MoMA PS1's Lumen Transforms from Breezy to Otherworldly

Last week, I spent a few hours at MoMA PS1 for a preview of its newest outdoor installation Lumen, an interactive canopy that responds to light and proximity. During the day, the hanging tubular structures float in the breeze, spray mists of water whenever someone walks near, and collect solar energy. Come nighttime, the fibers glow and the courtyard makes an otherworldly transformation that will make an amazing setting for the museum's Warm Up summer concert series, which kicked off July 1.

Lumen will be on view at MoMA PS1’s courtyard from June 29 though August 27. To read more about my visit and see the transformation via photos, click here.

How to Fall in Love with Your Hometown Again

When you’re settled in a city for too long, let’s say your entire life, everything about the place could start to wear on you. The pace, the sights, the things to do…to you it all seems so “been there, done that.” But if you can’t pack up and move somewhere new just yet, there are ways to soothe that jaded side of you and fall in love with home again. Below are nine things you can do to rediscover all the little things that make your town great.

1. Invite out-of-towners into your home for a visit. The whole city will be completely new to them and you'll be able to feed off of their excitement. You’ll be forced to show and tell them about the cool spots in your town and, in turn, start appreciating your town so much more because you'll see it through someone else’s eyes.

2. Take a walking tour of your own city. Learn about its history, architecture, and its key figures as you actually pay attention to the sights. You can either find free tours you can print and follow online, borrow guides from your library, or sign up for a walking tour through town.

3. Explore a neighborhood you've never visited before. Find cool places to see, eat, and do while you're there. You might fall in love with a different part of town that could someday become your next zip code.

4. Watch movies set in your city and squeal when you recognize a landmark on the screen. Great cinematography can really make a place come alive.

5. Leave town for a while. There's nothing like being out on the road for a couple weeks or even days to make you feel grateful to be reunited with family, friends, and your own bed.

6. Write a list of all the things you haven't done in your hometown whether it's something you've always felt was too "touristy" for a local like you or are more obscure, and then make plans to tackle each item on your list.

7. Join local Meetup groups based on your interests. Finding awesome people to do the things you love instantly makes a place feel much more inviting.

8. Ask your parents or older family members about the places where they hung out when they were younger. Have them drive you around pointing out how things have changed since then and try to see your town through their eyes. Bring along old photographs for comparisons and lots of reminiscing.

9. People watch. So much of life zooms right past us when we fail to take a moment to actually look. Humanize your town again by paying attention to the people who inhabit it.

What do you do to keep that spark between you and your hometown alive?

Image: Unsplash/Wojtek Witkowski

All the #DessertGoals Met at Spot Dessert Bar

A couple months ago, my friend invited me and a few others to Spot Dessert Bar down in the West Village and holy yum! I'd never heard of it before, but I was certainly glad we went with a group so that we could each order—and taste—a few things on the menu. In fact, Spot encourages this by offering these dessert tapas in sets so you can share or indulge your taste buds. I loved that the Asia-inspired seasonal desserts were really satisfying and delicious without being over-the-top sweet. In clockwise order from the top left:

Yuzu Eskimo: frozen Japanese citrus cream bars with chocolate ganache, strawberries, and Oreo crumbs.

Golden Toast: crispy honey buttered toast with fresh strawberries, whipped cream, and condensed milk ice cream.

The Harvest: layers of berries, soft cheesecake, meringue kisses, raspberry sorbet, and black rose milk tea.

Milky Puff: warm flaky puff pastry served with milk ice cream, corn flakes, brûlée bananas, and white chocolate honey comb.

And yes, they all tasted as delicious as they look. Not pictured are my Nutella hot chocolate, which tasted so much better and less sweet than one I'd ordered days earlier, and my friends' bubble teas served in plastic light bulbs! A+ for cuteness and presentation, no?

By the way, I've been on such a dessert kick lately thanks to work. I've been writing so much about sweets, including safe-to-eat raw cookie dough, an all-you-can-eat ice cream festival, fancy banana pudding, kids' birthday cakes, and the best rainbow foods around NYC, that I've been wondering if I shouldn't just say goodbye to my teeth and hello to becoming the resident dessert expert.

Best Winter Weekend Getaways from NYC for Families

Now that Thanksgiving is over (already??) wintertime will soon be here and if you're a parent, a student, or have the great fortune of working at a school like my sister does, then that also means that winter break is on the horizon. I've started working for Time Out New York Kids every week writing fun events listings for their website and for this month's winter issue, I've written a roundup of the best winter getaways the family can take once the snow sets in. I've only been skiing once when I was 11 years old, but it was such an awful, scary experience that I never tried it again. Think climbing up the mountain on a chair lift with no lesson as to how to get off or skiing down a bunny hill and continually smashing up against the side of a barn in order to finally come to halt.

Now after doing research for this piece, I think I'd love to give it another try. Snow tubing and sledding sounds amazing and I've never done either so those are also on my list. Ice skating might be the only snowy sporty activity that I really enjoy especially when its against a backdrop of New York City at Central Park. What are some of your favorite seasonal activities?

For a list of wintry sports spots and more laid-back destinations to visit with your family in the coming months, read Time Out New York Kids' feature on the best winter weekend getaways from NYC for families.

Image: timeout.com

A Sunday Morning Trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art

I haven't posted in a few days so I wanted to check in with you guys. How has your week been going? It's already getting a bit chillier in New York City so I've been trying to squeeze in more strolls in the sunshine before my favorite season arrives in a week. Despite glorious weather we'd been having, I woke up in such a foul mood Saturday morning, which was made only worse when the MTA totally screwed my chances of getting to my hair appointment downtown on time. I was turned away and forced to have my hair cut another day. I added that to a pile of "woe is me" complaints that eventually subsided after a good night's rest, the first I'd had in days.

To cheer me up some more, Alex suggested we walk over to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for some "fancy coffee" first thing Sunday morning. We walked through Pop Up New York's Upper East Side street fair, tasting popcorn samples, perusing through art, and watching the vendors finish setting up for the day's event. It's definitely several steps up from the typical tube socks and sausage festivals. On our walk back home, we discovered the adorable and hilarious artwork of Joey Allgood.

At the Met, we strolled through the maze of galleries, finding new pieces of interest on our quest for the "fancy coffee on the Met roof." My favorites are the marble statues and mythological characters (this one, of the goddess of the moon and hunt, makes me happy whenever I see her) and it seems that the room full of medieval armor and badass weaponry has a way of luring us into it without my realizing it.

At the Met roof, we were treated to a gorgeous view of the New York City skyline and artist Cornelia Parker's sculpture inspired by the artwork of Edward Hopper, the classic red barn, and the Bates family mansion from the movie Psycho, the last of which was inspired by Hopper's painting House by the Railroad.

Unfortunately, there was no hot coffee to be had at the rooftop café, so we meandered our way back through and down the museum floors to settle into another café. We went to the Met just so this man could get his morning cup of coffee, but when we realized that we only paid a few bucks for the donation-based entrance and get to enjoy a drink surrounded by tapestries and fine art, we agreed that it totally beats Starbucks any day.

I was starving by the time noon rolled around so we tried Candle 79, an organic and vegan restaurant just a few blocks from the museum. While my vegetarian boyfriend knew exactly the type of place he'd suggested, I didn't realize there would be no eggs and bacon on my plate until I browsed through the menu. It didn't matter though; the Benedict and Nuevos Rancheros that we shared tasted really good. I almost forgot that I was eating tofu instead of meat.

Since then it's been workity work to turn in three stories for the first half of this week and gearing up for new deadlines sure to come tomorrow followed by a packed weekend.

How about you? What have you been up to this week? Anything fun coming up?

A Picnic in Central Park

This weekend I surprised the boyfriend with a picnic at Central Park. It's been a beautiful week and he's been working so hard that I wanted to treat him to a few hours of guilt-free relaxation. I have to admit I'd been feeling frustrated and neglected because in the beginning we used to spend a crazy amount of time together. Now? It's been work and life stuff taking over. It's all understandable, but I wanted some time to reconnect.

I asked him to meet me by the fountain at Bethesda Terrace (remember how much I love that plaza?) and then we went off to find a grassy secluded area under a tree. I went all out for this: vegetarian BLT sandwiches, heart-shaped carrot cake bits, avocado cucumber rolls, and other snackies. I even made root beer floats on the spot! Thank God the vanilla ice cream survived the journey on such a warm day.

We lounged around in the shade before packing up our picnic and walking through the park and the Upper East Side. He led me to the Metropolitan Museum, its path lit up as dusk set in, and we sat by the water fountains to watch the passersby. It's so easy to let the time pass by just focusing on to do lists, life goals, and projects day in and day out so this was just the kind of laid-back summery day I'd been craving all month.

Three Harlem Coffeeshops

We all know I love a good writing session at a coffeeshop and during my time living in Harlem (for a whole year!), I visited three that I really liked. Luckily, I’ll still be able to visit the first two on the list without it being a complete inconvenience from where I'll be living in Uptown Manhattan.

The Chipped Cup: I first visited The Chipped Cup several years ago during an apartment viewing, but never returned until just a month ago. For a stretch, it became my go-to suggested place to meet Uptown friends for a coffee date* that was walking distance from my place and easily accessible for those who lived in Washington Heights. It can get a bit packed inside and it’s not the most inspiring of interiors, but the backyard more than makes up for a little retreat from the Broadway traffic out front.

*Disclaimer: I don’t drink coffee so can’t comment on how tasty the java is at any of these places. I’ll stick to water or fruit smoothies if they serve it. One friend has completely brushed aside my opinions on whether a coffeeshop is good or not based solely on WiFi and seat availability, but I hope you’ll humor me.

Max Caffé: After inviting a friend for a coffee date at The Chipped Cup, she returned the favor by telling me about Max Caffé, and as soon as I walked into the place, I fell in love with the dark and cozy atmosphere. There’s outdoor seating, but I wanted to stay inside. Exposed brick, big comfy couches, spaces separated by curtains, paintings and mirrors on the walls, red and wood everywhere. I found a quiet corner for the afternoon and then waited for my friend to join me for what would be four hours of chatting and laughing. Next time I'm there, I’m totally devouring one of their Prosciutto di Parma sandwiches with fresh mozzarella and basil on pressed ciabatta bread.

Astor Row Café: I discovered this spot in early January and was so happy to have found a coffeeshop within walking distance from my house that had plenty of table space, free WiFI, played fun music, and served delicious smoothies and sandwiches (their mozzarella with tomatoes and avocado on ciabatta bread...so yummy and yes, I clearly have a sandwich type). I remember it was a Saturday night when I first walked in and spent hours getting a head start on my tax expenses. A part of me thought wow, this is what my life has become, but I didn’t seem to care much after that.

I also remember telling my friends that I was never bringing anyone into this coffeeshop after a friend broke up with me at another local place. Exactly two weeks later, I invited Alex to Astor Row Cafe to meet for the first time. I guess I'll never learn, but it probably won't matter as I doubt I'll ever return to this place after this month is through and I'm completely moved out of the apartment. Boo.

But onward and upward, literally. Soon, I'll be spending more time in Uptown spots in Washington Heights and Inwood and sharing new places I've fallen in love with or old ones I'd forgotten all about.

What local spots are you frequenting these days?

A Museum of Ice Cream?! Yes, Please!

I don’t know why somebody didn’t think of this before, but a Museum of Ice Cream is popping up in New York City through August. Located right by the Whitney Art Museum and the Gansevoort Street entrance to the High Line park, this ice cream playground will feature a pool of fake rainbow sprinkles to dive into, edible balloons, an ice scream scooper seesaw, ice cream sandwich swings, and other fun interactive art for visitors to experience. And with each ticket, attendees will be treated to a scoop of the week created by a selection of heavy hitters in the NYC ice cream world that includes Black Tap, OddFellows Ice Cream Co., and others.

Bad news: Tickets for the museum’s entire run is now sold out.

Good news: Complimentary admission and ice cream will be offered on opening day July 29 from 11am to 3pm. It’s first come, first served so get there early because it’s the only time you’ll get a taste of this cool treat if you haven’t snagged a ticket already.

Speaking of ice cream, this summer I’ve been indulging on a childhood favorite again: Häagen Dazs vanilla-milk chocolate-almond bars. It’s clearly a sign of the times that I’m now more than satisfied with the mini snack size of these bars (read: I’m getting old), but they still hit the spot during this wretched humidity NYC has been experiencing. I was, and still am, also a huge fan of Häagen Dazs’ mango sorbet, which was great because I grew up to prefer sorbets and didn’t feel too deprived when I developed lactose intolerance in my twenties. This love only grew stronger after traveling to Italy and experiencing legit passion fruit gelato. YUM.

I’m pretty discerning when it comes to what deserves a Lactaid pill and what gets a pass from me, but I’ve had my eye on Black Tap’s monstrous milkshake concoctions for a few months now and a trip to the SoHo burger and beer joint needs to happen ASAP. I mean check out the photos and tell me your mouth isn’t watering at the sight of those desert towers?! That Cookie Milkshake has my name all over it, and I don’t even like cookies. I shall report back once I’ve devoured one of those heavily creations. That is if I don't slip right into a diabetic coma when I'm done.

Animation Block Party Will Satisfy Your Cartoon Cravings

If you love animated films and live in or near New York City, you'll want to check out the 13th annual Animation Block Party. Discover new movies for the young and young-at-heart, creations both local and from abroad, student films, and experimental projects. Then reminisce about your childhood with a look into old animated ads (you know, back when they were almost as good as the shows we were watching) and beloved classics like the Pink Panther, Cowboy Bebop, and the Transformers. Screenings during the four-day event will mainly take place at BAMcinématek in Brooklyn, but there will also be a free outdoor screening at Brookfield Place in lower Manhattan to kick off this year's festival July 28. Cartoon lovers can then gather with other like-minded souls at after-parties taking place Friday and Saturday nights.

For more info, visit animationblock.com or grab this week's issue of Time Out New York with my article on this year's screenings.

Image: bam.org

National Stationery Show 2016 Recap

The National Stationery Show was back in New York City last month and I decided to suck up whatever residual shame I felt over pulling out of last year’s show and go say hi to my paper peeps. The future of Porcupine Hugs is still a question mark at the moment especially now that my freelance writing has kicked into high gear, but I still do enjoy being around so much creativity, talent, and pretty paper. Below, a few of the goodies that caught my eye this year.

1. My Etsy NY teamies had a booth at NSS this year! Doo Daa Studio, Angie Colombo Jewelry, Bugged Out, Soluna Soluna, Black Lamb were doing their thing in this year's debut booth. | 2. Free lemonade (and a look through their felt party decor) courtesy of Maypole. | 3. I know friends who'd be perfect for each of these Sapling Press mugs. | 4. More snarky magnets from Sapling Press. | 5. Katie of Idlewild Co. turned her painted patterns into this beautiful wallpaper for her booth. | 6. This Cherry Blossom Calendar by Brooklyn-based Quick Brown Fox Letterpress show the passage of time via these sweet letterpressed illustrations. | 7. I hosted Lark + Raven at my place last year when she was preparing to debut at her first NSS. Now look at her, killing it in year two! | 8. Pretty wrapping paper from Paula & Waffle, another sweet friend I made while preparing for last year's show. | 9. Letterpress + rose gold foil = satisfied bridezillas thanks to Kiss and Punch.

10. Congrats to the totally awesome Wild Ink Press on their Louie Award. This veteran has been exhibiting at NSS since 2011...right when I first started walking the show. | 11. Another second-year exhibitor, Canadian Sea + Lake Paper Co. showcased her style by painting them right onto her booth wall. | 12. New pencils by Offensive + Delightful for those who really just don't give a fuck. | 13. More colorful words from Offensive + Delightful. | 14. This year, Paper Lovely transformed into Ramona & Ruth, but Kim's style is still as sweet and delicate as ever. | 15. Each month of Made in Brockton Village's 2017 calendar features a gouache-painted cityscape and words from a literary writer describing that place. | 16. So many cute love and friendship cards from personal fave Fugu Fugu Press. That hug card in the middle is giving me the feels. | 17. Albertine Press press caught my eye with her chalkboard wall with a map of the U.S. showcasing their collection of city postcards. | 18. Mr. Boddington's Studio also pulled me in with their new city art prints.

19. Gold foil, color, and stars from LaLa Grace. | 20. This year's gold foil obsession continues... Gorgeous hand painted notebook covers paired with a bit of shine from Our Heiday. | 21. Mixed media cards made from cotton linters left over from the textile industry from fellow Oh My! Handmade Goodness creative Colleen Attara. | 22. Precious watercolored critters from Chic + Nawdie. | 23. Stuffed softies from fellow Etsy NY teammate Jumping Birds. | 24. Congrats to Paper Bandit Press on their Louie Awards (they're basically the Oscars of the greeting card industry)! "I love you more than Madonna loves pretending to be British." | 25. Fun new gift bags from Emily McDowell. Who else gets around the problem on that first bag by buying yourself a little sumthin' sumthin' when you go shopping for others? One for me, one for you... | 26. Sloth (!) art print from Pickle Punch. There were so many wonderful animals on her booth walls it was difficult to choose just one. | 27. I need these empowerment cards and art prints from Dayna Lee Collection wallpapered around my desk. "Push through the negative things you've been telling yourself for far too long. You are amazing and deserving of all you desire. Believe in yourself because you're believed in."

28. Foreignspell hand carves each stamp and then uses them to create her greetings, textiles, and wooden art prints. | 29. For the new P+C Poolside collection, Foreignspell teamed up with Chill Pins to add a little swag to these cards. | 30. Those cheeky Crassholes know how to get a party started with their pro foul balloons. | 31. Receiving this card by Everyday Valentine might be grounds for a breakup. #freelancelife | 32. I think Violet Clair should've included breakfast sandwiches as her giveaway because I could have totally gone for a bacon and egg sandwich after walking the show all day. | 33. That's a wrap on this year's National Stationery Show recap! It was so nice seeing my paper peeps while they were in town and can't wait to see them again next year. (Sign by Printable Wisdom)

A Burner Birthday

This weekend, my Burning Man friends and I drove three hours upstate into the Catskill Mountains to celebrate a fellow burner's birthday. We arrived at the 10-acre farm rental Friday night and spent the rest of the evening exploring all the nooks and crannies throughout the main house and the massive barn (think creepy dolls, taxidermy collections, and loads of odds and ends). In between introductions with new arrivals, we warmed up by the campfire gazing up at the stars and later moved to the toasty fireplace in the living room where we curled up and shared stories. I wanted to adopt everyone I met as a new friend. And the two dear friends who whisked me away to that magical weekend, I silently adopted them as brothers.

Saturday morning we were finally able to see what exactly we had driven into. We saw the pastures, the cows, and the woods that extended beyond the creek running through the property. The trees were mostly bare, but the scenery was still so calm and beautiful – such a departure from the city. I spent the day munching on food and catnapping in corners in my kitty ears, tail, and my red riding hood cape because wearing those things sends me to my happy place. When a group of us took a walk through the woods, I felt like a storybook character climbing over fences, crouching underneath low branches, jumping on stones, and walking on giant fallen trees to cross the creek. Afterwards, I took to the open pastures and ran with my blazing red cape trailing behind me. I just ran and ran because space, so much space.

During the day, the kitchen was a busy spot with most of us whipping up meals and treats for our housemates. The birthday boy's boyfriend baked the most delicious pork ever...for six hours. You can imagine how dizzy we were from the smells coming out of that oven. As for my offering, I baked a four-layer raspberry chocolate cake. It was my tallest concoction yet and I was just thankful that a) there was enough chocolate frosting to cover the whole thing and b) the leaning tower of cake didn't lead to a disastrous ending.

Saturday night, we blew up the sky with fireworks, ran around the dark field with sparklers, and burned a giant wooden 31. After cake time, we headed into the "party barn" and danced under the strobe lights until late into the night. It wasn't until "Single Ladies" came on that I finally realized that I was the only single lady there. I felt so comfortable around the group that I hadn't even noticed that everyone else was coupled off or a gay guy. Still, that didn't stop the crew from joining me in trying to remember the steps to Bey's song and running up the barn walls.

Towards the end of my "night out," the birthday boy and I sat on a platform while we watched the rest continuing to dance in the dark. We talked about my growing up in New York City, how it felt to be in this place with such wonderful people, we talked about Burning Man, how difficult it was for me to miss it this year, my wondering if I'll ever return, and his theory on the "trick" behind Burning Man's success and why that same formula can work outside of the playa. He also didn't know some of the attendees until that very weekend, including me, but he knew that his friends would know who would be perfect to bring along to such an event.

He then smiled at me and said, "When I first saw you walking into this barn in your red coat, I said, 'I don't know who she is, but I love her.'"

Later on, he asked what I wish I were acknowledged for and I said, my ability to connect with others and my creativity. And he did, based off of the 24 hours we'd known each other.

When "Genesis," my favorite Grimes song, came on, I squealed, so delighted that someone else loved it as much as I do. But then this sudden pang hit me because it was a song A. had introduced me to and one I'd shared with him, letting him watch me dance all over our room to it. So, in my red cape and hood, I closed my eyes and danced in the dark, allowing myself to feel both sad for what's over and grateful for whatever has led me to this moment in a barn in the middle of nowhere. I've kept fearing that my wild and fun days are over simply because he was such a huge source of it – the trips, the parties, the people we'd met – but that night I realized that there are so many more wondrous moments to leap into and that I can be pulled towards them just as I am, without forcing anything or trying to be something else. I danced and danced in this mixture of happiness and pain, nothing but music in my head. I was going to be okay, I needed to trust that I could still lead myself to whatever I wanted to experience, and I was going to be cared about by so many. The stories and my adventures, they are so not over.

Images: Shawn McGinniss

On Gratitude and the NYC Marathon

I'm not a runner by any means, but I do like catching the NYC Marathon in person to cheer the participants on. It's inspiring to witness the culmination of years of training and motivation. Qualifying for this marathon is feat of its own, but then watching them tackle the race itself is just humbling (FYI, this year's winners blazed through the five boroughs in just two hours!). They worked so hard and here we were celebrating this incredible milestone in their lives. The 26-mile course passes right by my new apartment in Harlem and so yesterday I took some time to join the other spectators and make some noise. My heart kept swelling up as I watched thousands upon thousands cross back into Manhattan for the final stretch down Fifth Avenue towards Central Park. Some were still going strong at the 21-mile mark and others were struggling, cramping up, pushing to keep on and we did the best we could to give them life with our claps and whistles. It almost made you want to run out there with them and feel that exhilaration of being thisclose to accomplishing what I can imagine for most has been a lifelong dream.

Now I say I'm not a runner, but the few times I've jogged I've thought, "Man, if I had ever chosen a sport when I was younger no doubt it would have been track and field." Granted, the most I've accomplished is a three-mile run, but I know that if the motivation were in place, I could go for longer. Back in May, I thought that signing up for upcoming races would be just the push I needed to hit the pavement again. Running a 5K was a goal I'd toyed with for a few years, but it hadn't been a big enough one for me to seriously pursue. In comes the Wanderlust 108 Festival in Brooklyn, NY and it sounds like a fantastic experience. The September event was pegged as "mindful triathlon" in which participants run a 5k, do yoga in the wide open lawn of Prospect Park, and then meditate under the sun.

Okay, somehow four months came and went and did I run a single mile in preparation for this thing? Nope! In fact, had I run a single mile in the last couple of years so that maybe I had a fighting chance of doing well at this thing? Nope again! And still I showed up fully prepared to kill it or have it kill me. I did my little "let me look like I totally know what I'm doing here" stretch and joined the sea of neon sports bras and tights at the start line. I didn't know how well I'd do, but at the very least I had shown up and I was going to give it my best shot.

Needless to say I wasn't able to run the entire three miles without stopping a couple times, but I definitely ran a good majority of it and that alone was enough to make me almost shed tears when I high-fived the MC in mid-air at the finish line. I also wanted to shed tears for the week following because I'd shredded my legs in the process, but in that moment I felt so damn elated and hyped that I could have very well kept on running for another mile (and promptly died, but that's neither here nor there). Instead, I grabbed my yoga mat from baggage check and hurried along to grab a spot for the next activities. The guided meditation was alright (I'm partial to the STFU school of meditation), but my reaction to doing yoga took me by surprise. I'm a very sensitive person, I know this, and emotional through and through, but I was still taken off guard by my wanting to cry throughout the whole routine. I kept wondering what the hell was wrong with me, but eventually I just leaned into the sensations; there was no sense in fighting back something that felt that good. My heart kept wanting to explode with each upward facing dog, basking under the warm sun with hundreds upon hundreds of others around me. I was overflowing with gratitude for sharing this incredible moment with all of these beautiful strangers.

It's been two months since that joyful experience and yesterday, while I was cheering those amazing souls on towards their finish line, I felt that boundless gratitude once again.

Image: facebook.com/wanderlust

Wix Lounge: A Free Coworking Space

I've found a new place to get work done outside of the house and dare I say it, I like it more than my usual stomp, The Bean. I'd been to the Wix Lounge's former location back in 2011, but never made it to their new spot once they moved. The free coworking space is the perfect place to grab a seat and work alongside other freelancers when home gets too lonely. There's lots of room so you never feel crowded in, there are clean bathrooms, a kitchen area, free tea and coffee, and a chance to announce what you're working on to the group. Best of all, now I don't have to roam around frustrated in search of WiFi or buy something at a coffee shop to just to sit down and charge up for a few hours.

When I work from Wix, I even leave my stuff at my table and step out for a lunch break and don't have to lug all my things around. You don't even know how wonderful that is for my aching shoulders. Yes, it'd be so much easier to keep working from home, but sometimes a girl just needs to get out of the house and breathe different air. I also considered that with flu season coming around it'll expose me to way more germies, but I'll take the risk.

The space has enough buzz going on to serve as background noise without getting distracting and I like eavesdropping on conversations from small groups working on the Next Great Startup. I get the best of both worlds: the office life with "coworkers" but with the freedom to come and go as I please and no boss looking over my shoulder. Oh and the greatest thing about working from Wix Lounge? The Brgr a couple blocks away and the Doughnut Plant right across the street!

Wix Lounge is open Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm. To learn more, visit wix.com/lounge/new-york.

Open House New York Weekend

In a few days I'll be heading out of town for a bit of camping, which I'm totally looking forward to, but it means I'll be missing this year's Open House New York Weekend. (Booo!) The annual event is a chance for New Yorkers to peek into some cool spaces, including some that are ordinarily closed off to the public, that show off the city's architectural history and diverse examples of engineering and urban design.

If you were ever curious about what goes on in some of the city's well-known buildings or feel like learning more about its hidden treasures, then Open House NY is a good time to cater to those whims. If I were around I would have loved to visit Interior Design magazine's curated selection of designer's spaces for live + work + play. I can already imagine the drool as I jot down creative tips on integrating professional and personal spaces at home. And my exploration would take me right into the night as 10 projects by award-winning lighting designers show off the work that goes into illuminating the city that never sleeps. The Statue of Liberty, Metropolitan Museum of Art, the High Line, and the "Postcards" Staten Island 9/11 Memorial are included in this mix.

While Reservation Day passed last week, there are still dozens of tours with open spots available (advanced reservations are $5 each and closes Oct. 9) and the majority of sites participating this weekend will provide "open access" hours free of charge so you can drop in and explore the site at your own pace.

To learn more, visit ohny.org, download an event guide here, or watch the organization's promo video below.

Image: ohny.wetransfer.com

Autumnal Hijinks

Continuing on this autumn love fest, I attended my first medieval fair a week ago! Fort Tryon Park, which takes top spot on my NYC parks list, holds an annual festival and now that I live blocks away from it, I just had to check it out. I had no idea it drew in so many people (roughly 60,000)! A. and I had a fun time checking out the costumes (leather! corsets! lace!), weapons, and playing games. Too bad I missed the horseback jousting matches, but it was a great afternoon nonetheless. The weather was absolutely perfect and I ended up buying the flower crown of my dreams. Even Dad joined in on the medieval antics and agreed that he'd never seen so many people in "our park."

That same weekend, A. and I joined up with local Burning Man attendees for a random walk around the city pretending we were going through theme camps on the NYC playa. The journey led us into Staten Island, of all places, where we attacked a Russian salad bar, ate lunch in a historic village, and took a few moments to rest inside a rustic Tibetan museum. It was sweet to throw on our ears and tails again and answer to the curious folks who wanted to know what the hell was going on. A., on the other hand, just couldn't get enough strangers asking, "What does the fox say?" (By the way, have you seen Kerry Washington's SNL version of the silly song?)

Aaaaaaaah Topangaaa!!

Tonight A. and I are off to watch The Lion King on Broadway! I got us 2-for-1 tickets during the Broadway Week promotion and am excited to finally see this show. Everyone I know who's seen it can't speak highly enough on the artistry, puppetry, and costumes so I cannot wait to experience it for myself. You know I'll be bopping around in my seat singing along. Hakuuuuna Matata!

Watch the cast below as they serenade some unsuspecting commuters on the A train in New York City. When this video came out this summer, my sister and I commented on how we ride this train All The Time and all we're treated to are panhandlers, preachers, breakdancing teens, and guitar players. Meanwhile, New York City still owes me a flashmob experience...

P.S. The actual lyrics to the "Circle of Life." Also, the Australian cast singing on a flight from Brisbane to Sydney earlier this year. Again, I'd take this over crying babies and barking dogs any day.

Julia Rothman's Hello, NY

Monday night I popped on over to DUMBO to attend the book launch party for illustrators Julia Rothman and Wendy MacNaughton's books Hello NY: An Illustrated Love Letter to the Five Boroughs and Meanwhile in San Francisco: The City in its Own Words, respectively. The two sat down for a Q&A session with Brain Pickings' Maria Popova about the process of creating illustrated books of their hometowns, where the trend of hand-illustrations is heading, the "godmother" of long-form narrative + illustrated storytelling Maira Kalman, and how they each took similar projects in two different directions. While MacNaughton let the characters she met tell the story of life in San Francisco in their own words, Rothman, being the native New Yorker that she is, completely injected herself into her book and showed us the city through her eyes. From the small island off the Bronx in which she grew up, to her odd finds paired with more popular attractions to pieces of her family history, and tidbits about NYC life that'll make out-of-towners go "Whaaa?" and natives go "Yup!" Rothman tried to give everyone a little something to chew on.

"Well that's nice to remove yourself," Rothman laughed after MacNaughton explained why she wanted the people she met to create the book in their own words rather than hers. "I put myself as the main character. I was born on City Island in the Bronx, a small island that nobody had ever heard of and I really wanted everybody to know about it. So I wrote a book about where I was from and what I liked about my city and everything else about it. I put some voices in there, but it's mostly all me...and my family, the people I've met, and my landlord. I don't know, maybe New Yorkers are self-obsessed and San Francisco people are really nice."

As the daughter of a bodega owner, I was especially delighted to see her write an ode to the bodega.

"I wrote something about bodegas that was like bodegas are really great and you can get anything you want and then I was like this is really boring and crappy. And it was kind of a last-minute thing that I sent to [editor] Bridget [Watson Payne]. It was just random, it wasn't really that thought-out. If I write a paragraph about how good bodegas are, it wasn't that interesting. I didn't feel like it was getting across the feeling and if I could write the light and the tiles on the floor then it would get across the feeling more than just bodegas are great," Rothman said before Popova added why it's such an appropriate piece for a book about New York City.

"It's actually such a beautiful poem that's really a metaphor for the city because the last line is how many pieces of chewing gum does it take stay alive, stay in business and that's kind of how the city is. How many little daily moments and little people does it take..." she said.

"How do these places stay in business?!" Rothman interjected. "There's so many people going in and out, every dollar...When I was in San Fracisco, there's no bodegas, in other cities there's no bodegas and you're like where do you buy your food?"

As for how she chose what to include out of love for her city versus an obligation to include more popular sites, Rothman said she tried to put in a little of both to please New Yorkers and visitors alike.

"There was always a balance like if I put the Statue of Liberty in is that cliché? But then maybe I can put in Minerva, the statue in Greenwood Cemetery and balance it. There was always something that was very New York and then well, if I'm putting this very New York thing in, what's a more obscure thing I can put in that will help make it not so obvious," Rothman said. "It was always who's the audience? New Yorkers or everyone? So if it's both you have to put in some stuff for New Yorkers and you put in some stuff for the rest of the world. You have to put in Grand Central, but you can also put in the Troll Museum."

What I liked about the book, which I pretty much blazed through in a couple of hours, is seeing my hometown through somebody else's eyes. The other day I was strolling through Union Square Park after having lunch with A. and said, "We live here...and everyone else thinks it's awesome." Do I think it's awesome? Most of the time, yes, but other times I'm just tired of the same sights, sounds, and pace of New York City. I want to live somewhere else and even if I end up returning years later, I want to have experienced life elsewhere. Until that happens, I'll continue to enjoy hearing about NYC through someone else's lens. It's probably why I love talking to those who visit for the first time ("Yes, please remind me why my hometown is incredible...") and I'm mildly obsessed with Humans of New York. A curiosity for other people's stories and the lives that I brush up against every day are what keep me intrigued about this place. As Popova said at the book launch party Monday night, "I think the beauty of both books is actually the deeper messages. They both answer the question 'What is it like to live like this other person that's sort of so close to me in the city, but is not me?' And what it's like to understand what that life is like."

Images: juliarothman.com

Manhattan's Best Coffee Shops By Subway Stops

This is genius! Butterfruit Labs has created New York Coffee Map, a free Andoid app that maps out the best coffee shops near every subway stop in Manhattan. According to the app, locations were selected based on equipment, beans, professional and customer reviews and duplicates were avoided. The majority of the spots are indie coffee houses that represent their neighborhood so I was happy to find a few that I've visited on the list: Buunni, Lalo, Indian Road, Chipped Cup, and Java Girl. It's definitely giving me the itch to grab my MetroCard and check out some of their other picks.

Manhattanites, do you agree with their choices?

War/Photography at the Brooklyn Museum

Last week, A. and I visited the Brooklyn Museum to see the War/Photography exhibition. I expected to be surrounded by gory images of death, but was instead lost in the walls of photos, article clips, and book pages showing the human race at its best and worst. I found myself wondering what on earth drives us to destroy each other, what motivates people to rip others of their rights and lives. When I entered the In Memoriam room, I just stood in front of the long list of journalists and photographers we've lost in combat. Men and women who were so dedicated to sharing these stories that they risked their lives for it. Sad thing is, while many might have died due to the dangerous nature of war, recent names are those of journalists who have been targeted, silenced. I felt like such a hack in front of that black wall. These were the people who chased those stories even if it came at such a high price.

The exhibition was not only a history lesson, but also a chance to show how photographers get up close and personal during some harrowing and inspiring moments, the stories behind iconic shots, and the role photography played in the art of war. It was a display of human emotion, compassion, how military men and women deal with the stresses of combat while trying to retain some sense of normality in their lives. The walls lead you through the experiences of recruitment, training, embarkation, daily routine, battle, death and destruction, homecoming, and remembrance. Some scenes and the accompanying stories were so heart-wrenching, difficult situations I couldn't imagine having to live through, but they were all someone's reality.

War/Photography: Images of Armed Conflict and Its Aftermath is on display at the Brooklyn Museum through Feb. 2nd.

P.S. If you need a place nearby to decompress after the exhibition and grab a bite to eat, Milk Bar (620 Vanderbilt Ave.) serves super tasty toasties that'll soothe you from the inside.

Image: brooklynmusem.org

New York City Vocabulary Lesson

Now I don't really venture onto BuzzFeed unless I'm learning about my introverted self, eating up a comedian's live tweets of a rooftop breakup, discovering what city I should actually live in (London??), or trying to figure out which Game of Thrones character I'd be (Arya!). I blame my Facebook friends for sharing all of those distracting links when I should be working instead of procrastinating with useless personality quizzes. But! I actually enjoyed this illustrated NYC dictionary posted this week. As the daughter of a bodeguero, I especially liked the entry above. And since it's been way below freezing in the city and I remember being shocked when A. didn't know what the hell I was talking about when I once said it was brick outside, I wanted to share the below with you, too.

Brick [brik] adjective
1: really fucking cold
2: November through March

To read up on some other NYC terms and finally learn how to pronounce Houston Street so you don't sound like a damn tourist, click here, and check out illustrator Michael Perez's work here.

Images: buzzfeed.com