One way to further inflate the generally already over-inflated egos of most professional athletes: Lay out an enormous red carpet all the way up Fifth Avenue (as seen along my commute to work this morning).It would have been cooler if the athletes paraded up the pavement and the fans got to stand on a red carpet as they went by. If All-Star Weekends are truly about getting "people closer to the pl
Phone photo ops snapped while walking to and from work in Midtown during my first month as a Hell's Kitchen resident.Random concerts on street cornersMy old apartment building in Harlemon the side of a double decker tour busA giant Eddie Murphy headDiane SawyerThis guy turned as I was snapping this picture and asked me for money. I told him, "Sorry; only credit cards," to which he replied, "Well,
Today's route: Upper West Side 4: Church and GownRiverside ParkRiverside DriveAnd its handsome apartment buildingsThe Samuel Tilden Statue overlooks the Hudson RiverRiverside Church and the Interchurch CenterSakura ParkGrant's TombInternational HouseLooking west toward Claremont AvenueColumbia University's West 116th Street gate on BroadwayLeads to an unexpected sprawling lawnSunset across Columbia's campusCathedral of St. John the DivineChildren's Sculpture GardenBiblical GardenAnd the peacocks that roam the cathedral grounds
Today's route: DUMBOThe Financial District across the East River beyondFulton Landing, Bargemusic and Brooklyn Ice Cream FactoryClick here for a 360 degree viewThe Brooklyn Bridge dwarfs the Empire State Buildingon the midtown skylineThe River Café ...... in the shadow of the Brooklyn BridgeSt. Ann's WarehouseJacques Torres... where I selected three amazing chocolates to samplealong my walk1915 Clocktower BuildingThe intersection of Water and MainThe Manhattan Bridge from Washington StreetFulton Ferry Empire State ParkThe Manhattan BridgeLots of furniture stores hereReturning to Cadman Plaza WestCadman Plaza
Walking from brunch at the Dean Street apartment of friends, who live a block from Michelle Williams. Their son is even a playmate of Heath Ledger and Williams' daughter Matilda, but I decided not to take a camera phone photo of her home ...Tree-lined streets and bicycle lanesThis is a CVSBrooklyn brownstonesFlowering walkways
New Yorkers in Bryant Park ...They're competing.They're reading.They're working.They're lounging.They're drinking.All phone photo ops featured in this post were taken between sips of Ketel One and Soda.
Overlooking New Haven from East RockA flowering tree outside of Yale's amazing libraryDebasha & Cassie stroll along white picket fencesBetween gorgeous old New England homesNew Haven storefrontsTree-lined streetsA bar comparison to mushroom caps and acorns
Today's route: Grand Central StationEast 42nd Street view of Grand Central TerminalPershing SquareInscription above the door reads: To all those who with head, heart and hand toiled in the construction of this monument to the public service this is inscribed.View from the 42nd Street entranceLooking west toward Vanderbilt AvenueInformation KioskMTA Metro-North TicketsLooking east toward Lexington AvenueConstellations of the winter night skyShopping above; informal food court stations belowDining ConcourseOyster Bar & RestaurantThis women are whispering in the wall to communicate ...... with their friend on the diagnol across the vaulted ceilingVanderbilt HallGrand Central Market
Today's route: The Great White Way and Times SquareForgettable emporiumsLooking south from 48th StreetBroadwayLooking north from 46th StreetWhere the New Year's Eve ball dropsLooking west on 42nd StreetNew Victory TheaterMadame Tussaud'sRipley's Believe it or Not!Port Authority Bus TerminalTheater RowWest Bank Cafe
My God. New York City is beautiful in the Spring.The day did start out like this ...... But turned into this ...Hands On New York volunteers painting, raking and plantingin St. Nicholas Park in Harlem ... And ended like this.
Today's route: Union Square to Madison SquareWashington at the south end of Union SquareDog park in Union SquareCoffee ShopLawn perimeterLincoln at the north end of Union SquareLooking south on East 17th StreetParagon SportsABC Carpet & HomeFlatiron Building Madison Square ParkDogs in Madison Square ParkNorth end of the parkThe lawn is closed October-AprilMetropolitan Life Building
Today's route: Littly Italy"Best bets" along Mulberry StreetFerrara Bakery & CafeAlleva DairyDi Palo's Fine Foods "... even as almost every other storefront on the blockdisplays Chinese lettering."Umberto's Clam HouseMulberry between Grand and BroomeLooking north on Mulberry Street
It's almost time for Spring Sundays again! I'm really looking forward to my city walks.And in what appears to be a new tradition in strange Sunday phone photo ops and burning questions, how exactly does this happen?
I received the following text yesterday afternoon: "Hey, we're having a party at my friend's place in the west village, huge apartment! Then stretch hummer to go to Marquee. Come, it should be fun! Let me know"So my girls and I decided not to go see a band performing in the Lower East Side and redirected our plans to the west. I hate hummers (because they are not environmentally friendly and they just look stupid), but getting to the clubs in the 27th Street region of the island can be a headache on foot. My girls and I have done the walk from 28th and Seventh many a time when vacant cabs are scarce.While we were all impressed with the high ceilings and tall windows of the West Village apartment of a lawyer for a prestigious New York-based law firm*, I was most intrigued by the presence of
Please accept exhibits A, B and C (camera phone photo ops taken last Friday) as circumstantial evidence regarding the types of people with whom I work.Exhibit A (our senior marketing manager)Exhibit B (in the office of our director of advertising operations)Exhibit C (in the office of the VP)
So we aren't exactly at the top yet, but if kind of feels that way. My best friend will now be in 23 episodes of Tyler Perry's House of Payne. She'll be flying down to Atlanta from New York every Sunday through Wednesday until January.Last night, I left midtown after work and went to her apartment in Jersey to hang out before she leaves on Sunday for her first week of filming. Tonight some friends and I are taking her out for a little V.I.P. treatment at our favorite Lower East Side lounge.The view of the city from Tokii's apartment before I fell asleep last night[photo to be added]And the rainbow sunrise looking East over the Hudson River when I awoke this morning[photo to be added] The city becomes even more beautiful when you are feeling on top of the world.
Since the line to Blood Manor had reached a three-hour wait by the time we arrived on Saturday night, my friends and I decided to redeem our online-purchased tickets on Tuesday. We arrived directly from our respective offices and waited about 30 minutes for a disturbing jaunt through the Chelsea club turned haunted house.Only in New York is a haunted house featured on a 4th-floor walk-up.The two-headed monster outside of Blood Manor."This monster actually has three heads," our gorgeous, former Miss Indiana friend reminded us ... Gotta love my girls.
With girls like mine and a city like this on a Saturday night ... I actually surprised myself with a productive Sunday. I did laundry, cleaned my apartment and caught up on some personal projects.The champagne arrives ...... with strawberries and chocolates
Sometimes while wondering aimlessly in the streets on New York, you bump into Carrie Bradshaw smacking Mr. Big with a bouquet of flowers.And you see how hot Mr. Big really is in person and you suddenly understand why Carrie put up with him for six years.
After a Saturday night out on the town with my girl Iris, I dragged myself out of bed and to a birthday brunch in Brooklyn for my friend Gina C. I was joined by my best friend Tokii and her fellow Juilliard alum Jamario, four fabulous people from Gina's job, including a gorgeous girl who looks exactly like Maggie Gyllenhaal and has legs for days, Gina's roommates and other new friends.We ate waffles cooked by the Birthday Girl and topped with everything, drank Mimosas, played Taboo! (which gets funnier the more Mimosas you drink) and had a hilarious photo shoot in the kitchen. What started as a brunch turned into an all day affair. By the time Tokii and I were headed back west to Jersey and Harlem respectively, it was getting dark and I was lamenting the end of another weekend.The most refreshing thing about Brooklyn was the space. Gina and her two roommates share an enormous three-bedroom apartment. It took me an hour to get there from Harlem on the A train, and the commute from mid
New York Fashion Week Spring 2008 is kicking off. The huge tent is up in Bryant Park and designers, models and celebrities are swarming the beautiful lawn preventing Corporate New Yorkers and tourists from enjoying lunches and the last summer afternoons on the grass. Some are annoyed by Fashion Week, others look forward to it each spring and fall. But it is undoubtedly one of the many parts of the city's rich culture.I won't be here for most of Fashion Week. I'm leaving on an early flight for Atlanta tomorrow morning and taking a few days off from work to extend a weekend with Terrence, but I did attend a small fashion show last night at Tavern on the Green in Central Park with a few friends who work in design for Coach.The "before" and after-party was packed with young and old New York socialites. You could practically smell the money and the collagen. Lost in a sea of pretty faces, I have never been surrounded by so many beautiful people at one time. I was clearly out of place and
When I first entered my boss's apartment on Thursday night, I thought to myself, so this is how this side of the world lives ...How would you like this for a headboard?And this view from your living room?Or a roof deck like this ...... overlooking a park like thatAnd rooftop views of the Empire State Building ...... and the Statue of LibertyAnd sometimes a cruise ship passes by your window ...... and you watch sunsets like thisAnd I got paid to stay there for three nights with her cats.
Sunrise while cat-sitting at my boss's Tribeca apartment (not to be confused with the East Village apartment of my other boss)Looking west over the Hudson RiverIn Tribeca - for those who already have it all -the sun can also rise in the west
In New York, you're more likely to look up and glimpse the top ofthe Empire State Building while having drinks with coworkers.This afternoon my boss authorized a mandatory 4 p.m. evacuation of our office to the outdoor bar in Bryant Park. Who were we to object?
Today's route: Carnegie Hill & BeyondHeading north on Fifth AvenueGuggenheim under constructionCooper-Hewitt National Design Museumin the old Carnegie mansionConvent of the Sacred HeartSpence School (Gwyneth Paltrow's alma mater)Homes along East 92nd StreetJewish MuseumPart of Mt. Sinai HospitalPeering into Central Park from Fifth AvenueMuseum of the City of New York105th Street at the entrance of the Conservatory GardenEntering the gardenI spent more time in this garden than walking up Fifth ...... It was so beautifulLooking east toward Fifth AvenueTo be dubbed my favorite sculpture in the cityCentral Park North looking toward Harlem
Before I departed alone on my 13th Sunday City Walk, I took an after-Upper-East-Side-brunch walk around the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir with an old college classmate/new post-college friend Katie (visiting from Washington, D.C.) and another new friend Carrie (moved to New York two weeks ago to start a graduate program at NYU).It wasn't this dark; no way to adjust over-exposure on my camera phoneCouldn't help but remember the scene from The Devil's AdvocateLooking toward the Upper West Side from the south of the reservoirA bridge on the west side of the reservoir
As seen this morning outside of the Starbucks at 42nd and SixthOne should watch out for spit, excess dust and falling tools, but should you become a victim of a construction accident, call the New York Construction Accidents Law Firm.
Summer Fridays are coming to an end. Labor Day Weekend marks the last Friday that I can leave the office at 2 p.m. and still receive pay for a full workday. I hung out in Bryant Park for an hour this afternoon, and below is a photo essay of my observations.
How cool is my boss? I arrived at work early this morning to try to finish up some of this week's work and take advantage of the 2 p.m. Summer Friday, and she said to me: "Eve is performing downstairs. I left you a voicemail about it. Go down to the concert!"So I turned around, walked out of the office and crossed the street to Bryant Park, where Eve was performing live on Good Morning America's Live Summer Concert Series.Eve with the GMA crewBehind the scenes
Tonight Jamario and his girlfriend Stephanie joined me on the lawn for the original Psycho starring Janet Leigh and Anthony Perkins, the last show of the 2007 HBO Bryant Park Summer Film Festival.Not as crowded as last week, probably due to the overcast skiesThe infamous shower sceneAlmost similar to my profile photo ...... Yet slightly different from my uncropped originalIt was a pretty psycho scene on the lawn ...... But it was even crazier how clean the public restroomsare in Bryant Park
I am always fascinated by people using sign language - especially in large groups, like these guys on an uptown 1 train during my evening return from the beach house via the LIRR and the 7th Avenue Line.They were so animated and lively throughout their conversation that I could not help but wonder what they were discussing. Yet it was so quiet.
View from the LIRR arriving in Long Beach, NY, on FridayView from the beach house I shared with five girlfriends and all of the random people who crashed with us while celebrating Gina's birthday over the weekendMy view for most of Saturday
Back in North Carolina for Tokii's wedding on FridayAt the reception at the Prestonwood Country ClubThe wedding programs I designed for herBeing a bridesmaid was hard work, but I'd like to take a moment to rave about my boyfriend, who never complained through three days of helping me remain at Tokii's beck and call, including crafty wedding projects, chauffeuring the bridal party to hair and nail salons, midnight errands for personal items that the bride forgot to buy for her honeymoon, and many other favors that he graciously accommodated to help keep Tokii - and ultimately me - happy.Watching Terrence's plane take him back to AtlantaAnd the vessel that took me back to New York
Today's Route: Battery Park CityStaten Island FerryMore captions to be added(in Raleigh backdating posts and updating the blog)Beer Gardens ... our kind of gardenThough he appears to be about 5'5" in this photo, he's actually 6'9".The Statue of LibertyChess on the promenadeTip of the Financial DistrictJersey from they cityTwilight fishersIrish Hunger MemorialWorld Trade Center Site
Great things about Friday in New York:1) John Legend live in Bryant Park before work with the Good Morning America Summer Concert Series.2) Out of the office by 2 p.m. thanks to Summer Fridays.3) Double-date planned this evening at Sing Sing in the East Village with Terrence, a coworker and her boyfriend.
Some colleagues and I marveled at this construction worker outside of our building without a harness, tether, net or any safety contraption that would otherwise qualify him for minimal medical, life or liability insurance coverage.Here is a little more impressive view.
Today's route: Nolita ("North of Little Italy") Looking south on Crosby StreetLadder Company No. 20New York's original St. Patrick's CathedralSunday massFunky jewelry, hats and handbags line the brick wallalong Prince StreetAnd the graveyard within the brick wallbordering Mulberry, Prince and Mott StreetsFormer Fourteenth Ward Industrial Schoolwith turquoise fire escapesCafe Gitane at Prince and Mott"The very tiny Bistro Margot" is very tiny apparently;I couldn't find it so I took a picture of The Kitchen Club.Elizabeth Street GalleryProceeding south on Elizabeth StreetOld neighborhood storefront turned sleek and stylish boutique166 Elizabeth Street at KenmareLooking west into Little Italy ...... And south into ChinatownThe Empire State Building looms here from the corner of Broome and Mott, but it's lost in white-out due to the overcast sky and poor pixels on my camera phone.This is one way to secure a bike: remove wheels and lock to street signBut one has to wonder, if you're g
Flying with Mr. Cooper. Either that or I was thinking he might be an athlete since he drew a small crowd of fans.The thought made me chuckle as I was reminded of when I was in Miami in May, and my friends saw a guy roll up at a lunch spot on Ocean Drive in a black BMW 745. He was a little short to be a football player, but he had an extremely athletic build, and was wearing Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses so I asked, "You think he's a football player?""Gosh, Katie!" Maleisha had responded, her tone riddled with sarcasm, "Not all Black men in a BMW 745 and Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses are athletes.""Man ..." I replied, "You're so right. How ignorant of me."Then in the same earnest tone I had used when asking if he was a football player, I added, "Do you think he's an anesthesiologist?"***************************************************************Look what JetBlue does to you.
Today's route: ChelseaHotel ChelseaAnother viewSunday flowersThe second "London Terrace"A camera phone pic I took along West 23rd Street last springWest 22nd Street from Ninth AvenueWest 22nd StreetIn support of my belief that one can raise kids in New York CityWest 21st Street from Tenth AvenueBird houses on West 21stA peak into the grounds of the General Theological Seminaryfrom the West 20th-21st Street entrance on Ninth AvenueRear of the General Theological Seminary on Tenth AvenueWest 20th StreetLooking back at two dogs who passed me whileobediently following a third dog and their ownerThese flyers were posted along West 20th betweenTenth and Eleventh AvenuesUpon closer inspection, I learned that a film crewwas restricting the street parkingI didn't see any filming going on, but at Eleventh Avenue, there was a nice view of the the West 20th Street art galleries that now occupy the former "car repair shops and superannuated office buildings"Chelsea Piers - sports on the Hudson Ri
After receiving an email newsletter from HGTV about big ideas for a small space, I decided to include another apartment blog entry featuring updates on my present living conditions. Furnishing a small space can be a headache - especially in Manhattan, where New Yorker natives and New York transplants alike find themselves sharing a common peeve: renting apartments that snugly accommodate 1.5 tenants.My studio in Harlem will comfortably seat about four guests + me (if I sit on the floor); 2-4 more if they don't mind lounging on my bed. Before I moved to New York last year, I jokingly told friends that they would be welcome to visit the city and stay with me for free as long as they were aware that when they lay down in my living room, their feet will be in my kitchen.I have found furnishing my tiny studio to be both a headache and a creative challenge. I having been trying to be smart about my purchases since I'm working with a limited single-income budget so I sought advice from a nu
Today's route: Central Park 3: East to WestCentral Park West and 81st StreetBordering the parkFootpathPerimeter benches with memorial plaquesThe Great LawnWho knew the sky could be big in New York?Shakespeare in the ParkStairway to Shakespeare GardenGarden pathsSundialBelvedere CastleSpiral staircasesTurtle Pond and the Great LawnKing of the parkFrom the towerDelacorte Theater, home of Shakespeare in the ParkUpper east side in the distanceKing of Poland statue Beyond a grassy knoll, the city awaitsLoeb BoathouseBethesada TerraceConservatory Water or the boat pondAlice in Wonderland statue
Cyclists and joggersRollerbladers and readersSunbathersBasketball playersSunday afternoon folk dancing lessonsRowboat rentersProfessional photographersSome kind of FHM or women's body building photoshootPaintersPerformersRemote-control boatersFathers and daughters
Hundreds of plaques on benches throughout Central Park memorialize good times, great people and New York lives.DAD... WE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER YOU HEREPLAYING TAG AND FLYING KITES...HANNAH, LUCY AND HENRYA and aNOT TOGETHERNEVER APARTTHE DAVID ALGER BENCHGIVEN AS A RESTING PLACEFOR FATHERS AND DAUGHTERSON THEIR WALKSIN MEMORY OFVIVIAN AND NAT PENNERTOGETHER AGAINNOVEMBER 6, 1999MAX TANNENHAUSER(1906-1995) HE SAT HERE REMEMBERING"LA VIE EN ROSE"OUR PLACEIN THE COUNTRYJEFF, VALERIE, AUSTIN & ELIANNETO SAVOR THE SCENE, A BOOKOR A FRIENDBARBARA SHOOK HAZENDEDICATED TO JAMES M. SLATTERYWHO LOVED THE PARKAND LOVED NEW YORK
In case you can't remember or maintain the natural flow of pedestrian traffic, Brooklyn keeps you going in the right direction."This Side Up" and "This Side Down" signs noticed last night after leaving a coworker's birthday party at an apartment she shares with her boyfriend in Brooklyn.
My boss's flowers have a nice viewAnd I like shit* like this because I'm a girl.*Just trying to maintain my blog rating by adding profanity to conventional, daily posts about flowers, puppies and butterflies.This rating was determined based on the presence of the following words:- sex (5x)- death (3x)- gun (2x)- pain (1x)
A tree inside of O'Flaherty's Ale HouseIt looks like a plant, but it's a tree growing from a hole in the floor.All of these little statues have no heads ... why?Patch of nightsky from the patio behind O'Flaherty'sTaken while waiting for Randy and his boyfriend (whom I have dubbed "The Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt of Gay Couples" because they're both hot) to finish smoking the cigarettes they swear they are going to quit when Randy turns 30 this year.The Church of ScientologyAlert the authorities! One of the megatrons was off!Sadly thousands of tourists now have photos in which their carefully positioned bodies are backlighted by one less giant electronic billboard.Could be the most dangerous intersection in midtownTo the left is M&M World; to the right is Hershey's Times SquareIn North Carolina, it's O'Charley's; in New York, it's Charley O'sWho has it backwards?
Arriving in Greensboro on July 4An advertisement in the Greensboro International Airport for a North Carolina univeristy features former New York City Mayor Rudolph Guilliani as a prominent visitor.In the train below Concourse B during a lay-over in Atlanta on July 8Seattle's best coffee in Georgia?Baggage claim = organized chaos
Today's route: TribecaCorner of Church and ChambersThe OdeonBouley Bakery with rows of bread in its windowsDuane ParkPricey Tribeca real estateA path into Washington Market Park ...... which leads to a children's oasis ...... and an unexpected sight in the middle of downtownAlong GreenwichThe former Bazzini nut factory, now an upscale marketAn adorable outdoor cafe ...... adjacent adorable cobblestone streetsRobert De Niro and Drew Nieporent's Tribeca GrillBubby'sNobuPuffy's TavernChanterelleSquare Diner
As I was walking through Grand Central to catch an uptown no. 4 train to my favorite nail salon on 125th Street, I noticed the Bridezillas advertising on trash cans, and thought to myself, "Either someone found it impishly appropriate to put this advertisement on a trash can or they wanted to scare the hell out of random commuting men."And then ... what's the likelihood that one of the angry brides on the advertisement would show up while I was taking a picture it?Well, this is New York.A friend of hers had told her that the ads were on trash cans in Grand Central so she had come to take a few pictures. Amanda, an actress/model, asked me to pass along a copy of her headshot and resume when she found out where I worked. And I am happy to help. Not only was she an extremely nice and down-to-earth, but I found it secretly refreshing to see that an amazing, flawless face on camera looked normal in everyday life ... like me, like you, like anybody.Yes, even you can be an insane, bitchy bri
Returned last night from my aunt's house in Syracuse, where I joined my parents for an extended weekend and much-needed lazy days. Just how lazy were my days?The only camera phone photo ops I have are from the airport.Cool things that you don't needSyracuse at the end of the tunnelWelcome to SyracuseAn interesting perspectiveAnd a perfect example of what one doesn't need in a samplepackage of Advil prior to my return flight to NYCIt reads:DRINKING CUPANOTHER INNOVATIVE IDEAFOR THE"PEOPLE ON THE GO"MechanicalServants, Inc.Melrose Park, IL 60160Oh, let me explain what you're looking at.What: a small envelope that fits inside an sample package of over-the-counter pain reliever.Purpose: Open the envelope, pour water inside and use it to pop pills.Wow factor: You can't make this stuff up.
Interesting things I saw yesterdayTribeca Drive-In at Rockefeller CenterDowntown drive-inSome trees coming out of a buildingMy Japanese dessert while dining with a friend after workThe huge moonroof of the Mercedes in which Kevinsent me home after drinks and dinner
A friend of mine, who lives on trendy Thompson Street down in the Village, refers to Jersey as the armpit of the northeast. However, the armpit was looking pretty good to me this weekend while I helped my best friend move from the South Bronx apartment she shared with Candice for two years into the new Union City condo where she and her fiance will begin their lives together.Note: No Sunday City Walk in lieu of two days of packing and heavy lifting in a fourth floor Bronx pre-war walk-up.They have a new construction, 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom condo with a master walk-in closet and laundry on each floor for $2000 per month. To put that price in perspective for anyone not subject to the criminal operation that is New York City real estate, another friend of mine pays $7500/month for a one-bedroom on Bleecker Street in the West Village.View of Manhattan from the roof deck of Tokii's Jersey condo.View from her neighbor's penthouse apartment (2700 square feet for $4500 a month split four ways
This morning I decided not to deal with the commuter mania happening on the subway platform at 96th Street. I watched as the downtown no. 1 train emptied into the station to await an express no. 2 or 3, and as the doors shut and the no. 1 train lurched forward, I saw a downtown no. 3 pulling into the station.I'd be damned if the MTA doesn't do that shit on purpose. Not only am I not afforded the option to switch trains with the new given knowledge that an express train was in close proximity, but I've had the reverse happen, where I am on the no. 1 as it arrives at the station and an empty express train is leaving. And, of course, the express train that arrives a few minutes later is packed. I would bet money that a radio conversation between two conductors goes a little something like this:No. 1 local train conductor: "I'm approaching 96 Street. What's your 20?"No. 2 express train conductor: "Roger that. We're at 96. 'Bout to leave now."No. 1 local train conductor: "Wait for it
Today's route: Upper West Side 3: Riverside Parkand the Boat Basin A street fair, which delayed the start of my walk by an hourI bought a really pretty dress and some earrings ...and a bracelet ... and a ring ...Looking west on 86th Street from BroadwayA tail of two West Side dogs1902 Soldiers and Sailors MemorialPath into Riverside Park behind the monumentAn unexpected meadow in the cityIn the center is a playground full of kidsIs this where Meg Ryan found Tom Cruise andhis dog Brinkley at the end of "You've Got Mail"?Along the beaten pathThe Hudson River79th Street Boat BasinBoat Basin CafeHaving a pina colada while waiting for a break in the cloudsTrump Towers from Trump PierMidtownUptownA rusty thingThe people that live in these towers are enigmas to meWhat do all of them do to afford to live here?Broad stone stepsRiverside Drive ar 72nd StreetBronze statue of Eleanor Roosevelt
So I finally fell down some steps in the city - a day after my coworker Victoria fell up some stairs in Bryant Park during her lunch break. My fall looked so bad that Terrence spun around and came jogging back to me with a look of horror on his face. He didn't even laugh. Well, we laughed later as he recalled how he had heard me slipping as I tried to break my fall, then had turned just in time to see me slide down the steps on my knees holding my ice cream in the air like a drunk determined not to spill a glass of whiskey. I was going to fall, but - damnit - I was not going to drop my ice cream in Central Park!So enough about that ...After I got off work yesterday, Terrence was waiting for me on the steps of the New York Public Library, and I snuck a quick camera phone photo as I approached. I call it "My Boyfriend on Some Steps."Walking along Fifth Avenue, I was able to coax him into posing for the below photograph and asked a passerby to take a picture of us with my camera phone.As
Stages of sunset from the rooftop bar at 230 Fifth during Happy Hour with Terrence (boyfriend visiting from Atlanta), Jenny and Victoria (coworkers), Matt (Jenny's current main squeeze) and new acquaintances.It was an evening of overpriced drinks and great conversation and the cliche ideal of how I had once envisioned my life in New York City. I also take those corny mental snapshots of people and moments I want to remember. I have one of Jenny.The sun was setting over the Hudson River, Bruce Hornsby and The Range's song "The Way It Is" was playing on the outdoor roofdeck speakers, and she leaned toward Terrence and me and was laughing at something funny he had said. I didn't tell her that she had just created a moment that I will always remember, but I did say out loud, "Isn't this life great?"I've been saying that a lot since I moved to New York.
I spent five years as an undergraduate in college, but it took a Memorial Day Weekend barbecue in Scarsdale with some ridiculously hot Italians to get me to play a drinking game. My coworker Jenny invited me up to East Chester to join her older brother's friends for an afternoon of burgers and beer. Jenny - in her hilarious Beerpong T-shirt - taught me the rules of "flip cup" - which I found that I am quite good at. In fact, I would venture to say that my skills as a first-timer were extraordinary.Disclaimer to my mom and other moms: I played with small amounts of beer in my cup during each round, and I quit before I had drank enough to barely equal two beers so please spare me the phone call that will likely follow after reading this post. I know, I know. I'm 27 years old and should know better. But as you always say, anything is ok in moderation - except maybe crystal meth.Getting to Scarsdale from the city was surprisingly easy. On the Metro-North train from East 125th Street, I w
There are two things I generally don't debate:1) Religion (with anyone)2) Baseball (with New Yorkers)Thanks to Summer Fridays (our company lets us out of the office at 2 p.m. on Fridays between Memorial Day and Labor Day), I caught the below featured camera phone photo ops on an uptown no. 1 train during a heated debate regarding the Yankees and the Mets, which diverted momentarily with a few mutual stabs at the Red Sox, a quick dispute over homerun records, and then came full circle back to the Yankees.
Cocktail hour at 230 FifthFrom the roofdeck bar at 230 FifthEileen showing some leg on BroadwayMirrors at Dos CaminosI love sangria!I've never had a guy send me home in car service - complete with the line, "My driver will take you anywhere you want to go," which would have sounded completely lame except that this guy is totally cool and a good, sincere friend of my girls.
Things More Likely to Happen in a New York airport- Catch the same flight to Miami with MTV VJ Sway (Friday afternoon)Things More Likely to Happen in Miami- Party it up South Beach-style with MTV at Sobe Live (Friday night)- See Shemar Moore walking on Ocean Drive with his shirt off (Saturday morning)- Take a photo with Shemar Moore on Ocean Drive with his shirt off (a few seconds later)- See Shemar Moore walking on the beach with his shirt off (Saturday afternoon)Things That Could Only Happen in Miami- See Reebok ads in the sky that read: "Be kind to your implants. Run easy, Miami."- In New York, some of those ads read: "Text at the speed of chat. Run easy."- Celebrate Tosha's Bachelorette Weekend with nine of my girls and the end of single life as Tosha knows it... And a random cruise ship, which wasn't more or less likely than anything else - just a phone photo op.
One of the best things about my workplace on 42nd Street is that we're right across the street from Bryant Park.Our digital marketing team had reservations at Bryant Park Grill today to welcome our newest team member.Piano in the parkMy creme brulee; exciting, I knowPassing Bryant Park Cafe on the way back to the cubicle
I did not take a city walk today because I met a coworker for brunch around noon and then concluded my two-week cat-sitting stint in the East Village. However, I did take a quick walk along St. Marks Place and Avenue A before returning to my boss's apartment to tidy up the place and pack my things.Brunch at Jules BistroLooking up from our table just below sidewalk levelOur cute table nook and my mimosa!Another adorable outdoor cafe along St. Marks PlaceAlong Avenue AThanks to the 18-year existance of my boss's cat Stella and her need for constant companionship (literally that cat sits on you wherever you go), I have returned to Harlem with some fun East Village memories and half a grand richer.
I decided to try a new salon per a friend's recommendation. Stephanie had received an amazing haircut and some referral coupons for 40% off all services for new clients. This evening I had an appointment with the same stylist Magaly, who added some trendy bangs and layers to my almost waist-length hair.I love my new style, but I loved even more that I was served wine during the cut. There's my empty glass. Typical.And now I'm going to meet an old UNC colleague from my days in higher education administration. He is in town for tomorrow's NACAC College Fair at the Javits Center. It's strange for me to remember that about a year ago, I was having drinks in a hotel bar in Edison, New Jersey, with him and several other college admissions professionals and talking about my impending move to New York City. What a difference a year makes.
Looking south toward the Financial District from theroofdeck of our downtown office buildingThis evening's company cocktail hour with our founder andformer celebrity CEO ... and our current CEO and colleagues
Almost as if cued by yesterday's post on SUBWAYblogger "We need to slim down," I witnessed the below scene this afternoon while lounging on the front steps of the New York Public Library with colleagues during our lunch break.Looking closely, but not too close.In more appropriate attire, the Expedia crew was singing and dancing along Fifth Avenue. Here's a shot as they proceeded north after performing in front of the library.
Today's route: Midtown EastLooking west on 42nd Street beyond the Grand Hyatt Hotel, where I stayed with my teammates of the Western Carolina University Model United Nations team during the 2001 National MUN ConferenceI would never have believed back then - as a North Carolina college student visiting New York City - that six years later, I would be working in an office building less than three blocks away on West 42nd (the building in which I work is just barely visible on the right).The Chrysler BuildingThe lobby of the Chrysler BuildingAnd its mural ceilingThe Chanin BuildingVaulted interior at 110 East 42nd, in which it appears thata banquet for Parade magazine was in preparationHanging from the ceiling are various magazine covers,including one featuring Tobey Maguire, which made methink of Dina's recent blog post.Garden atrium of the Ford FoundationThe stairs to Tudor CityTwin parks of Tudor City divided by 42nd StreetSouth side of East 42ndNorth side of East 42ndTudor City in t
It's easy to forget how many trees there really are in Manhattan. During the winter months, their bare skeletons blend in with the surrounding steel and concrete so it's a welcome surprise to round a corner in the springtime and realize how many cross streets are lined with canopies of leaves.Walking along First, Second and Third Avenues from my boss's apartment at 18th Street before and after my city walk, which began at Lexington and 42nd
Claremont Riding AcademyRiding along West 90th Street headed to Central Park, I was armed with a horse, a map, a few instructions and rules, and a last chance to enjoy one of the many cultural Manhattan pastimes that are falling victim to residential land development.Above is Nelly's head. Described as a "forward mare," she is a spunky Thoroughbred who took me on a spirited jog around The Reservoir.The park was so overrun with pedestrians and dogs that I was only able to trot and canter over a few short lengths of the six-mile bridal path. Nor was I able to grab any quick camera phone photo ops of the gorgeous paths lined with flowering ornamental cherry trees since I was constantly on the lookout for stray children and offhand joggers. I wish I had known about the stable during the colder months when the park wasn't so crowded.Under the canopy of trees on West 89th StreetUpon exiting the park, I joined two other riders, who were also heading back to the stables.Riders pose with thei
Searching for a lunch spot with colleagues in Bryant Park yesterdayThe new grass is on the lawn (not open for lounging yet after removing the skating rink and replanting)Lunch hour for New York professionalsFrom the mezzanine of the Minskoff Theatre after Broadway's 21st Annual Easter Bonnet Competition yesterday afternoonEvening chess in Bryant Park after Stephanie's Broadway debut, in which she sang a duet during the opening number of "The 21st Annual Easter Bonnet Competition"Lunch today with Jenny on the front steps of the NYPLAnd a closer angle
Today's route: Lower East Side 1Seward ParkChinatown expansionOne of the neighborhood's religious landmarks:Eldridge Street SynagogueChrysler Building from the Lower East SideOne of thousands of Zagat-Rated restaurants:Little Giant has fabulous window seats97 Orchard Street, between Broome & DelanceyAdjacent the Tenement Museum shopAmong various books in the Tenement Museum shop illustratingthe many love affairs with New York that came before mine,I found a book about me: Part Asian, 100% HapaClinton Street, between Stanton & E. Houston:A block so beautiful, I needed two anglesA round sign hangs above the table where Meg Ryanfaked an orgasm in "When Harry Met Sally"
The biggest April Fool's gag may have been the one that the weather played on us this year. We have had colder temperatures in April than we had last Christmas. I watched today's nor'easter come in over the Hudson River from my studio window. The fog has settled in and its raining sideways.Because of the Sunday weather predictions, I took my Spring Sunday City Walk yesterday. The pleasant Saturday afternoon was truly the calm before the storm. Below are additional photos from my walk of breakdancers entertaining crowds in Columbus Circle.On my way back to catch an uptown 1 train at Columbus Circle,I noticed them relaxing together in Central Park.
Today's route: The Upper Reaches of Fifth & MadisonFifth Avenue5x7" framed prints from covers of The New YorkerFrom the steps of MoMAFifth Avenue along Central Park925 and 926 Fifth AvenueA Central Park grassy knollFrick art collection mansionResidential windows between Fifth & MadisonSt. James Episcopal Church
My new cubicle - before ...... and almost after - still more unpacking to doBreakfast catered for our division by office services in honor of our completed relocation from a lower floor in the same buildingThe skyline from my cubicle viewed through the VP's officeMy boss has the Melanie-Griffith-moment in Working Girlthat I want ...
Today's rainy day view from the office of our founderand former CEOWalking to Penn Station after the gym with my colleague Victoria, who incidently shares my sentiments regarding the sharing of bathrooms with high-level executives
Now that it is getting warmer, I've stopped drifting underground from train to train like a mole. I decided to start walking from Times Square again instead of hoping on the 7 train.I walked by Diane Sawyer and Robin Roberts as they exited the ABC television studio to join GMA sidewalk crowd.And the good fruit cart and the evil bagel stand of the sidewalk conscience. This morning, I avoided the blueberry muffin devil and purchased an angelic apple.
Today's route: Harlem 1: Take the A TrainThe World Famous Apollo TheaterMount Morris Historic District brownstonesThere's a soulful story behind Sylvia'sAbyssinian Baptist ChurchStrivers RowWest 138th StreetWest 139th Street
These sidewalk carts often have the freshest, juiciest fruitMy kind of bakery!Reminiscent of SUBWAYblogger's "Annoying Subway People" post,this darling college student took up two seats on a crowded uptown train while working on her homeworkHow'd you like to hang off of tall buildings for a living?Cute Hoboken balconies across the river(The ones on the right; the ones on the left are just fire escapes - who needs a fire escape when you have an adorable balcony with classic antique furniture?)
Today's route: (Card No. 15) Bleecker Street in Three PartsAlong West 12th StreetAbingdon SquareAbingdon Market on Bleecker & Eighth AvenueBleecker PlaygroundLines for Magnolia Bakery generally wrap off BleeckerStreet and about a quarter of a block along West 11thBiography Bookshop is fully of literary treasuresCondomania is exactly what it sounds likeJohn's Pizzeria, where a scene in Manhattan was filmedI love outdoor seating at street cafés172 Bleecker Street, where the screenplay forThe African Queen was writtenSidewalk artWatching Tic and Tac perform in Washington Square ParkStreet fair stretching several blocks along Waverly Place
Surrounding Alice in the Times Square StationThe voice that brought the station to a standstillInpromptu duet in English and SpanishUnexpected talent in the crowd drew a roar from the crowdRolling on the river with random bystandersImprovised moonwalk
Exploring South Street Seaport after viewing "Bodies: The Exhibition" at the South Street Seaport Exhibition Centre.I'll come back on a Spring Sunday with one of my city walks cards when there isn't a six-foot pile of snow in the middle of Fulton Street.
