It’s my favorite time of year in New York: the moment between summer-weekends away and the Holiday season.
If you blink, you might miss it.
Here are my 14 top things to do and places to go, eat, and drink for Autumn 2014 in NYC. (A broad @ home)
Am I missing anything? let me know in the comments
Do
1. New Yorker festival (October 10-12) In its 15th year, covering a range of topics, with some of the most notable people. I’m thinking Lena Dunham or Mindy Kaling — any takers?
2. DONE! Barry’s Bootcamp – I’d always been too intimidated to try this workout, but thanks to a few fit friends (ahem, AD), I now worship at the altar of the Barry’s Bootcamps. Layla Luciano’s 12:45 pm Saturday workout is, hands down, the best workout I’ve ever had.
3. DONE! Jeff Koons Retrospective at the Whitney (until October 19th) “Jeff Koons is widely regarded as one of the most important, influential, popular, and controversial artists of the postwar era…This exhibition will be the artist’s first major museum presentation in New York” How I didn’t make it this summer is beyond me
One of the best-curated exhibits I’ve been to in a long time. Do not forget to use the free “ipod-touch”-esque guide given out in the Lobby to hear Koons’ own thoughts on the different exhibits and pieces. Do not miss!
4. DONE! The Moth – This open-mic-put-your-name-in-a-hat-and-get-called-up-to-tell-a-story-in-front-of-hundreds-of-strangers-event was one of the best nights I’ve had in a long time. Cannot wait to go back. – True Stories. Told Live. H/t to CK for the suggestion. (October 6 StorySlam, Theme: Hunger)
5. Celebrate Oktoberfest Ok, so it’s not quite the same as going to Germany, but in the spirit of A broad at Home, I want to check out some of the newer beer gardens that will be celebrating Bavarian brews & pretzels. Particularly this one at Zum Schneider (October 3-12).
6. DONE! Jay Z @ Global Citizen Festival, (September 27 ): If you want some snark, ask me what I thought of this event. Luckily, it was a beautiful day spent in Central Park w one of my favorite people.
7. Upstate Escape: Daytrip to Cold Spring. Thanks, Sosh, for the inspiration.
8. Greenwood Cemetery. I’m having a total Baader Meinhof moment with the Greenwood Cemetery. I’d never heard of it and now it seems to be everywhere. 478 acres of p ublic green space from a time before New York had public parks. Apparently, it is filled with famous residents and has a ton of wild parrots that live over one of the gates. Seems like a good adventure around Halloween while the weather is still nice.
9. DONE! Matisse Cut-Outs Exhibit at the MoMA. Totally joyous, beautiful exhibit of Matisse’s ahead-of-his-time “drawing with scissors.” Didn’t hurt that it was free with my CUID. (Oct 12-Feb 8)
Eat & Drink
10. DONE! Ivan Ramen My obsession with ramen only increased after my 2013 trip to Japan and this sraight-from Tokyo LES notable newcomer has a vegetarian-broth base on the menu that will make it one of my first stops this fall
11. Barcade $0.25 arcade games (Ninja Turtles!) + tator tots + 20+ microbrews… in my neighborhood? Sign me up. The Williamsburg bar just opened up an outpost in Chelsea. As long as my brothers aren’t hogging the NES console, pretty much sounds like my happy place.
12. DONE! Dear Irving this cocktail parlor on Irving Place is the newest creation from the team behind Raines Law Room. Rumored to be inspired by Midnight in Paris, I’m just having trouble deciding whether to start with The Godfather Part 2 or the Whiskey Business —
Possibly the best new date spot in the city — reservations are highly recommended. Oh, and all of the whiskey-based drinks are awesome. A particular favorite is their pear-infused take on the Gold Rush.
13. Attaboy The crisp air makes it easy to trade in rooftop summer nights for cozying up in one of NYC’s many, many speakeasies. Nope, that’s right, we here in Manhattan are still not over the cocktail + speakeasy craze. Attaboy is in the original Milk & Honey LES space (brought to us by that very same team!), with the same knock-and-buzz entrance and mixologists-extraoirdinaire.
14. Miss Favela – now that I live downtown & venturing to brooklyn is no longer such a schlep, it’s time to visit Miss Favela, the Brazilian comfort food spot in Williamsburg, known for its caipirinhas as much as live Samba music on Saturdays