How to Stay Warm and Entertain Yourself When its 10 Degrees Outside

Until I started living in New York I had never experienced whether below 30 degrees. Now that I'm an official New Yorker, 10 degree whether on a weekly basis shouldn't bother me as much but it still does. Unbearable winters are something that I will never get use to! Mainly because it makes commuting outdoors and doing outdoor activities either extremely hard or flat out impossible. On days when the weather isn't cooperating (bomb cyclone I'm looking at you) I always rack my brain with something to do to kill the boredom. Staying at home is always an option, but it can be just SO boring sometimes. Here are some of the activities I've been doing since the weather has gone to the single digits.

Read a book and indulge in coffee at your neighborhood cafe

Catch up on your reading at a cute cafe while feeding your caffeine addiction. I feel like I don't read as much as I use to (which is a shame) because of my hectic lifestyle so carving out some peaceful time at a coffee shop to just relax and read is so valuable. I've come across a few interesting reads the past few weeks and really recommend Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn (same author as Gone Girl), Into the Water by Paula Hawkins (author who wrote Girl on the Train), and The Girl Before by JP Delaney. Some of my favorite coffee shops in the city to drink my beloved latte at are Bluestone Lane and Birch Coffee.

Soak in the knowledge at a local museum

What better way to stay warm than to just spend your whole afternoon indoors at a history museum or an art museum? Making your way through all the exhibits at a museum can possibly take hours and can definitely keep a person entertained for while. I recently went to peruse through the New York Historical Society's antique train collection and throughly enjoyed myself. Most museums also have little cafes or stores built in so give yourself some time to browse the shop options and the coffee selections. The restaurant at the Whitney Museum, Untitled, is suppose to have delicious chocolate chip cookies and warm milk.

Treat yourself to some delicious hot chocolate and dessert

The one good thing I can think of about winter is that there is finally a good legitimate reason to drink hot chocolate 24/7. New York has some of the best hot chocolates- the white chocolate option at LA Burdick is one of my favorites. Also- what can be cuter than this chocolate mouse? City Bakery, located in the Flatiron district, does an annual hot chocolate festival every February where they have a different unique flavor of hot chocolate every day and some of the flavors are pretty creative! In the past I've tried a salted caramel hot chocolate, a peanut butter and jelly one, and a lemon and white chocolate flavor.

Watch a Broadway show or movie

The Broadway 2 for 1 deal (2 tickets for the price of 1) went on sale again this past Friday and I managed to score tickets to Aladdin- a musical that I've been wanting to see for a while now on account of being a Disney fanatic. Hiding out at a majestic show theater or going to the movies to watch the most recent hits is a great way to pass a cold afternoon. Bonus- there are some fantastic movies out right now. I loved The Greatest Showman (Hugh Jackman is beyond amazing) and I, Tonya (it had 3 Golden Globe nominations).

Brunch!

It is never too cold for brunch. Bundle yourself up and head to your favorite brunch spot because the line will probably be shorter since other people will be staying in. Most restaurants won't kick you even if you stay a while so take your time enjoying food and conversation. I recently discovered White Gold Butchers, a little restaurant that is part of and located inside a butchers shop. So it was no surprise to me that their meat was so fresh and delicious, but their potato and cheese pastry was wonderful as well! There is always a table available and its the perfect place to come by yourself for some alone time.

What are some activities you do when its too cold to be outside?