Angel Street Thrift Shop on 118 West 17th Street (in Chelsea) looks like an upscale boutique from the outside (we almost didn't want to venture in because it looked "fancy schmancy"), but in their store they had a surprisingly affordable and interesting selection of mens' and womens' clothes, furniture, and house ware items.
We saw some really good looking large vintage tables for under $100. For example, they had a early 70's turntable with speakers that was secretly built into a table in excellent condition for only $85. Considering the overpriced horribly beat-up vintage furniture we saw in SOHO, this was a definite steal. Well maintained furniture that would add character to any pad at a great value.
We also lucked out because everything in their store today was 50% off, which meant we scored a vintage long cream Oscar de la Renta dress for $50 and a true vintage Army jacket that would make the average Hipster "Shit Show" jealous (fyi - it only cost $17).
The best part, proceeds benefit people affected by substance abuse, HIV, AIDS, and mental illness. So earn you wings here by shopping and donating.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
New York Muffins
New York Muffins has a great selection of healthy juices, smoothies, bagels (includes the classic PB&J), salads (create your own), sandwiches, and wraps. People definitely like to get their heath fix here with their juices, which include carrot, apple, ginger combos and the scary Green Juice with kale. Some of their juice names includes "Hangover Helper," "Skin Cleanser," "Morning Energizer," "Tropical Rush." Their "Cold Cure" includes broccoli, carrot, ginger, and echinacea. They also supposedly have fantastic coffee, notably iced coffee, although we haven't tried that yet - too busy trying their juice and smoothie.
Their avocado and brie sandwich on whole wheat bagel. Some avocado combo sandwiches barely come with any avocado. This sandwich is loaded with the healthy, fatty fruit. The sandwiches are all served with a hefty salad portion.
Oddly, considering their name, their selection of muffins aren't as great. But check out their cupcakes! We'll have the blue one, the green one, the yellow one, in that order.
Their avocado and brie sandwich on whole wheat bagel. Some avocado combo sandwiches barely come with any avocado. This sandwich is loaded with the healthy, fatty fruit. The sandwiches are all served with a hefty salad portion.
Oddly, considering their name, their selection of muffins aren't as great. But check out their cupcakes! We'll have the blue one, the green one, the yellow one, in that order.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Hot Fun in the Summertime
On Saturday, Bedford St. is blocked off so people can freely sit and wander the streets. People sell their records, clothes, jewelry, art, and comic books on the street. There's psychic readings, musicians playing their instruments, people playing ping pong.
At this street fair, I got to sample some delicious Wine Cellar Sorbet. The Pinot Noir sorbet was my favorite. They said they'll be coming out with a sake sorbet soon. I can't wait! They're called "The adult dessert for sophisticated palates."
I also got to take a photo in a large antique looking accordion-like photo booth called the Shootbooth. They've just recently begun rolling this out to the public. The shootbooth is an interactive experience in that you can take color pens and draw or write on the "window" for a different effect. They also offer this for private events. How fun! They can even set it up on building rooftops at night - these photos look especially great. Check out their gallery on their website.
At this street fair, I got to sample some delicious Wine Cellar Sorbet. The Pinot Noir sorbet was my favorite. They said they'll be coming out with a sake sorbet soon. I can't wait! They're called "The adult dessert for sophisticated palates."
I also got to take a photo in a large antique looking accordion-like photo booth called the Shootbooth. They've just recently begun rolling this out to the public. The shootbooth is an interactive experience in that you can take color pens and draw or write on the "window" for a different effect. They also offer this for private events. How fun! They can even set it up on building rooftops at night - these photos look especially great. Check out their gallery on their website.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Following the Brown Brick Walls
Since we don't want to sit and twiddle our thumbs as we await being (hopefully) called for an interview with the co-op board (and then we have to wait yet again for an answer after the interview), we hit the pavement again today, one appointment after another, to view apartments in E. Village and one in Midtown West.
The one in Midtown West was a remarkable 950 sq feet ginormous loft and it seemed like it would be a really easy approval (no security deposits, no credit check, no lengthy application, no board approvals, nada). And the guy liked us. The catch, the area is not very desirable (i.e. as a female, you would definitely have to be on triple extra guard walking to the apartment at night) and there were only two small windows with the view of the brick exterior of another building (much like the E. Village photo below). Absolutely no light in the place. Really, no natural light. For a space that big, it felt like being in a basement. However, this is something we're still considering because of the size and the fast, easy approval.
So here's a sample of some of the tiny, overpriced crap we've been seeing. This one is in the East Village. Apparently even for crap like this, you need a guarantor that makes 80xs the monthly rent. However, he said he'd be willing to waive this if you paid him five months' rent up front. This photo shows what the serene and breathtaking view looks like from the bedroom of this unit. Yes folks, this is the only view from the bedroom:
If only you could have seen us swoon. And oooh aaaah, the ever lovely window bars in the living room:
Yet more gorgeous views from the ground level of the building interior:
Really, do the above "views" look like views from a $2,000 apartment or an apartment worth paying five months' rent up front? After seeing the numerous E. Village expensive dumps today, that Chelsea one is looking mighty good. Another lesson we learned today, it's uncommon but if you can rent directly through the apartment manager, your approval will be easier and faster (probably within two days or s0).
The one in Midtown West was a remarkable 950 sq feet ginormous loft and it seemed like it would be a really easy approval (no security deposits, no credit check, no lengthy application, no board approvals, nada). And the guy liked us. The catch, the area is not very desirable (i.e. as a female, you would definitely have to be on triple extra guard walking to the apartment at night) and there were only two small windows with the view of the brick exterior of another building (much like the E. Village photo below). Absolutely no light in the place. Really, no natural light. For a space that big, it felt like being in a basement. However, this is something we're still considering because of the size and the fast, easy approval.
So here's a sample of some of the tiny, overpriced crap we've been seeing. This one is in the East Village. Apparently even for crap like this, you need a guarantor that makes 80xs the monthly rent. However, he said he'd be willing to waive this if you paid him five months' rent up front. This photo shows what the serene and breathtaking view looks like from the bedroom of this unit. Yes folks, this is the only view from the bedroom:
If only you could have seen us swoon. And oooh aaaah, the ever lovely window bars in the living room:
Yet more gorgeous views from the ground level of the building interior:
Really, do the above "views" look like views from a $2,000 apartment or an apartment worth paying five months' rent up front? After seeing the numerous E. Village expensive dumps today, that Chelsea one is looking mighty good. Another lesson we learned today, it's uncommon but if you can rent directly through the apartment manager, your approval will be easier and faster (probably within two days or s0).
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Snacky Time Again X3
Snacky's is becoming what Bamboo's used to be to us before they shut down - the reliable go to spot where you can get a good meal at an affordable price, and they're open late. So in eight days, we have been there for three dinners - yup we are hooked. So the goods to get: bi bim soba, popsie burgers, and ginger hot tea. Considering they're in a trendy neighborhood they charge a reasonable price.
This is how empty it is here at what we used to consider "normal" dinner time - at 7:00 pm. At 10:00 pm, this placed is packed. A definite change from the "islander eating dinner schedule." A breath of fresh air to be able to eat at a variety of venues at anytime.
ps - no new news on the apartment hunt as of today.............. so it is all about food.
This is how empty it is here at what we used to consider "normal" dinner time - at 7:00 pm. At 10:00 pm, this placed is packed. A definite change from the "islander eating dinner schedule." A breath of fresh air to be able to eat at a variety of venues at anytime.
ps - no new news on the apartment hunt as of today.............. so it is all about food.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
The Grandma and Grandpa Pizza Pie
Driggs Pizza & Italian Restaurant's motto is "Serving Italian Home Cooked Meals Since 1968." If home cooked meals taste this good, we'd stay home every night. I'm certain we'll taste other excellent pizza throughout NYC, each with a slightly distinct quality, but so far we liked Driggs the best (558 Driggs Avenue, Brooklyn).
We all love our grandmas and grandpas and this is no exception. Their Grandma pizza pie is gastronomically wonderful. It's got pesto, tomato sauce, cheese, and olive oil. They're such simple ingredients but a perfect balance of each ingredient. We definitely don't dig soggy pizza and if you're the kind of person that likes your toast slightly burnt, then this pizza is for you, as it comes on a very crispy crust.
The Grandpa slice is almost as good. It comes with a ton of garlic, diced tomato, basil, cheese, olive oil, and a bit of spice. Also on a toasty crust.
These garlic knots weren't as impressive as their pizzas but if you're on a tight budget, you can get full on these for a buck. Yup, four for $1. Our meal for the two large slices of pizza, these garlic knots, pepperoni rolls, beer and bottled water came to only $13.
Drigg is a bit of a hole-in-the wall with only a few tables, and that's how we prefer our pizza joints.
Their menu is huge. It would take too long to list their complete selections so here's a peak at a tiny portion of their non-pizza offerings: appetizers include baked clams and beef patties, hot dog roll; sandwiches include pizza steak on garlic bread, potato & eggs, veal cutlet, pepper steak; pasta dishes include gnocchi with vodka, baked stuffed shells, ziti with ricotta and peas, cavatelli, baked manicotti; and a huge seafood pasta selection such as flounder filet, shrimp lemonata, cultivated mussells, and on and on.
The service is good, they're open daily, they provide free delivery, and they cater too. The only complaint we've heard about this joint is that they're apparently not open late enough- closing at either 10 or 11 pm.
We all love our grandmas and grandpas and this is no exception. Their Grandma pizza pie is gastronomically wonderful. It's got pesto, tomato sauce, cheese, and olive oil. They're such simple ingredients but a perfect balance of each ingredient. We definitely don't dig soggy pizza and if you're the kind of person that likes your toast slightly burnt, then this pizza is for you, as it comes on a very crispy crust.
The Grandpa slice is almost as good. It comes with a ton of garlic, diced tomato, basil, cheese, olive oil, and a bit of spice. Also on a toasty crust.
These garlic knots weren't as impressive as their pizzas but if you're on a tight budget, you can get full on these for a buck. Yup, four for $1. Our meal for the two large slices of pizza, these garlic knots, pepperoni rolls, beer and bottled water came to only $13.
Drigg is a bit of a hole-in-the wall with only a few tables, and that's how we prefer our pizza joints.
Their menu is huge. It would take too long to list their complete selections so here's a peak at a tiny portion of their non-pizza offerings: appetizers include baked clams and beef patties, hot dog roll; sandwiches include pizza steak on garlic bread, potato & eggs, veal cutlet, pepper steak; pasta dishes include gnocchi with vodka, baked stuffed shells, ziti with ricotta and peas, cavatelli, baked manicotti; and a huge seafood pasta selection such as flounder filet, shrimp lemonata, cultivated mussells, and on and on.
The service is good, they're open daily, they provide free delivery, and they cater too. The only complaint we've heard about this joint is that they're apparently not open late enough- closing at either 10 or 11 pm.
Monday, August 4, 2008
The NYC Co-Op Inferno
It's probably not as bad as Dante's Inferno, but going through the Co-Op approval process is probably almost as fun as getting your cavities fixed, having your toilet overflow, having the IRS call you, and being fired from a job on the same day.
We had to fill out a ton of paperwork, compile financial statements, letters of business and personal references, and on and on, just to be considered for an interview with the co-op board (this is for the Chelsea apartment). I guess this was good practice for us in case we stumble upon more co-op buildings. Other Chelsea apartments we looked at today were just depressing; they were tiny as expected and some just had views of the brick walls. We are not exaggerating when we say they looked like Medieval dungeons, except smaller.
We enthusiastically loved an East Village apartment which we looked at today located across the street from the Russian and Turkish Baths. It was definitely the quintessential New York Brownstone. The apartment was on a fantastic street, the apartment itself was adorable with exposed brick walls, hardwood floors, a good layout, and it definitely had flavor. The broker liked us but it does come with some fees, including a one-month broker's fee, which hikes up the $2,050 rent to almost $2,300/mo. We can't believe our luck that we have about three great options to choose from right now, granted they're expensive and we have to go through some hurdles, but hey it's New York. You pay to live in one of the most interesting and exciting cities in the world.
As you can tell, in between our adventures in NYC rental hell, we always make time for food. It is hard not to eat in this city. Everywhere you turn, there's some sort of food or snack beckoning you. It also gives us a place to sit down in air conditioning and rest our feet between appointments. We did this at The Crooked Tree Creperie, Cafe, and Restaurant on 110 St. Marks Place. We would pay $4 for this sugar, butter, and lemon crepe anytime:
One of the best Root Beers we've tasted in a long time (although Dad's is equally good).
The NYC subways are FAST! The L train brought us back to Williamsburg from E. Village in 5 minutes!
We had to fill out a ton of paperwork, compile financial statements, letters of business and personal references, and on and on, just to be considered for an interview with the co-op board (this is for the Chelsea apartment). I guess this was good practice for us in case we stumble upon more co-op buildings. Other Chelsea apartments we looked at today were just depressing; they were tiny as expected and some just had views of the brick walls. We are not exaggerating when we say they looked like Medieval dungeons, except smaller.
We enthusiastically loved an East Village apartment which we looked at today located across the street from the Russian and Turkish Baths. It was definitely the quintessential New York Brownstone. The apartment was on a fantastic street, the apartment itself was adorable with exposed brick walls, hardwood floors, a good layout, and it definitely had flavor. The broker liked us but it does come with some fees, including a one-month broker's fee, which hikes up the $2,050 rent to almost $2,300/mo. We can't believe our luck that we have about three great options to choose from right now, granted they're expensive and we have to go through some hurdles, but hey it's New York. You pay to live in one of the most interesting and exciting cities in the world.
As you can tell, in between our adventures in NYC rental hell, we always make time for food. It is hard not to eat in this city. Everywhere you turn, there's some sort of food or snack beckoning you. It also gives us a place to sit down in air conditioning and rest our feet between appointments. We did this at The Crooked Tree Creperie, Cafe, and Restaurant on 110 St. Marks Place. We would pay $4 for this sugar, butter, and lemon crepe anytime:
One of the best Root Beers we've tasted in a long time (although Dad's is equally good).
The NYC subways are FAST! The L train brought us back to Williamsburg from E. Village in 5 minutes!
Sunday, August 3, 2008
NYC Apartment Hunting Day 3-A Bit More Promising
Location, location, location. We took a look at two apartments in SOHO today. Since SOHO is a highly desirable area, especially for the young folks wanting to be in the heart of trendy night life, Parisian-style cafes, and massive shopping with boutiques upon boutiques (really a rich girl's paradise), the area is astronomically expensive. Both apartments we saw were in the $1,900 range but they were so tiny it would probably be hard to fit more than a Queen size bed and two chairs. In one of the SOHO apartments, the toilet was in the box they called the living room, the shower was near the bed area, and the kitchen sink would have to double as the bathroom sink. Definitely the kind of commuter (a claustraphobic's worst nightmare) apartments where you shower and sleep then blow away your money dining out every night.
An apartment we saw on the edge of the East Village wasn't in an ideal part of town but the apartment is fantastic! Good size, tons of closet space, a normal bathroom, ample storage space, and second floor. It has lime green and orange paint, and a disco ball, but the apartment has charm and character. Rent is $1,975. The downside is that it's a Co-op and subject to the Co-op Board approval. Your credit can be great, your income can be 40x the monthly rent (which is the minimum norm here) but if they don't like you after the interview, then you're out of luck. There were other couples looking at the apartment as well and they seemed like nice well-to-do professionals who have been apartment hunting just like us. We filled out an application and now we just have to wait.
The last apartment we saw was almost an afterthought and we called this one at the last minute - literally calling the lady as we were filling out another rental application. This one was in a nice part of Chelsea. Rent is a bit high at $2,100 but when we walked in we had to pinch ourselves because it looked so normal. It's on the 6th floor of an elevator building, with a doorman, very spacious, ample closet space, washer and dryer on every floor, open and airy, normal bathroom, normal kitchen, close to all the major subway lines, and it came with furniture! The downside yet again is that it's a Co-op so although we handed over a security deposit check and the owners seemed to like us, we have to wait for the Co-op Board to call us to schedule an interview. This one was by far the best we've seen and we're crossing our fingers for this one. More importantly, we're hoping they didn't run away with our check.
After a long day of walking almost 4 miles between apartment showings, we gave our feet a break at Maroon's on 244 West 16th Street for Jamaican and Southern cuisine. It's in the basement of a residential building. This is my second time here. Maybe my third time will be at their new location opening up soon in Harlem.
This is the Maroon's Grilled Herbed Salmon with mashed potatoes and crispy (nori-style) spinach. The salmon was rolled (like a Cinnabon) with herbs:
Grandma's Crispy Fried Chicken with mac and cheese and collared greens. Uncomplicated, straightforward, satisfying:
An apartment we saw on the edge of the East Village wasn't in an ideal part of town but the apartment is fantastic! Good size, tons of closet space, a normal bathroom, ample storage space, and second floor. It has lime green and orange paint, and a disco ball, but the apartment has charm and character. Rent is $1,975. The downside is that it's a Co-op and subject to the Co-op Board approval. Your credit can be great, your income can be 40x the monthly rent (which is the minimum norm here) but if they don't like you after the interview, then you're out of luck. There were other couples looking at the apartment as well and they seemed like nice well-to-do professionals who have been apartment hunting just like us. We filled out an application and now we just have to wait.
The last apartment we saw was almost an afterthought and we called this one at the last minute - literally calling the lady as we were filling out another rental application. This one was in a nice part of Chelsea. Rent is a bit high at $2,100 but when we walked in we had to pinch ourselves because it looked so normal. It's on the 6th floor of an elevator building, with a doorman, very spacious, ample closet space, washer and dryer on every floor, open and airy, normal bathroom, normal kitchen, close to all the major subway lines, and it came with furniture! The downside yet again is that it's a Co-op so although we handed over a security deposit check and the owners seemed to like us, we have to wait for the Co-op Board to call us to schedule an interview. This one was by far the best we've seen and we're crossing our fingers for this one. More importantly, we're hoping they didn't run away with our check.
After a long day of walking almost 4 miles between apartment showings, we gave our feet a break at Maroon's on 244 West 16th Street for Jamaican and Southern cuisine. It's in the basement of a residential building. This is my second time here. Maybe my third time will be at their new location opening up soon in Harlem.
This is the Maroon's Grilled Herbed Salmon with mashed potatoes and crispy (nori-style) spinach. The salmon was rolled (like a Cinnabon) with herbs:
Grandma's Crispy Fried Chicken with mac and cheese and collared greens. Uncomplicated, straightforward, satisfying:
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Brunchin' in the E. Vill Rain
Today began with a massive downpour, which was the perfect time to enjoy our first weekend brunch at Around the Clock 24 Hour Restaurant in the East Village. Weekend brunch is somewhat of a New York institution and brunch goes 'til about 4:00 pm (happy hour here goes ‘til 8:00 pm). For under $11 at Around the Clock, you can get a breakfast dish like Eggs Benedict, a cup of coffee, and champagne, which is a steal in this city. Service was slow but the food for the price was good.
We hung out at St. Mark’s and then had the perfect rainy day weather drinks. We went to Max Brenner: Chocolate by the Bald Man, a Willy Wonka for adults, and had cappuccino and hot chocolate with marshmallows. The next visit we will order the marshmallow chocolate pizza!
Apparently they're filming some scenes from a Woody Allen film at Mars Bar.
This is the Larry Tate pizza (spinach, plum tomatoes, garlic on a white pie) at Two Boot's Pizzeria on 3rd St. and Ave A. They have a variety of unique combos, such as the Bayou Beast, which consists of crawfish, bbq shrimp and jalapeno, as well as healthy whole wheat options. Oh yeah, they can also deliver videos with your pizza pie for cheap!
Joe Strummer mural near Two Boot's. Mr. Strummer was, is and always will be one of my favorites. Clash City Rockers for life!!!!!
Day 2 in the adventures of NYC apartment hunting hell: We took a look at a really unsafe looking and tiny apartment on the edge of East Village. A broker that charges 15% of the year’s rent showed it to us. We walked in and out.
When we went to take a look at three more apartments in another building, there were over 30 other people there to see them. All apartments were microscopic and expensive, but they did have washer/dryer in the units, which is almost as rare in this city as seeing a two-headed person walking down the street. Apparently according to New Yorkers, we are apartment hunting literally during the worst month of the year. August is when college kids that have just graduated move to New York to fulfill their dreams, and of course the NYU students are returning to school.
We hung out at St. Mark’s and then had the perfect rainy day weather drinks. We went to Max Brenner: Chocolate by the Bald Man, a Willy Wonka for adults, and had cappuccino and hot chocolate with marshmallows. The next visit we will order the marshmallow chocolate pizza!
Apparently they're filming some scenes from a Woody Allen film at Mars Bar.
This is the Larry Tate pizza (spinach, plum tomatoes, garlic on a white pie) at Two Boot's Pizzeria on 3rd St. and Ave A. They have a variety of unique combos, such as the Bayou Beast, which consists of crawfish, bbq shrimp and jalapeno, as well as healthy whole wheat options. Oh yeah, they can also deliver videos with your pizza pie for cheap!
Joe Strummer mural near Two Boot's. Mr. Strummer was, is and always will be one of my favorites. Clash City Rockers for life!!!!!
Day 2 in the adventures of NYC apartment hunting hell: We took a look at a really unsafe looking and tiny apartment on the edge of East Village. A broker that charges 15% of the year’s rent showed it to us. We walked in and out.
When we went to take a look at three more apartments in another building, there were over 30 other people there to see them. All apartments were microscopic and expensive, but they did have washer/dryer in the units, which is almost as rare in this city as seeing a two-headed person walking down the street. Apparently according to New Yorkers, we are apartment hunting literally during the worst month of the year. August is when college kids that have just graduated move to New York to fulfill their dreams, and of course the NYU students are returning to school.
Friday, August 1, 2008
A Mom's Request and NYC Rental Hell
We stumbled upon Lombardi’s on Spring Street and decided to eat there to satisfy a mom's request to have a piece of the pie through us (she's watched this tourist hot spot covered on countless travel and food shows and asked that we eat there). Comically, she called us right at the moment we got the pizza. Her pizzeria radar was on! We folded the large sweet Italian sausage and wild mushroom pizza and dived in. That was for you, mom! Of course the worst seat in the restaurant is adjacent to the unisex bathroom; that’s where we sat, but we didn’t care because we had been walking around all day in this sweltering summer and we just wanted to exist in air conditioning.
Today officially marks our first day in the adventures of NEW YORK RENTAL HELL. We took a look at three laughable apartments near NYU/Broadway. The first studio was on the ground floor, not sure if there were any windows, about 300 sq and looked like it had been flooded with trash and fast food wrappers. One of the many people waiting to see this apartment said “are we all waiting to see this 100sq feet piece of crap?” The second studio looked like a tiny hostel room with a mini fridge and no stove; this unit was $2,200. The third studio (also at $2,200) was in such bad condition that we’ll spare you the details. We have the pleasure of going through this hell again tomorrow, the next day, and until we finally settle on a piece of crap more to our liking. Apparently even the “no fee” apartments on Craigslist have fees. Most of those claiming to be by owner are by brokers. It’s crazy because if someone lists an apartment at 12:00 pm, it’s already taken by 5:00 pm. The funny part are the apartment photos on Craigslist; they stretch out the photos horizontally so the space appears larger.
On a lighter note, I’ve been excited like a child to hear the constant sound of the ice cream trucks driving by. Oh, and last night was the first night we've had Korean food in a restaurant that was playing the likes of The Cure and Nirvana, and looked more like a swanky English restaurant than a Korean restaurant. Considering the way the restaurant looked, it was a pleasant surprise that the food was traditional.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)