NY Historical Society + My First Snow

Friday night was another wild night in the city — this time I went to the New York Historical Society. Like the Met the Friday before, I went by myself, and I decided to go because it was "pay-as-you-wish" from 6-8pm. I don't mind paying something, especially to support causes I appreciate, but I'm on a pretty tight budget so I'm always down for a discount. I paid $5 (the regular student price is $10) and I think it was definitely worth that. I had never been before, but I would recommend it if you're a super nerd like me. I think I was actually the youngest person there by at least 60 years, but that happens to me a lot.

They currently have a WWII exhibit that was pretty neat, but my favorite was the NY Landmarks photo series. I love learning about New York history and architecture, and I even added a few places to my "to-see" list that I hadn't known about, like Riverside Church and the Manhattan Bridge arch and colonnade.

The other highlight of the Society was a small, somewhat hidden hallway (I felt like I shouldn't be walking down it, but it's definitely part of the exhibitions) with about a dozen paintings of New York scenes from various artists/time periods. I loved all of them, but I snapped photos of my favorites.

The Historical Society is small, and took about an hour to go through — I wouldn't expect to spend much more time there, and I probably won't go back unless there's a new exhibit that strikes my fancy.

I had initially planned to walk there, because unlike the Met, the Society is pretty much in my neighborhood — Central Park West at 77th street — but when I walked out of the apartment I was surprised to find that it was snowing. It wasn't exactly snow-globe-quality, big, fluffy flakes, so much as tiny, stinging, get-in-your-eyeballs snow, so I took the subway to the 81st street stop. By the time I got out of the train, the city was beginning to get covered and I walked into Central Park for a few minutes like a giddy little kid.

I love snow, and this was my very first New York City snowfall. It was still snowing when I was done at the Historical Society, so I took the train to Washington Square Park and walked around a bit. The snow managed to make the city look more magical than usual, even at night.

Unfortunately most of it melted or was shoveled away by morning, but I'm hoping it snows again while I'm here and preferably during the day so I can venture further into the park —this has been my desktop wallpaper for months and I would love to see it this way in real life.

Oh, and I know you're probably sick of hearing me talk about it, but I'm still absolutely loving my hat — it makes all the difference in the world, and it's making winter not only bearable but actually totally fun.

Thank you, hat. You've changed my life.

Greenwich Letterpress + Subway Etiquette

I have the most amazing family and friends, and every so often I think I should let them know just how awesome they actually are. I love getting mail and I assume everyone else does too, so I decided to send thank you cards to the people that have been most instrumental in getting me to New York. On Tuesday night I went to check out the card selection at Greenwich Letterpress and although the shop is teeny tiny, it's packed with tons of amazingly cute letterpressed cards and other goodies. I wanted to buy nearly everything I saw, but I eventually narrowed down my selection to a reasonable few.

Their New York City-themed cards are particularly charming, and I'll definitely be back to buy more. They also have a great Valentine's selection right now if you're into that, and they're not far from John's Pizza and Magnolia Bakery if you want to make a night of it.

I opted to eat at the Washington Square Diner, which was totally cute and a great choice for my first solo New York dining experience. I ate my mushroom and feta omelette in the company of the one-and-only Julia Child, via the biography Dearie and felt like a real-life New Yorker. It's an enormous book and I have a hardcover copy which makes for some pretty awkward subway reading (I actually hit myself in the face taking it out of my bag one day), but I've already seen much, much worse on the train.

Like what, you ask?? Well, I know I've only been here two weeks, but I already have some pretty strong opinions if you want to hear them (um, stop reading if you don't?).

• Don't eat on the train — seriously, you can't ride two stops without breaking out your stir fry? At least all I do is complain about it in a blog post that no one is going to read — this woman actually got into a fight over eating spaghetti (story brought to my attention by my friend Trent, who also abhors subway eaters). The video is not available, but I can most definitely identify with the sentiment, "What kind of animals eat on the train?" Exceptions: coffee or non-offensive candy.
• Don't make out on the train — I've seen this happen a disturbing amount of times in the last two weeks. You're not as hot as you think you are, you're gross. 
• Don't opt for (very) public transportation if you don't know how to bathe yourself — this is obviously always going to be a problem, but I have had to change cars no less than three times this week alone because of my unfortunate proximity to overwhelming body odor. No. Thanks.

So this post started out being about Greenwich Letterpress and their super cute greeting cards and ended up being a rant against the hungry, sex-starved, smellies of the world. Welcome to my brain — and please leave your stir fry at the door.

Central Park

I wouldn't exactly call myself a "nature person" but sometimes there's nothing I love or need more than a walk in the park. I guess what I most prefer is manufactured nature, and is there any better place to experience a good, old-fashioned, man-made, fully-designed "natural" expanse than Central Park?

I've pretty much walked the entire park over the years, sometimes all in one day. This past Sunday was beautiful here — sunny, 40/50 degrees — and I'd heard so much about the impending, freezing doom that was headed our way, so I decided to spend as much time outside as possible.

I entered the park at the 81st street entrance, which is my favorite place to do so. This is where we entered the park at 4am to join the line for Mother Courage tickets in 2006, and it will always be a very special place to me. I usually pay my respects to the Delacorte, wander around the Shakespeare garden and take in the wonderful views from Belvedere castle.

On Sunday, however, my ultimate desitination was Bethesda Terrace, so I headed south, rambling my way through the Ramble. I stopped at the Ladies Pavillion, which funny enough, contained two actual ladies having a gossip-y conversation, which I imagine to be exactly the kind of thing that should be happening there, although in my head the ladies would have been dressed in far fancier attire, with maybe even a parasol or two.

This was obviously not what the Mall looked like last weekend, but isn't it heavenly in the summer? [source]

Anyway, I then exited the park at 72nd street, walking past the Dakota to check out 72nd street bagel (would you look at that logo??). I hadn't had a genuine New York bagel since I got here, and I had read good reviews of theirs, so I got one and took it to go. I went back into the park and headed to one of my favorite people-watching spots: the Mall, and ate while I watched people and hoped they weren't watching me back. I really hate watching other people eat, and I as a result I'm self conscious about people watching me, but more often than not my hunger trumps my social anxiety. Luckily, the bagel was everything a NY bagel should be — crunchy, chewy, soft and salty — and only $2.50.

Post-bagel I walked to Bethesda Terrace, which is one of the first places I remember visiting when my parents took 14-year-old me to the city for the first time. I just re-watched Angels in America, so I wanted to pay my respects to the Angel of the Waters on a "sunny winter's day, warm and cold at once." There was a long time when the underpass was closed for tile restoration, but thankfully it's open now, and it seems like every time I go there's a couple taking wedding photos, even in January.

I said bye to Bethesda, and kept walking south — passing Wollman Rink

(which is now apparently owned by...Donald Trump), Umpire Rock and Sheep Meadow. When I realized that I was in the same spot from which one of my favorite photographs had been taken, I tried to recreate it — it's pretty awesome to see how much the city has grown and yet stayed the same, even in such a tiny slice of the skyline. The only thing I'm missing is two dapper gentlemen and several inches of snow — I've yet to experience a New York snowfall, but I'm hoping it's every bit as magical as it looks in pictures (although in reality it's probably a nightmare, I'm sure I'll find out soon enough).

Of course now it's like not even degrees here, and the unseasonable warmth of last weekend seems like another lifetime. I probably won't get another chance to explore the park for at least a few weeks so I'll be looking for some (warm) indoor activities — a visit to the New York Botanical Garden's Tropical Paradise show sounds most appealing. What are some other things I can do in the city that won't cause immediate frostbite?

Are you as cold as I am, wherever you are? Probably not, because you probably look cute in a hat, unlike me, which doesn't matter anyway because there is literally not one decent winter hat left in all of New York City. Believe me, I've looked.

Is it spring yet?

Doughnut Plant + Magnolia Banana Pudding

I'm not above admitting that my New York to-do list should probably be called my "to-eat" list for how many bakeries, coffee shops and restaurants I have on it. High on my list was Doughnut Plant, and when I found myself a few blocks away from their Chelsea location on Saturday, I decided that it was time to try it out. Never mind the fact that I had just eaten brunch a few hours before — I'm not one to let a silly thing like a full belly get in the way of my dessert eating. Plus, as I've mentioned before, I have a separate dessert stomach and it wanted fancy donuts, so fancy donuts I got.

I realize that they spell donut, "doughnut", but they're not the boss of me, so I'll be referring to them as "donuts", thank you very much.

Anyway, I ordered two — cinnamon + sugar and black-out cake — because I couldn't really decide on just one. They have a ton of really delicious-sounding flavors and I'm not really sure why I picked those two, but when I went to order that's just what I got. The place is tiny, but they have an entire wall covered in donut pillows which is pretty adorable. There are a few tables, but I took mine to go and walked a few blocks to Madison Square Park to see what $5.50 in donuts tasted like.

Honestly, I was a bit disappointed. I'm not sure what I was expecting, although I was told (and have read) about how amazing the donuts are, and mine just... weren't. They weren't bad, certainly, but the black-out cake had dry, sand-like crumbs on top and the cinnamon + sugar tasted a bit stale and burnt. I'm not exactly a donut connoisseur, but having had my first hot-off-the-conveyor Krispy Kreme this year, I can say DP's didn't stack up. I ate half of each one and finished them the next morning because, meh or not, I wasn't about to let a donut go to waste.

I'd like to go back and try again, at least once, to see if I'm missing something. Maybe they were having an off-day or I just ordered the wrong ones. Is there a specific one I should try? I'm thinking creme brulee or maybe peanut butter and banana cream? Speaking of bananas...

In positive dessert news, I finally tried Magnolia Bakery's banana pudding, and it is a-may-zing. I've been going to Magnolia for almost ten years (before it was cool — and then not cool), and I still think their cupcakes are the best  — although Crumbs, Baked by Melissa and Billy's are on my list to try. I've always seen people go crazy over the little tubs of banana pudding and I decided to try it on Monday. It's so incredibly rich and sweet that I felt like throwing up after three spoonfuls, but I promise that's a positive thing.

A little definitely goes a long way — save yourself a dollar and a lot of queasiness by ordering the small tub. The pudding redeemed Magnolia after I had a less-than-thrilling red velvet cupcake the last time I went. I'll definitely be sticking to the original vanilla-vanilla combo from now on, that is when I'm not in the mood for another deliciously sickening (in a good way!) tub o'pudding.

Side note: I may be the only person capable of walking the entire island of Manhattan and living in a 5th-floor walk-up — while managing to actually gain weight. At least I have goals, right?

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

[source]

I'd been to the Metropolitan Museum of Art once before, but I decided to go again last Friday by myself. I'm working from the apartment while I'm here in the city, and apart from an hour at lunch I hadn't been out much. I don't want to become that girl who dies in her apartment and is discovered weeks later by the smell of her rotting corpse, and somehow a trip to the Met was my way of not being that.

The museum is open late (until 9pm) on Friday nights and I'm not much of a bar person (or a social person, for that matteR) so it was a perfect evening for me. I'm living on the Upper West Side and there isn't a great way* to get over to the museum (on the East Side), so I decided to walk. Of course whenever I decide that something looks "close" on the map and will be a "nice walk" I turn out to be comically mistaken, but extra exercise is never a bad thing right? It was pretty much freezing but the walk wasn't that bad — I did, however take the subway waaaay out of my way just to not have to walk back.

The lobby was crowded when I got there but when I got farther into the galleries, I often had them to myself. The Met can be a tad overwhelming, and I only had a few hours, so I focused on the things I really wanted to see. I started with the Egyptian art which I have always loved. I think it's the designer in me that appreciates the graphic nature of the hieroglyphics and any culture that appreciated, and even revered, cats is tops in my book. Their collection of artifacts is incredibly impressive — they even have an entire, recreated temple.

The Temple of Dendur was just as amazing the second time, although at night you miss out on the wonderful views of Central Park from the Sackler Wing.

I spent the rest of my time with the (in my opinion) greats — Van Gogh, Pissarro, Picasso, Dali, to name a few. They have some of my favorite Van Goghs (Wheat Field with Cypresses, Oleanders, Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat) but my new favorite is Shoes, which I had never seen before.

I've always loved Pissarro's The Boulevard Montmartre on a Winter Morning and it's a never-ending thrill in my life to be able to see my favorite pieces of art in person. It's hard to wrap my head around the fact that I'm standing in front of a canvas that was painted by Van Gogh a little more than a hundred years before.

It's also amazing that I can see these things anytime I want. The Met is actually great, in that (unlike MOMA) it has a suggested donation admission policy, which means that I could pay a nickel if I wanted to. I actually paid the full student price of $12 this time because it's totally worth it to me, and they have a way of making you feel reallllllly cheap if you don't, but next time I'll probably do something more like $5.

I'm sure I'll be back at least a few more times — have you ever been? What should I make sure to check out next time I'm there?

*I'm sure there's an easy way, like taking a bus, but I'm stubborn and thought walking totally made the most sense. I was probably wrong.

Restaurant Week: Winter 2013

[source]

It's Restaurant Week here in New York, which this winter actually lasts for two weeks (?) and is basically a way for poor kids like me to eat at semi-fancy restaurants (relatively) cheaply. Tons of amazing restaurants offer three-course lunches and dinners for $28 and $38, respectively.

I'm actually a really picky eater, so I don't exactly consider myself a foodie (isn't that word just gross?), but when my friend Trent asked me to go to the David Burke Kitchen on Wednesday night, I said yes and I'm so incredibly glad I did — even if I am desperately trying to save money.

I looked at the menu beforehand so I wouldn't be surprised, and picked out my three choices. It was relatively easy because most of the first courses involved seafood (no thanks), so I went with the market salad. It was pretty good, but basically a standard salad, although the goat cheese was a little too feet-y for my tastes. Most other people at our table went with the burratta and prosciutto which looked (and tasted) pretty great.

[source]

For my second course I picked the short rib and oh my. It was one of the most delicious things I've ever eaten. It was such a tender, tasty little meat cube on top of cavatelli in a mushroom cream sauce, covered in extra mushrooms. I would pretty much be ok with mushrooms in everything I eat, so I was really happy about it. Very rarely do I find something to eat that doesn't have objectionable parts (i.e. carrots, basil, cilantro, etc. — I told you I was picky) but every bit of this was completely delicious.

The portions were generous too and I was full even before dessert. Luckily, I have a separate dessert stomach, which I gladly filled with an oatmeal and soaked-raisin cookie-type thing covered in a sour ice cream that was so, so good.

I had initially decided on the carrot cake (it was actually the main reason I went) but when we got there it was inexplicably missing from the menu. I may have to go back just to try it, but the oatmeal thing was so good it almost didn't matter.

Sure I've been eating egg-sausage-cheese bagels every day for lunch ($2.50!) to make up for the expense of the dinner, but it was totally worth it — I'm only sad that I won't be able to eat that short rib any time soon (it's $33 alone, normally).

What other restaurants should I try while I'm here? I'm the absolute worst when it comes to picking places to eat (or feeding myself in general), so your suggestions are much appreciated!

City, I Love You.

A week ago I moved to New York City.

I had initially been planning to come here in May, for a couple of months, to see what it was like to live here. Ever since I first came here with my parents when I was 14, I've been basically obsessed with all things New York. I've been here more than 20 times (4 times just last year) and I've worn a Subway token around my neck almost every day for the past three years.

It was time.

When an opportunity for the perfect place (perfect location, perfect set-up, perfect price) came up on Monday, January 7th, I expedited the whole plan (quite a bit). I am so incredibly lucky to have an extreme support system: Most important are my wonderful employers who trust me enough to send me 500 miles away with an iMac and the promise that I'll get all of my work done. I'm also lucky enough to be in a profession (graphic designer) that can pretty much be performed from anywhere with a reliable Internet connection.

Of course there's also my dad, who was more than enthusiastic and totally on board for a road trip to deliver me to the city, even though he only had a few days notice. Not only did he drive the entire way — in rain and fog, no less — but he helped me carry my things up five flights of stairs (that's 76 stairs, believe me, I've counted) and managed not to have a heart attack doing so.

As if that wasn't enough, I also have the most incredible family and friends who have done more than their share of cheering me on, checking in on me and just letting me know how very excited they are for me. I think part of their excitement comes from knowing that, at least for a while, they don't have to hear me talk endlessly about how much I want to come to New York. I'm pretty sure I even heard the rumblings of a collective "FINALLY" when I made my plans.

The apartment is awesome. I'm on W. 109th street and the Upper West side has always been one of my favorite neighborhoods. I'm one block from Central Park, one block from Morningside Park and super close to Columbia University and basically anything I'll ever need.

I've loved (and visited) New York so long that it doesn't really feel like I'm away from home, so much as that I'm finally home. I have a lot to figure out while I'm here, huge, lofty things like what I want to do with the rest of my life. I've given myself two months, that should be enough time right?

NO PRESSURE.

I'll be recording my adventures here and I apologize in advance that it's about to get real New Yorky up in here (even more than it was before), but maybe some of you are into that? I totally realize that I'm so incredibly lucky in nearly every single way and I don't intend to waste my time here.

Oh and if anyone knows of a totally awesome apartment opportunity here, let me know. Somehow I don't think two months is going to be long enough for this wannabe New Yorker.

Transit Museum

I won't, I can't stop finding things to post about my most recent trip to New York, and you can't make me — at least not until I run out of pictures to share (this may never happen). So, I present to you the third installment in my romantic-comedy-sounding mini-series, Springtime in New York: The Transit Museum Edition.

Like any good tourist, I've already visited the major "must-see" museums (MOMA, the Met, Museum of Sex, you know, the classics) so I have the pleasure of being able to focus my museum choices a bit more. Since my first visit to the city I've been enamored with the public transit system — rats, trash and unbearable summer heat be damned, the fact that I can pay $2.50 and get anywhere I want to go amazes me every time. Better yet, when we get wherever "there" happens to be, I don't even have to think about parallel parking: this must be what heaven is like.

So it seemed only fitting to add the Transit Museum to my list of must-do activities. After a foiled attempt last summer (pro-tip: they're closed on July fourth weekend), I found a friend who didn't mind spending his gorgeous Saturday afternoon exploring an underground museum geared toward 8-year-old boys.

We rounded a corner, looking for the entrance and both noticed simultaneously that it was located in an actual subway station (i.e. you walk down, underground into the museum just like you would the subway) — a pretty obvious, but awesome detail that neither of us had been expecting.

After paying the "station agent" for a ticket, we wandered around the first level for a while before realizing that all of the actual trains were another level down — if you're over the age of 8, I recommend skipping the "how electricity works" exhibits and starting with the trains.

The museum's collection of out-of-commission subway cars from the early 1900s - 1960s was impressive, informative and just downright cool to see — we took so many photos that I can't possibly remember which year each car is from, but I know I liked the 50s cars the best.

It was awesome seeing how the interiors had changed — I had no idea there were so many different versions of the proverbial 'straps'. The oldest cars had seats that were super low to the ground and large, sharp-bladed fans attached to the ceilings. I don't think 1917 was a good year to be a tall subway patron.

The reproduction, period-correct advertisements lining each car were a nice touch and we tried out every single seating solution. I also loved seeing the colors, styles and signage change through the years — what I wouldn't give to have ridden a brand new express train to the 1969 World's Fair.

Overall, I would definitely recommend the Transit Museum and afterwards take a walk around Brooklyn Heights if you've never been. It's only my favorite place in the entire world. What are some other niche museums that I should check out the next time I'm in the city?

Springtime in New York, part 2

As much as I dream about one day being able to legitimately call myself a New Yorker, I've resigned myself that until I actually get mail to a city address for multiple (what is it, ten?!) years, I'm still a...tourist. It was really hard for me to type that, but we'll get through this post together.

During my recent three-day trip, I walked briskly, always wore my sunglasses, smiled sparingly and barely consulted a map in an effort to fool the locals into thinking that I was one of them. But then, I not only made it a point to visit, but also take pictures of:

Bethesda Fountain. In Central Park, a must-see since the first time I ever visited the city — 14-yr-old me was equal parts mesmerized and creeped out by an American Indian slash rock violinist we stopped to watch, but it's the angel herself that keeps me coming back.

New Year's Ball. How's this for touristy: While walking though Times Square to get to anywhere else, I saw an advertisement on a trash can, beckoning me to come see the 100th anniversary ball, currently on display in the Times Square visitor's center and I actually did it.

Also: it's surprisingly tiny — I'll add it to my list of New York things that I've found to be smaller in real life than they look tv, including the Statue of Liberty, Rosie O'Donnell's old studio and Meryl Streep.

Shake Shack. We waited in a line longer than most people in Ohio could even comprehend, for burgers and fries that were average at best — especially when I live within a mile of a Swenson's. But I got to take a picture and let everyone know I was here, and as a tourist that's all that really matters, right?

Skyline views. While the Brooklyn Heights Promenade may not be as touristy as, maybe, a cruise around lower Manhattan, the spectacular views are quite similar. And I still take the same exact photo every time I come here, because until this is the daily view out of my bedroom window, mama needs a new desktop background.

The Brooklyn Bridge. It's my favorite bridge, and I've got the photographs to prove it. In between clogging up my Instagram feed (SHAMELESS PLUG: oh, hey, I'm BlueCarrotShop on there) with photos of this beauty, I took a nap in the park right underneath. So, sometimes I'm more homeless than tourist — is that further or closer to being an actual New Yorker? Can you spare a dime or a quarter?*

*I passed a guy over multiple days asking for a dime or a quarter — can't fault a brotha for trying.

Springtime in New York, part 1

This past weekend I went to New York City, which just happens to be my favorite of all of the cities. I've lost count of how many times I've visited, but I'm pretty sure I've covered every month — December was the coldest (-22 with windchill), June the hottest (90+, a record that year) and August the rainiest (I nearly lost a flip flop down a storm drain).

I've been there when it was 60 degrees in January and 40 degrees in May, but this past weekend it was absolutely perfect. Sunday was chilly and rainy, but Friday and Saturday were some of the most gorgeous days I've spent in the city.

Determined as always to see as much as humanly possible, I packed an extraordinary amount of sightseeing into two-and-a-half days. I can't possibly pick a favorite spot, activity or even borough when the contenders include most everything on my to-do list with notable additions being the "Cat You Care For" book I bought for forty-eight cents, delicious burgers at Shake Shack and an entire grove of lilacs.

I have to say though, for being such a city, New York certainly knows how to do nature. I spent a considerable amount of time walking around Central Park, Prospect Park and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and every time I turned a corner something was blooming and taking my breath away. The highlights:

I spent Friday morning walking most of Central Park, eventually ending up at the Conservatory Garden. I was just about to exit the gate, when I walked into this courtyard ringed with the most gorgeous tulips I've ever seen. Believe me when I say these tulips were a game changer.

I hesitate to say they took my breath away, but I'm still having a hard time believing I even saw something this beautiful. Did I mention the Conservatory Garden is free?

After the Conservatory, I headed to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. I went for the flowering cherries, and they didn't disappoint. I wish I was still there, sitting under the canopy of peak-bloom cherry trees — every time the wind would blow, a few petals would fall and I had to keep reminding myself that it was real life. Sometimes I can't believe I'm so lucky.

Also, I got in for $5 thanks to my student I.D., even though it's been 4 years since I could call myself a student.

Don't tell New York.

As if the cherries weren't enough, the Botanic Garden also has the most delicious smelling lilac grove I've ever seen. Well, it was also the first lilac grove I'd ever seen, but seriously I wish you could smell my photos. That's not usually something I wish when presenting New York City photos, but trust me.

Not to be outdone, the azaleas were also in peak bloom and in such vibrant colors I could barely trust my own eyeballs. Luckily I took approximately six thousand pictures as proof. Apparently the bumble bees enjoyed them as much as I did — I tried to take a picture of two bees getting fresh with one another, but they were all "stop creeping on us" and flew away.

I can't recommend the Brooklyn Botanic Garden enough — every where I looked was incredible. The bluebell field is apparently in bloom as of right this second, so grab your fraudulent student I.D. and head over to Prospect Park if you can — tell the cherries that I'll see them next year.