Beauty Lies in the 91st Street Garden

by Tracy Kaler

The 91st Street Garden in Riverside Park seems to become more lush with each passing day.

Just when I thought it couldn't be any more lovely than it already was, the 91st Street Garden in Riverside Park came into full bloom over the past week.  With winter far behind us and spring's chilled air on hold in New York City, the lush greenery and multi-colored varieties of flowers have quickly taken over the two sculpted parcels between 90th and 91st Streets. Each day I walk by in disbelief, snapping yet another photo for the blog; the garden appears more full, more colorful, and more exquisite than the day before. 

The Garden People are responsible for these two little slices of heaven on the Upper West Side. In 1981, a group of volunteers began planting in this location when their previous 96th Street garden was demolished for a new building. Since then, they've encouraged the revival of a distressed, Riverside Park from the 1970s and '80s. The Garden People brought color and vitality back to the park, and by the late '90s, it was ready for its screen debut landing a supporting role in the well-loved film, You've Got Mail, starring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks.

Today, more than 40 people tend to their individual plots, working regularly to maintain the garden and enhance this promenade section of the park. 

I'm sharing a few of my most recent photos with you. I'll return to the garden later this afternoon, and it will most likely be more gorgeous than yesterday.

GIVEAWAY! The Efva Attling Memento Vivere Necklace!

by Tracy Kaler

Memento Vivere!

Everyone likes to be a winner, and we like giving away so you have the opportunity to win on Tracy's New York Life. It's our way of saying "Thank you" to our loyal readers.

I want personally to congratulate Phil and Dee for winning Adam Shepard's book, One Year Lived. How lucky were they? These two will quickly immerse themselves in this story about adventure, travel and experiencing life around the globe. Thanks to Adam for sending the copies!

Speaking of winning, how lucky am I? I won this stunning silver Memento Vivere pendant from Efva Attling. I was so surprised and thrilled, since honestly, I rarely win anything! "Memento Vivere" means "Remember to Live" in Latin.

Remember to Live!

A favorite among celebrities, Efva's collection has been worn by Uma Thurman, Madonna, Meryl Streep, Michelle Trachtenberg, among others.

Dream a Little Dream

SHARE YOUR STORY

by Jennifer

Yesterday, I received an email from a new reader and she inspired me. Thank you, Jennifer, for opening up and sharing your story about New York City. It's refreshing to know that people like Jennifer are finding and reading this blog. Below is an excerpt from the message. 

Poets' Walk, Central Park --by James Maher

My name is Jennifer, and I live in Dallas, Texas. I stumbled upon your website this morning, while searching for a new job…basically, attempting to figure out what I want to do when I grow up.

I'm 28, born and raised in Texas, have a decent corporate marketing job, dating a native New Yorker, and currently inspired to join the cast of Saturday Night Live. Of course, I have pretty much accepted that in no way, shape or form, will I ever become the next Amy Poehler, so I decided to begin random searches, in hopes of finding a real woman's view on living in NYC, rather than my boyfriend’s biased views.

Your blog was the first - and only - I stumbled upon, as I found myself engrossed and wondering how you managed to begin your own blog, and from what it appears to me on the other side of the screen, enjoy your life the way that I always imagined I would in New York City.

Travel Well and Stay Beautiful This Summer with Elizabeth Arden

LOOKING GOOD
by Tracy Kaler

I was asked to partner with the legendary beauty brand, Elizabeth Arden New York.  Of all the skincare and makeup companies in the world, I'm thrilled to work with the line that I represented many years ago. I stepped through the Red Door just out of high school, became an Arden girl and loved every minute of it.

I have to be honest, my time selling Arden was one of the most glamorous and fun jobs I've ever had. What's not to love about standing behind an elegant counter in pretty clothes; using topnotch products; meeting and mingling with women; giving makeovers; spraying fragrances and being an ambassador for a luxurious brand like Elizabeth Arden? You get the picture.

I am Suing my Landlord in New York City

LIFE IN THE APPLE
by Suzie Dundas

It's not easy finding an apartment in NYC--by Dave Hamster via Flickr

After the fiasco I went through to find a safe, affordable apartment in New York City, I was hoping that once I moved into a semi-permanent place, the chaos in my life would end. Unfortunately, I was wrong.

My former sleazy landlord is four months late returning the almost $3,000 that he owes me from the time I rented his mouse-infested Brooklyn apartment. I have (in writing, no less!) five separate emails and texts in which he tells me my money has been sent (though he never addresses the fact that he supposedly had already sent it.)  

The Colorful, Quirky and Chic Come Together in SoHo's C. Wonder

SHOP NEW YORK

by Amanda Halkiotis

The white and green doors at C. Wonder

New Yorkers still crave warm weather as temperatures continue to hover below average for this time of the year. In spite of this, fashionistas all over New York City have abandoned their drab winter gear of grey wool coats, black leather gloves and buckled equestrian boots in exchange for bright, flirty spring accessories and ensembles.

No wonder, as Fashion Week this spring dazzled the senses with bright hues and allover prints like stripes, polka dots, and tiny florals. With so much to choose from, right now anyone -- regardless of size or skintone -- can conquer the latest trends. But, even if you love your current wardrobe and have no plans to overhaul your fave threads, a color-happy trip to C. Wonder can still enhance your look.

C. Wonder's windows never disappoint

Showbiz in TV Land: Glee and Responsibility

STAGEBOUND
True stories from the life of a musical performer in New York City

by Rori Nogee

Spoiler alert: Do not read the following if you are not caught up on the newest episodes of Glee.--via Wikipedia 

On a recent episode of the Fox hit TV show, Glee, Kurt Hummel (Chris Colfer) said to Rachel Berry (Lea Michele), “I signed us up for the last two slots for the Broadway revival of Funny Girl for next week!”  And in response, I literally heard every New York City actor gasp, guffaw, or throw something at the screen.

 Now, I am well aware that television shows are fictional, and that we are asked to hold a suspension of disbelief for our favorite characters and the zany situations they find themselves in.  In shows that depict the theater community like Smash and Glee, we as the audience have learned not to bat an eye when characters break into song in bowling alleys or school hallways. It is accepted as normal.  

Debating New York's 7 Cardinal Sins

LIFE IN THE APPLE
by Suzie Dundas and Tracy Kaler
photos by James Maher

Life in New York City isn't for everyone. Many try it with high hopes, but arrive and quickly realize it's nothing like they expected. Others come to NYC on a whim, fall in love and stay for life. There's no specific 'New York type' nor predicting anyone's outcome or future here. Sometimes the least likely will flourish in the 'City That Never Sleeps,' and those expected to succeed, last only a short time.

Suzie Dundas has been living in New York for about six months, and though she loves cities, she's not loving New York in the way she should. In fact, it seems the longer she lives here, the less she likes it. Should she give it more time? Try living in a different neighborhood? Or maybe, New York just isn't for her.

Tracy Kaler has been living in New York for about six years, but has loved the city since she stepped off a Bieber bus in 1979, end of story.

Suzie has come up with New York's list of seven cardinal sins -- those shortcomings she hates and has discovered since moving here. She feels the sooner she can accept these, the sooner she will learn to accept the city and embrace life here.

Tracy's perspective is different than Suzie's.

1.   The Subway Sucks

Suzie:
Readers from New York may doubt this first claim, thinking “that’s not true, my subway ride is great.”  But, these people are wrong, and have simply become used to the misery that is the New York subway.

Taking the subway sucks. At best, it’ll be a short ride where you manage not to catch the plague. But usually, it’s a hold-on-for-your-life kind of situation. 

For starters, the subway is dirty. On an average day, 4.3 million people ride the subway, and even if New Yorkers everywhere were massive germaphobes who took care to cover their coughs (and trust me, that’s purely hypothetical), it would still be dirty. You’re cramming people shoulder-to-shoulder into an underground tube of stale air, and asking everyone to breath in shared dust and dirt, all while holding on to the same handrails. I consider it a small victory every time I walk out of the station without coughing up blood. 

Worthy Restaurants in the West 100s

WINE DINE & FOOTLIGHTS

by Emelyn Daly

Looking north in the 100s on Amsterdam Ave. toward Harlem--by Jake Hall via Flickr

You’re zipping north on the 1 line and heading high in Manhattan, maybe for a breezy stroll around Grant’s tomb or a pious peek at the Gothic wonders of St. John the Divine; you’re probably not thinking the best part of your visit to this neighborhood could actually be what you eat. As the street numbers climb into the triple digits, your expectations tend to drop when it comes to dining in the West 100s. Morningside Park? Gorgeous. The Columbia campus? A splendid site for casual lovers of Greek architecture. “But,” you say, “What’re we gonna eat around here?”

The West 100s are undoubtedly lovely, but to many of the area’s visitors, the food scene looks sparse, yielding our current epidemic of wandering, hungry pedestrians, who become increasingly apprehensive and hypoglycemic, and end up saying things like, “I mean, isn’t Red Rooster like, really close?”

Still Single? Create a Match.com Summer Singles Event and Win!

LIVING SINGLE IN NYC

by Tracy Kaler

Ok singles --- what stirs you? How about a fun way to meet other singles right near your hometown? How about planning your very own singles event with the help of seasoned event planners from Match.com?

Stir events by Match.com are a great way of meeting other singles offline, offering a wide range of activities to Match.com members around the country ranging from large-scale happy hours at popular venues, to more intimate events like tequila tastings and DJ lessons. Stir events are diverse and tailored to each age group and location, which makes them all the more fun for those involved.

Yellow Cabs

SHARE YOUR STORY

by Jody H.

TAXI!--by Adrian 8_8 via Flickr

I had been living in New York City for less than a month. Within my first two weeks, I had secured a part-time job at an online magazine. Meaning: I had secured a part-time job working for a rich uptown lady whose magazine was a passion project that she could throw money at. Unable to choose between myself or Kara (the other girl at the interview), Ms. Lin had hired us both. She had no way of knowing that we would become instant friends, bonding over everything from our intense crushes on John Mulaney to finishing each other’s obscure lyric-referencing sentences.

When there weren’t any interviews that needed transcribing, or pictures of quirky art installations that needed commenting, Ms. Lin would ask us to run basic errands. Kara and I organized Lin’s office, her filing cabinets and even her toddler’s clothes.

One Friday afternoon, Ms. Lin asked me if I was willing to go and pick up a chair she’d had custom-built for her son from Ligne Roset. I began to google the address of this upscale Fifth Avenue furniture store when she handed me a wad of cash and said, “Just take a cab.”

Eating and Drinking Your Way Through New Dorp, Staten Island

The BBQS
Straight from the outer boroughs
By Jerry Del Priore

If you own a car, take the Verrazano-Narrows to New Dorp, Staten Island--via Wikipedia

If you're not familiar with New Dorp, This Staten Island neighborhood is diverse with Italian-American, Irish-American, Albanian American, Polish-American and Russian American residents. Though the area was hit hard by Hurricane Sandy, longtime residents are struggling to rebuild the place they know and love.

With the opening of several shopping centers, New Dorp has become commercialized over the years. But "Niewe Dorp," or New Dorp, as it's now known, hasn't lost its character. Located in proximity to the Staten Island Railroad, which is easily accessible from the Staten Island Ferry, New Dorp is just minutes from New Dorp Beach. The neighborhood is also accessed by vehicle via the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. 

Adam Shepard Talks New York: “It’s the Greatest City in the World”

by Tracy Kaler

NYC --"The Greatest City in the World"--photo by James Maher

That’s quite a label. 

How does one big city with five sprawling boroughs of more than eight million live up to this tag line? 

To those who live in New York, this big city isn’t that big; but rather, it’s an urban center with many diverse neighborhoods, a collection of small towns. What makes this metropolis-- also known as New York City -- greater than other cities around the world? 

Ask most New Yorkers their opinions of the place they call home, and you might get a variety of answers. But one of the most popular would probably be: "I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else."

Dating by Numbers

         LIVING SINGLE IN NYC

              by Grace Anders

Is dating really a numbers game?-- by hownowdesign via Flickr

                  I have a very bad habit: I tend to overthink everything. In fact, I can't even go to stores like H&M, because I get overwhelmed with the options. I can't make a decision, and go home to look at everything online in an organizational manner-- which is kind of ironic -- because once I buy the clothing, that clothing is going to spend its lifespan disorganized somewhere in my closet, the backseat of my car, or in a suitcase perpetually waiting to be unpacked.

                  Anyway, in my usual manner, I decided to evaluate my dating prospects by applying something everyone with a liberal arts graduate degree loves: math! This was spurred by an evaluation of my messages on OkCupid – a dating website for those committed enough to make an online profile, but not committed enough to actually pay for it. I have 256 messages from guys since I joined, and I've replied to 14; a reply rate of slightly under five percent. There are 8,336,6971 people in New York, and, on average, 49.22 percent of the population is male – that means that if I'm only interested in five percent of them, it still leaves 205,082 men available to me.

Why I Am Leaving New York City

by Michelle Carol

I was packing during the Met Gala --by Juleskills via Flickr

As cherry blossoms peak, white tents are pitched for the Met Gala, and beer gardens are bustling with open-toed shoes, I am posting the contents of my bedroom on Craigslist, wrapping my dinner plates in pages of amNY, and applying to jobs within respectable driving distance from my parents' house in CT. No, I didn't get fired from my job. For a series of reasons, I've chosen to leave New York.

It's daunting to finally sit down and write this article illustrating my exit from the city that has been my home for the past seven months. My decision to leave New York City in June has been both the hardest and easiest decision of my post-grad life. My reality is: I love it here, but I feel too smothered to stay. In less than one year, I can say I’ve been here too long. BuzzFeed put out a timely post recently: "23 Signs You’ve Lived in New York City Too Long." How fitting! BuzzFeed, I get you.