More snow

I know, I know, it's like, "Beth, enough with the snow already." But I can't help it. It's so preeettyyy. Should I *not* have walked a mile through Central Park in the semi-blizzard this morn? Yeah, I guess. But here's what I saw from under my umbrella this morning:

(By the way, the umbrella wasn't so helpful. As you can tell from the horizontal streaks in the last photo, the sideways snow clung to my bags and coat anyway.)

White winter

Thank you, thank you, NYC, for the white winter. Usually, winters here are so dreary. One or two wimpy inches of snow quickly turn into the most menacing variety of sludge imaginable, forming dirty pools on every street corner that make it impossible to walk and cause pedestrians to live in perpetual fear of a taxi splashing.

But not this winter. This winter has been white and fluffy as far as the eye can see. And this girl is happy. (Dogs are happy, too. Can you spot the dog above? Close up, it's about the size of a bear.)

Sworn enemy: Halls subway ads

Has anyone else on the NYC side seen and hated these Halls ads as much as I do? I refuse to post them here because they're so hideous. Not to mention they convey bad medical advice conflicting directly with the MTA's own (wise but hideously designed) messaging: "Feeling under the weather? Don't get on the train." Can we have those cute little JetBlue ads back?

Snack ball

Loving this little stocking stuffer I got—the Boon snack ball. Is it really meant as a Cheerio-holder for stroller-riding babies? Yes. Did I ask for it anyway? Yes. It's lightweight, BpA free, and looks kind of space-age. Enjoying a nice little trail mix from it now. :)

Boot dilemma

First there was the bag dilemma. Now there is the boot dilemma.

There was an earlier boot dilemma, but it has been sorta solved after some trial and error. This was the adventure of replacing my very, very beloved riding boots. I don't think I'll ever love any shoes or article of clothing as much as I love(d) those boots. They're actually broken and unwearable, yet still in my closet, because I have this fantasy that my Russian shoe guy can replace the entire broken zipper tread on the right boot and that I will still wear them no matter how beat-up they are. Maybe someday I'll get a horse. It wouldn't matter if I actually rode in super beat-up riding boots!

Now it's getting chilly and there is the winter boot dilemma. Last year, I decided to stop f*#king around and start dressing like I live in Alaska. I've had my eye on these Thinsulate-lined waterproof boots for a few months:

I wouldn't have to bring extra shoes to work with these! But the customer reviews say they are very wide in the calf, and various sites give different measurements. Might just order and try.

Here are the other (and cheaper!) options:

I'm looking at black so I don't have to worry about them getting dirty. And I'm looking at stuff that is not suede, which is tough to come by. Suede is not for slogging through slush puddles!

I never know how much to spend on shoes, because I'm positive that I will kick the crap out of *any* pair of shoes with all the walking I do. But Chris just told me about something he read: Most clothing sales are down, but not shoe sales. When asked about buying a pricey pair of shoes, a woman in NYC said she considers her shoes to be her car and is willing to spend what she might spend on keeping up a car. Hmmmmm, I wish he had never told me that...

Bag dilemma part 2

I still haven't solved my bag dilemma, but today I began considering buying a diaper bag. Now, before you say what Chris said ("Um, something I should know about??") or fall off your chair laughing, consider this:

-Diaper bags are huge. I can fit all my books and sh*t in there.

-Diaper bags are durable. I can bang it around all I want.

-Diaper bags have insulated compartments. Bet I could fit my lunch in there.

-Diaper bags have carrying options (handles, shoulder straps, etc.)

-Diaper bags are WASHABLE.

Some diaper bags look very purse-like nowadays. Hmmm.

Bag dilemma

Readers, do any of you have a solution to my bag dilemma??

In her book, I Was Told There Would Be Cake, author Sloane Crosley pokes fun at New Yorkers who wear/dress in serious outdoor gear. On this point, I must radically disagree with her—there is indeed just cause for owning and using that gear! (Maybe not if you live on the Upper West Side like the author, but if you make the long haul to and from the boroughs, there is!)

So, I have my X-treme commuter coat. I'm working on choosing some good, sturdy sneakers, too. Now I need a bag.

Sunday, I went for an upper body massage (hooray b-day gift certificate!), and the source of many of my aches and pains became clear. Why on earth am I lugging my life to and from work every day on ONE shoulder? That cannot be good. I started to notice women everywhere carrying gigantic purses, diaper bags, laptop cases...you name it, we are capable of carrying it around on one shoulder. Impressive, but not super healthy!

So, I'd like to invest in an excellent bag that is not terrible for my back. I've looked at the outdoor stores (ilke EMS) and places like Lands' End, too. Ideally, the bag would fit my books, an umbrella, possibly shoes, and my lunch. 

Problem is that none of the backpacks I'm finding are terrifically fashionable. I can choose a kinda climber-chick bag (cute, but not me and not very "work"-looking) or run around lookin' like a ninth grader. Tough!

So: messenger bags—good or bad for your back? Weight seems distributed more evenly than with a purse. And backpacks—anything between camping gal and Mia Thermopolis (pre-princess makeover)?

Moment of Stillness

I know I’ve been remiss about blogging, but I’ve been go-go-go these days, between wedding tasks and an explosion of work. I’ve been trying to remind myself to be still for a short while every day. This morning I stumbled upon the very epitome of stillness; a rare sight that takes my breath away every time: a parked taxi cab.

The yellow color makes a cab seem like it should be in motion at all times. There’s probably science behind that, something about the wavelengths of light and the way my rods and cones equate that color with kinetic energy.

I see hundreds of cabs each day, careening down Broadway, the reckless drivers possibly not giving, deep down, a real crap about whether they live or die. The longest I see a cab pause is to let one passenger out and another in; to shuttle someone else at furious speeds around the buzzing blocks of New York.

So when, this morning on my tree-lined street, I spotted a clean yellow taxi shining bright, I stopped in my tracks. I took a break from pushing the limits, from hurtling through the day at death-defying speeds. I reached terminal velocity. I had my moment of stillness.

Image via benjaminseigel on Flikr. Apologies I did not get a photo of the still cab in its glory.

Now that's a vanity plate

Saw this car on Broadway this morning. Guess "Big Sexy" was taken?

And what's with the funny license plates lately? Jenn just posted a couple great ones here and here.

Green caffeine

Remember that one time I said I realized it was unfashionable for me, a 25-year old woman, to tote around a Big Bird lunchbox?

I neglected to mention that I bring my coffee with me every morning in this mug. (It says Sesame Street on the back of it and shows Slimey the worm.)

Oops. But he's got a message, y'know? That's it's own kind of style...

Sandwich time

Vegetarian sandwiches are hard to come by. There's the old standby, PBJ, but beyond that it's hard to find something lunchbox-friendly. My lunch packing usually involves salads, but sometimes you just want to slap something between two pieces of bread and call it a day.

Last month, I threw together a successful (though seemingly random) combination of foods and created a new veggie sandwich. Here's the recipe for my fellow veggie-loving lunch packers:

-2 pieces of your favorite hearty whole-grain bread
-hummus (I use a roasted eggplant variety for extra heartiness)
-celery
-black olives
-sundried tomato
-spinach

Spread the hummus over the bread. Finely chop celery and black olives; mix into a "salad"; spread over hummus. Chop sundried tomato and add to your liking. Top with spinach and close that baby on up.

Photo: freefoto.com

Best thing since sliced bread

I hate wasting stuff. Why, just the other day I used only half of a salt packet and Scotch-taped it shut so I could use the other half later. While this instinct comes with its share of dubious labels (hippie, cheapskate, OCD...), it usually manifests itself positively. For example, though a dedicated lunch packer, I manage to stretch a box of Ziploc baggies for months at a time.

But what if you had kids and packed several lunches a day, 5 days a week? Imagine the waste of baggies and money! So, when last week I told Chris my idea for reusable sandwich bags, I thought we should start brainstorming ways to spend the million dollars I was about to make.

But doggone it, somebody beat me to it. The good news is that rather than waiting months for me to apply for my patent, you can just go buy some now. Behold the SnackTaxi:
Formerly known as happysacks, these babies are fully washable and have a coated lining to deal with moisture. They come in different sizes and designs, too. And wouldn't you know, they were created by a mom who was burning through Ziplocs while packing lunch for her kids.

These aren't airtight, so there is still a need for a Ziploc here and there. But I'm betting you could get some serious mileage out of these. I plan on trying a couple out!

Hanging up my winter coat?

Today I left the house wearing a light jacket. The sun is shining, children are outside playing, dogs are out for walks. Could it officially be time to hang up my winter coat?

Before it is relegated to the back of the closet until next winter, I have to pay respect to my Brooklyn Industries Snug Coat. I agonized over this purchase for ages, because dropping a lot of money on one article of clothing is a tough decision for me. But I would say it was some of the best money I've ever spent.

This coat allowed me to wear a dress out on Valentine's Day and made long waits on subway platforms bearable. On long bus or train rides, it can serve nicely as a comforter. It eliminated the need to stuff long johns under fitted pants.

Yes, it does somewhat appear that I am walking down the street in a sleeping bag. However, the diagonal stitching on this baby makes it look a tad more slim-fitting than other full-length puffers I've seen. Even though I bought it late in the season, I wore it up until yesterday, and am not convinced that I won't break it out at least one more time this year.

If you, like me, commute to work in rain, shine, sleet, blizzards, or mini-hurricanes down Broadway, you NEED this coat. If your commute is a trifle less X-Treme, maybe a knee-length parka, like The North Face Artic Parka, will suit your needs (tested by my friend Jenn down in DC).

Every spring, I promptly block the preceding winter from my memory. That's the only way I'll ever get through winter again. But at the first sign of chill next year, you'll know where to score one of these coats. Trust me, you will not be sorry.

Kiddles on the commute

Nothing better to brighten my gray, rainy commute than a pack of well-behaved 4-year olds in candy-colored rain gear.

Overheard:

"I went to the Museum of MODERN Art"
"Where's my nickel?"
"A...B...C...CEEEEEE...."



Supercute froggie boots available here.

Lunchbox

As a dedicated lunch packer, I felt I should give some props to my little lunch bag.

This Mario Batali tote has been serving me well. My purchase of this bag resulted directly from the destruction of my former lunch vessel, one red, insulated Big Bird satchel. Big Bird served 2 years before succumbing to utter annihilation from daily subway travel. As I bid him goodbye, it also dawned on me that it is terribly unstylish for a 25-year old woman to be carrying a Big Bird lunch box to work, no matter who her employer may be. Enter Mario.

I must say, the "persimmon" color is a bit brighter than it appears onscreen (kinda screams CAUTION: LUNCH!), but I love brightly colored things, so all is well. Plus, maybe the color deters people from stealing my food in the communal fridge at work. (And apparently orange was big in Paris for Fashion Week.) The exterior does not get dirty easily, and the tag bragged that the insulated interior is made from an eco-friendly material (edit: finally found out that the material is polyethylene foam, purportedly recyclable and CFC-free).

This keeps my lunch cool (tested during a 2-hour meeting) and tremendously cuts down on paper or plastic bag waste. As an added bonus, Mario Batali donates a portion of all proceeds from the lunch bags to The Lunchbox Auction, providing assistance to the New York Food Bank and meals to schoolchildren in Africa.

I truly love the new bag, but I would say that I have yet to find my ideal lunch bag. I slightly misjudged the strap length on this little cutie, and I have determined that shoulder straps are key for juggling violin + coffee + purse, as is sometimes necessary.

If you're on the lookout for a new lunch tote, consider the Batali bags, or maybe one of these cute options:












You can find the blue bag on etsy,
The damask-print bag on etsy,
And the purple neoprene bag is by BuiltNY.

Commuter Chronicles

While the subway does give me a chance to get the morning fuzzies out of my brain (read: time to mull over art, religion, waffles, etc.), packing myself on to a crowded train for 45 minutes first thing in the morning has never been my favorite way of getting to work. Roughly 8 months ago, I changed my commute route to involve more outdoor walking and less underground time. The new route has been providing me with my much-needed dose of sunlight (or rain, or sleet, or whipping winds, as the case may be) and Vitamin D. In celebration of my daily half mile (thanks, Google Maps!), the things I see outside that have kept me going:

1) The Petrossian building

My grandest Hey, My House! (the label Chris and I assign to houses we like to dream about living in). The ornate carvings stand out in a good way. Living here, I’d pop downstairs to the bakery every day and decide which flaky, buttery pastry would start my day.

2) Carriage horses

Because they are beautiful and not afraid of cabs.

3) Central Park

No explanation necessary.

4) Maine Monument

This statue always makes me feel as if I'm in Europe. Also, there are at least 8 loose cobblestones toward the westernmost edge of the surrounding plaza.

5) Jean George’s copper pots

Every morning, I spy on the chefs in the window of Jean Georges. Even when no one is furiously chopping veggies by the window, the copper pots are there, gleaming.