Fancy Meeting You Here

When I first moved to New York City the sensation that struck me the most was that of anonymity.  I could walk the streets, ride the subway and shop in stores knowing that I knew virtually no one here.  It was actually a refreshing feeling having come from the 2nd smallest big city in the world, Seattle where I had lived and worked for 20 years.  It was near impossible for me to leave the house without running into someone I knew (case in point: "Where Everybody Knows Your Name" Feb. 6, 2009). 

I remember the first time I spotted someone that I knew here. It was in the 14th St. Union Square subway station which is one of the busiest in the city and can only be described as some sort of organized chaos (so iconic it has it's own Wiki page).  When I spotted this person I was so stunned that words escaped me and they never even knew I was there. At the same time it felt like that scene in the Wizard of Oz when everything goes from black and white to color.  My little anonymity bubble had been popped. And I was all right with that because I knew that in a city of 2.6 million people surely this wouldn't happen all of the time.  Or would it?

It actually started happening more frequently.  Once a month. A couple of times a month. Once a week. Then a couple of times a week.  What was happening here? What did this mean? This week I ran into someone I know randomly on the street four times. FOUR TIMES! It was a lovely feeling that reminded me how much this city has become home and how lucky we are to have made such wonderful friends (more on that in the next post).

I still feel a sense of anonymity but there's a blanket of warmth around it called 'community'.  Which is a good thing, because we're about to head into winter here and you need as much warmth as you can get.

The Nerdy New Yorker

I've never claimed to be too cool for school.  Wouldn't even try to fake that one.  There are some things that come naturally and some that don't.  For me, faking things and comprimising comfort are two things I don't do so well. So as I strolled around Manhattan in the mid-August humidity that borders on oppressive with a visiting Seattlite and fellow Fem-preneur, Nicole Donnelly, she asked;
"How do you deal with this heat?"
"By being a nerd", I replied.

Fair and square, I am the Nerdy New Yorker.  Every summer as the heat and humidity tries to out-do each other I get increasingly nerdier.  Where to begin explaining.  The shoes? The umbrella? The hat? the underwear?

Let's start with the stats: currently its 90 degrees with 45% humidity.
Adding to this: hot pavement, subway vents, airconditioner units going, car exhaust and lots of buildings, all radiating heat.

How do you combat this? Its a process that I'm close to perfecting, and though it will help make your body a bit cooler it won't do a damn thing for your hip and cool factor. 

• Shoes - your feet swell with excessive walking which is unavoidable in NYC, but then you add some external heat and BOOM.  You have sausages. NYC streets are filthy on a regular day but they are disgusting in the summer time.  Flip flops aren't ideal, but if you have to I reccommend Fit Flops because they are ergonomic, have a lot more cushion and are raised to keep you off the ground a bit. Also, Jambu sport shoe for casual and quite a few of Born's dressier shoes
• Hat - sometimes just the littlest amont of shade can make a huge difference.  I like San Diego Hat company for their many cloth and straw varieties designed especially for sun. 
• Umbrella - now were are really getting nerdy, but wait until I tell you about this one. Everyone in my family has had skin cancer so I'm careful to always wear sunscreen (my favorite comes from my dermatologist who is also the founder of MD Skincare). I read about Sun Grubbies UV reflective umbrellas while reading a blog about a photoshoot in Death Valley and how they survived the 120 degree heat. It literally brings the tempurature down by 10 degrees when you stand under it.
• Folding Fan - Its literally 112 degrees on the subway platforms. 'nuff sed. I buy them in bulk at Pearl River Mart for $.45 because people are always commenting on how they wish they had one so I give them mine and pull out an extra.
• Clothing - all cotton, all dresses, all of the time. I own about 15 little cotton dresses that I bought at the begining of the season from Zara. Each of the cost me around $40.  They are stylish, don't have an acetate sticky lining and hid those trickles running down my back. This Spanish based line takes a very european approach to 'cheap 'n' cheerful'.  Classier and better made than H&M, but not found nationwide yet.  However on September 2 you can begin shopping them on line.
• Underwear - yes, you even have to give special consideration to this. Because it is the first contact with your skin it needs to be ultra performance.  Patagonia, Ex Officio, Athleta, all make performance, moisture wicking underwear for women. The Barely Hipster and the Boy Brief are currently making my life a lot more comfortable.
• Keeping Face - Blotting papers are the best way to remove the sheen without adding more make-up.  I buy mine at Asian department stores like Pearl River Mart, but you can also find them at Sephora along with Neutrogena.

Now before you think me a complete geek let me just say that whatever I do in my attempts to keep cool, it could be worse.  It could always be worse.

What To Do When The Snow Hits Your Bum

When you have snow up to your butt what do you do? After you've made the snow man, taken photos of yourself bundled up like an eskimo, and started looking longingly at the 12 year old scotch in the cabinet?  I head straight for the kitchen and make every cozy food I can.  In bulk.  Then I call the neighbors and tell them come over. But bring some scotch.


Today Manhattan is gorgeous winter wonderland with more snow on the way so I'm making "Darcey’s Low-Fat Granola".  Its one of my staple contributions to group gatherings at the cabin and as gifts during the holidays.  It makes a nice healthy amount.  I enjoy it with some cut up Honey Crisp apple when they are in season and cold almond milk poured over it.  That's just ridiculously healthy and low fat.  You might like to add some really creamy yogurt on yours!

Darcey's Low-Fat Granola (with a full fat flavor)
4 c oats
¾ c slivered almonds
2/3c pecans
1/2c raw pumpkin seeds
1 ¼ c angel flake coconut
1 ½ tsp cinnamon

5 Tbl canola oil
4 Tbl real maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla

2 Tbl canola oil
1 ½ Tbl real maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla

2 cups of dried fruit
(I like slivered apricots, cranberries, currents & golden raisins)

Pre heat oven to 375. in medium mixing bowl combine first 6 ingredients
In small bowl combine first measurement of oil, syrup & vanilla. Add to oat mixture and toss to combine.

Spread oat mixture on 2 nonstick baking sheets. Bake stirring frequently until browned, 10-12 minutes. Transfer sheet to wire rack to let cool

Transfer oat mixture to medium mixing bowl; add dried fruit and toss to combine. Then mix second measurement of oil, syrup & vanilla. Pour over oat and fruit mixture and toss to combine.

Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Look Both Ways. Twice!

Seattle is the home of the J-walking ticket.  Believe it or not the cops in Seattle have so little to do that they will cite you walking against the light or not in a designated crosswalk.  So its just funny as hell to me when someone comes to visit from Seattle and I see them standing at the crosswalk in downtown Manhattan waiting for the light like a bullwhipped puppy. 

You see, New Yorkers don't wait for anything.  If they see a break, a hole, or crack they'll slip right through it.  Where we are all going in such a hurry I haven't quite figured it out completely.  Personally I've always walked too fast (talked to loud, laughed too much... more on that in another post) so this feels just right to me. I suppose it has something to do with transportation.  Its all on a time schedule and so are we.  You are always running to catch a subway that you don't even know if its there.

When you do decide to dart out into the street through that break in the traffic you definitely want to look both ways, regardless of the fact that almost every single street in NYC is a one-way.  Not because some crazy cabbie may be screaming in reverse.  No, they are actually the least of your worries.  The closest I've come to getting run down in the street was not by something yellow with four wheels.  It was by a darkly dressed creature whose body resembled the narrow tubular frame he rode with two wheels. 

Cyclists; they are the most dangerous things on the road. They will come flying at top speeds of 30 mph going the wrong way on a one-way street through an intersection without so much as a flinch much less a pause.  And when they nearly mow you down they yell obscenities at YOU!

This kind of crazy, balls-out intensity has been glamourized before in movies like the Japanese film "Messengers" and "Quicksilver" the 1986 cheeseball flick staring everyone's favorite drinking game host, Kevin Bacon.  But the most realistic one is the soon to be released "Empire".  It's all NY and it's all cyclists.  Set in the classic Warren Miller fashion of jammin' music and edgy footage.

Watch this 4 minutes and 22 seconds of "Empire" and for godsakes look both ways when you cross the street. Twice!