I still can’t believe we spent an entire month there. We had the most amazing weather (it was in the 40s and 50s!) the entire time, and I think it may have rained twice. So every day Linky and I would go on marathon walks from one end of the island to the other, exploring different neighborhoods and discovering neat places. Then there were outings sans Linky – mental health dates just by myself, date nights with Andrew, and a girls’ night out too. It was such a fun month. Here are a few of the places I bookmarked as new favorites during our New York adventure…

Food + Drink

North End Grill – This Danny Meyer establishment does seasonal cuisine really really well. The drinks are delicious and innovative and service is top notch.

Hudson Clearwater – A cozy and beautiful space filled with beautiful people. Simple and tasty seasonal fare and the fact that the entrance is “hidden” is the cherry on top.

Doughnut Plant – Such. Good. Doughnuts. I’m still thinking about them. The pistachio yeast was my favorite.

Milk + Honey – A speakeasy with no menu. You tell them what you like, they create a drink for you. We liked the Ex-Pat.

Shops + Boutiques

Steven Alan – Women’s clothing and jewelry.

Canvas – Beautiful things for the home.

Schoolhouse Electric – Another store with beautiful things for the home.

Books of Wonder – This bookshop has such a great selection of both classic and modern children’s books.

Playing Mantis – The handmade wooden toys here are unbelievable. I wanted to buy everything for Lincoln.

Otte – Women’s clothing and jewelry.

Foggy days here make me feel like I’m living in a Batman movie.

Christmas-themed shows are such a fun Advent activity – whether it’s the Christmas Carol or the Nutcracker Ballet. This year my nephew and I went to see the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall. It was my first time seeing the Christmas Spectacular and not only was it super festive, but I loved how they ended the show with reading the Christmas story from Bible and reenacting it – real camels, hay, angels singing, and all. Adding it to the Christmas show rota.

My favorite thing to do in any city is stroll through neighborhoods and indulge in the little things like a latte and croissant at the corner cafe or browse through a tiny old bookshop with books piled high to the ceiling. But I like to sprinkle in some leisurely site-seeing too. As frequent visitors to New York, we’ve done a lot of the strolling and browsing, but haven’t experienced many of the major things – the Empire State Building, the Met, etc. I didn’t see Times Square until my 7th or 8th trip here! Solution? A checklist. Obviously.

Today marks two weeks since we’ve been here and it’s even growing on Andrew. Oh, New York. We do miss home like crazy though and it’s been challenging living out of a suitcase with a 9 month old, but we’re happy to all be together. So here’s my list and I’ll be sure to post favorites after our stay here!

EAT

☐ donuts from Doughnut Plant
☐ pizza in DUMBO
☐ dinner at [Too many places bookmarked. TBD.]
☐ brunch at [Too many places bookmarked. TBD.]
☐ drinks at Milk & Honey

SHOP

☐ Steven Alan
☐ Etsy Pop-up Shop in Soho
☐ Papel

DO

☐ go to the top of the Empire State Building
☐ explore MoMA
☐ see a Broadway show

Oh, and tips and suggestions please!

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade // napping // the most amazing 5 course, 2 hour feast at Palma // a 1.5 mile walk home to walk off our dinner // watching our hometown football team

We ended the day with full hearts and bellies. Thankful for a beautiful life with those two handsome men up there.

Some Iphone snapshots of our New York trip for the Fourth. :]

Isn’t this furniture amazing? The New Traditionalists believe that “cool” and “traditional” are not mutually exclusive. I totally agree. We’re in the market for bedroom furniture and that bed is calling my name, so I’m definitely making a stop at their Soho showroom next time I’m in New York. They will even get croissants from Balthazar if you give them a heads up you’re visiting. My kind of people.

What’s more fabulous than a night out on the town? I say pairing it with a late brunch the next day at a cozy eatery with really delicious food. It was my first time dining at The Little Owl, and it fit the bill perfectly. Nestled on a corner in the West Village, this little gem is incredibly charming with it’s high, striking, gold ornate ceiling juxtaposed with the intimate, vintage esthetic.

Places like this have always prompted me to start lists of spots to revisit or recommend to friends, but inevitably, I end up misplacing them. The Eat List is a new feature I’ve wanted to introduce for a while now. It’ll be a catalog of my favorite places to dine in DC (current city), Chicago (hometown), NYC (frequent visitor), and anywhere else I happen to venture. Shopping, hotel, and sightseeing lists will follow soon too.

[where it is:] west village, nyc
[meal:] brunch
[what I ate:] poached eggs with greens, fontina sausage buns and hollandaise. My, oh my, was it tasty. The textures and flavors just melted together into a perfect dish. I also had the spicy home fries and nutella and raspberry sauce beignettes which were equally delicious. Pig out much?
[the damage:] $10-$15 for main dishes, $6-$7 for sides
[other stuff:] there are only 10 tables and they don’t take reservations, but we arrived a little before 2pm and the wait was minimal.

photos via the little owl and shanna ravindra

I’m a sucker for pretty packaging. If the outside is well designed, the inside must be good too, right? My evening stroll through Georgetown led me to Dean & Deluca – a haven for food snobs. Hi, my name is Christine and I’m addicted to overpriced food stuffs. And while waiting in line, you know, to pay for my $11 chicken spring roll (don’t judge, it’s delicious), I spotted these chocolate bars wrapped in the most lovely paper.

A stack of these tied with twine would make a fabulous hostess gift.





Mast Brothers is New York City’s only bean to bar chocolate factory. The best cacao is purchased from family farms around the world including Madagascar, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, and Ecuador. The chocolate is made in small batches and each bar is handcrafted. The Selby beautifully documented the entire process from roasting to packaging in style.

View all the photos here.

Photos of packaging via lovelypackage.