Southern In the City

I recently spoke with Georgia native Natalie Broulette and would love for you to meet her, too! Our Southern gone Yankee friend is now living in her adopted home of New York City and is the creator the fabulous blog The SoHo “Slices of Life from the Southern Hostess” www.thesoho.blogspot.com

She is also a contributor to The Southern C weekly newsletter and happens to be featured this week. This only makes her a more perfect fit for our Southern in the City series! She was kind enough to tell a little about herself and share some great finds and favorites tips for a trip to the city.

Why the move to NYC and how long have you been here?

I moved from Savannah to New York to attend NYU when I was 18. I met my husband here, we moved to his hometown of Seattle after graduation, then, after a few years, decided to come back to New York. So off and on, I’ve lived here 8 years. I work at Microsoft and spend my most of free time eating good food and blogging about it.

What do you miss most about living in the South?

Normally, this time of year, I’d say the warm weather, but it seems like we’re all getting a dose of cold lately, so I’ll go with looking up through the live oaks and seeing the stars. They’re hard to find in NYC.

The only place better than NYC is:

I went to Paris two years ago and fell in love with place, but I must say that my hometown of Savannah will always have a hold on my heart.

24 hours in the city – three must-do’s:

1. New York pizza! It really is something special. Apparently, the secret’s is our water.

2. A walk through the West Village. It’s quaint and charming and quintessentially New York in my opinion. It’s also one of the few parts of Manhattan not laid out on a grid, so use a map or lose yourself for a couple hours.

3. Grand Central Terminal – It’s probably the most beautiful, functional space in the city. Great for people-watching and even grabbing a bite to eat. Be sure to find the Whispering Gallery!

Secret Only a Local Knows: see above about the Whispering Gallery 🙂

NEW YORK FAVORITES SPEED ROUND:

Southern Breakfast: Lately, I’m obsessed with the chicken and waffles at Sweet Chick in Brooklyn.

Bar: Dutch Kills Bar is a bar in my Queens neighborhood with a speak-easy feel and a quiet vibe. It’s my go-to.

(photo via Boromag)

Broadway Show: “The Lion King” is the first Broadway show I ever saw, and I think it still holds up. It’s a great choice for the whole family.

Museum: The Museum of Natural History is my personal favorite. The animal dioramas never cease to amaze me.

Clothing Store: I love shopping on Piperlime’s website (www.piperlime.com) but their store in SoHo is even more fun.

Furniture/Interiors: ABC Carpet & Home is enormous by New York standards. I love wandering through floor by floor even if it’s just to find inspiration.

Thrift Shop: I love 10 ft. Single by Stella Dallas in Williamsburg. Great selection of cowboy boots!

Antique Store: Olde Good Things — just like the name says!

Whitney Long is co-founder of The Southern C and is always in a New York state of mind. In this series, she gets to live, eat and shop vicariously through her friends she has met on The Southern C – The Social Network of the South. Her wallet and her husband are most appreciative.

If you like this, also see a Q&A with Frances Bailey.