NYC guide: part 2

I knew it wouldn't be long before the NYC guide: part 2 surfaced. There are just TOO many great places not to share. With a lot of people traveling throughout the summer months, I wanted to make sure I had my recommendations up & available for all you city dwellers.

Kittichai, located at 60 Thompson Street [inside the Thompson Hotel]

What do I say about this place...I could really go on & on. My fiance and I were given the name of this restaurant by recommendation and I can honestly say, it was and has remained the best dinner I've ever eaten.

The atmosphere is beyond intimate and gorgeous, along with the best tasting food. I will say to save this place for a special occasion though it is a bit on the pricey side, but worth EVERY PENNY!

 

 Beauty & Essex, located at 146 Essex Street

[view from the outside]

walk inside & find...

Beauty & Essex was also a recommendation. We were told to head over and look for a pawn shop, plan on standing in line, but know whats inside is worth it. We found the pawn show, stood in line and were impressed upon walking in. We were present on a Saturday night and boy, was it packed. To guarantee yourself a place along with no waiting in line, make a reservation for dinner and stay for the night.

 Burger Joint, located at 119 W. 56th Street [inside Le Parker Meridian Hotel]

Now this place is just fun! A tiny hole-in-the-wall if you will. Located in the back left corner of the Le Parker Meridian Hotel. It is CASH ONLY and you order off a cardboard menu, but you CANNOT find a better burger, fries and malt for under $10 in the city! Make sure you plan on waiting in line...the place only seats about 50 and it's a major celeb-citing location. 

 Gansevoort Hotel, located at 18 9th ave.

Gansevoort offers a great mix. The rooftop bar is perfect for those beautiful New York nights. Even if it is a bit chilly, they offer places inside to lounge. You will find great DJ's mixing fabulous remixes to show off your best dance moves, and an impressive, diverse NY crowd.

Serendipity III [NYC], located at 225 E. 60th Street

[the infamous frozen hot chocolate]

Serendipity is something you have to check off the list while visiting New York City. There is ALWAYS a wait, so make sure you put your name in and plan on shopping the area while waiting. (there is a Bloomingdale's & Urban Outfitters close by) Their food is nothing to rave about, but their desserts, especially the frozen hot chocolate is the talk-of-the-town. I've finished a whole one by myself!

NYC guide:

I've been to NYC quite a few times now and feel every time I visit, I'm learning & discovering  more and more great places in the city. I wanted to make a guide for anyone that is planning on taking a trip out to New York City with a few of MY favorite places for all of you to try.

Blush Nail Salon- located at 218 E. 5th St.

This place is BY FAR my favorite nail place hands down. I've had my nails done before in NYC and enjoyed it as well, but this place had me inspired and wanting to open my very own nail salon. The treatments were divine, the music was fun and the prices were incredibly reasonable. 

 Babycakes [nyc]- located at 248 Broome St.

I've had Magnolia Bakery cupcakes before and please don't hate me, but didn't think they were all that great. Ya, the bakery is adorable, but the frosting is a little too buttery & grainy for my liking. Babycakes is a different story folks. These cupcakes are amazing & "good" for you. 

"In a city dominated by cupcakes overflowing with sugar, flour and butter cream, it’s easy for those with persnickety diets to feel left out. BabyCakes offers all-natural, organic and delicious alternatives free from the common allergens: wheat, gluten, dairy, casein and eggs. Rest assured, all sweeteners have been chosen responsibly and used sparingly. White sugar will never be found in our bakery, nor will we ever use toxic chemical sweeteners. Instead, most products are sweetened with agave nectar—a natural syrup from a cactus which is low on the glycemia index and often a safe alternative to most non-insulin dependent diabetics. Occasionally, unprocessed and unrefined sugar is used in certain goods, although sparingly."

 A must-have in my book!

Pinkberry- located all over the city, check the website for locations.

Since there are no locations in or even close to MN, It's always a delight whenever I find myself walking into a Pinkberry. My favorite is original yogurt with strawberries and chocolate chips. All of their yogurt flavors and toppings are always fresh and delicious. Cant make up your mind on what to get? They are very generous in the sample department. It's just a great treat-simple-as-that! 

Buddakan- located at 75 9th Ave.

I've been twice now and the food has never disappointed. I would say this restaurant could be compared to Chino Latino here in Minneapolis with it's modern Asian cuisine. The food is meant to be served family style, with individual portions plated. Plan on ordering a lot of choices off the menu and sharing tastes of all. The atmosphere is great and dress code is described as: downtown chic, fun & hip...everything this restaurant delivers!

Spice Market NYC- located at 403 W. 13th St. (& the corner of 9th)

Spice Market is a truly unique experience from the menu to the atmosphere. There is nothing that compares in my mind. They offer the most unique pairings for your pallet and an intimate atmosphere with dark lighting. The perfect place for a date! This place is always busy, so make sure you have a reservation set to get a guaranteed spot. You won't be disappointed!

I have MANY more places to share with you...and you can most definitely look forward to a NYC guide, part 2 to come soon.

a NYC weekend.

WOW, did we have fun this past weekend! I owe it all the 3 VERY special ladies: Amber, Stacey and Lindsey. They took the time to make sure it was catered to the bride-to-be (me) and every last detail was beyond PERFECT! 

Here is a little tribute to NYC...I LOVE being there & truly, there is no other city like it.

Thank you ladies SO very much! 

XOXO

all pictures compliments of weheartit.

packing-the "lite" way.

I know it's hard to always pack with just a carry on, but these days with the price of checking a bag your vacation can add up. $25 dollars could be spent on 2-4 drinks depending where your flying off to. Here are some tips to help you maximize your mini suitcase space.

1. Try to avoid under-packing as well as over-packing. Your clothes will wrinkle more easily if they are getting shifted around.

2. Wear your biggest and bulkiest layers on the plane. They won't take up the space in your suitcase and you'll be prepared if you get cold on the plane. 

3. Use ALL spaces. Make sure to pack jewelry, small toiletries or even socks in the front toes of your shoes. 

4. Roll & don't fold your jeans, pajamas and t-shirts. This will create more space without creating more wrinkles.

5. A small leather pouch can be put on double duty- used as a clutch & a carry all for your toiletries.

6. Make sure you use zip-lock baggies to safeguard anything that could snag or leak out. 

7. Try to pack by separating your lights, brights and dark's to prevent any of your colors leaking onto each other. (dark denim and suede shoes are the worst!)

8. This is easy for me, but try packing in neutral colors and adding a few standout shades. This makes mixing and matching super easy. 

9. Have a place where you stash all your 3 oz. mini liquids at home, so you can easily throw them together when packing. If not, you can get stuck throwing in full size bottles last minute.

10. When returning home, wrap your souvenirs in your socks or rolled t-shirts to keep them safe and stable.

Happy traveling!

a little [south]western town.

This previous weekend was spent in Prescott, Arizona (pronounced Pre-skitt if your a local) to watch and cheer on our riders for the Whiskey 50.

Here are some of my favorite pictures to capture the town & weekend at it's finest:

[a little town history]

 [courthouse, front lawn and gazebo]

 [saloon doors to enter the bar]

[picking up race packets]

[getting a smile as Jon finishes the race]

 [my favorite finisher]

[celebratory whiskey shots on Whiskey Row]

[heading home-all in one piece]

breck.

This past weekend was spend in Breckenridge, CO. The town was filled with snow and holiday cheer and the views were picture perfect. Here are some pictures that captured my favorite memories.

Waking in time to watch the sunrise

 

Hiking through the woods

Jumping in all the fresh powder

Relaxing in the hot tub

The "silver" aspens

Mary's Mountain Cookies

Listening to the wind blow through the trees

The beautiful sunset