Friday, March 25, 2011

Wavehill House

A few months ago, sitting at home in Dublin, while reading Design Sponge (my must read blog for the weekdays), I saw a post about Wavehill House. At the same time I was planning my escape to New York, but had not planned anything to do there apart from sit in café's and watch the world go by. I clicked on the link to the Wave Hill House website, searched through the events and found that they would have an embroidery workshop on while I was there, so it was the first event to go into my diary for the trip. The place has an amazing history and I was looking forward to checking it out.

The day came around for the embroidery workshop and it ended up pouring rain. I dragged a friend along with me and we taught ourselves embroidery in very Jane Austen style surroundings in a mansion on a rainy day.


I was so disappointed with the weather because we literally had to run from the gate to Glyndor House and still ended up soaking wet, so there was no opportunity to look around the grounds. I vowed to go back.

When my beau came over I asked him would he be interested in a trip to the Bronx and we penciled in another viewing of Wave Hill weather permitting. Luckily we did it the day before it started snowing again in New York, and we had a gloriously sunny but cold day to enjoy the grounds. We almost had the whole place to ourselves, our own Secret Garden.

I hadn't realised until my hosts in City Island told me that what I had embroidered was the Wave Hill House chairs, which I found when the rain wasn't obscuring my vision...


Wouldn't it be so lovely to bring a book, some knitting or just a cold drink and sit out on these in the summer looking across at the Palisades...heaven.

While at this stage of the year there wasn't huge amount in bloom and very few trees with leaves on, we still found beautiful grounds with a covering of bluebells and plenty of birds and squirrels rustling around...a little bit of heaven in the Bronx.






If you are planning a trip to New York I would highly recommend a half day out at Wave Hill, you can get there by subway and they pick you up at the station (details on the website). The area around the grounds is also nice, Riverdale, with some amazing houses and views across to the Palisades.

Monday, March 21, 2011

And they call it puppy love...

This book cover sums up perfectly how I felt about the lovely pooches I moved in with here in NY (and isn't it just such a cute cover!)


I present to you the classically beautiful Lisbeth (Chow) and the roguishly handsome Chumley (Pug)...





We enjoyed some fun on our walks together, including Lisbeth running (and dragging me) after a group of 'youths'. Little did I know that the kids I was staying with were in the group but were probably mortified at the sight of me and Lissy chasing them down the street! Also, I got hit on by an elderly man when I was with Lisbeth, he came up quietly and gave her a dog treat (I had some concerns), when I commented on his preparedeness, he said 'It's a great way to meet pretty girls'!! Brilliant.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Beannachtaí Lá Fhéile Pádraig/ Happy St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day to you!!!

From me and my nice green manicure...


Inspired by style queen Leighton Meester in last months Nylon magazine...


And from the sweeties at Magnolia Bakery...



Hope you are all celebrating in style with crazy green outfits and lots of fun and mischief! I'll miss you Dublin :(
xxx

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Love, love, love....

This was the tea I got in the cute little coffee shop near our new Lower East Side location...

Monday, March 14, 2011

Today is the day!

Today is the day that my lovely boy arrives in NYC...I can't wait!!! I'm so excited about meeting him in the airport and about all the fun we are going to have in New York, yay!!

(Courtesy of Above)

Friday, March 11, 2011

Goodbye City Island...i heart you...

City Island is a little-known part of the Bronx that is connected by bridge to the east Bronx. A lot of New Yorkers I have met couldn't even point it out on a map! It is such a beautiful part of New York City. It is a small island that has one main avenue running down the centre, with streets on either side leading to the beach, I never thought there was such a place still within the bounds of the city. I was lucky enough to get a chance to spend just over a week here with a wonderful family. The domestic architecture is so attractive, and I can only just imagine what it is like in spring and summer with the gardens in full bloom and the beaches alive with day trippers and locals alike, there is also an abundance of wildlife that you can see in all the greenspaces and interesting characters roaming the streets!




For more information on the island check out this.
There is also a movie out of the same name, starring Andy Garcia and Julianna Margulies (ER) and lots of other great actors!





These photo's were all taken while rambling around with the beautiful pooches belonging to the house, photo's of which I promise will follow soon x

P.S. One of my pet hates is how hard it is to photograph a house without a car outside! Grr!

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Tea time on the High Line

When we were walking on the High Line I spotted this...the perfect spot for a cuppa overlooking the Hudson River.

Project knitting

So, here I am in my new Manhattan home, tucked up in bed watching Gossip Girl online and knitting...perfect! I've just started GAP-tastic Cowl by Jen Geigley in a Moss colour. I'm using the same yarn she uses in the pattern (Lion Brand Yarn Wool-Ease Chunky).

I'll post up some photo's when I'm finished it, but if it goes well I feel there might be some of these under Christmas trees all over Ireland next year...let me know what colours you fancy girls (I can buy them before I get home if you leave your comments early enough!).

I want to say thanks to the lovely ladies at Downtown Yarns who sent me to the knitting group on Houston where I met a bunch of lovely people (one of whom was sporting this cute cowl!).

(I picked up their business card when I was in the shop, how cute is this?)

Monday, March 7, 2011

Loot

I know most people associate NYC with shopping, and I gotta say, it hasn't disappointed! I haven't done a huge amount of shopping yet, I have learned the hard way that I have to be very selective and sure about my purchases, especially when you think about having to store them in a small space. So, here are some of the highlights so far for your perusal, enjoy!







Colour

Just some of the lovely colours I'm seeing around the city. I love these aged/ distressed colours...and have recently realised that I am always drawn to aqua/blue/mint, no wonder my sitting room ended up pavillion blue (farrow & ball).


This is the jetty down the street from where I am staying, such beautiful weathering...


A lovely rusted ice cream parlour chair...


The hand rail in PS1 MoMA on Long Island City. The quality of the photo is not great because the security guard told me I wasn't allowed take photo's, not even ones of the stair rail!


The walls in PS1 MoMA, so beautiful!

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Foodie Friday

Today's post is all about the sweet side of life. I don't know if I will have enough time here in New York to taste all the goodies they have on offer, but I sure will try my best!


I especially enjoyed having German Chocolate Cake for dinner the other night at Amy's Breads on Bleeker Street(other locations in Hell's Kitchen and Chelsea).


Dylan's Candy Bar on Third Avenue is out of this world and a must for anyone with a sweet tooth or a hankering for some old-time goodies, they've got it all! And the smell is just pure sugar when you walk in...


This shelf is just taunting me, and setting me up for a challenge I hope I won't fail :)


No SATC fanatic/sweet tooth lady's trip to Manhattan would be complete without a visit to the delicious Magnolia Bakery. The morning we got there we were lucky, there were no queues and we doubled up on our order...yum, yum, it's gotta be done! (Credit to Dee for the second shot, thanks!) I finally got to try red velvet cupcakes and boy, they are sweet!




The M&M shop on Times Square is a mecca for all M&M fans (and we certainly had one of those in our group!!!)


This one is for all my peeps, love it!


Tasti-d-lite, fat free frozen goodness (except for the reese's pieces toppings!), 'nuff said!


So, I'll leave you with this thought for the day...

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Reading list

On a more upbeat note, one of the things I love about travelling is all that extra time you have to read! I love reading anyway, and anyone who knows me will know that of course I have already been into numerous NYC public libraries, have joined up and got my membership number within the first week and am reading on every subway trip I take...life is good!
This is the stack as it stands so far...I am reading another book which is not in the photo, but hopefully I will get these finished before I head home, or I won't have space in my case for all my new stuff! I've registered these on bookcrossing.com, I get such a kick out of seeing where the books end up after I have left them somewhere...If you are into watching your books travel the world you should check it out.


This is how your book should be enjoyed after a day of wandering the streets of New York...with a cup of Barry's tea and a bowl of love themed peanut m&m's.