Category: Friends

{ 9/11 Memorial Walk 5K }

On By mrs. harrisIn Friends, Married Life, NYC, Zach <3Leave a comment

Sunday was another bright day in the city which made for a perfect backdrop for our first community event. The Millers invited Z and I to join their team for the annual 9/11 Memorial Walk 5K, benefitting the 9/11 Memorial and Museum.

Before living here, I had not visited NYC since July 2004. Back then, the area where the Twin Towers used to stand looked more like a construction zone, a somber site of what it used to be. Now the Memorial has incredible twin reflecting pools each nearly an acre in size and feature the largest manmade waterfalls in North America. The pools sit within the footprints where the Twin Towers once stood. Architect Michael Arad and landscape architect Peter Walker created the Memorial design selected from a global design competition that included more than 5,200 entries from 63 nations. The names of every person who died in the 2001 and 1993 attacks are inscribed into bronze panels edging the Memorial pools.

memorial names

It is without a doubt one of the top tourist attractions in the city but I’ll admit it feels strange to take photos and observe the other tourists who lean up against it or have their kids sitting on the edge with their parents. It feels a bit inappropriate given the reason for the structures but at least people feel it’s important to visit the site and remember all that was lost and what has since been rebuilt. The long term plan is to eventually have 7 towers, all of unique architectural structure (see Wings structure below).

My favorite part of the Memorial is the “Survivor Tree.” The Callery pear tree is the only tree to survive the September 11, 2001 terror attacks. In October 2001, the tree was discovered at Ground Zero severely damaged, with snapped roots and burned and broken branches. The tree was removed from the rubble and placed in the care of the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. After its recovery and rehabilitation, the tree was returned to the Memorial in 2010. It doesn’t look like any of the other trees which makes it presence so much more powerful. Pretty cool, eh?

Anyhoo, the 5K had hundreds of people for an 8:00am start full of runners and walkers alike. It felt amazing to be a part of our first community event to make us feel even more like a part of the city. It was an honor to be a part of and a great way to give back.

At the end of the race there was an array of food trucks, kids’ games and face-painting, booths from local sponsors, and a live band comprised of Army soldiers, by far one of the best parts of the day.

Thank you Parv and Andy for inviting us to join you! Looking forward to making it an annual event!

tower with trees

Editor’s note: Although a very serious cause and event, we did have a bit of fun during the walk. One of Zach’s best friends had done a Spartan race in Seattle the day before (it’s one of those 9-mile intense, mud-run, obstacle course type races) so Z felt the need to show him that he was equally “challenged” on his 3.2 miles of walking. Sorry dear, had to share!

zach collage

 

{ Yankees vs. Mariners }

On By mrs. harrisIn Foodies, Friends, Married Life, NYCLeave a comment

Last Saturday we checked an item off our New York bucket list and headed to Yankee Stadium! The Seattle Mariners were in town for the weekend and it was too great an opportunity to pass up. We had a crew of 10 people, combined of old and new friends, and headed to the Bronx to take over almost an entire row in the grand stand seats.

I’m not a huge baseball fan but I do love the atmosphere and energy of baseball games. Though this Yankee Stadium is not the original, it is still packed with historical memorabilia and fun artifacts.

We caught an especially warm day but we all endured our impending farmers’ tans together. All together in the front row of our section, we had a perfect, unobstructed view and were able to catch the pre-game festivities. One of which was the starters line-up announcement on the jumbotron. We got a kick out of the fact that the played the Darth Vader theme song while they announced the Mariners’ starters. Our first Mariners’ away game was off to a running start!

panorama FULL stadium

The whole game was a blast. Half of the group were Mariners fans while the other half wore their Yankees gear accompanied by lots of playful banter (Lots of boos from the whole Yankees crowd whenever ex-Yankee, current Mariner, Robinson Cano was up to bat!). Craft beers, Nathan’s famous hot dogs, different domestic and imported beer at every other concession stand were perfect additions to the day. The cherry on top of the awesomeness was the Mariners 3-2 victory!

I can’t wait to come back for more games! Especially because my new favorite part of going to a Yankees game is the 7th inning stretch…

Oh yes, snaps and spin moves and all!

{ From Past to Present }

On By mrs. harrisIn Friends, NYCLeave a comment

One of the things I love about NYC is it is also home to old friends from earlier seasons of my life. When I first arrived, one of the first people I reached out to was my former boss and close friend in San Diego, Joe. We were two peas in a pod when we worked at the Andaz San Diego and our friendship is one of my fondest memories from living in San Diego. Joe is originally from New York and he moved back in 2010. It has quite literally been six years since we last saw each other, despite seeing each other frequently through social media. We met for dinner one of my first weeks in town and we picked up exactly where we left off and it was like no time had passed at all. Gotta love that!

So we decided we were well overdue for Joe to meet Zach and this past Tuesday we finally made it happen at Cibar in Gramercy Park. I knew it would be great fun but it was even better than I imagined. Two men from two distinct parts of my life and they sincerely enjoyed each other. Joe had moved back to New York months before I met Zach in 2011 and Zach has only ever heard about Joe from my San Diego stories. Joe was an integral part of my San Diego experience, he was there for me through the highs and lows and a huge part of me gaining confidence in my mid-twenties. For a significant time, Joe and I referred to him as my gay boyfriend. To finally have these two worlds collide was simply wonderful. We’ve already got a handful of plans in the works and I can’t wait! My heart is full and so ready for more good times ahead.

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{ From Winter to Spring }

On By mrs. harrisIn Foodies, Friends, NYC, Visitors, Zach <3Leave a comment

It has been a whirlwind couple of weeks for the Harris’. While our apartment has finally come together we’ve had more free time to get out and enjoy the end of our first, albeit brief, New York winter, to the first couple weeks of spring.

Miller Time. Our friends that feel more like family, Parv and Andy have returned to their home in NYC from an extended vacation in Iran visiting Parv’s family, and with their return we’ve been exploring new places in the city together. While in the short time they’ve been back we have done so many fun things together, one of my favorites was our first go at a NYC rooftop bar. The Millers had purchased a Groupon to a rooftop bar in Midtown South as a welcome present for Z and I. 230 Fifth has a fantastic indoor and outdoor rooftop space that has 360 degree views of Manhattan. A walk-up bar with food & drink and red robes to keep you warm made for a fantastic Saturday afternoon. While the robes were more of a novelty than necessity (especially once we discovered they don’t wash them between wears…) we loved the vibe of the rooftop bar scene and can’t WAIT for summer to explore more rooftop bars as they open closer to end of spring, early summer. Thank you, Millers, for a perfect “official” welcome to the city!

The view wasn’t so bad either…

Manhattan Beach to Manhattan, NY. One of the many perks of living here is friends that travel for work often find themselves traveling to NYC. Last week one of my hometown friends since junior high, Miranda, was in town for a quick work trip. We were able to have wine at the apartment before meeting up with one of her girlfriends from business school and one of her best friends from college, both of whom also live in NYC. It was so fun meeting her friends from three seasons of her life and an enjoyed a delish dinner and drinks in the Upper West Side, quickly becoming one of my favorite neighborhoods. Loved seeing you and catching up Miranda! Can’t wait for the next trip, whether here or seeing you in Detroit! Thanks for squeezing me in!

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Easter Sunday. While Z and I spent most of the weekend “adulting” and building/unpacking/cleaning/hanging frames in the apartment, we spent Sunday morning with the Millers and our friends, Hayley and Damien. We hosted mimosas at our place then headed to a spot I have been itching to try, mainly because of its eccentric name and darling, country home interior design, The Flying Cock. It did not disappoint! All you can drink mimosas, bellinis, and bloody Mary’s for only $15 and breakfast items that were to die for. I would have taken more photos had I not been consumed in the good eats, better company, and a hilarious and friendly Irish restaurant owner who only cemented the notion that The Flying Cock would become a regular spot for us and any of our future visitors. After brunch, Z and I walked The High Line to burn off our meals and drinks. It used to be a railroad for manufacturers many years ago but has since been restored to a walking path with unique views of the West Side and pieces of the railroad throughout. There are public benches/chaise lounges and local vendors along the path, my favorite of which was a local artist who had a blank canvas on the ground with paint and brushes, simply inviting people to paint for free. Afterwards we braved and bumped our way through the crowds and hundreds of tourists leisurely walked through the Chelsea Market. I had previously been on a weekday which was an entirely different experience but despite the crowds it was still fun to explore it again and share it with Z.

From LMU to San Diego to New York. One of my closest friends, Kim, whom I lived with in college, lived with in San Diego post-college, and most recently a bridesmaid in our wedding, has been living in Baltimore for two years. We have been anxiously awaiting my move so we could finally see each other in our new homes on the East Coast. Kim was in town for the day after Easter, as she and her boyfriend were headed to Montreal the following day. We spent the day exploring the Upper West Side, taking in a Southern meal at one of my new favorite places, Jacob’s Pickles, and a long walk through Central Park.IMG_6497

As we walked back to the subway we had to stop at Kim’s most favorite place in the city, Laundrée, the place that invented the macaroon. Not being a fan of macaroons myself, I was skeptical, but one bite of a salted caramel macaroon later, I understood Kim’s obsession. They taste unlike any other macaroon I’ve ever had, they are more like a soft cookie with the most intense and decadent flavors. Needless to say I’m glad this place isn’t close to our apartment! Thank you for the wonderful day, Kim! I can’t wait for so many more!

Neighborhood Vibes. It has been so fun learning more about our neighborhood and taking the time to just walk around and pop into new restaurants and shops to figure out which places will become “our places.” Like most of New York, our neighborhood has an incredible mix of pre-war and modern architecture. Never have I lived in a place where you can stumble across so many different types of shops and cuisine within a couple blocks walk. It’s easy to just pick some cross streets and explore rather than seek out a shop or restaurant online before you go. We’re really learning to just let the city take us by surprise instead of planning our every move. The city is blooming into spring more and more everyday.

I’ll post some updated photos of the apartment in the next couple days. For now, I will leave you with last night’s sunset from our living room.

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{ Northwest Comes to the Northeast }

On By mrs. harrisIn Foodies, Friends, NYC, Visitors2 Comments

We got so lucky over the last week and a half with visits from familiar faces and some expert New Yorkers. Being the newbies has its own fun but learning so much from people we love and have called NYC home before was awesome!

The Future Mr. & Mrs. Angus. We were so thrilled that our friends’, Mitch and Kylie coordinated an overlap of their pre-planned vacation with our move date. Our new city had an immediate warmth of familiarity. The BEST part of their visit? They got engaged! Congrats, again, friends! We love you both and can’t wait for your wedding!

Kylie lived in NYC for 6 years and has resided in Portland with Mitch and their baby boy, Axel, for the past few years. Not only did Kylie know so much about so much, but she introduced us to some of her closest friends, Amy and Charlie, that we clicked with almost immediately. Z and I got to explore Brooklyn for the first time by dining with them and their friends at the Two Door Tavern in Williamsburg. The food was delish and the vibe reminded us of a Seattle-esque bar and restaurant. The night ended at a karaoke dive-bar in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn which couldn’t have been more perfect. Kylie and I were the only ones to rock the mic but there were a plethora of, shall we say, very special locals that kept the evening incredibly entertaining. The rest of the weekend included a visit to the bar Kylie used to bartend at in the Upper East Side, Gael Pub, where they let her behind the bar for old times sake, a quick pop-in and hello/introduction to her Uncle Frankie who owns this classic NY Italian restaurant, Campagnola, and then right across the street to (by far, my favorite part of the weekend!) The Banshee Pub. Kylie is very close friends with one of the bartenders, she knows the Irish musician who plays 90s’ cover music on guitar, and before the night ended Uncle Frankie brought an entire fresh, hot, cheese pizza from his restaurant into the bar. Is this girl the Mayor of NYC or what?! Thank you for the awesome playtime, Mitch & Kylie! We loved meeting all of your wonderful friends and NYC family and thank you for showing us the city through your eyes! Come back soon!

My One Day with Renee. My sweet and adventurous friend Renee has one of the craziest schedules I’ve ever heard of. Working for an international hotel & restaurant design firm keeps her travel schedule packed and I was humbled that she squeezed in a day in NYC to see me on her way to Philly for a new hotel opening party. Despite this particular Tuesday being one of the rainiest days of the year, we were determined to make the most of it. We dined at the famed Central Park restaurant, The Loeb Boathouse, and it did not disappoint. It was definitely a “fancy pants” place but the view of the lake and Central Park is worth the extra expense. The food and wine lived up to our expectations and overall it was just a perfect NYC moment. We caught a movie after lunch to avoid the rain and shared some vino the rest of the afternoon and evening. The next morning we squeezed in a brunch at the Blue Dog Kitchen which was one of the tiniest restaurants I’ve seen in NYC yet. But the food, fresh-pressed juices, and grilled avocado benedict were worthy distractions from elbowing your neighbor while you ate. It will definitely become a staple breakfast place for visitors. Thank you for making the time and effort to come visit, Renee! So glad you have a job that allows these impromptu visits! Looking forward to the next one!

Writing about all of these restaurants and eating and drinking should serve as a great example of how much Z and I are splurging in the New York cuisine scene. And subsequently how much we’ve increased our frequenting to our building’s fitness center. Totally. Worth. It.