Hamilton Heights

Uptown Gem: The Hispanic Society of America

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Courtyard with archways, Hispanic Society of America, New York, NY

Joined the NYC Urban Sketchers this weekend at the Hispanic Society of America, on Broadway at 155th Street. It's so lovely to discover places that aren't tourist-mobbed. Founded in the early 1900s, the museum/library showcases paintings, sculptures, textiles and decorative arts. Its two-storey central court proved a sienna-hued oasis on this snowy/sleety winter day. The "Vision of Spain" murals by Joaquin Sorolla alone are worth the visit -- they fill an entire octagonal room and are luminous, larger-than-life, drenched with color. If you like Sargent, these are a must-see.

At the Hispanic Society of America, New York, NY

Lower East Side

Brunch in the Deep Freeze

Sunday, January 05, 2014

Brunch at Hill & Dale, New York, NY

It was bitterly cold yesterday -- for here, I mean; not, say, for Canada -- but it didn't stop us from taking the train and taking the subway, and another subway, and another, till we found ourselves at Allen and Delancey Streets in New York's Lower East Side.

We splashed through barely melted snow puddles to Hill & Dale, a gastrolounge in a location that's seen its share of turnover. The latest incarnation seems to be an homage to the golden age of radio, as seen through a hipster lens. There are gramophones, and comfy sofas, and a showcase of vintage bric-a-brac, and a honeycomb-patterned mirrored ceiling. There's also a leg lamp, perhaps (let's hope!) left over from Christmas.

We sat in a booth and shed our layers and drank glasses of a spicy virgin bloody mary. M. had a full-on southern repast, complete with smoky grits and biscuits and gravy, while I had delicious baked eggs with spinach and roasted tomatoes and mounds of fluffy ricotta.

Both of us cleaned our plates and said, yes, we'd come back. Then we trugdged through the drifts to Sugar Cafe, on Houston Street, where we had treats and chai and I attempted to sketch the views outside from behind the large windows, stealing glances in between the buses and cars and trucks that sped by.

View above Houston St from Sugar Cafe, New York, NY

View of pedestrians on Houston St from Sugar Cafe, New York, NY

We ended our day by walking the length of the High Line, which is as beautiful in 20 degree weather as it is in the summer.


Happy new year!