City Livin’

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Sooo New York was a blast. What was not a blast was my bus ride there…lots of traffic when all I wanted to do was be there already! Its okay though…I had some tunes and just thought about how it would all be worth it when I arrived! As soon as I got in, my friends and I had reservations at a restaurant in Tribeca called Macao Trading Co. The restaurant was fabulous, perfect for sharing small plates and feeling very New York Chic. The vibe in the restaurant is very trendy with an Asian inspired menu. As soon as we walked in we were directed downstairs to where the seating and vibrant bar area was. It was dark yet had a very sexy feel to it.


I think we ordered one of each off of the menu! We ordered lots of small plates to split and a few larger plates–also to split
Chicken and pork belly dumplings (steamed)
Hangar steak Satay with zaatar, roasted tomato and harissa sauce.

This dish was called “Ants Climbing the Tree” it was glass noodles with minced heritage pork and chilies

GRilled blue hawaiian prawns with cashews and refrito beans


Watercress salad with shaved fennel + endive with lime vinaegrette

The dinner was great, but the company was even better.
Some Friends


I have never been much of a brunch person, New York City and Brunch go hand in hand like Carrie and Big…or Peanut butter and Jelly! It is amazing to walk out around lunch time and see every single restaurant on every single street corner teaming with people. As a matter of fact, NYC is always teaming with people, but these New Yorkers do not mess around when it comes to brunch! Extra Virgin is a casual restauant located in the West Village and I had been dying to try it after my parents came back from an NYC visit and would not stop raving about it. I was so excited to hear that Extra Virgin was our brunch location on Saturday!
Extra Virgin had a rustic, trendy, funky ambiance. The big wooden tables added to the beautiful auroa of the restaurant
See the Oregano Roasted Chicken sandwich? Yeah I was all over that (minus the pancetta because I don’t eat ham)
The drink menu was not too shabby either! I opted out of a drink at brunch because I knew what the night had ahead!
More Friends! Aren’t they gorgeous?!
A couple of my friends got the famous Bloody Mary’s which were so beautifully presented with fresh celery stalks and a lemon wedge. I had a sip and it was good! I have never been a big fan of tomato juice or Bloody’s in general, but I think that it makes a HUGE difference when they are made with 100% fresh tomato juice rather than a sugary, fake tasting mix
Some dishes ordered by my friends: Eggs Benedict
Frittata: With goat cheese, sun dried tomatoes and pesto
My sandwich! The Organic Oregano Roasted Chicken with Avocado, tomato, yogurt sauce on grilled bread.
I have a new favorite sandwich and the sad news is that I have to go back to NYC to get it. This was out of this world. The avocado was so creamy against the warm grilled bread, and the cucumber sauce (tzaziki) was cool and refreshing. I slathered up the bread with the cucumber sauce and devoured that sandwich.
After an amazing brunch, we stopped for a few coffees before heading over to the Highline in Chelsea. The coffee shop was so cute! It was called Jacks.
I loved that the menu was written on a chalkboard against brick walls. This felt like a true coffee shop!
All organic and fairtrade

I went with a medium iced coffee with soymilk.
Next it was off to the Highline in Chelsea
For those who don’t know, the High Line is located on Manhattan’s West Side. It runs from Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District to West 34th Street, between 10th & 11th Avenues. Section 1 of the High Line, which opened to the public on June 9, 2009, runs from Gansevoort Street to West 20th Street. Section 2, between West 20th and West 30th Streets, opened June 8, 2011.
The High Line is  a mile-and-a-half-long elevated park, running through the West Side neighborhoods of the Meatpacking District, West Chelsea and Clinton/Hell’s Kitchen. It features an integrated landscape, designed by landscape architects James Corner Field Operations, with architects Dinner Scofidido and Renfro, combining meandering concrete pathways with naturalistic plantings. Fixed and movable seating, lighting, and special features are also included in the park.
It was such a fun, relaxing and beautiful sight to see. It was also somewhere I had never been in the city and because it was so brand spankin’ new it was PACKED!
This picture was taken from the top of the High Line on our walk. This hotel is all glass windows!

We even saw some people in their hotel rooms while walking. The Glass windows in the hotel rooms overlooking one of New Yorks most popular new hot spots will hopefully teach the people in the rooms to cover up! 🙂

We hit up Chelsea Market which is located right near the High Line shortly after to browse.
And nibble some free samples!
I got Instagram! I took this picture using the instagram app on my iphone…how cool do the pics come out? I love it!
I loved this sign in Jacks Coffee Shop!
And this jar in an artist’s gallery shop we visited

<3 my friends
We had some sushi Saturday night. Sorry about the blurry/dark pictures they were taken with my iphone. The sushi was delicious!
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Sunday, before I headed back to Boston…it was Brunch time again! I was super excited because now I was a believer in the New York Brunch and couldn’t wait for another delicious meal!
Brunch on Sunday was eaten Grey Dog Cafe The ambiance here was funky, artsy, cozy and has a ‘homey’ vibe to it!  The tables were brightly painted over thick wood and It was full of trinkets and fun paintings. I loved the casual atmosphere and SUCH friendly staff!
I went with Half Sandwich/Salad combo.
The salad was called “The Country Salad” mixed greens, grape tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, pea shoots & chick peas, with a house vinaigrette

The sandwich was called “The #6″ Grilled Chicken Press with Fresh Mozzarella, Pesto and; Roasted Tomato” We got our choice of bread and I went with the 9-grain. I like how much heartier 9-grain bread is over whole wheat.

It was SO delicious. The fresh mozzarella was hot and oozed out of the fresh 9-grain bread. After this brunch it was really a close call as to which one was better. I came to the conclusion that they were equally delicious and HIGHLY recommened.
After brunch, it was sadly time to begin my trip back to Boston. It wasn’t as easy as it sounds because the Gay Pride parade was going on! This was the most amazing sight to see and I am extremely happy I got to take part in a small bit of it, even as an outsider.
This was a monumental and HUGE moment in New York City for the legalizing of same sex marriage. Looking around this event it was amazing to see so many different, electic, unique individuals all coming together in support of something so incredible important. The music was blasting and the people of New York City were going absolutely crazy. It was so fun to see

Yeah, I had fun in New York.
Question 1: What is your favorite city to go visit?
Question 2: Brunch, Lunch, Breakfast, Dinner–What is your favorite meal to ‘dine out’ and favorite thing to order?