Tag Archive for 'NYC'

NEW YORK CITY

Published on October 11, 2010 in delicious and traveling. 6 Comments Tags: Ace Hotel, Cafe Gitane, Coclico, Magnolia Bakery, Marie Beath Badian, NYC, The Highline, The Strand.

It has been exactly a month since I took a little weekend trip to NYC with my friend Marie Beath, so it’s about time that I actually got around to organizing and posting these photos!

We rented an apartment in Gramercy for our stay and it worked out perfectly. The location seemed to suit us and the bonus was that we were located a few blocks away from the Shake Shack. The Shake Shack is new to me, but is a outdoor burger joint in Madison Square Park. Known for their awesome food, they are also well known for their incredibly long line ups. You can check their website’s shack cam to check out how long the line up is in advance of heading over. Luckily since we were so close, we were able to sneak over at odd times to get our fix. Cheese fries & vanilla shake!

Quite a bit of our trip centred around food and eating all sugary things that crossed our path. I am in love with New York food trucks. They are absolutely not like anything we have here in Toronto. I’m talking about organic ice cream and coffee (Van Leeuwen), dumplings (Rickshaw), natural slush (Kelvin), and tacos (Endless Summer). There are lots more. I’d love to do a tour, just sampling all this delicious truck food.

When we weren’t eating, we actually covered lots of ground, Central Park to Soho, Chelsea to West Village to Nolita and even a day in Williamsburg. Here are a few of my favourite highlights….

Ace Hotel : Our trip started and ended here, actually. Stump Town coffee, breakfast at The Breslin and buying Japanese socks at the Opening Ceremony shop.
Momofuko Milk Bar : A slice of grasshopper pie and birthday cake ‘truffles’.
Grand Central Terminal : One of my favourite buildings in New York. I just love the restored constellation ceiling.
Eataly : Italian food emporium. This was our Friday night excitement. Seriously.
Green Market in Union Square
The Highline
Art Galleries in Chelsea : My favourite street for gallery hopping is West 24th Street between 10th & 11th Avenues. This is where the Gagosian, Mary Boone, Marianne Boesky and Luhring Augustine galleries are located.
Magnolia Bakery : We walked by at a moment when there was no line!
Purl Soho : I got to go check out their new larger location and browse all their lovely goods
Coclico : One of my favourite shoe shops. I lucked out with an awesome pair of grey wedge shooties
Cafe Gitane : Side walk table, watermelon juice, goat cheese with pomegranate molasses and bread + couscous = heaven.
Juliette in Williamsburg : Met up with Canadian gal pals, Natalie & Jen, for delicious brunch in their garden room.
Mast Brothers Chocolate in Williamsburg : American craft chocolate. I didn’t realize, but they do tours of their factory on the weekend. This is on my list for next time!
The Strand : I don’t know how many hours I have spent wandering the aisles of this incredible book store.
Don Hills : Dancing at an open bar fashion week party until the wee hours of the morning. Surprise (to me) concert by Crystal Castles. Fun!

I’ve posted all my photos from the weekend here, including my daily photos of Marie Beath with her soy latte. Can’t wait for the next girls weekend!

Happy Thanksgiving!

365 : 81

Published on April 1, 2010 in 365 and hello. 4 Comments Tags: 365, NYC.

March 22, 2010 of 365 : Andrew & I

This ended up being the very last photo I took on our trip, as my camera battery died right after.

NEW YORK CITY : SOUVENIRS

Published on April 1, 2010 in accoutrement, textiles and traveling. 6 Comments Tags: B & J Fabrics, Erie Basin, Fafi, Fine & Raw, Found My Animal, NYC, Saipua.

I was surprisingly restrained with my retail spending on this trip. Usually I view a trip to New York as a ‘free pass’ to spend like crazy. I tried really hard to find a new pair of jeans, but nothing was quite right. I very rarely get out these days to go shopping, and even still I just found myself making mental notes for ideas I wanted to try making for myself.

When we were at Erie Basin, Andrew saw this pair of vintage earrings that caught his eye. He had me try them on and we both loved them, so he gave them to me as a gift! Just looking at these earrings makes me imagine all kinds of wonderful stories of where they have been.

I bought a Mango Butter soap from Saipua. I can’t wait for my current soap to run out!

I finally bought a ‘Found My Animal‘ leash for Maisy. I almost bought one on our last trip to New York, but didn’t. Then I saw this photo on the Sartorialist – it kinda looks like me and Maisy. (Now I just need to make a cute blue layered dress) I was so happy to find that they had them at Smith & Butler. The concept behind Found My Animal is really great. They are trying to raise awareness and money for adopting animals. Each accessory they make is numbered to indicate how many animals have been helped by their products.

I bought a stack of Fine & Raw chocolate bars as gifts. (and a couple for myself) I love their packaging and couldn’t resist the one with the Fafi artwork. (I LOVE her) That bar has dried wild blueberries in it – YUM.

The last morning we were there I went on a solo mission to B&J Fabric. When I want a little ‘fix’ of NYC fabric shopping, B&J is my best bet. It’s so well lit, organized and not too big. I’ve really been liking checks, gingham and plaids recently. The navy blue fabric is linen with gold thread detail. I imagine this future dress will have a cute yoke or perhaps bib front. The purple and grey plaid is cotton shirting and I’m not sure just yet what that will turn into. Hopefully I’ll be showing you real soon!

NEW YORK CITY : BROOKLYN

Published on March 31, 2010 in delicious and traveling. 6 Comments Tags: Brooklyn, NYC, Red Hook, Saipua.

Brooklyn is such a vast place and perfect for exploring.

On the first day of our trip we went out to Williamsburg. Mostly we walked around in awe at all the development that is going on. There are so many well-designed, beautiful condo buildings being built. I really couldn’t believe how much it’s changed since the last time I was there.

On Sunday, I convinced Andrew to head out to Red Hook to visit the flower shop, Saipua. Red Hook is an area that is still fairly untouched. Yes, there is an Ikea there, but it is not the easiest place to get to by transit. We took the subway into Brooklyn, but ended up taking a cab the rest of the way. The cab dropped us off on Van Dyke street which is very industrial, but also close to the water. One of the first things we saw was a sign for ‘key lime pie’. I couldn’t believe we happened upon a place that specialized in one of my favourite pies out in the far reaches of Red Hook. Steve’s Authentic Key Lime Pies are delicious, by the way. We got a couple mini tarts and ate them with some limeade out by the water.

Our next stop was Saipua. It’s tiny. Even smaller than I imagined, even smaller than Purl Soho. But, it’s beautiful and I bought myself some of their handmade soap. They have a darling shop dog too which made me miss Maisy.

Just around the corner on Van Brunt is another little pocket of small shops and restaurants. I was delighted to find the both Erie Basin and Baked were among them.

From here we actually walked all the way to Cobble Hill to check out Smith Street. Smith Street is a great place to visit in Brooklyn which is quite full of lovely shops and restaurants. We were getting quite tired and the shops were about to close, but we managed to make it to Smith & Butler which was another awesome surprise discovery.

Yeah Brooklyn! Can’t wait to get back to explore more.

Red Hook

Steve’s Authentic Key Lime Pies
718.858.5333
204 Van Dyke Street
Key lime pies in all sizes. A delicious way to start your Red Hook adventure – eating key lime pie by the waterfront.

Saipua
718.624.2929
147 Van Dyke Street
I’ve admired Saipua from afar, so was excited to see this tiny shop in person. I would love to go to their ‘flower school’.

Erie Basin
718.554.6147
388 Van Brunt Street
Beautifully selected vintage items.

Baked
718.222.0345
359 Van Brunt Street
I didn’t realize this famous bakery was in Red Hook. I was full of key lime pie, so didn’t try their baked goods. Next time!

Cobble Hill

Dear Fieldbinder,
718.852.3620
198 Smith Street

Smith + Butler
917.977.1847
225 Smith Street
This shop was awesome. It had a little bit of all this things I like.

La Casita
718.963.0369
253 Smith Street
Cute little yarn shop & cafe.

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NEW YORK CITY : DOWNTOWN

Published on March 31, 2010 in delicious and traveling. 1 Comment Tags: Babycakes, BBDW, Freeman's, new york, NYC, Opening Ceremony, purl soho.

Saturday morning of our trip to New York, we headed over to Freeman’s Restaurant. The restaurant is located at the end of an alley and it’s one of the most charming places I’ve been to in a long time. There were all kinds of wonderful taxidermy hanging from the wall, including a flying goose and even a bee’s nest. I noticed they had cinnamon lemonade on the menu and had to order it. It was so delicious and unexpected. In fact, right now our house smells like cinnamon because I’m making some cinnamon simple syrup to recreate this delicious drink. I’ll be buying lots of lemons this summer. Our brunch was great, so great in fact that we decided to head back their the next day for brunch with my former boss, Margaret. We got to try even more things off their menu and I enjoyed a few more glasses of cinnamon lemonade.

Our downtown travels also took us to Babycakes who make wheat, gluten, dairy, egg and soy-free baked goods. A cupcake never felt so healthy and it tasted great.

I also love to stop by The Market on Mulberry on the weekend. I always discover something new there. This time it was Fine & Raw chocolate. I loved their packaging and picked up a stack of chocolate bars for gifts.

We stopped by Purl Soho to visit their tiny Sullivan Street location for the last time. They are moving to big and fancy digs on Broome Street in April. I’m excited to see what it will be like.

Soho

BDDW
212.625.1230
5 Crosby Street
They don’t allow photos in the shop, but this is some of the finest furniture craftsmanship that I’ve ever seen. It’s an old favourite and I always feel so inspired from being in their space.

Dunderdon
212.226.4040
25 Howard Street
Men’s and women’s clothing shop from Sweden. I hadn’t been in this shop before and I loved their aesthetic.

Opening Ceremony
212.219.2688
35 Howard Street
I’ve known them since they first opened and it’s amazing to see how the shop has grown. Filled to the brim with all kinds of design.

Lower East Side

Freemans
212.420.0012
End of Freemans Alley, Rivington between The Bowery and Chrystie
Next time I want to go for dinner. If I lived in New York, I fear I would never want to eat anywhere else.

Freemans Sporting Club
212.673.3209
8 Rivington, East Store Front
An extension of Freeman’s Restaurant, all their clothing is made in Brooklyn. There is a barber shop in the back when guys get a traditional shave!

Save Khaki
212.614.7283
254 Broome Street
Great casual men’s clothing.

Baby Cakes
212.677.5047
248 Broome Street
Delicious vegan bakery. Truly.

Kaight
212.680.5630
83 Orchard Street
A shop for the ladies. I bought the most incredible lip balms here.

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365 : 80

Published on March 27, 2010 in 365 and traveling. 2 Comments Tags: 365, NYC.

March 21, 2010 of 365 : entrance to the jay st/burrough hall subway entrance, nyc

I had never seen a subway sign like this before in New York. Even the peeling ceiling seems so beautiful.

NEW YORK CITY : WEST SIDE

Published on March 26, 2010 in delicious and traveling. 4 Comments Tags: new york, NYC, The Highline.

Okay, here we go! The first installment of our trip to New York last weekend. I decided to organize my NYC photos by location. This way if you’re wanting to check out any of these places, you’ll know what area they are in. We flew Porter airlines, which is just a lovely way to get to New York. I even enjoy the train ride through New Jersey to get to the city.

We stayed at The Standard hotel in the Meatpacking District. We chose it primarily for the location. It’s incredibly convenient to where we like to shop and eat and very close to the subways. The hotel room was great, small but really the perfect size with a seating area, as well. The floor to ceiling windows with views of the Empire State building were definitely very exciting. The downside was that the hotel is now the centre of major tourist and social activity. It was a zoo in the area on the weekend and we had some ‘loud party people’ as neighbours. Also, we ran out of hot water in the shower a couple times and had to ask to switch rooms. They handled this situation poorly and while there were other great things about the hotel, we won’t be staying there again. C’mon people, hot water is not optional!

The hotel stands right above The Highline, that has re-purposed the old elevated train tracks into the most incredible outdoor space. All weekend long, I looked down onto The Highline from our room. It wasn’t until the last day that we ventured up there on foot and it was pouring rain. Even still, we were amazed by how beautiful every detail is appointed. When it is completed, The Highline will extend twenty blocks. I recommend it as a must-see if you visit New York, it is so inspiring. Unfortunately, my camera battery died the last morning and I didn’t get a single photo! Oh well, next time I’ll be sure to document it.

We did a lot of eating in the area. So much great food to be had. Particular highlights were the Van Leeuwen Ice Cream Truck. Artisan ice cream in a truck that travels around the city? Brilliant AND delicious. An old classic is Tortilla Flats, that offers Margaritas with 10 different varieties of Tequila, great Tex-Mex food and a super fun atmosphere. We also made sure to check out The Spotted Pig for lunch on our last day and I’ve already tried to re-create the lunch I had, it was so good. I want to go back again, as there were other things on the menu I really wanted to try.

I created a little slideshow for you, if you want to see all the photos from this area.

Oh yeah, the weather was 24 degrees Celsius over the weekend. It was like summer and we were worried about getting sun burned! We definitely felt like the universe conspired to give us some extraordinary weather for our well deserved getaway.

The Highline
Starts at Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District to 34th Street, between 10th & 11th Avenues.

Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream
Trucks travel around the city, check their >twitter for daily locations.

The Earnest Sewn
212.242.3414
821 Washington Street

Pastis
212.929.4144
9 Ninth Avenue

Fresh
917.408.1850
388 Bleecker Street

Matsuri
212.243.6400
369 West 16th Street (in the Maritime Hotel)

Tortilla Flats
212.243.1053
767 Washington Street

The Spotted Pig
212.620.0393
314 West 11th Street

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365 : 79

Published on March 25, 2010 in 365 and traveling. 2 Comments Tags: 365, bicycle, NYC, yarn.

March 20, 2010 of 365 : yarn covered bicycle in the lower east side, nyc

We didn’t check out any art galleries during our trip to New York this time, but luckily the cityscape provides lots of inspired art pieces. This bicycle was definitely a bright spot in my day. Incredible.

365 : 78

Published on March 24, 2010 in 365, delicious and traveling. 4 Comments Tags: 365, mosaic, NYC, pastis, repettos.

March 19, 2010 of 365 : mosaic tile floor + green repettos at pastis, nyc

Our first stop after landing in New York was a quick bite to eat at Pastis in the Meatpacking District. I heart French Bistro.

GUILTY GOSSIP

Published on September 9, 2008 in i heart. 14 Comments Tags: gossip girl, NYC.

Gossip Girl, originally uploaded by Rachel_2007.

There have been many teen dramas in my life – Party of Five, Roswell, Dawson’s Creek, Gilmore Girls and Felicity, to name a handful.

I tried really hard to resist watching Gossip Girl when it came out. I hardly have time to make that kind of a regular commitment to television anymore. But curiosity won out partway through the first season and now I’m hooked.

Last night I watched the season premiere for Season Two on my laptop. (I downloaded a copy since I missed the day that that it aired) I greedily enjoyed every minute of it and simultaneously scarfed down three freshly baked Pilsbury Cinnamon Buns. (If I’m confessing, then I might as well be completely honest).

If you don’t already watch, maybe you’ll be intrigued by the following:
1. bitchy rich girls (that you love to hate, but secretly love)
2. wicked fashion and styling (where can i find that cute green jacket?)
3. it’s shot on location in New York City (love love love)
4. it’s trashy and girly and completely fluffy
5. little ‘J’ (Jenny) is an aspiring fashion designer, so there is some minor crafty content

The best thing about this kind of guilty pleasure is the guilty gossip afterwards. Totally dissecting ‘who wore what’ and ‘kissed who’ and ‘what do you think will happen next week’. The problem is that I don’t know anyone else who watches it, or do I? I’m looking for at least one person out there who will admit to watching the show, so that we can indulge in some necessary gossip girl talk.

Did you see Blair’s white rick rack dress in the season premiere? I love this idea, maxing out on the rick rack. I see a future skirt/dress idea there for sure.

One last thing – headbands? I like the look, but I don’t think I can pull it off. Is anyone out there rocking the headband these days?

xoxo

p.s. please don’t hold this against me.

Tag Archive for 'NYC'

NEW YORK CITY

365 : 81

NEW YORK CITY : SOUVENIRS

NEW YORK CITY : BROOKLYN

NEW YORK CITY : DOWNTOWN

365 : 80

NEW YORK CITY : WEST SIDE

365 : 79

365 : 78

GUILTY GOSSIP

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