Limelight... a month ago

Whoops. Usually I'm better about posting about new NYC discoveries, but this one is way overdue. After reading this New York Mag article, I was intrigued to go check out the new Limelight Marketplace that opened a few months ago. I can't decide if I was more excited to check out the fun shops and restaurants or walk around imagining what this place may have been like when it was a crazy 80s club, but it was fun to do a combination of both.

From the outside, the Limelight still looks like an old church. In fact, from the inside certain parts still resemble a church - I love that they kept the stained glass and arching ceiling structures.

While we didn't buy anything, it definitely was a fun place to wander around and explore for an afternoon - and close to home on 20th and 6th! In addition to the shops, there's a cute little market, Cupcake Stop (our favorite), a gelato shop and more. AND there will be a Grimaldi's/maybe already is - it was supposed to open in May when the whole mall opened but apparently has been delayed to who knows when. It wasn't open when we visited, but I'm excited to go back and check it out. Since I still have yet to eat at the Grimaldi's in Brooklyn (boo for epic lines and not enough time), I'm pretty excited to try the place - despite what everyone says about the best part being walking over the bridge to get there. I've already done the walking over the bridge part, now I just want to try the pizza :)

Checklist, Revised.

Apparently I either have time to update several times per day or not at all for weeks... I really am working on being more consistent, I swear (have I mentioned the whole working three jobs thing?).

So I've decided to expand my checklist. I got a good start to it last weekend, but this past week was a crazy busy blur so I need to get going on it again. I got a letter from my grandfather last week that inspired me to add to the list so I can make sure I see all of the great things this city has to offer. He put it best when he said that many New Yorkers take things for granted here and don't do all of the great things that tourists come here to do. There are so many beautiful parks, amazing museums, and unique experiences to be had in this awesome city and I don't want to ever take it for granted! So here goes, the Revised Master Life Checklist:

1. High Line (check!)
2. Thoroughly explore Central Park (considering saving this for when it's a little cooler out/when the leaves start to change)

3. Get into Gramercy Park (ongoing life goal)

4. Top of the Rock/Empire State Building Observation Deck (per a friend's advice, I think I'll opt for ESB at night)

5. Brooklyn Bridge (check!)

6. Walk along the Hudson (check!)

7. Chelsea Piers (check!)

8. Frying Pan

9. Astoria Beer Garden

10. Ferry ride from Battery Park to Staten Island/Circle Line boat ride around Manhattan

11. Giants game (in order to fill the void of UGA football/Athens, I'm becoming a pro football fan. I have a lot to learn!)

12. MoMA (I've been but need to go back and spend more time there - free on Fridays from 4 - 8 p.m.)

13. Museum of Natural History

14. The Met

15. The Frick (free/donations only entry on Sundays before 1 p.m., only $5 for students otherwise - good thing I still have that student ID!)

16. The Whitney (Fridays, 6 - 9 p.m. - free/donations, also has deals for students on a regular basis)

17. Guggenheim (Saturdays, 5:45 - 7:45 p.m. - pay what you wish)

That's going to have to do for now, I'm already getting exhausted thinking about doing all of this! Any other suggestions would still be welcome though :)

#5, Check!

I'm proud to say that last night I accomplished my first item off my Summer Checklist - walk across the Brooklyn Bridge! It turned into quite an adventure which included getting slightly lost in Brooklyn, almost getting run over by crazy cyclists on the bridge and $5 martinis but I think it was a success....

heading across the bridge

Elle & I

goodbye Manhattan...

...hello Brooklyn!

sketchy hidden stairs under the bridge

Old Fulton St., thought we'd never find you!

After searching all over, we finally found Grimaldi's... and a TWO HOUR wait. That wasn't happening.

We were about to give up on Brooklyn and head home when we saw a sign for $5 martinis... Lychee & pomegranate pear martinis are better than pizza anyway.

Heading back into Manhattan. I can't decide if the bridge is more amazing during the day or at night.

The End.