The Malvinis take Manhattan (and parts of Brooklyn and the Bronx, too)

I lead a charmed life, one filled with riveting academic articles to read like “Chemosensory Cues to Conspecific Emotional Stress Activate Amygdala in Humans,” 30-page academic papers to write (four this semester!), and boatloads of stress from things like impending comprehensive exams. Of course, my existence does get glamorous from time to time, like for my current job that sent me to New York for a research project. Although filled with sadness, sleepiness, and a bit of getting screwedness, I got to spend time in one of my favorite cities with one of my favorite people. Here are a few (okay a bunch!) of photos of the Malvini sisters stomping all over Manhattan.

B’s new neighborhood in Brooklyn.

I spent time documenting the neighborhood’s niceness, mostly for my mother who worries a lot.

Love the colors and textures.

Walking to North Highlands’ practice space.

Finally got to meet a band mate! This is Mike.

Love the street art.

The Williamsburg Bridge.

We walked it.

Mostly to enjoy the sunshine (and 35-40 degree weather).

But also to work off our biscuits and gravy, and blueberry pancakes.

Feeling frumped out in 100 layers. Quite a difference from the day before when I was sporting shorts and a tank top in Cactus Land!

Trips like this make me realize how much I miss my sis!

They also clue me in to my distinct unfashionableness. So glad I don’t live with the hipsters and fashionistas in NY. I had a style complex after an hour!

This gorgeous church abutted an office building/shop. Strange to see the centuries side-by-side.

Sand art in Union Square.

The strangest lookin’ hotel ever. (Next door, just to the left, was a very colorful window display from the Museum of Sex. I left out the picture for decency’s* sake, but I can only imagine the children who walk by and ask “Mommy, what are those??! Those are pretty balloons. Can I have one??”)

The obligatory Empire State shot.

BCBG display. Could’ve gone broke just window shopping!

NYC Public Library. Sadly it was closed when we arrived.

Check out the chick holding a man’s severed head. No overdue library books in this joint!

Gorgeous door.

If you read the Hopscotch Honeymoon posts, you know my fascination for architectural details.

Love this.

Time Square.

See anyone familiar in the panorama?

 

Sensory overload!

Decidedly less nutty than in the summer time. The 35-degree weather helps stave off the crowds I think.

Brooklyn at Sunset. This is right before we devoured gigantic gourmet burgers at Diner.

B in her very safe stairwell that leads up to an apartment where she has walls and doors and windows. (Her last loft apartment did not!)

Her new place has cats for hallway decoration instead of graffiti, cigarette butts and bodily fluids. Progress!

Frontier’s schtick includes wing tip animals and fresh baked chocolate chip cookies. I approve.

Writing fieldnotes with an on-my-lap laptop. Note to yourselves: Flying etiquette suggests you do not recline back violently and smash the person behind you.

Otherwise, she might look like this! (Really, this is what flying to New York and back in 48 hours with 8 hours of sleep total looks like!)

xoxo,
shawna

* Okay, I was pretty sure T would give me a hard time.