Sundays in New York: The Frick Collection

Holbein's portrait of Thomas Cromwell—he looks intimidating, no?

My time in New York for the season(!) is winding down quickly, and, at least as it stands at the moment, this past Sunday was my last until November. So a good Sunday adventure was in order. It's been cold here, but that didn't stop me from tromping across town to the Upper East Side for a little museum date with myself. I had planned to visit the Neue Galerie, followed by a slice of Sachertorte at Café Sabarsky. I've never been, and I was wishing for a little dose of Vienna. Alas, it was not to be. Their spring exhibits open this week, so all but one small gallery were closed for installation.

Instead, I hoofed it down a few blocks and visited The Frick Collection for the first time. What a lovely museum. Frick had it built as his home in 1914, knowing he eventually wanted to turn it into a museum of his incredible art collection. He only lived in the house for 5 years before he died, and it was completely converted to a public museum in 1930 upon the death of his wife. Most of the artwork is from Frick's original collection, although some was bought for the museum in the intervening years since his death.

No photography is allowed in the museum, but a few of the paintings can be seen at Google Art Project. I particularly loved the Fragonard room—what a peaceful place. And having just finished reading Bring up the Bodies, I was excited to see Holbein's portraits of Thomas Cromwell and Thomas More flanking a fireplace in the Living Hall. The whole museum is laid out beautifully, surrounding the stunning Garden Court, which was actually a driveway back in Frick's day.

Not far from the museum there's a sweet little Italian coffee shop and restaurant, Via Quadronno. They have arguably the best cappuccinos in the city, and a wide variety of delicious panini at lunch. I always get the "Non ti scordar di me," with speck, brie, and paté. Delicious.

Then back across the park to walk off my lunch. Not a bad Sunday.

Have you been on any adventures lately? I'd love to hear.

December to-do list

The past couple mornings it's actually been colder in Houston than in New York, and it's taken all my willpower not to jump on the next plane home, light a fire (turn on the fire), and get to snuggling with my sweet husband and those adorable kitties. It's a bummer not to be home at this time of year. Last Christmas was so lovely, with family time and friend time and together time, all in our cozy, Christmas-y house. BUT. I'm here until January 1, and CM will be here with me Dec 21–26. Christmas at home is not in the cards. Luckily, NYC is wonderful at Christmas (if it would only SNOW finally), so to cheer myself up I've made a holiday to-do list for the rest of the month.


1. Go to the Big Apple Circus at Lincoln Center

2. Buy a (real) tree and decorate it

3. New pjs on Christmas Eve

4. Watch Love Actually

5. Take a tour of department store windows

6. Drink peppermint hot chocolate with whipped cream (maybe simultaneously with #5)

7. Check out NYC's Christmas markets

8. See movies (tentative list, in no particular order: Les Mis, Skyfall, Lincoln, Life of Pi, Silver Linings Playbook, The Hobbit, This is 40)

9. Exchange stockings with CM

10. See the Rockettes  (Check. And it was everything I could have dreamed.)

11. See the tree lit up at Rockefeller Center


What's missing from this list? Anything we shouldn't miss during the holidays here?

Staycation 101

I hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving holiday! CM was in town, and even though I didn't have much time off, we had a great, relaxing weekend. Friday afternoon we were wishing we had time for a vacation this winter and lamenting the fact that we don't have any overlapping time off this year. So, on a whim, we decided to take a mini vacation right here in Manhattan this weekend!

Do you ever take staycations when you don't have time to leave town? I'm a new convert—even one day outside of your normal environment can feel like a real vacation. We lead such busy lives that we have to take advantage of any time we can get to relax! May I suggest some guidelines for your (and our) next staycation?


1. Get away from it all.
You may be staying in town, but you don't need to be anywhere near home, or the office, or your commute. Mix it up and explore a neighborhood you don't know very well! We stayed in the Meatpacking District, somewhere we never go (and, I might add, where we were drastically less hip than the other inhabitants). It's only 2 stops on the express train from Columbus Circle, but we felt transported.

2. Stay somewhere swanky.
There's no point in getting a hotel room if the bed isn't going to be an improvement on the one at home (this is one thing that prevents us from staying in Houston hotels—I can't imagine a more comfortable bed than the one we have). We splurged on a room at The Standard—SO decadent. We loved all the mid-century modern detailing in our room. And the view from our room was incredible.

3. Eat well.
This one's important. Eat somewhere special, which doesn't have to mean expensive, but somewhere you don't go regularly. CM was especially excited that Blue Bottle Coffee was in the neighborhood. It's his favorite whenever he goes to San Francisco, but I had never been. We made sure to get creamy cappuccinos there…twice. Then we ate dinner at The Spotted Pig (our first Michelin-starred restaurant!). They don't take reservations, so we put our name in (they take your cell number, as all restaurants should) and headed to Vin Sur Vingt for wine flights. When we were done we took a short walk, and then our table was magically ready! We ate gnudi and incredible burgers. Highly recommend. After dinner, we stopped by the Biergarten at The Standard to soak up the atmosphere (and the beer).

4. But get a little bit of exercise.
We actually planned to visit the hotel gym while we were there, but we weren't quite that ambitious, so we settled for a brisk morning walk on the High Line. Neither of us had been in ages, and it's such a lovely walk (especially in the morning before the weekend tourist crowds descend). Walking around in the cold made us feel like we had earned our lazy magazine-reading time and our delicious burgers.

5. Don't check your work email.

This one might be the very most important. You probably can't get away with it on a two-week trip, but for one Saturday night into Sunday afternoon, the world will not end if you don't check you work email. It's a rare occasion that CM and I can both turn off work brain for any length of time, but I'm starting to think it just might be the key to happiness.

Or it might be room service breakfast, I'm not sure.

Sundays in New York: Union Square

The weather in New York the past couple days has been a gift. The city begs to be explored, without a coat, until your feet are aching. I spent a few hours discovering the area around Union Square—I love it! Turns out, Union Square itself is occupied by a holiday market setting up (I'll have to go back once it's open), but there's plenty to see and do nearby.

First stop: Vapiano for lunch. Obviously. It felt like home.

Then a wander through the amazing shopping nearby. The Strand bookstore is one of my favorite places in the world. I could lose a whole day in there.

Nearby is ABC Carpet & Home, which is a giant home store and a great place to get inspired. Also wonderful for buying gifts. I picked up a little something for CM's Christmas stocking. Then on to the Marimekko 5th Avenue flagship store, where I lusted after a navy puffy coat with yellow polka dots (sorry, I can't find it online), but didn't pull the trigger. I did, however, stop by Restoration Hardware to nab a soft cozy blanket for my apartment here. Once the weather remembers it's November, I'll need it.

My day wasn't all shopping, though. There's lots to see outside. The iconic Flatiron building must be photographed as much as possible.

And Madison Square Park is a lovely place to relax. And there's a Shake Shack outpost inside! If I hadn't been full of carbonara I would have been tempted to get a burger.

I finished out my Sunday adventure with a walk around the perimeter of Gramercy Park, which requires a coveted key given only to its neighbors. Oh, to live in a stunning Gramercy townhouse and to have the Park as my backyard...

What adventures have you been on lately? And where shall I go this week?


All photos by LMB, with my iPhone.

Fingers crossed

I had a shockingly short and easy phone conversation with a United representative this morning (seriously, under 5 minutes from start to finish, including a teensy bit of hold time), and I'm rebooked onto a flight to Newark tomorrow instead of my original La Guardia flight (have you seen those pictures?!). It looks like about half of the Houston-Newark flights today were cancelled, but the others have left mostly on schedule, so I'm hoping the travel gods will smile down on me. I've booked a car service to get me to Manhattan from Newark since trains and subways will probably not be up and running yet when I arrive. I'm wishing that I was staying within walking distance of Lincoln Center, but I'm very happy and relieved that I'm subletting uptown where there's no flooding or power outages.

All in all, I'm feeling that my timing has been extremely lucky. I'm sad to leave home, but excited (AND scared) for my next adventure—I'm making my Met directing debut in November!

My thoughts are with everyone affected by the storm. How are y'all doing???

Sundays in New York: Discovering Columbus

In one of the more bizarre (and awesome) things I have done in New York, on Sunday I went to see the Discovering Columbus art installation. Japanese artist Tatzu Nishi (one of several pseudonyms) built and furnished a living room around the statue of Christopher Columbus that stands in Columbus Circle. The living room sits atop a tall scaffolding, so you climb about 6 flights of stairs to get to it (they also have an elevator if stairs are a problem).

Once you're in the living room, you can explore the space, sitting on the furniture, reading the books and magazines, watching TV, and looking out the windows at the gorgeous views in every direction. And taking pictures, of course. The only thing you're not allowed to do is touch the statue. That seems reasonable, given that it's 120 years old.

They let only about 20 people into the living room at any time, so it's not too crowded, particularly since the living room is larger than almost every Manhattan apartment I've ever visited.

The exhibition runs through November 18. Tickets are free, but you need timed entry passes, which you can get here. I highly recommend it, if only for the view.

The artist specializes in building around iconic sculptures. Sometimes he builds hotel rooms you can actually stay overnight in! How cool would it be to go to this one in Ghent, Belgium?

All photos by LMB

Seeking NYC sublet

Friends, I'm hoping you can help me out. I am in search of a place to live November 1–January 1 in New York. I've been hugely lucky in the past with finding sublets easily and quickly, but I haven't found one yet for this period, so I'm putting the word out.

My perfect sublet:

• is within walking distance of Lincoln Center. I love being able to walk to and from work—it clears my head. However, if it's not that close it must be convenient to the 123 or ABCD subway lines.
• is fully furnished. It's hard enough to pack a suitcase for 2 months without having to pack towels, too.
• is a 1-bedroom or a spacious studio.
• has on-site laundry.
• is comfortable and cozy enough for CM and I to spend Christmas there.

I'm an excellent, reliable tenant. I (sadly) never throw parties, wild or otherwise. I'm tidy. I'm quiet. And I love cats, so a cat-sitting situation would be fine, too.

Any leads? If so, you can email me: littlemsbossyblog@gmail.com. And feel free to pass this one to friends.

Thank you!!

Sundays in New York: Smorgasburg

For this week's Sunday adventure I headed down to Brooklyn with The Banker to go to the first day of Smorgasburg in DUMBO (for those of you unfamiliar, that stands for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass, and it's a tiny slice of Brooklyn right across from Manhattan). Smorgasburg is a large market of amazing artisanal food stands. On Saturdays it's at the Brooklyn Flea Market, but starting yesterday and running through November 18, on Sundays it's at the Tobacco Warehouse in DUMBO.

We took the A train to High St in Brooklyn and then meandered through the neighborhood, making a stop at the P.S. Bookshop, a fantastic place to peruse used books. Then we headed over to Smorgasburg. There's a lot of food there, and it all looks incredible. We made a round to decide what we wanted, and then we dove in. It started at 11, and by the time we got there around 1:30 a few things were just starting to sell out. I imagine in subsequent weeks they'll judge better how many people to expect. We ate the following:

Strawberry lemonade and grilled cheese from Milk Truck

Duck spring rolls from Lumpia Shack

Porchetta sandwich from Porchetta

Watermelon shaved ice from People's Pops

Lemon poppyseed doughnut from Dough


Everything was so delicious, and there were about 20 other things we wanted to try. I think a return trip is in order. Next time I'll wear sunscreen.

We found a shady patch of grass to eat our lunch and then wandered down to the water to look at the incredible views from Brooklyn Bridge Park.

The Banker, my date for the day

This gorgeous weather makes for some mighty pleasant adventuring. I'm already plotting how to spend next Sunday. How was your weekend?


All photos by LMB

Sundays in New York: The Cloisters

In what's turning into a tour of New York's most peaceful spots, I spent the afternoon yesterday at The Cloisters. It's a bit of a trek to get there, about 35–40 minutes on the A train from Columbus Circle, but completely worth it. Instead of getting off the subway at the closest station, 190 St, I went one station further to Dyckman St so that I could walk through more of Fort Tryon Park.

It's an uphill climb to the museum, but as a reward you're afforded some absolutely gorgeous views of the Hudson (and Pacific Palisades Park across the way in New Jersey).

The museum itself is a completely gorgeous building, built in the 1930s partly out of reassembled bits of medieval abbeys.

Because it's part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (or the "other Met," as I like to call it), admission to The Cloisters is included in your Met Museum ticket. If you don't feel like doing both in one day, however (I didn't), the museum admission price of $25 is a recommended donation, so you can pay what you'd like.

If medieval religious art is your bag, this is the museum for you. That's not really my thing, but you know what is? Gardens.

A beautiful, peaceful garden surrounded by cool stone walls might be the absolute perfect place to sit with your Kindle (Shame!) and while away a summer afternoon.

And on your way home, go South through the park for stunning views of the George Washington Bridge (done no justice with this iPhone pic).

I'm loving my Sundays in New York. Although I'm thinking next Sunday, when I'm hanging out in Houston with CM(!), might just be even better.

Dîner en blanc

Last night I walked out of work as usual…except it wasn't usual, because I found myself completely surrounded by a sea of people dressed in white. They were all toting folding tables and chairs, and I knew immediately what it must be: Dîner en blanc! The ultimate, original pop-up dinner party, it started in Paris and is now all over the world.

I, of course, was dressed in turquoise jeans, but that didn't stop me from following to see where they were going.

Turns out, they were going to the Lincoln Center Plaza! None of the guests knew where they were going until right before it started. They met in groups of 250 at various locations around the city and were coordinated by leaders to bring them to the spot. Last year (the first year in NYC) it took place on the World Financial Center Plaza. I'm so happy that this year it was in my 'hood so I could see it!

I watched them setting up for a bit:

Then I went away to run errands and get some dinner. On my way home, I decided to stop by again to see the party in full swing. It was gorgeous.

The Dîner en Blanc prides itself on being somewhat swanky. Guests are encouraged to dress elegantly (and in white, obvs), and no paper plates or plastic cups are allowed. I saw lots of people in hats and fascinators, and so many lovely white dresses it made me want to get married again, just for an excuse to wear one.

My favorite photo of the night:

You better believe I've already added my name to the waiting list for next year's dinner. Care to join me?

Sundays in New York: Governors Island

For my first Sunday adventuring in New York, I spent a couple hours biking on Governors Island with a friend. I had never been before, and I found it to be completely lovely and relaxing. Governors Island is a tiny island just a 7-minute (free!) ferry ride from the Southern tip of Manhattan (or from Brooklyn, if you prefer). The island has served various purposes, most recently as an Army and Coast Guard base, but as of 2003 it's been open to the public and it's constantly being improved. It's open on summer weekends only, and it's the perfect place to go for a break from the hustle and heat of Manhattan.

You can rent bikes for reasonable prices on the island, but my date had an extra so we brought ours. There's a bike path that runs around the circumference of the island, with a conveniently placed iced coffee and lemonade truck right when you need it. Should you need more in the way of sustenance, there are several cute eateries and a place that sells ready-to-go picnics. There are playgrounds, and lots of public sculptures, and even some new art galleries. Best of all, there's a cool breeze that's in short supply in the city at the moment.

Highly recommended. I might be back before the summer's out.

Ferry terminal

View of Manhattan from the ferry

Lady Liberty from the Island

This lovely spot is the Food Court.

More Manhattan views

My date for the day

All photos by LMB. To see more photos, you can follow me on Instagram.

First day of school

Today was my first day back at work after summer vacation. I felt grumpy and tired this morning, wishing I could be out in the gorgeous weather or off on a train with CM visiting friends at Wolf Trap. It can be hard to get back into the swing of things after a long time away. I haven't been here since March, and I even found myself having to think twice about which elevator to take to get where I wanted to go (yes, it's my 5th season and I still sometimes get lost in the maze).

But then…reality check. I am so damn lucky to do what I do, and in this theater of all places. Any day that starts with this walk into work can't be too bad.

I think mostly I was crabby because CM and I spent our first night apart in TWO MONTHS last night. I know, I know, we're apart all the time, but it never gets any easier. Thank goodness he gets back tonight—maybe he'll bring me back a better attitude.

Tomorrow I'll share with you my first Sunday in New York. It's a good one!

Photo by LMB

New project: Sundays in New York

There's nothing like discovering a new city, finding your favorite places, getting lost on purpose (or not), turning a corner and coming upon something unexpected. Every time I get back from a trip I feel reinvigorated—inspired to travel more, of course, but also re-dedicated to creating those moments in the cities I already know. One of my New Year's resolutions (it's August and I'm still thinking about those—are you impressed?) was to spend my free time in ways that make me happy and invigorated, and so far I've had mixed success with it (awesome European vacation excepted, of course).

On Saturday I leave for two months in New York, where I tend to stay within the few blocks between my sublet and work (one time I went north of 77th St and was amazed at how much was close by to my apartment that I had never seen because it wasn't on the way to the Met). Sundays are my free days every week, so I thought it would be fun to try to explore a new neighborhood or have a new NYC experience every Sunday (you know how much I love a self-improvement project). CM gave me this great book years ago, and I have yet to really delve into it, so I'm taking it with me, but I'd love your suggestions as well! What are your favorite New York places? What are those out-of-the-way spots I've probably never seen? What should I do with my Sundays? I'm starting this weekend, and I'll let you know all about what I find.


Photo by LMB

Getting back on the horse (or your metaphor of choice)

I seem to have fallen off the blogging wagon with a vengeance over the last couple weeks. If it's any consolation, my dear readers, you are not all that I've neglected during that time. Other things I haven't done include (but are not limited to):

• responding to emails
• returning phone calls
• running
• saying no to cupcakes
• saying no to cookies
• saying no to cannoli
• having a social life

I have, however, prepped, rehearsed, and opened a show, so there's that.

Happily, now that the show is open my duties consist mostly of going to the performances, with the odd rehearsal thrown in here and there. Which means FREE TIME! for blogging and other pursuits (and perhaps most excitingly, going home to Houston and CM for a few days between shows). When the weather's bad I'll hole up in a café studying scores, or I'll catch a new exhibit, or I'll sit in a dark theater watching a movie. When the weather's good I'll run around the Central Park Reservoir, or sit on a park bench reading Henri Murger, or explore new neighborhoods on foot. Who knows, I might even start answering emails. And I will do my utmost to update this space on a more regular basis.

What do you say? Are you with me?

The day after

So apparently there was some kind of bad weather that came through New York yesterday (YESTERDAY!). Did you hear about that? I know it was lighter than expected and that most of the New Yorkers I know seem to mostly be disappointed, as if they were hoping Irene was going to provide them a great story to tell at parties, and now the story is, "Hey, remember that one time when the subways closed down and we did some day drinking in our pjs while it rained some?"

I'm having a hard time believing it even rained here. I just got in (my flight was even early!), and sprang for a cab from the airport, since trains weren't running and the bus situation was chaotic. Now I'm sitting on a park bench across the street from my apartment, belly full of Shake Shack, waiting for my landlord to meet me in half an hour. The weather is idyllic, the city is alive. It feels like every New Yorker is out walking, and the benches around me are filled with people reading, sketching, journaling, and people watching. And then there's me, mooching off the Museum of Natural History's wifi so that I can blog.

This is New York at its best. I'm remembering why people live here; the energy is infectious. It's decidedly summer, but I can already sense the crisp promise of fall. After the relentless heat and humidity of Houston, I'm going to spend every minute I can outside. Tomorrow I'll walk to work, put in a day of meetings and prep, get a drink with a friend, walk home as the evening air cools. But for tonight I'm on vacation, and New York is an awfully nice place to visit.

It's a helluva town

People, I do not know how anyone lives in New York for realsies. We arrived Saturday for a one-week stay, and this city has already both completely kicked my ass AND stolen my pocketbook (not really, it's a metaphor). Work is great: there's almost nowhere I'd rather spend my days than in a darkened theater discussing lighting states and staging options. (I say almost because I wouldn't mind at all spending a few more days in Tuscany ogling sunflower fields and eating my body weight in pasta, obvs.) CM is with me, dutifully playing Opera Husband while still managing to get oodles of work done. The weather isn't horrid. We're seeing friends.

HOWEVER. This morning I spent half an hour on the A train, standing awkwardly close to strangers, stuck between stations. Every few minutes the conductor announced that we were stopped due to track work, and that we'd be moving again in "just a few moments." Then she would (in what could only be a passive aggressive display of irony) thank us for our patience, every time. When we finally got started again, there was a collective sigh of relief, which is how I know that the woman next to me ate an onion bagel for breakfast. Then, inexplicably, with nary a thanks for our patience, the express train started making local stops. I don't know why. No one was getting off the train, but there were large crowds at every single station, cramming into the car in waves. After an hour and change, I finally got off the train and tasted fresh air at Columbus Circle. I arrived at work 10 minutes before our tech session started.

This is not a civilized way to live.

I think I miss my SUV. (Feel free to judge.)

Ouch.

I got my feelings hurt today. It's been a while—I'd actually forgotten what that felt like. It turns out that the thick skin I've painstakingly developed is pretty much bullshit. You know in the latest Harry Potter, how when they get to a new place they have to cast protection charms before they can relax and know they're safe? I do something like that myself (minus the wizardry) before I go into a potentially hazardous situation, which is why I generally emerge relatively unscathed from encounters with poisonous directors and dangerous divas. Sometimes, though, someone sneaks up on me and the sting gets in before there's time to put my guard up, which is how I ended up nearly breaking my firm "no crying at work" policy today.

"Are you expecting?" he asked, eyeing my belly meaningfully.

(Spoiler Alert: I'm NOT.)

I've heard of this happening to people, but generally as hilarious foot in mouth stories from the point of view of the person asking—"Oops! I should have known better." Perhaps that's what this story will turn into for him. As for me, I'm not ready to laugh about it just yet.

Oh, I know I could chalk it up to insensitivity, or bloating, or the empire waist of my dress. But honestly, when a person who has seen you practically every day for the last 2 months asks whether you're pregnant, it's a reasonable assumption that perhaps you've put on a few pounds. This, approximately an hour after I blithely told colleagues that I don't own a scale (true), have only a general sense of what I weigh (true), and can judge just by the way my pants fit whether I need to be more careful of what I eat (possibly not as true as I had hoped).

Exactly 492 feet from my front door stands what can only be described as my downfall: Shake Shack. Delicious burgers, heavenly cheese fries, creamy shakes, all dangerously convenient. In fact, I went there for dinner last night, and used that opportunity to take my picture of the day, which I planned to include here today in an upbeat post about the culinary wonders of my NYC neighborhood.

5/365

Trust me, the irony is not lost on me.

Blergh. Does this mean I have to go on a diet?

The slug in pajamas shall rise again

There is a whole lot of counting down going on over here: 4 more days, 3 more nights, 1 more performance…and then 1 8-hour flight and I'll be home (umm…that's VIENNA for those of you who haven't been paying attention). I could not be more impatient or excited.

If you've been reading here for a while, you're probably expecting an epic to-do list for my 5 weeks at home, maybe a self-improvement course of some kind, or a radical diet. Well, think again. I am planning…nothing. I am looking forward to a real vacation more than I can express in words. Every time I wax poetic about staying in my pjs and not leaving the apartment, CM rolls his eyes, but that is exactly what I intend to do. For at least a week. I have plenty of pajamas to last me, and I've been downloading books to my Kindle like it's my job. A week from now you will find me sitting on the couch under a blanket, sipping Nespresso, petting a purring Bossy Cat, and reading for pleasure. Sounds heavenly, no? And then CM will come home from work and mix cocktails, and we'll hang out and talk about our days, IN PERSON. And then when we go to bed we won't have to write each other good night emails, because we'll be together, IN THE SAME PLACE. Oh, I can't wait.

What are you reading these days, my dears? I still have lots of Christmas Kindle cash, and I'm taking suggestions. So far I've amassed The Year of the Flood, The Metropolis Case, Unbroken, Room, Super Sad True Love Story, The Lonely Polygamist, and Just Kids. Normally, that would be plenty to last me through any 5-week period (or 5-month period, for that matter), but in my new life as a Slug in Pajamas, I might need more. Whatcha got for me?


Here's a picture of Christmas decorations at the Time Warner Center in Columbus Circle. You should enjoy my last few NYC photos, because starting next week it's entirely possible you'll be getting nothing but pictures of my cat.

4/365