2/50 NYC Adventures: Times Square

"I had traveled eight thousand miles around the American continent and I was back on Times Square; and right in the middle of a rush hour, too, seeing with my innocent road-eyes the absolute madness and fantastic hoorair of New York

with its millions and millions hustling forever for a buck among themselves, the mad dream

- grabbing, taking, giving, sighing, dying, just so they could be buried in those awful cemetery cities beyond Long Island City."

- Jack Kerouac, On the Road

What is Times Square?

So maybe Jack Kerouac didn't really like Times Square. I understand. But. There is something outrageous and memorable about the first time you experience the CRAZY that is Times Square. Mixed with a lot of grit, toothy smiles and too-vivid colors is a tiny little bit of magic, and that's what I want to highlight.

What is there to say about Times Square? If you've been there once, you probably don't feel the need to return. It's not that it's a bad experience, it's one that everyone should have. Giant jumbo screens featuring American Eagle underwear models leaping around, giggling at their own adorableness, as if they're shocked by their own precious effect on the world. "Oh my goodness, I really am a doll in my panties! Tee hee hee." Ugh. Yet this is the kind of advertising that America wants, so sure, put it on the BIGGEST SCREEN IN THE COUNTRY. Purse ads are the same size as a building (they probably cost as much as a building, too.) Theaters litter every corner, advertising the latest and greatest musical, sure to change the world as we know it with its audacious storyline. Not gonna lie, I really appreciate the theater culture. It's what most endears me to this neighborhood. The theater geek within me gives certain grace allowances to the circus of this square.

The Gold.

Times Square is a flamboyant, semi-adult version of Disneyworld. On speed. In a club. With extra-large flashing lights. And naked cowboys prancing about, requesting money for their, well, nakedness. It's an odd kind of place. It's both fortunate and unfortunate that my acting studio is located in Times Square, so I am there almost daily. Yes, I have already become a speed-walking snob that gets annoyed with people who mosey in front of me at a snails pace, their heads up to the sky, gazing open-mouthed at the GIANT lit-up buildings. It's fine, but don't block my entrance to the subway while you do that, please. And because of it's touristy draw, most of Times Square consists of people gazing upwards at the lights, amused and amazed. The rest of us are just trying to get somewhere. Oh, and there are the few (thousand) con artists trying to make money off the first group by selling shot glasses, t shirts and fake Rolexes. Although, I really prefer the fake Louis Vuittons, if you care to know. I'm a sucker for that fou-fou French brand.

The Theater.

Times Square houses the incredible theater district of New York. Arguably, this is greatest theater town in the world (stop pouting, London, you get a place in my heart, too.) Just two weeks ago I had the incredible privilege to see The Winslow Boy at The Roundabout Theater with my uber-cultured Aunt Shirley. She is the first person who ever introduced me to Broadway by taking me to see Kiss Me Kate when I was 12, so she is really the one to blame for this whole dreamy excursion of being an actor. If I never make it, eh... I'll start crocheting for a living. But if I DO, that Oscar is surefire dedicated to her. She knows it. We had a good ol' time taking in the incredible story that The Winslow Boy had to offer. I love theater, because it asks you to think for yourself. And it's funny, because my Aunt Shirley has spent a lifetime teaching me to do that, too.

Oh the theater. And since they're all located in Times Square, I'll take it. Light the way.

TASTE: Lavender-Agave Limoncello

Inspiration for Lemons.

I'm already longing for my time in Italy. This past summer I took the most epic of all trips and backpacked through Europe with the love of my life. This is a trip we had been dreaming about for 6 years, and it came to a beautiful and adventurous culmination during the month of June. We ate SO well, and I've been mulling over a couple of exotic recipes that I want to attempt to make stateside. So maybe I can't exactly replicate this astounding margherita pizza from Naples (apparently the flavor is in the water), but I can try my hand at a few other tasty treats. The first of my European-inspired attempts is limoncello. FYI it takes a bit of patience to make this (so add PATIENCE to your ingredient list. Seriously.)

Limoncello is served in Italy at the very end of a meal, when your belly is gleefully protruding over your pants and your mouth is dumbly drunk from the pleasing combination of bufala mozzarella, hot doughy bread, fresh spiced basil-tomatoes, savory white fish, home made pasta and of course, wine. And dessert. And then more wine. Need I say more? Then, at the very end of the meal, limoncello seals the deal. It's the last kiss of the night before you roll yourself into bed. And it's glorious, to say the least.

I got this recipe from a dear old Italian woman who ran a restaurant up in the foothills of the Amalfi Coast. She laughed at me while she wrote the recipe down, saying, "You can try, but you won't be able to make this back at home." Apparently that is because the Italians use 100-proof alcohol in their recipe, which is, well, not exactly sold in the U.S. We basically have to make do with a lot of vodka. So I fashioned my own concoction based on her recipe, along with Giada's (obviously), this recipe from Linden Hills Co-op and this recipe from Imbibe. And I decided to make two batches, one regular and one using infused lavender and agave. Time to get crazy!

Lavender Agave Limoncello

Ingredients:

- 2 cups vodka

- 5 lemons, peeled

- 2 limes, peeled

- 1/2 tsp. lavender

- 2/3 cup agave

- 1 cup water

- Juice from 2 lemons

Method:

1. Using a vegetable peeler or sharp knife, peel the lemons and limes carefully. Trim away any white pith from the peels, as the pith can make the limoncello taste bitter.

2. Place the peels in a large pitcher and pour 2 cups of vodka over the peels. Add in the lavender. Cover the mouth of the pitcher with plastic wrap and set the pitcher in a cool, dark place. Allow the peels to steep for at least a week. (This is the part where your patience needs to kick in.)

3. After a week has passed, combine the agave+water+juice from two lemons in a saucepan and bring to a boil. I like to boil the sliced lemons in with the sweetened mixture (it gives it a yummy sweet-and-sour flavor!) After the mixture has boiled for a good 5 minutes, remove from heat. Let the mixture cool completely. (Again, utilize your patience and just walk away. You can do it.)

4. Once it's completely cooled, the agave+water+lemon mixture should be the consistency of syrup. Strain the syrupy through a fine mesh strainer. This should weed out all the lemons and seeds. Double strain if necessary. Set the syrup aside.

5. Next, strain the lemon peel-vodka mixture.

6. Combine both mixtures and seal in a glass jar. I got mine at Crate & Barrel, but I also used a mason jar as a second container. Store in the freezer for up to a month.

Now Enjoy! You can serve the limoncello in shot glasses at the end of the meal, or you can use it as a cocktail mixer. It's a snazzy beverage, perfect for the coming months' holiday celebrations.

To Make Regular Limoncello

Follow the above method with these ingredients: 

- 2 cups vodka

- 5 lemons, peeled

- 2 limes, peeled

- 1 cup sugar (I used raw)

- 1 cup water

- Juice from 2 lemons

Drink and Be Merry.

I hope you love this as much as I do. Soak up your inner-Italian and enjoy. It's a real treat.

Bon Appetit!

Romeo & Juliet. Orlando & Kristen. Plus Stevie.

// The door to the building. Yowza.//

Romeo, Oh Romeo, Wherefore Art Thou Romeo?

Orlando Bloom. Is currently starring on Broadway in Romeo & Juliet.

Yeah. That hot elf has graduated to an iconic Shakespearean bad boy. Traded in his ears for tears and I'm still swooning. Way to go, Bloom. Way to GO.

 Image Via 1, 2, 3

"Elf envy... they all had it." - Orlando Bloom, on the set of Lord of the Rings

Our History: LOTR

I first crushed on Orlando Bloom when he was a mystical, gracious aryan elf helping Frodo make it to Mount Doom in the epic The Fellowship of the Ring. Please. No one in that movie could even TOUCH Legolas. He was way too cool. He had perfect sight and could see enemies coming miles away. His sensitive hearing could detect oncoming danger. He could scurry along on top of the snow while everyone trudged through it. He never got dirty. His bow and arrow were righteously right. And as long as he didn't get killed, he could live FOREVER. Ugh. This elf was the man. Perhaps he combed his blonde tresses a bit too much and maybe he got a lot of elven mani-pedis on the set of these movies, but he still had super powers. Awesome ones.

My Husband.

So of course I found me a man who resembled Legolas. Obviously. He doesn't shoot arrows or throw daggers at dwarves, but he can do some pretty eerie stuff on Excel. And he doesn't have super-human hearing or seeing, but he actually listens to me babble on about the beauty of teatime and the necessity for efficient dish stacking in the dishwasher. And that's pretty super to me. What a man. He took me to see Orlando as Romeo for my birthday. The show is brand spankin' new, only running for 2 months, and Stevie snagged us tickets for my birthday. Best gift ever.

My Review.

The cast? Ridiculously talented. I mean, superior-ly talented. The theater? The Richard Rogers is one of the more beautiful Broadway theaters I've been in. The drama? Pretty expectedly impeccable. Shakespeare's language is so articulate, so intentional and just so poignant. Stevie and I have been on a Shakespeare kick since we saw A Midsummer Night's Dream in London this past summer. Also epic. Now I want to see Macbeth and Hamlet again!

// The show was smoochable. //

After Party. 

We left the theater in a thrill. Clutching each others hands, quoting "Oh Romeo!" and "parting is such sweet sorrrrrooowwww!!!" (alright, I was the only one poetically wailing ) But we fell out the door into the chilly night, the autumn air crisp and the New York street lit up with the bright lights of Broadway. What a dream. This moment. What I always wanted to do. Goof off on Broadway.

We waited after the show to get a glance at the cast before they left the theater. Apparently everyone else had the same idea. Good thing Stevie a lot taller than a bunch of post-teen gals (like me) and he and Orlando actually had some, well, I can say it, but don't get too jealous: EYE CONTACT.

// Who remembers Justin Guirini from American Idol Season 1? He was my fave in From Justin to Kelly. He played Count Paris and totally rocked it. //

// We "met" Orlando. In the top right corner, that's Stevie and Orlando's hands, almost touching! We (meaning Stevie) scored his autograph! Ah, I am still a 13-year old starstruck little girl inside. Note: he has a bodyguard. And that guy is lookin' FIERCE. //

// His autograph? Pretty cool. Our enjoyment of another celeb sighting? Priceless. //

Way to my Heart.

This birthday? Somehow it was just the best ever. Even though, for those folks on stage, "Never was there a story of more woe, than this of Juliet and her Romeo." Duh duh DUHHHHH.

The Merrell Challenge Update

“I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” - L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

Crunch, says my Sneakers.

There are ghost hunters. There are bargain hunters. There are actual hunters. I do not fit into any of these categories, but I do have my own area of curious interest: I am a seeker of fall foliage (and somewhat of a fiend about it.) I seek it out. I can wake up and smell the crispness of the leaves, thus determining how vibrant the colors might be today. And then I must go and discover whether or not my hypothesis is correct. Wow. I haven't used the word "hypothesis" since I was a sophomore in college. Whoa, haven't used the word "sophomore" since I was that level in high school. It must be a brainy day for me... Anyway! This thirst for foliage; it's both a grand gift and a heavy responsibility. I accept its challenge. Along with...

The Merrell Challenge.

I've had the pleasure of taking on The Merrell "Feel Your Run" Challenge for the past 6 weeks or so. The premise of this challenge is to log 30 runs in 45 days, which is a really good start for me (a non-runner) to actually track my progress and be accountable to something that could potentially reward me with presents (the ultimate motivator!) This challenge has gotten me outside, thus coupling my (semi) love for running and my (absolute) joy for fall foliage. It's the perfect time of year to be out and prancing around in the leaves!

// Who says New England gets to have all the fun? New York is rocking the vibrant autumn colors these days. //

// This guy is about a week away from donning auburn, gold and cinnamon shades of bliss. //

The Trail.

I've been running a 2.3 mile loop around the Reservoir at Central Park. It's the perfect distance for me and I have seen a lot of improvement in my endurance and actual time. I've never been into timing myself as a runner (I always rewarded myself just for getting out there!), but since I've been running a lot it's definitely been fun to see my own progress. This past week I started mixing up my trail by running across the Upper West Side to Riverside Park and running along the Hudson. I also took a new route north in Central Park and looped around the North Meadow, which proved to be ridiculously scenic. Anything to keep it interesting and fresh (and leafy!)

My Running Stats:

(via Mapmyrun)

Current Standing: 1595th (whoa. um what.)

Percentage: Top 4%, woohoo! (I have a feeling a LOT of people signed up for this and just haven't done it. How could I possibly be so high up? Not being self-deprecating; just knowing thyself.)

Average Mile/Minute: 9:30 min/mile

# of Runs Completed: 26

# of Days Left: 4

I'm almost to the (not-so-literal) finish line, folks. Wish me luck!

When Mom Comes to Town

My Mother.

She is an intricate creature. She literally comes in a room and sweeps it with giggling joy, spontaneous curiosity and a slam-dunk of wisdom. She does all of that. Within like 5 seconds of walking into a room. She's no ordinary mom, I'll tell you that. She has played surrogate to dozens of my friends over the years. She listens to their problems, she really looks in their eyes, and then asks simple questions that draw out the choice that is best. It's awesome brilliance. That woman. I've never met anyone like my mother. She is generous, too. Really really generous with everything she has to give. Her time, her empathy, her dollars. She will give anything away to help you be best your best YOU. She is genuinely concerned for others, whether it's a dear old friend, one of her daughters friends, a niece or a lady she just met at the nail salon. Her compassion for others is intoxicating, more than inspiring; it makes you realize you are in the presence of someone truly consumed by honest love. It's a dizzying, gracious experience. I grew up with it and I'm still left open-mouthed. All the time. She is impressive and yet doesn't take herself too seriously. She just laughs and moves on to the next.

// Yum yum yum yum //

So my mom came in town for my birthday. I can say with absolute certainty that she was my gift this year. She is so much fun, brings so much life, and I just really needed her this time around. You know when you just need your mom? Well, she was the most perfect remedy to a 6-week whirlwind experience of moving to a new city and doing things that are entirely uncomfortable. Finally, mom got here, and I could breathe in a sigh of relief. Did I mention that she is a LOT trendier than me? She showed up to my apartment in leather leggings. I died. And my oh my, she came ready to party. We shopped til we dropped. We exercised in the park, munched on every kind of famed New York goodness and toasted til we were silly. We covered some serious turf, traipsing all over Manhattan and seeing so many sights. Ah. I miss her already. I wept as her cab drove away. There is no one, seriously NO ONE, like my mom. Come back.