Project 365: Days 211-217

211/365: Met my dude for dinner + drinks in Windsor Terrace and passed by this snail ride I've always loved so much.

212/365: Moving day! Sad to leave my Harlem apartment, but I do love my new Brooklyn place. My dude was an incredible help—he drove the U-Haul from Brooklyn to Manhattan and back again. It took us 45 min to go 4 miles, but it was nice to have a leisurely (and air-conditioned) tour of Canal Street before the sweaty, sweaty move.

213/365: Sunrise + my new view.

214/365: I went and saw Laura Marling at Town Hall (she was so good) and stopped at Shake Shack for dinner. Their sweet-corn-blueberry custard is a total dream.

215/365: I was worried about how Mozart would handle the move, but I think she's going to be just fine.

216/365: Made progress unpacking and organized my bookshelf. I laid out everything I wanted to display to take inventory and laughed at my weirdness. Baby doll heads? Check. Body parts? Check. Bone jar? Check, check.

217/365: Surprised myself by officially unpacking my last box. It's nice to feel settled in so quickly.

365 Project: Days 204-210

204/365: I tried to savor my through-Central-Park-commute and passed by some really cozy trees along Fifth Avenue.

205/365: JMP, Jim and I said goodbye to the Market Diner, one of the last stand-alone diners in Manhattan // We spotted some wonderful signage on a not-so-wonderful walk through Times Square.

206/365: We came back to my dude's apartment and noticed some neighbors staring up at the roof, where this wasp nest is hanging. We watched them work for a while, and I wish I could get them to help me with my move—wasps are crazy fast, efficient and meticulous.

207/365: I started packing. Side note: books are HEAVY.

208/365: The universe decided that moving wasn't stressful enough, so I got a cold, took a sick day and tried to keep up with packing in between the napping and the nose-blowing.

209/365: Sleeping in the living room because that's where this magical device lives.

210/365: Atlas Obscura hosted a tour/medical photography lecture in the fascinating rare book room at the New York Academy of Science. It was a great night filled with medical oddities, skin-disease stereoscopes and various rolling library ladders that made us feel like Belle in Beauty in the Beast—if Belle was into medical curiosities (she probably was?).

Project 365: Days 196-203

196/365: We saw Vieux Farka Touré / Tamikrest / DJ Dakar at Celebrate Brooklyn. The weather was perfect and I'll always be amazed at how wonderful shoes are as cup holders.

197/365: We were invited to a Friday night / Shabbat dinner at the apartment of a lovely former co-worker in Forest Hills, Queens.

198/365: I met Jim in the West Village to sign our new lease and followed along as he stopped into Kiehl's, where I met this gentleman and found out that their original location has an actual human skeleton on display (this guy is fake).

199/365: JMP and I narrowly avoided heat stroke and crazed seagulls while we explored City Island.

200/365: I'm totally obsessed with this old (definitely haunted) cancer hospital that is now luxury apartments on Central Park West. I walk by it on my way home every day and I would give anything to be able to peek inside.

201/365: JMP and I saw our friend Grace's incredible play (Devastated No Matter What) in the East Village and stopped for a treat at Big Gay Ice Cream around the corner. There's ice cream under there somewhere.

202/365: I walked to work through the Conservatory Garden and started to get a little bit sad that I only have a week left before I move and have to give up my enviable commute through Central Park.

203/365: Trent, Alisha and I had a "goodbye to the neighborhood" dinner at Streetbird in Harlem. It was good, not great. Excellent restaurant design, good red velvet waffles, average fried chicken.

Project 365: Days 186-195

186/365: I read my book in the park on my lunch break and couldn't resist the call of Mister Softee—or making the uncanny comparison again between his head swirl and the Guggenheim.

187/365: My dude and I went out for dinner and drinks in Brooklyn.

188/365: I couldn't pass by this sign without laughing and snapping a photo.

189/365: We went to Celebrate Brooklyn to see Sarah Jarosz and the Punch Brothers, which was a great show despite the torrential rains that started and ended with the Punch Brothers' set.

190/365: Went to Jim's to meet a potential third roommate because—exciting news!—I'll be moving into his amazing apartment in Brooklyn on August 1st (this is the view from the kitchen).

191/365: We went to a Mets game and then over to Flushing for some incredible dumplings.

192/365: I finally had the chance to showcase my watermelon art skills (next time: a fruit swan!).

193/365: You have no idea how ready I am.

194/365: Started reading a book about the father of the lobotomy, after hearing about his ice picks and lobotomobile(!!!) on the wonderful podcast, Lore.

195/365: I'll be upset forever that the "dollar" stacks at the Strand are now $1.50, which also makes me feel old.

Project 365: Days 177-185

177/365: We spent a very rainy Saturday watching House of Cards (we're still not finished but I'm loving it).

178/365: We waited 2+ hours to get into the Morbid Anatomy Flea, but I got some vertebrae and we had time to kill before an 8:30 pm moonlight walking tour of Green-Wood Cemetery.

179/365: We saw Ingrid Michaelson at SummerStage in Central Park on the most perfect summer night (she was wonderful).

180/365: I wrote out notes for my favorite people and then had dinner with (most of) them at Gallow Green to celebrate my two-year New York-iverary (a day early).

181/365: Francesca made me the best card and got me a classic New York breakfast to celebrate.

182/365: Excellent mail day.

183/365: My dude and I headed upstate for the holiday weekend, ate at an adorable diner (with jukeboxes on each table!) and explored Kerhonkson / Ellenville.

184/365: We did our American duty and had soft-serve and watched fireworks on the Fourth.

185/365: We fit in a short hike at the beautiful Sam's Point Park Reserve before we headed back to the city.

Project 365: Days 169-176

169/365: I won the lottery for a ticket to the Tony-award-winning musical Fun Home and walked to the theater through Central Park (the show was incredible).

170/365: I spent a rainy Saturday catching up on some photo organizing while I watched these two kids being taunted by the jerkiest blue jay I've ever met. You can watch the video here (warning: it's loud).

171/365: I hung out with my dude and all of the greens in Prospect Park.

172/365: I didn't do much to celebrate Meryl Streep's birthday, but I do my fair share of daily worshipping.

173/365: Francesca and I got lunchtime pedicures (my first ever!) and I caught the tail end of an A++ sunset outside of my apartment.

174/365: I love this manhole cover right outside of my apartment.

175/365: I finally got around to waiting for Shakespeare in the Park tickets for The Tempest. It was a lovely morning and a good production, although it did rain for about an hour, which was oddly fitting.

176/365: I met JMP for dinner in the West Village where we celebrated the so, so, SO good SCOTUS decision and the start of NYC Pride. We had nachos, margaritas, Big Gay Ice Cream and soaked up the love outside of the Stonewall Inn.

365 Project: Days 162-168

162/365: Cupcakes from co-workers for breakfast and a friend lunch at Beer Cheese.

163/365: JMP and I met for diner breakfast + explored a wonderful cemetery // It was a perfect night for Celebrate Brooklyn, where we saw Lucius and ate some incredible food.

164/365: We spent a lazy Sunday exploring Governors Island, peeking into abandoned buildings, lounging on the lawn and eating Mister Softee.

165/365: My favorite thing to come home to: a package containing new shoes (that fit perfectly and that I love dearly already—look at those pinstripes!).

166/365: I met Jim and Katie for dinner at John's pizza and walked by this sign that I've been admiring and coveting—that stained glass!

167/365: This Queen.

168/365: We went to see Jurassic World (in imax + 3D), which I absolutely loved. It made me want to add a dinosaur bone to my bone collection and buy an "original" Jurassic Park t-shirt.

365 Project: Days 155-161

155/365: Pizza and plaid // We demolished scoops of sweet corn ice cream for dessert from Cones on Bleecker (Brazil's favorite ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ).

156/365: A lazy Saturday ended with a stroll through the new art installation in Madison Sq Park.

157/365: We were slightly bummed that this year's World's Fair Anniversary Festival wasn't as good as last year's (no Unisphere fountains, no NY State Pavilion tour), but a trip to Flushing-Meadows Corona Park is always fun.

158/365: I walked home and finally took a photo of this art I've been admiring on my daily walks.

159/365: After a bit of a slow start, I really started to get into this book, which I'm currently loving. Not so much loving how heavy it is to carry around (don't you dare bring up e-readers).

160/365: On my way to work I found yet another classic Greek coffee cup to add to my collection (with an actual coffee cup graphic!). This might be my favorite one yet.

161/365: My dad sent me these super cool Tiki-style sunglasses he bought at an estate sale in Ohio.

365 Project: Days 148-154

148/365: We went to see a movie and passed by this perfect pastry shop sign on Court Street in Brooklyn.

149/365: We spent a lazy Saturday strolling through Green-Wood and Prospect Park.

150/365: I (sort of) Kondo'd my drawers and it was strangely satisfying. It also made me realize that 90% of my wardrobe is black or grey (aka Mozart-colored).

151/365: My dad sent me a box containing all of my middle school / high school journals. Look at all of those pre-emoji stickers! Also, could I have made it any more enticing to read with that enormous "Private" label (followed by the oh-so-menacing "Keep your paws off!").

152/365: This majestic beast and I continued to plow through season 2 of Six Feet Under. She matches all of my furniture / bedding / clothing and that's not a coincidence.

153/365:  I walked to work through (a very green) Central Park and marveled at the incredible reflections in the Pool.

154/365: I met Jim for dinner in Brooklyn and on my way I walked by this mannequin massacre.

365 Project: Days 141-147

141/365: I flew to Nashville to meet my dad for the weekend. We spent most of the night at Robert's Western World, drinking and enjoying a super awesome band. It was a perfect introduction (for me, my dad had been before) to Nashville.

142/365: We started a very busy day with a Hatch Show Print tour (and a squished penny, of course) and ended it with a trip to the Grand Ole Opry.

143/365: We got up early and (mostly) beat the insane rush at Pancake Pantry, where we had a really delicious breakfast—we both got pancakes, of course.

144/365: We said goodbye to Nashville and hit the road for an 8-hour drive to Ohio. We stopped to take a tour of Mammoth Cave in Kentucky and saw a ridiculously beautiful sunset that seemed to last for hours.

145/365: I visited my old coworkers for lunch at 427 Design // My grandma, dad and I went out to dinner for my dad's birthday and back to my grandma's house for dessert. She's had these dishes and placemats for my entire life and I love them.

146/365: I flew from Ohio back to New York and went straight to work. When I got home I unpacked and took inventory of my souvenir haul. The two fortunes are from Elvis and Willie Nelson fortune-telling machines.

147/365: I missed Francesca's birthday on Tuesday, so we celebrated at lunch with enchiladas and a few gifts.

365 Project: Days 134-140

134/365: 15 of us went upstate to a house in Red Hook to celebrate Trent's Dirty Thirtieth birthday.

135/365: We went into town to replenish supplies and passed by this incredible 1920s diner.

136/365: We took a group photo by the barn before we left (wearing the great tanks that Alisha designed for us).

137/365: Mozart has been unimpressed with me never being home.

138/365: I wasn't feeling well so I went home from work early and watched Gilmore Girls for 10-hrs straight.

139/365: I took another sick day and hung out with these two weirdos all day.

140/365: Francesca brought me back a skeleton cat and the coolest squished penny from Old Town in San Diego.

365 Project: Days 128-133

128/365: Francesca and I stalked the UES set of The Knick on our lunch break and saw this little guy watching as well  //  It was Mozart's 6th birthday and Auntie Francesca got her a pair of socks (her very favorite toy).

129/365: I took my mom out for an early Mother's Day breakfast and then (as you do) took her on a mini-tour by the old Bellevue Psychiatric hospital and the medical examiner's office.

130/365: Half of our Sunday was lazy but when we finally pulled ourselves out of the apartment we went to lay out in Brooklyn Bridge Park, got pizza at Juliana's and root beer floats at Farmacy. It was a perfect spring/summer day.

131/365: It was Trent's 30th birthday and I cemented a tradition by buying him lilacs (our favorite, and what we imagine Meryl Streep smells like) for the second year in a row.

132/365: I finally put away my recent haul from Dead Horse Bay and filled up a second bone jar. The tiny pewter skull is a souvenir from my first Renaissance Fair(e) experience.

133/365: I came across this locksmith in the West Village that is covered in swirling keys. I'd love to go back when they're open—I bet the inside is just as awesome.

365 Project: Days 121-127

121/365: I walked to the park down E. 92nd Street and made plans to come back when they're filming the Knick—one of my favorite shows—later this week.

122/365: I took my annual pilgrimage to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden to check on the cherry blossoms and they were spectacular. The lilac had also started to bloom and the whole garden smelled incredible.

123/365: My dude and I biked 24 miles (!!), spent four+ hours exploring Dead Horse Bay, poked around Fort Tilden and shared a cheesy roast beef at the amazing stuck-in-the-'70s Roll n' Roaster restaurant in Sheepshead Bay.

124/365: The Park Avenue tulips have bloomed and they make my morning commute that much prettier.

125/365: I've been blazing through this true crime book—I was initially intimidated by its size when I picked it up from the library, but I'm almost finished and I don't want it to be over.

126/365: Some of my Dead Horse Bay treasures made their way onto my desk at work (look at that jaunty little hat!).

127/365: We soaked up some of the remaining after-work light accompanied by beers and enchiladas in Brooklyn—I'm kind of obsessed with this market sign on Smith/Union Streets.

365 Project: Days 114-120

114/365: Jim and I went to a release party for the Human Being Journal on the LES and while I was waiting for him I picked up some cat-shaped macarons at the Meow Parlour Cafe.

115/365: Francesca and I met so many new friends at the Dachshund Spring Fiesta in Washington Square Park.

116/365: My dude and I had a very excellent day exploring the upstate town of Cold Spring and hiking up a pretty legit mountain. We saw a ton of these rock sculptures along the paths and they started to look like little cities and creatures.

117/365: Chubby, singing penguin socks just for fancy.

118/365: I explored the beautiful blooms at the Conservatory Garden in Central Park and soaked up the sun on my lunch break.

119/365: Francesca and I went to Chelsea Market only to find out the shop we wanted to see had closed 3 minutes before we got there. But it was a beautiful night so I walked across town, spying on the ESB and found some great shadows.

120/365: After being stuck inside all day, I had my first Mister Softee of the season—a very melted chocolate milkshake that was exactly what I dreamed it would be. I think this might actually be the first of my 365 posts to not include a single iPhone photo. It's been a goal of mine to use my "real" camera more often and to always try to take better quality photos. The year might be a third over, but better late than never, huh?

365 Project: Days 107-113

107/365: We took a leisurely stroll across the park as the sun was setting and it was pretty much perfect.

108/365:  We enjoyed the most beautiful Saturday with brunch at a great diner and walked and lounged in the sun in Prospect Park—with every single other person in Brooklyn.

109/365: I made it to the NYBG on the last day of the always-spectacular Orchid Show and caught some early cherry blossoms as a bonus.

110/365: I'm almost finished with Lab 257: The Disturbing Story of the Government's Secret Plum Island Germ Laboratory—Plum Island is right off the North Fork of Long Island—and it's such a good book I'm sad that it's coming to an end. Good thing I have a never-ending list of contenders for my next book (I also recently finished the New York Grimpendium—so good!).

111/365: The trees in my neighborhood suddenly burst into bloom and every street is a dream.

112/365: Jim and I checked another place off our list and met for dinner at Bamonte's, an Italian restaurant that has been in Williamsburg since 1900. It was delicious and we felt like we had wandered into a Godfather movie.

113/365: My hair is longer than it's been in years so I've been putting it in absurd little pony and pigtails // When I mentioned to Francesca that we had found a bone in Dinosaur Valley Park, she replied "But where will you put it—isn't your bone jar full?" I love that my friends know me well enough to casually reference my bone jar and I also love that in less than a year I've managed to collect enough bones—from Dead Horse Bay and East Hampton—to fill it.

365 Project: Days 100-106

100/365: I arrived at my sister's for a four-day visit with her, my brother-in-law, niece and their incredible dog Penny. I already miss smushing my face into her adorable, wrinkly puppy cheeks.

101/365: My sister and I went to our first-ever Renaissance Fair(e) and it was so much fun. We watched a joust, sipped on mead, shared a turkey leg, rode an elephant and stayed until it closed for the night.

102/365: We went hiking in Dinosaur Valley State Park and saw relics from the World's Fair as well as tracks from actual dinosaurs—we even found a bone for my bone collection (see below) and stopped at Sonic on the way home (aka a perfect day).

103/365: I got home late Monday night and couldn't help but take inventory of my souvenirs, including a bone (possibly from a coyote?), smushed penny, floaty pen, pewter skull and gummy chicken feet.

104/365: Speaking of souvenirs, I received this amazing gator-toenail keychain from an equally amazing dude after he returned from a trip of his own.

105/365: Francesca and I found a strawberry that was too cute to eat, so we stuck googly eyes on him. Then shoes. Then gave him a party hat, a balloon, a shortbread cake (with Q-tip candles on a jam jar table with a napkin tablecloth), two presents and a birthday banner—because it seemed like the thing to do.

106/365: My hair is getting longer // I love this sweater.

365 Project: Days 93-99

93/365: My new duck umbrella and I went shopping on our lunch break and then saw the incredible Egon Schiele Portraits exhibit at the Neue Galerie (free on First Fridays!). The exhibit runs until April 20th and it's one of the best I've ever seen—go!

94/365: I contributed two of my best egg designs—rainbow and plaid—to a little egg-dyeing party.

95/365: I died of happiness seeing all of the dressed-up dogs at the Easter parade on Fifth Avenue (the humans in bonnets were ok, I guess).

96/365: The weather took a chilly turn mid-week, but my walk home Monday was beautiful. I even spotted a few sure signs of spring: an ice cream truck and pretty tulips along Fifth Avenue.

97/365: Any day that I get a magazine from Green-Wood Cemetery and a New York Magazine—with Hillary!—in the mail is a good day.

98/365: I ate the last of my black jellybean stash for the year but I still have a few coveted Cadbury Creme Eggs to get through before Easter candy season is officially over.

99/365: I finally caught up on the last few Season 2 episodes of Broad City (Kirk Steele! Tree Man! Alia Shawkat!) with popcorn, of course.

365 Project: Days 86-92

86/365:  Me and this creature finally started watching the Jinx. Fun fact: my mom basically has the exact same full name as Robert Durst's wife.

87/365: JMP and I saw the incredible Collector's Cabinet exhibit at the Morbid Anatomy Museum, followed by an always-necessary stop at Four and Twenty Blackbirds across the street for pie.

88/365: We froze a little on opening day at Coney Island but at least it was sunny.

89/365: I hope I never get tired of walking to/from work across the park and the pond reflections have been top-notch lately.

90/365:  Trent and I met at Amy Ruth's in Harlem for some chicken and waffles, mac n' cheese and collard greens. Definitely better than Sylvia's—go on a weeknight and avoid the weekend brunch lines that wrap around the block.

91/365: My hair is long enough for the return of my comically tiny pigtails, which look like neck bolts in my shadow  /  I met Jim and Katie for my second friend-dinner of the week at an old Mountain View diner in Williamsburg that is now a Mexican restaurant.

92/365:  I haven't worn earrings in forever, but couldn't resist this eyeball pair  /  I had a third friends-night-out at Katz's Deli with three co-workers and I really regretted not ordering the matzo ball soup (look at the size of that matzo ball).