Last Friday, I left The Magpie's studio and set out on a grand adventure--a weekend in New York City. The weatherman predicted rain all day Saturday and Sunday, so I packed my umbrella, warm sweaters, and mittens for the occasion. Meanwhile, my husband packed a Yankees baseball cap, 2 tickets to Saturday night's game, and a rain coat. -- I had agreed to join him at the game, if we could spend the rest of the weekend exploring the city. It was not hard to convince him that we needed this adventure.
On my list of things to see were Greenwich Village, indie bookstores, and some uber-cozy restaurants. I soon found that the weather was as dreary as they'd expected it to be, but instead of putting a damper on things, it made the trip all the more romantic--because we spent lots of time squeezing close together to fit beneath our single umbrella!
Travel frequently presents surprises, and the first surprise of this trip became apparent the moment we entered our hotel. I'm used to seeing a huge floral arrangement in the lobby--instead there were wedding gowns everywhere.
It turns out that the Wedding Channel Couture Show was taking place right there in our hotel. How cool is that?! Every time we came in or went out of the hotel, I had to stop to admire the satin and feathers.
I don't EVER want to be responsible for planning another wedding--but I have to admit--the display made me wish I had an occasion when I could wear one of those super fancy gowns!
Saturday was Game Day. We headed to the Bronx--home of the brand new Yankee Stadium. The sun was already down when we arrived, and it was getting colder and more windy by the minute.
The game turned into a 12 inning, nail biter that didn't end until 1 AM. Fortunately, the vendors kept coming by with steaming cups of hot chocolate--not the kind of fare you'd expect to have at a baseball game--but absolutely perfect for that night. We watched all 12 innings, then rode the Subway back to Grand Central Station and walked to our hotel.
The next morning, when the alarm clock went off--we were NOT bright eyed and bushy tailed. Some how we made our way down to the street and hailed a taxi to take us to brunch at Cafe Cluny (W 4th St. in the Village)...
(Photo courtesy of Cafe Cluny)
And within an hour, we were savoring buttery french toast with wild berries in an intimate dinning room, where tables were wedged close together and waiters whirled by with french presses full of rich coffee. I felt myself reviving as threads of conversation wafted by. It was a great spot to people watch and melt into the hum of the crowd.
Afterward--on full stomachs, we set out to find the indie bookstores on our list. At 266 Bleecker Street, we found Bookbook--the new incarnation of Biography Book Shop. As the front door closed behind us, we heard two shop clerks discussing novels that were beautiful yet completely depressing. They began talking about Under the Volcano by Malcom Lowry as I headed toward the poetry section. I was hoping to find some books of haiku, however, I picked up a tiny collection of letters written by Rainer Maria Rilke instead. It was full of his advice on writing. And I love books like that--where authors and artists share their approach to their craft--because more often than not they actually end up revealing how they live life. I'm always hoping to find gems of advice that I can scribble on Post-It's for myself. (You can read all of the letters online here.)
After we paid at Bookbook, we crossed the street and walked a few doors down to Rocco's Pastry Shop & Espresso Bar. The shop clerk there placed a handful of Saviada in a white box for me. These are a childhood favorite of mine--they're white, airy inside with a thin crisp outside, and sweet with amaretto--perfect with a huge glass of milk! My husband added his favorites to the box--a black & white cookie and some tri-colors. The clerk expertly tied the box using traditional red and white bakery string. And we left with big smiles on our faces, promising each other that we'd save our stash as bedtime treats back in our room.
Our next stop was another bookshop--Books of Wonder at 18 W 18th Street. This is a great place for kids and for adults like us who love children's books. Not only are the shelves full of fantastic literature and imaginatively illustrated stories, but stacks of the books have been signed by their authors. I snatched up several signed copies by Newberry Award winner Kate DiCamillo (author of Because of Winn Dixie, The Tale of Despereaux, and The Tiger Rising). Meanwhile my husband found some "manly" picture books to add to our collection, including Old Penn Station and Sky Boys: How They Built the Empire State Building.
In addition to great books, Books of Wonder is also home to The Cupcake Cafe. This is where little readers and their parents can discuss storybooks over hot chocolate and fancifully decorated cupcakes. Nearly every table in the cafe was occupied. It was fun to see moms & dad's enjoying books with their kids and having so much fun on such a gloomy day.
Well, a visit to NYC would not be complete if I didn't get to see some handcrafted jewelry...
(Photo courtesy of Innasense)
...So I was very excited when we strolled passed Innasense--a compact jewel-box of a place with wood floors and plush red walls. They feature large stones in their jewelry--facetted gems and colorful semi-precious stones. The shopkeeper explained that the spiritual or mystical aspects of the stones are important to them. For instance, one ring that intrigued me contained a spiral seashell from Africa that was set inside a domed silver disc with a squiggly symbol pierced around its outer edges. The woman said that the symbol was a rune that represents harmony and being grounded. Unfortunately, the ring didn't come home with me... But it was a beautiful piece of art and I appreciated learning about it and seeing how other jewelry designers approach their work.
At 3 PM-ish we left the jewelry shop. It was too late for lunch, but too early for dinner, so we walked a few blocks until we found The Crooked Knife--a softly-lit restaurant decorated with country antiques. Out front there was a handwritten board that highlighted the daily special-- "Butternut Squash Soup." One of my favorites! We quickly shuffled inside.
As we spooned the earthy soup to our lips, my husband used his iPhone to search the Zagat Web site for romantic dinner spots. The Place, a restaurant on 4th Street in the Village, emerged as our pick. It was a slightly underground cafe/bistro that reviewers said was so romantic that "if you can't sweep your date off his/her feet here then you are hopeless." Just what we were looking for!
We made a bee-line to our hotel, changed into "good clothes," and hailed a cab to take us to The Place (located just a door or two away from Cafe Cluny, where we started the day.)
We were the first patrons to arrive for dinner. Candles and a fireplace flickered against the river rock-lined walls and wooden-beamed ceiling. After a long day of walking in the frigid city air, it felt so good to sit still by the fire and have some quiet time together. We started the evening off-- clinking glasses full of ruby-red wine to toast New York City and the Yankees. And we ended our date--dipping spoons into warm pumpkin bread pudding with carmel sauce. Um, um, good--night! Zzzz z zz z z z!
(Photo courtesy of The Place)
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It was a long and full weekend. As I write this, I am riding in a train heading back to DC. I'm still a bit sleepy, but can't wait to get back to my studio. I am eager to finish up some projects that I started last week--so I can show you what I've been up to! And, I also have to whip up some new jewelry for an exhibit that I'll be participating in next month. (I've gotta get a move on with that project before I switch into panic mode!)
Well, I hope you have a great week. And if you haven't visited NYC lately, it's time to go. It's a great place to visit--rain or shine!
~JF
