Rainy Days in NYC

Rainy days can only be enjoyed from indoors, preferably under a tin roof and preferably at night. If we're going to be specific, wine should be in hand, fireplace should be crackling, guilty pleasure TV show should be playing, and godlike man should be near, pretending to enjoy said show. They absolutely cannot be enjoyed three days in a row in the middle of winter during the work week in NYC. I sit at my desk, peer out the window at the dismal world beyond, pout, daydream of summer and repeat. And once I've realized that I've forgotten my rain boots, the depression really sets in. Dramatic, I know, and exactly why I did some planning ahead for these very soggy days.

Combat again the rain began on Monday with a visit to the American Museum of Natural History on the Upper West Side. I hadn't been in three years, and was pleasantly surprised with the new exhibits, most notably, the Titanosaur. At 122 feet long and weighing 70 tons, this thing was a beast. Its front tooth was literally the size of my torso. My favorite exhibit, however, has always been the fuzzy animals. There's nothing like a little taxidermy to lighten the mood. After the museum, I ended the night with great friends, good beer and free candy at Dive 75, and no thoughts were wasted on the rain.

Adventures on Tuesday came next, with a long overdue visit from a best friend. She was visiting with her boyfriend, so we started our double date night at a tapas spot, Donostia, in the East Village. The dishes were small, but the food was exquisite and the wine affordable. The Chorizo Picante Banderilla and the Plato de Charcuteria y Queso deserve a special shout out. Just say the words "salt-cured meat" and I'm sold. The real highlight of the night, however, came later. After a good two hours of eating and drinking, we headed to a comedy show in the West Village. The Comedy Cellar, on the corner of MacDougal and West 3rd, might be the best comedy club in all of NYC. While it's the only one I've been to, I have nothing but praise for both the venue and the performers, and mine seems a shared opinion amongst New Yorkers. The club seats up to 200 people in its cozy underground location, and it's slightly tiered tables guarantee all parties a great view. The brick walls, stained glass accents and the close proximity of the viewers and comedians help create a perfect ambiance. And then there are the comedians. Each show is comprised of roughly six acts, big names and rising stars, and every performance we saw was absolutely hilarious. Additionally, famous acts that aren't listed on the line-up frequently drop in. These surprise acts include Louis C.K., Amy Shumer, Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle. We were lucky enough to have the host of The Daily Show, Trevor Noah, unexpectedly make an appearance. Thank you, Comedy Cellar, I've officially been charmed.

To conclude the week of bad weather, Max and I went to see Aladdin on Broadway. I have never seen so much glitter, and extravagant doesn't even come close to describing the show. The actors were phenomenal, the set beautiful, and the performance over the top in the absolute best way possible.

Here's to hoping this weekend can compete.



Beasts.

Unfortunately (but understandably) taking pictures inside the Comedy Cellar isn't allowed, but here are a few from their website:

Bill Burr 

Louis C.K. 

Judah Friedlander

Robin Williams

Jon Stewart

Also no pictures allowed within the theatre, but here are a few of Aladdin I found online:

Winter is Coming

At 75 ºF, it’s an unusually warm November day in New York City, but I’m no fool. Summer's over, the leaves have fallen, and Christmas-themed goods have already infiltrated the shelves. Winter is coming and it’s time to prepare.

I love my summer and I love my fall (Libra here), but there are still plenty of things I enjoy in the winter. Wine, mulled wine, white wine, red wine, to name a few. Okay, but honestly, I love seasonal cooking, holiday festivities, fluffy snow, cozy lazy days, and winter fashion. There’s just no getting through January and February (cringe) without a sensible, yet stylish, winter coat. Don’t get me wrong, if street style sleeping bags were socially acceptable, I’d be first in line, but there’s really no getting away with that in NYC. We need warm. We need fashionable. And we need it now.

December brings very exciting things, particularly a trip that requires “the coat”. So, I’ve been trolling the interwebs for days now, and contestants have been found. For the sake of variety, I've included other colors, but when it comes to coats, I'm always partial to black.

(Links in picture captions)

Aigle: Storydown Parka

Canada Goose: Victoria Parka

Penfield: Hoosac Parka

Mackage: Juliann Parka

Canada Goose: Trilliam Parka

Pajar Catherine Parka

Spiewak: Aviation N3-B Parka

   

Woolrich: Arctic Parka 

You may have noticed a pattern here. What can I say, I know what I like. The above contestants all drew me in for the same reasons:

1. Length (long enough to cover the booty for extra warmth)
2. Material (down insulation and REAL fur trim)
3. Aesthetic (supremely warm while maintaining a flattering feminine form)
4. Color (black, always)

Now for the hard part: decision making. It's never been my strongsuit (Libra here). I know, at the very least, no matter which coat I choose, this girl is going to stay warm in Deutschland.

Life Is Beautiful

This past weekend was truly one for the books. Central park hangs, my favorite German boy (and my favorite German beer), rooftop BBQs, bike rides, Bikram yoga, Bloody Marys, pop-up art, a walk on the Highline, a picnic in Tompkins Square Park and a movie date to see Inside Out. All worthy of praise and adoration, but I’d like to focus on the pop-up art because it was fascinating and beautiful and all of you New Yorkers should have a look while it’s still there.

Mr. Brainwash (aka Thierry Guetta) is a French ex-pat based in Los Angeles. He started as an amateur filmmaker shooting L.A. streets artists, and in 2006, took to the streets himself and emerged as a key player in the underground urban art scene. Guetta's moniker, Mr. Brainwash, really came to life after starring in Banksy's famed documentary, "Exit Through the Giftshop". Mr. Brainwash brings an urban style to traditional pop art, and the result is a sort of hybrid "streetpop". His work is a clever fusion of historic pop imagery and contemporary culture, with distinct influences from both pop and contemporary artists like Andy Warhol, Roy Leichtenstein, Basquiat, Shephard Fairey and, most notably, Banksy.

The pop-up is located under the High Line in an 8,500 square foot space at 450 W 14th street. Paintings, prints and mixed media works plaster the walls, and sculptures and installations stand scattered across the floor. All of the work is undeniably Mr. Brainwash and undeniably street pop with its vibrant colors, clashing media and juxtaposition of past and present iconography. I have a few pics to share, but for the really great ones, you'll have to go see for yourself.

There’s also an interactive installation on the High Line that I highly recommend checking out. The Collectivity Project is the work of Danish-Icelandic artist, Olafur Eliasson, who has created a cityscape of Legos that is built and continuously rebuilt by the public. Before coming to the High Line, The Collectivity Project was previously installed in Tirana, Oslo and Copenhagen.

Night and Day in the Hood

In one month's time I will no longer have the luxury of living a block from Columbus Circle. No more quotidian trips to Whole Foods (sometimes I don't even buy anything, just find myself in need of a little browse-thru to make sure everything's in check) and no more Saturday nights at the opera...God, the trials of being a college graduate. But who am I kidding? In the 3 1/2 years that I've lived next to Lincoln Center I've never seen a performance, and honestly, it's about time I distance myself from that organic food oasis. I believe my university's motto is, "Fordham is my school, New York is my campus", which, for me, translates to, "Fordham is my school, Whole Foods is my campus". It's shameful, I know.

I look forward to my new neighborhood, which will most likely be in Harlem or Brooklyn, but for now, Columbus Circle will do just fine.

Sweat in Style

It's not quite cold enough to discourage me from running, however, come December it's going to take more than an adrenalin rush to get me outside. With this in mind, I decided to get back into Bikram yoga. Well, actually, Sunday prompted this change as Central Park was closed to all but New York Marathon runners. I thought I could weasel my way in but just a block from the park I was faced with a flash mob, barricades and police officers:

So, I took my business up to Bikram Yoga NYC on 72nd and sweated away all the toxins of Halloween weekend. The uniform 90 minute class consists of two sets of 26 poses in a room heated to 105 F with 40% humidity. During this time you sweat profusely, usually losing 1-3 pounds of water. It's hot, it's exhilarating but above all it's good for the mind and great for the bod. It does, however, require an entirely different wardrobe than running. Function is key, but aesthetic is also important; when you look good you feel good and when you feel good you kick ass. If you're going to sweat, you may as well do it in style. Below I've included a selection of my favorite items for both Bikram and cold weather running.

Bikram:

Lululemon (Top L)       Prana (Top R)       Nux (Bottom L)       SPACECAT (Bottom R)

Under Armour (Top L)       O'Neill (Top R)       Nux (Bottom L)       Onzie (Bottom R)

Running:

Icebreaker (Top L)       Sugoi (Top R)       Patagonia (Bottom L)       Smartwool (Bottom R)

                                Oiselle                                                                                             Zella                                  

                        Nike                                                                          Columbia (literally the best)

Running? Check. Bikram? Check. Wrestling? Eh, Zealand says it's overrated...