April & Heather's NY Adventures - part 2

Since April had spent a lot of moolah and had taken the time to visit me in NYC, I wanted to do something really special for her. I booked us a sun-set sailboat excursion that departed from Chelsea Piers, and would take us on a tour past the Statue of Liberty and give us stunningly gorgeous views of lower Manhattan.

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.

We asked a guy who was a "photographer" to take our picture in front of Lady Liberty. This is what we got. Thanks buddy.

Putting on a brave face!

Ellis Island

We finished the night off at Lucky's Diner, across the street from my condo. I had bacon and eggs, while April feasted on cheesecake and mozzerella sticks...at the same time! You go girl.

On living in New York City...

My (albeit brief) summer in Manhattan consisted mostly of days like these...

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.

Chris Visits NYC

During my third weekend in NYC, Chris flew down to visit. He arrived, after a few too many flight delays, soaking wet in the midst of a horrible thunderstorm. Seeing him standing in the hallway of my Murray Hill apartment building, holding his luggage, with a fresh hair-cut, made my heart jump out of my chest. I was SO happy to be able to spend the weekend with him.

Even though he was fighting quite a bad stomach flu all weekend, we still managed to explore the better part of Midtown Manhattan. We enjoyed a breakfast al fresco on Saturday morning, as Chris took in the city from a much dryer, sunnier vantage point. We spent the afternoon walking hand in hand through some of the world's most famous tourist locations - Times Square (where we met a guy who sold us tickets to a comedy show), Rockefeller Center (where we lounged for hours on comfy outdoor couches drinking basil lemonade and strawberry daiquiris), Central Park (where we picnicked on a hand-made picnic from the Plaza Hotel), and Fifth Avenue (where we launched a complaint against the rude salespeople inside Uniqlo).

In the evening we went to The Stand, an amazing comedy club in the basement of a Gramercy Park establishment. We dined on tater tot nachos (I know, right?!) as we laughed til our sides hurt, and Chris drank an enormous Delirium Tremens beer (the size of a wine bottle). We saw comedians from The Daily Show, Conan, and SNL - very cool. Our night progressed to thai food at Soi 30 Thai, then outdoor drinks at the cutest little wine bar in Gramercy, overlooking a street with traditional NY brownstones. On our walk home, I found $1 bill laying on the ground. Elated, I started doing a mini happy dance...only to stumble upon a $10 bill as well. $11 gonna make me holla, honey boo boo!

During our second day together, we explored Central Park in its entirety. We  walked for miles, weaving in and out of the massive crowds gathered to watch the Puerto Rican Day Parade. Since Chris was still very sick, we took frequent breaks to rest (which also made for a great reason to slow down and take in the city). For lunch we went to a French bistro in the Upper East Side, where Chris ate the most tender, "most delicious" steak he's ever had (and that's saying something - the man can cook!) while I chowed down on a gluten-free burger from heaven. All washed down with some white wine, while Chris played with a sweet little poodle belonging to a heavily plastic-surgeried elderly couple beside us. Oh Upper East Side...

I'm so glad Chris came to visit and experience NY for the first time!

NYC Restaurant Run-Down

Living in NY this summer gave me the opportunity to dine at some pretty great places for business lunches - here's what I thought of 'em:

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.

April & Heather's NY Adventures - part one

April came to visit me for a weekend while I lived in NY this summer. It was her first time visiting NYC, so I knew we had to make it super special. Not only did she have a great time, but I did too, and it is one of my best memories of my time living in Manhattan. 

We started things off with a bang by grabbing a late dinner at The Smith in Midtown. The place was buzzing with a smartly dressed business crowd as we saddled up to the bar to grab a pre-meal cocktail. The cocktail menu was expansive, and we each tried some delicious concoctions. For dinner, we feasted - cheesy tomato soup and scallops to start, followed by steak, mussels and frites.

Before we left, we headed down to the bathroom - a unisex hall of subway tile, old barber chairs, and a vintage photobooth. Love the pictures we got out of the photobooth - they are framed and are some of my favourite souvenirs of NY.

On our walk home from The Smith, we noticed the street in front of us was moving...rats! A dozen or so rats were swarming the sidewalk right in front of us. We screamed (obvi), and turned to run back down the way we came, only to be stopped by a crowd of young men willing to scare those disgusting beasts away. Ugh, New York...you can be wonderful, but you can also be a pretty dirty place.

The next morning we took a cab over to Chelsea for a brunch reservation at The Park. As we were a bit early, we decided to take a little stroll along The Highline. The Highline is a converted old railway, that is now a beautiful above-ground city park. Truly a unique place to visit, but I would recommend going earlier in the morning, as it started to get busy at around 11am.

The Park is a converted old taxi-cab parking garage - an expansive space with eclectic decor and an industrial vintage vibe. The meal was yummy, and they even served a freshly baked mini-loaf of banana bread (instead of a usual bread-basket). Such a cute idea.

We spent the rest of the afternoon traipsing around the West Village, the Meatpacking District, and Chelsea. The West Village is full of cobblestone winding streets (below the grid), people on bicycles, tiny independent shops selling eclectic goodies, and sidewalk cafes. If I were to move back to NY, it would definitely be to the West Village.
 

 Of course, our day was just getting started...but that's a story for another time!

Home Sweet Home!

Being back in Toronto is a dream! Seriously, I'm in love with this city...and my life in this city. Here's a quick peek at what's been going on since I've been back:

- Enjoying Summerlicious with Chris' parents at The Fifth Grille (such a fun night)

- Brunching with Yvonne at Insomnia (accidental twins, as per usual)

- Drinking fruity sangria with Meghan as we look through her Domino home decor book

- Meeting Karen, Ben, and Meghan at C'est What for Huggie Bears and beer

- Gazing at this pretty view all day

 - Trying hard to stretch my work wardrobe by creating new work outfits every day (never wear the same thing twice!)
 
- Doing some home improvement projects with Chris

- Watching Kendra and Maxx tear it up on the soccer field

Of note, I have not been shopping in Toronto since I've been back. I came home from NY and almost had a heart attack after seeing how many clothes I own. My goal is not to buy any clothes (except gear for our upcoming trip to Newfoundland), until September. Think I can do it? No more Winners or Marshall's trips. I think I went a tad crazy in NY and after exams, and have enough clothes for a lifetime. Can't believe I just typed that, ha!

I'm also trying to curb my spending a bit, since in NY, I was a bit loose with my wallet. No more mani-pedis for me (when I can do it at home), and no more random coffees daily. My only expense this month has been the subway, and lunches (which I buy at the Petit Four bakery in the food court, and which total $14/day). That seems like a lot, and it is...but it's my only real expense, so I can justify it that way :) I'm saving more than I'm spending, so that's a positive for sure.

One Year

Chris and I celebrated our one-year anniversary on July 12th. After work, we took the subway down to the harborfront, and grabbed a ferry over to Ward's Island (one of the Toronto islands). As the ferry made its way through the calm waters of Lake Ontario, we looked back on the skyline and the setting sun. The Toronto skyline is, in my opinion, the prettiest in the world.

When we arrived on the island, we wandered along a dirt road until we found the perfect spot for our anniversary picnic - a cute little bench nestled in a cove, with a stunning view of the skyline. Seriously, look at these pictures...it was unreal.


After the bugs cleared, we pulled out the picnic basket. Chris had prepared marinated steak (so tender, so good), with a fresh salad made from home-grown romaine lettuce and basil (and store-bought tomatoes). It was wonderful! We topped the salad with some feta cheese, and munched on olives as we sipped white wine and listened to Mumford & Sons on his new Samsung tablet.

As the sun dipped beneath the city, and the air became cooler, Chris used his camping stove to boil us some water for hot tea. We snacked on a coffee-flavoured dark chocolate bar before making our way back to the dock to catch our own water taxi back to the city. At Union Station we randomly decided to grab a hot-dog from the street meat vendor to eat on the subway, which was so yummy I wish I had gotten two (bun-less, of course).



The perfect anniversary celebration, and so us. I loved it.