Hounorary Picture of the Week #2

I spent Saturday daytime discovering Harlem with Michelle...we discovered three things: 1) Harlem is lovely and not at all scary 2) everywhere in NYC is beautiful when the sun shines & 3) the picture below which proves that NY is just like the rest of America (and this is why it feels like home)

XOXO

Picture of the Week - April 23 - 29

This week's picture of the week features the beautiful Tom Mulready demonstrating the joys of underground rebel bingo, that's right, bingo! Although forget the bingo you know and love this involves dressing up, writing all over each other and competing for all sorts of weird & wonderful prizes (LED light up umbrella included)!

Just be aware that as soon as you leave a venue where everyone is covered in writing to enter the real world you find yourself a social outcast very quickly...

XOXO  

Picture of the Week - April 16 - 22

On Saturday I once again volunteered with friends, this time to paint public space in DUMBO. We art attacked a cycle path used by hundreds of people daily and after getting a warm glow from the inside we headed to Brooklyn Bridge park to get a warm glow on the outside...

We sat in the sun, ate pizza from Grimaldi's and cooked ourselves in the sunshine. 

Friday night for free...

A  Friday night for free would once upon a time have been heading home straight away after work and staying there...not so in New York! 

In NYC a Friday evening for free is spent on an outside plaza by the Hudson River. First listening to Jazz, then followed by a sunset and then watching a classic film on a huge cinema screen. With free vitamin water to quench the thirst. New York just does these things better (oh and it was the Goonies, in cae you care about the film we watched)...

XOXO

Picture of the Week - April 9 - 15

The weekend was mainly spent drinking with friends old and new but there was a brief interlude where I marched with a group of other Brits in the Tartan Day Parade. Needless to say I was late and myself and a friend ended up running along the side trying to catch up with our group...momentarily joining the 'Scottish Women of Nova Soctia'. Still...I can now say I walked in a New York parade.

Tartan Day Parade Walkers 

Photo donated by the delicious Michelle Jones...check out her lovely blog here: http://britinthecity.wordpress.com/

Best NY Weekend...

Just when you think you know New York perfectly well and you've done everything there is to do on a weekend, along comes a random selection activities rolled into one bank holiday weekend and BOOM...you've just had one of your best ever weekends in New York City.


It's been a whole week since my perfect weekend...but I thought it's too good not to talk about so here is a week-late summary!


Friday

Brunch of kings...

The bank holiday weekend started with a very elegant brunch at Upper East Side favourite Sarabeth's, Central Park South. This spot is one of several around the city but it is always the busiest. Think of a place packed full of well heeled ladies who brunch and perfectly primped  & behaved young children, you'll be half way there. 


Four of us arrived at 12 to be told the inside restaurant was a 35 minute wait. Having ummed and ahhhed we opted for the outside space which was relatively empty and 15 minutes later were ordering a gorgeous and generous brunch of burgers, omlettes and lemon & ricotta pancakes. 

After stuffing our face with brunch items we joined others just finishing work (Easter is not a mandated public holiday in the US) and reclined in Central Park in the sunshine whilst awaiting the arrival of the girls. 

With the sun shining we jumped on bikes and got cycling around Central Park.

On yer' bike love...

An hour of exercise...and believe me, it was exercise. We walked ourselves over to the Highline and down it's stretch all the way to Gansvoort St.

My favourite spot in NYC

Next thing you know we're indulging in free margaritas, sangria and a crazy amount of amazing tapas dishes..

Free Sangria done...on to the margs.

Before home, change...and a night out at Brooklyn Bowl!


Saturday


Okay Saturday was also a busy one but as I'm getting lazy with the writing I'm going to go with the picture followed by explanatory caption option...so:


Started with an epic amount of pancakes at Stacks...

Who knew berries could be so filling... 

Yes that is the New York skyline in the background...

Followed by an epic lie-down to recover from the obscene amount of food we'd just consumed...

Then back home to retrieve pillows before joining the epic mass pillow fight in Washington Square Park (picture of the week)...it is impossible to give you a true idea of the madness. Lets just say that was one of the craziest and most fun things to do in sunny New York 

After bashing each other to pieces we headed to 3 sheets to recover with a 1/2 price bar...

In the evening...after a 3 hour nap I was bored and after visiting friends all over the place I talked two in particular into joining me at Fish...one of my favourite NY restaurants. We made the final brilliant judgement call of the day and indulged in a $20 whole lobster each ...

Sunday

The only people on an empty beach

On Sunday we went to Rockaway beach. 1 hour and a million miles away from New York...

that excited to be there...

What else to do on a beach... 

...and that is my perfect New York Bank Holiday...

Picture of the Week - April 2 - 8

Inspired by Miss Elly Lacy (blogger extraordinaire) who writes this fabulous blog and in an effort to update this blog more I have decided to post a picture of the week for the remainder of my year in New York. 


Typically i have chosen a week with a ridiculous amount of activity but here goes...my picture of the week this week is one by Katy Hanby:




This was taken at Saturday's mass pillow fight in Washington Square Park and pretty much summarises the randomness of the whole weekend.


XOXO 

Fashion time...

Last week I found myself working at two crazy events I wouldn't have had a look-in on in the UK...and people wonder why I prefer New York!


The first I won't dwell on but it was a screening of a new UK TV show in the US. It was held in one of my favourite venues in NY, The Jane Hotel, and included a free bar...


Secondly is an event formally known as Dressed to Kilt, now From Scotland with Love. This event attracts the great and good of Scottish New York along with a number of celebrity guests. I wont dwell on the organisation of the event, or the interesting door policy, but to say that I would probably make some changes if I was directly involved. 


The event itself took place in a theatre smack bang in the middle of mid-town on 42nd Street. The entrance of which was hidden behind a garish sign for Dave & Busters (think megabowl arcade & you're almost there)...New Yorkers, more often than not, use the term speakeasy to cover for places like this that are just plain difficult to find.


The show was amazing however...celebrities walking the catwalk in kilts, smoking on stage, a make-out session between Rufus & Lily from Gossip Girl. I was stood side stage and managed to bag an amazing viewpoint. You'll see what I mean from the pictures. 

Most importantly it was followed by one hell of an afterparty (once again held at The Jane Hotel - amazing). I've affixed a few images of the show stolen from online sources - the afterparty was 'no photography'...i'll leave it to your imagination...

followed by...

XOXO