My Seventh Month as a New Yorker

January has never been one of my favorite months — there's the inevitable post-holiday blues, winter seems like it's never going to end and after starting off with a holiday, there's not much to look forward to until Valentine's Day (if that can even be considered a good thing).

Last year I moved to New York (albeit temporarily)  a week into the new year, and it felt wonderful and so very right to ring in this new year in New York again, knowing I am here for good. Thanks to a few decent snowstorms, and despite the bone-chilling cold, I actually spent a lot of time outdoors in January, which went a long way towards quelling any winter blues that were trying to sneak into my life. After a few weeks of Polar Vortex-y cold I did start to wonder if I should just hibernate until spring, but I forced myself outside, where I find it nearly impossible to be grumpy amidst the snowy landscape of the city.

A few more highlights from my snowy January:

We got a "six-inch blizzard" that the Weather Channel dubbed "Hercules" and I walked through Central Park on the way to work, on my lunch break and on the way home; I took advantage of my new membership to the New York Botanical Garden and took a snowy hike through the Thain Family Forest; I walked home through Riverside Park and caught an amazing sunset and I met a lot of new snowy friends.

Trent and I ventured to Long Island City where we mourned the loss of 5Pointz and saw the weird but sort of cool Mike Kelley exhibit at MOMA PS1; I walked on my lunch break to see the ice floes on the Hudson River; On another lunch walk I explored the grounds of Bellevue Hospital and was creeped out by the old Psychiatric Hospital; Mozart stared at me a lot for no reason and I went searching for remaining Banksy works from his October in the city to find that there isn't much left.

Jim and I went to Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens and explored the Unisphere, New York State Pavilion ruins and the New York Panorama at the Queens Museum; I continued to be obsessed with finding unique manhole covers around the city; I walked to a piece of the Berlin Wall on my lunch break and we tried the famous soup dumplings at Joe's Shanghai in Chinatown.

I squeezed the last bit out of Midtown on my lunch walks before changing jobs and saw the original Winnie-the-Pooh and friends at the New York Public Library (Piglet kills me); I said goodbye to my daily views of the Chrysler Building; I went to a Clue-themed party dressed as Colonel Mustard and brought pigs-in-a-blanket with a variety of mustard dipping sauces; I spotted a few old, beautiful starry manhole covers in Brooklyn; I was creeped on by a spooky black cat while creeping on the ruins of Admiral's Row in the Brooklyn Navy Yard and I walked across the Manhattan Bridge and remembered how much I love walking bridges.

I started a new job and took another horrible ID photo; we got an actual blizzard and I wasn't mad about it; I got up early to take a snowy, sunrise walk through Central Park to work on the East Side; I walked by the snowy MET Museum on my lunch break and realized after reading The Goldfinch that I'll never be able to look at the building the same way; I continued my obsession with snowy bridges and smushed some pennies at the Central Park Zoo.

February has already gotten off to a good start, and I'm equally excited for the possibility of more snow (yes, I'm an addict) as I am for the impending spring. Spring is the last season that I haven't experienced fully as a resident of New York and as usual I have a ton of fun things on my to-do list. I finally broke down and ordered a real deal pair of rain boots, so I no longer fear rainy days — in fact I may even be looking forward to them because I love my boots that much. I couldn't have asked for a better beginning to 2014, and I have no reason to believe that the rest of this year won't be just as wonderful.

Remnants of the New York World's Fair Part 1

It's nothing new for me to be really into ruins and reminders of the past, but it seems like I've been extra interested in seeking them out lately. My friend Jim and I went to Flushing Meadows-Corona Park and the Queens Museum a few weeks ago and had a great time hunting out the remnants of the '64/'65 World's Fair. I had been once before, around this time last year, but it was definitely a place I was eager to return to, and Jim had never been.

The Unisphere still tops my list of favorite New York attractions, and it's just as impressive and generally awesome as it was the first time I saw it. I love that the park feels like a total secret, and it has been basically deserted both times I've been. This feeling of isolation only adds to the sense that you're traveling back in time as you stumble upon leftover pieces and parts of the Fair.

The fate of the New York State Pavilion is actually a bit uncertain at the moment — it will apparently cost at least $52 million to restore the structure, and "only" $14 million to demolish it — but it's one of my favorite areas of the park to explore. What I wouldn't give to be able to walk over the 567-panel terrazzo road map of New York State on the floor of the pavilion, or land a helicopter on the top of the Port Authority's heliport — now an event venue called Terrace on the Park.

There are actually a lot of fair remnants (big and small) if you look hard enough — triangular canopies, the undulating New York Hall of Science building, futuristic-looking water fountains and a few remaining sculptures like the Rocket Thrower, which was restored in 2013.  There are even more pieces that we didn't know still existed, like the time capsule and avenue markers, so we're already planning a return trip in the spring.

The Queens Museum just went though an extensive remodel and recently reopened and I definitely recommend checking it out. The building is actually a leftover from the '39 World's Fair, and the New York panorama (from '64) is something that everyone should see at least once in their life. Since our trip, I've become even more obsessed with learning about the fairs, and I'll definitely be more prepared when we return. I can't find any information about the fountains around the Unisphere, except that they were restored in 2010, but I'm hoping that I'll be able to catch them on at some point this summer. Now if I could only track down one of these color-block lamps, I'd really be in heaven.

Brooklyn Navy Yard: Admiral's Row

I don't remember exactly where I first read about Admiral's Row, the crumbling ruins of once grand, Second Empire-style homes used by naval officers at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. But once I read that they may still be standing, I knew that I had to check it out immediately. I found a lot of information warning of their imminent demolition (and plans to turn the area into a shopping complex), but I never saw anything documenting their demise. I figured I'd take a chance, and that chance paid off — they still exist, for now at least — even if they are in a state of extreme decay.

From older images I found, it appears that they used to be more visible as seen through an iron fence, but now there is a tall wall surrounding the whole area. Fortunately, there are portholes that you can peek through, and even more fortunately (for me at least) some of the plexiglass has been punched out in a few areas so you can stick your arm/head through for a mostly unobstructed view. I don't advocate destroying public property, but when it facilitates me creeping on, and photographing, old ruins then I'm definitely not going to be mad about it.

Sometimes I think I love crumbling ruins more than I would love the buildings if they were in their original state, although I wouldn't mind being able to time travel between both extremes. As I was peeking though one of the open portholes, I spotted a jet-black cat walking around, and when he saw me he stopped cold. He sat and stared at me for longer than I was completely comfortable with and it was definitely one of those odd life moments that makes me laugh to myself and think how wonderfully strange life can be.

I probably looked like a totally crazy person with my head stuck through a busted out porthole, snapping pictures of dilapidated houses and talking to a cat that no one walking by behind me could even see. As much as I still feel like a fool gawking at weird things in front of millions of strangers in the city, I'm definitely starting to feel more comfortable just doing my thing. I never regret the photo or detour that I take, and I never want to regret the ones that I didn't take just because I felt awkward about it.

I would love to go back to Admiral's Row and see if I can get even better photos, but I should probably hurry because whether it's razed and turned into a shopping center, or just completely collapses in on itself, the ruins are probably not going to around much longer.

Friday Food: Joe's Shanghai

For the most recent installment of our regular dinners out, Katie, Jim and I went to Joe's Shanghai on Pell Street in Chinatown. We'd never been before, but I had walked by it after Christmas dinner at Nom Wah and took note of the massive crowd waiting to be seated. I got home and immediately looked it up on Yelp to see why it was such a popular destination. After reading tons of reviews raving about the Xiao Long Bao, or soup dumplings, I decided that it was worth a try.

I was concerned that we would have to wait a while to be seated (a common complaint) but at 7pm on Monday night we got in right away. The tables are large, so unless you have a party of 8, you'll most likely be seated with strangers. The tables are big enough that it's really not an issue, although it was bit hard to carry on a conversation since the three of us were all seated in a row. The first thing we were asked is if we wanted crab or pork dumplings, since I guess it's assumed by now that most everyone is there for their signature dish. We ordered pork (Jim and I aren't huge seafood fans) to share, and I wasn't starving so I opted out of ordering my own entrée. I did have a few bites of Jim's sesame chicken, which was perfectly tasty but not particularly memorable.

I'd never had a soup dumpling before, so I can't compare them to anything else, but I can definitely understand the appeal. You get a lot for your money (8 dumplings for $4.95, which falls perfectly within range of my magical $5 price point) and they were surprisingly filling. They are basically exactly what they sound like, which is a dumpling filled with hot (and sometimes VERY hot), delicious soup broth and a ball of meat/filling. They have the potential to be extremely messy or dangerous if you get too excited, but if you take your time they're actually quite simple to eat. The key is to plop the dumpling on your spoon, take a bite out of the top and slowly sip most of the soup before popping the remainder in your mouth. I appreciate any Chinese dish that provides me with a utensil more substantial than chopsticks alone, and believe me when I say that the spoon is your best friend when it comes to soup dumplings.

Yes, the service left a little to be desired (which I expected from the reviews), but it was adequate and an example of "you get what you pay for." I will definitely go back for the soup dumplings and if the reviews are to be trusted, I shouldn't really bother trying them anywhere else. Would I wait in a crowd like the one I passed on Christmas just for the dumplings? Probably not, but at least now I know why it's such a popular spot — even if I'm no closer to being able to actually pronounce the words Xiao Long Bao.

MOMA PS1: Mike Kelley

A few weekends ago, Trent and I decided to check out the Mike Kelley exhibit at MOMA PS1. It was my first time at PS1, although I'd walked by it a couple times on my previous trips to Long Island City.

I didn't know much of anything about Mike Kelley, but I'd read about the exhibit and his work with stuffed animals, in particular, seemed interesting enough to warrant a trip. Trent is a member of MOMA, which means that he got in free and could get guests in for $5. The normal adult rate is $10, but with my totally-legit-and-not-at-all-six-years-outdated student ID my ticket would have only been $5 even if I hadn't been with a member. It's a running joke with my friends that five dollars is my magical amount — I'll do most anything for $5 or less with very little expectation. The Mike Kelley show turned out to be a perfect example of this principle, because it ended up being mostly strange and a little disappointing, but because I only paid $5 I can't be anything but glad that we checked it out.

This is the first time that PS1 has devoted their entire building to the work of a single artist, and Kelley was certainly prolific enough to fill the large space. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that PS1 is located in a beautifully restored old school building, which I guess I could have expected if I had ever questioned why it was called "PS1". Just walking through the building is a total treat, with its worn wooden floors, exposed brick and tall windows — I've never really met an old industrial or institutional building with which I haven't fallen immediately in love.

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Kelley's work is incredibly varied, and it's impossible to describe it as a whole, without just saying that it's really all over the place. There are drawings, enormous (mostly) abstract installations, videos, found objects, photographs and of course his stuffed animal pieces. I particularly loved (and was surprised by) the Pay for Your Pleasure installation corridor, lined with banners beautifully painted with monochromatic portraits of celebrated icons, each paired with a not-so-nice quote from the figure themselves.

We somehow missed the room of hanging, rainbow-colored stuffed animal "balls" on the first floor, so it was actually the last room that we visited. Unintentionally saving the best for last was a good move, however, and I wouldn't have had any regrets about paying $5 just to see this one room. 

There's something unnerving and a little sad about seeing so many childhood toys and stuffed animals segregated by color and mashed together into something new entirely. The room is bright and the colors cheery, but occasionally seeing a dangling tail, or plastic baby doll arm jutting out of the soft, furry masses definitely made me feel uneasy. 

There was a handful of other stuffed animal installations sprinkled throughout the rest of the show and this side of Kelley's work definitely appealed to my love of the creepier, strange side of life. I'm not embarrassed to admit that most of the rest of it just didn't really do it for me art-wise, but that doesn't mean that it's not worth exploring. I've tried to get into video installations and performance art before, but I just can't take most of it very seriously. Kelley was obviously an enormous talent, and it's a shame that it all eventually got the best of him.

Bellevue Hospital

This is my last week at my current job — as a designer in the College department of publisher W. W. Norton— and I'm trying to make the most of my lunch walks around Midtown before I get to begin exploring the UES next week. On Friday I ticked an item off of my New York bucket list (how gross is the term "bucket list"?) when I finally walked over to see the Bellevue Hospital buildings in person.

I'm somewhat embarrassed to admit that until recently I wasn't even fully aware that Bellevue still existed. I had always known about its notorious psychiatric ward, but in addition to being the oldest public hospital in the United States, Bellevue is still a fully-operational and modern healthcare facility. Thankfully my first encounter with Bellevue was as a spectator, not patient, and despite some modern additions, enough of the old buildings survive to satisfy my love of the creepy and old.

The best part of the Bellevue complex, of course, is the old psychiatric hospital building on E. 30th and 1st Avenue. Built in 1931, it became a homeless shelter in 1998 and there have since been plans to turn it into luxury rentals or a conference center, none of which have materialized, so it remains as a shelter. 

The brick building is in dire need of a spruce, but the grime and climbing vines just add to the overall level of creepiness. I don't necessarily believe in ghosts, per se, but you definitely don't get a happy, warm feeling from walking by the abandoned courtyards, ornate iron gates or boarded-up windows. 

I felt like a total idiot snapping photos as hospital workers and current-day tenants walked by, but I can't possibly be the only person to be captivated by the lurid history and architecture of Bellevue. I would love to explore the interior, which I'm sure is just as creepy (or even creepier) as I am imagining, but as a non-homeless female I won't be setting foot inside those notorious walls any time soon (and I'd be just as out-of-luck if it's ever turned into luxury rentals). 

I'm so glad I finally have a visual (and that unsettling feeling) to pair with all of the legends of Bellevue that I've always heard about, and it continues to amaze me that I get to go on adventures like this on a normal, everyday lunch hour.

Friday Food: Papaya King

On Christmas Eve I had some errands to run that landed me on the Upper East Side. The east side of Manhattan is generally a mystery to me, although I'm starting a new job at 92Y in a week so there is much lunchtime exploring to be done. As I was headed to the Lexington Ave Subway station on e. 86th, I passed by a Papaya King. I was hungry, had no more plans for the day and wooed by their wonderful signage, I decided to stop in.

There are a many hot-dog-and-papaya juice shops in New York (Gray's Papaya, Chelsea Papaya...) but Papaya King, in business since 1932, claims to be the original. There is also a location on St. Mark's Place, but the 86th street shop is where the merger of tropical juices and snappy hot dogs began. The place is teeny tiny, with only a few feet of counter space, so it's not built to linger.

I couldn't recall ever really trying anything papaya-flavored before, except maybe a few bland pieces mixed into canned fruit salad (ew) so I didn't really know what to expect. They have a few different flavors of tropical juice, but I ordered the regular papaya, along with one hot dog with sauerkraut and mustard. My total came to $4.90, and according to the menu board I could have gotten two hot dogs and a juice for just $5, but I've never really eaten two hot dogs in one sitting, so it would have been too much.

I tried the papaya juice first and I discovered that I don't really care for it. It's not that it's bad, but it was kind of bland? I've actually been trying to think of how I can describe the taste, but I'm kind of at a loss. It didn't really taste like anything I'd ever had before, but it kind of grew on me the more I drank. The hot dog was delicious, but — no disrespect to Julia Child who apparently called it the best hot dog in New York — I think I liked Nathan's better. It wasn't a stand-out in my hot-dog-eating adventures thus far, but it's certainly a step above anything you could ever get from a sidewalk cart. Especially since the last time I went to a hot dog cart in Central Park, I asked for one with only mustard and the vendor started to apply ketchup anyway. When I very quickly said "No - I just wanted mustard," he put the ketchup-ed dog BACK into the water with all of the other dogs, and pulled me out a "fresh" one. As far as I could tell, Papaya King doesn't do anything nearly as gross with their dogs, so that's reason enough to stop in if you're ever in the neighborhood(s).

NYBG: Holiday Train Show and Snowy Walk

Ever since my first visit to the New York Botanical Garden last year for the spectacular Orchid Show, I've considered becoming a member. It's definitely worth it, financially, especially if you intend to go to all of the special shows ($20+/ea.) during the year. It is always hard for me to wrap my head around spending a lump sum of money all at once, vs. smaller chunks spread over time, even if the smaller payments add up to much more in the end.

But I finally came to my senses when my friend Jean-Marie and I were at the NYBG a few days before Christmas to see the Holiday Train Show, and traded in my ticket towards the price of a year-long membership. Much like getting my first New York library card, finally becoming a member to a museum/garden goes a long way towards making me feel like a true resident. Now, I can go to the garden anytime I want (and bring two guests), although I'm most excited to see the Orchid Show again and the cherry blossoms in the spring.

The Holiday Train Show was probably my least favorite of the shows I've seen thus far (Orchid and Kiku), but that doesn't mean it was not great. It just means that the flower shows I've seen have been so outstanding, that I found the train show to be a little dull in comparison. 

The show has trains, of course, but the main attractions are the hundreds of famous New York buildings and landmarks, recreated entirely out of plant parts (nuts, bark, leaves). They're incredibly intricate and kind of mind-boggling, and they definitely overshadow the model trains zipping in and out.

The bridges were a definite highlight, which should come as no surprise since I love the real life versions of each so much. I think what I actually liked least about the show was the amount of people (and children) that were crammed into the Conservatory. It's completely my fault for going two days before Christmas, but there's no doubt it would have been much more enjoyable if I'd had some space to breathe. We were constantly getting pushed, prodded or cut-off by grumpy toddlers and their entitled parents, which is something I'm not used to from the other (more adult) shows. 

I think maybe next year I'll do one of the child-free bar car nights, which seem to exist precisely for get-off-my-lawn types like me.

This past weekend I was still enamored with the snow from our "blizzard," even after spending all of Friday in Central Park, so I decided to head back to the NYBG. I'm already experiencing the joy of having fronted the membership money, and it was so nice knowing that the day wouldn't cost me a dime. It may seem strange to head to a botanical garden in January, but the Thain Family Forest is a huge part of the NYBG, and I knew it would be gorgeous in the snow. There were still crowds funneling into the train show (although it appeared much more civil than my previous experience) but the grounds were mostly deserted.

The main roadways were plowed, but the trails were not so I got an even more rustic experience than I had expected. Luckily the boots I bought on a whim have proven themselves to be a worthy purchase, and kept my feet toasty and dry throughout my entire expedition. I walked through most of the forest, stopping to see the waterfall on the Bronx river, the Goldman Stone Mill, the Hester Bridge and the Spicebush Overlook. The NYBG is one of those places where you can forget entirely that you're even in New York, and it was a perfect place to enjoy the beautiful snow. I highly recommend taking a hike there at any time of the year — snow is always magical, the fall leaves were beautiful, it's a really nice escape from the city in the hot, sticky summer and I can't wait to experience spring under their cherry blossoms. The best part about the Thain Family Forest? I didn't encounter one sticky, snotty kid on my entire walk — worth the cost of membership, indeed.

The Six-Inch Blizzard

On Thursday night we got a "blizzard" here in New York — the Weather Channel called it "Hercules" and back in Ohio we would have just called it "6 inches of snow," or "January."

I took a detour from my usual route to work on Friday morning and ventured into Central Park for a pre-work stroll through the snow. I know a lot of people get grumpy about the snow, but as long as I don't have to drive in it (thanks MTA!) I think snow is absolute magic. So when my love, New York, is blanketed with my other love, snow, I'm pretty much the happiest person alive.

On my lunch break, I eschewed actually eating and instead headed back to Central Park. It was very cold, but as always the right winter gear makes all the difference. The southern part of the park was packed with people taking photos, sledding and building tiny snowmen.

The water was just starting to freeze in the Pond, and I couldn't help but notice that the ducks were still there. Everytime I see ducks in the park in the winter, I think of the Catcher in the Rye and how Holden is obsessed with finding out where the ducks go in the winter:

"I didn't want to start an argument. "Okay," I said. Then I thought of something, all of a sudden. "Hey, listen," I said. "You know those ducks in that lagoon right near Central Park South? That little lake? By any chance, do you happen to know where they go, the ducks, when it gets all frozen over? Do you happen to know, by any chance?" I realized it was only one chance in a million."

Turns out that the ducks don't go anywhere. They just stay put, huddled against each other for warmth and begging tourists for food. I'm not sure why that part of the book always stuck with me, but I'm glad I got to see the very ducks he's referring to, after so many years of wondering about it.

Shortly after I got back to work, my boss said I could go home early due to the snow, so I headed back to Central Park for the third time and walked around the east side. I wanted to see the Conservatory Gardens, but the gate was closed by the time I made my way up there. I don't think I give the east side enough credit, although I start a new job on the UES in a few weeks so I'll have plenty of time to explore.

I especially loved the snow-covered bridges I came across — I would love to do a tour of all of the bridges and arches of the park when it gets warmer. Of course it's currently raining and all of the beautiful snow has melted or turned into a muddy pile by now, but that's part of what makes it so special. Snow has a very short shelf life, especially in the city, and I'm glad I didn't waste any of my time with this particular batch.

Goodbye forever, 2013.

I've become fond of referring to 2013 as the unluckiest and luckiest year of my entire life. Sure, I've only lived a little more than 28 whole years — and I hope to live many more — but I doubt (or maybe hope?) that 2013 will not have much competition for a long time.

I started the new year out much like I had the previous five: in Ohio with my man, in the home we shared with our two cats. By January 11th, I was with my dad, in his truck, headed to New York City. I subletted an apartment near Columbia University for two months, still working (remotely) for 427 Design while I test-drove a life for myself in New York. On March 11th, I was once again in my dad's truck, headed back to my home in Ohio. I was reunited with Mozart and threw myself into work, designing and planning 427's annual Open House.

I had planned to move back to New York as soon as possible, but the universe stepped in and gave me a medical issue that, by the time it had resolved itself in mid-May, put me through a level of stress and worry that I had never experienced in my healthy life thus far.

On July 1st, I was headed to New York again, this time with a one-way airline ticket, without job or place to live and far more baggage than the two suitcases I was carrying. On the day I started my first New York job (August 5th), I also signed the lease papers for my first New York apartment.

So now, twelve months later, I sit in that apartment, with Mozart by my side. I've survived losing (or moving on from) my relationship, a very dear friend, my potential health, my home and my job — and in turn, moved to the city of my dreams, started a new job, found a new home, met new friends and strengthened ties with old ones. I'm not one to dwell on the bad, and I try to revel in the good, however small. I'm constantly Instagramming and blogging about my city adventures, but there's another side to life that keeps everything in balance. Breakdowns, crying fits, packing up 27 years of possessions, entire days when I don't get out of bed, long, painful conversations and equally painful personal realizations aren't particularly easy to capture in a photo, but they matter too.

I've been making a habit of reviewing my months here in New York, but I thought I'd pay equal attention the the six months of this year and all the moments big and small that led up to me finally booking that one-way ticket:

I moved to New York and set up an office in my room  |  I tried Magnolia Bakery's famous (and amazing) banana pudding for the first time  |  I bought a hat that changed my life  |  Trent and I explored Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens  |  I warmed up with City Bakery's hot chocolate |  I paid off one (of my minor) student loans.

We got nearly a foot a of snow and I took a snowy tour of three parks |  Trent and I braved the cold (and Chinatown) to see the Chinese New Year Firecracker Festival |  I had my first (and second, and third...) macaron | I walked the Manhattan Bridge |  I explored Roosevelt Island for the first time |  Trent and I searched for Meryl and ate cupcakes during the Oscars.

I had my best restaurant experience ever at Tom's, which ended with a (free) egg cream (my first!)  |  My uncle came to visit and took me to the MET Opera for the first time (and we took a backstage tour)  |  We went to the gorgeous Orchid Show at the New York Botanical Garden  |  I said "goodbye for now" to New York and headed back to Ohio over the George Washington Bridge  |  I tried to settle back into my Ohio life with a little help from lattes and Martha  |  Reunited and it felt so good.

I had my third, and final Blue Carrot Shop sale on Fab.com  |  I designed materials for the 427 Design Open House |  I enjoyed outside lunches with Swenson's (oh Swenson's, I do miss you) and Jessica Mitford  |  We silkscreened (and glittered!) some posters  |  I packed a lot of packages as I liquidated Blue Carrot Shop in preparation of moving  |  Hung out with this beauty.

I managed to stick to a gluten-free, (mostly) dairy-free diet for a few months and made a LOT of smoothies  |  Tried to get outside once in a while and appreciate spring  |  Took a lot of contemplative nature walks  |  Had a massive garage sale and sold most of my earthly possessions including a surprising amount of Reagan campaign buttons  |  I tried to sneak in extra snug time with the other one |  I made intimidating lists and began the process of changing my whole life, one thing at a time.

My mom and I visited New York to scout apartments and I had my first Nathan's hot dog at Coney Island  |  Trent, Alisha and I waited nearly three hours to see the Rain Room at MOMA |  I took my first trip to Governors Island  |  I explored George Washington Bridge park and the Little Red Lighthouse  |  I said "goodbye for now" to my best furry friend  |  I left my home, my family and job to follow my dreams.

So, tonight we all say goodbye to 2013, the year I found out that I was stronger than I ever could have imagined, more fragile than I ever want to admit, that real friends have a way of revealing themselves to you when you least expect, that my family's unconditional love and support is unparalleled, that I really don't care for papaya juice and that the right hat can make all the difference. I could have done without the really terrible things, but I'm grateful for every second of it.

Happy New Year, indeed.

My Sixth Month as a New Yorker

Whew. December was a busy month. By the time Christmas rolled around, I felt as though I had successfully "petted" the entire holiday season to death. I saw the holiday window displays more times than I can count, braved the crowds at Rockefeller Center more times than I ever needed to and watched all of the Christmas movies (including repeat viewings of Home Alone 2).

On Christmas morning I opened a few presents, watched the SNL Christmas special, went to the movies (American Hustle) and had dim sum for dinner in Chinatown like a good New Yorker. It was a pretty anticlimactic end to the holidays, but it felt like the perfect way to spend my first New York Christmas.

A few highlights from the rest of my December:

I discovered a new, beautiful place in Central Park on one of my many weekend walks, saw the holiday windows (Bergdorf's were my favorite, but the Saks Yeti is pretty charming), happened upon a vintage subway car and took it a few stops out of my way, enjoyed my first apartment tree in the company of the Pigeon Lady and tried my first ever "fancy" ramen (it was good!).

I ate nuggets breaded with Cheez-its, found Meryl on 14th Street, my Uncle visited for the second time since I moved and we had box seats at the opera, I introduced him to the delight that is Absolute Bagels, we took a tour of Gracie Mansion before the DeBlasio's move in, and I braved Macy's to go Christmas shopping on my lunch break.

I went to my first-ever corporate Christmas party at the Roosevelt Hotel and ate cake while everyone else danced, we went to Dyker Heights to marvel at their oh-so-tacky-but-amazing Christmas light displays, I took a magical snowy walk through Central Park and made some friends with some beautiful cardinals, I hosted a Christmas Vacation viewing party complete with moose mugs filled with spiked nog and I sent out a New York-themed package as part of the Christmas City Swap.

I walked by the beautiful Bryant Park tree every day, finally noticed the creepy glowing-eyed owls outside of Macy's, pushed my way through the crowds at Rockefeller Center to get my tree photo, had a weekend visit from a friend who wanted to see a Banksy, took her on a tour of obscure movie filming locations, including the arch in Central Park from Home Alone 2, and tried out Georgetown Cupcakes (meh).

We saw the tree at Washington Square, walked the Brooklyn Bridge and became obsessed with all of the locks, visited Carrie Bradshaw's apartment on Perry Street, went to the holiday train show at the New York Botanical Garden (I also became a member!), explored the Cathedral of St. John the Divine and I had my first hot-dog-and-papaya-juice experience at Papaya King for Christmas Eve dinner.

I enjoyed new (and old) gifts, saw an amazing sunset in Chinatown on Christmas day, visited the Bergdorf's windows one last time and was creeped out by "Groundhog Day," waited in line to see Barney's "Floating City" display and spent a rainy day with friends going back in time at the New York Transit Museum.

I'll be posting a recap of 2013 in the next few days, and it's an understatement to say that this year was eventful. I spent a full two-thirds of this year actually living in New York, and it was all better than I'd ever even imagined it would be. I look forward to starting a new, full year living and breathing and loving and dreaming in the city of my dreams. The first six months have been some of the best of my life — here's to many, many more.

Friday Food: The Nugget Spot

On Saturday I met Trent and Alisha in the East Village at The Nugget Spot for lunch. I had seen it mentioned on Gothamist a few weeks ago, and the premise of a restaurant devoted entirely to chicken nuggets seemed to good to resist. Their menu is limited, but to the point: chicken, fish or pork breaded with pretzels, Cheez-Its, Cap'n Crunch or southern fried, with a variety of dipping sauces to choose from. I chose Cheez-Its because it sounded intriguing and Trent and Alisha both got southern fried (all of us got chicken).

The Cheez-It-breaded nuggets were definitely a hit, and much preferred over the southern fried. They were salty and a little cheesy and tasted basically exactly how you would imagine Cheez-It-breaded nuggets to taste: delicious. The dipping sauces left a little to be desired, which is unfortunate since nuggets are really just a vehicle for the real star of the show: the sauce. I ordered the red pepper ranch and honey mustard (one sauce is included, 75 cents for each additional). The honey mustard wasn't as creamy as I prefer, and the red pepper ranch was a little bland.

The portions are large (I think there were 8ish nuggets, I don't remember exactly), but a few of my chicken pieces were a little funky. I'm a bit weird about eating meat sometimes, so when I get a stray tendon or a less than tender piece it really puts a damper on my whole meal. The restaurant is very tiny, has very limited seating (a few stools) and a few stand up tables. If you can grab a seat it's not a bad place to eat, but otherwise I'd treat it more as a grab-and-go place, especially if you have a large group.

Trent, Alisha and I all agreed that it was a tasty lunch, but that we probably wouldn't go out of our way to eat there again. I'm intrigued by the Cap'n Crunch breading, and to a lesser degree the pretzel, so I wouldn't mind trying them just out of curiosity. If I lived nearby I'd probably stop in occasionally, but I probably won't be making a special trip to the Nugget Spot again anytime soon.

Holiday Windows 2013

This is the first year I've really been in the city for the full holiday season, and I'm trying hard to soak it all in. I've been trying to walk as much as I can, on my lunch break, at night and on the weekends. I've walked down Fifth Avenue a few times, hitting the big department store window displays, and it's definitely not hard to pick a favorite. The best windows this year are at Bergdorf Goodman, on 58th/5th.

The theme is "Holidays on Ice," with windows depicting Valentine's Day, Halloween, Arbor Day, Thanksgiving, New Years, Groundhog Day, April Fools Day and the 4th of July, all with an icy twist. They're all a little weird and a whole lot of wonderful — everything a window display should be. I see something new in them each time I walk by, and they feel fresh without feeling too unnecessarily modern or avant-garde (but there is no mistake this is Bergdorf's and FASHUN).

My second favorite displays are at Saks Fifth Avenue on 49th/5th. They brought back their fuzzy Yeti character, and their windows tell his story (he supposedly lives on the roof of Saks and makes snow in the winter, but I'm sure you knew that). He's super cute, and anything that involves snow ranks high on my holiday must-see list.

Bloomingdale's windows are a little on the tacky side, and I hate that they rotate (taking photos is difficult), but the international theme is kind of fun. Of course I couldn't help but like the New York one with its bedazzled Chrysler Building and the Chinese dragon is definitely worth seeing in person.

Henri Bendel at 56th/5th has basically one window, but it's a good one. Their sculptural tribute to Al Hirschfeld features his famous drawings of Sarah Jessica Parker, Carol Channing, Bernadette Peters, Jerry Stiller and Liza Minelli. As a side note, I discovered this weekend that Henri Bendel's basement bathrooms are each approximately the size of my entire apartment, have exfoliating hand scrub in the soap dispensers and may or may not have solid gold paper towel holders. They also have private phone booths with pay phones, in case you ever find yourself needing one of those anymore.

Unfortunately, I am really disappointed in Macy's windows this year, so much so that I've passed them a few times without caring enough to photograph them. I'm mostly traditional when it comes to my holiday windows — anything with a screen or Twitter hashtag is pretty much the worst in my opinion. Snow, holiday scenes, minimal movement (that isn't from a TV screen) and a touch of glamour is really all I need.

Friday Food: Momofuku Noodle Bar

Katie, Jim and I had another one of our dinners on Wednesday, at Momofuku Noodle Bar in the East Village. Katie had suggested ramen for our next outing, and none of us had been to Momofuku before.

I fell in love with their dessert spinoff, Momofuku Milk Bar last winter when I ate a cup of the cereal milk soft serve for dinner, and I challenge you to find me a cookie as absurdly delicious as their corn cookie.

Not only had I never been to the noodle bar before, but I'd never tried fancy restaurant-grade ramen. I'm certainly no stranger to the 10-cent-oodles-of-noodles variety, but somehow ramen suddenly became "cool" and I was eager to see what all the fuss was about. Their menu is very limited, which I actually appreciate because I get easily overwhelmed when I have choose from a long list of options. There were four choices for the dinner noodle bowls, and I debated between the Momofuku Ramen (reasoning: you can't go wrong with a signature dish) and the Spicy Miso. I ultimately went with the Spicy Miso because it contained chicken instead of pork belly (?) or pork shoulder (??), and I like my Asian cuisine a bit on the spicy side.

When our bowls arrived they were much bigger than I had expected. The Spicy Miso was really good, and I think I definitely made the right choice. There was also cabbage, scallions, a poached egg and some sort of seaweed paper thing (???) in the bowl along with the noodles. I was worried that I would look like a complete fool trying to eat soup with chopsticks, but I don't think I embarrassed myself as much as I thought I might. It was just spicy enough to be flavorful, and surprisingly filling especially when you realize that you just basically ate a bowl of soup. I don't know if it tasted THAT much different from the 10-cent ramen, especially when you consider the drastic price difference (my bowl was $15), but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

However, I wasn't a huge fan of the actual restaurant itself — it was really crowded and incredibly loud. After half a year of of living in New York, I've gotten more or less used to the crowds, but the way the seating is designed it felt especially cramped. You sit on tiny, square wooden stools so there is essentially no where to put your coat which is a little awkward. We were in the middle of a long table, and had to get real cozy with our neighbors on the ends real quick. Definitely leave your large bags at home, or sit at the bar where there seemed to be slightly more room.

It's hard to tell how Momofuku stacks up against other ramen restaurants, since it was my first one, but I don't see myself becoming a regular there. I've heard good things about their pork buns, but those are available at the Milk Bar outposts, where I'm much more likely to be found on a (very) regular basis.

MTA Nostalgia Rides

On Sunday I took a leisurely walk from my apartment, through Central Park and down Fifth Avenue to see the holiday window displays. I ended up near Rockefeller Center, so I decided to take the D train home. As I was waiting for the D, a vintage subway car pulled up across the platform and I was so surprised that I got on it despite the fact that it was running on the M track and in the opposite direction from where I needed to go.

I had seen these cars before when Trent and I visited the Transit Museum, but never one that was fully-operational on the real, current-day tracks. I only rode one stop, since it was going the wrong direction, but it was definitely worth the minor detour.

I did some research after I got home, and found out that the vintage car was part of the MTA's Holiday Season Nostalgia Train and Bus Rides. Basically, for the month of December, the MTA runs vintage subway cars along the M line every Sunday, and buses from several different eras along 42nd Street during the weekdays (weather depending).

Yesterday, without even intending to, I happened upon three of the vintage buses during my lunchtime walk down 42nd to Grand Central. I wasn't fast enough to catch any of them, but I'm definitely going to try to ride at least one before the month is over.

Although my subway ride was short, it was still really fun and different to be riding in a car with padded, wicker seats, open-blade ceiling fans and period-correct advertisements lining the walls. I love that the MTA does a thing like the nostalgia rides, which really serves no purpose other than to surprise and delight unsuspecting riders (the buses are equipped with new fare boxes, and cost the same as a regular ride). I've always said that I wished I was able to step back in time and experience places in the city as they were during different periods in time, and the nostalgia rides do just that, if even only for a moment.

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade: 2013

I have watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV every single year for as far back as I can remember. When I still lived at home, my dad and I would argue about whether the Macy's logo in Herald Square was a huge carpet or actually painted on the street (painted, I found out later). As I got older I would flip through the Black Friday ads, clipping out things I wanted and taping them to form elaborate Christmas lists, but always with the parade playing in the background.

Last year, I found a great deal on the Ace Hotel for Thanksgiving weekend — in March — and booked it without thinking. Like novices, we arrived at the parade much too late to get a good spot, but it was still a thrill to see the balloons in person. This year, however, I live fairly close to the start of the parade and I was determined to get a better spot. I knew it would be cold, but I was most worried that the windy conditions would ground the balloons. Luckily, that didn't happen, although they did fly at half their normal height, with some even struggling to stay off the ground.

We got to Central Park West and 71st at 6am, by which time all of the front row spots had already been taken. There was a lot of shuffling and activity on 71st street, however, and by the time the actual parade started we were able to squeeze our way to the front row. You can definitely still have a good time at the parade from farther back in the crowd, but I was so grateful that we were in front. Not only because the balloons were flying low this year, but because last year I missed the street-level portion of the parade entirely. While the balloons are obviously the stars of the show, the bands, performers, floats, clowns and stilt-walkers are really fun to watch up close.

A few times during the duration of the parade, parents and even one particularly pushy cop tried to get me to give up my front row spot for tiny children, which, at the risk of sounding yet again like a terrible old hag, really made me mad. Not only had I waited for three + hours in the freezing cold (thereby, earning my spot), but when did we become a society of adults expected at all times to bow down to children? It's bad enough that they want my subway seats, but I wasn't giving up my spot, one that I waited essentially 28 years to get, for a kid so small they won't even remember the parade. If you want to take your small child to the parade, please plan accordingly — get there early to save a spot (bring the kids later if you have to), put them on your shoulders (although I don't advocate this for the poor people stuck behind you), or get in with a Macy's employee for tickets to the grandstands. DON'T arrive after the parade already starts and attempt to shove your way in front of people who actually follow the rules and have been waiting patiently for their coveted spots.

END RANT.

Rude parents aside (and these are everywhere, it's not a New York thing, trust me), it was a total defining life moment to see the parade in person. I actually teared up at one point, thinking of all the people watching the parade, wishing they were able to see it up close. I spent 27 years as one of those people, and now I live just a few subway stops away. If the weather had been warmer it would have been no problem to take a couple chairs and camp out a few hours earlier to ensure we had a great spot. I probably won't fight the crowds every year, but I'll definitely be back, especially now that I know how it all works. 

Next year I think I'll make the balloon inflation a priority — I skipped it this year due to crappy weather and some urgent baking deadlines — but I can't imagine any better way to start my Thanksgiving day than by seeing Richard Simmons dancing in a striped suit while riding on a turtle.

My Fifth Month as a New Yorker

I didn't have a ton of exciting plans for November, but looking back it turned out to be a really fun and full month. I was worried that by Halloween I had already petted fall to death, but the fall delights just kept coming. A major highlight of course was seeing the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade for the second year in a row, although this time I was in the front row. It was freezing and I may just now be regaining feeling in my toes, but it was definitely worth it.

A few more things I did in November:

I caught a beautiful sunset when they still happened after I got out of work, the Hudson River continued to provide all of the fall delights, Trent, Alisha and I went to Roosevelt Island on the tram where we saw the Smallpox Hospital ruins, Four Freedoms Park and I was surprised by the beautiful foliage.

I got my second cold in two months but broke out of my sickbed for a beautiful walk in Central Park, cider donuts and hot cider under the gorgeous leaves in Prospect Park, got my senses assaulted again at Panna II Indian Garden Restaurant, had my share of snugs and foot chewing with Mozart and saw the ever-nutty but insanely talented Cat Power.

My friend Brianna visited and I took her to the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, we ate brunch in Brooklyn Heights where I spotted a starry manhole cover, then walked to the Brooklyn Flea in Fort Greene where we had double dessert including a lemon poppy seed donut at Dough, and dinner at John's of Bleecker Street. I scored some great finds in the dollar bins at the Strand and started spotting holiday delights under the Time Warner Center's stars.

My obsession with free samples was indulged at two of Bryant Park's Tasting Tuesdays, I killed some time at Grand Central and got to see the Holiday Light show in action, I walked by this googly-eyed column on my way home, coveted this sign in Brooklyn, decided that I wanted to cover everything in pennies like this table I saw at the Brooklyn Flea, and discovered the beautiful Fort Greene park.

I finally saw Tom the Turkey up close and personal, along with the Macy stars, Richard Simmons and the Fireman balloon, even if they were all flying about half as high because of winds, I put up my very first New York apartment tree with a sock monkey Santa topper and attended the third annual Treeyoncé lighting at Trent's.

The next few weeks will probably fly by, but I'm trying to slow things down a bit and really enjoy Christmas in the city. I have an embarrassing amount of time off from work in the coming weeks so there'll be a lot of time to window shop, actually shop and take in all of the holiday festivities. Gift-giving is one of my very favorite things to do, so I naturally love the holiday season. The weather has been pretty mild (except for that arctic blast on Thanksgiving), but I'm always not-so-secretly hoping for a big snowstorm. I spotted a few flakes on Black Friday, but I can't be sure that they weren't manufactured by Macy's to add to the holiday spirit. I've already broken out the life-saving hat this year, so I say bring on the flurries.

Grand Central Holiday Light Show

Last week I had some time to kill while waiting to get dinner with Trent, so I stopped into Grand Central Terminal to see the Holiday Light Show. It takes place on the west side of the Terminal, so for optimal views I recommend standing in the Apple Store, as close to the center staircase as possible. There were a few people taking photographs with nicer cameras, but be warned that the Apple store associates will ask you to put away your tripod if you bring one.

I read that the show runs "for 30 minutes from 5 - 10pm," but I couldn't really discern any reliable time table. The lights were on the whole time I was there, but actual scrolling details began about 5:20 and lasted for about 10 minutes. It's nothing super extravagant, but at such a large scale and in such a beautiful space, I couldn't help but be wowed a little bit.

Scrolling text wishes you a "Happy Holidays from Metro North," spells out "GCT" and the numbers "100," since this is Grand Central's 100th anniversary year. The red and blue trains were cute and obviously appropriate, and the huge flag design was nice. Mostly it was just a lot of color changing and raining colors, and it was really fun to watch how the lighting dramatically changed, not just in the windows but in the entire space.

The light show is free (obviously) and is running now through December 26th. After Thanksgiving the show will become more Christmas themed, but right now there's a lot of reds, oranges and yellows which I assume is their interpretation of "Thanksgiving themed." I'm interested to see how it changes for Christmas, and I'm hoping for at least a few seconds of giant, falling snowflakes.