Two months after Ryan’s birthday, we finally got to use one of his gifts: Tickets to see GROUPLOVE. I have to admit, the first time I even heard of them was last year when Ryan mentioned they were playing at Terminal 5. I made lots of disinterested noises while making a mental note to book tickets …
Read MoreTag / NYC
March 26, 2014
…ate far too much at the Mac & Cheeze Takedown
I love America for many reasons (its traditions, its really good food trucks, its men), but near the top of the list is its obsession with macaroni and cheese. And this weekend, I went to the king of all Mac & Cheese events – the Mac & Cheeze Takedown. The idea is simple: Home cooks apply for …
Read MoreMarch 25, 2014
…went stargazing in the Bronx (and saw Jupiter)
When I was 11 and about to move to high school, I showed my big sister what I was planning to hang up in my new locker. ‘What’s that?’ she asked, pointing to a glossy bookmark. ‘That’s my favorite planet – Jupiter,’ I replied. She scoffed. ‘Don’t take that. Everyone will think you’re a swot.’ …
Read MoreMarch 24, 2014
…got my caffeine fix at the Coffee and Tea Festival
Most people I’ve met here moan that they don’t have a coffee IV hooked up at all times. And I get it – waking up at 5.45am every day and then staying up late to make the most of the city can take its toll. Thankfully, once a year, the city invites New Yorkers to …
Read MoreMarch 21, 2014
…celebrated Macaron Day
Have you ever tried to make a macaron? Unfortunately, I’ve inherited absolutely zero baking skills from my pastry chef mother and the only time I tried to make them, they came out flat, burnt and not at all pretty. Which is why I leave the baking up to the professionals (and Mummy Warren). The tasting …
Read MoreMarch 17, 2014
…took a day trip to Beacon
I had nothing on the agenda today so I decided to head out of the city for a quick trip – somewhere with clean air and fewer people. There are plenty of places upstate – from castles to stately homes – but after a bit of googling, I learned that most tourist-friendly places only open …
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 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 14, 2014
…celebrated Pi Day (with pie)
Us Brits always moan about the way Americans write the date. Shouldn’t it go from the smallest value to the largest, rather than month/day/year? Well, as much as I’ve had my gripes, today the system was appreciated. March 14 is 3.14 – the same numbers as Pi (π), a mathematical constant that helps you figure out …
Read MoreMarch 11, 2014
…made cupcakes at Butter Lane
When I lived in Manchester in the UK, I had a gloriously large kitchen – it was new, sparkly and it inspired me to cook. But four years on, and I’m living in a (very pretty) shoebox in Manhattan with virtually no kitchen. So as you’ve seen before, when I have an urge to cook, I quite …
Read MoreMarch 7, 2014
…visited Japan (in Grand Central Station)
I’ve never been to Japan, so today I tried to cheat by visiting Grand Central Station, where ‘Japan Week’ is underway. But somehow I left with even less knowledge than I went with. Ryan met me at Grand Central – about three minutes too late to save me from being hit on by a boy …
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 MoreMarch 3, 2014
…snacked at the Vegetarian Food Festival
I’ve been a vegetarian for more than 20 years (I was a stubborn seven-year-old), and New York City is by far the best place I’ve ever lived for food choice. Gone are the twee Sussex pubs where the only options are pheasant breast or rabbit pie – and instead I have gorgeous Korean vegetarian restaurants …
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 20, 2014
…sipped cocktails at a Japanese speakeasy
While Heather’s visiting, I want to give her a taste of my favourite things to do in the city. And what’s more tasty than a cocktail from one of New York’s bars? I wanted to show her the classier side of my habit so we headed to Stuyvesant Street and met outside a Japanese restaurant …
Read MoreFebruary 18, 2014
…took a walking tour in the LES
This weekend, I got a treat – Heather arrived in New York City! Heather and I have known each other since we were six – and I think we’re still pretty much the same today: an unchanged sense of humor, an unparalleled ability to chat rubbish to anyone who’ll listen and penchant for kiss chase. Today …
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 9, 2014
…cheered for the Knicks
Last week my delicate English sensibilities were tested. Because I went to a sport’s game. I’ve been to a fair few sports events – baseball, football, tennis, rugby – but for some reason, the fans at the Knicks vs. the Trail Blazers basketball game on Wednesday were the roughest and the gruffest of them all. …
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 17, 2014
…went scuba diving
A few months ago, Ryan and I spotted a Gilt City deal for an introductory scuba diving class. A little bit random perhaps… but why not? After months of canceled classes and wrangling with the company, we finally managed to use the deal tonight. And while there was even more waiting once we got there, …
Read MoreJanuary 16, 2014
…fronted a rock band
When I was 11, my sister Charlotte, our friend Lara and I started a pretty great band. While it didn’t have a name, it did have an interesting sound: Charlotte on the drums, me on the keys and Lara on the violin. We penned a surprisingly dark song for our tender years and set our …
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 …
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