A City Girl's Blog
A city girl’s weekend in New York when the heat is on…
Leave a Comment
Take a bus to New York, serviced by Bolt and MegaBus from cities of Philadelphia, Boston, and Washington, DC. Arrive in style with a little bit of sweat from standing in the line to load the bus under direct sun.
Make sure your boyfriend booked a nice hotel in the city, such as W Hotel on Union Square – in our case. Take a shower and head to Noodle Republic, a local Asian fusion spot right next to infamous Coffee Shop (open 24/7). A wide array of meat, seafood and vegetarian dishes to choose from – opt for glass noodles with chicken and organic beet/carrot juice if sitting outside (only 8 tables available for outside seating) or a bowl of beef noodle soup, if seating inside. Enjoy a rather alive crowd of the regulars at this spot that is sometimes overlooked by the guidebooks, but that would never go out of business as on any day, they are full. The turnover of people is fast, but the service is friendly and they never hurry you out of the restaurant – just kick back, relax and people watch all you want.
Beef Satay, another delicious dish, and only $7
Then head down the University Place towards Soho and lower west side for shopping and more people watch. New York University’s many departments and dorms occupy the area, along with many unique boutiques, shops, eateries and bars – not to mention ice-cream and frozen yogurt parlors.
Farmer’s Market on Union Square is at full action on Saturday, pretty much through 5 or 6:00 p.m., and offers a wide array of vegetables, fruits, baked goodies and home-made home-squeezed lemonade. Many locals would browse through, and it doesn’t matter if they live in Queens or Brooklyn – the farmer’s market offers organic foods that you won’t find at many local grocery stores; and it wont’ be that fresh and organic any way.
Street artists, along with homeless and freaks, occupy the south side of the park, sometimes taking it as far as protesting for various agendas.
Union Square, a view from the top
In and around Thompson Street, there are many steps to sit at and gaze at people walking by, as well as many cafes and bars where a cold beer won’t hurt on a 90-degree New York heat.
At night, opt for Sway Lounge, which is not bearing the name Sway from outside, but rather McGovern Bar – go figure, but a local would know that once inside, DJ spins a mix of 80′s and 00′s, from Michael Jackson’s Billy Jean to Lady GaGa’s Just Dance while you sip a cocktail on one of the red plush couches the Moroccan style.
For dinner our friends picked Kittichai, an Asian fusion restaurant on 60 Thompson. And even though we’ve already had our share of Asian fusion food during lunch, we agreed to the place as we had no other choice but agree. The place is very dark inside, romantic, but it takes a while to make sense out of the menu as it’s very dark to read it. Floating candles in a little pond-aquarium in the middle of the floor is a nice touch, but I can’t say the same about the prices. Overpriced small dishes are tasty, but too small to really enjoy. This is how three couples ended up paying $200 per couple for a small appetizer, a small main dish, two deserts split between six people, and a couple of signature drinks. But that’s “New York”. Surprised to see full restaurant, I thought hard about the current state of the recession. Is it really happening? If so, then people are still willing to pay big bucks to fill out their tummies. This – on top of an apartment rental that takes up to 70 percent of one’s pay check. Go, figure.
Coffee Shop at Union Square
On Sunday, there is nothing like a long brunch with friends at a local place where they serve specials and $3 Mimosas and Bloody Marys. Egg Benedicts over crabcakes with homemade frittes is a working recipe for a hang-over! Try Jack Bistro on 11th and University Place.
If you only have a weekend of New York time, intermixed with times spent over beer, wine and food with friends out of town, then opt to stay in the nearby area (unless it’s Harlem), and invest the most of time walking around the nearby neighborhoods, which in our case were Lower East Side, Lower West Side, Soho, Noho, and Union Square.
Soho, NYC
Got a few extra bucks, stop by the Strand Bookstore around the corner from Union Square (on the corner of 12th and Broadway), a huge warehouse of books of all your soul and mind wants and cheaper than anywhere else, including Amazon.com. My buys were Secret by Rhonda Byrne and one of many Sigmund Freud’s. And if you are, like many (including myself) who just saw Julie & Julia film about Julia Child, a woman who brought French cooking to American housewives, then you are out of luck. Last week – they had the first masterpiece by Julia Child, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, this week – they’re out of stock, as many other stores. Amazon.com still has a few left, but who would pay $299.99 dollars for a two-volume cookbook? Definitely, not me. At least – not now. I’ll wait till the buzz dies out.
Watch about the film Julie & Julia here.
My other favorite section in the store is, of course, travel. A few months ago I stumbled over a rare book of A Day in the Life of the Soviet Union picture book with photos of the Soviet times that I remember so well, and which images are still so dear to me – from uniform school pupils to the October 7th Red Square parade. And while some of the images are long gone with the Moscow’s Putch in 1991, some of the images still pertain to today’s life in Russia, such as ice-cream parlors operated by Russian women in white robes. This book is available on Amazon.com, and Strand Bookstore still hold one copy of the book (as of August 15, 2009.)
Of course, a stay in New York would not have been complete if I haven’t had at least a bag of street roasted sweet nuts. These, along with New York street pretzels and hot dogs, would never go away. At least not until people like me stop buying them two bags at a time. My favorite locations for “nuts vendors” are Soho (on the corner of Prince and Broadway), Union Square (on the Corner of 13th and University Place), and Midtown East (on the corner of Lexington Ave and 60th). The criteria by which I rate “best nuts vendor” in New York is simple – the nuts should be fresh, crispy (not chewy), and the bags should be filled up (not just some lazy 8 nuts in the bag.) $2.50 a bag – and I guarantee you are coming back for them next time!
New York 'Nuts' street vendors
A few tips you might want to know for taking the bus to / from New York – make sure you print out the confirmation number, which is your ticket to get on bus; and make sure you get to the bus pick-up location at least 30 min. in advance as the lines of passengers form quickly, and with many buses leaving for different locations – you want to make sure you are standing in the right lane, with a confirmation number (either text it to your phone, or email it to yourself when using iPhone, print it out, or write it down if you can’t print it out.) And if you show up earlier and there is a free seat on the bus, you might be lucky to leave on an early bus. And lastly – have some food and drink with you, as a 4 hour ride might turn into six hours (you can’t never predict the traffic to and from New York.)
Washington, D.C. – restless women of the capitol
Leave a Comment
Who says that the city is not ready for The Real Housewives of DC? We are, not that I’ll be featured in it (although – I should, and if you raise your votes for me by reading and spreading the word about my blog, I might be featured as well. Though, the line up of fabulous and successful women of DC is a pretty long veil…)
Women in Government Relations will be hosting their first ever scavenger hunt – “The Great Political Race” on September 12, 2009 which will benefit Horton’s Kids. There is an early bird registration fee which ends on August 25 – $35 for an individual or $175 for a team of five – you can register and provide team members names prior to the event. After August 25, the price goes up to $40 per person, or $200 for a team.
To register, go to www.wgr.org and click on the events calendar.
Details:
Start Time: 10:00 a.m.
Lunch & Prize Ceremony: 1:00 p.m.
End: 2:00 p.m.
It should be a great time, hope some of you are able to make it; at least the ones who are in D.C.
Sex and the City featured places to visit. Part 2
Leave a Comment
Midtown and Uptown Manhattan
Midtown and Uptown Manhattan
These parts of the city has been featured quite a lot in Sex and the City, as the two single and fabulous gals – Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) and Charlotte York (Kristin Davis) live on upper east sides of the city.
Eleven Madison Park. There is no better part of a city to choose to break bad news, either way it’s not what one want to remember a place by – and that goes for one of the favorite local spots – Eleven Madison Park restaurant. Mr. Big breaks the bad news to Carrie after their awkward encounter in Hamptons that he’s engaged to the “stick figure with no soul” – Natasha. 11 Madison Avenue
Church of the Transfiguration. This is quite a place to remember SATC by – and even though a church does not go with sexual desires (usually), Samantha still manages to challenge religious believes by trying to seduce a priest. Called the “Little Church Around the Corner” this church has longstanding ties to New York’s theater community. It got its nickname in 1870 when the rector of a nearby church turned down a request to bury an actor, referring to a “little church around the corner” that would do “that sort of thing.” At the time, acting was considered a scandalous profession. Centuries have passed, but acting is still bearing the “scandalous” connotation. 1 E. 29th Street
New York Public Library. Appearing again as a wedding scene for Carrie and Mr. Big in the SATC movie, it firsts appeared in the series when Miranda tells two girls the truth about men – or the fact that women can’t tell when a guy “is just not that into you.” Behind the library is Bryant Park, known for the Fashion Shows, during one of which Carrie walks the runaway and falls flat on her face. Fifth Avenue at 42nd Street
Russian Samovar. Even though I always preferred the Russian Vodka Room, just across the Samovar, nevertheless, Russian Samovar has been around for ages and is known for gathering some of the elite and bohemian New York crowds. Owned by Mikhael Barishnikov (Carrie’s “Russian” boyfriend), it’s no surprise that it was featured in the scene as a perfect first date place between Aleksandr Petrovsky and Carrie. Russian crepes with red caviar and hot tea with cherry preserves cannot be any better than that – and it’s authentic. And for many unique vodka infusions (e.g. garlic infused vodka), stop by The Russian Vodka Room. 256 W. 52nd Street
Manolo Blahnik. This is not just a shoe – it’s a house name among some of the most fabulous socialites across the USA, and it all started with Carrie’s addiction to the shoe brand. And even though with each new series, new shoe stylists were introduced, such as Louboutins and Jimmy Choos, Manola Blahniks are still the very definition of Carrie Bradshaw. 31 W. 54th Street
Tiffany & Co. This is another landmark of New York City (along with the next to it – The Trump Tower), but while at other stores all characters shopped, this store belong to Charlotte and Trey – the quintessential classic Upper East Side couple, whose relationship could not be saved by a very expensive Tiffany ring. 727 Fifth Avenue
The Paris Theatre. One of my favorites, I must say, this theatre is a local lovy-dovey place that always plays the classics, foreign, art and independent films that sometimes do not make to the big screens, but that should have. Carrie goes on a date with the theatre stating that “the most amazing thing about living in a city like New York is that any night of the week you can go to Paris.” For the movies and times, visit here. 4 W. 58 Street
The Plaza. The plaza, the plaza, the plaza – if you’ve lived enough in the city, you might have heard many New York women discussing “the plaza weddings, “the plaza dinners”, “the plaza…” For years it was one of the places to stand in line for to get in for a special occasion of some sort. Couples, long before they even get engaged, would sign up for a wedding reception at the plaza, sometimes 1-2 years in advance. However, at the SATC it was not the “happy place” – it was the place where Carrie ran into Big after his engagement party with Natasha. This is when Carrie recited a line from The Way We Were: “Your girl is lovely Hubbell.” 768 Fifth Avenue
Columbus Circle Fountains. As much as Carrie tried to love Aidan, and Aidan tried to forget Carrie’s affair with Big, it didn’t mean to have a happy ending. So, when Aidan proposes to at the fountain, it becomes obvious that this is the end to Carrie-and-Aidan relationship. Carrie was not ready for the marriage; at least not to Aidan. The fountain steps and benches are a great place for an alfresco snack, after picking up a treat from the adjacent Time Warner Center’s Bouchon Bakery. Central Park West and Broadway
The Boathouse Restaurant. This is a very popular place for both New Yorkers and visitors, especially during the summer time when the lavish green trees cause shadows, which are rare in New York. Set right on Central Park Lake, the Boathouse is a romantic place for brunch or dinner. However, Carrie and Big ended up being refreshed more that we wanted, falling accidentally into the lake. Park Drive North, near E. 72nd Street
Sex and the City featured places to visit. Part 1
Leave a Comment
Sex and the City is back on the map and it’s time to revisit famous sites of New York City featured
Now that the new Sex and the City movie is about to start filming in New York (Dubai is still under the question for all the controversy with the “sex” being part of the name of the movie – a word that is not very welcome as a publicly displayed world in Islamic Dubai), it’s about time to re-visit and do a tour around the places where the series were shot between 1998 and 2004.
Happy onlookers watch Sex and the City filming a scene in front of New York Public Library
These are the fabulous places that not only defined New York during those exciting years of Sex and the City filming in and around the city, but which became a trade mark after the worldwide popular Sex and the City series were over:
The spotlight is swinging back to New York, the “fifth” major character in the SATC, along with then single and fabulous foursome of Carrie, Charlotte, Samantha, and Miranda.
Manhattan was not the only location that was featured [promoted] in SATC series and the movie, the cast has cast its foot on State Island, Brooklyn, Hamptons and even Queens, not to mention a rather awkward trip to Los Angeles.
Downtown Manhattan
Staten Island Ferry. The girls took the ferry to attend a firefighter-calendar contest in Staten Island, where Carrie met a cute politician with a rather strange fetish and where on the way back to Manhattan Charlotte shut to the world that she was “getting married this year!” The 25-minute boat ride gives great views of lower Manhattan.
Century 21. The store seems to be a trademark on its own, each day (and especially on weekends) fashionistas from around New York and New Jersey come to this huge department store that offers discounts on one of the kind fashion items [no other sizes might be available in the same outfit] from Channel bags to Puccini’s dresses. It’s a wild world of girls working the elbows, fiercily looking for that one stylish item to make their girlfriends jealous. Carrie hits this legendary discount department store while serving jury duty. 22 Cortland Street
Onieal’s. This place has been used for scenes at the Steve’s pub. The place is located in the Little Italy, and served in many series of awkward encounters of Carrie and Aidan – first, after the break-up and having not seen each other for a while; another time – after the reunion of Aidan and Carrie, Carrie found him flirting and spending time with a hot bartender girl. 174 Grand Street
Patricia Field. This red-haired woman is a legend of its own, who was kept behind the scenes for many series until the raving fashionistas demanded to know who was behind all the extravagant and one-of-the-kind styles of the SATC girls. Patricia Field was then revealed to the world, and now with a store of her own, she is doing pretty, pretty good. And now, not only the SATC girls can enjoy her ‘creations,’ but any other local and visiting stylish gal can check it out in person, and online. 302 Bowery
Trapeze School of New York. This was not the school, but rather a private lesson set for Carrie, who was commissioned by her newspaper, The Star, to try and write about. This is how the “value of the safety net” part of the story came about. At this waterfront location, students swing over the Hudson River– and locals love watching them from a waterfront promenade. Pier 40, on West Street
Pastis. Now with the economy this place might be more approachable for making a reservation, but back then – when New Yorkers enjoyed the lavish life of dining out and socializing, Pastis was hard to get into. Carrie and “the Russian” (portrayed by the Russian ballet dancer, a legend, Mikhael Barishnikov) have brunch at this popular French bistro, and it’s been featured a few times during those six years of the series. Check if it’s easier to make a reservation now, but never assume the buzz about the place has ceased to exist. 9 Ninth Avenue
St. Mark’s Comics. Here’s where Carrie meets her boy toy Wade, whose fabulous Upper East Side apartment with a Central Park view apparently belongs to his parents. The East Village shop has all the comics, graphic novels, and action figures a teen collector could handle. 11 St. Marks Place
Gray’s Papaya. This is a place where Carrie is taken by a limousine driver after her first big break – the launch of her book. 402 Sixth Avenue
Jefferson Market Garden. Picked as a secluded and unpretentious place, Miranda and Steve get married in this community park. The Greenwich Village green space is also popular with kids, especially during the park’s spring and fall childrens’ festivals. Greenwich Avenue between Sixth Avenue and W. 10th Street
Tasti D-Lite. Carrie’s “Russian” is not the only romantic on the show, as Harry tries to prove to Charlotte over some tasty frozen delight. The next day they had a seven-course French dinner at the Per Se, which did not end up well because of all the French cheese they both consumed. 436 Sixth Avenue
Il Cantinori
Il Cantinori. This is the place that was not the happiest moments of Carrie’s memories. The restaurant was chosen by her friends to celebrate her 35th birthday, but she ended up sitting and waiting for her “surprise” party alone. And on top of it, she paid $70 for a cake that no one ended up eating. But don’t get it to discourage you from visiting this one of the first New York restaurants to do Tuscan food in a sophisticated setting, and celebs rely on it for its discretion. Just ask Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, David and Victoria Bekham, or Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher. 32 E. 10th Street
Magnolia Bakery. Not only it’s been featured in Sex and the City, but it’s been a popular place (a true NY landmark) to feature in films, recently in – Maid of Honor with Patrick Dempsey. Magnolia Bakery was the place where Carrie told Miranda about a major crush, while both women digged in the bakery’s signature cupcakes. 401 Bleecker Street, 200 Columbus Avenue (A tip: for a faster fix, skip the long line at the original Bleecker Street location and head uptown to the second branch on Columbus Avenue.)
City Bakery, was the place where Carrie pursued Samantha into buying a brownie for her in exchange for Samantha’s “Marry Poppins” services to Miranda’s toddler. The girls also discussed “the face girl” [the girl who dated Aidan after Carrie dumped him] over lunch at this polished take on a cafeteria. New Yorkers love City Bakery for its pretzel croissants and, as Carrie proclaims, the best brownies in New York. 3 W. 18th Street
Pete’s Tavern. This place served as a turning point in the relationship of Miranda and Steve. It’s the place where Miranda asks Steve to marry her over some pizza and beer. Pete’s is the longest continuously operating bar and restaurant in the city. 129 E. 18th Street
Am I missing anything?
Next coming up: Midtown and Uptown places featured in Sex and the City series and movie.
