That sweet spot on the calendar

I have been witnessing a lot of random acts of kindness and neighborly concern in NYC this week, mainly on the subway. Strangers helping out strangers, people are generally being courteous  and considerate, shop assistants genuinely saying "Hi, how are you?" It is SO LOVELY!

This week is that sweet spot of the year where people are filled with holiday joy but not too stressed out by it. Last week everyone was in standard New-York-City-don't-get-involved mode and predictably next week everyone will be losing their mind with the pressure to be happy, merry and have a good time with their loved ones. But this week, well… this week is beautiful. 

HONY book signing

I got my HONY book signed by Brandon tonight and met some lovely people in the hour and a half long line :) 

This photo is from the week before they book dropped earlier this year. 

SNOW! SNOW! SNOW! I LOVE SNOW! 

SURPRISE!

In NYC surprise parties are awesome because it usually takes a lot of effort to get to one… on a monday night… and then everyone feels the love! Happy Birthday Matt! 

Had some friends over for coffee. As true New Yorkers we discussed the struggles and headships of living the dream in NYC. Fabio spoke of wanting 2 things in life… to do what he loves and have someone to share it with. I said I knew the pain of that search to which he replied "Look at all you have! You have a home and someone to share it with!" and I had no argument. right… getting more grateful right now! 

Whitney Museum

Today I fell in love. 

Jerry had the diner, Harry and Sally had Katz's deli and if my New York city life ever makes the screen I hope it will have a delicious long pan that finds me cuddled in the corner of the Whitney Museums' mid staircase nook. Just like NYC; from the first moment it just felt like home. 

Chihuahuas. In New York. In Winter. In Coats. 

HILARIOUS. Every time. 

Concrete Jungle where dreams are made, Oh

View of Astoria Queens from Charles Shultz Park

New York City. Concrete Jungle. 

Harsh. Impenetrable. Unchanging. 

Transformed by Mother Nature with each passing season like a growing person; concurrently authentically true yet wildly different. 

Some days are lucky days; where the New York you wake up to is just so out of the ordinary it is as though all of the Broadway might gathered overnight to transform the city into a magical jungle…where dreams are made, oh…. There's nothing you can't do.  

Astoria Kickshaw

This afternoon I had the pleasure of discovering The Queens Kickshaw. Great coffee. Tim the barista is lovely. The food looks amazing. The tunes were rocking and through the week there is  wifi 7:30am-noon. Queens just keeps getting better and better :)

Oh Subway….

I saw this poster on my way to work.

"If a tomato is a fruit doesn't that make ketchup a smoothie?"

Mind blow pre-7:30am!

Once a New Yorker.

On Friday night I stepped off the plane from warm and sunny Australia to a chilly evening in New York already dark at 5pm. Ahhh... Home. 

The crazy thing is I HATE being cold and I definitely prefer sun to gloom but once you become a New Yorker it never leaves you, and you can never leave it. That was my lesson of the day. 

While loved ones in Australia are soaking up the 30C/ 86F+ weather and I could be with them; the very moment I step out in to the chilly air, shove my hands in my pockets and see everyone else doing the same I feel warmer inside than the sun has ever made me.  Smelling the pine trees- for sale on every corner- lit by the holiday lights that garnishing the forever grotty streets makes me so happy. 

I love the holiday season in New York. 

Holiday Shorts :)

Today I dug out my 'Holiday shorts' that I had packed away for the year, put them on and went out side. My 'holiday shorts' is a magical item of clothing that I only wear on days when I have no obligations and feel and look SO comfortable in.

This time last year the city was crawling out of its collective Hurricane shelter and 2 years ago we had already had snow.

So a day worth of Holiday Shorts in November makes me smile :) 

I think outside my box

I love the Highline. For what it is and what it creates space for.

I have seen Dave and his I Think Outside My Box project a few times and today we joined him. It was like the good old days of painting in kindergarten. We showed enthusiasm, Dave made us feel welcome, got us started and we all had a nice time being ourselves and painting whatever we wanted. 

Dave was awesome to talk with. He was wrapping up a conversation with someone he hadn't seen in 13 years when we strolled by. By the time we were finished painting our square of pizza box there was a crowd of people around and strangers who didn't really feel like strangers had joined in the painting. 

The project has a life in schools and museums but it was born on the street and of people and sharing and that felt like enough. And that was so refreshing that we could dive in, be creative, share, express and then put it down and walk away and have completed our piece. 

ESB Light Show

Every night the Empire State Building lights up. 

For NYU graduation its purple, Christmas time it is red and green, Pride it's, of course,  rainbow. 

Wondering WHAT COLOR IS THE ESB TONIGHT? Now you know :) 

Talk Show in the Subway

I LOVE that this happens (and works) in NYC... 

This guy. Being mobbed on the sidewalk between Carnegie Hall and a tour bus for signed head shots... Of some other guy. This guy isn't even the rock star.  

Christopher Walken Rex

The Rainbow Hoodie Gang had a dream to build a huge T-Rex with Christopher Walken's face when they ran into and teamed up with HONY and the HONY Community.

Now the Christopher Walken- HONYsaurus Rex is in NYC and on Facebook. 

Today I stumbled on a street fair with a Synagogue and The Chrysler Building framing it.

Starbucks Lessons

3 minutes ago this happened.

It's the first really chilly day of winter and I was looking for somewhere warm to camp out for 20 minutes before a dinner reservation on the Upper East Side- one of if not the richest zip codes  in the country.

As I walked up the stairs approaching the door to Starbucks on 81st and 2nd avenue I can hear a kid about 7 years old gleefully negotiating with his father as they approach the door from the ramp. 

"I'm going to have 2 treats!"

"Just one."

"Two treats!" 

Awaked pause while the father looks at me, notices I stopped walking because his son has dashed for the door and is now  reeeeaaaaaaly trying to push it open. (A previous lesson in persistence clearly stuck with him) 

"No, just pull it mate." 

"Oh! Yeah!" says the son, in that hopeful voice of youth, untouched by his mistake, as he dashes towards his treat(s).

"Wait. You always hold the door." 

Boy stops half way through the door and stands flush up against it holding it open with his whole body. I give the dad  nod to go in with his son and then realize he is teaching his son to hold the door for the lady (that's me!) 

"Wow. Thank you! What gentleman :)" I say as this warmth bubbled up inside me that chivalry is alive, valued (lord knows I value it!) and being passed down. It was a feeling that the future has hope and as I sat down and started writing this I realized that as nice as that moment was it's not such a unique experience in New York; and that might be the best thing about it. 

Seen in the Time Square Subway tunnel

This put a big smile on my dial.  

Rapture Lounge

Lovely local Wednesday night at Rapture Lounge in Astoria. Karaoke and the couch from Friends. 

Electric Boats in Central Park.

Man what a suprisingly peaceful way to spend half an hour. 

It was dark before I got home from work

I finished at 6. That day has come. 

Big Apple Brass Band

It was just one of those Sundays that, although I was awake all day, my day didn't start until 8pm. A few hours with Scott Kulick's Big Apple Brass Band at Shrine in Harlem had me feeling like I did something great today. Good people, vibes, tunes, moves and flavors. 

Happy Early Halloween....

Adrienne and Matt know how to throw a party... always with good people and delicious food 

Belli Osteria

Celebrated Rick's 50th at Belli Osteria.

The food was delicious!

Especially any of 'Grandma's' receipies and prices were kind to the credit card. 

Swim Jim

They hire out apartment building pools for group lessons. I like it. Plus Chester our teacher is the best! 

Tudor City

My brilliant friend Lindsey showed me this peaceful spot today in Tudor City. 

42nd st and 1st ave up on the bridge looking down 42nd st, Time Square in the distance. 

Crazy peaceful for midtown Manhattan.

Thanks for the breath of fresh air and great chat Lindz 

How I Met Your Mother

We have been binge watching How I Met Your Mother in our apartment because the series finale is upon us. Sometimes it is the nicest part of my day- and that's not as sad as it sounds. 

Tonight, after a day of work, great chats and tracking down a fresh Banksy piece we sat down with the latest episode while dinner cooked- I told you it wasn't so sad- and I realized that while I LOVED the show Friends when I was growing up; How I Met Your Mother is really the 'friends sharing life and apartments in NYC show' of my generation and I love it even more for that realization. 

Who wants to re-make the opening credits with me? 

Banksy

Banksy is in town!! 

Letting little old men sell his work in Central Park for $60usd, putting up pieces in polarized neighborhoods and causing a buzz. It feels like Christmas :) 

BAM

BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music) has been a New York institution for over 150 years. You can find more about this multi-arts centre on there website or just take my word that if you are into high quality local and international art you should totally check this place out when you are in NYC.

It's home in Brooklyn is very accessible by subway, minutes walk from some great Brooklyn neighborhoods, the Barclay's Centre and it shares a block with the Brooklyn Flea's winter location!

I am a big modern dance fan and I have seen some of the best work from international rockstars at BAM. Today's collaboration between Doug Varone and Brenda Angiel (and respective companies) was part of BAM's Next Wave Festival and was FREE! I heart you too BAM. 

Fire Island

Fire Island. You beautiful thing. You have my heart and cleanse my soul in any weather. 

This weekend was LIRR>Bay Shore> $5 ride in waiting busses> ferry to Fair Harbor> :) 

The Artist at work

Thumbs up Fire Island

LIRR

The Long Island Rail Road is my golden ticket out of the city (no car for this New Yorker). 
It leaves from 34th st Penn Station, accessible from the A/C/E and 1/2/3 subways and you can get food, drinks and alcohol to enjoy on board (yep, you can drink on board) along the walkway before you find your track; golden. 

5 Pointz

5Pointz is one of my favorite things about NYC and today the news broke that it will be torn down and replaced with a lot of condos. See it while you can. Here's to 5Poitnz. 

In Long Island City as the 7 train sweeps around the curve into Court Sq there is a captivating city scape; 5Pointz. Considered the "graffiti Mecca" of the world 5Pointz is an ever evolving outdoor art exhibition. The walls of this 200,000 square foot factory are covered with the imagionations and artistry of some of the worlds best graf artists. 

It is free to walk around or you can support the project by taking a tour. It's always been my best secret to the city to share; here are some of my memories. WE LOVE YOU 5POINTZ.