Following Rabbits Blog

This is Liam! He's 5 years old and has Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type II. Spinal Muscular Atrophy is a purely physical disorder- Liam is a chatty, curious, singing, storytelling little boy- like most 5 year olds are. Liam gets around in his power wheelchair that allows him to explore and play. His mum, Lynn, is the creative lady behind Satsuma Press. She's holding an online fundraiser to make their bathroom fully accessible for Liam this summer. Please visit his website to learn more about Liam and how you can help out. We can all pitch in to afford Liam mobility, accessibility, and independence as he grows. Remember that you get what you give- the universe always rewards and returns generosity!

SEE IT: art I fell for this week
I love Jeremyville's NYC posters. They all warrant long stares... and when you look at them a second time you still see something you missed. The one above is my fave, and he has Central Park and SoHo prints as well. He also designs bags, toys, skate decks... his Converse sneakers are hot! I'd so rock a pair.

HEAR IT: songs I downloaded this week
1. Elbow - The Stops 2. A Drop in the Ocean by Ron Pope 3. 10 Mile Stereo by Beach House 4. Rebellion (Lies) by Arcade Fire 5. Lazarus by the Devlins

FOLLOW IT: blogs I discovered this week
I get overwhelmed with the number of blogs I try to keep up with on a daily. It’s so easy to get lost clicking and clicking through blog rolls and links until you don’t know where you started 90 minutes ago. WeLoveIndie.com curates the best in indie design, art and creative blogs to bring you the best of the best. What was lost, now is found. 

I’m in love with Ange’s blog, lushlee.com. Every single post of hers has something I want to wear, hang in my room, or share with friends. I’ve been getting so much inspiration for creative projects and home décor!

 
DO IT: things to add to your to-do list this week

I took a walk in Central Park on Wednesday night and it was beautiful! The magnolias and other flowers are potent and look so pretty. The upcoming week is going to be cooler, but with lots of sunshine- go out and enjoy it. 

Check out Artists and Fleas and the Brookyn Flea this weekend! They've both got tons of vintage and homemade goodness to snap up for you or your friends. Buy some new spring decor for your apartment. It's time to start thinking about Mother's Day, too!

NYC was hot hot hot today! Temperatures reached 90* in the city, and the last thing I wanted to be doing all day was sitting in a cubicle. I wasn't too keen on rushing back to my apartment either, so I went for an early dinner at Guantanamera. This Cuban restaurant on 8th Avenue (at 56th Street) has become one of my favorite places to bring out-of-towners for a "New York" dining experience. They have live latin music Tuesday-Sunday nights starting at 8:30p (think bongos and boys that make you want to shake your hips) and they make really great red and white sangria. Ocassionally you'll catch Marcos sitting in the front window rolling complimentary cigars for the restaurant's patrons. Depending who I go with and how hungry they are, I like to split the chicken empanadas to start. The pinchos (marinated skewers of beef, chicken and shrimp) are delicious too. I must admit when I find something on a menu I really love, I usually don't stray from a sure thing... I always get the arroz con pollo when I hit up Guantanamera- it's just so good! Served in a banana leaf, it's always steaming hot and fresh tasting. If I'm feeling up to the task, they also have really great desserts. (Try the chocolate cake with ice cream!)

photo courtesy of Guantanamera

If you plan to go later in the evening or with a party larger than 2, I would suggest making a reservation. The place isn't huge and I've encountered a long wait there. They also do takeout! (212-262-5354).

With spring weather upon us in New York, the city is coming back to life. I think of NYC in the winter as black and white, but the spring ushers in a rainbow of colors. Cherry blossoms at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, pastel-colored fashions walking the streets, watercolor sunsets, Lego repair work on the Public Library... wait, what? Jan Vormann, a 26-year-old artist from Germany, spent 2 weeks "repairing" cracks, murals, missing tiles and stones in NYC using Lego bricks. He calls the repairs "dispatchwork" and had a team of helpers, aged 3 to 40. Looking at his photos then walking around the city is like playing a silly game of I Spy:

Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for Jan's Lego installations, as it seems that Legos don't stand up to time (or sticky mitts!). The Lego bridge on this mural on the side of the police station in Times Square was my favorite! Alas, when I went to take my own photo of it, I found the bridge was MIA. 

You can learn more about Jan and his artwork here.

The weather in NYC has been gorgeous! And it's no surprise to me that New Yorkers are just generally happier people when it's sunny and warm. Everyone's out walking during their lunch break, people smile more, it's lovely. I had a pretty fantastic weekend, and Easter Sunday was no exception. My family lives on Cape Cod, so I had no dinner plans. The forecast called for a beautiful day, and the Sox/Yankees game wasn't until 8p... prime conditions for my first Coney Island trip of the season. I used to live in Flatbush, Brooklyn, so the subway ride was only 30 minutes. I recently moved to Astoria, so it was more like a journey- 90 minutes door to door- but it was so worth the time! Coney Island is like sensory-overload to me... in a good way. All of the food and drinks on the boardwalk, music coming from a dozen different beach blankets, the colors of the carnival rides and kites flying over the beach. It was really great to sit and have a picnic and get some sun.

The boardwalk is definitely prime people-watching territory. Where else can you "shoot the freak" and see a random guy walking around carrying a snake?! 

I had never been on the Cyclone, and I'm coming up on my 3rd summer in NYC! I figured that needed to be remedied pronto, so we got in an enormous line and paid our $8 fare. A woman warned us not to drink an orange soda I had in my hand before the ride. We laughed, but I put away the soda. Wow. Trust me when I say do not underestimate the Cyclone! With an 58.7* angle drop, it's the 7th steepest wooden rollercoaster in the world. (Yes, I screamed.) But man was it fun! Not exactly your traditional Easter, but I had a really great time.