Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Posts Tagged ‘NYC’

Wordless Wednesday: A Tour Through Eataly

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , on December 21, 2011| 1 Comment »

On Saturday afternoon Ron suggested that I take my friend Chantal, visiting from Canada, to Eataly. Chantal is a huge food network, cooking show junkie and foodie so I knew that she would LOVE it. The only hesitation I had was the crowds. It was merely a week before Christmas and I was afraid that it would be so packed we would not be able to move. We were pleasantly surprised and had a blast perusing all of the wonderful sights. So, just in case you have not already stuffed yourself full with holiday treats here are a few pics to get your mouth watering! Enjoy 🙂

Located right across from the beautiful Flatiron Building and Madison Square Park

Chantal with her delicious Panini 😉

So very true!

Fruits and Veg

A plethora of mushrooms

Shall we start with cheese? Yes please!

Some bread with that?

Over to the meat section...

Wowza!

Hand made pasta, my weakness.

Something from the sea?

Or shellfish maybe?

Don't forget the Vino!

And of course, dessert- truffle anyone?

Perhaps a pastry or two??

Some handsome dudes enjoying their meal and who graciously let me take their pic 😉

After a meal like that you will need to put up your feet and relax in front of the fireplace =)

Read Full Post »

Wordless Wednesday: Always Amazed By The Beauty Of Central Park

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , on December 7, 2011| 2 Comments »

On Sunday I decided to take the girls to the Christmas lighting ceremony at the Discovery Center in Central Park. Forgetting about the huge body of water at the top of Central Park, I mistakenly made us get off the subway at 103rd st. instead of 110th. Whoops… it IS always an adventure. Our adventure took us through the beautiful ravine area of Central Park and around the Harlem Meer. It was gorgeous and once again I was awestruck by the incredible beauty found in the heart of Manhattan. I hope you enjoy the pics. Have a great day!

Gorgeous almost WINTER colors!

Stone Bridge

Exploring...

Waterfall

Ravine Pathway

More Beautiful Water

Love

A Furry Sighting- Racoon!

Buildings in Reflection

Look Closely, A Christmas Tree Floats In The Water

Manhattan Sunset

The Discovery Center

Ice Sculpture

C is for Cookie!

All Lit Up For The Holidays

Maybe We Will Have Snow For Christmas...

Read Full Post »

Anxious

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , on September 10, 2011| 4 Comments »

September 11, 2011. 10 years later. And I live in New York City. I love New York City, I honestly can’t imagine living anywhere else in the world right now. And yet, right now I am feeling a little unsettled, a bit on edge, anxious. I am not afraid, no I am not. I will NOT be afraid.

I just feel not quite right because the city feels not quite right. This is NYC and New Yorkers are resilient and strong.  The security level is high, there are traffic check points everywhere and the news is on a non-stop loop of the horror that was September 11,  2001.  But still, we carry on with our lives as usual. Although in reality not totally true, because there is that unspoken feeling, glances shared on the subway, stories told quietly among friends. We are carrying on as usual but the city is remembering and mourning, everyone in their own individual way.

We all remember where we were on that day, how could we not? It is a day that forever changed the world as we know it.

I can only imagine the pain and emotions that the people who lost loved ones and dear friends are feeling on this anniversary. My heart goes out to them as well as to all of the first responders, volunteers, recovery teams, flight crews, construction teams and so many more. They are all truly heroes.

My New York never included the Twin Towers and the World Trade Center. My first visit, where I lost my heart to NYC was in March 2002. But like the rest of the world, I will never forget them.

Tomorrow, I will take the time to remember, to grieve, to say a few prayers for peace, to hug my family a little tighter and to also embrace this incredible city and be fiercely proud to live here.

LOVE

Read Full Post »

Spring Break- Day Four And Five

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 23, 2011| Leave a Comment »

So, one week of Spring Break and I have survived. Actually it has been a lot of fun hanging out and exploring the city with the girls. Although, it was much nicer having Ron around for Thursday and Friday. Having a bit of back-up in the parental department does not hurt 😉 We spent Thursday and Friday having fun outdoors exploring various places in the city. Feeling like we had been spending a wee bit too much time indoors we wanted to get out and enjoy the sunny if cool, days.

A’s bike arrived from Schwinn on Wednesday and as soon as she woke up on Thursday and it wasn’t raining she was begging to go out and try it. So the girls strapped on their helmets and we headed on down to Riverside Park and they rode their bikes along the pathway. I strolled behind, leisurely checking out the wonderful flowers and trees coming into bloom.

A & R getting ready to ride!

Pit stop at Hippo Park

Daffodils, my favorite flower

After a quick refuel (lunch) back at the apartment we decided to park the bikes and hop on the subway to Soho. The girls had a blast exploring The Scholastic Store and Ron and I popped into a couple of our own favorite places to browse including Kate Spade, Paul Smith and Animazing.

Corner of Prince St. in Soho

The Scholastic Store

Our adventures continued as we skipped through NYU grounds and ended up in Washington Square Park. It was packed with people enjoying the wonderful sunshine. The many street performers offered lots of entertainment but I found the people watching far more interesting.

Washington Square Park

A taking a break

R catching some air

Of course at this point the girls were STARVING so we decided to make the walk to Chelsea Market to see what kind of Easter cookies the fabulous people at Eleni’s had on display. Lets just say that no one was disappointed 😉

Flirty Birdie Cookies and Ronnybrook Chocolate Milk- YUMMY!!

Royal Wedding Cookies

The day ended with quality couch time as both girls were exhausted by all of the outdoor exercise.

On Friday we spend the afternoon in Central Park at one of the kids favorite playgrounds- Hecksher Playground. They spent their time climbing the rocks and chasing each other around the massive grounds filled with climbing structures, swings and other activities. We then ventured over to the Upper East Side where we stopped at Dylan’s Candy Shop to see what kind of Easter treats were on display. It was CRAZY in there and we were barely able to move. Luckily there was lots to look at. The whole area was a little bit chaotic and I was quite happy to give my feet a break as we jumped into a cab and headed back to the apartment.

My little explorers

Taking a bite out of the Big Apple 😉

Today, it has been wet and rainy. We haven’t left the apartment. There has been movie watching, homework completion, book reading and spring cleaning. It is exactly what we needed. After all, there are still two more days of holidays- Mon & Tues… I am already working on a game plan.

Happy Easter!!

Read Full Post »

Monday In NYC: Expect The Unexpected

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , on March 28, 2011| 6 Comments »

It’s Monday. I woke up this morning with a crappy head cold generally feeling a little under the weather. It is still freezing here in the city, even if the the sun is shining brightly. And there are a million (at least) things to do on my “to do” list. On the positive side, Ron is back from a ten day trip and the household is back to normal. After a quick tea with the ladies, I headed down to Trader Joe’s to grab a few items. My mind was a bit foggy and I was daydreaming a bit, trying to think of what I would write a post on this morning. And then I saw this:

Alligators in the NYC sewers?!

Just another day in the city 😉

Right out front of the Trader Joe’s on W. 72nd street is where this advertising display is set up. If you walk by too quickly you might miss it, thinking that it is just another detour due to sidewalk construction. Hilarious.

And then it got me thinking. There is always something going on in NYC. No matter how mundane an errand you are running you are bound to find something interesting to look at or experience. You never know what you will wake up to. This really is part of the allure of this city. Walking down the street is always entertaining. No wonder I am easily distracted by shiny objects, there is always something to tantalize the senses.

I wasn’t the only one who stopped to admire the display, a few other non-jaded types where also taking pics. One guy even commented that it had made his Monday morning. Mission accomplished. After all, we all need something to talk about besides the weather, don’t we?

Have a great day!

Read Full Post »

Yep, I am complaining about the weather…

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , on March 25, 2011| Leave a Comment »

I know, I know, we are all sick of winter weather but hey, it IS spring. What happened? Why am I still wearing boots, gloves and a big puffy coat? Since I just recently moved from Ottawa, Canada, I should be used to a never ending winter. The problem is, last Friday it was 70 degrees and the whole city just seemed to take a deep sigh of relief. There was a bounce in people’s step, smiles were shared and the city seemed to have a whole renewed sense of energy.

And then Monday came and the temperatures plunged. The days following were filled with sleet, hail, rain, snow and gloomy skies. Just like the temps, people’s attitudes and outlooks dropped too. There was grumbling and groaning and not just from me. Once again all we could talk about was the weather. The general consensus is that Mother Nature is cruel, very cruel. My daughter’s even started whining about the weather. R said “this is NOT the way spring is supposed to be” and A said “I thought if it came in like a lion, it was supposed to go out like a lamb”. Indeed.

I know it could always be worse. Given what is happening around the world, I should probably just suck it up. I also know that in a few months we will be complaining about how HOT we are and how there is no relief from the heat. That is just the way it goes. Canadians are NOT the only people who like to talk about the weather 😉

The thing is, is that I am getting really impatient for actual spring like weather in NYC. Everyone keeps telling me how incredible New York is in the springtime. How it is their favorite time of the year. I can’t wait. I want to experience it. Just like everyone else, I am tired of the drab winter boots, I want to break out the new spring sneakers and dare I say it, the mighty flip flop. I want patio drinks and walks through Central Park while everything is in bloom. Long walks in the sunset…=)

Alright, enough ranting for today. After all, it IS Friday and the sun IS shining (even though it is freezing out) so I will leave you with all with WARM wishes and positive vibes. May the company you keep, be all the warmth you need. xoxo

Cold weather isn't bothering them...

Read Full Post »

A Little Friday Afternoon Reflection

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , on March 11, 2011| Leave a Comment »

When I first woke up this morning, I was feeling a little grumbly and grumpy. Sure, it was Friday but the weather was rainy, my head hurt and I really had nothing to look forward to except cleaning the bathrooms. And then I started reading the news updates on my phone and found out that overnight a devastating earthquake had hit Japan and more tragedy would follow due to the impending tsunamis. Bam! It threw everything else into perspective pretty darn quickly.

So, for the rest of the day I promised myself I would try a bit of a different approach and look at things positively and remember how truly fortunate I am. I went to a literacy meeting at the girls school and was reminded of what an amazing, caring and supportive learning environment it is. The teachers and staff are always moving forward to find new ways to help and encourage the students. The parent community is incredible. As I walked to the meeting and greeted many a smiling face I felt a sense of belonging. The girls are definitely in the right place.

Afterwards I had the time to go and have coffee with a group of intelligent, funny and supportive ladies. We laughed, talked, argued and debated about the many things going on in the world around us. One of the women, a talented Children’s author, read an excerpt from her latest book, the message making me vow to have a wee bit more patience with my children- thanks Jill 😉

As I exited the coffee shop the sun was peeking through the clouds and I made a quick stop at the grocery store before heading home. I paused for a moment and took in all the sights, sounds and smells around me. Which was all good, until the sewer smell hit me and forced me to move on- it IS NYC after all =) At home I prepped dinner and put it in the slow cooker. A small victory for me as I have an extremely hard time resisting the urge to order take-out on Fridays. I talked to an old friend on the phone and then I took the dogs for a walk. All the while, forcing myself not to get caught up in the panic of all the things that still had to get done. Reminding myself that the “to do” list will still be there tomorrow.

I guess I am just trying to slow down a bit today and take the time to really appreciated all of the important things and people around me. Taking the extra time to wish people “have a good weekend” or hold the door open. To not be soo caught up in my life that I forget what is going on around me. Life is precious. There are examples of this everyday, you only have to turn on the news to remind yourself of this message. Today I am going to hold my family and friends just a bit tighter and say an extra prayer for those that are suffering around the world. Today I am going take the time to pause and be thankful.

Just in case you needed a Friday laugh! (Thank you Chantal)

Read Full Post »

Holy F*%K, I Live in NYC!!

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , on March 7, 2011| 1 Comment »

The thought always hits me at the strangest times. I will be walking down the street, notice my shoelace is untied, bend down, tie my shoe, look up and think “Whoa, I live in New York City!”. It has been nine months since the big move and I guess just like it takes nine months to ease into the fact that you are having a baby, it has taken me the same amount of time to adjust to the whole living in NYC thing. And Manhattan is one helluva a baby! 😉 I have gained confidence, explored the neighborhood, learned the fine art of grocery shopping, am able to successfully walk two dogs down a crowded street, made new friends and most importantly I am adjusting to life as a stay at home mom/wife. But, every once in a while, usually while doing something totally mundane like laundry, I stop dead in my tracks and think “NYC, seriously??!!”.

A night out in the City

This city is awe inspiring. Every day I walk down my block and notice something new and different. I am not exaggerating. This city is also hard, fast and unforgiving. Surrounded by millions, it can feel incredibly lonely. At the same time it is welcoming, vibrant and alive. There are good days and bad days, just like anywhere. I have asked a few of my friends who have lived here for a long time if the feeling of awe about living here ever truly goes away and the answer is no. Even when the rain is whipping sideways and the wind is howling, you only have to look up to see the strength and beauty in the surrounding buildings.

The New York (a new building by Frank Gehry)

There are many people I have spoken to who are ready to get out of the city. They have had enough. We of course, are in the honeymoon period, looking at everything through bright, new, positive eyes. Not jaded… yet. I hope we never become bitter and hard in our attitudes. If we start to feel that way I will know that it is time to leave. That the love affair has ended. But right now I am enjoying being caught up in all that the city has to offer, even the realities that can sometimes seem overwhelming. I feel extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to live here and partake in all of the incredible experiences NYC has to offer. It is never boring. Always changing. Full of adventure. Exactly where I want to be.

Learning the ropes to be a New Yorker 😉

Read Full Post »

Wordless Wednesday: A Walk Uptown

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , on March 2, 2011| 1 Comment »

Took a little walk uptown today in the beautiful sun. It is soo wonderful to feel the hint of spring in the air. Here are some pics I took along the way, enjoy!

Church at Amsterdam & 86th

Wall Art

Old & New

100th and Columbus

Heading on Up- Street View

More Street Views

Corner Store

Columbus and 110th

The back of St. John The Devine Church

Walking along Morningside Park

Apartments overlooking Morningside Park

View of Harlem

University bound...

Columbia University Library

Read Full Post »

Weekend Adventures

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , on February 28, 2011| 2 Comments »

Phew, what a week, topped off by a fabulous weekend. The girls were on winter break, Chantal was visiting and it was Ron’s birthday. The weekend started out on Thursday night when Chantal and I ventured to Madison Square Garden to see Bon Jovi. The tickets were a Christmas present from the fabulous Ron and I was very much looking forward to rocking out as well as scoping out the crazy people still stuck in the 80’s. I dragged Chantal along with me promising that there would be lots to see and by reminding her of the simple fact that everyone should have an opportunity to see a concert at MSG! We were not disappointed. The show was amazing (Jon Bon Jovi still has IT!) and there were plenty of rocker gals/guys to check out. The woman sitting beside us was wearing her concert t-shirt from her first Bon Jovi concert at MSG in 1987 and she knew every single lyric to every single song. Now that is true dedication. My favorite part of the evening was the encore performance of “Living On A Prayer”. The entire crowd was on their feet singing together, a pretty incredible experience to be a part of.

Chantal and I getting ready to rock it!

The blurry "yes, that is him" must put in concert pic

On Friday night we called in a babysitter and actually had the thrill (parents will understand the special treat that this is) of going out to see a movie and then for drinks and tapas. We went and saw the movie “I Am Number Four”. Both Ron and I have just finished reading the book and wanted to see the movie. It was good, not amazing but definitely entertaining. As always, the book is way better. After the movie we went to a great new wine bar in the ‘hood called Tolani. I think it is going to become one of our new favorite places to go and hang out. The food is good and the wine selection is interesting. Love the atmosphere.

On Saturday we took advantage of Chantal visiting (hello free babysitting) and Ron and I went out for his birthday to David Burke Townhouse. I am still full thinking about the delicious meal I experienced there. Ron started off with the foie gras and then had the special Lobster Risotto as his main. I had the market salad to start and the Braised Ribs with Cavatelli as my main. We shared the drunken donuts as our dessert. Unbelievably yummy. The best part of the evening was being able to sit and have a conversation just the two of us. Heavenly. The evening stroll through Central Park was not too shabby either.

Ron and I thought the stretch limo waiting outside for the smokers convenience was hilarious. After all, standing outside for a smoke is soo passe!

Giant flowers on Park Ave.

Ahh… Sunday, the day of rest. Yesterday we spent the day going to church and getting organized for the reality of the upcoming week. However, the weather was beautiful and we took advantage of it by taking the dogs and the girls to the park. There was definitely a hint of spring in the air.

The sun shining over Central Park

The girls first scooter ride of the season

In a lot of ways I am glad that Monday has arrived and that the girls are back to school (including Chantal) Ron is at work and I am on a cleaning/laundry/grocery spree. Back to normal. Or as normal as life can be in the Big Apple 😉 Now, I wonder if there is time for a nap…

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »