Sisters in the City

A weekend in New York. All right, here we go. Friday afternoon, I hopped a train to Grand Central to spend the weekend with my sissy, Marina. She lives three blocks from Grand Central so I got off the train and walked to her building. We hung out for a few minutes, catching up, before heading out to the Morgan Museum and Library.

 It was a nice walk and not too far from her place and the museum was gorgeous. So many books! So many libraries! And there was an awesome exhibit on modern literature, showcasing rare editions, hand-edited manuscripts by the authors themselves, and interesting tidbits and facts about writers and their works. Both of us could speed through a museum pretty quickly, but we took our time here because all of the displays were so interesting! This museum also tends to change up their exhibits pretty quickly (and they are usually literary themed) so I feel like it's a place you could go to often and never get bored!

After the museum, we kept walking, went down through Union Square, and ended up at The Strand bookstore. I was in heaven. And of course, I have no photos to share because who has time to take photos when there are miles of books to be bought? I think we spent a good hour and a half to two hours in there, browsing. I must've picked up ten different books and carried them around for a while before deciding I had to be practical about what to buy. I only left with two books, The Valley of the Dolls and The Complete Short Stories of Flannery O' Connor, because they were both so well priced, but the walking and looking and reading was so fun and I will definitely be back.

All the book shopping tired us out so we took the subway back to Marina's and relaxed for a bit. We had dinner plans with some of her girlfriends who were coming up from DC but they wouldn't be in until 9 or later so we had plenty of time to just hangout. We put on a few episodes of Friends and Marina set out some cheese, crackers, and fruit and we started the bottle of rose we got to share with her friends.

Once we heard from the rest of the girls, we walked to a nearby restaurant called Tuttles. The four other girls met up with us there and we had a great night together! It was after 10, so Marina and I got some small plates to share and the whole table shared a bottle of Prosecco. We sat in the outdoor dining area that was enclosed by other buildings. It was beautiful summer night and we enjoyed the bright city lights.

I slept surprisingly well that night. I thought I would be awoken at all hours because of the noisy city, since I'm used to sleeping in the quiet suburbs, but I didn't wake up once! We didn't rush in the morning. We had breakfast, coffee, and I started reading The Valley of the Dolls.

Around eleven, we made our way down to Soho to check out the New Museum. They had an exhibit on Middle Eastern art and Marina and her friends used to live in Cairo together so they were all very interested in that!

From there, we made our way to The High Line and walked around it for a bit. It's so beautiful and such an odd feeling to be walking through a green park, winding its way through tall, city buildings. It was another gorgeous day but it started to get very hot in the midday sun and we were all hungry for lunch by then so we didn't stay up there too long before heading to the Chelsea Market for lunch. There, we ate and shopped around at the pop up shop.

After lunch, we walked to a nearby bar that had a roof deck for a glass of sparkling rose before Marina and I went back up town to get ready for dinner.

Dinner on Saturday night was probably one of the best parts of the entire weekend. We went to a great little restaurant in Chelsea called Bottino and sat outside on their patio that was strung with white lights. We had a good three and a half hour dinner. We split apps, had delicious entrees, and shared a big slice of tiramisu for dessert. We talked non stop and laughed like crazy. Our waiter commented on the fact that we had covered a wide variety of discussion topics over the night, spanning from Catholicism, Middle Eastern politics, waxing, weddings, the usual gossip, and college stories. Our waiter also fell in love with Marina's friend and slipped her a little love note as we left, which we then promptly performed dramatic readings of on our way down the street.

It was a great weekend made even better by the great company we had. I'd been wanting to stay with Marina in the city for a while and I'm so glad I was able to do it before I move to Boston! She was the greatest hostess and she guided me around the city like an expert. I love you sissy!

Here Lately

I've been slacking over here in blog world but I haven't really felt the great urge to write about my trip to spend the weekend with my sis in New York, probably because the task feels very daunting. We did so much and took so many photos that I know the post will be a job. But I will do it. Soon. At some point.

Until then, here are a few things that have been going on.

From Friday to Monday, I acquired so many new books, which is perfect considering I was already having difficulty deciding which books to bring to Boston. I could probably dedicate an entire post to all my new books. I think I might.

As of yesterday, we are only two months out from the Cabrera-Gabriel wedding!

Also, as of the day before yesterday, we were two weeks out from moving to Boston! Have we started packing yet? Of course not!

My mom and I got to hangout with AJ's family and his relatives visiting from Peru. They all loved each other and shared stories in English and Spanish and I got a round of applause for speaking my first full sentence in Spanish to AJ's grandmother.

I decided to stop reading Bellefleur. I'm on a roll of not finishing books lately, but like I said, I have so many books to read and this one was not getting me excited enough to pick it up. I'm on to others.

I feel like it would be wrong not to mention Robin Williams. His death is devastating. All I want to do is reach out to his family, his kids especially, but that's impossible and probably wouldn't do much anyway. I can't imagine what they are going through, and I can't imagine what he was going through in the moments before his death but I feel it's important to say that depression is an illness and like any illness it requires medical attention. I wish it was not a stigma to seek therapy or medication because it actually takes a lot of strength and bravery to accept help. But for those who need it, I hope you seek it. And now all I want to do is watch Mrs. Doubtfire and Aladdin.

Sorry for my absence around these parts lately, but make sure to keep your eyes open for posts about books and New York City!

A Concert And What's On Tap For The Weekend

This photo has nothing to do with the post, but it's pretty and it's a good image to start the weekend with!

Last night, AJ and I made the trip out to Hartford to see his favorite band, Kings of Leon, in concert. We had tickets to see them live back in 2011, but they cancelled the show a few weeks before so it's been a long time coming! We had lawn tickets, meaning we were sitting outside on a big hill and looking down at the concert. It was a beautiful evening and we had a beach towel in the car so it was the perfect set up but about 30 minutes before show time, a man that worked at the venue started passing out stadium tickets to everyone so we got even better and much closer seats inside for free!!
The drive there was good, the drive back was not fun. It was after 1 am and trying to keep myself awake and focused was a challenge!



It's almost 9 am and I just saw AJ off on his own adventure for the day—I'll talk about that more later, though.

This weekend I am going to Manhattan to stay with my sister, Marina. It started out as just us but now a bunch of her girlfriends will be joining us, too!

Our plans for a weekend in the city, so far, include:

Exploring the Morgan Library and Museum, something Marina and I have wanted to check out for a while

Browsing the shelves at The Strand. So. Many. Books!

A late dinner at Tuttles once everyone arrives in NYC

Visiting the New Museum of Contemporary Art

Walking The High Line

Saturday night dinner at Bottino

And hopefully, bagels at some point

Of, course, some plans will change and some activities may be added but I'm just excited to spend some quality sister time with Marina before I move to Boston soon! Needless to say, it will be a fun, packed weekend and I am looking forward to it.

What do you have planned for this beautiful weekend?

The Night We Saw Queen

Insane, right? That's all I keep saying about the Queen + Adam Lambert concert I went to Thursday night. I can't stop talking about it!

AJ bought the tickets a few months ago and we had been wanting to see the show for a long time before that, but in the days leading up to it I was getting nervous to go. AJ and I both had to work Thursday and he would be rushing back home from Greenwich, showering, changing, and then rushing over here to meet me for the last train that would get us to Madison Square Garden on time. Happily, it worked out and AJ got here even earlier than expected so we didn't have to rush to the train!

We did, however, speed walk to Madison Square Garden from Grand Central because if you ever go to New York with AJ, you will be walking. There is no such thing as the subway to him.

We got to MSG and found our seats quickly. We had bar stool seats so we were up in the back but we had a good view of the whole stage and we had freedom to move around, dance, and get out of our seats without bothering people around us. Plus, we were five feet away from a concession stand and a bar so naturally we had to get a MSG box of popcorn and pour peanut M&Ms in it.

Of course, the music was amazing. Adam Lambert was born for this job and watching Brian May on the guitar is unreal. There were touching moments, too. Brian May sang Love of my Life and spoke about how he used to do it as a duet with Freddie Mercury and during the song they brought up footage of Freddie singing it, so it was like they were singing it together again. They also brought up video of Freddie during Bohemian Rhapsody.

There are so many Queen songs and they did a good variety of them, but as we were walking out people were complaining about some songs they had left out. But who cares? It's Queen!

After the show we rushed back to Grand Central to make the 11:30 train so we didn't have to wait until 12:30 to head home. We made it, fell asleep on the train, and woke up in time to get off at our stop. I'm so happy we got to see that concert. It was amazing and I doubt I'll see a show of such great magnitude any time soon!.

A Long Week

Wow! Have I really not posted since Monday? That makes me feel bad. But the only thing to do is get back to it so here I go with a little recap of all that happened this week which kept me away from my blog.

—I decided to go with Bellefleur . It's a long, engrossing book and I'm enjoying reading it like crazy!

—I started a more regular babysitting job for the rest of the summer. I'm taking care of 2 girls, 9 and 11, who I've known for a few years now. So far we've done fun things like bake muffins and cover them with chocolate frosting and go to a place called Skyzone to jump on trampolines until we're exhausted. Their father owns a pizza place that uses all organic and locally sourced ingredients. He's kind enough to share some of his fresh produce with me, like the fennel and red onions in the photo above.

—I took my grandmother shopping to get her a grandmother of the bride dress. She's the cutest thing and I was afraid we'd never find something she'd like but we did! She looks lovely in it and I'm so happy we got to have that experience together.

—I had lunch with my cousin Maria at a cute, newish restaurant in Westport called The Granola Bar. Yes, they sell house made granola and parfaits and such. But they also have a bigger menu of breakfast items, sandwiches, salads, and sides. Their lists of teas, coffees, lattes, and smoothies is enough to make your mind go crazy with options! We'll be back because there are more items we'd like to try. The only downside is, the place is tiny and crowded and the person trying to squeeze into the table next to you will spill your salt shaker.

—Last night, AJ and I went to the Queen + Adam Lambert concert in Madison Square Garden. To say it was phenomenal is an understatement. I'm not a concert person but every single video we took from last night captures my screams and shouts of joy! Bohemian Rhapsody, sung by thousands of people in the stadium was reason enough to go. AJ and I both sang our hearts out so I want to apologize to those sitting around us. I'll write more about it tomorrow, though!

So yeah, I was a bit more busy this week than usual but I'll do my best to get back to posting frequently! I'll have more book stuff coming up this week, too. I hope everyone is having a great start to their weekend!

A Quick Trip to NYC

I really don't love New York City. I used to be a bit fascinated by it before I moved to Connecticut. The first few years I lived here, AJ and I would take trips into the city to see a ballet or go to the Met for a class assignment and that was fun. But the last few times I've gone into the city, I haven't enjoyed it. In fact, it often makes me stressed and annoyed. This is probably because I don't like feeling crowded and rushed and the city is filled with fast paced people and that's ok!

There are some really great things about the city, though. The interesting food trucks and restaurants are beyond compare. There is tons to do and see. There are bookstores I could happily live in and I love the lions at the public library. Also, my sister has a cute little apartment near Grand Central so going to visit her is easy and fun.

Today, my mom and I hopped on a train in the morning, grabbed a cab outside Grand Central, and went to the Upper East Side to visit my mother's cousin, Gloria. She's lived in the same apartment in Park Ave for years and years and has a spectacular view. She's a phenomenal artist—she made our save the dates and today we worked on our wedding invitations with her! She already had quite a few made up by the time we got there so all we had to do was iron out details, play with the wording and fonts, and decide on envelopes and table cards. I'm so glad that we've been able to do this part of wedding planning with a family member. It's made it much easier and so stress free!

We ordered a slice of pizza and a salad each from a nearby Italian place and ate at Gloria's table staring out at Park Ave—all the photos are taken from her balcony. We talked about family members we haven't seen in a while and reminisced about family members that are no longer with us. I didn't meet Gloria until 2011 because our family is so huge, but I feel like I've known her forever. I'm so thankful that she has been doing all of our paper goods for the wedding because not only is it easier on us, but it has allowed me to get to know her even better!

We spent a few hours with Gloria, most of them spent chatting because we got the invitations done so quickly. We made promises to visit again soon and Mom and I were back in a taxi (getting carsick fast) to Grand Central. We luckily got an express train so the ride was faster than usual! I picked up an iced latte from Zaro's Bakery for a little treat—it made my mom nostalgic for the years when she worked in the city long ago because she got breakfast from Zaro's at Grand Central most days.

I started reading a new book, Trains and Lovers, yesterday and I read the entire ride both ways so I'm close to finishing again. Expect a post on it soon as well as a review of The Bell Jar. Tomorrow, I'm going back to New York, but to Yonkers this time, to meet with a videographer. We haven't booked one yet and time is running out!

I'm so glad it's Friday and I hope everyone's weekend is off to a great start! Any fun plans for the next few days? Do you have any opinions on New York City?

Literary Links

This article about Donna Tartt's Goldfinch kind of gets what I've been feeling.

A list of books that are living the dream in NYC. All the books listed are different from the list I made for Collective Lifestyle.

Making author-inspired sneakers could be a great way to cultivate a greater interest in literature and reading. 

This article about the lack of soccer in Latin American literature is very relevant at the moment, considering the World Cup. 

What an ideal way for a book and garden lover to spend a summer weekend in England. 

A list of books that will be in theaters soon!

And lastly, because I'm still wishing I could be on the Cape year round, an article about literature in Nantucket. 

Currently Reading: The Group

I really did just start reading this book but it's one I have been eagerly anticipating! Written by Mary McCarthy in 1963, it's the story of a group (of course) of girlfriends who graduate from Vassar College in 1933. I'm less than a full chapter into the story (it has really long chapters, but still) and I can already tell that this is another one of those books that is an absolute treat to read! McCarthy's word choice is impeccable. It's so smart and witty and impossibly perfect for her characters and for the feel of this novel. The girls (there are 8 of them in 'the group') behave just as you would expect a group of Vassar graduates from that day to behave. All of them are interesting and a little quirky and even a bit envious.

The story begins at the wedding of Kay, one of the girls, to a man named Harald. It is a week after their commencement and following the reception, all of the girls will go on their own way through the adult world. Some go to Europe, some go into publishing or nursing, and some go on to form new relationships. McCarthy follows the paths that the girls travel through their lives apart and they are only brought back together when one of the girls dies.

Some call this McCarthy's best book, which is saying something because she has a large repertoire of extremely praised books. So far, I am greatly enjoying this novel. Something people who might want to read this book should know, I do not view this book as a light, summer read. The paragraphs and chapters are long so you have to be able to devote good chunks of time to reading it. Also, the verbiage requires constant and close attention so it is not easy to read if there are other distractions present otherwise you will find yourself going back a bit in the book to reread things you may have missed or to find out who is speaking. I don't mind any of that, the content of this book is well worth the necessary attention. The only thing that is troubling me about the novel thus far is the abundance of women in the group. As I said, there are 8 of them and I often am confused as to which girl belongs to which previously written backstory or character description. However, I am hoping that as I continue reading it will become more clear.

I definitely recommend this book to women that are interested in the lives of academic women of the past, to anyone who enjoys a witty novel that requires some concentration, and to anyone who loves good prose and a well-written sentence.

New York City in Novels

Last week I wrote an article for Collectivelifestyle.com about books that take place largely in New York City. I'll give you the list of the books included in the article, but for more of a synopsis and praise, you can read the article here!

The list of books include:

The Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann

Soledad: A Novel by Angie Cruz

Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

The Interpreter by Suki Kim

Push by Sapphire

Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann

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