June 20, 2023

Spring List 2023 Revisited

That was the longest spring that ever sprang and I couldn’t be happier about it. Here’s how I did with my spring bucket list.

1. Deep clean my apartment and donate all the clothing I haven’t worn in years.

I did not deep clean my apartment because the phrase deep clean is too intense, so it continuously got bumped off my daily to do lists. I did however donate about twenty pounds worth of old clothing I haven’t worn in years, so I’m taking a half point here.

I took this photo because I was so proud of decluttering my closet but of course it doesn’t photograph very well, it’s hard to accurately portray pride through a camera lens

2. Prepare steak Diane at home.

I did! And it was fantastic. One day I will learn how to properly ignite a flame without fear and then I will be unstoppable.

3. Finally have lunch at S&P.

I did and it was beyond lackluster. What the hell is the appeal of this place?

4. See the cherry blossoms in Central Park. (There’s a tracker to see what’s blooming before you go.)

I went more than once and they were wonderful.

5. Finally tour the old City Hall subway station.

I had been waiting to do this for literal years and it was as magical as I’d hoped it would be.

So I got 4.5 out of 5… are we serious? That’s the best I’ve ever done. Maybe you’re thinking it’s insane for me to be so chuffed with myself about “completing” something so frivolous - or maybe it’s just some slight jealousy creeping up on you…? Hard to tell.

Summer list coming tomorrow!

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June 15, 2023

May Musings 2023

by Liz Heather in Beauty, Best of NYC, Family, Food, Links, Movies, Personal, Products, Recipes, Reviews, Television

God, I love the spring months. Everyone seems to be in a good mood, the wind is the perfect amount of chilly, the birds can’t seem to shut up and asparagus soup is on every single restaurant menu. Perfect season, no notes. Here’s what went down in May!

The best tweets of May can be found over here.
I wrote about the book Keep Moving by Dick Van Dyke.
I finally got to visit the abandoned City Hall subway station.
I flew with Flair Airlines for the first time and say what you will about them, but it’s amazing that they have a system in place so that you can pay for your pet-in-cabin online. ZERO other airlines have that figured out.
In love with the Essie polish “sew gifted” even if the name is atrocious.

I tried the banana pudding monthly flavour at Magnolia Bakery (brownie caramel) and it was only meh. They really don’t need to be so flashy, the original is perfectly great.

I’ve been using the Trader Joe’s facial sunscreen (it’s supposed to be a dupe for the Supergoop one) and it’s wonderful. I mean, I think it is? I’m not smart enough to understand the qualities of good sunscreen.

Are we aware of how great The Smith’s happy hour is? The black truffle arancini? Yowza. So good.

With Irene at The Smith for martini happy hour

Here’s a gentle reminder to take photos of good outfits.

I perused Alison Roman’s newest cookbook Sweet Enough and I definitely want to make Nora Ephron’s bread pudding from it.

If you grew up in Ontario in the 90s, then you understand the greatness of Tahiti Treat. The LCBO just released a vodka version of it, and yes it’s as good as you can imagine.

I took my niece Tianna to the Spirit Tree Estate Cidery in Caledon and it was so lovely! We had flights of different ciders, insanely good pizza and I bought a jug of coffee milk that blew my mind.

My friend Marla made me this heavenly rhubarb syrup for drinks/cocktails and I’m forever onboard with rhubarb now.
I returned to Corner Bistro for the first time in years and here’s a thought: a fatter burger doesn’t necessarily equate to a better burger.
How the hell am I learning NOW that there’s a Capriotti’s in NYC?! I thought it was only in Vegas. Love knowing that I can get a Thanksgiving sandwich any time I damn well please.

The Bobbie Thanksgiving sandwich at Capriotti’s, NYC

I saw Bad Cinderella on Broadway since it’s closing soon and yes I’ll always support ALW - but this was on another level of bad. Hated the lead actress, hated the music.

Okay, if you’re not buying wild blueberries then you should be. I’ve had it with the cheap, flavourless blueberries that are the size of softballs. BLUEBERRIES ARE SUPPOSED TO BE TEENY. The frozen, wild ones from Whole Foods are the best tasting ones I’ve found in NY, but the Canadian frozen ones from the east coast are top tier too. Make blueberries tiny again.

In other Liz-Is-Angry news, a “Pittsburgh salad recipe” never needs to see the light of day. Food bloggers really need to take time off sometimes.
I went to Scooter’s Roller Palace (grateful that it still exists after all these years) and it was beyond fun.

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I went to see the new fashion exhibit at The Met and it warrants a full post, so you can read about it over here. I also saw the new rooftop exhibit that I didn’t love.

I tried the Holler & Glow self-heating eye mask and it’s incredible. Perfect for headaches and allergies, especially. Gonna buy five more.
I read somewhere that the best brownie mix was the Trader Joe’s one, so I got it and it’s great, sure, but mainly because there are added chocolate chips in the mix. So really as long as you add chocolate chips to any brownie mix, it’ll be amazing (but this should already be clear to you - who isn’t adding extra chocolate to brownies? Losers, that’s who).
I made this lemon almond pudding cake that was good, but I don’t think I ever need to make it again.

But these protein cookies? Will absolutely make again.

Love a classic bread pudding and this recipe turned out great.
It took me 38 years to discover my love of green curry. I have my dear friend Richard to thank for this, so now I’m on a mission to find the best one in this city.
Ate at Cactus Club twice and even if the service is terrible, the food is still pretty good. And the company was even better.

With Marla at Cactus Club in Mississauga, ON

Some things I watched:
- Nora From Queens (newest season): I only watched the first episode and honestly gasped at how bad it was. Struggling to muster the energy to keep watching.
- Fatal Attraction (the TV series): In all honesty, I only watched this to see Pacey have sex on screen. And I did enjoy the series up until the ending, WHICH WAS SO TERRIBLE that I regret ever having started it.
- Party Down (newest season): Only watched the first episode and it’s all right. Kind of hate that COVID is apart of it. Might not finish.
- If You're Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast: Loved it. Everyone should see it. Love that Seinfeld’s mother lived to be 99.
- Carol: an incredibly slow movie, but fine. Can’t remember why this was on my must-watch list.
Baby Dog in a basket will always make me happy.

Zara can be the worst or best store, depending on the season. And right now, it’s on FIRE. I think I bought three Zara dresses in the last month alone. (A polka dot midi dress, a strapless tulle dress and a printed tunic dress.)

Loving the mango lip scrub from The Body Shop.

Does it make sense that Tim Hortons has incredible ice cream? Absolutely not. But their maple crunch flavour? Good god. Better than Häagen-Dazs.

Some things I’m looking forward to this month: finishing off some final spring activities, writing my summer list, going to Wonderland with the girls and then taking advantage of strawberry season.

If you’ve got any interest in reading last month’s roundup, you can see what went down in April over here.

May 31, 2023

The Best Tweets of May 2023

by Liz Heather in Links

this is community pic.twitter.com/cnVu6mzPSg
— Andrea (@teachbk) April 29, 2023

“There are plenty of fish in the sea”
The fish - pic.twitter.com/no3oqIYS8Z
— Veronica Kwiatkowski (@veronicakallday) May 1, 2023

“And then they realized, they were no longer little girls: they were little women.”

Is one of the best Simpsons jokes of all time because I, and number of other people, are so illiterate that they think the joke is just Moe crying and that’s how little women ends. pic.twitter.com/2ZzdR5KeL4
— Kevin Magnet (@KevMagnet) May 4, 2023

I have good news and I have bad news. pic.twitter.com/AadZXMfVZc
— David Leavitt 🎮🎲🧙‍♂️🌈 (@David_Leavitt) May 4, 2023

When direct deposit hits pic.twitter.com/3X32Apa29c
— Chris Taylor (@christaylor_nyc) May 6, 2023

these are my awards, Mother
from Army pic.twitter.com/sYVZdBwdzU
— it's coup for my family (@GhostEsq) May 6, 2023

I know it smelled crazy in there. pic.twitter.com/2LqbspOYqA
— Kevín (@KevOnStage) May 8, 2023

i'm at the store

random toddler: *pats my leg* can you pick me up?

me: where is your Mommy?

toddler: idk...pick me up? *arms up*

me:

toddler:

me: EXCUSE ME WHOSE WHITE BABY IS THIS!?

Mom comes around the corner: I am SO sorry! But did you have to describe him as white?
— big gfy energy. (@H_Baeee) May 9, 2023

Imagine getting word “They decided to go in another direction” and it’s dead Tom Hanks. https://t.co/OIXuLtsnK6
— erin whitehead (@girlwithatail) May 17, 2023

and in the end, they were no longer little girls: they were little successors. pic.twitter.com/jYNG34IpB2
— anne t donahue (@annetdonahue) May 28, 2023

Talking to my friends who aren’t online pic.twitter.com/zXaC6p6bf8
— limp brittzkit (@Brittymigs) May 30, 2023

The best tweets of April can be found over here.

May 12, 2023

Abandoned City Hall Station

by Liz Heather in Best of NYC

I have waited for this day my whole New York life.

I finally got to go on a tour of the old, abandoned City Hall Station beneath NYC. Everyone has heard about it. The only glimpse you can get of it is when you stay on the downtown 6 train and look out the window as it loops around to become an uptown train.

The station opened in 1904 and it’s located right underneath City Hall Park and from certain areas in the park (that are now blocked off to the public), you can look down and see through the tops of the skylights in the station.

It closed in 1945 due to the increased subway ridership that led to longer trains, and thus longer platforms. The City Hall station (built on a tight curve) would have been difficult to lengthen, and it was also fairly close to the far busier Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall station so the closure made sense at the time.

SIDE NOTE: I feel like I’m slowly realizing this in real time, but like… am I… into… history? When the hell did that happen?

The station was designed by Rafael Guastavino and is so unexpectedly refined for a subway station with its Romanesque Revival architectural style. (Yes I looked up what the name of the style is.)

Tours are arranged through the New York Transit Museum (you have to become a member for access to ticket sales), but it’s very much worth the price. Tickets go on sale usually twice a year for different blocks of time and absolutely always sell out.

This is, by far, one of the coolest things that you can see in New York. Equally as incredible as it was to walk around inside the crown of The Statue of Liberty.

It really did feel like walking into a time machine that shows you what old New York City would’ve felt like. Just an incredible experience.

I know that I only bought my New York Transit Museum membership solely for this tour, but of all the clubs to become a member to - this one really feels like a good fit for me. So excited to hear about what other tours will be offered throughout the year.

May 8, 2023

Keep Moving By Dick Van Dyke

by Liz Heather in Reviews

How is it possible that I’ve never seen an episode of The Dick Van Dyke show? ‘Cause right now it’s at the top of my must-watch list based on how much I love this man after reading his book, Keep Moving.

And it isn’t even his memoir! It’s literally just tips about how he continues to live a good life after 65. Best parts ahead!

“These are Baby Boomers, the generation who screamed, “Hope I die before I get old.” That line should be rewritten, “Hope I die before I feel old.” That is the crux of the matter.”
“As you get older, you relax. You exhale. You quit worrying. You shake your head with an accepting disbelief as family members and friends disappear like photos in a yearbook, leaving empty spaces where there used to be familiar faces, and occasionally you wonder when it will be your turn and what that will be like. You go for a walk - not to get from point A to point B but just because you want to feel the warm sun on your skin and enjoy fresh air. You open your eyes in the morning with surprise and delight that you’re still here. You realize you’re playing with house money. You are ahead of the game. You eat whatever you want. You do what you like. You smile at strangers. You wave, “Have a nice day.” And if you don’t do that stuff, you should.”
“Do not forget to try new things - even a new flavor of ice cream will do.”
“It’s time people got over the jokes, the fears, and the discrimination. Old age isn’t catchy. I understand the media is obsessed with youth. Fine. But there isn’t anything wrong with getting older. It happens. It’s healthy. And it is a reality - our reality. As the ranks of seniors and elderly grow, we should think of it as the new normal - a desirable new normal that does away with ageism and commands respect. How does this happen? I think we may need a revolution. We have gone through the Women’s Movement, the Civil Rights Movement, and the Gay Rights Movement. Why not the Gray Rights Movement?”
“As the instigator of the Grey Revolution, I suggest ignoring the anti-aging tips that are so prevalent in the media and search for pro-aging tips.”
Of course he loves Halloween, why do only great people love this holiday so much, I can’t explain it.
“I have never heard of an ailment for which there was not a medicine. It is almost un-American.” - Hahahahah, love this.
“For me, life has always been about accepting responsibility for the well-being and happiness of the people I love.”

Such a great read. Love this man.

May 1, 2023

April Activities 2023

by Liz Heather in Best of NYC, Food, Ideas, Links, Movies, Personal, Products, Recipes, Television

Spring is in full force and I couldn’t be happier about it. It usually feels like the shortest season since summer arrives obnoxiously early, but this year it’s been magical. Chilly nights, sweaters instead of winter coats, tons of rain, birds chirping their asses off, there’s nothing better. Here’s what happened in April!

The best tweets of April can be found over here.
I visited a tulip farm in New Jersey and had the greatest meatballs from the Your Sister’s Balls food truck.

Holland Ridge Farms with Diana in New Jersey

I toured the gorgeous Kings Theatre in Brooklyn.

The lobby of Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, New York

I went to the Museum of Failure with my friend Casey in Industry City.
I helped review some Last Crumb cookies on my friend Paul’s TikTok.
I made one of my favourite steak recipes for the first time (steak Diane) and it was really, really good. I didn’t really ignite it properly since that’s the part that scares me the most, but there were partial flames so I’m counting this as a success.

Notice: you’re using your potato peeler wrong.

The Alison Roman chocolate chip shortbread cookies are fast becoming a staple in our home.

I physically cannot stop making this asparagus soup (the cream is optional), it’s so good. Best to double up the recipe if you’re making it for more than two people.

When will I learn that fancy coffee shops simply don’t do it for me? I went to Ten Thousand Coffee and it was fine, but definitely overrated. One day we’ll all revolt against coffee costing over $5 and I vow to lead the revolution.
Speaking of coffee, have I already mentioned the incredible hazelnut beans we order from San Francisco Bay Coffee? Best beans I’ve ever used for iced coffee at home, by far. All you need is a french press, a small spice grinder and beans. The fact that we’re not all making iced coffee at home each day is mind boggling.
Some things I watched:
- Surviving R. Kelly (the newest season): Nathan and I watched two episodes and then abandoned it. It’s so hard to watch and really makes you wonder, “Why the hell am I watching this if it makes me feel this way?”
- Dave (newest season): Words can’t express how much I love this show. Every episode is better than the last.
- Succession: Okay, yes I already complained about this show. But the thing is - I haven’t hate-watched a new show in a really long time, so I think that’s why I keep going with it. The dialogue is objectively bad and I think the real appeal of the show is the fact that you can’t binge it all at once, we’re all so desperate for the days of cable and once-a-week viewing. And small side note: Adrian Brody is not a good actor, so of course he had to appear in an episode.
- The Intern: What is wrong with me? Why was this on my list of movies to watch? It was so bad, but IT LOOKED BAD. Hated Anne Hathaway’s character. There was ZERO chemistry between her and De Niro. And it’s a mind-numbingly boring script. Christ.
- Who Done It: The Clue Documentary: Okay, if you even kind of liked the movie Clue (1985), then you really have to watch this. It’s fan-made, but it’s so good. I didn’t know that so many playwrights attempted to write it, I had no idea that Carrie Fisher was supposed to be Miss Scarlett but couldn’t because of her drug problem?? Absolutely adored Jonathan Lynn. And loved all of Michael McKean’s anecdotes.

How many beach blankets does one person need? And why is this Target one so damn perfect?
I’ve made so much green garlic butter, I’m considering starting a butter stand outside my building.

Green garlic from the Union Square Greenmarket, NYC

This month in good-but-nothing-special restaurants I’ve tried: Hawksmoor (flashy and beautiful inside, but no real substance) and Pete’s Tavern (space is great, food is fine and service was attentive but odd).
That being said, I also ate at some wonderful places! Saint George Bistro in Hastings had great escargot even if the service wasn’t great, Figlia in Astoria was as good as everyone says it is so I’ll definitely return, Sunken Harbor Club was beautiful and had great drinks and it felt like you weren’t in NYC but in a good way, Amelie Wine Bar was perfect and had $13 wine flights with stellar service, and finally Satis Bistro in Jersey City which was so lovely (the duck croquettes, my god, I’ll dream about those until I return).

Outside Saint George Bistro in Hastings, New York with Diana & Crystal

Amelie Wine Bar with Jessie, West Village

I got a facial at Glow Bar and I really don’t see the big deal with facials. This sounds psychotic, but maybe my face doesn’t… need… facials…?
My brother Gary sent me this Happy & Polly stamp of Baby Dog’s face and I can’t get over it. It’s horrifyingly perfect.
I went to a sample sale for Rent The Runway put on by 260 and it was depressing as hell, it was all so disorganized and chaotic. Think that might be the last sample sale for me.
I visited the exterior of Alder Manor since I was in the area and it’s so beautiful from the outside, I can’t imagine how gorgeous the interior must be.

Dying over the entire Adidas x Farm Rio collaboration (thanks Marla for telling me about it!).

Speaking of my friend Marla, she mentioned how she gives her young sons a small amount of money for birthday gifts for people in their lives and then each kid comes up with an idea based on what that person enjoys and buys the gift. And honestly, what a perfect idea. Gift giving is a skill and absolutely should be taught to young kids (especially boys) since it’s such an important part of living. Love this so, so much. Every parent should be doing this.
I am so in love with the rhubarb and strawberry soda from Trader Joe’s that I think I might finally be ready to try rhubarb for real.

Rhubarb and strawberry soda from Trader Joe’s

I’d never heard about the children’s book In The Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak but it was mentioned in that performance about Philip Glass I saw last month, so I bought the book and it’s incredible.
And finally, behold my new favourite photo of Baby Dog.

Hahahahah this expression! She’s so sick of my shit I love it.

Things I’m looking forward to this month: I’m going to do a post about my recent visit to the abandoned City Hall subway station, I’m definitely going to go see the new fashion exhibit that opens at The Met, I know that H&M is shit now but I’m gonna have to take a look at this Mugler collab in person, I kinda need to eat these duck fries in Toronto and I absolutely need to track down these Lichtenstein stamps ASAP.

If you’ve got any interest in reading last month’s roundup, you can see what went down in March over here.

She brought her boyfriend (Walrus) beside her to get some sun

May 1, 2023

The Best Tweets of April 2023

by Liz Heather in Links

https://t.co/yQC0fkDAh9 pic.twitter.com/hP0REW8NBj
— Mike Drucker (@MikeDrucker) April 12, 2023

Marty Short shows how to properly execute a spit-take. pic.twitter.com/DaexF3oIvJ
— Bill Scurry (@WilliamScurry) April 13, 2023

When Bill Withers establishes boundaries. pic.twitter.com/TEQR2X0dcZ
— Josh Gondelman (@joshgondelman) April 16, 2023

the way that frankenstein's monster invented the ig baddie pose pic.twitter.com/ayocRJn8yC
— raine🦂 (@thegorezone) April 19, 2023

It is high time as a nation we come to terms with how ugly this outfit is pic.twitter.com/GUjHZ5cwgk
— Maladroithe (@Maladroithe) April 23, 2023

For the dog owners who either anticipate this dreadful day (like me) or have already faced it. ♥️ https://t.co/Qfa0KEFjuH
— Gerry Dee (@gerrydee) April 25, 2023

pic.twitter.com/HTTrh55Zgx
— internet hall of fame (@InternetH0F) April 25, 2023

Unfortunately this quote is too funny to be as offensive as it normally would be https://t.co/5w1lSbe2t9
— sarah kelly (@thesarahkelly) April 26, 2023

throw a chair at your ex in his honor today 🫡 https://t.co/iQdKLWXczk
— taylor garron (@taylorgarron) April 27, 2023

The best tweets of March can be found over here.

April 28, 2023

Tulip Farm in New Jersey

by Liz Heather in Best of NYC, Reviews

Tulip farm in New Jersey? YES PLEASE. The tulip farm I went to near Seattle a few years ago was so breathtaking, I jumped at the chance to go again.

I’d never even heard of Holland Ridge Farms until recently (it’s about 90 minutes from NYC by car) and I’m so glad I got to visit it this year. There are typically two weeks in April each year when the tulips bloom and you pay $15 to come and pick your own to take home ($1 per tulip you pick).

Since the bloom dates are never set in stone, it’s best to sign up for the farm’s text alerts which let you know when tickets go on sale. (Text VIP to (855) 363-2843 to sign up to their VIP text list.)

What’s really shocking is how massive the grounds are. I was expecting an insane amount of people since it’s so popular, but the farm is so huge you rarely feel overcrowded.

Obviously the bathroom situation is bad (portable toilets) since it’s outdoors, but it’s best to come to terms with that before you arrive.

There are a ton of food trucks and the best thing we ate were the meatballs from Your Sister’s Balls. I don’t know if we were just starving, but they were incredible.

GENTLE TIP: if you do really want to go here, may I recommend going with a friend and not a partner? Only because 90% of the men I saw looked absolutely miserable. The children looked pretty exhausted, too, now that I think of it. All the photo-taking and walking, it’s sort of a kid’s nightmare. Definitely go with someone who doesn’t complain and can take a decent photo of you, ie. a close friend.

It was such a perfect way to spend a spring afternoon, I can’t recommend it enough.

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April 22, 2023

Kings Theatre in Brooklyn

by Liz Heather in Best of NYC

Here she is… Kings Theatre (formerly known as Loew's Kings Theatre) in Brooklyn. I have known about this place for years and have always dreamt of seeing its interior. The venue originally opened as a “movie palace” (can we please bring back that term?) that did vaudeville theatre in 1929 and then closed down in 1977 so the theater sat empty for decades until a complete renovation was initiated in 2010. The theater reopened to the public on January 23, 2015 as a performing arts venue and she. is. MAJESTIC.

I found out that they offer historic tours of the building once in awhile, so I had no choice but to go. It’s a little bit of a trek to get to, but entirely worth it once you arrive.

Take a look at this lobby.

This is where you wait for the tour to begin and it’s breathtaking. The restoration cost 95 million dollars and it really does feel like you’re walking into the past.

It was one of the five “wonder theatres” and yes of course it’s now my mission to visit the remaining four that I haven’t.

The design of the theatre was heavily influenced by the Palace of Versailles as well as the Paris Opera House.

This (below) is from inside the ladies lounge area. BRING BACK DECADENT LADIES LOUNGE AREAS.

Are we kidding with this level of detail on the seating (below)? I want to meet and hug every person involved with this restoration. It’s pristine.

The area with all of the gold statues (below) was a designated area for any lost children, which I love. Not the idea of lost children, but the forethought of knowing that kids would get lost in a place this huge and having a specific, beautiful area to find them.

The tour guide I had, Peggy, was perfect. She knew every single detail about the space and wasn’t dull at all. You hear the words “historic tour” and your eyelids may get droopy, but I promise you she made it a wondrous afternoon.

They offer tours every so often and the next ones are on May 27th and June 20th, tickets are available over here. Can’t recommend it enough.

April 15, 2023

Museum of Failure in NYC

by Liz Heather in Best of NYC

Some highlights from the Museum of Failure in NYC.