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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April 3, 2014
…dined at a ‘Victorian Establishment’
One area of the city I do my best to avoid is Times Square. Ask any New Yorker and I’m sure they’d say the same. It’s loud, overrun and it burns my eyes – but it also means that I’m short on suggestions for what to do up there. But Ryan started working in the …
Read MoreMarch 28, 2014
…got lost in the clouds at Central Park
It’s nearly April and winter’s still lurking. Just as I thought I’d be able to pack my winter coat away last week, it began snowing again. But last night, I wandered up to Central Park and realized they’re getting worse weather than the rest of us – because one section of the park is completely beneath clouds. This cute …
Read MoreMarch 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 14, 2014
…got creative with For the Makers
For Christmas, Ryan bought me a crafts subscription that has changed my life. At first, when I opened the little cardboard box and saw it was filled with threads and beads, I thought it looked cute – but man, did I underestimate it. And now that I’ve cracked the box open properly, I’m addicted. He …
Read MoreJanuary 7, 2014
…rocked out at Bowery Ballroom
Okay, I cracked! I lasted a whole two days without doing something new. On Saturday night, I headed to a Lower East Side music venue I’d never been to before: Bowery Ballroom. It’s hosted a whole range of acts – from Lauryn Hill and Kanye West to Queens of the Stone Age and the Pixies. And tonight …
Read MoreJanuary 2, 2014
…said ‘cheers!’ to a year of daily new experiences
Guys, I’ve done it! Since January 2013, I have done a new thing every single day here in New York City (okay, I also went on a fair few trips out of New York – but I did new things there too!). The thought has made me a bit emotional to be honest. Lots of …
Read MoreDecember 30, 2013
…dodged the scaffolding at St Patrick’s Cathedral
When I got to St Patrick’s Cathedral – the highlight of Fifth Avenue’s skyline – tonight, I was disappointed to see the place was filled with scaffolding. Ugh. How was I supposed to see this famous 19th century church in all its glory? But instead of whining, I realized that this was an entirely new …
Read MoreDecember 27, 2013
…visited a llama farm
You see all sorts of wildlife – pheasants, badgers, deer – in the countryside near to my parents’ home in West Sussex, but who knew there were also llamas lurking in the fields? Ryan and I headed a few miles away to the Llama Park in Ashdown Forest to meet Heather and a variety of …
Read MoreDecember 26, 2013
…climbed to the top of St Paul’s Cathedral
I lived in London for two years before moving to the U.S., but due to night shifts, shorthand classes and complacency, I never got to know it. But today I finally took my new Today’s The Day I attitude to my old home. Ryan and I jumped on a train (some are finally working!) and …
Read MoreDecember 25, 2013
…had an alternative Christmas
First of all – Merry Christmas! Secondly, it’s Christmas Day, so you’ll forgive me for being a bit rubbish today, won’t you? I’d planned to whip up a tasty Christmas dessert with Mummy Warren for my new thing today but – you got it! – we’re still out of power and hot water courtesy of …
Read MoreDecember 24, 2013
…walked on The Pantiles
A storm hit southern England last night – leaving my family’s home without power or heat (just in time for Christmas) and trees strewn across roads and train tracks. It meant that our plan to play tourists for the day in London was scuppered – no trains were heading north. So instead, we jumped in …
Read MoreDecember 23, 2013
…saw England’s tallest Christmas tree (lit!)
(First of all – sorry that my blogs have been so late this week! I had no power over Christmas thanks to a big storm in the UK. Bear with me and I’ll pop up the last week’s posts now…) When I was home in Sussex last month, Mummy Warren and I toured Wakehurst Place …
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