7 Must-See Exhibitions in New York City

There are always so many great things happening in New York City that it can be a challenge to filter through them all to find the gems. One thing I like to keep an eye out for are unique exhibitions happening around the city and surrounding areas. Here are the seven exhibitions I’m looking forward to – most of them end in the next couple of months, so be sure to check them out soon!

1. China: Through the Looking Glass

This incredible exhibit is set to break the popular Alexander McQueen exhibit that took place at The Met in 2011. Because of its popularity, the exhibit has been extended through Labor Day weekend. This exhibition houses some of the most beautiful haute couture and avant-garde ready-to-wear pieces of clothing alongside Chinese art and screens featuring Chinese movies. I visited once, but I’m very tempted to go again. Until September 7, 2015.

2. Saturday Night Live: The Exhibition

Get a behind-the-scenes look at the pop cultural phenomenon that transformed television. Check out and interact with props, costumes, and sets that you’ve seen on your T.V. every Saturday night for the past 40 years. Maybe you’ll see a prop from one of your favorite sketches!

3. Sinatra: An American Icon

This incredible exhibit gives you an up-close-and-personal look at Frank Sinatra’s life, from his time on the silver screen to when his voice captured the hearts of America. You can see his clothes, recording studio, Oscar trophy, and read all about his life and how he came to be an icon. Until September 4, 2015.

4. Revolution of the Eye: Modern Art and the Birth of American Television

This is the first exhibition to explore how avant-garde art influenced and shaped the look and content of network television from the late 1940s to the mid-1970s. Having majored in media studies, this exhibit looks intriguing. Until September 27, 2015.

5. Matthew Weiner’s Mad Men

I saw this exhibit a couple of months ago, but since it’s still running for another two months, I’d recommend all Mad Men fans go see it. You get to see the costumes and scripts, but the coolest part of the exhibit for me was stepping into Betty and Don’s kitchen and looking around Don’s office. It all comes to life – a true step back into the 1960s. Until September 6, 2015.

6. Frida Kahlo: Art, Garden, Life

I can’t wait to see this gorgeous looking exhibit of Frida Kahlo – it’s the first exhibition to examine the artist’s appreciation for the beauty of the natural world. Until November 1, 2015.

7. Alice: 150 Years of Wonderland

Love Lewis Carroll’s classic tale? For the first time in 30 years, the original manuscript of Alice in Wonderland will be on display along with original drawings and letters, photographs, and objects. Until October 11, 2015.

Which exhibits are you looking forward to seeing?

Images {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7}

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Around Town: Russ & Daughters Cafe – New York City

Russ & Daughters is an appetizing shop in New York that has been run by four generations of the Russ family since 1914. For over 100 years, this shop has sold high quality smoked fish, caviar, and specialty foods. I’ve visited the shop a couple of times, but it’s their cafe, Russ & Daughters Cafe, that I was eager to try.

While the cafe gets busy on the weekend, I made it for a weekday lunch and immediately found a seat at the bar. Set in an airy and spacious environment, Russ & Daughters Cafe is a great place to enjoy a casual meal with friends.

Bagels, smoked fish, latkes…the menu is filled with so many delicious choices. Matzo Ball soup was an obvious choice to kick off the meal. The Potato Latkes with Applesauce and Sour Cream had my name written all over it, and the The Classic Board with Gaspe Nova Smoked Salmon, Cream Cheese, Tomato, Onion, and Capers rounded out the meal. Such a satisfying lunch. High quality in every bite.

Russ & Daughters Cafe
127 Orchard Street, New York

Image by Lauren

19 Best Lip Locks in Movie History

Monday, July 6, was international kissing day. In honor of all the lip locks that have happened throughout movie history – and the list is always growing – these are 19 of my favorites.

1. Ghost

2. From Here to Eternity

3. Love Story

8 Books for Spring 2015

My reading list for spring has grown significantly in the past couple of weeks. I thought I was set, but then a few more stood out to me when browsing the bookstore. These are the food and film books I can’t wait to read this season.

1. Lesser Beasts by Mark Essig – As valuable as they may be for food, pigs are also intelligent and self-sufficient. Essig’s book explores the history of a creature we typically think of as dirty and lazy. A fascinating read!

2. Missing Reels by Farran Smith Nehme – Young love and old movies? Sold! A young woman moves to NYC and discovers that her neighbor may have starred in a forgotten silent film. As she tracks down the film, her life changes. I’m looking forward to being charmed with this read.

3. How to Bake Pi: An Edible Exploration of the Mathematics of Mathematics by Eugenia Cheng – If you’re not a math person, maybe this book will change your mind. There’s food involved, after all. Cheng offers a new way of looking at math – I’m very interested to know why “making a good custard proves that math is easy but life is hard.”

4. A Curious Mind: The Secret to a Bigger Life by Brian Grazer and Charles Fishman – Academy Award-winning producer Brian Grazer and business journalist Charles Fishman wrote this book about “curiosity conversations” that have inspired Grazer to create some of the beloved television shows and movies in history (24! Apollo 13! Arrested Development!). Grazer has had weekly “curiosity conversations” with accomplished strangers for decades, and in this book the power of inquisitiveness is explored. As a curious being, this sounds right up my alley.

5. Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe: A Novel with Recipes by Jenny Colgan – A sweet novel about a woman who opens her own cafe when she’s laid off from her desk job. Challenges and adventures await, but when there are cupcakes involved, it might not be so bad after all. Colgan has several books like this, including The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris, The Little Beach Street Bakery, and Christmas at the Cupcake Cafe.

6. Delancey: A Man, A Woman, A Restaurant, A Marriage by Molly Wizenberg – When Molly Wizenberg’s husband Brandon decides to open a pizza restaurant, their young marriage changed. This book recounts their adventures.

7. Delicious!: A Novel by Ruth Reichl – A young woman takes a job at an iconic food magazine in New York. When the magazine is shut down, she discovers letters written to the legendary chef James Beard. I’ve heard great things about this book.

8. Tinseltown: Murder, Morphine, and Madness at the Dawn of Hollywood by William J. Mann – A true Hollywood tale of ambition, scandal, and murder. Recreated with the suspense of a novel, this story sounds like a thrilling bedtime read.

What books are you reading this spring?

That’s a Wrap!

The weekend we have all been waiting for has arrived. It is finally here! I think you know what I mean, and if not, let’s get you up to date. First of all, The Fault in Our Stars is out in theaters. I heavily sobbed when I read this book (who didn’t?), so I obviously want to see the movie. However, I don’t like the idea of crying with a bunch of strangers, so I’m debating waiting until the movie has been out for a while to go see it. Or just wait until it’s on iTunes/DVD. I don’t know yet, but I don’t want my TFIOS movie-going experience to be lessened by other people weeping and making sound effects. Secondly, Orange is the New Black is on Netflix finally. Again with the decisions, I’m still not sure if I will binge watch the entire season, or slowly set a one-per-day rule. And then, of course, the Tony Awards are on Sunday. Lots of things to enjoy! This is a good weekend for movies and shows. Maybe I’ll even make some of these cookies to eat as I watch. For now, let’s wrap up the week with a recap…

* Loving my new kitchen friend (above), but walking into my kitchen and thinking there was a tarantula on my wall has happened more than once. Yikes.

* I am honored and thrilled to have been interviewed by Flavorful World Blog. You can read my interview here.

* Today is National Doughnut Day! Go enjoy some fonuts.

* How Jon Hamm soothed a pregnant Amy Poehler. Hilarious.

* A great piece about John Green in The New Yorker.

* Interesting piece about the history of the disposable coffee cup.

* Classic and glamorous photos from Cannes.

* How fabulous does Cate Blanchett look the morning after winning her Best Actress Oscar?

* Love this San Francisco tiny fortune cookie factory.

* For cozy afternoons and evenings, make a super cheesy grilled cheese sandwich.

* These waffles on a Saturday morning. Yes, please.

{Photo by Lauren}

That’s a Wrap!

Happy New Year! I wasn’t prepared for 2014 at all, so I’ll be spending the weekend catching up on my reflections from 2013 and goals for the new year. I really don’t know where the time goes. I know I’ve been completely behind on posts (I’ve been a little busy with this), but I’m hoping to resolve this in 2014. There are too many movies and recipes to fall too far behind. Cheers to a fantastic year, and let’s wrap up the first couple of days of 2014 with a recap…

* Michelangelo’s grocery shopping list.

* I made homemade tomato soup and Parmesan-crusted pesto grilled cheese [top 2 photos] and it was a meal that will be hard to beat.

* New Years Eve was low-key and complete with a sparkly hat and confetti [3rd photo].

* On a whim, I started watching Once Upon A Time and am completely absorbed.

* When does the new season of Orange is the New Black come out?! I need to know.

* Hopefully this weekend I’ll finally make it to Catching Fire before it goes out of theaters…more proof that I’m so behind.

* If the beginning of 2014 has been a little rough, just remember this.

Have a happy weekend!

{Photos by Lauren}