Following Rabbits Blog

WATCH IT: videos I peeped this week that you should too

Can this baby really be dancing like this?! Take a look and see for yourself. 

For Self's new video for "Could You Love Me Now?", frontman Matt Mahaffey learned to lip-synch the song backwards! In this music video, everything is moving backwards, while it appears he's moving forward. Awesome.

Robots perform an 8-minute dance routine in Shanghai... technology kinda frightens me...

Camp Cirrus via Decor8

FOLLOW IT: blogs I discovered this week
Decor8 is another great resource I've found for fun apartment finds. I love tiny explosions of color in an all-white room, whimsical wall art, and soft furniture. Check out their blog for fresh ideas and inspiration.

I Have to Say... is a great blog with tons of fabric, sewing, and creativity. I love her patterns and fabrics, and her photos have given me some crafty inspiration for the long weekend!

photo via flickr

DO IT: things to add to your calendar this holiday weekend
Coney Island fireworks both tonight AND tomorrow night at 9:30p! Take a stroll on the boardwalk, check out the new Luna Park, and kick off your 4th of July weekend right. (If you can't get there this weekend, there are fireworks on the beach every Friday through Labor Day!)

FREE She & Him concert on Governors Island at noon on the 4th. Get over there early to get yourself a spot! (First ferry is at 10a). After the show rent a bike and take a ride around the island.

Macy's 4th of July fireworks are on the Hudson River this year. Many streets on the west side will be closed, but it's definitely gonna be crowded out there! I'd suggest taking the Path or the ferry over to Hoboken and watching from over there where you'll have a gorgeous view of the fireworks AND the Manhattan skyline!

Lots of folks have Monday off, too! Go see The French Connection at Bryant Park... lawn opens at 5p, the film starts at dusk.

I'm an 80s baby, and have a soft spot for anything representative of the decade. I remember sitting in front of my tape deck countless times with my finger on Record, waiting for a favorite song to come on the radio. Similarly, I made and received dozens of mixtapes over the years... love songs, dance tunes, messages to crushes and best friends scribbled on the paper insert with hearts and smiley faces. Mixtapes have made a fun resurgence as accessories of all kinds... here are a few of my favorites:

I would be pretty amped to get a mixtape these days! This USB drive comes in a mixtape case, complete with space for your track list. Maybe some Sia, Bjork and Arcade Fire? Just an idea...

This iPhone case is pretty rad... it even opens up like a real cassette tape case and doubles as an easel stand for your iPhone when you're watching videos!

I kinda need this watch... for one, it says New York on it, and two, it's AiW blue and white! Rock...

This cassette tape USB port will make your workspace a little more organized and a lot less stuffy.

When I was four years old I wanted to be a singer for Jem and the Holograms. A girl can dream, right? Have your own rockstar dreams with these mixtape and microphone pillowcases.

I still have a shoebox full of mixtapes. My favorites include a voice recording of my best friend talking me through getting my braces taken off and a compilation of mushy rock ballads from a boy who had asked me to the middle school dance. It's fun to go back through old stuff and listen to the music you rocked out to as a kid. What were some of your favorite songs back in the day?

I work a regular 9-5 office job, but I also do a lot of work on my own time between blogging, writing my novel, and cooking up all kinds of creative projects. When summer weather kicks in, the last thing I want to do is sit in front of my computer in my sweltering apartment. I also find I'm much more productive when I grab my laptop and head somewhere cool where I'm away from the distractions of home (the kitties, the TV, bed...) Starbucks is usually pretty packed (and I'd rather not buy a $5 coffee every hour to appease the barista) so here are a few places to check out around the city that offer free wifi and a fresh scene.

Greenwich Village
Bowery Poetry Club - 308 Bowery (at 1st St)
Have a beer, socialize, see a show... oh wait, we were working, right?

West Village
Brewbar Coffee - 327 W. 11th St (between Greenwich St. and Washington St.)
Have a vegan cookie: Peanut Butter Persuasion or Phenomenal Pumpkin Spice

Union Square
Union Square Park - at 14th St and Park Ave
Snag a bench or a place on the stairs and a snack from the farmer's market

Murray Hill
SubtleTea - 121 Madison Ave (between 30th and 31st Sts)
Their vanilla cream tea is yum!

Midtown
Bryant Park - 42nd St between 5th and 6th Aves
I looove Bryant Park! Get a tea or ice cream sandwich at wichcraft and pull up a chair or a spot on the lawn

UES
Choux Factory - 1685 1st Ave (between 87th and 88th Sts)
Cream puffs! (Enough said.)

After work I walked over to Herald Square to check out Sidewalk Catwalk. The parade of mannequins, stretching from Macy's Herald Square up to Times Square each sport a look by a NYC designer. The designers were also encouraged to use materials sourced in the Fashion District. The 32 designs will be on display through Labor Day; while most are made of durable materials, some more traditional dresses may be worse for wear from the weather come August. On that note, get out and see these lovelies for yourself this weekend while they're in pristine shape!

Donna Karan

Maria Cornejo, Betsy Johnson

 Michael Kors 

Elie Tahari (my favorite of the bunch!)

Tommy Hilfiger

 Jason Wu 

Naeem Khan

Kenneth Cole

The mennequins are in the center median on the street, between the bike lane and the car lane. I encountered several irate cabbies and bikers, so just watch your step while you're checking it out!

It's officially summer-- and the temps have been reaching 90 degrees in NYC as a testament. I grew up on Cape Cod, and if there's one thing I miss about summers on the Cape it's homemade ice cream. There are lots of homemade ice cream joints on the Cape, where the ice cream is extra rich, frappes are on the menu, and you can get New England flavors like lobster and maple. Sure, ice cream is everywhere in NYC too, but mostly by way of Mr. Frosty trucks or chain stores like Baskin Robbins and Cold Stone. I had accepted that my summer ice cream kicks would have to be got on weekend visits to the Cape... until now: enter Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory!

Situated on the Fulton Ferry Pier in the shadow of the Brooklyn Bridge, BICF is so worth the trip (and any line you may encounter). While their menu is pretty modest (nothing quite tops lobster ice cream in terms of exotic flavors) the traditional flavors they make are delicious! Made with fresh, all natural ingredients, BICF makes their ice cream in small batches at their two Brooklyn locations. I'm very partial to their coffee ice cream, and I'd highly recommend trying their homemade walnut maple syrup or hot fudge! It's gonna be another hot and muggy weekend-- hit up BICF at sunset and walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. Bring your camera!