End of Summer Introspection: #WhySoManyHashtags

 

So I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately, mostly while I wandered the East Village this past weekend drinking in the rest of summer and snapping little visions. And I know for every one of you who loves to read my blog and see my pictures, there’s probably 2 or 3 who find it incessant and most likely unsubscribe from me or unfollow me. Now, I know I post A LOT, (Really even I am aware of this I promise), so I wanted to give you a little bit of insight into they Why of it all.

 When I first moved to New York I found it INCREDIBLY intimidating. (Also I had a blackberry). I was frightened to walk 5 blocks back to my apartment, I hated the subway, I hated the smells, I hated the rats, the bugs and all of the trash. I had a really hard time. It took me at least half a year to start to like it, and to live comfortably. New York is 100% somewhere you have to actively live, and if you don’t you kind of get washed away like a day old sandacastle. Or you become a New York City ghost. SO what does this have to do with all of my posts/pictures/blogposts/hashtags? Well first of all I started working in Social Media Analytics. So I got to have an almost insiders access to research that showed me what worked and what didn’t, what people liked and what they didn’t. Again this was pretty hard to learn, it’s not as intuitive as it may seem. So I acted like a sponge. I absorbed all of it, and I kind of fell in love with all of the research and the niche it represents, and that’s how I learned about all of the hashtags. Using the top hashtags on Instagram is the easiest way to get more followers and to share with more people.  Secondly, I figured out that instead of actively hating and despising New York and wishing I was living at home with my bedroom with a window, with trees, and grass, and good smells and long runs, that I had to figure out a way to LIKE New York.

 At first I don’t think it was an active decision, I think it was more self preservation. I had to pay attention to the moments that made me happy. And that took me months to figure out. It’s always easier to go back to your apartment after a long day and cuddle up with netflix and your bed, but I started to convince myself to go out. I went on dates. I met up with new friends. I made friends with people who had only been acquaintances before. And I started to fall in like with New York. I started to LOVE all the incredibly tasty things she had to share with me. I started to love the way the light hit some of the apartment buildings and streets after it rained. I started to love street carts with iced coffee, and 24 hour delis, and stale bars with pool tables. And so I started to capture all of these moments.

 This blog is an extension of all the pictures I capture and share on Instagram, and it’s a virtual wardrobe for me to store all of my memories. I consider it a moving, living, breathing piece of personal art. I absolutely love to write, and I’ve written blogs before, blogs filled with poetry, with study abroad experiences, with tragedy and with comedy. And this gives me a chance to share what I find. And make no mistake, that’s what this is about, I simply want to share my experience, both with you and with myself. And I know some of you may find it incredibly obnoxious, or just way too much content, but for every person who unfollows me or who unsubscribes from me, I know there are others who love to share my (mostly delicious) adventures. Because that’s all this really is, it’s a prettier form of sharing. It’s what I brought to show and tell. And it reminds me of all the happiness that New York can bring me even on the darkest of days. 

I Fell in Love with a Bar

It was unconventional and definitely not who my dad wanted to date but I loved it from the moment I walked in. Entirely nondescript, with 3 steps down to a slightly chilled room filled with people who have stories. It’s not the type of place you’d dream about or the place you’d want take someone to show off, but it’s wondrous in its lack of assumptions. Hidden in the fanciest and my most favorite part of Manhattan, Greenwich Village, lies Kettle of Fish. I’ve heard people say before that a bar had character, and I think I finally know what that means. It is a place that manages to be both comforting and sexy, with indulgent low lighting and more quirks than a charm bracelet.

It was filled with furniture almost like a curio closet, with adirondack chairs, aged velvet couches, christmas lights and a large man with a surfboard. But while a lot of bars play into and try to attain kitsch, this bar never veered in that direction. It was warm, and inviting, a place to go after work, a spot to rally the troops at the start of the night, and a humble friend to end the night with.

It’s a place that serves delicious prosecco in a champagne flute, and that has $4 drafts. It’s a place that lets you order multiple pizzas to the back room. I played Pac-Man and sipped prosecco, and tried to win at Galaga and lost while doing shots of fireball.

 I was exhilarated and in love and it was a heady, bubbly feeling much like the bubbles in my wine. I got to spend the evening with the best of friends somewhere I’d never been before but turned out to be perfect just the same. And I had one of those nights where life aligned like a perfect note struck on a tuning fork and for once in this big, bustling city, I felt home. 

Outfit of the Day: Beach Glam

Even though summer has sadly decided to wind it’s way down, that’s no excuse to not milk every last minute out of summer dressing. I’m never happier than when I’m laying dormant in the sunshine by the water, but going to the beach is no reason to not dress up. I’m usually on a boat in the sound most weekends in the summer (seriously no better escape), but when I’m gifted with a beach day I take it and run with it.

This outfit was inspired by what my mom wore growing up, though I glammed it up a bit. She was (and still is!) a foxy lady with her own style, whenever we were going to play down by the lake she’d throw on a tropical pareo over one of her original J.Crew one pieces (that as we all know made an epic come back this year). Effortless, flawless and completely at ease, it was exactly the vibe I was going for.

I just snagged this amazing oversize nautical stripe inspired wrap from Zara that I artfully tied to be my pareo, and threw on my favorite swimsuit of this summer, a Triangl bikini (which if you haven’t heard of, they’re amazing and I highly recommend grabbing one!). Next I grabbed my favorite straw hat from banana republic, added some wedges and my blue chrome ray bans and I was good to go. It took me all of 5 minutes to pull together, was decadently comfortable and chic (perfect for the Yacht Club drinks we went right to after) and made me feel as glamorous as JBKO on a yacht with Aristotle Onassis. What better way to spend a day then frolicking at the beach with friends?

With Love,

Amanda Faymous

 

Tasting Menu at The General: Ladies Night Date Night

There’s nothing quite so much fun as date night with a bestie. One of my fave NYC ladies and I have a long standing “date night with my boo”, once a month where we get together, let our hair down, and treat ourselves. We try to make each and every date totally unique and individual, and we don’t just limit it to eating and drinking. She’s who I went to Diner en Blanc with (and will be again this year!) and who I went to Queen of the Night with. It’s a fabulous time and an experience we’ve both decided we deserve to indulge for all of our hard work and late nights. So recently we decided to treat ourselves to the tasting menu at The General.

 The General is an EMM owned restaurant, helmed by Top Chef Season 3 winner Chef Hung Huynh. It’s home to elaborate and creative asian inspired cocktails and food, with specialty sushi and a secret downstairs jazz room. If you’re looking for an upscale and intoxicating NYC vibe in the Lower East Side this is the place to go.

 The Drinks: We both started with the incredibly delicious G.I. which had Avion Silver Tequila, Grapefruit, Orgeat, Sriracha and Sage. Incredibly refreshing and the sriracha added a kick but not too much that it was undrinkable. One of the best spicy themed drinks I’ve had to date, like a medley of sass in your mouth.

The Food: SO much food. The first course featured wasabi salt edamame, and the Mercy Roll. The Mercy Roll was one of the most inventive sushi rolls I’ve ever had, served with spicy tuna, jalapeno salt, and salsa verde instead of soy sauce. The salsa verde dressed the sushi perfectly in my opinion. Next up were Chinese chicken tacos, topped with avocado, bell pepper and sweet chili. The fried shells they were in simply melted in your mouth.  The second course, was heavier and even more indulgent. Crispy shrimp with spicy mayo, and house specialty Spicy Schezuan chicken. Already I can feel how full I’m getting just remembering this. The third and final course featured a HUGE serving of fried rice with pancetta and a glorious fried egg on top, and robata skewers with blistered shishito peppers, kobucha squash, shiitake mushrooms and sweet potatoes. Talk about YUM.

How Faymous Was It: $$$$, it’s pretty pricey but it’s totally worth it. You get a lot of food, and it’s all beyond delicious. It also goes well outside the realm of typical asian fusion food which is really fun to taste.

 It’s totally worth going if you’re looking for a swanky and delicious way to share a meal. Go with an empty stomach and be sure to try the sriracha coctails!

The G.I.-Sriracha Cocktails

Robata Skewers

Crispy Shrimp and Chinese Chicken Tacos

Wasabi Salt Edamame

Dat Fried Rice, with pancetta and egg

Szechuan Chicken Special

DrankssssMercy Roll

Faymous Friends: Kerry Corcoran Clothing

So one of my amazingly lovely Boston based friends recently started a clothing line known as Kerry Corcoran Clothing! It’s grown phenomenally in the past year or so, with countless happy customers and great vibes. Kerry Corcoran Clothing currently features the most heavenly comfortable tanks, tee’s and sweatshirts you could imagine. Her brand is curated to embody effortless, meaningful positive messages that you can wear every day!

From sharing good vibes on a tee at Soul Cycle, to throwing on an adorable sweatshirt to run out for that Juice Press fix, to dressing up the most perfect tank ever with a high waisted skirt and pony hair wedges for dinner at Gradisca, there’s literally something for everyone. And the comfort is second to none, it l feels like I’m wearing 900 thread count egyptian cotton. So casual. We’ll be collaborating to feature some of her AWESOME products in my upcoming #OOTD’s (Outfit of the Days) for you all to see in the next few weeks. And the BEST news is that at the end we’re going to do a fabulous giveaway! 

Head over to KerryCorcoranClothing.com to check out all of the amazingness and stay tuned for the upcoming outfits!

With Love,

 Amanda Faymous & Kerry Corcoran  

North River Lobster Company

So I think you’ve heard me mention this place a couple of times, ALL of which have been horribly rained out or thunderstormed out (The Farmer’s Almanac has been tragically correct). It stands to reason that the day we finally made it out to this boat, there was a chance of rain. However that threat soon passed and we had an absolutely incredible night. North River Lobster Co. is a brand new floating AND moving restaurant, on a lobster boat, on the Hudson. Get there this summer and FAST before the secret’s out (it’s kinda hidden gem!). It’s anchored on the west side of Manhattan,at Pier 81 on 41st, so relatively accessible for being on the water.

The boat leaves between 5 to 7 times a day depending on if it’s during the  week or on the weekends, and the trips are quick, around 30 minutes up the Hudson towards the GW Bridge and then back. It doesn’t matter how short it is, there is an absolute unparalleled thrill to be on a boat that’s a restaurant and that is showing you all of the glory of NYC. I recommend shooting for the 8pm cruise so you can watch the last of the sunset, and then hanging around till the 9:30pm cruise so you can see the city lights in all their majesty. They do have hard times that they leave however, and if you’re not on you will have to wait till it’s back.

There are 3 main levels to the boat, the bottom part is entirely indoors, with all windows of course and full bar, the second floor features a raw bar and a smaller outdoor seating area, as well as a full bar. The third floor is the floor everyone clearly wants to be on, it’s almost entirely open with a small covered area where the full bar is. There a picnic tables and smaller tables all with the most phenomenal view of the river (and sunset!) ever.

The Drinks Buckets of beer and Mason Jar Cocktails. Pretty much sums up the most epic experience you can have, I started with the collectible mason jar drink called Batten Down the Hat Hatches with Spiced Rum, Malibu, OJ, Pineapple Juice, Grenadine and a Dark Rum floater. It tasted like the grown up version of a pina colada (for only $2 more my mason jar had a lobster on it!). Then we had 2 buckets of beer, one Sam Summer and one Corona (with cute little baby cut up limes!) and they lasted through 2 journeys!

The Food Lobstaaaaaa. All lobster all the time. Plus a raw bar. We got lobster rolls, and shrimp, and french fries. I also had a lobster cobb salad with bacon (YES BACON) and avocado which was delicious. If you’re feeling particularly inclined you can also order an entire lobster dinner. Which on boat that is a moving restaurant in the Hudson is simply BALLER.

How Faymous Was It $$$, it’s not crazy expensive but it’s not super cheap either, however being able to eat lobster, drink out of mason jars and float down the Hudson at sunset is kinda priceless so DO IT.

Lobsta’ Cobb Salad

Views For Days

Lemme see your Lobster Rollll

Raw Bar (On a boat inside a boat!)

 

Faymous Faycation- Woodloch: Dirty Dancing Camp

I’ve had a lot of you ask me, where exactly WAS I for the past week on vacation. I shared a lot of epic pictures on my instagram, all of which epitomized some of the most fun I’ve ever had. I’m going to try to sum up what Woodloch is in a blog post, but I promise you it’s next to impossible to capture it all so I encourage all of you to head there if you can. In a nutshell, it’s basically a combination of Dirty Dancing and Summer Camp for adults (and kids!). With a spa, a billion activities, and more happiness than normal.

Woodloch is a hidden gem of a resort, nestled in the poconos mountains, with 155 pristine acres of idyllic lake and greens, with more to do in that space than most of NYC. (Yea I said it!). Activities are the name of the game, but they’re really more like cutthroat in-it-to-win-it death matches against some of the most amazing people I’ve ever met. It’s a quintessential family resort with most of the families coming for the same week upwards of 20 years. I was lucky and blessed enough to be warmly welcomed with open arms by some of the kindest and most generous people I’ve ever met. But I know you all want to hear about the activities. And the food!

Activities: Each day there are multiple events that allow you to form teams and try your hardest to win a gold medal. Before I go any further I should say gold medals are the most coveted, hard to attain, and exhilarating things to receive. The activities range from extremely active (Scavenger Hunt, The Amazing Race etc.), to a fight of wits (Name That Tune, Movie Trivia etc.). There are also themed games such as the Game of Thrones Field Day (where you actually have to throw your whole team over an ice wall), The Olympics, Pool Games and Lake Games.

Each of these give you the equal chance to win it, but there are no greater rivalries that exist than in The Scavenger Hunt and The Amazing Race. Teams stock up based on clues for months leading up to the scavenger hunt, bringing easy bake ovens and bowling balls all for 50 points. It’s absurd and hilarious and absolutely the most fun you’ve ever had. We came in second in the Scavenger Hunt (a sad occurrence that has happened to our team for the past few years apparently).

Redemption came in the form of The Amazing Race, we ran all over the property, in the pouring rain, miserable, yet exhilarated. With 5 minutes to go I decided to run back down to the lake for one more picture, worth 10 points, to make it back with 10 seconds before the cut off time. We managed to win by a margin of 7 points. An unbelievable victory that made ever second of misery worth it. In addition to all of these events ( of which there are at least 8 a day), the staff at the resort make all of these activities the most fun they can be, cheering and egging on each team and making us all feel like we’re family.

There are also nightly activities such as an entire craft fair, a theme show (WOODLOCH Goes Back to the 80’s!), Horse Racing, and the very best, a staff show (featuring the dirty dancing lift!). In addition, there are also unscheduled activities: sailing, paddle boats, paddle boarding, watersliding, volleyball, mini golf, golf, canoeing, kayaking, waterskiing, boat tours, bumper boats, bumper cars, go karting, a batting cage, a climbing wall, ziplining, biking, segway tours, an indoor and outdoor pool, two huge game room arcades, and an entire separate top ranked spa that gives the most amazing massages you’ve ever had. To top that all off there are multiple bars with the best miami vice’s, where everyone parties till the wee hours of the morning.

The Food: Bring your poncho dresses and stretchy pants people cause you are going to EAT. Woodloch is an all inclusive resort at heart which means 3 HUGE meals a day. There’s a joke that you need to survive the amount of food more than the activities. The food is delicious, with raw bars filled with oysters and alaskan crab legs, homemade brownie a la mode and ice cream sandwiches, delicious mojito marinated swordfish, ahi tuna etc. You name it, they had it. And you can order multiple entrees. Plus each meal comes with a homemade soup, appetizer, entree, and a dessert. They also have an entire bakery on premises that makes homemade apple streudel, pineapple cream cheese bear claws, pumpkin bread, blueberry pound cake etc. Each of which is better than the last. Good luck not waddling to your car when you leave, cause you will want to eat ALL of it.

In the end, besides all of the amazing activities, and the to-die-for food, Woodloch is really about family. And I don’t mean immediate, nuclear family. I mean the family that exists there in that week of time. All of these amazing and hilarious people have been coming there for years.Most of them over 2 decades of fun. They’ve grown up there, they’ve taken their first steps there, had their first kiss there, and shared more memories than most people make in their entire lives. It’s one of those truly magical places where time stands still, and kindness and happiness abounds, and you remember what it feels like to be unfettered and free and what it means to just simply have a good time.

How Faymous Was It: $$$$$ (Priceless people, priceless)

PS: They’re doing an ACTUAL Dirty Dancing weekend November 14th-16th if anyone wants to join me…

Game Room

Alaskan Crab Legs

Miami Vice (Half Pina Colada/ Half Strawberry Daquiri)

Activities!

Mojito Marinated Swordfish

Back to the 80’s Theme Night

Spa Serenity

Tropical Drinks and Firepits

All You Can Eat Oysters

 

Pool Games

Go Karts

Bumper Boats

Spa Serenity

First Gold Medal!

Sunset on Lake Teedyuskung