You probably heard about New York Fashion Week and the NBA All Star Week, but there was another show in town that you might not have known about, New York Toy Fair! 

At my day job, I work for a really awesome PR and marketing firm who reps some toy accounts so I spent the weekend at the show! It was my 4th year at the show — Oh heyy, I’m becoming a regular — and as always it was fun to get a look at some of the coolest new toys coming out soon.

I have to say my absolute favorite part of the show though was meeting my favorite little Internet kitty, Grumpy Cat! Yes, that one ;-)

If you know me, you know how much I love Grumpy Cat’s memes. Little Duck even got me the Grumpy Cat plush, which sits on my dresser. 

Another Toy Fair in the books! And let me tell you, there are some cool new products launching this year!

Some may say it’s too cold for ice cream, but I’m a true believer in eating ice cream year round! Besides, the lines are much shorter in the winter ;-)

I’ve been hearing about Big Gay Ice Cream pretty much since I moved here, but this was actually my first visit inside. Before I even made it in the doors I spotted exactly what I was going to order. Their Apple Gobbler.

Big Gay Ice Cream really has it all… Bright colors, a cat chalkboard wall and hellooooo unicorn! Not to mention fun treat names featuring one of their signatures, The Salty Pimp. Even though I already decided on the Apple Gobbler before walking in, it only too a brief look over the menu to know I will be back!

So did their ice cream measure up to all of the press I’ve seen? Absol-fricking-lutely! Think about how great apple butter, bourbon butterscotch ice cream with pie piece and whipped cream sounds and then times it by 5, and that’s how delicious it was. The perfect combination of sweet and salty topped with the right ratio of creamy whipped cream and crunchy topping.

Chris settled on trying the Salty Pimp, which is vanilla ice cream, dulce de leche, and sea salt dipped in chocolate. Another seriously delicious option too. 

You can find locations both in the East and West Village as well as the Ace Hotel in LA. With upcoming locations coming to Philly and LA. All I know is, definitely add this spot to your dessert list. YUM!

Update: I actually just found out that today, February 18th is actually National Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day. Sometimes these national days can be silly, but today was actually created to honor kids who have had cancer. Even more of a reason to enjoy something sweet today!

It’s one thing to bundle up for the winter, it’s a whole other thing to bundle up for an arctic blast. While I realize there are certainly much colder parts of the country (I don’t know how they do it!) I imagine most people spend less time outside than city dwellers. Unless you have the means to jump in and out of cabs, you’re going to spend a lot of time walking back and forth and waiting for transit. And trust me, the first time you get blasted with icy wind when you hit the next avenue, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. 

So what’s the key to surviving New York when it turns into Antarctica? Which, just in case you’re keeping track.. the city is actually currently colder than most of Antarctica right now. Yes, really.

• Vests: Vests are your friend when the wind chills head south on the mercury. Bonus if they are puffy vests or faux fur lined. You may look like a snowman but fashion goes out the door for me (clearly I’m not at fashion week this week) when it’s this cold and vests really make the difference.
• Layer it up: I’ve talked about how I’m a fan of fleece-lined tights before and these are perfect for surviving arctic blasts. I wear a lot of dresses and skirts so wearing these are essential when it’s this cold. They can be great to layer under jeans too if your workplace is casual. The wind bites right through your clothes, so the more layers the better in my opinion.

• Sunglasses: This may sound a little strange, talking about the sun when I’m talking about it being frigid outside… but it’s the coldest on clear days without any clouds to warm up the air! Not only will your shades protect your eyes but if you wear the over-sized style like I do, they also cover a decent amount of your face, protecting it from the wind.
• Hand Warmers: These guys are amazing when you’re waiting for the bus (which I do often). Shake, shake, shake and have a toasty little haven for your hands during your commute! 
• MTA Bus Time: It’s not an app yet, but definitely bookmark this website if you plan on taking the bus. The website tracks the buses based upon the stops, so it’s a great way to plan when you head to the stop because let’s be honest, the time schedule isn’t that reliable. It’s gotten much better over the last 6 months too so I definitely recommend it.

Stay warm out there everyone! And if you’re looking for some more winter tips for the city, check out my past post How to Survive a NY Winter.