guess i'll just have to go back.

More amazing NYC To-Do's via my (second) cousin Sandra, current NYC resident who will be working at the Peggy Guggenheim collection in Venice this summer (!!!)...

One thing you must add to the NYC itinerary if you have time: Nitehawk. It's a theater in Williamsburg that serves cocktails and dishes that correspond with the films. The screening rooms are tiny and romantic and you and Walker will love everything about it.

Hm, what else?

Prune for brunch, get there at 9:40 and wait in line with the Times, and then you don't have to deal with the line. They have the most remarkable bloody mary menu.

Roberta's for pizza and beer and cool Bushwick ambiance--go for the early bird special at 6 or else it gets packed.

See the Whitney Biennial if you have time for the best of the best American contemporary art. And the New Museum Triennial for a more global survey.

Ride the 6 train all the way to the end and it will take you around the end and you can see the old, abandoned stop through the windows (you can do this with walker and he will be so impressed!).

Listen to Meg and definitely walk over the BB and eat some ice cream or pizza at Grimaldi's on the other side. Do the highline. It's supposed to be beautiful weather!!!!

just hangin'

New York City! (said in a Pace Picante commercial voice).

drink beer from mason jars in brooklyn: check.

stay with a world class klezmer musician fresh off his european tour: check.

cream cheese smeared bagels while walking through springtime park slope: check.

recline on deck chairs at the highline: check.

(...)

Watson and the Shark.

John Singeton Copley.

Seen at the National Gallery of Art.

Read An Object of Beauty.

biking amongst the d.c. cherry blossoms.

Things I love, love, love...

Walker Robins + Capitol Bike Share + Cherry Blossoms + Monuments + Cherry Blossom Beer.

p.s. BIKE SHARES ARE SO AWESOME.

Best part of the trip: after biking all uphill to have pizza at 2amy's in Tenleytown (blog nerd alert: a Rockstar Diaries favorite), Walker and I biked back down Embassy Row on Massachusetts Avenue, calling out which embassy was which, and being stopped by security to let VP Biden's motorcade pass.

st. louis in the details.

So this post lacks evidence of our entire reason for the road trip: to watch a NHL hockey game with Walker's roommate back in Israel, Joe, as in Joe from Ohio.

The St. Louis Blues v. the Columbus Blue Jackets.

(um, NHL-level hockey games are awesome - had no idea about the fighting being totally allowed, if not encouraged).

To me, St. Louis felt like Detroit. Except I've never been to Detroit, so it's a Chrysler commercial imagined version: deserted, gray, epic architecture, old industry, Eminem (or native son Nelly) thumping in the background.

This impression had a lot to do with the fact that (thanks to Walker's sister's connects) we stayed at this beautifully restored historic train station turned hotel - except that it connected to this gigantic, cheesy, Hard Rock Cafe-type mall. With absolutely no people in it. On a weekend. It was a depressing juxtaposition. That being said, all "downtowns" are kinda depressing/desolate on weekends.

I would recommend:

Maibock from Morgan Street Brewery.

And barbecue from Pappy's. (We got lucky we were there on a Sunday, so Walker could indulge in eating meat).

Plus, Kelly Sheline's recommendation of looking around at Central West End. Huge Catholic identity.

And Citygarden with its' popular-modern sculptures. A little "been there, done that" - but still a really nice idea.

so the st. louis arch, actually really cool.

(i took an excessive amount of pics)

but such a great frame for a city.

the art of storytelling.

i love the part in the story when your eyes are already wide and then they throw up their hands and say, "Oh no, just WAIT."