Wilde in NYC - Momofuku Milk

With the beginning of summer, I thought that I would share with you one of my favorite cool treats. It's the classic Momofuku Milk bar ice cream - Cereal Milk Soft serve!

Have no idea what I'm talking about? Imagine you've finished your bowl of frosted flakes. Take that bowl of leftover milk and turn it into ice cream! Okay, it sounds gross when you put it that way, but it's so much fun and so tasty! Especially when coated in crunchy cereal.

If you're in New York City this summer, stop by Milk Bar for their cereal milk ice cream (or their stranger and yet amazing pretzel milk ice cream). But don't stop there, stay for a baking class! Sure, you have to book ahead of time and then you have to travel to Brooklyn, but it's totally worth it!

Milk started running these "Bake the Book" classes last year and I took all three introductory classes. I made crack pie, cereal milk, blueberry cookies and confetti cookies. These days you can sign up to make birthday cakes, truffles or pie. Best part? The classes are taught by Christina Tosi herself, aka, the genious behind Milk.  Enjoy some pictures from one of my nights spent at Milk.

Warning - If you are visiting from out of town... You will leave these classes with either a whole 6-inch layer cake, crack pie or a dozen cookies. If you go with a friend, you will have twice as much. You will be on sugar high for the remainder of your visit to New York!

Can't get to New York? The classes actually use the Milk cookbook for direction. Pick it up and have a go in your own kitchen. Just be sure to follow the directions so carefully. They are very steppy recipes.

Tales from the Rails - The contagion

Commuting via public transit comes with one giant danger. The winter contagion. I have personally fell victim to this monster twice in the three years that I've been commuting.

When normal people get sick, they tend to stay home and infect only their closest loved ones. When a New York City commuter gets sick, they get on the train and cough all over everything. Apparently people have really important jobs and can't take a sick day. The morning and afternoon train rides in the winter tend to be a symphony of coughs, sneezes and people blowing their noses. I'm fairly certain that these people direct their germs directly onto hand holds, where they can best pass along their germs and infect others.

Last year I fell victim to a serious train contagion. Someone with bacterial bronchitis decided to share their germs with me (and most likely the rest of the train) and I spent the months of November, December and January feeling terrible. I missed almost two fulls weeks of work and spent a fortune on OTC medicine, tissues and finally a good course of prescription antibiotics and cough suppressants.

After three years of commuting, I've come up with a series of tips for anyone else riding the rails or enjoying the bus. Major takeaway - Don't Touch Anything!

Top Ten Ways

To Avoid Illness while Riding NYC Public Transit

1. Purchase a Hazmat suit.  Paint it to look like it isn't a Hazmat suit, as the NYC police might find you a little suspicious wearing a Hazmat suit on the subway.  Paint your Hazmat suit to look like a nice Italian three piece, wear at all times when riding transit.

2. Avoid licking the hand rails.  Seriously people, those are dirty.  Do you know how many thousands of people ride the subway everyday?

3. Listen before you sit down.  Hear any hacking coughs, snuffly noses or loud sneezers?  Don't sit next to those people, they want to share their virus with you.

4. Don't ride NYC public transit.  Walking is good for you, especially if you have to go fifty blocks and it's below freezing.  Think of how many calories you're burning!

5. Invest in face masks.  If anyone looks at you strange, just start speaking Japanese.  They'll realize you are from Japan, where face masks are totally normal.

6. Don't touch anything!  Don't even lean against the wall.  Just stand in the middle of the train car and maintain perfect balance until your stop. It's good for your abs. Though this is especially easy when you are riding with a friend.  Let them hold the bar, you just grab tight!  

7. Keep your gloves on.  Make sure they are those big fuzzy ones.  You'll be less likely to itch your eyeball while wearing big fuzzy gloves.  Think muppet-like.

8. Get a train car all to yourself.  I've seen this technique done only once.  I'm going to warn you, it involves not showering for a long, long time.  Maybe this should be a "last resort" kind of suggestion.

9. Bring your own air supply.  This will most likely take the form of a scuba diving system.  Wearing a wet suit is just optional, a fabulous option!

10.  Get a flu shot.  Don't tell anyone you got a flu shot as they will inevitably try to punch you in the arm.

With winter coming to a close, I'm happy to report that I haven't caught any of the train contagions. Here's hoping I can make it through the season without spending all of my money on Mucinex and tissues.

A. O. C.

It's time for another NYC dinner suggestion!  If you're not planning a trip to the city any time soon, feel free to skip today and I'll see you tomorrow with another outfit of the day!

A few months back, whenever it was warm out, the boyfriend and I headed out for a night on the town.  We were wandering, window shopping and people watching in one of my favorite New York City neighborhoods - the West Village.  As the dinner hour rolled around, we headed to A. O. C., because they have the most adorable back patio.  While I wouldn't suggest eating out on the back patio right now (because it's all of ten degrees outside right now), I would definitely recommend this place for the food!

A. O. C. is a French restaurant with a seriously delicious Duck leg confit (it's up there in the picture).  Crispy, full of flavor and served alongside a healthy portion of cauliflower gratin, the perfect dinner.  One warning though, this dinner is anything but light.  We're not talking airy, light French food.  This stuff is full of flavor, rich with fat and covered in sauces.  It's so worth the calories though.  Take a long walk after dinner.

Apparently they have an amazing breakfast menu too, but I haven't made it over there for brunch yet.  Perhaps my next girls weekend?  I'll update you all after I give their French toast a try!

Tales from the Rails - Excuses

I am a train commuter.  I have train stories.  I feel the need to share them with you.

In my three years of commuting, I have been hampered by the late train situation. Not just a little, but all the time. I think it has to do with riding multiple forms of transit and taking the "off-peak" trains. Off peak always gets screwed. When it comes to a late train or a diverted train or a cancelled train, I've heard a variety of excuses from New Jersey transit and the Long Island Railroad. Allow me to translate these cryptic messages for your future convenience.

Problem - Trains delayed due to switching problems at Jamaica. 

Translation - This is the message you most likely will hear during a rainstorm. It means the switches at Jamaica station have been hit by lightning. Expect extreme delays and tone rerouted on the subway. 

Problem - Trains delayed due to an unauthorized person on the tracks. 

Translation - Most likely someone decided they didn't want to go to work today (or ever again) and walked in front of a moving train. Bad day for the unauthorized person, 2-3 hour delays for all the commuters who ride that line. 

Problem - Due to slippery rail conditions, the train is running 15 minutes late. 

Translation - This one is seasonally applicable and you tend to hear this one only in the fall. It means there are lots of leaves on the tracks. The trains have to run slower or they run the risk of sliding on fallen leaves. Seriously. 

Problem - Due to a mechanical problem at the Portal Bridge, your train is being diverted to Hoboken. 

Translation - The train is supposed to go over the Portal Bridge, but this bridge is a drawbridge and is stuck in the open position. Hilarious. Enjoy Hoboken. 

Problem - Due to a vehicle on the tracks, all trains on the line will terminate at Farmingdale. 

Translation - Someone tried to beat the train at the crossing gates. This will inevitably happen in the single track zone. What does that mean?  There's only one track and all trains coming and going have to use that one track... And now there's a half a car sitting on it. 

Problem - Due to Police activity at (insert random sketchy town here), the train is now operating really late. 

Translation - This has come to mean many things. It could range from rowdy people on the train, someone who refuses to pay for a ticket, a bomb scare (yes, it happened to my train once) or a medical emergency. Let's just all behave, pay for our tickets, remember not to leave things behind on the station platform and stay off the train if we feel I'll. it will make everyone's commute much smoother. 

Problem - (And this one is by far the most often heard and my favorite) Due to inclement weather conditions, the trains are all running really late or are all cancelled.

Translation - There may be a hurricane, twenty feet of snow or just a little fog, I have no idea when the train is coming. You might as well just go home. 

Hopefully I've provided a little insight into why your NYC area train might be late. Keep in mind that they are always coming up with more and more creator reasons as to why you're not getting home on time and fear the words "Ladies and Gentlemen..."

Flowers in the Park

I love shooting outfit posts in the city because nobody cares what I'm doing.  There is so much nonsense going on in the city at any time, I am the least interesting person around.  Plus, picture taking is an all too common occurrence in New York City.

I love Washington Square Park during the springtime. The park is full of flowers, fitness enthusiasts, dog walkers, studying students and the occasional crazy person screaming random things.  I'm less thrilled with it during the winter, it's a little windy.  I can't wait until April.

Where is your favorite place to shoot OOTD (outfit of the day!) pictures?  Got any fun suggestions?

Coat: Elie Tahari

Shirt: Tinley Road via Piperlime

Purse: Rebecca Minkoff

Jeans: 7 for All Mankind

Shoes: DV for Dolce Vita via Macy's

Dolce Vita Boots · 7 For All Mankind Skinny Denim · Rebecca Minkoff Shoulder Bags

Linking up with...

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Life's a Party, Dress like it

NYE in NYC

Happy New Years Eve!  Do you have any big plans for tonight?  Personally, the boyfriend and I are going to go to a nice restaurant around 9:00, then seeking refuge in our apartment for some quality couch time to watch the ball drop.  I'll be wearing these pants...

... to dinner. And then some fleecy pants and a comfy tee to ring in 2014.

You may be wondering why I'm not doing something more exciting for the big night.  Why aren't we  watching the ball drop in Times square and then partying all night in NYC?  Well, we've done that already.  Once was enough, thanks.

A few years ago, the boyfriend and I decided to celebrate NYE in NYC and watch the big ball drop.  Unfortunately we decided to choose one of the coldest years in recent history to do so.  It was well below freezing all week and the temps dropped to the teens just in time for the big night.  We wore so many layers, bought those little hand and feet warmers and were still peoplesicles by the time midnight rolled around.

One other thing, I don't like to just sit around.  I have ADD or something and need to move, walk, stay warm somehow!  People start camping out in Times square just after 9:00am (I'm sure people are there earlier, but they're crazy).  The entertainment doesn't even start until 8:00pm! That's almost twelve hours of sitting in the cold.  Bring food, hot chocolate, and your own bathroom?

When it gets to a certain time, you can't enter Times square from the west or east, you have to walk all the way to 59th street and enter from the north.  It's a long walk, the ball is at 42nd street.  By the time the boyfriend and I decided to join the crowds in the square at 4:00, we were corralled at 50th street, seven blocks away from the ball drop.

No thank you.  We escaped and continued wandering the city for a few hours and finally settled at the corner of Bryant park - 42nd & 6th avenue - one block east of the ball drop, around 11:15.  The police cordoned off the street, yelled constantly at everyone and looked like they couldn't wait until tomorrow.  Luckily we were waiting on this corner with about a hundred other people. We weren't too cold anymore since we were all jammed together.

But remember, everyone else thinks they are more important than you/have a better idea of how to get to Times square.  They will try to push past you, sneak across the street and inevitably get screamed at by the police.  I must have heard "Excuse me, I'm trying to get through" about a thousand times.  My only response was "Where should I move? On top of this car I'm wedged against? Or perhaps into this crowd of shoulder to shoulder people?"  Seriously, if you are claustrophobic, avoid NYC on NYE.

When it was finally time for the ball to drop it got very loud and exciting.  There were fireworks and sparklers. Giant balloons and confetti floated down the avenues and bounced down the streets.  People cheered, blew horns and noisemakers and kissed their favorite person.  Then they all went home/back to their hotel rooms/raced to the train stations. The streets were clear by 12:30.

We did it once.  That was enough. Now we stay warm and either enjoy our friends or just our own company.

Should you plan a trip to NYC for NYE?  Maybe. Do it once in your life and plan ahead. The hotels charge the highest prices during this week, hundreds of dollars higher than the rest of the year.  The city is packed.  I know, there are already 8 million people here, but the NYE crowds are insane!  Reservations are your friend!  If anything, come this week for the sales. So many good deals out there right now!

Bright Lights, Pretty City

There are three times to visit New York City.  1. Springtime, when everything is new and green.  2. Fall, as the leaves are changing and the crisp air invites you to take a long walk. 3. Christmastime. It's like the entire city wraps itself up in bows and lights.

It's impossible to avoid Rockefeller Center...

...and you can't help but get in the holiday spirit when you see the Rockefeller tree.

But you must resist the urge to wait in line for the skating rink.  Check out the Wollman rink in Central Park instead, they have unlimited skate time there! Plus the rink is bigger and you're less likely to trip over someone!

Be sure to stop by the Saks windows this year, the story is so adorable! And if you visit after dark, you can watch a fun short movie that is projected on the front of the building. The little yeti makes an appearance!

New York City is wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and so am I!

Molly's Cupcakes

I thought that I would start featuring some of my favorite places to nosh, walk and relax in New York City! The boyfriend and I wander all across the boroughs trying different restaurants, sitting on various park benches and finding ourselves in new to us neighborhoods. Though often we wind up at the same pizza place on 8th avenue multiple times a year by accident.

First stop, dessert.  Of course. And cupcakes are still hot around the city. You can't walk two blocks without finding a bakery touting their "Amazing cupcakes!" (Though people are starting to try and reproduce Dominique Ansel's Cronut.) I've inhaled numerous calories in the quest to find my favorite cupcake in the city. You might have a different favorite bakery in town, but for me it's Molly's Cupcakes.

Located on Bleeker in the Village, Molly's has found the perfect ratio of cupcake to frosting (I lean toward a 2:1 cupcake to frosting ratio myself!) with a cupcake that is sweet, but not too sweet.  The flavors change constantly and I haven't met one that I didn't like.  Well, except that Kahlua cupcake up there, I'm not a huge fan of coffee. For my money, the cookie monster is where it's at.

Or you can build your own cupcake!  Choose the size, cake flavor, frosting flavor and anything you want to put on top of it. They also have vegan options for those abstaining from animal products.  Beyond the amazing desserts, there are swings hanging from the ceiling and their walls are stacked high with board games. You can get a cupcake, then challenge your friends to a round of battleship! Perfect afternoon. 

Brooklyn Glow

The days are getting so short!  This past weekend the Boyfriend and I hit up Brooklyn for some flea market bargains and delicious food. We topped off the day with a walk down the Promenade and watched the sun set over Manhattan.  It was a wonderful day, if only a little bit windy!

The boyfriend also helped me pick out my outfit for the day.  I'm loving this skirt because it's warm and it has pockets!  I'm a sucker for a dress or skirt with pockets. It will probably only be another week before I have to wear this skirt with some thick tights, it's getting cold here!

Be sure to take a walk on the promenade if you come to visit Brooklyn!

[ Jacket: South Moon Under (on sale!) / Cardigan: Banana Republic (similar) / Skirt: Madewell / Boots: Ralph Lauren / Necklace: Charming Charlies (similar) / Bag: Louis Vuitton (similar) ]

DKNY Watches · Fossil Necklaces · Louis Vuitton Hobos

Wandering Soho

It's been five months now since my company closed and I was no longer employed.  I've been on the job hunt since then, but I can only take so many hours a day networking and applying for jobs.  The remaining hours of the week I try to fill with fun things to distract me from the fact that I have no job.  This including training for a half marathon, finishing partially complete projects and wandering the streets of New York.

My favorite place to wander is Soho and the best time to walk around is a weekday afternoon.  It's so much quieter than on the weekend and the salespeople in the stores are so much more helpful!  I've discovered so many fun shops that make me long for a new job, so I can buy pretty things.  

Since I was out for the whole day, I wore my favorite flats and carried along a big tote.

It's also much easier on a weekday to stand in the middle of the street and take pictures.

[jacket: Kenneth Cole / top: Anthropologie / jeans: 7 for all Mankind / shoes: Steve Madden via DSW / tote: Kate Spade / Necklace: Madelines]

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Fall in Central Park

Fall is my favorite time of the year to hang out in Central Park.  The weather is cooler, the crowds have ebbed and the colors are amazing.  Jewels tones are always my go to color palette for the fall and I've been living in these booties since I got them a few weeks ago!

[Jacket: South Moon Under / Shell: French Connection / Skirt: DKNY / Booties: C Wonder]

What does the fox say?

What are your favorite things to do in the fall?

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Everything Wild & Lovely

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Extra Summer Days

I don't know about you, but this week has been exceptional here in the tri-state area.  With temps in the 80's all week, I've been enjoying a few more days of dresses and skirts without the need of tights and leggings.  Meeting some girls in the city for lunch yesterday I decided to wear this sweet fall-y sundress.  It felt like it was a bit low cut for a nice lunch, so a little black cami was necessary!

Full photo disclosure...  I actually shot these images right next to the train station.  I saw the fiery red bushes and couldn't pass them up.  So pretty!  Also of note...  the back-lighting is doing an excellent job of hiding the fact that I need to get myself to the salon.  Hello roots!

Hope you're enjoying a little extra summer in your part of the world!

 [dress: Baby Blue Line (see below) / necklace: NYC street fair / purse: Rebecca Minkoff via South Moon Under / booties: TAHARI via DSW]

On a walk through Nolita one afternoon, the BF and I stumbled upon Baby Blue Line.  It's this tiny shop that sells clothing that has been sourced from around the world.  Run by the two nicest Korean ladies, I stop by every time I'm in the neighborhood and see what they have.

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