Other Musings

Smorgasburg Sunday

The weather last weekend was quite possibly as close to perfect as it could get. Sunday was simply glorious, so you can imagine how I squealed with glee when we went to visit our friends in Brooklyn and they suggested we attend Smorgasburg in DUMBO. Did I mention they also welcomed us with mimosas? And a nine week old french bulldog puppy? Sunshine, blue skies, a food market, mimosas and a puppy? Yeah, life really doesn’t get better! Don’t believe me, check this puppy out.

I’ve been like a broken record since we moved to New York, telling my husband over and over how we have to go to Smorgasburg. Around 75+ vendors from the greater New York City area gather to sell their packaged and prepared food and drink. On Saturdays, you can stumble across Smorgasburg in Williamsburg and Sundays in DUMBO at Brooklyn Bridge Park inside of the historic Tobacco Warehouse. I was a total tourist snapping pictures of the bridge, but how could I not with this gorgeous view!

Just one of the rows and rows of food stands.

I sampled way more vendors than I’d care to admit, but my absolute favorite had to be the Bamburg chicken schnitzel sandwich from Schnitz. Life changing, seriously.

And who wouldn’t enjoy some good old fashioned pigs in a blanket from Brooklyn Piggies? I also sampled a strawberry basil lemonade which was tasty but could have used a good straining. The mini cheesecakes from Bite Me cheesecakes will NOT disappoint.

Last but not least, a few of my Sunday staples. A great hat, sunnies, some lipgloss, a statement necklace and a postcard from Bite Me.

Hat – BCBG (similar fedora from Juicy Couture) | Shades – Dolce and Gabbana (similar here) | NARS Lipgloss in Easy Lover | Statement necklaces galore

If you’re planning to head over to Smorgasburg, friends so you can sample each other’s dishes and cash. All vendors are cash only and while there is an ATM onsite, it is best to be prepared Most dishes are a full serving, not just a sampling, and cost $10. The vendors with the longest lines aren’t necessarily the best, just the ones with the most notoriety. Don’t get sucked in and waste time waiting in line. Oh, and definitely save room for dessert.

NYC Snapshots

I was lucky enough to have a few visitors for July 4th weekend, one of which is the mega-talent behind Mangolens Photography. You might remember our gorgeous one year anniversary shoot he did for us last September.

He was snapping shot after shot during his entire visit and captured some beautiful shots of the city. I thought it was the perfect opportunity to share a couple of the shots of my new hood and the views from my roof deck!

Pushcart Coffee, on the corner of Second and 21st, is the quintessential neighborhood coffee shop. With superb coffee and even better customer service, I walk in and want to stay around for awhile to let my caffeine buzz be compounded by the shop’s bustling energy. They also sell iced coffee concentrate which is crucial for summer!

A roof deck ended up being one of the deciding factors in our apartment search which is ironic considering that outdoor space was not something either of us were initially hoping for. I set one foot on top of this roof deck though, and I knew this had to be my home. The views are incredible and since we live right above a park, it almost feels serene to sit up there and watch the world go by!

I’ll leave you with this snapshot that I took on July 4th. Yea, America! Happy Friday!

NYC Discoveries

Last Saturday afternoon, as I was waiting for a bus to Queens, a woman asked me if I was a New Yorker. Out of habit, I responded that I wasn’t. Then my husband reminded me that we’ve been living in Manhattan for a month and a half now. I just about choked on my coffee – has it really been more than six weeks?

To be fair, we’ve traveled for about half of the weekends we’ve been up here which definitely makes it feel like we’ve been in New York for less time than we actually have. However, I have to give myself a pat on the back for the number of neighborhoods and restaurants we’ve explored in the time we’ve been here.

One of my absolute favorite days so far was when the hubs decided to surprised me with a nice little morning of R&R in the East Village. While we had a somewhat early wake-up call, our cab stopped in front of this sign and I knew I was in for a fabulous day. Great Jones Spa is quite literally an oasis in the concrete jungle. As we were being lead to the locker rooms to change for our couples massage (major bonus points), I could hear the faint sound of rushing water as the attendant mentioned, “full use of our water lounge.” Now, I know New York births many oddball trends, but I have never heard the phrase “water lounge.” Lo and behold, as I descended the staircase to the treatment rooms, I was greeted by the water lounge complete with a steam room, sauna room, “cold plunge” pool and thermal hot tub. Oh, and did I mention the fluffy robes, comfy chaise lounges and tropical vegetation all perfectly lit courtesy of the tremendous skylight above? Ah, yes. Perfection. We headed to our rose petal adorned treatment room and emerged an hour later in a state of blissful relaxation, ready to experience all the water lounge had to offer.

The only problem? We did not know there was such a thing as a water lounge, so we did not bring bathing suits. Great Jones Spa has a solution – disposable bathing suits. Well, I wasn’t about to walk out of there without experiencing the water lounge! Bring on the paper bikini! Let me tell ya folks, it ain’t pretty, but it’s functional. I proudly pranced into the thermal hot tub in my glorified adult diaper and paper halter top getup and then promptly hightailed it out once a silicon-enhanced bachelorette party showed up. Nevertheless, we had a wonderful time and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a spa experience or a brief retreat from the city. You don’t need to pay for a treatment either – you can have complete access the water lounge for $50 per three hours. I know I can’t wait to go again!

*Photos are courtesy of Great Jones Spa and Spa Well Guide