Utah Saints

So where have I been for the last 2 months? Well I have no excuses other than ski-ing and trying to find a job. At the end of February we went to Park City in Utah for a week-my first experience of ski-ing (unless you count that morning in the Alps when I was 13 on a school trip and my instructor told me not to bother coming back in the afternoon as I was a 'lost cause'). Park City was nice, a good place to go as a beginner I feel. The first day was not ideal, we got our skis and made our way to the slopes but Bambi here fell over straight away and then decided she was scared of ski-ing. Husband was not the most sympathetic teacher, in fact he lasted 10mins before I told him to go away and then spent half an hour trying to get off the pre bunny slope only to go and sit in the toilets and cry. This seemed to be a recurring theme throughout the holiday! My first lesson in the afternoon gave me some confidence and I decided I could conquer the chair lift however, as we neared the huge contraption I decided then would be a good time to have a panic attack! My instructor would not let me off though even though I begged and pleaded and explained I was scared of heights-he just took me by the arm sat with me then dragged me off the other end-I'd done it! Wow I didn't need to do it again did I? Wrong-3 more times in that afternoon but in hindsight it was the best way to get me used to it. So I met husband after my lesson in the bar-'that was fun wasn't it?', 'yes honey' (how could I tell him, I was petrified, freezing and would rather be on the beach sipping a cocktail out of a coconut shell?) So the next day I decided I needed a rest-yes really ,so spent a very pleasant morning walking around Park City, having breakfast and coffee-very civilised! That day we moved to a big house to meet up with the rest of the gang-yes this was better the house was gorgeous and we had a hot tub! Drinks in the evening and other company and things were starting to look up. But then Saturday came and it was time for another lesson, again I felt like I couldn't breathe as I stepped gingerly on to the snow but my instructor alleviated my worries and I actually started to have fun-apart from the biting cold obviously I am so much more of a sun person!
Apres-ski, now that's where its at-beers in the hot tub while it snowed? Yeah I could get used to this. The next day we decided to go to another resort-The Canyons-ok looked kinda scary, I'll just check out the bunny slope-NO WAY! I spent a lovely day swimming in the outside pool and sitting in the sauna and hot tub whilst the others skied, then lunch at the Farm with the group was heavenly followed by prossecco at the bar whilst the others, yes you guessed it, skied!
Another day anther try at Park City, I felt like I was getting the hang of it, I was now taking the lift on my own and was ski-ing down the bunny with a smile on my face-yes I could get to like this. That is until I bumped into one of the group who said they'd ski with me and take me down a green, ok I thought, he's been ski-ing all his life I should trust him. 30mins later stuck on a blue run I am crying that I can't do it, I've skied into a tree, fell over countless times and the bottom seems a long way away-I hate this sport! I finally rolled to the bottom and decided enough was enough that's it I've had it, husband can come with his friends every year and I'll go to a lovely hot location with my sister-perfect! But no the others wouldn't give up they insisted on coming back on the slopes with me in the afternoon and I have to say I enjoyed it, maybe I could get used to it, watch this space...

L'Opera

On Saturday night I went to the opera at the Met-I have to say the Lincoln centre is an impressive building. This was my first experience of the opera and I held no expectations, my mother loves it, my father hates it, I was just going to see what I thought. It was fun getting all dressed up and drinking champagne in the interval but was the experience of 'going' to the opera better than the opera itself? I went to see the barber of Seville-a comedy, it was funny I thoroughly enjoyed it for the first hour and a half but then I started to think-do they have to sing about that again? Ok we get the idea that you love her now-2 and a half hours later I have to admit I might have dozed off for a second. Don't get me wrong I was really impressed by the staging and the singing but it was very long and when we hit midnight I found it hard to keep my eyes open! The subtitles on the little screen in front of your seat I found distracting, I would often be looking a that than the action on stage. I think I need a tragedy, something that will sweep me up in the emotion and have me so enthralled I don't look at the subtitles. As we left the Met it started to snow-I have to say it was incredibly romantic and getting a taxi back home through the city was lovely, a truly enjoyable experience but a tragedy for me next time I think!

Go Giants!

So as an English woman I've never really been into American football-why would I be? Its not like its rugby! That it is definitely not-I don't mean to be a traitor now that I'm living here and all but is it not really boring? It is so stop/start I just don't get it-at least rugby is exciting, and I'll tell you what really irks me the countdown clock-so it says there is 10mins left of the quarter-yeah right that could last an hour-what's the point-at least in rugby and football you know how long you have left! So what happened on Sunday then when I couldn't stop watching the Superbowl? It was like I got swept up in it all and I actually cheered when the fat guy sat down into his touch down-is that what its called? Then on Tuesday I watched the parade on TV and the Rally (Rally? is this Grease?) and somehow couldn't help feeling emotional (maybe its my hormones) then the presenter says-'the World Champions'-hang on isn't it 'American' football as in its only played in America? Ok insanity over-I don't get it!

The meatpacking experience

So I thought I had been to the best restaurant in the meatpacking district when I went to Buddakan which is an amazing place. The place had a very 'cool' vibe, large space with plenty of seating yet somehow felt intimate. The food and wine was gorgeous. Asian food is one of my favourites so I was blown away, I recommend the salt rock prawns and the steak. The wine was also excellent although the entire night was rather on the pricey side, or so I thought until I went to Villa Pacri. Villa Pacri is an Italian restaurant in the same neighbourhood. I love Italian food and have certainly tried my fair share of Italian restaurants and food as my sister used to work for an Italian food company. I have to say it was incredibly expensive but worth every penny. The Burrata was to die for-like no mozzarella I had ever tasted before so creamy it just melted in your mouth and the tuna tartare was amazing alongside the thinly sliced prosciutto. For main I definitely recommend their house speciality of the ravioli with truffle-so gorgeous and my husband's Veal Milanese was also delicious. The setting was romantic and yet at the same time 'trendy'. At the beginning of the evening all that was on my mind was god this place is pricey and the people are way too cool for school but after I started eating and drinking (the wine was also very good I recommend the Macon Village) I forgot all that and got transported to heaven with every mouthful!

Cocktail tasting

So what to do with 2 guys from London who are only here for 2 days? Why go in search for the best tasting cocktails in the city of course!
Our evening started off at Little BranchNew York Mag review, the place was awesome but I recommend getting there as soon as it opens at 7pm as it got busy quickly and there was a queue outside when we left. The boys enjoyed a few 'Old Fashioned's' whilst I partook in a some seriously delicious Lime Daiquiris. The place is one of New York's famous 'Speak Easy's' named so after the prohibition era and really was very lovely and atmospheric. After this we decided to go to the Lower East Side and went to Schiller's Liquor bar and enjoyed some rather tasty white russians. The place was so cool and busy we decided to stay there for the majority of the evening. Our last visit was Nancy Whiskey Pub a lively little Irish pub with a shuffle board that gave us much entertainment. All in all a very successful evening that just made me fall more in love with this wonderful city!

So I have been in the city officially since the beginning of January and have already started adding to my lists of favourite restaurants and places to shop. The weather has been slightly shocking, my husband said it got cold but I have never experienced cold like this, especially when the wind blows-brrrr.
Its hard trying to get to know a city when you are on your own. James (my husband) is of course working and so really busy. To be honest most of my days are spent cleaning the apartment or doing washing (or watching TV series on hulu but I shouldn't admit to that). I'm hoping this blog will be my impetus to get out and about and the more suggestions people give me the better. I also hope it will become useful for fellow 'foreigners' staying in the city. The English-American dictionary should definitely come in handy as they are all words I have had problems with when buying things, especially ingredients as I like to cook (more posts on recipes to come later). Buddakan last week was an amazing experience, delicious food and wine although I still haven't got used to this eating late malarkey. We have 2 uni friends visiting from London for the weekend so I will let you know what fun and frolics we get up to!