Over the summer I hosted my cousin’s first trip to NYC. She is fourteen and we wanted to do all the touristy stuff we could do in a weekend. One of the main attractions was the Top of the Empire State Building. We were hoping for a really clear day or night, but the weather was not cooperating. She was really excited to see all the lights of the city from the top.

We got there around 8 pm on a Sunday night. The lines were certainly there, but they were not at their worst, since you could see (and walk through) the rows and rows of rope that often herded people through the giant building. I can’t imagine how long the wait would be during a heavy traffic day during peak tourist season. We stood in line for about thirty minutes before we took the first elevator up. You take the first elevator up to about floor 80 something and then they make you take a second elevator the final six flights. I am not really sure why they do this, unless the higher flights can’t handle larger elevators, but it makes the experience that much more exhausting. You think you are there and it turns out you have to wait in yet another line.

Once we made it up both elevators, the crowd on the observation deck was a little overwhelming. Again, we weren’t there at a peak time, but we still had trouble walking around to see all four sides. We were underwhelmed, to say the least and I think it was one of the few disappointments on her trip. It could have been the weather, or the time of day, but NYC did not deliver a stellar experience that night. Next time, I think we may head over to the Top of the Rock and see if the view is better from over there. Similar Posts:

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This is a fabulous restaurant and I can’t wait to come up with more reasons to eat here. Similar Posts:

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The weather encouraged me to pick up my fitness routine, especially my running. I decided to train for a half marathon a few months ago and I have slowly been increasing the time I run. It has been incredibly pleasant and I can only hope the weather holds for a few more months.

My favorite place to run these days is the Reservoir. It is a largish body of water in the middle of the park that is surrounded with a dirt track. The entire track is flat (hills are really challenging for me and I am still avoiding them when I can). Also, bikers, skateboarders, and cars are not allowed, so the only traffic you have to contend with is foot traffic and the occasional stroller. The reservoir only has a couple of entry and exit points, so you are less tempted to finish early. The entire loop is 1.6 miles, but don’t be surprised if you want to go a second time around after you run it once. The view is spectacular and picturesque. If running the reservoir on a gorgeous fall day doesn’t make you love running and New York then you should probably think of trying a different sport!Similar Posts:

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Like most New Yorkers, I walk around the city with a list in my head of things I need to buy. Right now this list includes an umbrella, bread, and a pair of TOMS shoes. Earlier this week a pair of jeans was also on this list. I decided to try out the new store and see if it came close to living up to B & N standards.

I quickly learned that this was a “sneak peek” of the store and that the grand opening is not until Wednesday. I am not sure what the “GRAND OPENING” will mean: maybe added discounts or balloons? But the store seemed pretty open and available to me. Because I got there early I was able to wander around freely without crowds or the crazy mess of clothes on the floor (which I have encountered several times at the Century 21 by the courts). All in all it was an delightful shopping experience. I managed to get three tops, a pair of work out pants, and that pair of jeans I had needed all for under $100. Although I will always prefer a bookstore, I have to say, well done, Century 21.Similar Posts:

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The author’s descriptions of the city were my favorite parts of the book. Here is a delicious example: “Each neighborhood of the city appeared to be made of a different substance, each seemed to have a different air pressure, a different psychic weight: the bright lights and shuttered shops, the housing projects and luxury hotels, the fire escapes and city parks.”

I thought this was a great visual image of the many different aspects of New York. Ultimately, Teju Cole’s book was not a thrilling page-turner. Instead, it often made me feel as if I was on a long walk with the author and the main character, reading about snippets of New York that I had seen and some that I was still seeking out. Similar Posts:

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Getting in is the first obstacle. This place wants to be so cool, that you can’t just stroll in. Reservations must be made. It is hard to make reservations, however, when the phone number is unlisted. Instead, you must email the proprietors of Milk and Honey and request to visit their establishment. They take reservations 30 days in advance. Once you get a response on this matter, you will be asked to call the day that you are coming in to confirm your reservation. After that, show up on time, and you are in.

I know it seems like a lot of work just to have a few drinks, but trust me, these drinks are worth it. There is no drink menu at M & H and don’t expect to drink anything that wasn’t around during the prohibition (i.e. no vodka). Otherwise, tell the excellent and incredibly friendly waiter what you are in the mood for (sweet, tangy, salty, fruity, whiskey, gin, champagne) and the bartender will craft a delish drink set to those requests.

The atmosphere is dark and cozy and there is hardly any talking among the tables so be sure you can make conversation with the people you bring in with you. This is not a place to act loud and obnoxious and hit on the person next to you. Instead, come here when you want to have good drinks and conversation with people you already know. Bring cash and plan to spend some money (drinks are $16) but know that the price is totally worth it. Similar Posts:

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I had heard about Levain Bakery from a few friends but I had never stopped in until recently. It is a tiny whole in the wall on 74th and Amsterdam. I walked down the short flight of stairs and was met with the biggest ball of cookie I had every seen. These cookies are not flat, they are pretty much the size and shape of a softball. If you are lucky, you can get them warm and just out of the oven, but even cooled off, they are amaze balls!

I have tried all of the flavors now, but my favorite is Dark Chocolate with Peanut Butter Chip. Yum! If you can’t make it to the Upper West Side, I hear there is also a Levain in Harlem. Trust me, these jumbo balls of goodness are worth a trek and a week on the treadmill!Similar Posts:

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On Saturday night I got to see a favorite band of mine, The Weepies, at Irving Plaza. The Weepies’ music is not incredibly danceable, but it is so mellow and lovely that you can’t help but enjoy it. I was curious to see how their music would translate at Irving Plaza, a small, standing-only venue near Union Square.

The concert turned out to be perfectly suited for my Labor Day weekend mood. The show did not sell out, so everyone had adequate space to sway and swing. The crowd was incredibly mellow as well. Everyone was sitting on the floor waiting for the show to start and when The Weepies came on stage everyone was calm and quiet. The group is composed of a married couple and a friendly base player. The acoustic show fit their musical style wonderfully. The Weepies music was soft and light and perfectly suited to a final, relaxing weekend in the City. This was a fabulous way to spend one of the last quiet weekends of the year here in New York. Similar Posts:

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I should start by saying that I am not new to the trampoline. For most of my adolescence we had one in my back yard and it was a favorite way for me and my friends to spend the summer days in Vermont. I was never incredibly brave so I mostly did twists, turns, and the occasional back-flip.

Since the age of about 18, I have not spent much time on a trampoline, though. I decided it would be fun to see if I still remembered any moves so I roped two friends into checking out the class with me.

Intro to Trampoline takes place under a tent and can be done in all kinds of weather. The large, rectangular trampoline is fairly high off the ground and is right next to the indoor trapeze class. The class maxes out at four people, so that everyone can get maximum jumping time during the class.

Each of the four participants is invited to jump by the instructor and he will take you through as many “tricks” as you feel ready for. This is a good way to make sure everyone gets a chance to try as much, or as little, as she wants. My friends were former cheerleaders and one was even brave enough to try a back tuck! All in all we had a fun time, although not a fabulous workout. If you want to sign up, I recommend finding three friends to bring along. I only brought two friends so the fourth space was filled by a random guy who seemed to hog the trampoline. We all agreed we would have had a better time had we booked the class exclusively.

Trampoline class is a great way to introduce you to what a trapeze class might be like because you can see what that class is doing while you are waiting for your turn on the trampoline. Go check out the Trapeze School of New York and see if you can start flying (on the trampoline or trapeze) soon. Similar Posts:

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Every Tuesday night and one day during the weekend they host a wine tasting. The hubby and I finally got around to trying out a tasting recently and we had a blast!

I should preface my review by saying I know very little about wine other than I like to drink it. I know you are supposed to swirl the wine around in your glass and take a deep inhale of the wine’s aroma before tasting it, but that is the extent of my knowledge. I have always wanted to know more about how to taste wine and this class provided a great introduction.

One of the restaurant’s sommeliers served as an instructor. Prior to each taste he pointed out on a map where in Italy the wine was from. He mentioned little tidbits along the way such as the fact that as white wine ages, it gets darker, and as red wine ages, it gets lighter. For the very reasonable price of $45 we got to taste 5 wines and a prosecco and five delicious cheeses (sadly, no dips were provided at the tasting).

There were a couple of downsides that you should prepare for if you are planning to hit up a tasting at Otto. First, it was very loud in the bar area and people towards the back tables had to struggle to hear. The sommelier worked hard to overcome this by making sure to talk to all the guests (there were about 14 of us total) individually between tastings. The second bummer was that you had to stand for the entire hour and a half tasting. If you want to stay and have dinner at Otto after the tasting, make sure and book a reservation in advance, we were told it was an hour and a half wait if we wanted to eat in the dining room!Similar Posts:

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