By March, cabin fever had definitely set in, and was festering deep in my soul. I guess gray skies and white dustings of winter were overstaying their welcome. I was anxious about a trip to NYC for my cousin’s wedding, a much needed break from the lifestyle of a 25 year old Toledoan with big city desires and a small city bank account.
The agenda for my five-day NYC stay: food, food and more food. Perhaps I'd sneak in a little bit of sightseeing, shopping and, of course, the wedding ceremony.
First things, first… beer. My entourage and I decided to venture over to the oldest ale house in the city, McSorley's. Established in 1854, this ale house has served the likes of Abe Lincoln and John Lennon, and until semi-recently (1970), didn't allow women through the swinging front doors. McSorley’s only serves two types of beer, a dark and light ale, and they serve them two at a time. The musty wood-scented bar keeps things simple with menu items such as a cheese plate with onion or french fries. Complete with a sawdust-sprinkled floor, lively photo-covered walls and paraphernalia of the past, we drank.
During the walk home, Grand Central Station was lit up like a beautiful historical shrine.
One of the must-dos on my list was to make a stop at the fantastic fabric and trim store Mood, made famous by the popular TV show Project Runway. I tend to dabble here-and-there with sewing and fashion, thanks to my love for the avante-garde. I purchased three beautiful Italian silks in patterns that local fabric stores never shelve, as well as an edgy, translucent black feather trim (it looks like it belongs in the movie The Black Swan). I’m not sure what I am going to create just yet, but the fabrics spoke to me, so naturally, I listened. The 3-story fabric utopia consumed most of my day, and by most, I mean 6 hours of fabric pleasure.
This is a ZEBRA skin! I wonder what I could make with it, perhaps some shoes?
Here are the gorgeous Italian silks that attached themselves to my credit card.
Times Square was beautiful and bright after leaving Mood… but don't let the blue skies fool you… it was absolutely frigid.
As for culture, in NYC, a transplant or tourist must visit at least one of the many world-famous museums. My first choice was the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Met includes many collections, to satisfy any fancy.
metmuseum.org
The Met has such beautiful arched ceilings.
Below is a wide-angle view of Manhattan from the Met's front steps.
The freezing weather didn't stop me from sightseeing. After speaking with some friends about where I should visit, I ventured out to Williamsburg, a trendy borough of Brooklyn for some "non-Manhattan" education. I found great little vintage boutiques, filled with junk and overly-worn articles of clothing— which I some, including me, find exciting. I love discovering that ‘needle in a haystack’, or in NYC terms, the prep in Harlem.
Nothing like a city filled with bike and trash piles. Oddly enough, there is something comforting about it…
This is the view of Manhattan from Williamsburg.
I ended up with five new (actually, definitely worn) pairs of black boots. Each pair has a distinct style, from knee-high flats and old-fashioned granny lace up boots to embellishments like gold studs. Not surprising for my wardrobe, they are all black. Needless to say, along with the five pair I had originally packed for my trip, ten were too many to squeeze into my suitcase… so I coerced family members for some of their precious luggage space.
The rehearsal dinner took place in Chinatown, following a contemporary dance performance by the bride-to-be at the Chen Dance Company.
As for the wedding (the reason I travelled to NYC to begin with), it was a beautiful Jewish ceremony, complete with a Chuppah and the Hava Nagila. The wine poured, laughter grew and many photos were snapped.
Mazel tov to the city of bright lights, subways, taxis and where dreams come true.