The Creative Little Garden

There's not much to say other than this is one of my absolute favorite hidden spots in New York City.

I found The Creative Little Garden by accident while I was exploring the East Village last Spring. Nestled between two large buildings, the garden is a true oasis in the middle of noisy city streets. I instantly fell in love. The garden is beautiful and enchanting... with a book in my hands, swinging on the wooden swing, listening to the birds chirp, I discover the real meaning of the word serenity.

Allow me to take you on a tour.

Just past the gates, you see a quiet garden shaded by beautiful trees, vines crawling up the walls and gates, and quaint seating areas on benches and wooden swings:

Stone lined walkway:

A lone wooden rocking chair:

A main attraction of this garden is its collection of colorful bird-feeders.

On any given day, you will see a variety of birds feeding out of these welcoming feeders. And if you don't see them, you certainly hear them chirping from the trees above.

The view towards the street.
As you can see, this garden is a quiet reading place for many neighborhood residents.

Treehouses, a clock and other cool figurines decorate the garden:

A panoramic view of the fire escapes in the buildings around. Notice the red one!

Thank you Nechama for these images! As magnificent as they are, they do not do the garden justice... if you're ever in the East Village, check it out!

The Creative Little Garden is located at 530 East 6th Street, between Avenues A & B and is open April-October from 11am-6pm weather permitting (but I recently went in December, and it was open, so you might be lucky at this time of year if you go).

Check out www.creativelittlegarden.org for more information.

A True Melting Pot

I noticed something intriguing on my way home from school the other day:

To my right there was a guy reading a newspaper in Chinese...

And to my left, there was a guy reading a newspaper in Arabic...

Once I started to take notice, I realized that people were reading all around me in many different languages!

Each person is doing his own thing. Reading in his own language something of interest to him.

I read this article in the New York Times four years ago, and I would love to share it with you. It is one of my favorites:

Reading Underground

New York City is truly a melting pot...

Out and About: Athens Edition

I know, I know I haven't been posting in a while. It's not my fault, really! I was out of the country for the past three weeks, and therefore had nothing to write about my adventures in New York City.

But... I am veering off the theme of this blog to share with you a small adventure I had in Athens, Greece. My stopover in Athens was 15 hours, so I had plenty of time to explore the city and do a bit of shopping. I was in Athens with a friend in the summer of '09, so I knew how to use the transportation system to get around. I must have looked like I knew what I was doing because a few tourists walked over and asked me for directions, which I gladly gave them!

I took the train from the airport to Syntagma Square in the City Center.

 The train stations have music playing in them! How cool. (Note to MTA: get music in our train stations!)

A classic European city, Athens has dozens of small little cobblestone streets leading off to who-knows-where. (This is Karaiskaki Street):

The most beautiful part about Athens is the Acropolis in the center of the city, clearly visible from wherever you are located.

At night:

There are also ruins practically everywhere:

I was on a mission to purchase a glass plate that I had seen the last time I visited Athens, so I made my way over to the flea market in Monastiraki Square.

One thing I noticed in Athens are the wild dogs. In NYC we have wild birds and squirrels, but in Greece they have dogs. No, they don't bite or hurt anyone... they just hang out and chill on benches and doorsteps. Go figure.

An old lady selling roasted chestnuts. They smelled really good! And check out the Greek graffiti in the background.

The Athens Flea Market is filled with many different colors and smells. You can find shoes, antiques, food, clothing, beads (Greece has beautiful beads), glass-work, and odds and ends there.

I bought a beautiful fused glass plate!

Stunning, right? I absolutely love fused glass.

If anyone ever has stop-over in Greece, even if it's just for a few hours, please let me know and I'll give you tips on where to go and what to do!

On my way to the train station, I passed the quieter Monastiraki Square. As much as I love NYC at night, Athens is a good runner-up.

Shout out to Rabbi and Mrs. Hendel: Thank you for taking such good care of me during the evening. It was great to see you again! The food was delicious, and it was especially thrilling to light a menorah on Chanukah in Athens, Greece!!


Regular NYC posts will resume shortly.

Coffee... and more Coffee (and Tea)

Guess what opened up today in my neighborhood!

credit couponcraving.com

Yeah, I know. There goes my money... I mean, what a great new studying spot!!!!


Apparently, The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf is a big hit out on the West Coast, so I was psyched to check it out when it finally opened in my neighborhood.

credit: www.myupperwest.com (Susie)

I found the interior to be really beautiful, with a great atmosphere and good music. It also smelled really nice (you know that new store smell?).



I bought a White Chocolate Ice Blended.

Too bad it was 30 degrees out tonight. I was freeeeeezing by the time I finished, but it was worth it! (I'm not so into hot drinks, for those of you wondering why I didn't get one).



They also have great looking wraps, salads and sandwiches from Pomegranate in Brooklyn, and delicious looking baked goods from Butterflake bakery in Teaneck.

I guess the Upper West Side has a new hot-spot!
See you there!


Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf is located at the corner of 86th and Amsterdam.

Interesting Fruits and Weird Fish

I unintentionally went on an adventure. It was so cool!

Two friends were visiting me for a couple of days, and they needed to catch a bus downtown. Of course, I offered to accompany them.

We ended up in... CHINATOWN!!
(yes, they took the Chinese bus - quite an adventure in itself).

Credit: www.thenyknow.com

If you ever want to remain in New York City, yet feel like you've dropped into another country, definitely go to Chinatown.

My first venture into Chinatown was a few years ago when I did Grand Jury Duty in the NYC Criminal Court building a few blocks away. I didn't venture too far in.

But I found myself there once again a few weeks ago, and so I decided to explore!

Throughout American history, the Chinese have been subject to a lot of discrimination with immigration and labor rights. For example, the only racially based legislation that the US ever established was the Chinese  Exclusion Act that remained in effect from 1870-1943. So they began their own community in lower Manhattan.

Today, Chinatown is a huge tourist attraction, boasting various interesting eateries, shops, cheap trinkets and faux designer goods, as well as unusual fruits and vegetables and really weird fish.


I took a walk down Grand Street, possibly the busiest part of Chinatown, and dropped into a few shops along the way.



Look at that over there! (in the picture above)... I see something soo exciting!!! On the right... Look closer. See them?

Persimmons!!!
I love persimmons... they are super delicious, and they are sold in abundance in Chinatown!

Along my walk, I stepped into a store that caught my eye. Looked interesting.




But then I looked closer.

Ich.
(I made the picture smaller because I don't want you to have fish staring straight in your face).
And these fish were not even the worst of it! I saw some fish that I didn't even know could be consumed! Weird.


Anyway, I really just explored one teeny-tiny part of Chinatown. I hope to make my way down there again sometime soon and visit the really awesome parts of the little community. Anyone care to join?

Be sure to check out http://explorechinatown.com/ for more information about Chinatown.

"Seasons on the Terrace"

I posted a few weeks ago about how much I absolutely love the changing seasons in New York.

I've been meaning to post this video for a long time - all about the changing seasons in Central Park. It is incredibly beautiful and very well done. What a treasure we have in New York! I really should go more often.

Enjoy!


P.S. I so badly want to go ice skating at Wollman Rink in Central Park this winter! Who wants to come with me?

Surprise in a Planter

A few days ago, as I was walking home from work, I passed by a small building in my neighborhood that I pass at least once a week. 

But as I passed by the building that day, I noticed two people standing over a planter right outside their front door, i.e. a mini garden for people in the city who can't plant an actual garden, often used for decorative purposes. As I got closer, I started to smell something amazing. It took me a few seconds to figure it out.

Fresh herbs!!!

It's not everyday that you find wonderful fresh herbs in a planter on a New York City street! 

To make a short story even shorter, being the curious young lady I am, I asked them all about their planter, why they plant it, how often they pick it, what they grow, who they are, what they do...

And as a lovely treat at the end of our conversation, they gave me a fragrant bunch of fresh thyme to take home!

What a nice surprise :-).

Beautiful Fall Foliage

Fall has finally arrived! The leaves are changing colors and falling off the trees, getting ready for the cold winter months ahead.

I absolutely love experiencing the changing seasons here in New York - there is a certain charm about the first leaves off the trees, the first snow storm, the first daffodils peeking out of the ground, and the first day of pure, warm sunshine and a bright blue sky.

I took a walk through Central Park this past Friday, and I got to experience the majestic colors that are out in full force. Allow me to share some of my experiences with you:

I absolutely love the contrast of a huge tree against a pale blue sky with a beautiful building peeking through the branches.

 I saw this on my walk over to Central Park. I just love how the purple leaves hang off the iron bars and cast beautiful shadows on the grey building.

I see this tree every year and always find it so charming sitting there all alone, so skinny and seemingly forlorn, yet covered in leaves of such a fantastic pale yellow color.

As I walked towards the Bridal Path where I took my walk, I noticed some beautiful colors by the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir...

The water was such an enchanting bright blue that day. And across the reservoir was a cluster of trees in various majestic hues.

Another view of the reservoir...

Along the Bridal Path - These carefully manicured lawns with trees seem to be spray painted just the right color to bring out even the smallest detail.

 Sadly, because of the early snow storm last weekend, Central Park lost over 1000 trees.

 Another tree contrasted against the sky and a building peeking through its branches (now can you see that I love this type of image?)

This is my favorite picture by far! It's the "other side of the reservoir" that I displayed above. Look at the colors! The beautiful, striking, amazing colors!

How unbelievably amazing it is that we have trees that change colors! It makes life so interesting and exciting. What an incredible world we live in.

And finally...

Credit: www.centralparknyc.org

If you can get out to see this in real life, please do! If you have any pictures to share, please send them in and I'll be glad to post them.

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Here are some stunning images sent in by a friend of her backyard. Thanks!!!!

History on 53rd

Credit: www.wikipedia.org

Can you guess what this is??

It is one of the coolest things I've seen in NYC.

I'll give you a hint: November 9, 1989


No, still don't know? How about this: East and West


Okay fine, I'll tell you.

This is a piece of the BERLIN WALL!!


How cool is that!


Located on 53rd between 5th and Madison Avenues, this piece of the Berlin Wall is just one of many that were distributed throughout the world after its fall.


The Berlin Wall was a symbol of the Cold War, and its fall on November 9, 1989 represented the demise of the Communist Regime.

Credit: wikipedia.org

The history of the Berlin Wall is a bit complicated, but in a nutshell: 
During the Cold War, Berlin was divided into two parts - East Berlin was under the Communist regime and West Berlin was not. With the wall as a barrier, East Berliners had absolutely no contact with the modern, more advanced West Berlin. When the wall came down, East Berliners who had been so used the the backwards Soviet way of life, were finally exposed to the modern world.

Here is a great site with more information about the Berlin Wall.

Be sure to check it out! It's a real piece of history!!!

Oh, and there are some fantastic water-fall like fountains there, too :-).

Ghosts in the Library (or Studying Around Town)

I know that many of my readers are students like me who spend a lot of time studying. The nature of studying is to find a quiet place where you can study undisturbed. I've shlepped my notes to random places around NYC and have discovered some great places as a result.

I think the #1 studying spot for anyone in a big city (or small for that matter) is Starbucks. I know it's not an original place, but still... nothing beats Starbucks!

Credit: www.gourmet-coffee-cup.com

I am lucky to have a Starbucks directly across the street from my home, and I frequent it on a regular basis to do my school work. The best time? Early in the morning, or late at night. I tend to avoid mid-day because I can never find a seat.

If I find myself studying later than 10pm (when my Starbucks closes), I head uptown to Columbia University where they have a Starbucks open until 2am.


Recently, a friend directed me to the New York Public Library Rose Main Reading Room on 42nd Street and 5th Avenue. (The library with the lion statues on the outside):

Credit: www.mhpbooks.com

This room is exquisite!! I tried to find the best picture I could that would accurately show its elegance, but as with everything in life, you have to experience it in person to get the full effect.

The Rose Reading Room is the length of two city blocks, and weaves together old-world architectural elegance with modern technology. Long oak tables and brass lamps, marble arches and pillars, and the best of all - an amazing mural on the ceiling! Of course, there is free public wifi.

The room underwent a multi-million dollar restoration in 1998. The effects are magnificent. Although the quiet atmosphere is highly conducive to studying, its beauty and detail captivated me so much that I found myself getting distracted. Only once my eyes were satisfied was I able to focus on my work.


The first scene of the famous movie Ghostbusters was filmed in the NYPL Reading Room. Check out this hysterical spoof in the Reading Room by the brilliant group Improv Anywhere:





I think it is so cool that we have this spectacular room in the middle of the big city. It is definitely a haven from all the noise and dirt outside.

This library is located right next to Bryant Park, so you can head out there if you need a change of scenery.

Enjoy!