What a social butterfly I had to be this week. I usually am in a bit of a hibernation, cocoon during the work week, yet my calendar was filled with soirees, galas, parties, birthdays, and all sorts of festivities. NYC somehow aims to be celebrating something every weekend; whether it be Cinco de Mayo (margaritas, please), The Kentucky Derby (mint juleps, please), The Tribeca Film Festival (Manhattans and Wine, please), or the River to River Festival of the Arts(Micro-brewed Beers, please). Here are a few photos taken straight from my iPhone so that you can see the fêtes through mine own eyes.
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1. The subway system was filled with men in seersucker suits, pinned with boutonnieres, and women in swanky cocktail dresses ready to drink juleps, bet on the trifecta, the winning thoroughbred, and to consume some bourbon. However, my favorite sartorial delights were those women who were not afraid to wear BIG floppy hats.
2. I was a little confused by the street sign that told me to walk toward the sky.
3. While doing some weekly errands at the drugstore a man was displaying his artwork along a vacant facade. His name is Teofilo Olivieri and I eavesdropped on him speaking with some potential customers. He explained that we was originally from Hoboken, NJ and I thought I overheard him explained that he uses art as a form of therapy and is inspired by the people in NYC. Teofilo’s pieces being for only $40.00. His latest series potrays animals stenciled on old, used library books. “I’ve been very visible in New York City for the past 10 years, but the book covers have gotten the most response of any of the things I’ve worked on in my entire career,” Mr. Olivieri said.
4. My boyfriend and I were craving asian junk food (aka, our local ‘chinese food’ restaurant). When we finished our feast, we opened up the fortune cookie to reveal this odd message, “Alas! The onion you are eating is someone else’s waterlily”. Googling this phrase, it seems that this is an an old chinese bromide expressing what we mean when we say someone’s trash is somebody else’s treasure. Oh the universality of cliches!
5. While celebrating my friend Kimberley’s birthday, we first all met at Barcade in Williasmburg to order some pints of beer, play board games, and eat some junk food. Note my nude nail (caramel, natural, and buff manicures are my new ala mode). I am eating a vegan dessert from Champs Diner where these devil’s food oreo balls were only $0.85 apiece! I also learned how to play the very addictive board game, Carcassonne (I became a medieval conquerer and territory expander).
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Joe Fresh Style in Caramel, $4
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Image found HERE. Please note the arcade games in the background: Paperboy, Ms. Pacman, Rampage, Punch-Out, and my personal favorite Tapper (and oh so many more!).
6. While visiting the Marimekko flagship store on 200 Fifth Avenue, I came across the epiphanic discovery that the Finnish 1960′s print house now creates CLOTHING and APPAREL. This is epic. The swing dresses and mod shifts are classically cool. The 4,000-square-foot shop feels like one of Dr. Seuss’ quizzical world, and is complete with an instore seamstress who can create masterpieces from bolts of fabric on demand. The ubiquitous Converse sneaker brand also collaborated with the textile giant to create the ultimate canvas shoe.
Image may be NSFW.
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Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Images from Marimekko U.S.
7. Right around the corner from McCarren Park, Bar Matchless in Greenpoint, Brooklyn features drinks, a live music room, DJs, dancing, pool, foosball, and food. The weekly food specials often come with a free drink token, and the food itself is quick, easy, comfort food with a twist. The place is dimly lit, has several local brews on tap, and is a quintessential divvy hangout. More than the slightly “metal” decor, I fell in love with the bathroom. Completely covered in graffiti, weird messages, band posters, endorsements, and political stickers, the walls themselves felt like a unique piece of artwork.
8. My favorite 24/7 diner also happens to be a Cuban, homestyle bar named Coppelia. On Monday, as part of this restaurant’s year-old anniversary, a mixology competition was held to discover the next cocktail to be added to the menu. The mash-up, sponsored by Yerba Buena Co., SAVEUR, Pisco Sour, and Viral Fashion, was the brainchild of GM, Ricardo Palafox. Coppelia is giving a platform for industry members to compete against each other and for the chance to see their signature cocktail featured for the next year. Week Four’s final winner was Maury Robayo, head mixologist at Rayuela and Macondo, who created the Pisco y Pimiento with Pisco Porton, Campari, lemon juice, simple syrup, grapefruit juice, egg whites, black pepper. However, the drink pictured is one of the ‘loser’ featuring rose petals, and a lemongrass, sugar rim (it was still pretty tasty, although a bit sweet).
Image may be NSFW.
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Image may be NSFW.
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9. I walk a little over a mile to work, every morning. My office is based in midtown east, very close to The Empire State Building, Herald Square, and other extremely touristy areas. The hubbub and traffic is sometimes overwhelming. However, on May Day (May 1st), it was even more busy than usual. Thousands of Occupy Wall Street protestors, from all over The United States, converged on Fifth Avenue to protest financial institutions, government, inequality, civil rights, and a bevy of other issues. By the end of the day more than 50 arrests were made. The protest, seeming to occur without a proper permit, froze traffic in central Manhattan and made it very impossible for work to continue for a few hours.
10. Because there were so many holidays, celebrations, and protests this week the New York Police Department (NYPD) was waiting on several subway trains to hand out tickets for drunken intoxication, urination, and other raucous violations.
How was YOUR week?