Wednesday, November 30, 2011

NYC ONE BLOCK FOOD TOUR

The other weekend I had an errand to run in the East Village and when I was done I was hungry.  
I first made my way over to Crif Dogs (113 St. Marks Place between 1st Avenue and Avenue A).
 Their dogs are made of naturally smoked beef and pork.  I had one of their Chili dogs which comes smothered with mustard, onions and their secret chili sauce.
 I have to say I wasn't crazy about the taste of their dog.  As a native New Yorker, I'll take the one from a Food Cart any day over this one (I know.  I know.  They're made of things I wouldn't even want to know, but they are oh so good!)  But, it was still fun to try.  They have a menu of dogs with pretty much any topping you can imagine, and if you don't find one you like, you can order one up any way you like it.  After that I wanted to head to Butter Lane- perhaps one of my all time favorite cupcake places in the city, and I realized it was just around the corner!  As I was walking to Butter Lane, I came across First Avenue Pierogi and Deli (130 1st Avenue between 7th Street and St. Marks Place)- a truly authentic little place which makes some of the BEST pierogis I have ever tried!
Seriously, whenever I crave pierogis from now on I will go here.  I ordered the potato and cheese ones to go and made them at home.  They have everything from potato and onion, to sauerkraut and mushroom to meat.  They also sell cheese blintzes which I didn't get to try, but have heard they are awesome.  Anyway, it was a great find and made us want to continue our little Food Tour.  A couple of doors down from there is South Brooklyn Pizza (122 1st Avenue between 7th Street and St. Marks Place).
Wow!  This place could easily be missed.  In fact, it looks more like a cheese shop than a pizzeria on the outside.  This might just be one of the best slices in this part of the city.  It is perfect.  It is fresh.  You don't go here to sit...instead, grab a slice of their neapolitan margherita pizza (with fresh creamy mozzarella and fresh basil) and put some of their roasted garlic on it and eat it standing up or on the go...amazing!!!
Then a few more doors down from South Brooklyn Pizza is Wechsler's Currywurst and Bratwurst (120 1st Avenue between 7th Street and St Marks Place)- a German beer and sausage place- how great!!!
 The line at this place was insane, and we were pretty stuffed from hot dogs, pierogis and pizza at this point- so we didn't try it, but have it on our list to try in the future.  Afterwards, we finally made it to Butter Lane (123 East 7th Street between 1st Avenue and Avenue A).
 Their cupcakes are soft and delicious and made from all natural ingredients.  They are dense, but not too sweet.  You can choose between one of three different types of cakes (vanilla, chocolate or banana), and then you can choose your icing.  My favorite is the banana cake with vanilla frosting...oh my gosh, I'm drooling just thinking about it!  
Bottom line- this place is so good, and I have tried a lot of cupcake places in New York City.
 So, who knew that 7th Street and St. Marks Place was such a good foodie destination?!?  
Plus, Tompkins Square Park is just across the street and has a great dog run...Riley loved it!
(Coat: Club Monaco, Scarf: South Moon Under, Jeans: Anthropologie, Sunnies: Fendi, Boots: Unity from Famous Footwear, Handbag: Cole Haan)
 Do you guys know about any other good One Block NYC Food Tours?  If so, leave me a comment.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

THINK YOU'RE A JET SETTER? PROVE IT...

In what city can you find this building?
Hint: In 1995, this tower was declared one of the Seven Modern Wonders of the World.

Monday, November 28, 2011

GOLDY + MAC

In honor of Cyber Monday, I wanted to let you know about a great store I came across when I was in the town of Greenport on the North Fork of Long Island- GOLDY + MAC.
Their story goes like this:  Two friends (Owners Ashley Gold and Susan MacInerney) who are very fashionable and love to shop realize that there isn't much out there unless they spend a lot of money or buy their clothes from stores teenagers shop in.  Those two friends are disappointed by this.  Those two friends turn that disappointment into a business GOLDY+MAC...a fashionable store for those in their 20's, 30's and 40's that won't break the bank! You can find tops, bottoms, coats and blazers, handbags, jewelry and other accessories too.
 GOLDY + MAC opened its first store in Park Slope, Brooklyn.   There are now two Brooklyn locations and one in Greenport, New York.  I got a chance to speak to Owner Susan MacInerney for a little bit while I was there. She's adorable!  She is a mom of three and lives in L.A., but is always on the East Coast picking out great things for her stores.  She helped me pick out a cute top for myself (see below) and a fabulous bracelet as a gift for hubby's goddaughter.  What I love most about GOLDY + MAC is that they are really affordable (most tops range from $50-$100 with a lot even less than that), they are trendy, and they always have new stuff.  I highly recommend checking out this store if you jet set to Brooklyn or to the North Fork of Long Island soon.  I know I will be back for sure!

Monday, November 21, 2011

BUBBLY + FAMILY

...Equals a little Saturday night fun!  Last weekend I finally made it out to the North Fork of Long Island for Champagne Tasting.  (Remember when I blogged about it before?  I have been wanting to go for so long now.)  Anyway, Sparkling Pointe is one of the BEST places to go for some Sparkling and Bubbly Wine.  It's so pretty inside- sparkly chandeliers, high arched ceilings, white leather couches, beautiful fireplaces.  It really feels like a Napa Valley winery picked up and moved to New York.
(Dress: Splendid, Sunnies: Target, Fur Vest: Nordstrom, Necklace: Gift, Watch: Swatch, Tights: Anthropologie, Boots: Unity)

Thursday, November 10, 2011

FAVORITE THINGS

If you looked inside my toiletries bag, these are a couple of the things you would find.  You asked and so I am sharing.  I am starting to pack for my upcoming weekend road trip, and these are just a few of my new favorite things that are coming along with me.
These Yes to Cucumbers Facial Towelettes ($6 for a pack of 30) not only smell amazing, but are so soft and the perfect way to remove makeup without water. After using them, your skin will feel so soft thanks to the cucumber, aloe vera, and exfoliating minerals from the Dead Sea. I am obsessed with these things!
St. Ives Olive Oil Cleanser- I use this in the morning and at night and it leaves my face moisturized and clear of blemishes.
Tre Semme Dry Shampoo is amazing! I used to wash my hair and blow-dry it EVERY.SINGLE.DAY!  Not anymore.  I go two to three days thanks to this stuff- it takes out the oils and odor.  I used to use the dry shampoo Sephora sells which would cost about $20 for a small can.  Tre Semme only costs around $5.
Aquaphor Lip Balm- My lips always hurt and feel dry when it gets cold out, and I have tried almost EVERY lip balm on the market.  This is the BEST!!!
Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick #140 Fushia Fever- This color is bright and fun and long lasting. Every time I wear it people always ask what color I have on and I get so many compliments. The best part is it only costs around $6!
Coco Mademoiselle Perfume- I am a perfume girl, and this is the latest fragrance I am loving that husband got me for my birthday. It smells sexy and fresh.

More on my weekend road trip next week!  From Jet Set, to Ship Set, to Car Set...gotta throw a Train Set in there before the end of the year to round it out! ;) Haha!

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY SETAI!

The Setai NYC recently celebrated its 1st birthday.  I am kicking myself for not having gone there yet.
Just look at these pictures and you'll see why.   
One of the main reasons why I haven't stayed here yet is the hefty price tag...rates start at $545 at night.   
If I want to be a SMART Jet Setter, maybe husband and I will just go there one night for a drink. ;)

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

M/S VEENDAM CRUISE SHIP REVIEW

When it came time to pick a cruise to Bermuda, there really was no choice because of the itineraries offered when sailing out of New York to Bermuda.  You see, due to the size of the cruise ships, one of the ONLY ships that sails out of New York which can dock in downtown Hamilton, Bermuda is Holland America Line's M/S Veendam.  This is a HUGE deal because all of the other ships are too large and have to dock at the Royal Navy Dockyard in Bermuda (way far away from anything- especially the action of downtown Hamilton).  Below are a bunch of pictures (some from their website and a few we took), and I have also done a PRO/CONS list.  As you'll see, there are a lot more PROS than CONS!

PROS:
Itinerary
Size of cruise ship- not too large and able to dock in downtown Hamilton
Staff- the nicest, most accommodating, and friendliest people ever!
Food- it was absolutely delicious!!!  I was amazed!!!
Room Size- HUGE (compared to other cruise ships I have been on- this blew my mind)

CONS:
A little bit of an older ship- not as updated as some newer cruise ships out there
Smoking (this is a European ship peeps!!!  So every room is a smoking room- not my fave, but thankfully it didn't smell in the room)















Other than the dates (and the fact that we made a stop first in St. George's, Bermuda before continuing on to Hamilton), this basically was the itinerary of our trip which was absolutely perfect!  It was so great to be docked in downtown Hamilton and be able to get off and on the ship as many times as we wanted so we could go into downtown, or take a taxi to the beach, or check out places like Art Mel's- you get the idea.  It was like staying in a floating hotel, and when we left Bermuda, I felt like I had such a good feel for the island.

VIEW SHORE EXCURSIONS FOR THIS CRUISE
DayDatePortArriveDepart
026 Aug 2012New York, New York, US04:45 PM
127 Aug 2012At Sea
228 Aug 2012Hamilton, Bermuda ON10:00 AM
329 Aug 2012Hamilton, Bermuda ON
430 Aug 2012Hamilton, Bermuda ON
531 Aug 2012Hamilton, Bermuda02:00 PM
601 Sep 2012At Sea
702 Sep 2012New York, New York, US07:00 AM
Port Notes:
ON OVERNIGHT