The United States (as seen by NYers)

In honor of the Giants making it to the big game, I thought I'd share this fun map depicting how the lovely folks from New York City view the good ole US of A.   Being from Texas, and having lived in NYC for 5 years, I can attest to the fact that this map is rather accurate.

And in all honestly, I started to somewhat assimilate to this view of our lovely country - well, except for Texas, of course!  After all, we (Texas) were once our OWN country (read: we got LOTS of state pride, and do not include ourselves in "The South").  Hope this gives you a good chuckle!  Happy Friday!

{click to enlarge}

Warby Parker + Paste

Two of my favorite brands are getting together for an event in Brooklyn.  Annnd you should go.

Gah!  I need to find a wormhole between KC and BK. Pronto. Also, if you've never heard of Warby Parker or Paste Magazine, you should get on that.

Jones Street Station

If I've ever told you about music that I love, these guys always make it into my permanent list. I accidentally stumbled upon Jones Street Station when I first moved to NYC (they were called Jones Street Boys back then, if you are interested in a little back catalogue).  They serendipitously played a set after a friend of mine at the Knitting Factory (when it used to be in Tribeca).  They are so energetic and can carry off a sweet harmony or two.  One of the band members even has a harmonica belt!  That's right... a belt full of harmonicas in different keys.  I never knew such a thing even existed! 

Today, this Brooklyn bluegrass band has released their music video for "The Understanding."  In my opinion, they've definitely captured a part of the New York spirit in this video.  It makes me want to move back. Like, now. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!!

Come on, Irene.

NYC friends - I'll be thinking about y'all this weekend!  Go buy some boardgames, sundries, etc. and enjoy the slumber party in your tiny apartment.  You know? That place where you normally only sleep ;).  And if you must leave, don't even TRY to use an umbrella.

NYC on a Wednesday night...

This little event was kind of a ritual when I lived in NYC.  So, if you are living in NYC or visiting on a Wednesday, you need to experience the bluegrass jam at the Grisly Pear.  Basically, every Wednesday night around 9:30, you can grab a drink at this little bar in the village and listen to an acoustic jam of anywhere from 15 - 30 bluegrass musicians.  They play all the bluegrass standards - some you probably know and some you don't.

Being from Texas, these Wednesday nights would transport me to some back room in Gruene, TX where I was sure the lightning bugs were twinkling outside along the river. Here's a little article the New York Times published in February on jam seshies in NYC, with a notable mention of the "Sherriff of Good Times."

I promise this will be one of your most memorable NYC experiences!  Oh, and it's totally free, btw.  Plus, once your done taking in all of the bluegrass, you can jump across the street to the Old Rabbit Club for a lovely import brew or wine.

NYC: nOir Sample Sale

If you are a friend of mine in NYC, you've probably heard of this sample sale and/or I've dragged you to it.  I rave about this sale, not only because nOir jewelry is so fun and different, but they also have some great prices!  Birthday presents... early Christmas shopping... such a great place to knock out some present buying.  Not to mention, you can get a few things for yourself!  Here's the info:

When:
April 6th, 7th, 8th
Wednesday - Friday

Time:
10 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Where:
nOir Showroom
350 W. 38th St. 5th Floor (Between 8th & 9th avenues)

Here are a few fun pieces to get you excited about the sample sale.  I'll be there in spirit!

Saying yes to the dress...

This past July, my mom and my future mother-in-love came up to NYC to go wedding dress shopping with me before the big move.  The first day was wonderful!  The second day was frustrating... but I eventually found the perfect dress and I can't wait to wear it next summer.  And no, you will not get to see it in this post - so keep dreaming ;).  BUT I will show you some of the other beautiful gowns I found on my shopping journey.

I knew I wanted something with texture and a splash of uniqueness that I hadn't seen on anyone else's wedding dress - and I've been to a lot of weddings.  Nothing too sparkly. Nothing too poofy.  I was a Texas debutante.  So, needless to say, been there. Done that.  I also didn't want anything too heavy since we were having an outdoor wedding.  I was actually leaning towards a short dress, so that I could keep costs down and also get some rad shoes.  However, I was definitely one of those brides who ended up with a dress that was NOT expected.  But it's beautiful and sophisticated, and I couldn't be happier.

So, here's how it all went down...

We started at Amsale.  One of my best friends from college had an Amsale dress that was beautiful.  They also carry a whole line of "Little White Dresses" that I wanted to check out.  A lot of the dresses (like the ones below) at the showroom were gorgeous - I guess their prices have gone up with their popularity. So, it seemed like a lack of unique design for the price.

Next, we headed down the street to Pronovias, a spanish brand known for its beautiful lace and european style gowns.  I found so many dresses that I loved here.  And the prices seemed so much more reasonable for what you were getting!  Here are a few that I looked at...

Our final stop on Day 1 was a new bridal boutique in the West Village called Lovely Bride.  Lovely carries a lot of smaller designers and most of their dresses have a similar aesthetic to what I was looking for.   I highly recommend this "lovely" little place.

Day 2 was the more frustrating day.  We started out the day at Kleinfeld's - you know, the "Say Yes to the Dress" people.  It's a lovely salon... a lovely HUGE salon.  That was one of the difficulties here - you really had to rely on your consultant to understand your criteria and pull the right dresses.  The problem? My consultant did not understand what I was looking for.  Also, I don't think Kleinfeld's really specializes in the style of dress I was looking for.  They have so many more options if you are looking for a big glitzy ball gown. Sorry, Pnina Tornai, I'm just not that into you.

The final stop on my wedding dress journey was the brand new J. Crew bridal salon on Madison Avenue.  It is a great boutique!  They don't quite have their process down yet.  And as much as I love the simplicity of the J. Crew dresses, I was looking for something with just a little more panache.  But here are a couple that I tried on....

I am going to remember their jewelry though!  So unique - it's over-the-top, but in a good way!  Check it out...

The next couple days, I slept on everything I saw and eventually came to a decision.  It was a tough decision because going into my dress search, I was thinking I would end up in a more casual dress.  However, I ended up purchasing a beautiful dress from Pronovias that is more on the fancy side.  It will still fit in our rustic mountain theme with its delicate, vintage details. And I'm so excited to marry the love of my life in this dress!

Play me, I'm yours.

Talk about a GREAT idea.

My fiancé and I first noticed a random bright orange piano in the park near our apartment last night.  On top of the piano it said, "Play me, I'm yours." Hmmmm, that's intriguing.

Then, on my way to work this morning, I saw another piano in Times Square with the same phrase.

Well, I guess I'm going to have to look into this....

As it turns out, the non-profit Sing for Hope, an arts education and outreach organization, has put 60 of these puppies all over the city.  All the pianos were donated, then fixed up and decorated by Sing for Hope.  The goal of this two week project is to create a public space for music in the city.  Here's the PSA from Sing for Hope...

Enjoy giving those keys a good tickle.

Copa Mundial!

The World Cup is upon us!

I'm so excited about experiencing my first World Cup where I actually understand more about the game, and I actually know who some of the players are (thanks, G).  New York is shaping up to be a great place to watch the games... Here are few cool "spaces" in the city to watch the 2010 Copa Mundial!

#1 - Puma City - you can go down to the South Street Seaport to catch some of the games, among many other activities, at this "city" built just for the World Cup.

#2 - Men with Balls - visit this art exhibit that will be combining the art of soccer along with a space for screening some of the high-demand games.

#3 - Madiba - this will probably be my go-to place.  Not only is it a wonderful South African restaurant, it's also in my n'hood.  Oxtail for breakfast? Yes, please.

So, I guess the only thing left to say is.... COME ON, YOU YANKS!!!

B to the K.

Loving this photo over at Brooklyn Limestone.  It's a sign at Lioni's Italian Hero Shop that pokes a little fun at Brooklyn's high opinion of itself.  I'm from Texas, so I'm really good at having a boastful opinion about my place of residence.

I'm not sure which one is my favorite yet.  But I think I'm leaning towards "BROOKLYN IN YOUR FACE and IN YOUR HEART."

Brookadelphia.

Brookadelphia is one of the Etsy stores I ALWAYS visit, ever since I saw my friend Jen wearing this Texas necklace (I finally bought myself one last week!).  Texans gotta represent up here in the Northeast... 

I absolutely love Amber's laser cut acrylic accessories.  She also makes some Brooklyn- inspired items.  Once you go Brooklyn, you never go back!  Here are a few more of my faves for your viewing pleasure...

And don't worry you don't have to be from Texas or Brooklyn to enjoy her necklaces!  She will also create customized pieces for your state for just a little extra moolah. Ready. Set. Shop.

A cherry good weekend!

Plans for this weekend include a visit to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden to see the cherry blossoms!  I need to make room on the fancy camera...

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

National Design Triennial: Why Design Now?

One of my favorite exhibits at one of my favorite museums is opening in May.  The National Design Triennial (the exhibit happens every 3 years) opens May 14th at the Cooper-Hewitt!  I love this exhibit because it pulls from all different areas of design - be it architecture, web design, or even fashion design. This year, the focus will be on projects addressing human and environmental problems.

This was my favorite exhibit from the 2006 Triennial.  It was a virtual reality game called SnowWorld that used visual images and music to cause certain triggers in the brain.  These triggers would help relieve the pain of severe burn victims.  Absolutely AMAZING!

Sample Sale: Betsey Johnson

My NYC ladies - the annual Betsey Johnson sample sale starts today!  Here's the flyer:

Own it.

 {via Ladies Lotto}

Elephants on parade!

Every year, the circus comes to NYC - specifically, Madison Square Garden.  The only issue is that the trucks carrying the elephants can't make it onto Manhattan.  So, they have to truck the elephants to Queens, walk them through the Midtown Tunnel, and then all the way down 34th Street to the Garden.


This past week, we stayed up well past our bedtime to stand out in the rain and watch the elephants strut their stuff down iconic 34th street.  It was incredibly surreal to see these enormous animals in the middle of Manhattan.  Enjoy a few pictures  below!

Only in NYC.

Yesterday, we were RUDELY awoken by ridiculous honking at the stoplight outside our window starting around 5:30 AM.  There's usually a certain degree of honking, but it's somewhat tolerable.  But this time, the level of honkage escalated throughout the morning and became basically unbearable and completely maddening by the time I left the apartment.  I was ready to start throwing heavy/sharp objects out the window at these disruptive cars that were ruining my morning.  


Come to find out - the stoplight had broken!  But not one of those polite stoplight breakages where the light starts blinking to inform drivers of its brokenness.  Nope, this is a rude Brooklyn stop light that decided to just STAY RED.


Sigh. Only in New York....