sleepless in new york

maybe it was the city lights or the sadness that comes with the end of our adventure, but for some reason my eyes will not shut tonight. it's roughly 4 a.m & the last night i will spend in this little nyu dorm that has become my temporary home :(

we decided our last night should be done in style, thus it began at otto {mario batalli's restaurant in greenwich village} we ordered a bottle of pinot grio & a simple pizza with a fried egg on top.

after dinner we hailed a cab & made our way to 350 5th avenue, the empire state building. we've been putting this tourist trap on the back burner of our trip, but as a tribute to nyc we decided it would be a proper way to say goodbye from the tallest point in the city.

after an unexpectedly long wait in line & lots of velvet ropes & elevators, we finally made it to the top. the neon lights & clear sky was perfection & ended up being one of my favorite memories of our grand adventure.

overlooking all the streets, cars & people, we took everything in one last time.

light breeze, warm sun

mary & i have been patiently awaiting weather perfection fit for a lovely day in central park. seeing as how the weather man here is always wrong, our planning has been a bit off. but yesterday it was finally & perfectly lovely.

my bed sheet & a pair of sunglasses was all i needed for the day.

we also made a new friend, bebe the dog.

the sound of the breeze ruffling the tree tops was almost enough to make me fall asleep.

after our day in the sun, we decided on a mexican feast at mercadito in the west village.

{my mahi mahi ceviche}

the evening was so nice we were able to enjoy it outside on the patio. i have a theory that everything tastes better when you eat it outside.

mary's tacos:
rosemary marinated organic skirt steak with
potato-poblano-cactus fundido & avocado

"we are going to sit in giant teacups & spin round in circles until we puke"

what is there to say about coney island? well, i suppose it is a true new york right of passage. something that needs to be done once & never again unless you're drunk. maybe i'm just being a beach snob who's too accustomed to tybee island summers, but i don't think large jars of hair gel are a necessity in a beach bag. nontheless, mary & i had a great time giving in to our more childlike sides all afternoon.

the weather was perfect for a little stroll on the crowded beach.

we underestimated the heights of this famous wooden roller coaster until we both found ourselves screaming the whole way down.

a nathan's hot dog & cheese fries at sunset=success.

our last activity & my favorite of the day {it even surpassed the tea cups!}: the wonder wheel. once we finally made it to the top of this ginormous ferris wheel, the views were well worth the 45 minute subway ride.

june 19, 2010

when you grow up, christmas becomes less & less exciting (sad thought, i know). however, yesterday i felt just like a kid on christmas morning when i woke up. being able to legally do something that you've already been doing seems a bit silly, but it takes a huge weight off a girl's shoulders.

the day began with the sweetest care package, sunflowers & cupcakes from the world's cutest roommates. i love them!

after a quick lunch from dean & deluca, we ventured to the staten island ferry for a free scenic trip across the hudson. because we are classy georgia girls, mimosas in water bottles seemed like a good idea for the ride.

after a round of beers in the park, we ventured back to get dressed for dinner, more drinks & dessert. after putting on my carefully selected birthday attire, we hailed a cab to per lei restaurant on the upper east side.

if we thought the decor was the best part about this lovely italian eatery, we were proved wrong when our entrees arrived. mary had the gnocchi with fresh mozzarella in a plum tomato sauce paired with a glass of pinot grigio, while i opted for the tuna tartare & a cosmopolitan {when in new york!}

having reservations at butter later that night we thought we wouldn't have dessert with dinner, until we were brought the per lei dessert menu...
warm almond & apple tartlet served with vanilla gelato was served with a candle & song from our sweet argentinian waiter within minutes.

after a quick beer {and 2 complimentary birthday shots} at josie woods pub, we finally made it to butter. the name says it all. mary & i shared the rasberry beignets with a vanilla dipping sauce which we paired with a dessert wine suggested by our cheery server. after letting her know it was my big day, she brought us our 3rd dessert of the day {as if we needed it!}. little pieces of red velvet cake sprinkled with some sort of fantasticly edible glitter topping.

fabuluous way to end the night :)

lucky 21

i can't believe that by this time tomorrow i'll have 21 years under my belt. lately i've been thinking about all the blessings i've been fortunate enough to have in my life. besides family, friends & food, my travels have been something that i count as little gifts from God.

this quaint blue bike reminded me of my time in france. i miss that lovely place :(

theatre visits in new york to see "promises, promises" & "chicago".

this view of the brox from yankee stadium at sundown also reminded me a little of france for some reason.

for only 21 years, i'd say i've been a pretty lucky girl.

country come to town.

they say no man is an island, but when manhattan is that island i think man could very well survive on his own & do it in style. there's essentially nothing this city doesn't have that's usually right down the street. everything is at your fingertips, especially at the local farmer's market in union square park. the produce is relatively cheap, but the smells are always free. it's nice to know that even with the hustle bustle of the city, a little rustic charm is available every saturday.

fresh strawberries driven in from connecticut.

apples from pennsylvania that come with complimentary samples.

organic eggs.

i've never noticed if peonies are very prevelant in the south, but they seem to be the big apple's stylish flower of choice.

but still, a hint of the city remains.

canvas screenprints of the flat iron building.

a city summer

there are many things worlds different about the city & the south. the way people speak, look, dress, eat, drink, play, work. all of it. if i was home for a summer saturday right now, i'd most likely be barefoot in the sand somewhere. because going barefoot in the city is somewhat of a health threat, our saturday here was spent walking {all.day.every.day} up & down the waverly place street festival.

but, some things are a summer-time classic wherever you go.

watermelon on a hot day is one of them.

after a voyage to the whole foods store {located in east egypt, ny}, dinner was home-made pizza margherita. whole wheat dough+fresh tomatos, basil & mozzarella. that plus a 6-pack of bud light lime & blue moon, tastes like summer!

memorial day was spent along the hudson again, but this time in the harbour. seeing the boats full sail on the choppy water was another reminder of home.

from moma to rocco.

another perfect day in the city. a morning walk along the hudson, a hot cup of coffee & a free ticket to the m.o.m.a {museum of modern art}. we saw old friends, like picasso & van gough. de kooning & miro. frieda & matisse. oh, also rothko & pollock. just a typical day in the museum neighborhood.

the women in photography exhibit was recommended by our teacher,

so we checked that out as well.

and discovered the lady in one of my new favorite paintings.

{frantisek kupka, mme kupka among verticals. oil on canvas 1910}

after a 2.5 hour feast for the eyes, we moved onto a feast for our tummys.

sushi was just what the doctor ordered for dinner & dessert was even healthier, obviously.

another decadent dessert haven on bleecker street, pasticceria rocco plays no games when it comes to sweets. their entire menu is sugar-coated. cookies, cupcakes, biscotti, macaroons, tirimisu & other italian desserts i'd never even heard of {shocking, i know}.

so naturally when in uncharted dessert territory, i had to be adventurous.

my choice: suspiro, an italian sponge cake soaked in rum, stuffed with bavarian chocolate & topped with chocolate ganache & sprinkles.

is your mouth watering yet?

a healthy dose of water

growing up surrounded by water has spoiled me for life. i absolutely hate being land-locked for too long. i have yet to be homesick in new york, but i do miss the salt water.

today we took a walk along the hudson river. the water didn't exactly hide traces of the city {trash/pollution/unidentified goop/etc.} but it certainly took the edge off of living in a concrete jungle.

just the sound of the waves & the breeze was enough to bring me back home.


a free, fresh ginger lemonade didn't hurt either.

just some pups trying to soak up some shade in the 90 degree heat.

little mary taking a breather & trying to get a touch of color.

a lovely combination of water & city.

the always delightful, dean & deluca.

"strange fruit": billie holiday

a great way to start a new week? hot coffee, strolling down broadway & a quick trip in dean & deluca. ever since my first visit to this upscale grocery in d.c. i've been obsessed. i could live in a dean & deluca & quite possibly be the happiest person in the world.

fresh flowers & veggies, endless shelves of cheese & a bakery that makes betty crocker look like a cave woman. dean & deluca is the holy grail of grocery shopping.

the soft echo of old jazz music & the smell of freshly baked bread is enticing enough to make me want to stay here forver.

a little humor is always appreciated, especially in the form of sugar cookies.

safe to say, we will be coming back for seconds {& thirds, fourths, fifths...} here.