Walking New York City

Morning light on the Empire State Building

Autumn is my favorite season in New York, often we will have days of beautiful, bright cloudless and sunny weather. I think its a perfect time to talk about some of my favorite things to do it New York.

Perhaps my very favorite thing about living in New York City is the walking. The city is so colorful and the best way to experience it is on foot. I love that I can walk out of my house and walk for blocks that are full of life, people are out, shops are open, I can get my groceries, walk to the park, hop on the subway, and it is all just outside my door.

There have been seasons in my life here in NYC during which I walked all the time. Then, I loved the city for its vastness, the "big" all day walks that I could take. Seven years ago, at this same time of year, I was grieving a miscarriage and the only thing that really soothed me was walking. So, each day I would get up and head out into the city with only a vague plan for the day, something like, "Walk the whole west side of Manhattan.", or , "Walk from the Village to Central Park.", and then I would just see where the day would take me.

My walks have become shorter, and are not often solitary these days, but the other day I had the treat of heading out alone into Manhattan for one of my favorite shorter walks. I took the subway to the corner of 6th Avenue and 34th Street, next to the Empire State Building. Visited one of my favorite shops there, the flagship location of the Swedish chain H&M. Then walked one block over to 5th Avenue and turned downtown, the walk down 5th Avenue is pure New York, heading right past the picturesque Flatiron Building...

Continuing down 5th Avenue, with the beautiful old architecture of the city all around.

Then stopping at my favorite cafe for lunch, The City Bakery. It is on 18th Street, just off of 5th Avenue, and the food is truly amazing, so fresh and flavorful.

You serve your self buffet style, so you get to try a variety of tasty options. My plate that day included baked tofu with Miso sauce, Tuscan Kale, Moroccan Cucumber salad, baked pear, along with their not-to-be missed Pretzel Croissant.

This time I was there alone, but it is also one of my favorite places to go on a "date" with my kids. Across from The City Bakery, on 18th Street, are two other wonderful places to take kids. Books of Wonder and right next door the Cupcake Cafe.
Both are favorites for a family outing.

With these stops in mind a yummy day is practically guaranteed!

Today I'm in the studio, getting ready for the annual Gowanus Artists Open Studio Tour that Frank and I will be participating in this coming Saturday.

We will be showing new paintings, and selling prints of our work in the warehouse studio space that we used to share. All of the details, including our studio address is here.

A little eye candy for you this morning too, my work was just included in this pretty Etsy treasury...

Bloom Where You Are Planted.

xo