NYC ’13

Friday
It turns out that I do essentially the same things in New York as I do in Toronto. We got in early on Friday and started the day by having a coffee in Bryant Park, not far from where we’re staying. Its a quaint tree-lined park with a lawn in the centre and a charming little carousel for kids, playing Edith Piaf songs. Carousels are insta-romance in my books.

From there, we headed to the International Centre of Photography. I’ve seen some incredible exhibits in the past, but I have to admit that I found this one a bit underwhelming–nothing really grabbed me. I think the only exception was a three-piece lightbox called Windows, Doors, Televisions by Mikhael Subotzky, in collaboration with Patrick Waterhouse.

The pair took on the task of photographing every window, every internal door, and every television-set in Ponte City, Johannesburg. Up close, you see the incredible detail in each photograph but if you take a step back it looks more like an abstract stained glass window.

Have you noticed that tacos have made a big come back in the last couple years? They’re delicious and inexpensive, that’s why. In Toronto there’s Grand Electric, and in SoHo there’s La Esquina. Look, I don’t care about food and fine dining, but I ate some scallops that I would gladly give my first-born child for, or–at the very least–I’d trade our dog Emma. I ordered seconds, actually.

We spent our first night at the Bowery Ballroom listening to an oddly Californian lineup of musicians. Chris Cohen and his band opened for Ty Segall. Both have that ethereal, sunny, Beach Boys sorta feel; it’s perfect music for those melancholy, end-of-summer days.

The only downside was the obnoxious pair of drunkards stationed next to me for the evening. To their credit, they were totally passionate and knew the words to every song which they scream-sung into each others mouths all night long. From the balcony, they spilled their beer all over the people below and screamed “I don’t give a fuck” when people had the nerve to complain, then they threw themselves into the mosh pit where they belong. I’ll admit, I got some amount of pleasure at seeing them get trampled and tossed around. I later saw them screaming at each other in the street like Sid and Nancy. I think they had fun.

Saturday and Sunday
Today was a shopping day. We went back to SoHo and I bought a versatile cute little blue dress, as well as a pair of zippered army-green pants that I feel make me look as though I’m ready to take on the zombie apocalypse and carry a gun…and I have just the boots for that sort of thing. I bought them from a (new?) store called Piperlime–it’s amazing, not overly pricey and I wanted alllll of the things.

We headed to Williamsburg to meet up with a couple we know–Alistair’s oldest childhood friend and his wife. We ended up at a seafood restaurant/Oyster Bar called Maison Premiere. This place looked like it was staffed with the cast of Boardwalk Empire, it was all very precious. I’m not much for drinking but I felt obligated while sitting at this fancy little bar so I ordered some $14 Julep called the “foreign legion” which consisted of “Chartogne Taillet, Framboise Eau de Vie, Spiced Strawberry, Fresh Mint”… I don’t know what half of those ingredients are, but it sounded vaguely fruity and inoffensive. Let me tell you, I’ve never been handed something so pretty and it tasted like goddam magic.

Just look at it. Strawberry on the rocks.