Jessica's Shower Montage

Wierd hat-making traditions aside, who knew a bridal shower could be such a blast?

My Aunt Mimi threw a bridal shower for me at the Water Club this weekend. It was in an amazing room over looking the east river. Even on a semi-cloudy day the room was bright and beautiful!

We spent time eating and drinking cocktails and then sat down to a buffet of all my favorite brunch foods--including eggs any style, pancakes, berries, bacon, french toast belgian waffles, mini bagels, cream cheese, lox (not for me--but for some a crucial brunch ingredient!) The food was really really good and followed by chocolate covered strawberries and molten hot chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream. AMAZING!

The food was good but the company was great! I 'm a lucky lady to have such amazing friends and family.

During the meal we played one game--which was just the right amount--of Ry-Guy trivia--which I am proud to say that I nailed. I am terrible at trivia--as in I could forget my mothers name when put on the spot--so I was a little nervous. But, it turns out, I know my guy very very well.

After the meal, I did open gifts--and most attendees said I did quite well....keeping a good pace while making thoughtful (even witty I am told) comments on each gift. It was easy--the gifts were truly amazing! and I know watching someone open presents for hours could get anyone nuts.

A few highlights included a work of art from my dear friend Chelsey Bronner-- a bucket decoupaged with pics of me and ry through the years and filled with clothing designated with bride and groom insignia, a Mrs. Demler Bikini amongst other treasures. Amazing.

An adorable Mrs. Demler tee from non other than Cary Dembinsky, my future mother-in-law. Shes really that cool. This Demler thing is really taking on a life of its own.

A pop-up guest book--one of 100 made by the artist, which will be at the wedding for you all to check out and sign. Some great lingerie and of course beautiful and much needed items off our registry.

Perhaps the most special thing to come out of the shower was the scrapbook. Thanks so much for all the amazing contributions. The book is truly a wonderful keepsake.

Note from Ry:

Also, extra-special thanks to Gideon, Tom, and Jonathan for providing a really fun day as well. We planned to go watch the Yankee game together during the shower and they surprised me by inviting my friends along for a really fun afternoon of ping pong and chewing the fat while the ladies did their thang.

Alright, on to the festivities...

The hat really was strangely pretty...




Literally 10 people called me after the shower to say how great my mom looked! Way to go Edie Nads--lookin fabulous.

Brief Item of Some Import

Typically, when people visit us in NYC, questions arise about transportation from the airport upon arrival. There are several options actually (none of them actually being very good). One tip that will help you avoid confusion: the whole city is largely a grid of streets and avenues, so try to know the intersection closest to your destination. The address will suffice, but the intersection is safer to avoid mixing up streets and avenues.

1) The best bet, particularly if you can coordinate with one or more additional passengers is to arrange a car to pick you up. They will wait for you at baggage claim with a sign, so you can feel really big time. The price is just about the same as a cab and you won't have to wait in the line for cabs. The numbers are easy to remember. You can do either: (212) 666-6666 or (212) 777-7777. The price varies depending on the airport, but it's in the neighborhood of 40-50 bucks. Obviously, the more people the better.

2) You can take a cab. This is pretty easy too, but the line can be somewhat long at times. Even still, it moves fast. There's also some "freelance" cab drivers, who will probably stalk you to let them drive you in their 1987 Ford Windstar. This is probably not a greaet choice.

3) Outside the baggage claim at every airport are buses that take you directly to either Grand Central Station (east side) or Port Authority Bus Terminal (west side). This is $11 bucks one-way or $20 bucks round trip. This is a good cheap way to go if you are travelling solo. The buses outside JFK and LaGuardia are called Airport Express and the one at Newark is called Olympia Trails. I've taken them all and they are totally reliable.

4) You might see some signs for the Air Train, but don't bother. This thing is worthless. It takes you to another train station that is far away and involves connecting to more trains and subways.

5) Finally, it's probably worth checking with your hotel. They might have a free shuttle.

What is "The Hora?"

For those of you have never attended a Jewish wedding reception, we need to prep you with a little training here for the wild ride known as the Hora. The Hora happens to be Jessica's favorite part of going to a wedding, so it's important to get it just right - particularly, if you happen to be a male over 180 pounds who can lift stuff.

The Hora is the segment of the reception where the bride, groom, and their parents (yep, that means you mom and dad) get hoisted high the air in a chair and everyone circles around in a festive tornado of mayhem.

The fist step to understanding how this works is to familiarize yourself with the song. Spelling errors aside, the song is called is called Hava Negilah. I bet you didn't know the Beatles performed this on the Ed Sullivan show.



OK, that was fake, but this one actually does include Bob Dylan on harmonica.



Next, all you have to do is follow these simple instructions.

1) Place two chairs in the center of the dance floor when the music begins, and call the bride and groom up to the dance floor to sit in them.

2) Gather and dance in a circle around the couple.

3) A few strong guests lift the bride's and groom's chairs into the air in the midst of the guests.

4) Allow the taller carriers to hold the front of the chairs; shorter ones should hold the back, so that the bride and groom are tilted slightly to help prevent them from falling. This will allow the couple to have their hands free instead of holding on for balance. (It's a good idea to practice lifting the chair in advance so you are prepared.)

5) Provide a scarf and ask the newlyweds to each hold one end. Under tradition, which prevents males and females from dancing together, this allows them to connect without actually touching.

6) Watch the bride and groom dance with the scarf waving between them for a while, then suggest they take turns passing their ends on to others to hold, so special guests can dance with them as well. For instance, the bride might dance with her father, the groom with his mother.

7) Put the poor kids down and make their parents go up there.

Here's the finished product. We have two small requests: 1) don't laugh at us and 2) don't drop us.

The Swift

Last weekend, Jess and I did a little exploring to find a fun bar for everyone to meet on Friday night and we think we found a gem. The place is called Swift in the East Village. Neither of us had ever noticed in the past, but it's a cozy joint themed after Jonathan Swift. Thus, it's full of dark wood, lots of cool literary references, and a great beer selection. There's also great big wooden picnic style tables in the back, loungy cushions around small tables in the front and plenty of room at the bar. This picture to the right is one of the murals on the wall.

On another note, here's another recent musical find that Jess and I have been listening to a lot these days. We saw these guys play at the Mercury Lounge in February and had a blast. They are called the Felice Brothers (three of them are actually real brothers). You'll get a heavy dose of Bob Dylan with some Townes Van Zandt-like storytelling and the Band well... sounds like the Band. Besides the fact that their drummer is an attention junkie and gets up all the time to show off his terrible dance moves, there's really nothing not to like.

Our World Famous Lower Manhattan Walking Tour

Alright, for those of you who aren't quite so familiar with Manhattan, the first lesson is it's really easy to get around on foot. Because everybody knows NYC as the big city, it's a huge misconception that it is actually a "big" city. It's actually a very small city. It's just a really condensed city (i.e., crowded).

So, we've mapped out a great walking tour that will cover most of the key sites you will want to hit in the lower half of the city. I have done this a couple times, once with my sister and brother-in-law, Megan and Mark, and again I think with my parents. Anyway, it's fun and while it's a hefty walk, it's not terribly tiring. It's much better than looking like a moron on one of those double-decker buses.

The first step is to take the subway to the South Ferry stop, which is the southern most tip of Manhattan - either via the R & W (yellow line), the 1 (Red Line), or the 4 & 5 (Green Line). It's essential to grab a map too, but you can find one at any newsstand or corner store.

Now, follow along on the maps provided right here (2 parts) with each number corresponding to a point of interest. These are taken right from Google maps if you want to look closer.

1) Battery Park and the Statue of Liberty - Right when you get out of this subway, you will see a park on the water. This is Battery Park, which has a great view of the Statue of Liberty. If you want to take a boat out to the Statue, this is where you can do it, but you can snap a nice photo from the park and save yourself a trip.

2) Within Battery Park you will also find the Castle Clinton Memorial. This should provide a solid 15 seconds of viewing pleasure.

3) Follow the pink path on our map out of the park to #3 and you will find the giant bronze Wall Street Bull in Bowling Green Park. This is great for pictures too. You will know why once you see it.

4) Keep following the pink line down along to Stone Street and take a left on Broad. As you round Broad and approach Wall Street, you will see the New York Stock Exchange (actually on Broad Street). The Old Stock Exchange is across the street on Wall Street as well.

5) Take a left on Wall Street and walk up the hill about a block and you will see an amazing church ( even though it's covered in about 200 years of soot). There's lots of ornate details and you can find Alexander Hamilton (the guy on the Ten Dollar Bill) in the cemetery.

6a) Break time. There is a nice Borders bookstore here with a coffee show, or;

6b) There's a bar down Broadway called Suspenders on the left a little further.

Follow along broadway for a few blocks and take a left at Liberty. Follow it for two blocks...


7) Marvel at the progress and resolve of a nation as you stare into a gaping abyss where the World Trade Center Towers once stood. There's also a famous giant discount clothing and show store across the street called Century 21. It's huge. You can't miss it.

8) Continue to head north from Ground Zero and take a right on Barclay Street. Follow this a block or so and you will find yourself in the City Hall Park with the City Hall building in the center. This is indeed where Mayor Bloomberg takes care of business.

Also, to the east of City Hall you can see (and walk on if you want) the Brooklyn Bridge. There's a great path across it where you can take great photos of the skyline. I didn't mark the line though, because that makes the walking get a little excessive.

9) Continue the trek north on Centre Street through the city's red tape center. While these look like impressive stately buildings, they are full of all the worst things like Jury Duty and DMV related nonsense. Still, it's a pretty interesting area.

10) Keep on heading north on Centre until you hit Canal Street. You'll know when you get here, because it's Chinatown. Canal Street is the main drag, whereby a variety of black marketeers peddle their wares, fake designer bags and watches, pirated bootleg DVDs, knock off shoes, and various tourist trinkets. It's worth a stroll through here just to watch the police mess with the vendors. They waltz through every twenty minutes or so and every single time the vendors pack up their good and run for it. It's also worth following one of the fake handbag vendors to their lair. They come up to you with a picture of the bags, then you follow them into this crazy secret room built into the subway station underground. It probably sounds like a dumb idea, but it's quite amusing. My parents and I did this not too long ago and got a real kick out of it.

11) Our map instructions are pretty screwy here, but you basically want to keep heading north. I was basically trying to say to just roam around these areas. Broadway, Mulberry, or Mott all all good choices to head further north. This will take you to the heart of SoHo (South of Houston St.), which is a major shopping hub packed with every retail store under the sun. A lot of the big name designers and brands have their flagship stores in this neighborhood. It's pretty packed on the weekends, but if you want to shop, this is one of the most famous shopping areas in the world.

For reference, the Puck Building on the corner of Houston and Lafayette, which is also in this area.

At this point, you will be spent, so that's the end of the walking tour. Time to do my real job now.

Central Park

In my previous post I forgot to mention Central Park!!!! A gross oversight!

One of my favorite spots is Sheep Meadow. (Pictured Above) People gather here to read, hang out with friends, sun worship, play frisbee, people watch etc... It can be hectic here, but CP has no shortage of nooks and crannies to find some R&R and quiet time. This location is super convenient to those stayin in or around midtown. Its a pretty Amazing thing to be sitting in a park, surrounded by nature with the NYC skyline just behind.

Special note: If you are staying uptown, Edie Nadler can be seen walking little Shitzu, Suki, around the resevoir each morning.

(Random and fun fact: The Central Park Reservoir - now offi­cially named the Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir - is located between 86th and 96th and covers a full one eight of the park’s surface. The 106-acre water body is 40 feet deep and holds over a billion gallons of water.)

A little more on Central Park

New York's Central Park features 843 acres filled with The Reservoir in Central Park. classic architecture, gorgeous statuary and up to date sports, educational and performance facilities. Besides all of this there is the world famous Central Park Zoo and Wildlife Center and the Children's Zoo. The park also boasts two full service restaurants (including the world famous Tavern on the Green and the scenic Boathouse Restaurant on the Lake). And all of this doesn't even come close to the natural splendor of the landscape.
Central Park has a wide variety of carefully crafted topograhical aspects all created by the genius of Calvert Vaux and Frederick Law Olmsted. From the beautiful centerpiece of the Park, Bethesda Terrace to the more rustic charm of the North Woods Central Park changes from festive fountains to pastoral retreat all in the space of a few city blocks.There is also a fully functional National Weather Station located at picturesque Belvedere Castle, an outdoor performance venue at the Delacorte Theatre, two skating rinks, a public swimming pool, and several different information centers located around the park that offer not only information about the park, but also host a variety of educational programs for adults and children alike. Then there is the rich historic content of Central Park. On the East Side there is The Obelisk, or Cleopatra's Needle, the oldest public monument in North America. At the northern end of the Park is the Blockhouse, a fort from the War of 1812 that still stands. On the Upper East Side is McGown's Pass, which the Continental Army passed through in 1783 when they re-took the city from the British Army. And then there is the amazing musical legacy of the Park, which has hosted historic performance's by some of the world's greatest artist, including Paul Simon, Elton John, Dave Matthews and Bruce Springsteen. And, of course, Pope John Paul the II, who celebrated mass on the Great Lawn in 1995. So, make sure to allow plenty of time for your visit because Central Park is a veritable world unto itself, rich with scenic vistas and hidden gems, all at the center of the world's most exciting city!

Free Friday Night Activity

Pssst.... Friday nights the MOMA (Museum of Modern Art) are free and it boasts a great bar! The MOMA is just an amazing museum--a fabulous architectural space and a real gem for everyone-this is a great NYC destination.

MOMA Exhibitions Calendar:

Multiplex: Directions in Art, 1970 to Now Visit the online feature
November 21, 2007–July 28, 2008

Just In: Recent Acquisitions from the Collection
December 21, 2007–November 30, 2008

Focus: Ad Reinhardt and Mark Rothko
March 7, 2008–Ongoing

Projects 87: Sigalit Landau
March 19–July 28, 2008

Geometry of Motion 1920s/1970s
March 19–June 23, 2008

Glossolalia: Languages of Drawing
March 26–July 7, 2008

Book/Shelf
March 26–July 7, 2008

Jazz Score
April 16–September 15, 2008

Take your time: Olafur Eliasson
April 20–June 30, 2008
MoMA, P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center

George Lois: The Esquire Covers
April 25, 2008–March 31, 2009

Ateliers Jean Prouvé
April 25, 2008–March 30, 2009

Bernd and Hilla Becher: Landscape/Typology
May 21–August 25, 2008

Dada at MoMA
May 21–July 28, 2008

Film Exhibitions

Still Moving
November 29, 2006–Ongoing

Modern Mondays
October 15, 2007–Ongoing

Collaborations in the Collection
December 1, 2007–Ongoing

ContemporAsian
March 19, 2008–Ongoing

Jazz Score
April 17–September 15, 2008

Nice Moves

If there is any doubt if our wedding band is any good, take a look at our good buddy Matt Roose breakin it down at another wedding we all attended with the very same band. They are called the Jay Prince Band and do some mean Motown numbers, lots of funk, and maybe even a little Grateful Dead.

Late Night Alter Ego

I'm happy to announce a secret concert. I might just break out the alter ego to get Sam (Jess's cousin) across the pond. Just kidding, but I remember him saying I remind him of the main man behind Aphex Twin who built a pond in his yard and lived in it via submarine for some bizarrely long stretch of time. While a long shot, we're talking to Mayor Bloomberg to get our submarine permit, so we hope to book this for the late night on Friday.

Some Insider information

Well its 2008 so I suppose its only appropriate to reach out to friends and family via the blogger-sphere--but I can't say I am a natural at it yet, this is my 1st time, so bear with me.

Our weekend is approaching fast so hopefully this will be a fun way to get everyone excited and informed on all the important NYC details.

For so many of our out-of-town guests this is a first time visit to the big apple. To be quite honest, one weekend, and a wedding weekend at that, is simply NOT enough time to get the full NYC flair. But I hope to help you try and hit some high points while your here.

Should I start with Food?

Favorite Pizza: Lombardi's, Located in Nolita John's of Bleeker Located in the West Village

John's Ambrosia

Best Bagels: Ess-a-Bagel for great salmon and whitefish salad, Murray's Bagels

Best Frou Frou Brunch Spots: 9th Street Market. (tiny and always a wait but entirely worth it!)
Paris Commune where we sat face to face with Doogie Howser. Really yummy.
Clinton Street Bakery Amazing pancakes all day long....


Some of our favorite neighborhood haunts:
Our go-to lunch, brunch, dinner or coffee spot: Grey Dog Coffee (Founded by two Wolverines) one location around the corner from our apt in Greenwich Village and the original in the heart of the charming West Village. My go to--Market Salad with Marinated Tofu or a Turkey Burger (Editors note: screw that, get a sandwich).
Westville for amazing home cooking, market veggies and just all around goodness, Great hot dogs, ruebens, salads--all around just great! East village location is a bit bigger then the west village location and is often easier to get seated at.

Great Soups: Karen's on Astor The corn chowder and red bean chili is AMAZING. Everything is vegan, vegetarian or dairy free--but don't let that put you off....its good!

Frozen Yogurt: Pink Berry For guests staying at the Raddison or Giraffe this location is particularly convenient--though they can be found scattered around the city See Map , Forty Carrots at Bloomingdales-Located on 59th Street and Lexington Ave (4, 5, 6, N, R Trains to 59th Street. Sunway entrance to store available!)

Best Diners: Moonstruck Diners are all over the city...pretty consistently great. Big salads and omlettes. Just what you would expect from a solid diner. We frequent the one on 2nd avenue at 5th street.
For those staying in Midtown a Nadler favorite is Viand on 62nd and Madison. Its small--best for 1 or 2 people for a quick and delicious bite, a NYC staple.

Shopping areas:
Bleeker Street--Start at the corner of Bleeker and 8th avenue and follow the street south through the west village. The walk is pretty. The window shopping is super! And you can pass the line at the famous Magnolia Bakery--and laugh at all the tourists waiting all day to taste a buttery cupcake. NOT worth the wait. But this area has a ton of local flair, a village feel, prewar architecture and noteworthy landmark buildings.

NOLITA (North of Little Italy) has a ton of hip (mostly expensive) up and coming designer boutigues.
Take the 6 train to Bleeker street/Broadway Lafayette stop and ask anyone for Mulberry, Mott, Elizabeth Street. These three streets between Houston and Spring streets are full of amazing shops, young hipster folk and yummy restaurants.

SOHO (South of Houston): Take the 6 train to Spring Street or to Bleeker/ Broadway Lafayette and you cannot missit. Cross to the West side of Broadway and immerse yourself in some of New York's most intense shopping for fashion and home. Warning--lots and lots of tourists in the area on weekends.

Department Stores: Bloomingdales, Bergdorf, Barney's, Bendels, Saks and Macy's to Name a few.
Saks shoe department has its own zip code its so massive!

For Kids: FAO Schwartz See the notable Piano from the movie BIG.
Economy Candy on Manhattan's Lower East Side is my personal paradise. Are you nostalgic for your childhood candy thats just impossible to find? Find everything you ever remember from your childhood here....special note-I worked in the building above economy candy for 2 years and need to recommend-chocolate dipped oreo cookies as my personal favorite.

Parks: Washington Square--you'll find musicians, NYU students, West village locals, serious chess and lots of benches and grassy nooks. Union Square you are likely to stumble upon a political rally of sorts, skateboarders taking down unsuspecting pedestrians, and a really wonderful farmers market on Saturdays with fresh fruit, baked goods, flowers and more. Tompkins Square Park will give you an edgier east village feel and near access to lots of vintage stores and thrift shops. For animal lovers all parks listed above have dog runs which for all you suburban and rural folk is probably a strange urban phenomenon.
The picture above was taken only a few weeks ago when 500 people descended on Union Square Park for an annual Pillow Fight. Indeed, very very random--and in my opinion, gross.

Alright, more later with best people watching, best fruit stand guy location, Where to find mango on a stick, bars/nightlife and more......

How'd I do for my first time? This took more time then I feel comfortable admitting to.

The Puck Building

Here's some information regarding our awesome venue, the Puck Building.

This Romanesque Revival landmark, one of New York's great buildings, was built between 1885-1893; additional construction in 1899 replaced part of the building that was torn down for the extension of Lafayette Street. (The northeast corner is the original entrance.)

The building housed the offices and printing plant of the Puck humor magazine, which was published until 1918. (William Randolph Hearst bought it in 1917 and closed it a year later.) Years later, the offices of Spy magazine were here.

Be sure to note the gilded statues of Puck as a top-hatted infant.

In When Harry Met Sally
It was in the ballroom of the Puck Building that Harry finally proclaimed his love for Sally on New Year's Eve, and they embraced in a passionate kiss before stopping to discuss the meaning of the song Auld Lang Syne.

In Will and Grace
This is the building that houses Grace Adler Designs, where Grace, for some reason, put up with Karen as her assistant.

Finally, I found some random picture of Paris Hilton hanging out with some royal transexuals at the Puck Building.

Introducing the New Wave Hipster Wedding Blog

Since Jessica and I are all into wearing tight jeans with Converse All-Stars, we decided to make our very own wedding blog. Actually, she doesn't even know about it yet, but I will tell her about it shortly. I'm not too sure what you'll see here, but would we ever disappoint you?

We can't wait for everyone to get together for a fun filled weekend in the Big Apple. Jess and I are getting really excited. Word on the street is that we're gonna have fish tacos at the cocktail hour, so that is some most awesome news.

One point of interest, we encourage anyone who is coming in on Thursday June 19th to snatch up a ticket to the one and only R.E.M. They will cost you a small fortune, but come on, it's Madison Square Garden. You haven't lived until you felt the floors bounce at the Garden. Because the Garden is suspended above Penn Station, it literally bounces when the place gets rockin'.

R.E.M's new single is a really cool song. As Mike says, "it's the best song they have written in years."



Plus, the National and Modest Mouse are opening. The National is undeniably my favorite band right now and I can assure you they will represent in some shape or form at the wedding festivities. Here's one of my favorite tunes.



Check back soon for new developments. We'll start putting up some of our favorite haunts for you to visit on your trip. The countdown is on folks. See you in a couple of months!!!