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May 10, 2015

Things I’ve loved about New York this week

Another busy week (hence the lack of posts… I’m rubbish, I know) and another busy one ahead of me, but I’m happy to say that it’s finally feeling like summer! As evidenced by an outdoor wedding, iced coffees and my first rooftop bar of the season… 1 :: Outdoor meals at Pazzi Pasta. I know, I …

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October 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. …

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October 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 …

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September 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! …

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September 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 …

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August 20, 2014

…tested Hay Rosie’s ice cream

If I could eat ice cream for every meal, I would. So when I heard that Hay Rosie makes savory flavors, I wondered if this might be the lunch or dinner option I was looking for. The tiny Brooklyn shop has dished out some interesting options in the past few months: feta and goat cheese with tomato caramel swirl; spicy Sriracha Popcorn; …

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August 11, 2014

…took part in a lightsaber battle

Whatever you’re into, you can guarantee that New York is teeming with other people with the same interest. So if you fancy dressing as a Star Wars character, activating your lightsaber and battling hundreds of foe in Washington Square Park, you can be sure it’ll happen. Welcome to my Saturday night. I’m not a Star Wars geek, but I am …

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August 9, 2014

Things I’ve loved about New York this week

I have basically used my staycation this week to settle in to my new neighborhood – and there’s a lot to love. I had been really looking forward to moving here, but Ryan and I both agree it’s even better than we’d imagined. I don’t think I can fully describe how glad I am to be living …

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August 8, 2014

…watched Shakespeare in Carroll Park

Outdoor theater is one of my favorite things about New York in the summer. World-class acting in one of the city’s gorgeous green spaces… for free?! Why, yes please. Last week I was leaving the subway at Carroll Street when I heard some hollers nearby and realized that Carroll Park, which is usually home to lots of …

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July 10, 2014

…met the Rockefeller Plaza’s newest resident

Between searching for new apartments and finding someone to take over mine, I’ve not had much time for many new things recently. One thing I’ve fancied – but haven’t got around to yet – is Jeff Koons’ new exhibit at the Whitney Museum. But this is New York, so there’s always a much quicker, cheaper alternative – if …

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July 1, 2014

…partied at a popup dinner in Prospect Park

Before Saturday night, I picked out a white dress and filled a white basket with sugar-dusted cookies. The only hitch? I had no idea where I’d be taking them. But a few hours before heading to Prospect Park for an all-white PopUp Dinner Party, I finally learned that I – and 4,200 other guests – would be drinking, dining and …

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June 16, 2014

…snacked at Broadway Bites

From Madison Square Eats to Smorgasburg, New York hosts some delicious outdoor food markets over the summer. Last week, another called Broadway Bites arrived in town and I thought it seemed like the perfect spot for some post-work snacking. I met Ryan near Bryant Park and we headed down to Greeley Square, which is at 33rd Street and Broadway. …

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June 12, 2014

…headed to the beach at Fire Island

Some of my most horrifying memories – Portuguese strippers, early-morning dashes to the ER – are from bachelorette parties. So when Ryan said that his high school friend Nick was hanging out at Fire Island for his bachelor blowout, I thought it sounded like a much saner idea. And even better – Nick and his fiancée Christine were having a …

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June 5, 2014

Lydia’s List :: Where to get the best ice cream in NYC

The weather’s been getting warm and sticky, which only means one thing as far as I’m concerned: ice cream for every meal. Here’s my take on the best sweet frozen treats the city has to offer: 1 :: Ample Hills Creamery :: This friendly Prospect Heights store scoops up the richest flavors perfect for an afternoon treat. …

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May 28, 2014

…explored the Brooklyn Botanic Garden

When I tell people back in England that Ryan lives in Brooklyn, their eyes widen. ‘Is that safe?’ they ask. ‘Aren’t there gangs there? Like in films and stuff?’ So when my mum and aunt visited this weekend, Ryan and I thought we’d take them to Brooklyn to show them that it’s really quite safe, actually. We spent …

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April 14, 2014

…fell in love with Italian ice

Ice cream is hands down my favorite food group. I’d opt for a pot of mint chocolate chip over a real meal any day. And since being in the U.S., I’ve discovered a number of ways to eat it that don’t involve vats of cream – from fruity frozen yogurts to shaved ice or snow cones. …

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December 21, 2013

…took the East Village Mosaic Trail

I’ve lived in the East Village for nine months now and I’ve obviously not been paying attention. Today I was looking for new things to check out nearby and came across the Mosaic Trail – quirky mosaicked lampposts just a stone’s throw from my front door. Even though I pass the lampposts every single day …

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September 29, 2013

…took a trip to Governors Island

If you look at a map of New York City, there are a few islands dotted around Manhattan. I’ve already been to Roosevelt Island, if you remember, and today I ventured to another: Governors Island – which was good timing because this is the last weekend of the year that it’s open. This is where …

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September 13, 2013

…feasted at San Gennaro

Last year when I lived in Little Italy, there was nothing I dreaded more than the Feast of San Gennaro. Every year for 10 days, the festival fills the six blocks stretching from Prince Street to Canal Street – and my recollection of it is noise, tackiness and stinky, greasy food. Of course, living there, …

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September 10, 2013

…square danced in Bryant Park

After work today, I was tired and just wanted to go home. But Ryan and I had made plans to go square dancing for my new thing, so I dragged myself to Bryant Park and screamed, ‘I hate todaysthedayi!‘ when I met him. Thankfully, it turns out that square dancing is the best remedy for …

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September 8, 2013

…gorged at the Vendys

Food trucks are an integral part of the New York foodie landscape but I’ve not visited one since the start of this blog. Today I more than made up for lost time with a crash course in the city’s best food trucks – at the annual Vendy Awards. The Vendy Awards showcase around 25 of …

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September 1, 2013

…danced at a music festival in Sussex

Summer is music festival season but I’ve not had one lined up for years. So when I heard there was one happening in my home county of West Sussex, I thought it was worth a weekend trip across the Atlantic. Especially because this one was very close to home: It was in my parents’ back …

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August 27, 2013

…played musical chairs in Bryant Park

I’ve played tag on Wall Street and taken part in a massive pillow fight at Washington Square Park, and today I headed to Bryant Park for another of New York’s bizarre free activities: Musical chairs on a very, very large scale. A team of meticulous organizers had placed 20 circles of chairs with around 25 …

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