I concluded that, without a doubt, my favorite season in New York is autumn – I’m …
Read MoreOctober 31, 2014
Lydia’s List: Here’s how to get in the Halloween spirit in NYC
Happy Halloween! The UK doesn’t do Halloween the same way Americans do – I think I dressed in a black t-shirt and bobbed for apples once as a child – so every year I’m still amazed by just how much people over here get into it. Right now, for example, my whole street in Brooklyn is …
Read MoreOctober 27, 2014
…went to Tom Fruin’s house
This waterfront home – with unobstructed views of the Manhattan skyline and some very colorful decor – is the hottest property in NYC right now. You can’t actually live there (and not just because you can’t afford it), but you can visit – and you really, really should. The plexiglas house, ‘Kolonihavehus’, is the creation of Brooklyn-based …
Read MoreOctober 20, 2014
…fell in love with Waterford NY
Forget Chipotle and Days of Our Lives, my favorite thing about the U.S. is its sheer variety. I love Georgia for its cities frozen in time, Illinois for its glistening architecture, California for its deserts, Washington for its remote islands and Vermont for being the greenest place I have ever seen. And New York? New York offers everything …
Read MoreOctober 17, 2014
…was underwhelmed by Magnolia Bakery
Cronuts and macaroons may now rule the treats here in New York, but once upon a time, the cupcake was king. Leading the way was Magnolia Bakery, which first started whipping up cupcakes from leftover batter at its Bleecker Street store in the 1990s, sparking the mania. Two decades on, even though the cupcake craze may be crumbling, Magnolia seems to be …
Read MoreOctober 16, 2014
…popped by Carrie Bradshaw’s
These days you’ll find me binge watching Gilmore Girls Say Yes To The Dress CNN, but about ten years ago, it was all about Sex and the City. Yes, I know a good 70 per cent of the dialogue off by heart. A couple of years ago, some of my gal pals and I won a Sex …
Read MoreOctober 9, 2014
…walked the new section of the High Line
Whenever visitors ask what they should do in New York, my first answer is THE HIGH LINE. Every time. This salvaged railway line-turned-walkway starts in a beautiful part of the city, offers you views to Jersey and across the city, lets you in on a bit of history and entertains you with art and local snacks along the route. Oh, and it’s free. …
Read MoreOctober 8, 2014
…rode the Thunderbolt
All summer we’ve been complaining that it’s not hot enough. I even heard the dreaded ‘polar vortex’ mentioned a couple of months ago. But forget all that because the weather right now is perfect: crisp, sunny and dry. For one final summer adventure, Ryan, Charlotte and I decided to be big kids at the place big kids …
Read MoreOctober 7, 2014
…drank coffee at Central Perk
New York can be an intimidating sprawl when you’re new to town, so sometimes it’s nice to pop to a place that’s slightly more recognizable. My sister Charlotte is visiting from New Zealand and, while she isn’t scared by the size of the city, I still thought it would be good to visit an old, familiar favorite: …
Read MoreOctober 1, 2014
…visited Winston Churchill’s mum’s house
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 MoreSeptember 29, 2014
…petted animals at the Long Island Fair
An added bonus of going out with Ryan is that I’ve been able to visit Long Island – where he grew up – many, many times. When you can tear me away from our new(ish) neighborhood, going out there is one of my favorite weekend things to do. And this weekend? There was the countryside! animals! …
Read MoreSeptember 13, 2014
…saw street art (inside)
You know all those spray-painted squiggles, full-scale artworks or cartoonish stickers you see around the city? Well, sometimes they’re advertising for an artist’s other work. The artists frantically spray those squiggles or post stickers over the city all day, every day, so that they spread awareness for their brand. And it’s worked on me. This is how …
Read MoreSeptember 8, 2014
…cheered for the jousting at the Renaissance Faire
I’ve always said that some time apart from New York can do wonders for my relationship with her; I come back sane again. But this weekend, when I ventured out of the city, I’m not sure I came back all that okay in the head. Welcome to the Renaissance Faire. This annual spectacle is held at …
Read MoreAugust 30, 2014
Things I’ve loved about New York this week
You know what? I’m really glad I’ve been doing these round-ups. Every Friday – the day I reflect on the things I’ve loved about that week – I initially wonder what on earth I’m going to be writing about. Especially because I’m no longer doing a new thing every day (and I still feel guilty about it…). …
Read MoreAugust 28, 2014
…discovered Sahadi’s
Now that I finally live in an apartment bigger than a shoe box (thank you, Brooklyn), I’ve weaned myself off Seamless and have re-discovered the stove. In habits that would have seemed absurd a few months ago, Ryan and I now pack our lunches and spend an hour cooking every night. I love it. When we moved to Brooklyn, …
Read MoreAugust 27, 2014
…found the secret sound installation in Times Square
If you live in New York, you know something no tourist does: Times Square is to be avoided at all times. It’s a wonder to behold, sure, but it only needs to be beheld once. The problem? Everything. The lights, the crowds, those absolute fraudsters who barely cover their heads with an Elmo mask and then …
Read MoreAugust 23, 2014
Things I’ve loved about New York this week
‘New York hasn’t had a summer this year,’ seems to be a pretty common refrain right now. And I would agree for the most part – I swear previous years have been far, far sweatier. But I’ve still been trying to make the most of the outdoors before we’ll be pulling on our snowboots and …
Read MoreAugust 19, 2014
…watched a classic movie at Bryant Park’s Summer Film Festival
There was a time when I used to have an opinion on every film showing in the cinema, but I honestly cannot remember the last time I watched a full movie. Blame a busy schedule, Netflix binges or my talent for falling asleep on the couch the minute I sit down, but it has been …
Read MoreAugust 16, 2014
Things I’ve loved about New York this week
From new street art to The Jackson 5 taking over my local subway station, here are some things that have made me smile this week. Seeing The Flower Guy‘s latest work (and recognizing it). Before moving to New York, I knew very little about street art, but in the past few years I’ve taken some cracking tours …
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