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LIZ HEATHER

April 6, 2022

March Magic 2022

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


View from the Staten Island Ferry as it crosses the bay, March 2022

View from the Staten Island Ferry as it crosses the bay, March 2022

“Never yet was a springtime, when the buds forgot to bloom.”
— Margaret Elizabeth Sangster

Sometimes I write these monthly posts and think, “How the hell did I do all of that in one month?” I mean, obviously I love it but sometimes it just seems bewildering that I get to do all of these things that make me so happy. I wish I could go back in time and tell kid Liz what a sweet life she’ll have. She’d never believe it. Anywaaaay, maybe that paragraph should’ve been a diary entry…? Here’s what went down in March, babies.

  • The best tweets of March can be found over here and here.

  • I recapped what I did from my winter list of things to do.

  • I made a spring list of things I want to do.

  • I wrote about the fashion exhibit on now at The Met (In America: A Lexicon of Fashion).

  • I tried out the new Vicks bath salts and they are incredible. I know that all bath salts hit hard, but these? Just beyond relaxing. I also tried the Vicks scented Puffs tissue paper and oh my god. Take all my money, Vicks. Such a genius idea to incorporate that smell when you blow your nose.

Puffs with Vicks

  • I went to the downtown location of Eataly and it’s less chaotic than the Flatiron one. And I don’t hate Eataly, but you definitely have to know why to go here. It’s overpriced and terrible if you’re going for a sit down meal or even their pre-packaged meals. But if you’re going for high quality dried pasta, incredible canned tomatoes and specialty items like anchovy paste and canned seafood, then it’s a cook’s dream.

  • I dyed my hair even blonder and… I don’t know if I’ll ever go back to natural. I love this look so much. I think my goal this year is to… become… untouchable?

  • The New York Times had a piece on the former mayor of Mississauga, Hazel McCallion!

  • Sometimes I like to sit in Barnes & Noble and peruse the cookbooks for inspiration and meal ideas since one day B&N will definitely go bankrupt and cease to exist. I give it ten more years, max. So in the meantime, I will take advantage. I looked through The Pepper Thai Cookbook (Chrissy Teigen’s mom) and it wasn’t anything special. I swear, her and her daughter make 90% of their recipes with fish sauce. And look, fish sauce is great when used sparsely, but it’s enough already. I also looked through The Milk Bar cookbook and again, nothing special.

  • I got coffee at the fancy coffee place Felix Roasting Co. and yes it’s a pretty space, but they really need to clean the fabric of their booths because they look ROUGH. I can’t stand it when a business puts so much effort and time into creating a different, beautiful space and then there is zero upkeep. Why spend all that money up front and then get lazy with the actual management of the place? It’s such a waste. And not to be a bitch, but the Starbucks flat white is better than whatever they’re serving here. Never again. And if you’d like to see the most pretentious coffee shop menu of all time, gently look below.

$15 for a S’MORES LATTE? We’ve entered hell on earth.

  • I can never find them, but damn those North Fork BBQ potato chips are everything.

  • Kind of over-the-moon in love with this Levi’s x The Simpsons collab. God, that cloud vest is perfect.

  • Obviously, you know how Ulta & Sephora give you a birthday gift during your birthday month, so add Kiehl’s to that list now too. Got their pear scented lip balm for free.

  • My brothers and I all surprised my mom and came to Canada for her 70th birthday and it was so nice. Can’t believe it actually happened.

The Heathers, March 2022

  • I bought this fake suede green coat from Zara that is the absolute softest and will be completely ruined if it rains.

  • I tried the new croissant croutons from Trader Joe’s and they taste like little butter cubes. Just an insane amount of butter in these. They should’ve crumbled these up and sold them as a croissant breadcrumb instead. But what do I know (other than everything).

  • Every single time I go to Mimi Cheng’s, I remember how much I love them all over again. Not really for their every day items, but their monthly specials are always incredible. In March they had French onion soup dumplings that were so intensely flavourful, they didn’t even need a dipping sauce. Love this place.

  • My best friend Harmeet was visiting, so we had drinks at The Palm Court at The Plaza before going over to see Plaza Suite on Broadway (her idea to do both, a genius one at that). The play was too good. When did they start letting you order a whole bottle of wine to take to your seat? Love that. And Sarah Jessica Parker was magnificent, but Matthew Broderick? Not so great! He just seemed… tired. Or unenthusiastic. Which seems weird because doesn’t he have tons of Broadway experience?

  • I had my steak Diane at The Dowlings at The Carlyle and it was divine. Ordered the raviolo carbonara, the wedge salad and the table-side flambéed steak and what a glorious night it was. The Carlyle is such a beautiful hotel, I love that they still have mail chutes prominently shown (below).

I love embossed butter (at Dowlings At The Carlyle, NYC)

Appetizers, Dowlings At The Carlyle, NYC

Mail chute at The Carlyle, March 2022

  • I had lunch at Robert for the first time and it was perfectly all right. The food/service/view were all good, but who decorated this place? Bit of a yikes situation with the colour scheme.

Robert dining room, NYC

View onto Columbus Circle from Robert, NYC

  • This week in things that are too beautiful + too expensive:

    • This gorgeous Marchesa Notte Greer Gown

    • This breathtaking neon Coach purse

    • I would wear this to fill my bird feeder

    • Oh my god, THE BEADING

  • I’ve mentioned my love of Bread Alone bakery (they always have a stand at the Union Square farmer’s market), but I hadn’t tried their oat chocolate chip cookie until now and it’s even better than the basic chocolate chip one. They also have incredible whole wheat sourdough.

  • I saw the Harry Potter play (SPOILERS) even though I’ve never read the books nor cared about the movies, so maybe that’s why I didn’t love it. One standout part, though? Those damn dementors, they were WILD. Do not see this play high. The effects of them were true insanity and if you liked the series even 1%, this is the main reason to see the play.

  • I love the spring collection of colours that Essie puts out and my favourite colour right now is definitely their Well Nested Energy.

  • I had the Vallata lunch special ($29 for a pasta & glass of wine) which was really, really good. Especially for that price. In 2022. Couldn’t believe it. I’m sure it won’t last.

  • Sweetest Irene treated me to birthday dinner at Rezdôra (I’ve been dying to go here for ages) and it was phenomenal. We had the Cacio E Pepe in Emilia, this puffed up prosciutto thing and some toasted bread to start and then for our entrees, the truffle Raviolo (the giant raviolo with black truffles), the Grandma Walking Through Forest in Emilia (the green pasta), and the Maccheroni al Pettine with duck ragu (truly heaven on earth). NOTE: I just noticed on their new, updated menu that the duck ragu is gone and replaced with a sausage ragu! I’ve already sent out an email to those in charge questioning this decision. I’ll do everything in my power to get it back on that menu.

Cacio E Pepe in Emilia, Rezdôra NYC, March 2022

Truffle Raviolo (the giant raviolo with black truffles), the Grandma Walking Through Forest in Emilia (the green pasta), the Maccheroni al Pettine with duck ragu, Rezdôra NYC, March 2022

  • Things I’ve Watched:

    • To Gillian On Her 37th Birthday: Okay, I watched this because I was turning 37 this month and I thought “that sounds fun” so of course it wasn’t. Spoiler but Gillian IS DEAD. She died on her 35th birthday! I had no idea the whole movie was about the grief of her death, so obviously this wasn’t a fun watch. Also, all the gross flirting with minors was… a lot.

    • Malice: Okay, do you know anything about this movie? If not, don’t look it up. Just watch it. I was ON CLOUD NINE watching this one. So many twists, there’s a great Alec Baldwin monologue in it, it’s just a party of a movie. Especially if you love early 90s semi-sexy psychological thrillers, WHICH I DO. Such a great movie.

    • Impeachment: Great watch. Started watching it at the airport out of boredom and then it really picked up. Fully recommend.

  • I tried these great Vicks-like patches called Salonpas that you can stick on any area that needs pain relief but without the stickiness of an ointment.

  • I visited Argosy Book Store (one of the oldest book stores in NYC) and it’s wild that this place has managed to stay alive.

Argosy Book Store, March 2022

Argosy Book Store, March 2022

  • Did you know that every night at 11:57pm, fifteen screens in Times Square shut down at the same time and display art for three minutes? It’s called the Midnight Moment.

  • This Welsh restaurant in Astoria Snowdonia has started to do tacos on Tuesday that are beyond incredible, especially the lamb.

  • I’m over the moon that Manhatta finally reopened, so Nathan and I went for my birthday and it’s still as beautiful as ever. So thankful they were able to reopen.

Cocktail menu at Manhatta, NYC, March 2022

View from Manhatta, NYC, March 2022

  • So my dear friend Diana and I had brunch together and I found potentially my favourite burger (au poivre) in all of NYC at Raoul’s and I can’t recommend it enough. They only serve it for brunch on the weekends and then a limited amount at the bar on week days. Find this burger. Eat this burger. This is your only option. Christ, it’s a revelation.

  • Since when did Tim Hortons bring back the apple fritter? So messy and good. Not better than San Remo’s, but a respectable alternative. Now all they need to bring back are the salted caramel Timbits and I’ll stop complaining.

  • I made this lemon orzo with peas and parmesan and it tasted so flat, it was weird. I love all those ingredients in it, I was just confused eating it. It’s like when you meet someone you think is so gorgeous and you talk to them and there’s zero chemistry. Like, what the fuck… we coulda been something here.

  • I made this crazy easy lasagna (with jarred sauce instead of tomatoes) last minute and it came out great. Love a fast lasagna. No one has time for a béchamel sauce.

  • One of the best dishes I’ve eaten in a loooong time: the roasted corn and couscous risotto with parmesan from Glass House Tavern. Holy hell, was it good.

  • I made scallops for the first time at home and they tasted so ordinary. They might just be one of those dishes that taste better when somebody else makes it.

  • Some spring inspired recipes I’d love to make soon:

    • Caprese Pesto Orzo Bake

    • Couscous Bowls with Lemon Feta Vinaigrette

    • Truffled Garlic Bread with Ricotta

  • So I saw one of the best plays I’ve ever seen on Broadway: Birthday Candles with Debra Messing. I wrote about it here, but oh my god. I laughed, I cried, I can’t believe how good it was.

Things I’m looking forward to: I’ve gone to the open galleries in Chelsea on Thursdays but I didn’t know that on the third Thursday of every month most of the galleries on the Lower East Side remain open from 4pm-8pm so I’m definitely going to do that if the weather’s nice, I’m excited for all the rain that’s coming (does this sound insane?) because it’s a known fact that spring rain is the least depressing rain, and I really want to make a dent in my “movies to watch” list.

If you have any interest in reading what went on in February, come on over here.

TAGS: monthly post, monthly roundup, Liz Heather, March 2022, March Magic, March Magic 2022, Vicks bath salts, Vicks Puffs, Vicks tissue paper, best products, Eataly, Eataly NYC, blonde hair, new blonde hair, dyed blonde, Hazel McCallion, Mississauga, Barnes and Noble, cookbooks, Pepper Thai, Milk Bar cookbook, Chrissy Teigen, Felix Roasting Co., best of NYC, Starbucks, flat white, North Fork potato chips, Levis Simpsons collection, The Simpsons clothes, The Simpsons, Ulta birthday gift, Sephora birthday gift, Kiehl's birthday gift, free birthday gifts, Canada, Hassina Heather, Gary Heather, Robbie Heather, Stanley Heather, family, family photo, Zara, suede green coat, croissant croutons, Trader Joe's, Mimi Cheng's, NYC dumplings, french onion soup dumpings, Harmeet Litt, The Plaza, Plaza Suite, The Palm Court, Broadway NYC, broadway play NYC, Broadway, Sarah Jessica Parker, Matthew Broderick, Playbill, steak Diane, The Dowlings at The Carlyle, The Carlyle Hotel, best of NYC 2022, mail chute, mail chute NYC, The Carlyle mail chute, Robert NYC, Columbus Circle restaurant view, too beautiful, too expensive, Coach purse, Marchesa gown, beaded shirt, Bread Alone bakery, chocolate chip oat cookie, Harry Potter, Harry Potter play, Well Nested Energy nail polish, nail polish, Essie, Vallata, lunch special NYC, Rezdora, best pasta NYC, pasta NYC, duck ragu NYC, To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday, movies, Malice, Alec Baldwin, god speech, Alec Baldwin god speech, Impeachment, Salonpas, Argosy Book Store, oldest book store NYC, Times Square, Times Square art, Snowdonia, Snowdonia Astoria, Manhatta, Raoul's, Raoul's burger, au poivre burger NYC, best burger NYC, best burger, Tim Hortons, apple fritter, apple fritter Tim Hortons, lemon orzo peas parmesan, best recipes, easy lasagna, Glass House Tavern, scallops, corn and couscous risotto, parmesan, caprese pesto orzo bake, couscous bowls lemon feta, truffled garlic bread ricotta, Birthday Candles, Birthday Candles play, Debra Messing, LES galleries, life has no meaning


May 6, 2014

Universal Studios (Orlando, Florida)

by Liz Heather in Reviews, Travel


Let me stress how much you should go here. A one day adult pass is $136, but that's really for two parks (Universal Studios as well as Islands of Adventure). Is that steep? Maybe, I don't know. Personally I found it justified since, well, we had an amazing time. 

Note: My beautiful niece Tianna was my companion for the day and happily posed for a lot of the coming photos.

Universal Studios Thoughts

E.T. Adventure will always be a great ride. The moment in the middle when you're flying across the moon? Get out of here, it's always going to be special. I don't care how dead you are inside, that has to bring a smile to your face. Everyone must ride this at some point in his/her life.

Twister... Ride It Out was... okay. It wasn't really anything, if that makes sense. You walk into a room, it gets windy, then you exit through the left - I get it. I would've rated this as completely terrible if the charmingly handsome Bill Paxton didn't make an instructional video appearance in the waiting area. God, he's gorgeous. Also, isn't the movie Twister almost twenty years old? I mean, you get rid of the Back to the Future ride and Jaws, but THIS stays? Seems like an odd choice.

Lucy: A Tribute is a small museum dedicated to Lucille Ball. As you know, I'm a big fan, so I had to stop in. And if you have any kind of appreciation for her, then you'll really enjoy this.

Inside the Lucy museum

The Horror Makeup Show was moreso lame than bad, so definitely don't bother seeing it. Tianna and I happened to walk past it just as it was beginning, so we figured we'd go in. It's full of awful jokes and makes fun of celebrities a lot, so if you're into that kind of thing then you'll be into this one.

The Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit roller coaster was really good. This was our longest line of the day at thirty minutes, which is insanity. We got really lucky with ride wait times (tip: go on a week day in May) When you ride it, you get to pick from a selection of songs to individually listen to during the ride, which was neater than it sounds. They also offer photos and VIDEOS of you on the ride for sale. The incline is practically ninety degrees, so it makes for an entertaining video to watch afterward.

We went on the Revenge of the Mummy indoor coaster three times in a row. The line was great 'cause there were little levers to push that would make something fall from above and scare people way ahead of you in the line, too. Why are there not more online reviews about how great this ride is? I feel like Brendan Fraser's association with it may have something to do with that. Why am I continuously mean about Brenden Fraser? It's a mystery, even to me. 

I also went to Springfield. And there's too much to say, so I'll post about that later today.

I really love the look of movie studio lots, so even the setup of the park just made me so happy.

Universal Studios

Islands of Adventure Thoughts

Harry Potter land

The Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey indoor ride? I HAVE NO WORDS. But I guess I have to, so let me continue. I have never, in my entire life, experienced a ride such as this one. And please keep in mind, I'm not a Harry Potter fan. I saw... two of the movies? I don't know, I didn't care. I didn't hate them either, but anyway, just know that I don't have a secret I-love-Harry bias here. To get to this ride, you have to walk through Hogwarts Castle and it is AMAZING. There are a billion different rooms with the coolest kind of things happening in them (I'm being vague on purpose). There's even an area where IT SNOWS ON YOU. And then the ride happens. And, I swear to God, this ride makes you feel like you're apart of the movie. Like, FLYING and junk. This was probably the coolest ride I've ever been on in my life, which is weird to even write. How can it be so good, you ask? Man. I don't know. The amount of effort that went into it? It's incredible, this is the ONLY ride you must go on if you're at this park. And considering how great this ride was, I can't imagine how amazing the Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts one will be when it opens later this summer.

The Dragon Challenge roller coaster was the first ride of our day and it was great, but honestly I can't remember many details because of how blown my brain was from the effects of the last ride.

Umm, why is butterbeer so delicious? No idea, but it is. They serve it either cold or frozen, so we got both (I preferred the cold, Tianna loved the frozen). Drink it, love it, live it.

The Incredible Hulk Coaster is definitely in my top three of favourite roller coasters I've been on. Why? One reason: it shoots you into the sky. Like, alarmingly fast. You really feel like you'll die for a second, it's amazing.

Tianna & The Lorax

Whatever you do, make sure to at least walk around the Seuss Landing area. It's gorgeous, fun and really looks cool. Also, in the Harry Potter area, you can buy the wands of individual characters and try on those robes. Are they called robes? Anyway, here's Tianna in one. 


Robe wearing

Wand shopping

Honestly, there is nothing cooler than when a theme park makes their lines entertaining. Waiting in lines are the worst part of going to an amusement park, so when they're made to be exciting? Man, I'm gonna love you hard for that, ride engineers. Wait, is it even the engineers who do that stuff? Who the hell is in charge of that? I want that job!

Things We Didn’t Have Time For, But Wish We Did

  • Emeril’s Restaurant
  • Despicable Me Minion Mayhem ride
  • The entire Jurassic Park area

Verdict? Fuck Disney.

TAGS: Liz Heather, Tianna, Universal Orlando, Islands of Adventure, E.T. Adventure, Twister, Bill Paxton, Back to the Future, Jaws, Lucy A Tribute, Lucille Ball, Lucy museum, Horror Make Up Show, attractions, Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, roller coasters, Revenge of the Mummy, indoor roller coasters, Harry Potter, Brendan Fraser, Springfield, movie studio lots, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, Hogwarts, butterbeer, Dragon Challenge, The Incredible Hulk Coaster, Seuss Landing, Lorax, wands, Emeril Lagasse, Despicable Me, Jurassic Park, rides, best rides, best rides at Universal, best rides at Islands of Adventure


April 22, 2013

When Someone Suggests A Harry Potter Marathon

by Liz Heather in GIFs, Links


mylifethroughkristenwiig:

yes yes

TAGS: my life through kristen wiig, liz heather, SNL, NBC, Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Harry Potter, Liz Heather