Food & The City: The Frying Pan

The Frying Pan is one of my favorite places to dine in New York City when the nice weather finally roles around. In your attempt to get to this restaurant do not be alarmed if Google maps directs you to the middle of the Hudson River - they are only a few feet off.  The Frying Pan eatery is located aboard the Lightship "Frying Pan" and is permanently docked at a pier.  The seasonal bar and grill is one of my favorite places in the city to watch the sunset and it just makes it extra special that you are sitting aboard a vessel that is listed on both the New York State and Federal Registers of Historic Places.

The boat is only one of 13 U.S. Coast Guard lightships that remain.   These ships were used as floating lighthouses to mark the entrances to harbors or guard other ships from running aground and away from submerged rocks.  This ship was home to 15 sailors for the better part of three decades before being abandoned in 1965.  A big thank you to the current owners for saving it, instead of turning it to scrap metal!

This is a low-key place but the drinks are tasty and reasonable, the food is good, and the scenery cannot be beat.  The large open seating area is great for big groups or the dainty tables on the upper level are perfect for a date.  You need to come early for prime seating on a nice day, but even if you don't get one it is still worth the trip! The Frying Pan is now docked at Pier 66 Maritime which is located on Pier 66a in the Hudson River Park at West 26th Street and 12th Ave. in Manhattan, NY.

The view over the Hudson River and towards the New Jersey skyline is absolutely beautiful but great food and drinks with my best friend made the whole evening even better.  I HIGHLY recommend their summer sangria, the fresh mango is to die for! 

Here are a few more photos of the gorgeous boat: 

Have you ever been to a restaurant on the water? 

Tuesday Trend: Sun Hats

When the weather starts to warm up, we generally start hearing more and more about sun protection.  I wrote about it in a post last month when I listed my beach essentials, but sun protection is important year round.  With Memorial Day is right around the corner the sun protection items are making their way to the front displays of drugstores and statement sunglasses can be seen everywhere.

There are many great items you can use to protect your skin from the sun and while Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 55 is my favorite product, sun hats are my number one choice for stylish sun protection!

This classically effective method of sun protection is going to be everywhere this summer.  Take a cue from the Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell in their December/January spread in Interview Russia. A hat can not only add a little pizazz to your look, but is a a great way to protect your face and scalp from damaging UVA and UVB rays.  And sun hats are much more effective than turbans which are trending after Glee's Naya Rivera wore one on a beach getaway.

 Today I have a few great sun hats picks for you for inspiration: 

Helene Berman Banded Hat/ Volcom Stone Hat / Gwio Stripe Floppy Hat

Marc Jacobs Plastique Raffia Hat / Calvin Klein Ombre Sunhat /  Yellow Wide Brim Straw Floppy Hat

(Over the weekend I taught myself how to do mapping on a static image 

- click on different hats and you will be directed to those pages! )

This is how I wear my sunhat - seen here in Mykonos, Greece with a locally made sun hat and a Tiffany & Co. necklace. When I am out and about this summer in the park or in the beach. 

Do you wear sun hats?

Sophia Grace and Rosie steal the BMA's

Is it just me or was there a great deal more skin than usual at the Billboard Music Awards last night?

Between the sheer fabric or mere lack of it there was more than I would have like to seen from some celebrities   I understand the event was held in Las Vegas and it was 87 degrees yesterday, but STILL!  Not unlike the Met Gala there were far more looks I disliked than one's I did.  However, I do agree with many critics that Taylor Swift in that royal blue mini dress (my favorite color) really was the best dressed.  Congrats to Miss Swift and her eight awards, including top artist and top Billboard 200 album for "Red." (She was nominated for eleven).  I love when she told the crowd: "You are the longest and best relationship I ever had."

However, I believe two of my all time favorites, Sophia Grace and Rosie, stole the show.  It may be that their outfits reminded me of the ones I went through packing up my childhood home last weekend (some of which you saw on Instagram), but they are just too cute! Here is an adorable shot of Sophia Grace Brownlee and Rosie McClelland last night from The Billboard Music Awards Blue Carpet. These two little girls are cousins rose and to fame after posting a viral video of themselves on YouTube singing "Super Bass" by Nicki Minaj in late 2011.  Although Rosie doesn't actually sing along with her cousin, she "gives her confidence" and is known as Sophia's hype girl.  Take a look at their original rendition of the song.  Nicki Minaj - Super Bass By Sophia Grace Brownlee

When this video went viral Ellen Degreneres invited them on the show.  Take of look at what happened - Nicki Minaj Sings 'Super Bass' with Sophia Grace (Full Version)

These two videos alone have over 100,000,000 views.  That means you should watch them :)

Since this initial has been featured on The Ellen Show many times and have served as representatives of her show and corespondents at many major award shows over the last few months. Her are adorable pictures of two of my favorite girls at events and with celebrities:

Are you familiar with these little girls?  

Do you like them as much as I do? 

Past Adventures: The Ruins at Chichen-itza

Welcome to the last day of my Past Adventures Week.  

Today I bring you photos from the Mayan ruins I visited in Latin America: 

Chichen-itza, Yucatan is an absolutely marvel.   I was lucky enough to visit the archaeological site a few years ago with my family in the Mexican state of Yucatán. This large pre-Columbian city built by the Maya civilization is now over grown with vegetation but it makes for very lush photos.  I found it interesting that the variety of architectural styles at the site are though to attributed to the diverse population in the Mayan world and especially in this city.  I apologize that the photos are not superb quality but at the time I was not shooting with a DSLR. Welcome the Ruins at Chichen-itza:

 

One of the most amazing parts about visiting the ruins at Chichen-itza was the opportunity to make and have lunch with a local family. Visiting a traditional Yuctan village proved a very unique cultural experience and to this day I have never had tortillas quite like these! 

Chichen-itza was beautiful and I highly suggest visiting them! 

Have you been to the Mayan Ruins? 

Past Adventures: Cambridge

As always, my readers are amazing.  Over the past few days I have loved your comments and emails about my travels to Florence, Hearst Castle, and Dubrovnik.  I was hesitant to do another full week about my Past Adventures, one of the four series I have on my blog, and expand on the items I have crossed off my travel Bucket List.  Today I bring you my travels to Cambridge, England:

When I had the chance to visit my friend who was "reading psychology" at Cambridge I jumped at the chance. My best friend, who celebrated New Years Eve with me in NYC, was an amazing tour guide during my few days in the adorable British town and made my experience at Cambridge University a really treat.  However, I visited while classes were in session so while E was attended lectures I had a fantastic time exploring one of the most prestigious institutions of higher learning in the United Kingdom and the world (to quote Wikipedia).

The majority of these photos were taken at or around John's College.  I learned, while visiting, that what they call a "college" in the U.K. us Americans would view as a collection of dorms where you live during all three years at university.  The concept of off campus living does not apply. Take a look at my week in Cambridge:

It was a truly remarkable trip!