Last weekend, we played tourists in our own city, and decided to visit “The Vessel” at Hudson Yards. After many years of construction and 200 million dollars, this new landmark and public structure opened up last week. Located outside Hudson Yards — a development of retail stores, office space, apartments — this structure is quite the site. It looks like a pineapple, or a honeycomb, and is the newest Instagram hotspot for all.
Pineapple. Shining and shimmering in its brand new splendor.
Every week, I find myself at the counter of Epicerie Bouloud to pick up my favorite sandwich in the world. Aside from cucumbers and granola (my other go-to foods), I could eat this sandwich EVERY MEAL OF EVERY DAY and be happy as a clam. Not only does it remind me of Paris, but it satisfies all my taste buds — butter, ham, cheese, bread — THANK YOU, GOD.
BIG! You can split this….or you can eat it all for yourself! (Like I do!)
Yesterday, we went on a little adventure to Domino Park in Williamsburg (in Brooklyn). This new park opened in June and was created in the ruins of the Domino Sugar Factory. Designed by the same firm as The High Line (James Corner Field Operations), this water front six acre green space is a terrific new addition to the city. Although we froze our bottoms off, it was great fun to run around, breathe fresh air, and look at the views of our incredibly beautiful city. I can’t wait to come back on a sunny Spring Day (which will not happen for half a year….)
These cranes previously occupied the site remain, and have been painted in the park’s signature turquoise.
As I get older, my network of awesome and talented women keeps expanding (one of the many upsides of getting older). One of my newest mom friends, Sana, happens to be nice, smart, sweet, inclusive, open, interesting, beautiful, and inspiring. And not only is Sana a great person, but she is also the founder of kid’s pajama company, Sunny with an A. I recently bought a pair for Tusia, and she literally will not take them off — they are amazingly soft, perfectly thought out, and super colorful. Take a look at the interview below, and thank you, Sana! (And mom, it may be time to start doing kids!)
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Sunny, indeed.
This past weekend, I laced up my running shoes and ran my first half marathon in two years. Yes, I have run a lot of marathons since 2014, but a half marathon is totally different….and it hasn’t helped that I’ve been nursing an injury for the last 6 months (GROAN). But I did it. And in a fast time for me! And it was all part of a great event celebrating women. Enjoy the pics!
Post race, the little girl deserves the medal.
One of our favorite Sunday family activities is to go downtown for early family brunch — no traffic, easy parking, and it makes us feel young, hip, and in the know (wishful thinking). Even with a 6 and 3 year old in tow -> #HipstersEatBrunchAt9. Yesterday, we drove down to Soho to Sadelle’s, a new hip restaurant/Jewish deli run by Major Food Group (the people behind Dirty French, Carbonne and Parm) and ate ourselves silly. Highly recommend — the food, experience, service, ambiance — 5 stars from this family!
Beautiful flowers sprinkled throughout the room. At night, there are lots of candles (says a good friend of mine).
Although it currently feels like Spring in New York, Christmastime is in the air!; bells, fir trees, red, green, tourists, presents, ribbons, gingerbread, candy canes. We had a terrific Sunday morning last weekend, and I highly recommend recreating it for some family fun.
Anything with these two is fun and festive….except when they are poking each other’s faces, whining, complaining, crying, and hitting. #TheJoy
The Upper East Side of NYC has a new cheese shop! And it’s beyond amazing! Lucy’s Whey recently opened in Carnegie Hill, joining stores in Chelsea Market and East Hampton.
I have an obsession with grocery stores. I love maneuvering through big crowds, window shopping, watching them prepare foods, you name it. Call me a wacko, but I love it. And so does, Ali Berlin, Contributing Editor of the blog (obviously one reason we are friends is because we share interests in grocery stores.) Thanks, Ali, for spiriting this post. AMAZING!
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Dec 17, 2013 was a monumental day in Brooklyn because the first ever Whole Foods market opened in Gowanus, on the corner of 3rd and 3rd. It’s been ten years in the making and people are overjoyed that it finally happened.
Even with Thanksgiving behind us, there is no such thing as TOO much pie! Especially pie from Four & Twenty Blackbirds. Located in the Gowanus section of Brooklyn (439 3rd Avenue), this pie shop was founded in 2010 by sisters and pie makers Melissa and Emily Elsen. And my oh my, do they know how to bake! So scrumptious and delicious. So many choices to choose form.
Outside the pie shop with old school gothic lettering.
As a sucker for all granola, I am also obsessed with muesli. Although very similar, they are not the same thing. Both granola and muesli contain oats, fruits and nuts, but muesli is raw, whereas granola is baked. People enjoy muesli like they do granola (served with milk, sprinkled over yogurt, drowned in kefir) or they soak it overnight (in milk or yogurt) to create a cool, porridge-like consistency. Both of my parents (foreign born) eat muesli almost every morning (except for Saturdays when Papa Proskurowski makes his famous omelet) so I have been around different forms of muesli all my life. And Mu Mu Muesli, my friends, is one of the best. The best.
I am a health freak as I love my gym, nature, fresh air, chia seeds, coconut, and vegan concoctions. And yet, I am a sucker for candy, too. I KNOW, right? Hard to believe, but I love it. I hoard Halloween candy all year because I love the shiny wrappers and the delicious, chocolatey, oh-so-sweet treats inside. Drooling now. And it is so cliche, but a candy store to me, is well, like one big candy store. I can’t just look, and I want to taste everything — it all looks delicious and I NEED. EVERYTHING. THEN. AND. NOW. SHAKE. SHAKE. CONVULSIONS.
Picturesque Sockerbit in the West Village of NYC.
Back into the swing of things….so here is my current Top 10 NYC Fall to-do-list! So many different options and adventures to experience this fall. Check it out.
Tata and Toosh — although it is not FULL ON FALL, the leaves *are* starting to fall, and before you know it, all the leaves will be off the trees….
Ken and I recently took a day trip to Portland for some shopping and dining. We were fortunate to have the grandparents to babysit, so we could wander around the city like we did pre-kids. It was heavenly. And our visit to Pok Pok, was one of the highlights. Pok Pok has been in all the food magazines and blogs, thanks to their Portland flagship and their NYC opening last year. Talk of the town! We love venturing to new, hip restaurants in New York, but the restaurant has so much buzz (and no reservations) that it is a little difficult to plan. So Portland Pok Pok was the perfect place (how many sea shells at the sea shore). Continue Reading
Located in the heart of the East Village, the John Derian Dry Good store is a pot of gold. The moment you walk in, you feel pure happiness, comforted by the luxurious, beautiful, colorful, and happy home goods. The cozy home accessories shop is filled from head to toe with handmade beautiful knicknacks. You will want to buy everything in the store, even if you don’t have pans for your new loot. I wish that the store was my home.
John Derian decoupage plates in our dining room
John Derian Company was started in 1989 by John Derian himself. He makes beautiful decoupage plates, paperweights, platters, bowls, trays, dishes, lamps, coasters, and much much more. His whole collection is handmade in his studio by artisans. He also sells linens, stationary, plates, lighting, and furniture from an assortment of collections (prints by Hugo Guinness, vintage Pakistani quilts, Moroccan lanterns and leather poufs, for example).
Outside. In love already??
Window with gold sparkle.
Paper weights. Amazing presents.
Rustic French plates.
First things first, best of luck with everyone preparing for Hurricane Sandy. Hopefully this won’t be too bad, but the news is definitely doing a good job of scaring the life out of me and everyone else. My initial disaster pans were to go to the gym twice today, get a mani/pedi, and make cornbread, but it is becoming more clear that we could be in for some serious conditions. Good luck, everyone. Separately, we were supposed to announce the winner of last Monday’s giveaway today, but the Natori offices are closed, so we will need to wait until everything reopens. Sorry about that!
On to today’s post. As soon as I had a child of my own, I became obsessed with finding the right family photographer. I searched for someone whose aesthetic was clear, simple, modern, original, and clean. Davina to the rescue! Since we first met her in September 2011, we have hired her time and time again to take photos of the family. We have two walls dedicated to her portraits. I love everything about Davina; her quality work, her easy and laid back demeanor, her frames, and of course, the photographs themselves.
One of our walls in the hallway. Various sizes and pictures of the family pre-Zoe.
Way back when, when the blog was brand new (almost a year ago!), I wrote about my obsession with making Kale Chips. So healthy, so easy, so delicious. I thought my homemade kale chips were the best snack in the world. And although they are great, I came across New York Naturals Kale Chips, sold at my local Whole Foods, and there is simply no comparison.
Locally made, these are sold at more than 200 stores in New York and on the East Coast. But for my West Coast friends, they are even sold online. I first tried these at Whole Foods, then went online and got 4 boxes, and now, I just placed an order for 10 more. I can’t live without them! To buy go here.
Options: Bombay Ranch, Salt and vinegar, Spicy miso, and Vegan cheese. My personal favorite is the Sea Salt and Vinegar. Tangy, salty, and oh so good.
Summer is almost over, which means back to New York. I am so sad to leave behind the outdoors, open air, greenery, family, and lack of schedule in Oregon….And yet, there are many things that I am looking forward to upon my return (besides, obviously, being fully reunited with my husband!)
* Drink champagne on the Roof garden at the Met overlooking Central Park
Hours: Through late fall, weather permitting: Friday and Saturday: 10:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m.; Martini Bar: 5:30–8:00 p.m.; Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: 10:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; Closed Mondays
Location: 83rd and 5th Ave, Fifth floor via the elevator in the European Sculpture and Decorative Arts galleries
Details: Self-service, light fare and cocktails in an informal, outdoor setting with panoramic views of Manhattan. Children are welcome.
* Hotdogs and popcorn at a Brooklyn Cyclones Game
Location: MCU Park, 1904 Surf Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11224 (Coney Island)
* Indulge in Italian food at L&B Spumoni Garden
Hours: 11 am to Midnight, daily.
Location: 2725 86th Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11223 (Bensonhurst)
Details: Italian feast!
I love to pretend that I live in suburbia (instead of in the middle of a concrete jungle island). As a result, Ken and I tend to drive more than the average Manhattanites (we are very lucky to have access to a car — life changer, I must say). It is a fun activity to hop into the car, drive downtown to dinner, explore areas that are hard to get to, and explore other boroughs. One of our absolute favorite field trips is to Red Hook (a remote area in Brooklyn on the water — very warehouse-esque, hip, and modern) and eat at an excellent restaurant called The Good Fork. The Good Fork is owned and operated by a couple who live close by to the restaurant with their family. The husband manages the restaurant and the wife is the head chef. Not only is the food memorable and delicious, but the service is superb, the ambiance low key and cozy, and the overall atmosphere is lovely, familiar, neighborhood-esque and chill. Nothing better than a drive over the Brooklyn Bridge to enjoy an excellent meal in an intimate setting.
The door leading to the restaurant. The Good Fork is located in a brick house.
I am a creature of habit. I have a routine for everything… exercise, sleep, and especially, food. As a result, I tend to frequent only a handful of restaurants in New York City. Don’t get me wrong, I love going to new and hip places, but I also love my local faves which I go to more often than not. It seems like now that I have a family of my own, I am more concerned about quality of food and proximity to home than hipness or anything else. Guess I am getting old. *Le sigh*
Le Pain Quotidien is one of my all-time-faves. It is perfect for breakfast or lunch and always hits the spot. Luckily for me, there are two close to our apartment (5 minute walk for a more crowded and intimate setting or a 10 minute walk for a spacious and more kid friendly version). The ambiance is uber European which makes me feel cultured, and relaxed. Wood interiors, classical music, French themed food… it’s almost like you ARE in Paris when you go there.
Many of the locations offer outdoor seating, which I always love.
Le Pain is still simple, rustic, and serene with or without Holiday decorations. (Yes, those are Christmas wreaths. Yes, it is 80 in March in NYC. So pretend those are not there.)
