Annabelle & Fletcher's Book of Dares
Things we have actually done, and you should too. Get yourself out there!
Do you dare? Simply, yes. Dash & Lily is here for all fans of the pen-pal spirited You’ve Got Mail, New York’s most clandestine bookstore “The Strand,” and happiness. It’s a rom-com, so you bet we’ve got cute and quirky takes to pair with your viewing.
In a gist: a boy, Dash, and a girl, Lily, write notes and dares to each other in a little red notebook. Dash, a 17-year-old scotch drinker, hates Christmas. Lily, also 17 and hangs out with middle-aged New Yorkers, loves Christmas. They don’t know each other’s identity. But they only have each other this Christmas, so the dares’ll force them to break out of their shells.
And the dares are outrageous: go to Two Boots pizza? Destroy a piece of art — at a pop up? Eat a salted pretzel? Get to Dyker Heights in 45 minutes from Upper Manhattan? True art. So, in honor of Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares (the title of the OG book), we’ve written our own list of dares.
she is a queen
We have but two rules, before you continue:
Rule #1: Our first rule — Matthew Morrison is the only Grinch in our neck of the woods. Do not ruin rom-coms, do not ruin the holiday cheer, do not ruin good-hearted spirit by saying this is all “silly,” “unbelievable,” “out of reach,” etcetera. If you’re going to question the possibility of a group of teenagers hosting a climactic argument at a Jonas Brothers concert, your place is not with us. Also, this is all setting aside the very imminent danger of COVID, just for the sake of the email.
Rule #2: Further, if you think New York is “dead,” or a “ghost town,” don’t bother continuing reading any further. Cities cannot die! This is not Pompeii people! As two self-proclaimed New Yorkers, we are here to tell you, wake up. New York is the place where we grew up, the setting for our collective bildungsroman, so if you do not believe in the power of the city or growing, don’t bother reading any further. Much like Dash and Lily, we love this hick town, and we have our own special places throughout the city. Interested in finding out what they are? Turn the page.
Dear reader, if you are reading this, it means that you have found the red Moleskine notebook that we have so discreetly placed in the bread aisle of the Trader Joe’s on 14th Street. If you find yourself here, you, like us, have an affinity for breakfast foods that are baked into loaves. Are you ready for an adventure? This grocery store is much more than meets the eye. To go find your next location, you must find three letters.
For the first, think of something that is quintessential to fall. The leaves are falling, and so are we. Falling in love, with the holiday season that is. Are there any cookies that remind you of such a botanical wonder? Their first letter is your first letter.
The second letter is something you’ll find in the dairy aisle, though it does not come from a cow. In fact, it is not dairy at all. What is something almost-round, that when broken, reveals its entire heart to you? That first letter is your second letter.
Do you feel that breeze? It’s chilly in here, isn’t it? Don’t let the temperature fool you, though the outside may feel cold as ice, your insides are warm and fiery. But what if they're not? What is something you drink to warm even the innermost, iciest crevices of your soul? The name of this is your last letter.
Congratulations, dear reader! If you have made it this far, you will have found out the location of your next excursion. A place far north from here, where the likes of the Waldorfs and Van Der Woodsen’s eat lunch on the outside steps. That’s right, you bitter, New York cliches! We’re going to the MET.
Dare 1, from Annabelle:
Before you go in, take a moment, and sit on the steps. Look around you. What do you see? Do you see the hot dog vendors, here year-round? Or maybe the nut sellers, the very backbone of this city, offering their honey-roasted goodies when the snow starts to fall? If you see a nut stand, by all means, treat yourself. I’ve driven miles upon miles for those $3 roasted bits of Christmas.
When you go in, go past the ticket counter, and wear the sticker on your jacket proudly. You are here, you are in attendance, at one of the greatest art museums in the world! Do you feel the energy around you? Think about how many extraordinary people have graced these halls before you. You are part of it now. Head straight to the Greek and Roman statue wing.
Of course, first you must admire all of the beautiful marble statues. Do you see Aphrodite? Are you thinking of me when you see her? Good. But the best part is to find the house. The front of the house, with no back, existing here only for its architectural wonder. A home inside a museum. It’s poetic, non?
Dare 2, from Fletcher:
Things to know about me, Clue Person: I enjoy movies, and even more than that, I enjoy listening to men prattle off their opinions about movies. “Wow. The movie is all about women,” overheard this year, after a screening of Little Women, “and all of their goals.” Your next dare is to take a man — he can know a lot or a little about the art of cinema, either is good — to a film at the Village East Cinema. Preferably the Jaffe Art Theatre, which, see if he can pronounce Jaffe. Plus, it’s beautiful and spacious and certainly my favorite theater. The more obscure, the more feminine, the better. This is the easy part: find any guy, a friend, a companion, a brother, father, and drag him to a movie.
The hard part? Once the movie has finished, ask his opinion. Listen. Nod. Really, really listen. It’s a test of patience, but it also provides zesty fodder for later conversations. You hear one man describe a Greta Gerwig film — it changes you, really. Write me back what he says.
Dare 3, from Annabelle
Now, it is night time, and if you are lucky, you will begin to feel the lights of the city come alive. It’s winter in New York, but that won’t stop the dancers, the artists, the lovers, the drinkers from going out tonight! And you must too. The Standard, in Cooper Square. Home to some of the hippest and up and coming visitors in the city. Doesn’t the bar look inviting? The catch? Get in- without an ID.
This is a test of your wit and your charm! I’ve done it once before, in a leopard-print coat no less. If I could do it at 19, you can too, sweet reader. Go in there, and steal a coaster. Proof of your bravery.
Dare 4, from Fletcher
This dare requires a restaurant with nooks and crannies. Corners. One that could permeate a rumor swiftly to all staff and guests. I won’t say where exactly, but I’ve done this before at a Thai joint in the LES.
Listen to the music. Hip restaurants have good music, usually, though occasionally they’ll throw on a rather shitty playlist. Either way, select a tune that’s especially bad or humorous to you. For me, it was “Photograph” for Ed Sheeran. When you’ve made the choice, start a rumor that the lead vocalist is dining at the restaurant with you.
“Ed Sheeran at [small Thai restaurant in the LES]!” you may say, for example. Get specific with it, too — what did they order? I said a papaya salad, mild, which is odd and specific because that’s a shared appetizer. Ed seems like the type.
And then, quickly, snap a video of the music. It’s a prank: the singer wasn’t actually at the restaurant, you just heard a song. But your friends will think it’s funny, and may come running to see.
Dare 5, from Annabelle
Are you feeling overwhelmed? It’s alright, it’s perfectly natural to feel this way. It is the holidays after all! During the holidays, everyone in the city is bustling- on their way to collect gifts, meet up with loved ones, or just trying desperately to collect their own little dose of holiday cheer, bumping into others along the way. You deserve a break, a chance to express yourself. 50 W Eighth St.
As you walk in, your eyes will be drawn to the wall of pens. I’m sorry, I said this wasn’t going to be overwhelming, but the best way to counter the stress is to overwhelm yourself with joy. The possibilities! The thought of creation! It’s all so wonderful. Pick your favorite pen, and draw something huge on the giant easel in the middle of the store. Once you’ve picked it, buy it. A souvenir from that time when you made something all your own.
Dare 6, from Fletcher
you dancing in tompkins. yes some of us have learned this dance
Pregame this one — but beware of the parks police, who will write you a ticket if they catch you. We’re going to Tompkins Square Park. Throw on your scuffed white sneakers, grab a tote bag, and slap your grungy park blanket on the lawn. Bring friends.
Your dare is to dance with strangers. This requires a bit of luck, and some nights are better than others. You’d love the Pinc Louds. Maybe there’s a bus of performers over by Ralph’s! Perhaps a collection of Dr. Marten-clad guys blasting Grimes and Björk. Dance with them. Request a song! If no one is playing music, bring your own. I recommend the nightcore version of “Shameika” by Fiona Apple,” which may attract some other random folks.
Dare 7, from Annabelle
You’re almost there, dear reader. Do you dare to find out the identity of someone who will change your life for the better? 31 Third Ave. Walk all the way to the back, to the small couch.
Who is sitting there? Is it who you thought it would be? Strike up a conversation. They have been waiting for you! A stranger is a stranger no more. How quaint, how beautiful, to have made a new friend.
Dare 8, from Fletcher
Last stop on our way back to our home base — we’re heading to USQ. Put on “Dreams” by the Cranberries, imagine you’re one of the You’ve Got Mail characters. You are, practically! Hopefully, it’s a Saturday, the most rambling day at the farmer’s market. You must get eucalyptus from the southwest corner, you must get flowers, you must ask for the best heirloom tomatoes. Or just walk around; free serotonin. You will feel bright! A delight for every sense, truly.
Once you’ve collected your bunch of local produce, head back over to Union Square Trader Joe’s.
There, you will find an Aphrodite postcard from the Met. A ticket stub from Village East Cinema. The ID you left at home that one fateful night, and a papaya salad. A pen (voiced by Gina Rodriguez). An empty white claw can, and a fresh coffee from The Bean. Your fresh produce! And sadly, not us, but some other friendly Trader Joe’s employee.