A Brooklynite’s first trip to the Brooklyn Museum

October 9, 2015Leigh Anne Zinsmeister 3 Comments

Would you believe I’ve lived walking distance from the Brooklyn Museum for over a year and didn’t visit until last week?! It took my best friend flying across the country, randomly hearing the announcement on the subway (This is Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn Museum) and scrawling it into our itinerary for me to finally make it. On Jordan’s last day in town, we slept in, had a lazy brunch at neighborhood favorite Cent’Anni and made our way over to the museum!

To be honest, I didn’t know anything about the Brooklyn Museum before we went. (You may remember how terrible I am at museum-visiting from my backwards trek through the Whitney, and the trip to the Met that was so boring I didn’t even blog about it). I thought this was a museum about Brooklyn. It’s actually an art museum that happens to be in Brooklyn. The more you know!

This oversized shoe is actually a coffin! In parts of Ghana, coffins are designed to reflect the interests or personality of the deceased.

The African art grabbed my attention, as I am making my first trip to the continent in just over a week!

This display of textiles is one of the few (the only?) exhibits you’re allowed to touch!

I don’t usually *get* European art, but the architecture in the European Paintings room was sure stunning!

We also loved the Egyptian art – Jordan particularly has a strong interest in that region, and I studied hieroglyphs in sixth grade, basically spurring my love of languages and the written word. Unfortunately we had to cut our visit short to run to the airport, but I’ll definitely be back – especially now that I know the entrance fee is a suggested donation!

If you go: The Brooklyn Museum is off the 2/3 trains in Prospect Heights. The suggested donation for an adult is $16, but it’s pay as you wish. They also have a super fun app that you can use to ask experts about the art, and get answers in real-time!

Grand Central Terminal

October 7, 2015Leigh Anne Zinsmeister 2 Comments

Oh, Grand Central. 750,000 people pass through this iconic train station daily, while the rest of us try to avoid it like the plague. But on a recent Sunday, while I was showing my friend Jordan around by squeezing in tourist sites in between work events, I realized we were only a few (ok, 11) blocks from the architectural beauty. How could we avoid a visit, a chance to take photographs during what is likely the terminal’s slowest hour? We simply couldn’t.

The architecture is just stunning.

Grand Central was built in 1913 and retains a vintage feel.

The dining level is a personal favorite, and a fantastic place to kill two birds with one stone: Show guests Grand Central, and feed them some authentic New York City cuisine. Local favorites featured include Shake Shack and Magnolia Bakery. For a more upscale vibe, Oyster Bar is a fantastic place to grab a cocktail after a long workday.

While I am eternally grateful to avoid the midtown rush every day – I must admit, Grand Central Terminal is really something special.

Catching Up on Instagram: 10/4/15

October 4, 2015Leigh Anne Zinsmeister 1 Comment

Life has continued to be insane lately and shows no signs of slowing down until at least November. Between hosting visitors (most recently my person Jordan!) and rapidly transitioning from summer to fall (think a 30-degree temperature drop in less than a week), life in Brooklyn feels like a whirlwind and I’m just caught in the riptide. It’s been fun, though, especially with community groups kicking off this past week! Here’s a little peek…

My cousin Kelly has friends in Brooklyn, which means I get the honor of seeing her face a couple times a year! Her most recent visit overlapped with my parents’ so we all enjoyed a dinner and night at the theatre.

Screen shot 2015-10-04 at 12.14.58 PM

I had a pretty bad day a couple weeks ago, and after mentioning it to a couple girlfriends, five of them appeared at my door and magically turned my kitchen into a nacho bar (and then did my dishes!) because they are 100% the best.

My friends are much more athletic than I am (not difficult to achieve, but they’re insanely fit and talented!) I recently ventured into Manhattan early on a Sunday to cheer on Kelli and Maria in a 10K, and I got to glimpse the sunrise on my walk to the train.

Last week I went on my first major shopping spree in a long time. I usually stick to a list of basics I’m looking for in any given season, but in addition to the unplanned splurges above, I picked up a sweater (my first clothing item from Anthropologie!) when out with my friend Abby.

Finally, I spent Friday hiding from the pre-hurricane by ducking out of the crazy wind and rain and into Union Square Theatre to see 39 Steps, a comedic interpretation of the Hitchcock film. The perfect way to kick off a weekend that otherwise consisted of lying in bed for two days straight. Gotta rest up for the craziness to come!

Follow me on Instagram here.

A visit from my person

October 2, 2015Leigh Anne Zinsmeister 7 Comments

“You are my person.”

This is what my spirit animal, the fictional Dr. Cristina Yang of Grey’s Anatomy, says to Meredith early on in the show’s run – and repeatedly throughout the series until she moves to Switzerland. What’s a person? The person who would bury the body if you murdered someone. Everybody should have a person.

I met my person six years ago. Jordan and I had overlapping shifts at the local newspaper, and on our off days we sat next to each other in Intermediate Reporting (the course generally regarded as being so difficult it weeds out the students who aren’t serious about journalism). We bonded immediately and over the years have shared absolutely everything – helped each other through break ups, provided a couch when roommates were insane, stood side-by-side at graduation (we finished a semester early and were the top two students in our class, if that gives you any indication of our personalities).

Since I left Phoenix – see, I’m always Cristina – Jordan and I have caught each other on the phone every few weeks and talked for hours. During my trip to Phoenix in December, I spent three days on her couch watching Will & Grace, cuddling her dog and generally being in her boyfriend’s way (she loves me more). This week, Jordan came to NYC for a work event, and spent several days with me in Brooklyn! It was her first trip to the Big Apple and we had an absolute blast.

Fall foliage in Brooklyn

African Innovations exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum

Seasonal donuts at ABC Kitchen

The view from the 230 Fifth rooftop bar

Sunset at Brooklyn Bridge Park

There was a stroll by the water at sunset, and barbecue with some of my dearest friends. There were two days of working in the home-design industry, which I tagged along for because everything is fun if you’re with a friend. There was dinner at my favorite restaurant, ABC Kitchen, and at some spots in Brooklyn I had never tried before. There was a full day of walking around Manhattan until our feet were screaming. There was a trek to the Brooklyn Museum, my first visit there even though it’s practically in my backyard.

But most importantly, there were late-night conversations about the things in life that really matter. There was a ridiculously powerful service at my home church. There were four days of just being together in a way we haven’t been able to be together in a very long time.

Also we met Jane Seymour, but Jordan is better

It was a really wonderful weekend.

Another visit to One World Observatory

September 30, 2015Leigh Anne Zinsmeister 10 Comments

Remember that time I went to the opening of One World Observatory, and it was foggy? Well, I finally made it back, this time with my parents in tow! They came to NYC for a quick visit and were more than happy to accompany me on this little adventure – even my mom, who is usually hesitant about heights, had her nose pressed up against the glass in awe of these views.

The little museum area you pass through is fascinating, featuring videos of crews who worked on the tower, which is built on a foundation of bedrock.

You can see the bridges leading to Brooklyn…

… and the skyscrapers of Midtown (there’s my office!, said my roomie when I sent her this pic)…

… and even as far as Queens and the Bronx.

The views stretch far up the Hudson on the west side…

… and the shadows looming over the Financial District below offer perspective of just HOW high up you are.

Even New Jersey looks good.

This is my city, and I adore it, even when I can see the haze looming.

If you want to go: Tickets are available here for $32. They do, of course, try to nickel and dime you with extras, but I’m proud to say we got through without spending an extra cent (except in the gift shop, thanks Dad!) You can get tickets at the door, but I recommend booking online in advance: Plan for a clear, sunny day! Be prepared to elbow your way through the crowds to the best views. And enjoy!

See also: One World Observatory on a foggy day; My favorite place for views in NYC: Top of the Rock (you can see the World Trade Center from there!)

A Life of Genuine Delight

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Author: Leigh Anne Zinsmeister