Museum Archives - the naturalized new yorker

March 28, 2017

Morgan Library & Museum

March 28, 2017

A few weeks ago, my friend Lauren and I set out for the Morgan Library & Museum, located in New York’s Murray Hill neighborhood. A dreary winter afternoon called for a bit of exploring, and since we had both never been we decided to check it out.

The stunning building was formerly J.P. Morgan’s personal library filled with hundreds of rare books and manuscripts. It has an old-world almost Beauty and the Beast vibe with all of the dark wallpaper and thousands of old books. The museum was also holding an Emily Dickinson exhibit when we visited featuring dozens of handwritten notes and poems, along with other artifacts and photos of her life and family.

The museum is pretty tiny, but the entry is relatively affordable, and the guided tour we took was well worth it. Though I’m not sure it’s a place I would frequent, it was amazing to see it once and uncover a little more of New York’s history.

August 31, 2016

The Best Apps for Navigating New York

August 31, 2016

I’m all for being independent and not relying on technology, but you know what? Sometimes a girl just needs her iPhone. If you’ve got your phone attached to your hand at all times then listen up, this post is for you. I’ve done some digging and rounded up the best and most vital apps for living in and visiting NYC. You won’t want to go another day without these guys – the best apps for navigating New York are guaranteed to make your life a whole lot simpler.

Yelp
I never, ever visit a restaurant without scoping it out on Yelp. To get the best mobile experience, downloading the app is a must. If you’re unfamiliar, it gives you customer reviews which often include tips about the service and great food recommendations. Plus, it’s easy to search for a place nearby if you’re on the app – it’s the best and simplest way to find a great meal or quick drink somewhere within a few blocks.

DidIt
A friend of mine introduced me to this app and it’s amazing! Within the app you have a home feed, which lists various NYC-centric stories, like the Best Bars for Every Mood or Where to Eat This Weekend. But that’s not the best part of the app. It tells you what’s nearby to your current location, making finding new bars and restaurants a piece of cake and also allows you to create to-do lists to share with friends. These lists can be anything from Where to Eat Brunch to What Beaches to Visit – you can customize them to your heart’s content. Friends can contribute and add content, making it the perfect solution to replace that group Facebook chat you have with your friends for where to brunch next weekend.

Time Out
Like I’ve said before many times, the print edition of Time Out magazine is my weekly Bible. It’s the best place to scope out events around town, new restaurant reviews and info about various shows, concerts and movies. Their app is the best of their weekly content combined with the evergreen lists from their website. Download it now so you’re always in the know.

Central Park
Central Park can be a confusing place. Are you in Sheep Meadow or the Great Lawn? You’ll never have to wonder again with the free Central Park app. With a map, search function and list of events, this handy app consolidates all of the Central Park info you’ve been looking for in one place. They’ve even got celebrity audio tours, where various celebs will walk you through their favorite spots.

Downtown NYC
This app by the Downtown Alliance is the official app of the Downtown Culture Pass. For only $25 this will get you entrance and discounts into a ton of tourist attractions like the 9/11 Memorial, water taxi rides and the Anne Frank Center. Use it to save a few bucks if you’re looking to visit multiple of their included locations.

NYC Way
This one app combines over 50 other apps into one, offering info about street vendors, grocery stores and tourist attractions. This free app will effortlessly help you navigate the city like a pro without ever pulling out a map or asking for advice.

Audio Tour Apps
Though this isn’t just one specific app, a lot of free attractions around the city have individual apps you can download for free audio tours. Some examples include Grand Central Terminal and St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

August 25, 2016

The Museum of Ice Cream

August 25, 2016

Last Saturday was maybe one of the most important days of my life. Now, I know I may be exaggerating slightly, but August 20 will forever be marked in history as the day I visited the Museum of Ice Cream, and that’s pretty damn awesome.

This month-long pop-up has been sold out for weeks, but thanks to Time Out New York’s weekly newsletter, my roommate and I snagged tickets the week they went on sale and have been anxiously counting down the days ever since. After seeing some pretty amazing pics on Instagram, I was more than ready to visit when the time came.

We headed to the West Village and, despite a brief rain shower, made it about half-way into our allotted time slot. Our tickets which were for 12pm, allow admission anytime before 12:45pm. When you first enter the museum you are immediately greeted with a scoop of ice cream which was basically a dream come true. This flavor rotates, but we were lucky to basically blueberry pie in a cup topped with a sweet crumble. It was as bomb as it sounds.

The museum then opens into a room with faux waffle cone walls (mental note for future decorating) and you receive an “edible balloon” which was sort of like cotton candy filled with air. Not unpleasant, but really sugary. Then, you head into the Chocolate Chamber, which is basically the holding room before you enter into the best part of the museum: the sprinkle pool.

This is the moment we had been waiting for. Swimming in a giant pool of (faux) sprinkles? Dreams really do come true. The number of people in the pool at once is limited, which was nice because you have room to swim and dive and sprinkle-angel to your heart’s content and obviously get all the pics you want/need. There’s also candy jars along the wall so those anxiously waiting can stuff themselves with sugary goodness all they want.

After the sprinkle pool you enter the museum’s final section. You’re given a Magic Berry, which alters your tastebuds temporarily so bitter/sour flavors taste sweet for a short period of time. After it dissolves on your tongue, you receive another ice cream cone (this time soft serve) topped with two lemon slices. And like magic (as the name implies) the lemons don’t taste sour at all, but like a nice sweet cup of lemonade. It was so weird and awesome all at the same time, and the mild flavor of the ice cream was a pleasant finish to the overall experience.

July 15, 2016

New York City Pools

July 15, 2016

On a hot summer day, there’s nothing better than time spent basking in the sun and a refreshing dip in the pool in New York City and this weekend is supposed to be a hot one. I’ve been dying to find a spot I can post up and go for a swim, so I figured I’d share a little bit of my research with you all. I haven’t actually been to these spots yet, but they’re all on my list. Please let me know in the comments if you’ve checked any of them out! Recommendations welcome.

McCarren Hotel rooftop pool [photo: Trip Advisor]

Private Pools
Thought a lot of these come with a hefty price tag, it may be worth it for a relaxing and enjoyable day of lounging by the water.

La Piscine at Hôtel Americano
For a luxury hotel, this is one of the cheapest of the bunch for a day pass. For $40 (Monday-Friday, I can’t seem to find out if you can get in on weekends…) you can access the rooftop pool at this Chelsea spot from 9am until 5pm. Lounge by the pool, sip on a cocktail and soak in the city in the best way possible.

Equinox Printing House
If you plan on using the pool several times throughout the summer, get yourself a membership to this $185 per month spot, or if you have a tighter grip on your wallet you can get access to the pool with spa services. The rooftop pool looks pretty large and has many lounge chairs, so get ready to soak in the sun.

McCarren Hotel
This trendy Williamsburg spot is the place to go for $45 during the week or $65 during the weekend. Check out the poolside service or splash around in the water for a relaxing weekend oasis.

Hamilton Fish pool [photo: Time Out New York]

Public Pools
All NYC public pools abide by the same rules. Here are the deets: The pool is open from 11am until 7pm, but is closed from 3-4pm for cleaning. To get in you must have a lock, lined bathing suit, and can’t take your phone on the pool deck. Make sure to bring these with you, or you won’t be admitted. If you’re hoping to cover up from the sun, also make sure to bring a plain white T-shirt – colored shirts and dresses aren’t allowed. Based on some reviews, it sounds like they aren’t messing around with these regulations. Check out the website before you visit and make sure you’re following everything for the most enjoyable experience.

Astoria Park Pool
First and foremost, this pool is free so what do you have to lose? There are concession stands, shaded areas and kiddie pools, all perfect for families and 20-somethings alike. It is the largest pool in the city, with an Olympic diving pool and the main pool can hold over 3,000 people.

Barretto Point Park Floating Pool
This place looks straight up awesome. While reviews mention, like with Astoria Park Pool, that they rules are extremely strict, I might give this place a go for the cool factor. Just hop on the 6 train to Longwood and you’ve got a 15 minute walk to the pool. Baretto Point Park is a beautiful area with waterfront views and now, a floating, 6-lane pool. Created on an old barge, this spot moved around for a bit before settling at it’s current home. “The Floating Lady” as it’s known, leaves for the winter each year, only to return for the sunshine and summer days in the big city.

Hamilton Fish Pool
Tucked into a quiet corner of the Lower East Side, this Olympic-sized pool is the perfect spot to cool off on a hot and humid summer day. Again, it’s tough to get in because of all of the rules, but it’s free and just wear a swimsuit, ok? Though it apparently gets pretty crowded, the $0 price tag and opportunity to swim way outweighs a crowd, in my opinion.

Lasker Pool
This centrally located spot sits at the northern edge of Central Park. In the summer months it’s Lasker Pool and it transforms into an ice rink in the cold winter weather. It’s apparently pretty clean, has a lot of deck space (though concrete) and is an overall enjoyable experience. This one is topping my list for a hangout for those hot days the remainder of the summer.

April 25, 2016

The Neon Museum Las Vegas

April 25, 2016

As anyone who follows me on Instagram knows, I just returned to New York from a long weekend in Las Vegas. I was there mostly to work, but also squeezed in some fun and lounging by the pool. On Sunday night, I also had the chance to check out the Neon Museum Las Vegas, where they store and restore old casino neon signage dating back to the 1930s. The non-profit organization hosts guided, hour-long tours throughout the day and night for visitors to see and marvel at Las Vegas’s crazy history. The whole experience was great, really interested, and extremely photogenic. Check out the photos I snapped below. If you’re ever in Vegas (and want to take a break from drinking) go check this place out.

March 23, 2016

The Whitney Museum of American Art

March 23, 2016

Whitney Museum of American Art – or just The Whitney, as most people know to it – has been on my list of places to hit for months now. Because of a partnership with my company, I get into the museum for free so I didn’t even have a good excuse not to go. The museum took over a new space in the West Village overlooking the Hudson River last May, so it was definitely a spot I needed to hit up.

I went on a Saturday, so the line to get in in was literally down the block – not an ideal scenario considering it was 35 degrees, but it moved quickly. After getting our tickets, we took to the directory to see which exhibits to hit first. One floor of the museum was closed during my visit because it was between exhibitions. Several of the floors are filled with mostly offices and classrooms, so you basically have to start on the 5th floor. I was a little surprised by this, because well, there wasn’t that much art. The 7th floor was the main section featuring the paintings, but otherwise the space was a little sparse. The museum itself is sort of a piece of art, which I appreciated, but actual paintings and sculptures were a little lacking.

The entire 5th floor is an open exhibit space – a collection of artists has been asked to take over the “Open Plan” and transform it for a given time period. When I visited, the expansive room was empty, but piped with ambient noises. Interesting, but a little off-kilter for what I consider art. The space itself though is visually amazing, with floor-to-ceiling windows at each end, and ceilings easily 20 feet high.

My favorite part about the museum is the indoor-outdoor component. Almost every floor has a balcony, sculptures are included outdoors, and the views of the city are amazing. I was there on an exceptionally clear day, and you can see for miles around. It was pretty stunning and, in my opinion, overshadowed a lot of the art.

But, to each his own – check it out for yourself and decide. The museum is open 10:30am until 6:00pm Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday and open 10:30am until 10:00pm on Friday and Saturday, but closed Tuesday. Regular tickets are $22, but if any of the exhibits are closed like when I visited, admission is knocked to $16.