it’s only noon and i’ve already had a crazy friday. i woke up at seven a.m. on day two of a juice cleanse to meet my friends at saved to get tattoos.

so there i am, hungry, at 8 a.m. at a tattoo parlor with one of the best tattoo artists around, who is impossible to book an appointment with because he is always traveling. and what do i do? i wimp out. but no regrets (actually, i think there would be more regret if i inked on something permanent without pretty careful consideration). but yeah, i’m giving it some consideration now and i highly recommend if you’re in the market to book an appointment at saved.

saved
3 hope st.
williamsburg, brooklyn

every thursday my sister and i get together for our weekly worship of lost. beforehand she either makes me dinner or we hit up some asian spot. last week we thought it would be a good idea to try a seafood buffet in koreatown. turns out it was not so good of an idea.

i guess in theory buffets are good. they’re certainly exciting the first time you go up with your plate and this whole smorgasboard of things to choose from. but i suppose inevitably all buffets end up leaving you feeling kind of ick. meanwhile i’m reading a book called the world peace diet (please don’t make fun of me), and the whole scene was just no good.

todai
6 east 32nd street
manhattan

this past weekend i surprised my boyfriend with a trip to the catskills. i told him to pick me at work at 3pm on friday and handed him an envelope with our secret destination. i highly recommend this little trick for either girl or boy because the recipient then has to be nice to you for the entire weekend!

we got into town around 6pm and headed directly over to the bear cafe. i was convinced that everything would shut down early in this mid-winter low season leaving us dinnerless. but of course, the manhannites kept rolling in at the usual later hours having just gotten into town. the bear is definitely the place to eat.

the town of woodstock is pretty sleepy but there are enough highlights to keep one entertained for the weekend. i loved the sunfrost farms market where i bought local yogurt and all of the ingredients to make an organic potato leek soup. the old hippie stores around there are pretty much just relics and totally unacceptable for shopping with the exception of chez grandmere, a french inspired chocolate and gift shop. i ended up with jasmine perfume powder and giant peanut butter cups!

despite it being january and my mom telling me to be careful hiking because my cell phone would stop working and i would freeze in the snow and a man with a knife might come up behind me (oh, mom) my boyfriend and i walked the overlook hike which started at the karma triyana dharmachakra tibetan monastery , which gives tours on sunday afternoons. we walked two miles uphill to a spectacular view of the hudson river and valley. there were no men with knives but we did come across the ruins of a hotel that burned down, where i think they filmed that awful movie freedomland with julianne moore and samuel l. jackson. that was creepy.

i recommend the inn on the millstream, room 11 – the only room with a two person spa tub. it’s quaint but comfortable and clean. and if you’re down for a good laugh, i also recommend stopping in sloatsburg on the way back on the border of new york and new jersey to go to mt. fuji. words cannot express the monstrosity that is this hibachi restaurant…

my lil sis moved to the city recently to become an assistant buyer at mega-retailer bloomingdales (hey, sweet discount), and she’s starting to see that far from the party capital she thought this would be, she’s actually just an indentured servant at her cubicle. i’ve actually lost track of where i was going with this and my restaurant experience saturday night…

oh yes! so in my experience after living here for about a year or so i started to get into the rythym of things. i see my friends less than i did in my rolling college days and spend almost zero time at the apartment that sucks up most of my paycheck, but i’ve discovered one of the main activites here that i didn’t have in providence – becoming a foodie.

where else can you go into an unmarked door on some corner and slip into a japanese sake and tapas bar to eat miso grilled oysters? zenkichi is a funhouse-style maze of private bamboo curtain booths and mirrors, where waitresses come to your booth only if called on the little buzzer on the table.

(ok, and i promise next time i’ll venture out of my neighborhood.)

77 north 6th street
williamsburg, brooklyn

having brunch with my lovely friend diana yesterday, i remembered again that i love roebling tea room. mum was playing softly in the background while i snacked on smoked salmon served with toasted pumpernickel, cream fraiche and beet relish. they serve dozens of different teas and it’s super comfortable.

143 roebling at metropolitan ave.
williamsburg, brooklyn

last night on my way in to diner i stopped in bittersweets to pick up my sister’s christmas present (let’s hope she doesn’t read this till after!). i originally came across the sweet little engraved 14k gold rings at catbird and snatched up two for myself. i had never been to robin’s own shop and studio so was excited to stop by.

what i saw was so nice i ended up staying and exploring for half an hour. decorated all herself with second hand furniture and hand-drawn walls, the space was large and luxurious, but in a brooklyn way. i ended up falling in love with the vampire rings, of course.

bittersweets
37 broadway
williamsburg, brooklyn