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.

Easter Parade, Part Two: Dogs

As much as I enjoyed the elaborate bonnets at the Easter parade, my favorite participants were by far the dogs. I've always considered myself a cat person, but I have to admit that lately New York has turned me more and more over to the dog side of things.

The main appeal of dogs is definitely the ability to dress them up—rain coats, boots, hoodies, hats, backpacks—New York dogs are way more fashionable than I'll ever be. That is especially true of the dogs that came out on Sunday decked in their Easter finest and I could have spent days photographing and trying not to smoosh all of their adorable faces into my face.

I tried to be respectful and ask the names of most of the dogs I was photographing and I had the pleasure of meeting Chloe, Charro, Fred, Pink Dog Frankie and Puccini. I like my dogs small and smooth/short-haired, so of course the pugs and chihuahuas were my favorite. I was disappointed that I didn't see at least one dachshund, which made me want one even more than I already do (to dress as an Easter ham perhaps?).

The tiny top hats, bonnets, pearls, boas, sunglasses and bunny ears just about killed me and it seemed like I was spotting a new dog every few minutes that would make me squeal with delight. Although I don't know how nice it is to dye your dog completely pink, most of them were pretty chill and didn't seem to mind all of the attention or the ridiculous outfits.

Although I still adore Mozart, I don't foresee her being cool with me strapping an Easter bonnet on her next year and pushing her down Fifth Avenue in a stroller—but if anyone has a dachshund they're not using, let me know.

Easter Parade, Part One: Bonnets

Morbid Anatomy Museum: Dioramas

I already wrote about the incredible Collector's Cabinet exhibit at the Morbid Anatomy Museum, and I mentioned that the centerpieces of the collection were two amazing dioramas. The taxidermy scenes were originally part of a collection belonging to Sam Sanfillippo, owner of the Cress Funeral Home in Wisconsin. When Sam died, his collection was auctioned off and I'll always regret not knowing about its existence sooner. I do feel lucky, however, that I got to revel in the two that I did, and I'm still having a hard time comprehending how wonderful they were, even a few weeks later.

The two scenes were "The Woodland Fair," a collection of taxidermy chipmunks and an untitled bar scene full of squirrels in various stages of inebriation. In the Woodland Fair, the chipmunks are enjoying a carnival—riding a Ferris wheel, carrying balloons and handing out cotton candy. There is even a "topless girlie show," whose participants are actually wearing more clothing than any of the other fairgoers.

The fair scene also includes a corner bar and grill with a smoking patron (Louie?) and miniature cans of beer. Chipmunk attendees of all sizes hold hands, ride trains and sample treats—all for the low admission price of just 5 seeds.

The squirrel saloon scene is slightly less jovial but no less elaborate than the Woodland Fair. Squirrels in all sizes and colors enjoy a cold one, dance cheek-to-cheek, smoke pipes and comfort each other when they've imbibed a bit too much.

It's nearly impossible to pick a favorite, but I really love the slot machine-playing squirrel, and the balloon-holding chipmunk. The attention to detail in these scenes is really remarkable—from the marbled mirrors and miniature liquor bottles to the outfits and poses, everything is so perfect you sometimes forget that you're actually looking at real animals.

I'll always regret missing out on the entire Cress Funeral home collection and experience, but I'm so glad I got to see a tiny part of it in person—photos really just don't do things like this justice—and I didn't have to go all the way to Wisconsin to do so.

Bonus taxidermy: One more stand-out from the exhibition was this kitten with two faces (four eyes and two mouths) from another famous taxidermist, Walter Potter. The tiny creature only lived for seven days, but thanks to Potter and the Morbid Anatomy Museum, I was able to meet him (her?)—definitely a highlight in a collection filled with home runs.

Easter Parade, Part One: Bonnets

On Sunday JMP and I went to check out the Easter "parade" on 5th Avenue. I put parade in quotes because it's not really a traditional parade, but more of a huge street party. It was actually a little more chaotic than I was expecting with spectators out-numbering participants by a large margin, but once we embraced the craziness of it all it was really fun.

As with any costume-based event, there were some real stand-out bonnets, a lot of pretty good ones and some that made you wonder why the person even tried at all. I actually wish there were even more bonnets than the ones we managed to see but there's a good chance we missed some great ones in the crowd.

The whole scene was really a photographer's dream—with everyone posing constantly for photos—and it was really fun to feel zero shame sticking my camera wherever I felt like to get the shots I wanted. There were even moments when I thought it might be fun to go all out and make my own bonnet next year, but I don't think I could deal with the pushy crowds and all of the attention for very long.

Of course as with every public New York event, there were people who were dressed up in costumes that had little—if anything at all—to do with Easter. The cat-on-head guy is usually charging for photos in Times Square and you have to try pretty hard with your craft supplies to top a live animal bonnet. I heard someone ask the guy with the spiked cap how long it took him to make his elaborate costume and he replied "Oh, this? I just had it."

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).

Coney Island: Opening Day 2015

Sunday was opening day at Coney Island, even if it snowed on Saturday and it feels as if we're months away from acceptable beach weather. We were a little slow moving on Sunday morning, so we missed the ceremonial egg cream christening and the Cyclone breaking down (it was closed when we arrived), but we did have time for a Nathan's hot dog and to see the freak show.

The freak show was a definite highlight despite (or maybe because of?) the fact that I was tricked into participating, which is very high on my list of worst nightmares. The host asked the audience to raise their hands if they were having fun, which of course I did and was promptly thanked for volunteering and placed in an "electric" chair. I guess you can call me Electra now, a name I think I earned after I lit a torch with a spark from my tongue (along with a few other "shocking" feats—and yes, it hurt a little).

I could spend the rest of my life at Coney Island and still never tire of its kitschy signs, wonderful imagery and mix of new, old and somewhere in between. We got our fortunes told by Grandma (a must), poked around the Coney Island History Project's new exhibit and considered a ride on the Wonder Wheel, but decided to save it for a warmer day.

I always think it's not possible for me to love Coney Island any more than I already do, yet somehow every trip makes me love it more and more. I can't wait for the day when it's finally warm enough to enjoy the beach part of the neighborhood in addition to the amusements and when we're able to eat our hot dogs without completely losing feeling in our hands.

More Coney Island:  Opening Day 2014 | Mermaid Parade | Halloween

Shinran Statue / Amiable Child Monument

A few weekends ago I was walking around Riverside Drive and decided to consult my Roadside America app to see if there was anything interesting in the neighborhood I hadn't discovered yet. I found two things that were close to where I was, the Shinran Statue and the Amiable Child Monument.

The Shinran Statue currently resides outside of a Buddhist church on Riverside Drive, but it once stood outside of a temple in Hiroshima, Japan. The statue managed to survive the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, despite being located 1.5 miles from the center of the blast and was shipped to New York in 1955. It is definitely a statue that I might not have looked twice at if I was just passing by, but there are plaques explaining its significance, if you don't happen to scour apps for odd roadside attractions like I do.

Next I walked a few blocks north on Riverside Drive, right across from Grant's Tomb to see the Amiable Child Monument. "Thought to be the only single-person private grave on city-owned land in New York City," the monument was erected to commemorate a small boy who died in 1797. It was threatened with the construction of Grant's Tomb, but saved after the public objected.

The monument is small and a little hidden—I walked right past it a few times—but it's fenced off and has a historical marker plaque next to it. It is really odd to see a headstone all alone in the middle of New York. Nothing seems to last for very long here and it's hard to fathom how it has remained all these years when so many great buildings in the city have been demolished in the name of progress. There was a few coins, a stone and even a Hershey Kiss on the top of the stone when I visited. One of the iron bars of the fence was bent in a way that is extra creepy whenever gravestones are involved.

I am eternally grateful to live in a city in which a leisurely weekend stroll can include things that are a little bit historical, a little bit weird and always worth a stop.

Morbid Anatomy Museum: Collector's Cabinet

On Saturday JMP joined me for diner breakfast, a trip to the Morbid Anatomy Museum and post-museum pie at Four and Twenty Blackbirds, which is pretty much my ideal Saturday (or any day). The Collector's Cabinet exhibit at the museum was closing on Sunday and I hadn't seen it yet but I'm so glad we went because it far exceeded my expectations.

Like the museum's previous exhibition, The Art of Mourning, the Collector's Cabinet occupied a single room but it was expertly curated and every piece was fascinating. I lost track of how much time we spent looking at, and photographing all of the curiosities, but I definitely could have spent all day in just that one room.

The centerpieces of the exhibit were two life-changing taxidermy dioramas, which more than deserve their very own post as soon as I'm done fully digesting how extraordinarily awesome they both were. They also had a neck tattoo in a jar, a fully-articulated skeleton, a very organized brush collection, wooden prosthetic arms, a plaster death cast, a talking skull, a two-headed calf and so many other weird and wonderful trinkets on display.

We also checked out the adjoining library space, which itself is packed with enough stuff to make a visit to the museum more than worth your time. I am so glad that I became a member back when the museum opened in June—not only because I now get in for free, but because never has there been a place so deserving of my support.

The museum has only gotten better since it opened and I was pleased to see so many people there on Saturday. Every one that works there is always so kind and helpful and the gift shop is full of books and housewares and art that I definitely don't need but so desperately want. I never thought there would be a place like the Morbid Anatomy Museum where all of my creepy interests are celebrated and nurtured and I already can't wait to go back.

Nassau, Bahamas

The third and final port of our family cruise was in Nassau, capital of the Bahamas. I was surprised to find that Nassau was much more city than beach paradise, in fact I never did see a beach while we were there. The minute we left the ship, we were bombarded with people peddling everything—carriage rides, tours, taxis, t-shirts, jewelry—I was even asked on numerous occasions if I wanted my (very short) hair braided. I'm used to this kind of peddling in New York, but in Nassau it was concentrated and constant.

Once we got past the markets, the streets were beautiful in a gritty, sherbet-colored, sun-faded way. The first photo I took was of a door—blue, orange and yellow—and my mom looked at me and said "You're probably the only person who comes to the Bahamas and takes a photo of a door."

We walked around for a little bit before we had to meet the rest of our family for a glass bottom boat tour. I was actually expecting our boat to have a real glass bottom, but it was more like a few windows on the floor of the lower level, and now I'm not even sure if what I had expected is even physically possible (I should probably just stick to land-based adventures).

The tour took us in between the islands of New Providence (where Nassau is located) and Paradise. Paradise is the where the Atlantis resort is located, as well as some pretty elaborate celebrity homes (our guide pointed out the homes of Oprah, JK Rowling, Mary Kay, Elvis Presley, Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan and Sean Connery). We stopped and creeped on a coral reef through the "glass bottom," which was pretty cool to see.

We saw what appears to be wreckage of some kind—a plane?—and a bunch of different fish, including really creepy needle-nose creatures, which further proved my theory that the ocean is a scary and crazy place, full of alien beings—best admired from a safe distance, preferably on land, in the shade and with a cocktail in hand.

365 Project: Days 79-85

79/365: The last day of our cruise was cold and rainy, which didn't stop me from eating three soft-serve cones (hands-down the best part of the cruise).

80/365: I celebrated my return to New York with a solo diner lunch and a walk through snowy (!) Riverside Park where I came across a most proper snow family.

81/365: I had a perfect Sunday: a sunny, chilly walk through Green-Wood cemetery where we saw the MacKay mausoleum (which has both heat and electricity), incredible buttermilk biscuits, a great House of Cards episode and more delicious food in between.

82/365: I bleached my hair again which means wearing a plastic bag on my head and getting wrinkly, white fingers.

83/365: After a day spent illustrating a dachshund for work (aka my professional peak), I met Jim for dinner next to a puppy store that had this adorable baby in its window.

84/365: I went to Target to buy clothes which means I left with nothing but Easter candy including a big bag of black jelly beans (my favorite).

85/365: I spent my morning assembling a classic New York breakfast made of paper, gifted to me by a co-worker who knows of my obsession with the "We are happy to serve you" cups.

Williamsburg

Recently, I met Jim for breakfast in the East Village one morning and we decided to go on a mini-adventure. We chose Williamsburg because it was just a few stops from where we were on the L train. The last time we were both there was on a sweltering day in the summer to see the Kara Walker exhibit at the Domino Sugar Factory. The part of the factory that housed the exhibit has since been demolished, and it started snowing quite aggressively a short time after we arrived, which cut our visit short.

When everyone is crammed into coffee shops and brunch spots, walking around looking into the windows very much feels like you've stumbled upon a sort of "hipster zoo." I'm sure Jim and I are really no different, but I never feel at ease in Williamsburg. Which is convenient, because I certainly can't afford to live there, but I do like to visit on occasion.

The cute boutiques and fancy coffee shops are great, but the real charm of Williamsburg is still there if you look hard enough—in its rusty waterfront, brick buildings with wonderful ghost signs and clever graffiti. Once you leave the main Bedford drag, things get a lot more industrial and interesting. Jim and I walked along the East River waterfront for as long as we could stand the snow that somewhat impossibly was blowing in our faces, no matter which direction we were going.

We stumbled on an old diner that I only vaguely knew existed—now Cafe de la Esquina, a Mexican restaurant that we added to the list—and I found a really excellent manhole cover, which always makes me happy. We also walked past a lot that had a random headstone sitting by itself, which was kind of odd but I was into it.

Cococay, Bahamas

The second stop on our family cruise was Cococay, which is a private island in the Bahamas that is actually being leased by the cruise company, Royal Caribbean. Because of this I felt like we were on a stage set or an amusement park version of the Bahamas. That's not to say it was terrible, it was just odd.

The beach had beautiful white sand and the water was bathtub warm. The water was so shallow that you could walk really far out into the ocean without it getting more than knee-deep. I walked out as far as I could before I started to get creeped out by the ocean life—we saw jellyfish, regular fish and what were maybe sea cucumbers (?), and my uncles reported seeing starfish and small nurse sharks.

This was my first time on a Bahamian island and no matter how manufactured, it was really nice to finally see the indescribably blue water of the Caribbean and spend the day lounging by a lagoon, sipping an icy (aka alcoholic) beverage and soaking up all the sun my SPF-100'd skin could handle.

Winter Roundup

I had thought that we had seen that last major snowfall a few weeks ago, but while I was cruising my way back to the States, New York got its first snowfall of the spring. I'm kind of sad I missed it, but I was able to take a walk on Saturday and enjoy some of it, although most of the snow had melted off the trees by the afternoon.

I hesitate to declare again that I think we've seen our last snow of the season, but in the meantime, I was sorting through some of my photos and found some of past snowfalls that I hadn't shared.

At the beginning of February I walked to work through the North Woods in Central Park on a very icy morning. It had snowed, then rained, then everything froze which made for a treacherous, but very beautiful commute. I really love the wildness of the North Woods, although by "wild" I mean as wild as you can get in the middle of Manhattan.

When I'm not walking through the North Woods, I walk along the reservoir. I've walked it a few times this winter and it's been frozen and snow-covered, which makes it look like a long, uninterrupted stretch of land. My friend Jim said it reminded him of the salt flats in Utah and it's really quite beautiful. The running track has been snow-covered and frozen as well, which means that I was the only person crazy enough to be walking along it on most mornings.

I'll never get over how wonderful this city can be in the winter when you feel as if you have the entire city to yourself. According to the calendar it's already spring and I'm sure before we know it, it will feel as hot as a dog's mouth in the city and we'll all forget what snow even felt like.

Cocoa Beach, Florida

Last week I went on a cruise with my mom's whole family—my first (my last?)—and our first stop was in Port Canaveral, Florida. Neither my mom or I are really adventure excursion people, so we opted for a shuttle that took us to Cocoa Beach. We're not really beach people either, but it was nice to feel warm—really warm—for the first time in a very long winter.

I was hoping that there would be more I Dream of Jeannie-related things around, but I only found a few: a street sign (that I walked nearly two miles to find), a painting on the side of the "I Dream of Yogurt" shop and a commemorative sign explaining Cocoa Beach's significance to the show.

There were a few kitschy beach shops, one with an amazing concrete (?) shark on its sign, a beautiful (to me, at least) Waffle House and what is surely the beach souvenir shop, Twombly's Seashell Tables. Unfortunately Twombly's was on the other side of a very busy divided highway and my blistered, sunburnt feet weren't too happy about me walking half a mile to the next crosswalk. Now, of course, I regret not checking it out because based on its sign alone, I'm sure it's incredible.

There really wasn't much to Cocoa Beach and it definitely wasn't a very walkable town. The Ron Jon Surf Shop is there, if you're into that, and the actual beach was as nice as any Atlantic Ocean beach I've been to, but it was indistinguishable from Coney Island or Long Beach—and not nearly as kitschy or as close.

365 Project: Days 70-78

70/365: The upside to an afternoon doctor's appointment: sitting outside and enjoying the sunshine in Madison Square park for a little bit.

71/365: I am still not over the excitement of above-zero temperatures and being able to walk to work again without freezing (completely).

72/365: I waved goodbye to my home as we left from NJ on a family cruise to Florida and the Bahamas.

73/365: Our first day at sea was cold and rough. A huge thank you to the makers of Dramamine.

74/365: The weather improved so I explored the (enormous) ship and finally shed my three pairs of socks and four shirts (this is what I consider beachwear).

75/365: I explored Cocoa Beach and enjoyed being warm for the first time in months.

76/365: Our second stop was Cococay, a private Bahamian island owned by Royal Caribbean.

77/365: I explored the colorful streets of Nassau, the capital city of the Bahamas and tried to avoid people begging me to get my hair braided or take a horse-drawn carriage.

78/365: I spent the chilly, cloudy day at sea reading a new book (I finished the Devil in the White City—SO good!) and napping in between eating, eating and more eating.

Trinity Cemetery and Mausoleum: Winter

After being once again denied access to Woodlawn Cemetery the weekend because of "hazardous conditions,"—aka the beautiful, melting and not-at-all-hazardous snow—I headed to the next closest cemetery that I knew of to get my snowy tombstone fix.

 I had been to Trinity Cemetery, Manhattan's only active cemetery, in March of last year for the first time and I hadn't been back since. Thankfully the gates were open, there was no obnoxious guard to stop me from walking in and more than enough snow to make me happy again. Some of the pathways were cleared and others were not, but I came prepared with boots and happily forged my own way through nearly a feet of snow.

The snow was piled against the mausoleums and stuck in the recesses of letters in the most interesting ways. Trinity is a relatively small cemetery, especially when compared to Green-Wood or Woodlawn, but it has some really wonderful mausoleums. I was particularly loving how the snow was drifted and pushed against the doors, making them look like little mountain cottages.

You never know, but I think we've probably seen the last of this winter's snow. I suppose I will never get to see Woodlawn in the winter, which is definitely a disappointment, but there are still plenty of other wonderful places that I haven't explored to keep me busy. While I still think that fall is the very best time for a cemetery walk, I have to say that winter is a close second—that is, as long as they let me in.

Brooklyn Heights

Since the very first time I set foot on the dreamy Promenade, Brooklyn Heights has been my happy place. When I used to come visit New York I would always try to fit in a visit to the neighborhood, no matter how packed my schedule. When I lived here for my two-month trial run (which ended two years ago today—!) I would trek all the way out to BK just to read my Sunday newspaper.

I was in desperate need of a spirit-lifting solo adventure recently and before walking the Manhattan Bridge or visiting Kolonihavehus, I started my day in Brooklyn Heights. I will never not get a thrill from just walking the Promenade and taking in the breathtaking views of lower Manhattan, the Brooklyn Bridge, and even—if you look hard enough—the Statue of Liberty.

Everything was still covered in snow when I went, which of course makes everything even more dreamy to me. The quiet streets are completely magical, lined with brownstones and cute colonial-style row houses, with names like Pineapple, Cranberry and Pierrepont. Truman Capote used to live in Brooklyn Heights, as did Walt Whitman and Thomas Wolfe—and I would add myself to that list in a heartbeat if I could.

Project 365: Days 61-69

61/365: I impulse-bought tickets for Trent and me to see a charity event when I heard Meryl Streep would be a guest—along with George Clooney, Tom Hanks, Danny DeVito, David Letterman, Carole King, Aloe Blaac and Natalie Cole— and it turned out to be a really wonderful, only-in-New-York kind of evening.

62/365: A group of us went to Red Rooster in Harlem for dinner where I had the best meatballs ever and admired the tile on the bathroom floor.

63/365: I met Jim and Katie for dinner in Astoria and I was early so I walked around a bit. I stumbled upon a fantastic antique/junk shop and found this Boston Terrier print for $5 (the adorable shop owner gave me a dollar off without me even asking). I definitely need to go back and do some serious treasure-hunting there.

64/365: I've been in a bit of a reading slump lately so I picked something off my shelf that I knew I'd love—The Devil in the White City, about a World's Fair and a serial killer—and I can't stop reading it. I always feel much better when I'm really involved in a great book.

65/365: I've had a rough few weeks, health-wise, so I decided to reward myself for positive test results with this spine necklace I've had my eye on for a while.

66/365: I tried once again to explore Woodlawn Cemetery in the snow, only to be told—again—that they weren't allowing any walk-ins due to "hazardous conditions." Get your shit together, Woodlawn.

67/365: I finally saw all of Grey Gardens from start to finish—and on the big screen—and loved every minute of it.

68/365: It was absolute hell trying to get out of bed on Monday morning after we lost an hour to daylight savings time, but finally getting to walk home through the park—in the sunshine!—made it all worth it.

69/365: My uncle was in town for a few days and I met him for lunch at a great French restaurant near where I work on the UES—and found out that it was stinky cheese week.