Last time I had a dinner date with Katia, we went to Africa. The time before that, it was Malaysia. And tonight we decided to pop a little further north to Turkey. We met at Peri Ela, a skinny slice of a restaurant in the Upper East Side. As a vegetarian whose only knowledge of …
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July 23, 2013
…went to a jazz club
Tonight Ryan and I headed to Smalls, a tiny basement jazz club in the West Village. Shamefully, this is the first jazz club I’ve been to since moving to the city. The place was intimate – low lighting, rows of chairs pushed right up to the stage and a charming, shabby bar that made it hard …
Read MoreJuly 20, 2013
…saw Chicago from the water
When I’ve asked both Chicago natives and Chicago fans what’s the one thing I should do when I’m in the city, they’ve unanimously said the Architecture River Cruise. So today I took their advice. The open-topped boat tour leaves from the Magnificent Mile and, for 90 minutes, travels along the Y shape of the Chicago River. A …
Read MoreJune 21, 2013
…trekked to graffiti Mecca
Tonight after work, I jumped on the E train and, to my surprise, was in Long Island City only 25 minutes later. It was my first trip out there and worth it to see one of New York’s hidden gems: 5 Pointz. 5 Pointz – a nod to the five boroughs – is known as ‘graffiti Mecca’ …
Read MoreJune 20, 2013
…auditioned for The Bachelorette
Guys, I’m single and I’m in New York (which I’m realising is a pretty horrifying place to date). There’s only one thing for it. I need to go on The Bachelorette. Okay, this isn’t very true and I’ve never actually watched an episode. But there were open auditions at ABC’s studios in Midtown tonight, so …
Read MoreJune 2, 2013
…dodged zombies in Williamsburg
Instead of the bespectacled, bearded arty types that usually swarm the streets of Williamsburg, this afternoon there was a different kind of clone: Scores of bleeding, mangled zombies taking part in the Annual Zombie Crawl. Haha, I love New York. After getting help from make-up artists at the Knitting Factory, the zombies took to the streets with …
Read MoreMay 29, 2013
…saw Manhattanhenge
Finally! The sun is back. And tonight New Yorkers saw it on show in Manhattanhenge. Manhattanhenge is a beautiful phenomenon that occurs twice a year. It’s the moment the sun aligns perfectly with the city’s grid as it sets. If you stand on one of the wider blocks and look west towards New Jersey, you can see …
Read MoreMay 16, 2013
…went to Hooters
I’ve been to the top of the Empire State Building, hollered at a baseball game and eaten my bodyweight in nachos while watching the Super Bowl. But there’s one American tradition that I’d avoided until tonight: Hooters. Elektra and I decided to pay a visit after walking past the chain’s New York spot in Midtown West last …
Read MoreMay 15, 2013
…watched the sun set over the Jackie O Reservoir
Tonight after work, Meghan, Snejana and I popped across the road to Papatzul to fill up on frozen Margaritas and sopes. When we stumbled out an hour or so later, my belly was full – and I desperately needed to walk it off. I decided to head to Jackie Kennedy Onassis Reservoir – an 106-acre, decommissioned …
Read MoreMay 14, 2013
…visited Bluth’s Banana Stand
A few weeks ago, I was looking for a show on Netflix that I could put on in the background as I got ready, or if I just needed a brief distraction. Arrested Development popped up as a suggestion, so I went for it – unaware that a few weeks on I’d be a serious addict. I …
Read MoreMay 13, 2013
…went to Madison Square Eats
‘Tis the season for outdoor food markets and because I’ve obviously not done enough food posts recently, after work I headed to Madison Square Eats – a snug food market opposite the Flatiron building. I’d never heard of the market until Meghan, who lives close to the park, told me about it – and promised me there …
Read MoreMay 5, 2013
…rode the Cyclone at Coney Island
New York boasts hundreds of national landmarks – but I never expected to find one among gaudy rides and neon prizes at an amusement park. Today Noah and I jumped on a train to Coney Island, where we headed to the Cyclone, a huge, rickety rollercoaster that was erected in 1927 – and which has landmark …
Read MoreApril 30, 2013
…jogged around Central Park
While I might not have the Rocky Mountains in my backyard, I do have Central Park. Each time I visit, I’m always in awe of – and a little bit jealous of – the runners bouncing along the paths. So tonight I decided to be one – and to appreciate the (sometimes minimal) nature we have …
Read MoreApril 6, 2013
…had a massive pillow fight
Ah New York, you’re so bizarre. Today I headed to Washington Square Park for a massive pillow fight – an annual event that sees people smacking each other over the head with pillows for three hours. Because, why not? I met up with Elektra and we threw ourselves into the sweaty, surprisingly violent mob. It …
Read MoreMarch 31, 2013
…made Cadbury’s creme eggs
I don’t want to over-egg the Easter puns, but today was an eggstravaganza. One festive activity was making treats that nearly resembled Cadbury’s creme eggs with my friend Meghan (‘Megghan’). As devotees of Buzzfeed, we’d come across this cracker of a recipe a couple of weeks ago and decided to give it a go. It involved …
Read MoreMarch 29, 2013
…skipped over the Manhattan Bridge
Spring has finally shown its face and tonight I wanted to make the most of it. I’ve already been to the Brooklyn Bridge, so I decided to shake it up by heading over the Manhattan Bridge instead. And whereas I ran the previous time, tonight I opted for a different mode – a skipping rope. …
Read MoreMarch 16, 2013
…cooked an Indian Banquet
Since living in New York, Seamless has taken a hefty chunk of my pay check. But today I rekindled my love for cooking with a course in London. And there’s no modesty here: The results were impressive. Mummy Warren and I headed to Acton to create an Indian Banquet under the instruction of Angela Malik. …
Read MoreMarch 15, 2013
…looked over London from the top of The Shard
After going to the Empire State Building last week and overlooking Edinburgh from Arthur’s Seat this week, today I completed the hat-trick. I visited the top of the newly-opened Shard in London so I could look over my capital city. With a view like this, it makes one wonder how somebody could possibly not want …
Read MoreMarch 12, 2013
…climbed a volcano
Four days after I went to the top of the Empire State Building for a view of New York City, I have completed Edinburgh’s equivalent: climbing to the top of Arthur’s Seat. Arthur’s Seat is a dormant volcano looming over Edinburgh – one of my favourite cities in the UK. Its steepest part is at …
Read MoreMarch 8, 2013
…went to the top of the Empire State Building
Tourist time. I’ve largely stayed away from the tourist hot spots until now, but I can’t get through this challenge without heading to the Empire State Building. And I’ve been to the top of the Rockefeller Center before, so I was interested to see how they compared. While the Rockefeller Center is a simple lift up …
Read MoreFebruary 20, 2013
…went to a designer shoe exhibition
I have about four pairs of shoes and will probably buy exactly the same ones when they wear through. My friend Rachel, however, seems to have several new pairs delivered every week; I will never understand how she makes it to the office without spraining an ankle. So the Shoe Obsession exhibit at the Fashion …
Read MoreFebruary 17, 2013
…watched the Chinese New Year Parade
Events celebrating Chinese New Year have been held across New York for a week now (including my dim sum making last Sunday), but today they reached a dramatic, colourful conclusion with the parade. The event was very nearly right on my doorstep. Furry dragons, sequined snakes and lantern-adorned floats left Chinatown, bobbed along Mott Street (parallel to …
Read MoreFebruary 16, 2013
…went to Williamsburg Fashion Weekend
I’ve drunk a few too many cherry vodka-flavored soda water cranberry things, so this will be short and sweet. But you know what I learned tonight? That – if I hadn’t already predicted it – the Williamsburg Fashion Weekend is a bit weird. We gathered in The Space on N 3rd and Wythe to see …
Read MoreFebruary 12, 2013
…went to Westminster Kennel Club dog show
Another day, another bizarre activity. Tonight it was entering the surprisingly exhilarating world of dog shows. I headed to Madison Square Garden to watch the second and final night of the annual Westminster Kennel Club dog show, and I was immediately sucked in. For three hours, I joined the rest of the crowd in gasping …
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