2013 was one of the best years yet. This was the first time that I truly began to feel like Toronto was “home”, and not just some intermediate-living-place that I was just a student in. I settled down here, didn’t take off to Niagara for weekends as much, and began to build a life in the city. I took two business trips to NYC, and spent time working there this summer. I had lots of visitors while there, which made the time go by super fast. With my career plan finally figured out, I began to settle even more into Toronto life. I had regular girls’ nights and couples’ nights with friends, tried out some great new restaurants, and cooked a ton. We travelled to Newfoundland and Prince Edward County, and I flew to Ottawa to visit April. In my 3L year, I wrote the MPRE. I worked part-time during school, and still managed to find the time to see Chris 3-4 nights a week. All in all, I think it was a good balance. In 2014, I’m determined to soak up the last semester of student life, enjoy the free time, savour the flexible schedule, and try new things that scare me. Here are some of the highlights, in no particular order! Happy New Year xo!
Sunday, 5 January 2014
Saturday, 7 September 2013
Chris Returns to NY
I have a man who did not think twice about booking flights to visit me in NY, every other weekend, during my time there. He would fly down on Friday after working for 10 hours, via the following methods of transportation: 1) Driving to the Go Station, 2) Taking the Go Train to Union Station, 3) Taking the shuttle bus to Porter's ferry, 4) Taking a ferry across to Toronto Island, 5) Flying to Newark airport, 6) Taking a light-rail train from Newark to Penn Station, 7) Taking a cab from Penn Station to Murray Hill. He'd get in to NY late on Friday, spend a glorious Saturday with me, then do that whole rigamarole again on Sunday. Amazing, right? I think so. Which was why I felt even more bad than I normally would when I got called into work one Saturday night while he was visiting me, and had to continue working until Sunday evening.
Poor Chris :( He took it all in stride though, offering to bring me dinner, and exploring Wall Street, the Statue of Liberty, and other parts of Manhattan solo.
We did manage to have one incredible date together though - we spent Saturday wandering the streets of NY, checking out Gramercy, Soho, Little Italy, Chinatown, and Nolita. We dined at a cute Italian restaurant decorated in white and blue, and found a boho street market where there was real sod in the middle of the street to make a fake little park (there were even blankets and hula hoops to use!).
Chris tried out a meat-ball stand, where all they sell are single meat-balls...and finally got to visit Gray's Papaya to try out a famous $1 hot dog (which he said were incredibly delicious). Thankfully they lived up to the hype!
In NY, visiting a psychic is very common. I was shocked to see psychic reading places all over. Thinking it would be a fun thing to do, we stopped at one near Chinatown that advertised $10 readings. Inside a small room draped in hot pink velvet, and adorned with large crystals on every free surface, we let two hairy women tell our fortunes as they swatted away their restless children who kept coming up to us. Sketch. Biggest rip-off of life. The whole thing lasted maybe 45 seconds, and we had to pay $25..each. Yuck! We were so mad at ourselves for falling prey to their little scam. Never again, psychics, never again.
Unfortunately, that's where our weekend was cut short - but Chris took it like a champ, and showed me how much of a devoted, understanding, and truly amazing man he is.*
*so sorry this post is mushy :)
Friday, 6 September 2013
April & Heather's NY Adventures - part 2
Dressed in our nautical gear, we headed onto the beautiful replica of a 1890s schnooner. We made friends with the skippers, who were aspiring Broadway stars, as they hoisted the thick canvas sails and welcomed us all aboard. They offered us all wine or beer, and drinks in hand, the boat departed Chelsea Pier.
The skyline of Manhattan is pretty cool, especially with the newly erected Freedom Tower (which we had visited earlier in the day).
Unfortunately for me, within five minutes I felt the motion sickness coming on. I go on boats so infrequently that I always seem to forget how bad motion sickness is, and how horribly I feel it. Let this post be a reminder of how bad I feel on boats.
In the spirit of keeping things positive on this little blog though, let's look at pictures of April having a grand ole time...
And let's not forget the beee-autiful Lady Liberty herself....
The ride lasted about two hours, and even though I was about to throw up if my eyes left the horizon, it was still pretty. Plus April made friends with a drunken 75 year old man who loved telling her about his life in Florida, watching NASA rocket ships take off. Ha. Good times on the boat.
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| We asked a guy who was a "photographer" to take our picture in front of Lady Liberty. This is what we got. Thanks buddy. |
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| Putting on a brave face! |
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| Ellis Island |
On living in New York City...
The sound of my alarm rings. I pad to the 8 square foot kitchen where I grab a Chobani yogurt, some over-priced fruit and a sprinkle of gluten-free granola. I watch The Today Show's seemingly useless banter as they cut to commercial breaks every ten seconds. Roker gives the forecast for Manhattan: 35 degrees and humid, chance of thunderstorms. Back in my room I curl my hair with the straightener and quickly pull close the drapes to my window over-looking the East River as the daily window-washer drops down to clean my window. Once he's gone, I open it up and watch as the sea-planes land and tug-boats lumber along, dodging commuter ferries carrying people from Williamsburg across the river.
I wait for the elevator in my building for at least 15 minutes, and cram myself in along with 20 other people who are late for work, and wishing the elevator had air-conditioning. We stop on every floor and more people shove their way in.
Out on the street, I hold my breath as I pass a row of 12 dumpsters with rotting garbage, and the occasional stray rat. I head up First Avenue, my Escada suit feeling very heavy in the heat. Past the Greek restaurant that gives generous portions of feta on their salads, and the dry-cleaners loading up their delivery vans for the day, I reach the United Nations. Some tourists have begun milling about, but for the most part, delegates are flooding in, and the security guards are patrolling. Secret service people sit in black town-cars and SUVs, ear pieces inserted and black sunglasses in place. Most people I pass are walking their dogs, or grabbing a freshly made bagel. I jay-walk on every street, dodging yellow cabs that run red lights, leaving them honking in distance.
I pass the throng of people waiting patiently at the Indian embassy, papers in hand, as the clerk slowly makes his way down the line, verifying their documents. A toddler in a stroller, being pushed by a nanny, waves her diamond-bracelet at the people, adjusting her Audrey Hepburn-esque sunglasses in the process.
Sweating in the humid Manhattan smog, I dart into Booster Juice and grab a pineapple smoothie to cool me down, before ducking into the cool enclave of my office building. Click click click across the emerald green marble foyer, up to the wood paneled hallways of the office. In my office, I hang up my suit jacket in my closet and wrangle my now-flat and frizzy hair into a semblance of a bun while relying on my Booster Juice to bring my temperature down. Work work work to the sound of taxi cabs honking in the intersection below. The skies open, and the thunder showers start.
Lunch is decadent, cool, and long. I indulge in course after course, and am thankful for the 35 min walk home I will have tonight. Work work work until it's time to leave for the evening. I wander home at a slower pace in the late Manhattan sun, watching as it dips slowly behind the grid, casting stunning shadows through the sky-scrapers. Some nights I'll go watch a Broadway show, or stop into a shop on Fifth Avenue. Other nights I'll head directly home. Tonight is one of those nights.
At home I can barely muster the energy to cook up dinner, and instead pop a gluten-free burrito into the microwave and make a simple salad. I watch E! News as I eat before bed, giving myself 30 min. of relaxation. A quick shower and it's time for sleep before another day in the Big Apple begins again.
NYC Restaurant Run-Down
1. Nobu
Ever since I began reading chick-lit books in high school about fabulously wealthy people living in Manhattan, I have wanted to visit Nobu. Regarded by many as one of the best sushi restaurants in the world, I was eager to visit. When my colleague suggested we go, I was thrilled, and subsequently offered to go any time they wanted (which they graciously took me up on, a few times). Entering in through a solid wood slab door, you emerge into a moody lounge with a 40 foot bar made of a single tree. Up the stairs you are enveloped in a dark purple, grey, and wood universe of woven baskets and glamorous lighting. Having only eaten here for lunch, the crowd was all businesspeople snacking on edamame and sushi delights. While a popular choice was the $45 bento box, I have tried both the assorted sashimi lunch, and the assorted sushi lunch. Chef's choice, especially at Nobu, is a safe bet. The darkest red tuna I have ever eaten, and the most buttery fish... ahh Nobu, you are perfect.
2. David Burke Townhouse
David Burke Townhouse is a tony Upper East Side establishment with an intimate dining room nestled in the back of the townhouse. A bit stuffy, but nonetheless cozy, I found the service to be impeccable and the cuisine to be interesting and innovative. I started with the salmon tartar, which came arranged paint palette style with a series of dips. The chef's salad was decent too, but perhaps there was a bit of gluten in it, because my stomach was not so happy afterward. Nice for a business lunch, but probably wouldn't go back.
3. Brasserie
Brasserie is an underground modern, open white space in Midtown Manhattan. While a lot of people have told me that they find it too loud to be enjoyable, our table was nestled against a wall, and wasn't so bad. The food was impeccable - lots of steak, yummy seafood, innovative presentation...loved it.
4. Pampano
Oh Pampano, where to start? Maybe with your white-washed Spanish hacienda decor, with luxurious palm-frond ceiling fans, or your intimate terrace perfectly suited to lunch al fresco? Or perhaps with your generous offerings of home-made lemonade, heaping guacamole and house-made corn tortillas, or authentic Mexican cuisine? I visited a number of times for lunch, and was never disappointed. Spot-on flavours and a relaxing atmosphere. Definitely a NY favourite for me.
5. Le Colonial
Le Colonial is a NY landmark, serving up fusion Vietnamese/French dishes in a stunningly gorgoues buidling - all French flair with plantation-style shutters and tall ceilings. I would go just for the ambiance, but the food is great too. Lots of spring-roll style dishes, and those featuring hot flavours and unique vegetables - plus clearly-marked gluten free options!
6. Nippon
Touted as the first sushi restaurant in North America, Nippon is somewhat of a NY landmark as well. I visited Nippon the day after my first trip to Nobu, and to be honest, the sushi at Nippon didn't come close to Nobu's....however, Nippon, by most standards, was still wonderful sushi (it's just that Nobu is that good). Whereas Nobu is hip and trendy, Nippon is old-school Japanese. It has rice-paper private rooms, servers dressed in traditional Japanese kimonos, and traditional sushi offerings. A unique place if you'd like to see what a truly traditional, first-class Japanese dining experience is like.
7. SushiAnn
Another sushi restaurant...seriously, I'm obsessed. SushiAnn, which I've visited on my own a few times before, is delicious. Also very traditional, it serves up high-quality sushi to the businesspeople of Manhattan. Their salted caramel ice-cream is also not to be missed.
Sunday, 30 June 2013
Mummy & Me in NYC!
Mom arrived in NYC after a long storm delay at the airport, in the midst of a torrential downpour. When she finally arrived at my condo, at around 9pm, we headed next door to El Parador, the oldest Mexican restaurant in NYC, for some dinner. It was beautiful inside the unassuming restaurant – all dark wood with shimmering lanterns and candlelight. The next morning we woke up early and headed to the Empire State Building. Even though it was freezing cold, windy, and overcast, we thought we might as well take the trip up to the top. The one good thing about the weather was that it prevented massive hoards of other tourists from joining us at the Empire State Building. We breezed through queue after queue, and when we made it to the top, were greeted with beautiful sweeping views of The Big Apple.
Although the views were pretty, after about 10 minutes at the top, we quickly came back down. It was good to see, but it’s not something we would do ever do again. We headed along East 34th street, and came across the first Macy’s department store (where “Miracle on 34th Street” was based). There was a lot of construction going on inside, so we didn’t get to see the store in all its glory…but we did get to see one of the original wooden escalators, which was pretty cool.
From Macy’s we walked up Broadway, through the garment district, past all the little shops selling buttons and zippers. We arrived in Bryant Park and had a tasty little lunch at the Bryant Park Grille. My cobb salad was wonderful. After lunch we headed over to Times Square to get tickets to a Broadway show. We waited in line, in the pouring rain, for 2 hours (!!!) at the TKTS booth to get discounted tickets. When we got to the wicket, Mom picked “Cinderella” as the show to see. Later that evening, we took a cab over to Broadway to see the show. Our seats were in the third row, off to the side, which weren’t ideal – we could only see half the stage, and being soooo close up made the show lose some of its lustre. After the show we found a little diner off Broadway for some NY cheesecake and french fries, which we enjoyed as we watched our 80-year-old sassy waitress talk back to all her customers. Ha!
The next morning we decided to head South down First Ave, to see what we could find. We ended up doing a ton of walking, and eventually found a small hole-in-the-wall restaurant called “Little Poland”, where we warmed up with some steaming cabbage roles and white soup. We spent the rest of the afternoon wandering through Soho, Noho, the East Village, Stuyvesant, and Nolita. We perused vintage shops, visited a gluten-free bakery called “Babycakes”, and ran some errands. By around 4:00pm we were exhausted, but decided to go back to TKTS to get tickets to another Broadway show! We’re obsessed. This time there was no line, and we chose “The Trip to Bountiful”, starring Cuba Gooding Jr. and Vanessa Williams. It was phenomenal. It was a play, not a musical, and was about a cute old lady (Cicily Tyson) who is trying to get her over-bearing daughter-in-law and doting son to take her back to the little town of Bountiful. We really enjoyed it, and it made up for the less-than stellar Cinderella performance the night before!
I’m so glad Mom could make it to NY and help me get settled in – it was great being able to explore the city with her and get comfortable with my new condo and neighbourhood!
