Posies

Last week I spent a few days in New York City to celebrate my birthday. The weather was perfect and the vibe in the city was upbeat and happy. I love wandering around Manhattan this time of year and as I've mentioned before, I like to discover new things each time I visit.  This time I found an adorable little flower shop on the Upper West Side called Posies. The store is tucked along Amsterdam Avenue. It's not a big place but the bright pink awning and plants spilling onto the sidewalk are so inviting you can't help but stop and notice. I had to go in and check it out. It was really cute so I thought I'd share it with you. I didn't have my camera so I used my iPhone to capture some photos and show you what Posies has to offer.

Even though it is currently surrounded by scaffolding, this little flower shop jumps out at you when you are walking down the street.

The store is literally overflowing with fresh flowers and plants.

There are buckets of seasonal flowers inside. You can make your own bouquet or have Posies create something for you.

I was amazed at the selection of flowers offered in such a small space. There were so many varieties and colors to choose from.

If you can't decide or don't have time to make your own bouquet, you can choose one of the premade bouquets that are lining the wall. This was my favorite part of the store. The bouquets were gorgeous and inexpensive.

I love garden roses and hydrangeas together so I chose this beautiful bouquet to take home.

If you need a vase or vessel for your arrangement Posies has those too.

I didn't need a vase so my bouquet was carefully wrapped in purple tissue paper and cellophane, tied with a raffia bow and placed in a large white shopping bag. I love that! So simple but so very pretty. This little flower shop gets a huge thumbs up for me! It was a great little find and a fun stop to make in the middle of a busy day. If you visit the Upper West Side head to Posies!

Enjoy your week!

Leslie xo

A Walk on the High Line

If you know me, you know that New York City is one of my favorite places on the planet. Ever since I was young and got my first taste of the hustle and bustle, I have been fascinated with Manhattan and its surroundings. I love to visit as often as I can and I will never get tired of what there is to do there. I have some favorite places in New York City, but every time I go, I try to discover something new.  One of my recent discoveries was something called the High Line. It's an interesting place so I thought I would share my visit with you.

The High Line is a beautiful public park that is located on Manhattan’s West side. It was built on a historic freight rail elevated above the streets and runs from Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District to West 34^th Street between 10^th and 11^th Avenues.

The park is owned by the City of New York but is maintained by Friends of the High Line, which was formed in 1999 in an effort to save the structure from demolition. The fabulous efforts of this non-profit conservancy have resulted in fantastic place for visitors to relax and enjoy. It is truly a remarkable space with so many beautiful things to see. The first section of the park opened on June 9, 2009.

We wanted to take a walk on the High Line last week when were in the city so we decided to start at West 30th Street and head toward Gansevoort Street.

There are lush grasses, flowers and trees planted throughout the park.  You will see them growing along the train tracks.

There is an area that is called Wildflower Field. It’s beautiful and so unexpected in a city like New York.

Park benches are scattered along the walkway giving visitors plenty of opportunity for relaxation.

There are several viewing spurs where you can get a great look at the city from the High Line. This one is at 26^th Street.

If you look West at certain points on the High Line you can see the Hudson River and a peak at New Jersey.

There are so many interesting things to look at along the way. I absolutely love this display of artwork that we spotted on the side of a building on the East side of the park.

At the 23^rd Street Lawn and Seating Area there is a grass lawn where you can spread out and get some sun or just sit and relax.

Or hang out on the steps.

The 10^th Avenue Square gives you a fantastic view of 10^th Avenue looking north.

One of the nicest parts of the High Line is the Sundeck and Water Feature. There is an area where water is flowing over part of the walkway where you will see children playing and people walking around barefoot to cool off. On the opposite side there are built-in wooden lounge chairs where you can lay in the sun or sit and watch the kids play in the water.

The Gansevoort Woodland was the end of the line for us. It’s a beautifully landscaped area with trees and grasses where you quickly forget you are in the middle of a busy city as you are walking through.

When we came down from the High Line we were in Chelsea. We stopped at the Standard Grill at the Standard Hotel, which is literally right on the High Line, and had a drink and a bite to eat. Then we did some shopping and wandered around Chelsea.  It was the perfect ending to a great morning.

So if you want something unique to do the next time you go to New York City, I recommend you put the High Line on your list. There are so many fun ways to enjoy it and it just keeps getting better. If you want to learn more about the history and future plans for the High Line you can check out The Official Web Site of the High Line and Friends of the High Line

If you decide to visit the next time you are in NYC, I would love to hear about it! 

Leslie