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Monthly Archives: September 2008

10 Things I Love About New York City

28 Sep 2008
10 Things I Love, Travel, USA
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Whenever I think about New York, only the beautiful places stand out. The loud, dirty, crowded avenues fade away, and an ideal vision of cobbled, West Village streets forms. In my mind, gorgeously outfitted people step past pots of pretty geraniums and tiny evergreen hedges, into perfect cafes and storefronts whose windows frame lovingly crafted displays. It’s funny how when you distance yourself from a place, the shortcomings fall to the wayside. Here are ten things I love about New York City.

1. The Brooklyn Bridge – How many times have I crossed this marvel of civil engineering, on foot, on bike, or in the back seat of a yellow cab? Each time I’m taken aback by its silent glamour, its ability to persist as an iconic metaphor for the city, standing strong and beautiful against a clear blue sky, within a shroud of fog, or in the midst of a raging storm. [*]

2. New York City Marble Cemetery - At twilight, in late summer, this  magical plot of land sparkles with the blink of a thousand fireflies. It’s usually by accident that I find myself walking along Second Street between First and Second Avenues, and stumble upon the peaceful place once again. But it’s always a pleasant surprise, and a nice spot to stop for a moment and peer between the bars of its Victorian iron gate into the dark, mysterious realm beyond. [*]

3. The Air Train from Jamaica to JFK - My friends like to tease me because I tend to get over-excited when I talk about the Air Train, but I truly think it’s one of the best resources for those traveling in and out of the city via that monstrosity known as Kennedy Airport. Just get yourself to Jamaica Station on the Long Island Railroad and transfer to the sleek, clean Air Train that whisks you to your terminal for $5. [*]

4. McNally Jackson (Formerly McNally Robinson) – Sometimes I like to sit with a cup of tea and a pile of magazines. This nice bookstore on Prince Street is my favorite place to do it. When I was planning my wedding I’d stop in at least once a week to see if the new issue of my favorite UK wedding magazine was in yet. [*]

5. Housing Works Used Book Cafe – This is the perfect place to spend a rainy afternoon. Its cozy interior is lined in dark wood, and there are hundreds of interesting books to peruse. Everyone on staff is a volunteer, and proceeds go to organizations that help the homeless. [*]

6. Union Square Farmer’s Market - Every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday farmers from the Tri-State region cart their freshly plucked produce to this sprawling concrete lot in Union Square. It’s fun to watch the goods change with the seasons. Daffodils in spring, apples in fall… [*]

7. Pure Food & Wine’s Garden - A leafy wonderland of red cushioned seats, and warm wooden planks, this restaurant’s garden is a sophisticated oasis in the midst of Manhattan. It’s best appreciated on one of those  hot summer days when it’s too awful to leave the air conditioning before nightfall, but once darkness looms, the air’s perfect for a strapless dress. [*]

8. Kin Khao’s Thai Combos – I used to live around the corner from this Thai restaurant in Soho. Its name translates to “Eat Rice”, and they have the best sticky rice. When Rama and I felt like a splurge, we’d take a seat at the bar, order a pair of ginger cocktails, and share the “Thai Combos.” We’d each get two spring rolls, two skewers of chicken satay, and a few mouthfuls of crispy tofu, green papaya salad, and that wonderful sticky rice. [*]

9. Freeman’s Mint Julep - It’s not easy to get a table at this Lower East Side hotspot, so chances are, if you get in at all, you’ll have a good, long wait at the bar. It was during once of these pre-dinner interludes that I discovered the mint julep. The minty-sweet concoction of bourbon and crushed ice makes me happy each time I think of it. [*]

10. Bryant Park – Almost Parisian, this is Manhattan’s prettiest park. Unfortunately it’s in the midst of midtown, but perhaps that makes it all the more special. A lush green lawn is surrounded by towering plane trees, a ground-covering of ivy, and beautiful flowers that bloom each spring. My favorite spot is over by the little carousel on the south side. Go on a Monday night in summer to see an open-air movie, or any afternoon to escape the bustle and lounge in the sun. [*]

Black and White Berlin Houses

26 Sep 2008
Architecture, Germany, Home
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One day Rama and I started biking south from Friedrichshain, our neighborhood in Berlin. Since we don’t usually go this way, we really had no idea what we would discover. So we followed the path of the River Spree and ended up in an area called Rummelsburg where we found these incredible houses. I don’t know a thing about them, except that they’re gorgeous, and I would love to live in one someday. Or build one of my own.

Wednesday Weddings: Mandy & Jared

24 Sep 2008
Profiles, Weddings
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An open hearth and hundreds of candles set a mood of rustic elegance at a gorgeous Texas ranch just outside Austin.

Who: Mandy and Jared

Date: March 31, 2007

Location: Kali-Kate Farm, Buda, Texas

Bride Wore: A custom made v-neck gown of white silk that she designed herself.

Bridesmaids Wore: Taupe knee-length dresses with pink sashes, from Aria Bridesmaids.

Song: Gretchen Peters, “When You Are Old”

Favors: At the end of the night guests were invited to fill brown paper bags with an assortment of white candies, which were displayed in clear glass urns of varying shape and size.

Distinctive Details: The bride and groom’s good friend Matt Diamond officiated at the wedding, after being ordained online by the Universal Life Church.

Favorite Moment: “Walking down the aisle after the ceremony with Jared, unable to stop smiling and feeling completely happy.”

See more photos from Mandy and Jared’s wedding.

Babar Makes His Way To New York

22 Sep 2008
Art, Culture
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One of my first encounters with great sadness must have been the day I set eyes on that iconic illustration of little Babar’s mother, shot by a hunter, lying dead in the jungle. My name being what it is (Celeste), I can assure you, my childhood was filled with plush elephant dolls with plastic yellow crowns on their heads, chipped but beloved cereal bowls adorned with a lady elephant in a red dress, and bottles of perfume fit for an ivory tusked queen. The fact that I threw up outside the elephant cage during my first visit to the zoo didn’t diminish my love for the massive, tough-skinned creatures; though perhaps the act was my two-year-old self’s form of protest, only understood three decades later. After all, a dark dingy room (as I remember it) is no place for an elephant king.

See Jean de Brunhoff’s original illustrations in the exhibition “Drawing Babar: Early Drafts and Watercolors” through January 4, 2009 at the Morgan Library & Museum in New York. The author’s son Laurent de Brunhoff, who continued the series after World War II, was at the exhbition’s opening September 19. Watch WNYC’s interview with him.

Five Vermont B&Bs Under $100

21 Sep 2008
Travel, USA
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Blazing hues begin to adorn the New England landscape, and our thoughts turn to Vermont. Here, a mountainous countryside dotted with sugar houses, dairy farms, and hay bales provides a most exceptional look at the changing fall foliage. Why not take a drive up north this season and stay at one of these five Vermont Bed and Breakfasts? Each of them offers rooms for under one hundred dollars, and if you’re lucky you’ll start your day with a plate of pancakes smothered in the freshest maple syrup in the world.

1824 House Inn, Waitsfield
www.1824house.com

I’d love to snuggle up in one of this elegant inn’s eight rooms. They feature antique headboards and fluffy featherbeds, and each one is named after a county in Vermont such as Chittenden and Caladonia. The inn itself sits at the heart of Mad River Valley, and offers guests easy access to picturesque villages filled with art galleries and antiques shops.

Johnnycake Flats, Roxbury
www.johnnycakeflats.com

Wthin this creme colored, red-shuttered house, four pretty rooms feature wide plank wood floors and handmade quilts. This B&B offers a tranquil escape with its sixteen acres of land covered in gardens and forests,  but it is also just a short drive from the shops, restaurants, and cultural attractions of Montpelier, Northfield, and the Mad River Valley.

Nye’s Green Valley Farm, Jeffersonville
www.nyesgreenvalleyfarm.com

Llamas, goats, and sheep greet guests as they arrive at this colonial farmhouse thirty minutes from Stowe. A stagecoach tavern in the early 19th century, the house was purchased by the inn-keeper’s great-grandfather in 1867, and its classic, country interior has been lovingly restored. Antique rockers, cupboards, and a piano decorate the living room, and patchwork quilts cover the three beds upstairs.

The Hidden Garden’s Bed and Breakfast, Hinesburg
www.thehiddengardens.com

Surrounded by twenty-six acres of woodlands, this Champlain Valley retreat offers the perfect escape for those who like to hike, fish, canoe, or simply be immersed in nature. The contemporary Post & Beam home lies just south of Burlington, within close proximity to Shelburne Farms, the Vermont Teddy Bear Company, and the shops and restaurants of scenic Church Street.

Silver Maple Lodge and Cottages, Fairlee
www.silvermaplelodge.com

This 18th century farmhouse has been an inn since the 1920s. The main house includes seven cheerful rooms, but I’d opt for one of the pine-paneled cottages that surround the property. Three include working fireplaces, providing the perfect place to cozy up after a brisk fall day exploring Quechee Gorge, Maple Grove Maple Museum, the Calvin Coolidge Homestead, and other Hanover area attractions.

Wednesday Weddings: Jessica & Mark

17 Sep 2008
Profiles, Weddings
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Family and friends gather at the edge of Narragansett Bay for a glamorous ocean-side wedding.

Who: Jessica and C. Mark Hammond

Date: April 20, 2008

Location: Ocean Cliff Hotel, Newport, Rhode Island

Bride Wore: An elegant, v-neck, sheath gown.

Bridesmaids Wore: Pink chiffon cocktail dresses that mirrored the style of the bride’s wedding dress.

Flowers: Gerbera daisies in pink, orange and white hues.

Song: Van Morrison, “Into The Mystic”

Favorite Moment: “Looking at Mark and knowing he was having just as much fun as I was.”

See more photos from Jessica and Mark’s wedding.

Lovely Rhode Island Wedding Venues

12 Sep 2008
Weddings
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Linden Place
500 Hope Street, Bristol, RI
401 253-0390
www.lindenplace.org

My own wedding reception was held here last summer, so I’m a little bit partial. Funny thing is, I didn’t even know it existed until we started looking for wedding venues, but as soon as we saw it we were smitten. It includes all the little historical touches that we love, and the gardens are gorgeous. Guided tours of the 1810 mansion are offered during your reception, but the actual event takes place in a brick ballroom adjacent to the house. A tented courtyard is perfect for cocktails and dancing, and the kids loved playing on the grounds. We had about 130 guests, and that’s probably the amount that will comfortably fit.


Mount Hope Farm
250 Metacom Avenue, Bristol, RI
401 254 1745
www.mounthopefarm.com
This was our number two choice. With rolling lawns, wildflowers, stone walls, and grazing cows, it features a pastoral scenery that is truly transporting. Wedding receptions take place in a few different places on the grounds but we only looked at the barn, which was really magical, but probably too small for us. (Maximum capacity is 140) Besides the chickens and cows that roam free, my favorite detail about this place is the old wooden mermaid that hangs over the barn’s main door, probably a relic from some great historic schooner. It is also an incredibly historic site where Wampanoag Indians and early English settlers once roamed. Lodging is available at the Governor Bradford House, a lovely colonial home that dates from 1745, but the wedding party is not allowed to stay here.


The Glen Manor House
3 Frank Coelho Drive, Portsmouth, RI
401 683 4177
www.glenmanorhouse.com
My earliest memories include dancing at my aunt Susie’s wedding as a three-year-old here in this elegant, French style chateau. It was also the setting for my senior prom, as well as the US location for my friend’s Scott and Maya’s wedding (they also had a wedding in Venezuela), and my godmother Lark’s wedding. It is a gorgeous locale. But, the rooms are rather small, and it works best for weddings of about 100 people or less. Overlooking the Sakonnet River, the grounds are stunning, and early summer features gorgeous blue hydrangeas.

Ballroom at Easton’s Beach
175 Memorial Boulevard, Newport, RI
401 845 5489
www.cityofnewport.com
When my friends Susan and Lee got married here five years ago it was called the Easton’s Beach Rotunda, apparently they kicked off a new marketing campaign. Susan and Lee exchanged vows on the concrete patio overlooking the dramatic Atlantic shoreline, then took a ride on the colorful carousel (which we all grew up riding), before heading into the reception space next door. The spacious, circular room accommodates large groups of up to 225 people, and wrap-around decks offer dazzling views of the ocean.

Newport Yachting Center
America’s Cup Avenue, Newport, RI
401 846 2610
www.newportyachtingcenter.com
I’ve never been to an event here, but wouldn’t it be lovely to dine, and dance, and celebrate your nuptials overlooking Newport harbour? They have a tented “Sunset Terrace” for 125 guests, and a tented “Harborview Veranda” for up to 225.

Greenvale Vineyards
582 Wapping Road, Portsmouth, RI
401 847 3777
www.greenvale.com
We had a little “bachelorette party” type thing for my friend Susan here, which included a wine tasting and very nice stroll through the grounds, and lovely they were. Picturesque grape vines growing upon a hill overlooking the Sakonnet River provide an enchanting backdrop to wedding receptions held within the vineyard’s stable. But only tiny parties of 50 dinner guests can be accommodated. Tents for 60 are a possibility from May through October.

Herreshoff Marine Museum
One Burnside Street, Bristol, RI
401 253 5000
www.herreshoff.org
This is a museum of the America’s Cup Hall of Fame, founded by four-time America’s Cup winner, Halsey Herreshoff, grandson of yacht designer Nathanael Herreshoff. The site includes a tent for up to 400 people, a gallery filled with model boats and historic photographs for very intimate weddings, and a “Hall of Boats” which accommodates up to 100 guests. It seems very nautical and exclusive.

Tuesday Itineraries: Two Days In London’s East End

09 Sep 2008
England, Travel
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/etselecsg/2842786613/in/set-72157607198383772/

It was my fifth trip to London, and I wondered why I was coming along on this business trip of my husband’s, when all I’d be doing was working. I could do that from the comfort of my couch. But once we emerged from the Old Street Tube station, and found our way to the Hoxton Hotel, I realized my decision had been a good one.

Shoreditch, in London’s East End, was like no other part of the city I had seen. Old warehouses and 1960s apartment blocks everywhere, covered in peeling posters and street art. “The Hox” as it’s called by the locals, like my friend Sam, seemed more like a place for sipping Pimm’s cup than for sleeping. Pop-rusticity describes the lobby’s soaring paper-mache eagles and Technicolor butterfly prints. We dropped off the luggage in our not-too-small room, marvelled at the view, and headed down to the Hoxton Grille for dinner – surprising delicious.

The next morning, Ram headed to the lab, and I made my way to the Barbican, in hopes that the rumours would be true – free wifi and a comfortable chair. I was more than delighted. See a few photos of the immense space here, then get detailed information about a few favorite spots we discovered during our free time, below (in order of encounter).

The Hoxton Hotel
Basic rooms keep the rates low, but we found the atmosphere tremendously exciting. Free wifi throughout the hotel, complimentary tea, nice conference rooms, a pleasant open-air courtyard, and Kit-Kats for just 50p.

81 Great Eastern Street
+44 (0)20 7550 1000
www.hoxtonhotels.com

The Hoxton Grille
A nice selection of British standards like steak, chicken, and ribs, plus lots of different wines and cocktails. Surprisingly good food, and the waitress took so long with our drinks, she gave them to us for free.

81 Great Eastern Street
+44 (0)207 739 9111
www.grillerestaurants.com

The Barbican
In addition to galleries, cinemas, and theatres, this place has a couple nice restaurants, a bar, and a gorgeous terrace. But the endless amount of secluded spots where I could cozy up alone with my laptop that had me smitten.

Silk Street
+44 (0)20 7638 4141
www.barbican.org.uk

The Rivington Grille
I was the only one wearing jeans, but Londoner’s are fancy in general. Freshly baked bread (still warm) came out on a cutting board, and the waiter gave us a whole pitcher (glass, with lemons) of tap water. No fish and chips, but the “fish fingers” were not bad.

28-30 Rivington Street
+44 (0)20 7729 7053
www.rivingtongrill.co.uk

Kemistry Gallery
A white box with really nice art on its walls, mostly of the graphic sort. They sell pretty cool T-shirts too.

43 Charlotte Road
+44 (0)20 7729 3636
www.kemistrygallery.co.uk

Artwords Bookshop
Small space with lots of great art and design books. Their magazine section made me want to open my own magazine store. We bought a book on tricks of the typeface trade, and a tote-bag with their fantastic logo on it.

65a Rivington Street
+ 44 (0)20 7729 2000
www.artwords.co.uk

Bookartbookshop
This was a really unique place with exceptionally well crafted small press books. And when I say small press, I mean things like John Dilnot’s fabulous mini guides on birds and things.

17 Pittfield Street
+44 (0)20 2608 1333
www.bookartbookshop.com

William IV
Quintessential British ambience at lunchtime, I can only imagine what this place is like at quittin’ time. Images of graphic designers with happy hour lights in their eyes come to mind. Ads for “Monday quiz night” were everywhere, and the pile of board games atop the piano certainly beckoned. The ground floor is more of a refined country pub, while upstairs looks like a 19th century naturalist’s laboratory, tidied  up and turned it into a dining room.

7 Shepherdess Walk
+44 (0)20 3119 3012
www.williamthefourth.co.uk

John Dilnot’s Little Books

04 Sep 2008
Art, Culture
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Yesterday, I stepped inside the delightful cupboard of small press art books that is Bookartbookshop, in London, and was immediately taken by a display of tiny books on subjects like birds, cows, and English homes. I made a mental note of the author/artist’s name “John” “Dill” “Not”, and looked him up when I got home.

Not only does the British graphic designer make tiny books, he creates wonderful prints and cards too, and they’re all based on his infatuation with nature, landscapes, and humanity’s relationship with them. Find out a little more about Dilnot, and his work, at the Centre for Fine Print Research website, then go ahead and order yourself a little book about woodpeckers.

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