april 2023 - Wanderlogue

04.2023

April started off sunny and beautiful. The joyous weekend when the city emerges to come out and play

But it was a tease. Because by the time we reached the end of the month it was cold and wet and stormy. The winter that we had escaped had caught up to us.

But the middle part was ok, ok enough for venturing beyond your neighborhood. And that in itself is a milestone worth celebrating.

walking manhattan

At some point last year, we had the un-original idea of walking the length of Manhattan. It seemed like a wholesome enough activity, getting some steps in, exploring neighborhoods that were less familiar, mapping out fun stops.

Of course, once you factor in the weather, it becomes a challenging thing to plan. A full year later, the stars aligned and it finally happened.

Well, at least partially. We did half. Because truthfully who really needs to walk through midtown and downtown when we already actively avoid having to do that on a daily basis?

Started off at the top (or as close as we cared to get to the top). Fort Tryon was beautiful and in full *spring*. It’s peaceful up here, feeling so far away from the city feels like such a treat.

From there, we followed Broadway down and then swung out to the west side highway to say hello to the little red lighthouse that is still a beacon of, well, pandemic activity trauma, but is admittedly cute.

A quick pit stop for caffeine and carbs at Five Flies in Washington Heights, before continuing down Broadway and Riverside Park.

Lunch break at Banh was extremely rewarding. And it was hard to get back up when you’re lounging in the sun on a quiet street.

But the milestone of making it into the double digits brought a new wave of optimism. It was chilly (I overestimated how much walking would warm me up) so stopped for coffee, and then wandered into Zabar’s and Orwashers for treats before turning into the park.

It was late afternoon when we got into Central Park, and from here it was just freeform wanders, knowing we were at the end, not planning on going any further than 59th.

The park was in full bloom. New York was New Yorking. Picnics, rollerskaters, music players, kids, dogs, joggers, vendors, all basking in the sun. Happy spring.

current obsessions

(Faux) leather clothes. No, not jackets, but everything else. Leather shirts. Pants. Dresses. This Peter Som collective number. Into it.

Ear candy. Picked up some Maison Miru ear cuffs to add a little flair. This coming from someone with no piercings and high sensitivity to metals.

culture fix

Really went high and low brow.

Specifically the ‘How corporations got all your data’ episode; notes were taken

the wife of willesden @ BAM

we love turning off our brains for a silly action movie

<< see ‘uncharted’

NEW FIND

It seems every walk around the neighborhood these days encounters new openings. Good Thanks, an aussie cafe on the Lower East Side has entered the neighborhood. Which feels odd for the more, well, neighborhood-y part of Williamsburg, but we love a good daytime cafe.

Also, in a continued quest to find the best matcha spots in the city, Kijitora has entered the race. Finally decided to pop into Coat of Arms after months of knowing there was some kind of cafe situation in there, and was rewarded with not just a haphazard side hustle to the well curated boutique, but a up to snuff Japanese coffee and tea counter.

good bites

Outings were sporadic and spontaneous this month. From having to find dinner options without a reservation in the village (ty Palma for coming in clutch) to long planned meals with friends visiting.