fun

Currently Loving May 2023 #1

Josie Girl Leave a Comment

May in NYC started off gray and rainy, but over the weekend, the weather improved and it is GLORIOUS outside. Nothing better than NYC in the sunshine (without humidity) and not overly hot (very rare). I am loving a lot this month, so broke up this one post into two — so stay tuned for later in the week for the second portion of everything I am loving this month!.

 

1. Amber Waves Farm

 

Amber Waves Farm. A friend who is heavily involved in a Hamptons Farm, Amber Farms, had people over to her house for food, cocktails, and a tulip making class with tulips grown locally at the Amber Waves Farm. It was incredibly informative (I learned so much) and also so much fun. And the flowers — holy smokes, so gorgeous.

Continue Reading →

Currently Loving Spring Break 23 Edition

Josie Girl 2 Comments

OOPS. My kids had spring break for two weeks, and apparently I decided to not ever be on my computer, and not do the blog. Apologies! I brought the computer with me on all the travels, but WOOPS, didn’t write. So here I am. Back in NYC,  kids back to school, and now back to the blog! Here is what I loved over Spring Break and am currently loving!

 

1. Hello Beautiful

 

Best book I have read in a long time. Loved every minute and hated the fact that I read it so fast because then it meant it was over. HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

Continue Reading →

The Wearable Sleeping Bag

Josie Girl Leave a Comment

I know that it is almost Spring, but it has been freezing in NYC. So cold that I have been wearing my “wearable sleeping bag” and let me tell you — IT IS AMAZING AND WARM AND THE BEST. This wearable sleeping bag is from Selk’Bag and comes in every size for the whole family!

 

It is exactly what it sounds like — a sleeping bag that you wear. It is warm, comfortable, and absolutely perfect for outdoor hikes, sport watching, walking the dog, sitting by the fire – you name it.

Continue Reading →

Currently Loving March 2023

Josie Girl Leave a Comment

And just like that….Spring Break is right around the corner. Here is what I am loving this month.

 

1. Notorious BIG Statue

 

Located near the Brooklyn Bridge in Brooklyn, this new statue of BIG is set up on a hill and is fun, colorful, and different. As a huge fan of BIG, I love it. VERY MUCH.

 

2. Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow

Continue Reading →

Mad in Brooklyn – Hat Making Class

Josie Girl Leave a Comment

On Wednesday this past week, a friend organized a hat making class in Brooklyn through Mad in Brooklyn.  It was a full day of hat making, crafting, and learning all about hat making. It was an incredible experience and I loved every minute of making my hat. To top it off (get it)., I love the hat that I made. So it was a win win day and experience.

 

To make the experience even better there were tacos, tortilla chips, AND margaritas. That alone, made it fun.

Continue Reading →

What to do in NYC when freezing

Josie Girl Leave a Comment

It was VERY, VERY, VERY cold over the weekend in NYC. It was hard to do much of anything because of the frigid air. Here is what I suggest doing if you are in NYC when it is very cold outside.

 

The Met Museum

 

I went the other weekend to celebrate the Chinese New Year and see a special dance performance. It was fun to be in the museum (the actual performance was so so), but I love how beautiful the structure of the Met is and how you can get lost in it for days.

Continue Reading →

Currently Loving December 2022

Josie Girl Leave a Comment

Here we are — December! Cross that out — MID DECEMBER! Here is what I am loving!

 

1. The Old Man and The Pool

 

I went to this in early December and it was SOO funny. I loved the 75 minute one man show and highly recommend anything that Mike Birbiglia does. In this production, it was about aging, and it could not have been more relevant or in tune with life. LOVED it.

 

2. Rat Ornament

Continue Reading →

Telestrations

Josie Girl Leave a Comment

Over Thanksgiving Break, we were introduced to Telestrations, and it is hands down, the most fun board game I have played in a long time. It is the perfect family game — fast moving, easy, enjoyable for every age, and so much fun.

 

Immediately after the first time we played this, I purchased one for our family. It is a game that the kids ASK and BEG to play — it is so fun for everyone in the family.

 

The game is exactly what it sounds like  — a combination of telephone and pictionary. You receive a word, you have to draw it, and then the next person guesses it, the next person draws it, etc….It is so fun and every time I play, we laugh SO much.

Continue Reading →

Autry Sneakers

Josie Girl 2 Comments

I am a lover of sneakers — I wear Nike Dunks and Vans more than I wear any other shoes. They are comfortable, practical, AND hip. And now, I have a third sneaker to add to my rotation, Autry. I have a feeling that these shoes are going to be the next Golden Goose (aka luxury sneaker, but not at that ridiculously price point) and men, women, and kids will be all wearing them soon (and if my prediction is wrong, at least everyone in my family will be wearing them). Move over, veja, these sneakers are the best.

 

I like them all in all color ways, but for my first purchase, I picked the green and white. I LIVE in my black and white dunks, so these are a similar flair and style.

Continue Reading →

Currently Loving Early November 2022

Josie Girl Leave a Comment

Yesterday, I wrote that the date was November 2021. I can’t believe that it is not 2021, and in fact, it is almost 2023! Here is what I am loving right now in Early November.

 

1.  Zara Marine Jeans (for kids)

 

These jeans are the cutest and I wish they had them in adults sizes. They are Tusia’s first jeans (ever) and she loves them just as much as I do (which is never the case).

Continue Reading →

Wordle Communication

Josie Girl Leave a Comment

Ever since I discovered Wordle, I play every. single. day. without. a doubt. It is part of my daily rituals and something I love. Even more important, it is a way I stay in touch with an old friend of mine. We do not text or talk about anything, but every single day (without fail! for the past 9 months), we send each other’s results to one another.

 

 

 

Literally all our conversations look like this.

 

 

Back and forth.

 

Back and forth.

 

It seems silly — it is — but there is something so meaningful about these simple interactions. It is a way to check in (non verbal) and somehow feels very loving and supportive. So, highly suggest connecting with someone — it doesn’t have to be a traditional form of connection, but even something this little, makes all the difference. Happy week!

Anika Yael Natori, aka, The Josie Girl

Blog Home Page

Mochinut Donuts

Josie Girl Leave a Comment

I love the food website, The Infatuation, that writes about all the new restaurants,bars, cafes, bakeries, in any and every city. Most of all, I love their random guides such as “Best pizza in NYC’ or “Best donuts in NYC“. And of course, not only do I love reading the articles slash lists, but I love trying all their random recommendations. For best donut in NYC, I decided to try something new and different, Mochinut Donuts. Mochinut is a chain with locations all over South Korean, Thailand, and most states in the United States (literally everywhere!). What makes these donuts unique is that they are made with rice flour.

 

Two locations in Manhattan — I went to the one on 38th and 6th. Super friendly, clean, and easy.

Continue Reading →

Doorless Helicopter Tour of NYC

Josie Girl Leave a Comment

For Cruz’s 13th birthday last week, all he wanted was a doorless helicopter ride of the city. Since I had very few presents to give him, I thought that this gift would be extra special to him as it was an experience he could remember forever. Mind you, I hate heights, and don’t like to be on balconies of buildings, but in the end, it was worth it to see how happy Cruz was. I did a lot of research leading up to it and found that FlyNyon had the best reviews. Sure enough, the customer service was amazing and our experience unforgettable, and would definitely recommend this company to any one that is crazy enough to do it.

 

I didn’t make the reservations until the morning of. I couldn’t figure it out online (and I wanted a later time), so I called the number, and was greeted by the most HELPFUL person ever, Colleen.

Continue Reading →

Currently Loving October 2022

Josie Girl Leave a Comment

Here we are in October! Fall in New York….here is what I am currently loving (and please send me what you are loving, too! I love to hear!)

 

1. Flash Flowers by Lewis Miller Design

 

Walking home from drop off yesterday and I saw this beautiful flower flash installation by Lewis Miller Design — always so beautiful.

Continue Reading →

Beat the Bomb

Josie Girl Leave a Comment

Beat the Bomb – an immersive group experience! I have heard amazing reports about this interactive activity, which is a mixture of an escape room and a video game, so I signed up and took some kids to have some fun. Absolutely everyone had a blast and it was the perfect rainy indoor day activity. Located in DUMBO in Brooklyn, Beat the Bomb is a privately owned company that started five years ago. It was first built for adults, for group bonding activities and fun, but after the pandemic, they realized that kids were wizards at ipads. So now, it is 50% adults, and 50% kids.

 

When you get to the space, you have to put on a hazmat suit. Blurry photo, but gives you an idea of what the suit looks like.

Continue Reading →

Currently Loving August 2022 Part 2

Josie Girl Leave a Comment

It is so true that January and February creep by — each day seems sooooo long, and then July and August just whizzzzzz by. So here we are, end of August, and here is what I am loving.

 

1. Good Quote

 

Seen on a hike, “Expect noting. Celebrate everything.” I love this quote and think about it often.

Continue Reading →

Natori Summer Blues

Josie Girl Leave a Comment

Every summer, we go to our dear friends’ home in Sonoma to celebrate a weekend with many of our Stanford Business School friends. It has happened the past 8 summers and is always one of the best weekends of the year. We lounge, hike, eat, indulge, rollerskate, and laugh. OOOHHHH we laugh and it is so fun. It is also our second time we have picked a theme of an evening — in 2019 we did Sunset Hues.

 

Sunset Hues. That was our guideline — and everyone could dress how they wanted to.

Continue Reading →

Governors Island Glamping

Josie Girl Leave a Comment

One of my favorite places in NYC is Governors Island, a 172 acre island that is 800 yards from Manhattan (a 7 minute ferry ride!). It is the perfect place to spend a day wandering and feels like a vacation, when it is only minutes away from home (well depending on the traffic….). And even better — you can spend the night there! It is an upscale camping experience and is a memorable and truly perfect way to spend the night. Recently, I took my daughter “glamping” on Governors Island mid week and it was the highlight of our Spring.

 

This is Tusia on Governors Island in 2017. Since then, the green space has turned in to the property for the glamping, Collective Retreats.

Continue Reading →

Currently Loving April 2022

Josie Girl Leave a Comment

It’s unbelievable to me that we are almost half way through the year — I have been hibernating the past 2.5 months, so it feels a little surreal, and yet, here we are. Here is what I am currently loving!

 

1. Trader Joe’s Egg Wraps

 

A low carb version of a tortilla or a wrap and just as delicious! So good to eat as a savory or sweet snack.

Continue Reading →

Flipper’s Roller Boogie Palace

Josie Girl 1 Comment

As a die hard roller skater, it made me so very happy that NYC opened up its first Roller Skating Rink, Flipper’s Roller Boogie Palace, this past weekend. So sure enough, the kids and I ventured to skate and dance on opening day. It was such a great hour and I cannot wait to go back — pure simple family fun. Located in the heart of Manhattan at Rockefeller Center, it is a great place to people watch and soak up the energy of the city.

 

Smack dap in the middle of the city! So much fun.

Continue Reading →

Lost Stickers

Josie Girl Leave a Comment

In my walks and runs in NYC, I love to look at all the stickers posted everywhere — they are little signs full of joy, wisdom, hope, and mystery. My favorite current series is by Irish artist, Asbestos, who has created and posted street art everywhere since 2003. I love to see them as they are all in random places around the city — never making much sense but bringing a smile to my face.

 

Lost leek

Continue Reading →

Needlepoint Chair

Josie Girl 1 Comment

As you all know, in the past two years (thank you, pandemic hobby), I have become an avid needlepointer. I have made hundreds of coasters, pillows, sunglasses holders, and ornaments. I keep them or give them to friends and family. But this past week, I finally *SOLD* one of my creations and I am so happy. Yes, I  made about $2 per hour, but I love the process and the creation, so the money in the end isn’t the important part. I collaborated with upholster, Chairloom, to make a beautiful chair and I am so proud of the final creation that I had to share with you all — thank you for letting me share! We worked together to find the right vintage chair, perfect fabric to match, and then Chairloom put it all together. Take a look!

 

The chair! I did the BIG needlepoint and then teamed up with Chairloom. The chair is actually a tiny small chair — which we loved — BIGGIE SMALLS in a tiny kings chair.

Continue Reading →

Wordle and Nerdle

Josie Girl 1 Comment

For the few of you who don’t know about WORDLE, I feel like I need to tell you about it. It is a word game that gives players six chances to randomly guess a five-letter word. If your letter is in the right spot, it shows up as green, and if it is a correct letter but in the wrong spot, it shows up as yellow. So you figure out which letter is in the word and if it is in the correct spot. You have six chances.

 

The hardest part for me is to try to figure out which five letter word to use….In general, I am not very good at wordle, and am much better at the mini crossword and at Spelling Bee.

Continue Reading →