Showing posts with label Manhattan. Show all posts

Wandering Tales | University Place

Today was a very relaxing and well spent day full of chatting and catching up with lilladyslife & Karyi. There weren't any specific plans other than to have lunch. Many places we went to were impromtu and very random (like Trader Joe's and Barnes & Noble). But I cannot complain about that since I get to explore the city more this way. (I am too much of a hermit anyways :P)

Peacefood Cafe
41 E 11th St
(between Broadway & University Pl)
New York, NY 10003

Mediterranean Over-Dried Seasonal Vegetables Panini
with cashew cheese, basil spinach pesto
This was my first vegan meal. I had no expectations going in. All I hoped was that I would be able to finish the whole meal and not let anything go to waste since I'm not a very big veggies person. Thankfully, it wasn't half bad! It even tasted kind of meaty..

Our next stop took us to Washington Square Park. Luckily it was sunny and breezy ... my favorite weather combo! It is such a nice place to people watch. If you don't mind getting a little wet, you could actually go in and sit in the fountain steps. Apparently, there is a guy who always plays the piano at the park. & I've also occasionally seen people doing chalk/sand art by the arch.

Amorino Gelato
60 University Pl
(between 10th St & 11th St)
New York, NY 10003

Middle cone: Caramel, Sweet Pistachio, and Hazelnut Gelato 'Petals'
After we sat under the sun for a while, we were all craving ice cream. Karyi remembered that a place nearby sold ice cream that's shaped like a flower and I was sold! I'm not sure how gelato differs from ice cream but this cone tasted really good. The next time I visit, I am going to choose the fruitier flavors & make a more colorful flower.

Asia goodies from Karyi!

MBD Natto Mask, Sasatinnie Platinum White Truffle Mask, Silk Whitia Whitening Essence Mask
Pretz HK Sea Food Flavored ...... Pretz Abalone in Oyster Sauce Flavored
All things I have never tried before. So excited!! I didn't even know Pretz made any other flavors outside of Salad. Have I been missing out on some really interesting Pretz flavors?!

Wandering Tales | Lower East Side

I have never heard of Smorgasbar until Bestie C mentioned it to me last week. She went and suggested we go together to finally try out lobster rolls. Of course, whenever our plans are made revolving eating it never ends up being just from one place. But neither of us thought we'd end up eating soo much! What the heck right? We were out and about anyways! With all the walking we did, I like to think we walked off at least one of our meals.

Our first stop off the subway landed us somewhere close to Doughnut Plant. This was an add-on to our day's itinerary because I had never had Doughnut Plant doughnut before and Bestie C said they were good!
Doughnut Plant
379 Grand Street, between Essex and Norfolk
Hours: Every day 6:30 a.m. - 8 p.m.


Coconut Lime & Lavender Flower Yeast Doughnuts
After sharing 2 flavors between the two of us, I knew immediately that I wanted to go back. I even joked to Bestie that if I lived in the area I'd probably go there as often as I could or at least enough to have tried all the flavors once. Of the two doughnuts we had, we both agreed that we liked the coconut lime version more. I didn't enjoy the lavender flower doughnut as much because it smelled a little too much like candles for my liking. But that means it had tons of it's namesake flavors, which is a good thing!


An elementary school's community garden
I wish more schools who have the space available did something like this!


Red Hook Lobster Pound @ Smorgasbar, South Street Seaport
Left: Connecticut Style ...... Right: Maine Style
I've seen Red Hook Lobster at Madison Square Eats many times, but never had the money to spend on the lobster rolls. We made the trip specifically for these and I must say...I felt it was worth it. Lobster is expensive in general and you do get a lot of lobster in each. The Connecticut style was a warm version. I think the sign said the lobster claws are poached in butter. Versus the Maine style roll is more like a cold lobster salad with mayo. Neither is very healthy but we also don't have the chance to eat this very often. So it's alright!! :P



We spent a while sitting on a bench by the water just enjoying the sun. Good thing it was a nice day out! NYC had a strange sudden cold & windy day just the day before. I even got a bit sunburned from our outing.


Left: Melt Bakery Lily Koi Ice Cream Sandwich (Vanilla Shortbread Cookie + Passion Fruit Ice Cream)
The stop to MELT Bakery was Bestie C's pick. We have both been obsessed with their ice cream sandwiches since we had our first ones way back in the Fall at Madison Square Eats. We wanted to try their Zen Ice Cream Sandwich (with green tea ice cream), but they didn't make that the day we went. Apparently, they make their sandwiches fresh. So I guess we'll just have to keep visiting until we get our hands on it!

Right: babycakes (vegan bakery)
Going to babycakes was my choice. This was more of an impulse decision when I realized how close we were to it. One of my high school teacher's favorite bakery was babycakes and I had been wanting to try it out for a few years now. I don't know what was stopping me because it is SOO close to Chinatown. I ended up buying their day old/2 for 1 cupcakes because I wanted to be greedy and try multiple flavors & bring home some for my little brother. The cupcakes were bashed around a bit on my way home so I didn't get a chance to take a photo of them. Perhaps I'll get a shot the next time I purchase from them! Their vegan cupcakes weren't bad at all. It wasn't as sweet as non-vegan cupcakes I have had (including the icing), which is great! However, the icing was a lot oilier when left out at room temperature. I wonder if that is normal?

We ended up making a full circle. Doughnut Plant, Melt Bakery, and babycakes are actually pretty close to each other. Just keep that in mind if anyone wants to visit any while spending their time more efficiently!

Have you had any good eats recently? I'd love to add it to my "To try" list, no matter where it's located!

October Happenings


Even though fall began at the end of September, it didn't really start to feel like the season until a couple of weeks ago. There were still a few strangely hot and sunny days in early October and leaves (at least of the ones I saw) didn't change colors until mid-October. But I'm not one to complain because I love the in-between seasons. Rather than loving one particular season, I'm more of a Spring-Summer and Summer-Fall kind of girl.

Before the midterm rush started, I was able to go shopping. In the end, I tried more items than I actually bought. The SAs must really hate people like me...I'm so sorry!!~
Here are some things that I tried, loved, and didn't buy for one reason or another.


Isn't this quirky ring set adorable?! If I wore rings more often, I'd probably get it just for the heck of it.

I'm not much of a skirt person because I'm not very confident with my body shape but I couldn't resist trying the trending hi-lo skirt anyway. There are just certain things that look better on taller/skinnier people...*sigh*

I've been really into blouses lately. But a lot of the ones at F21 and other more affordable stores make theirs from a really rough polyester that I'm not very fond of. Whenever I see a nice blouse I end up feeling it to test its softness/smoothness. (Does anyone else do this?) This particular polka-dot button down felt sooo luxurious, yet it was also just polyester! (How can there be such a difference in the same material type?) The only reason why I didn't buy this was because I thought it made me look too old? But now I'm king of regretting not purchasing this...A girl can never have too many button-downs!


Another gem I found at Macy's, a Calvin Klein satchel. My favorite type of handbag is one with both a cross-body strap and shorter handles! Usually, Macy's handbag section is such a mess (especially at the particular one I went to) but somehow I was drawn to this bag. It looks similar to the kate spade bag that I posted about a little while ago doesn't it? However, since the price range of this one is pretty close to the kate spade bag...I decided I might as well just wait and save up for the latter.


Uniqlo DIP G.V.G.V. Long Sleeve Shirt + Uniqlo Knit Leggings in Wine | AE Knit Lace Sweater in Grey

I really loved the Uniqlo top! I just wasn't too sure about the gold/yellow/beige color. Now that I look back at the photo of me wearing it, I think I could have worked it...after a few pep talks hehe! The leggings, on the other hand, I ended up loving and bought immediately.

I haven't bought anything from AE in-store or at full price recently. They always have mark-downs and sales so Besties and I just wait it out before we order anything online. This way 1) we save because of the sale 2) if it does go OOS by the time we want it, we save even more! Now I go to the store mainly to just try on pieces to see if I like the way it looks on me and to see if things fit. (Does anyone else do this?) I tried on this sweater and really liked it. I thought it was just a muted lilac but turns out it's actually a gray. Mmm, guess the lighting really affected my color judgment that day. What do you guys think of this lace sweater?


AE Open Back Shirt in Black

Another blouse! This one has an open back which I don't mind too much. Again...something about this kind of polka-dot (well polka-feather to be more exact ha) pattern makes me feel like it ages me. But a sweater/cardigan over top could probably balance the aging effect out right?


Tests came one after another. In fact...I still have 2 left that I was supposed to take this week but was pushed back due to Hurricane/Tropical Storm Sandy hitting the city. Thankfully now I have more time to prepare for those two, and, of course, they're the most difficult ones...*sigh*

The other enjoyment of October was getting to try a lot of new foods because Madison Square Eats was by the school I go to. It was definitely relaxing to have delicious food in the middle of a stressful day! NOTE: I didn't eat these all on one day! That would be scary... Most of these I shared with Bestie C


1 Beef & 1 Chicken Hot Dogs with WangDing topping (Chinese BBQ pork belly, cucumber, scallions) &
Korean BBQ Bulgogi Burger with Asian slaw @ Asiadog

These hot dogs were amazing! The extra meat filled me right up and the sauce...so good! AHH. This was definitely my favorite of all the savory foods that I tried. The Bulgogi Burger was alright. I think it had a little too much slaw for my liking. Perhaps next time I go to their actual store I should try it with kimchi instead.


Shaved Ice with Strawberries, Mochi, and Dulce de Leche @ Wooly's Ice

Soo good! Who knew ice could taste so good...I especially loved it with mochi and dulce de leche more than with fruit but you have to have something "healthy" in a sweet dessert to balance out...hehe.


Peanut Butter, Lemon, Hazelnut, Red Velvet, Lemon and Basil, and Earl Grey Macarons @ Macaron Parlour

These were pretty good! Compared to Laduree, these shells were a little stiffer (though I did have these when they were a chilled in the fridge for a bit because they were melting by the time I got home) but overall less sweet. & I appreciate the fact that the fillings of these were mostly chocolate based.



Teriyaki Balls with Sausage & Corn and Edamame Beans in Butter and Seasalt @ Mimi & Coco

Don't be fooled by how small this looks. It is filling! I like how they reinvented (if that is the correct term) takoyaki balls but I don't think anything can replace the originals for me. The lady manning the stall the day Bestie C and I ate there was so nice. She discounted our totals because she thought we were waiting for her to make our orders for too long, in reality, it was just because we were just there too early.


Alabama BBQ Chicken Slider, Burnt Ends Beef Chili Slider, BBQ Brisket Slider @ Mexicue

Don't these just look delicious? I'm not sure if these are considered Mexican food...maybe it's fusion? Anyways, these tasted as yummy as it looks. At first, I was a little worried the meats would be too dry and the sliders too small but these proved me wrong. Even the jalapenos caught me by surprised! I didn't think I'd be able to handle them but it was milder than I thought (well they were pickled peppers...).


Pulled Pork Empanada & Coconut Curry Chicken Empanada @ La Sonrisa

Who doesn't love some fried goodness? Definitely shouldn't eat these too often. I liked the curry empanada more (then again I have a little curry bias hehe). I wouldn't recommend eating these only and calling it a meal though because I ended up feeling hungry a couple of hours later...


Carne Asada Taco & Side of rice and beans @ Calexico

Of the two I liked the tacos more. The rice and beans by themselves were a little bland to me. However! I had their Pollo Verde Burrito (which has the beans and rice inside the tortilla wrap) and that was amazing...Then again, I've never had a burrito before so I have no other benchmark to reference to.


Pork Belly Buns @ Hong Kong Street Car &

"de Bom" (Liege Waffle with Speculoos Ice Cream and Belgian Chocolate Fudge @ Wafles and DingesI know how unhealthy pork belly is...but I love it so much. Hong Kong Street Car cooks them really well and everything just melts in my mouth, literally! The only thing that stops me from buying the pork belly buns again is for 1 bun...it's $4. So small! So expensive!

Since we didn't feel full at all from the little bun, Bestie C and I went to Wafles and Dinges to get our dessert fill. I've never had one all by myself but we were hungry so we each got one to enjoy. The waffle that particular day wasn't the best that I've had from them (usually it has a pretty crunchy exterior and soft and chewy inside, the one that day was all soft and chewy). The best part was definitely their gingerbread ice cream. Cannot get enough of that!


Cinnamax (Snickerdoodle cookies with Cinnamon Ice Cream) @ Melt Bakery
Bestie had The Lovelet (Red Velvet Meltcakes with Cream Cheese Ice Cream)

I haven't had ice cream sandwiches in a long time and those were just the ones from an ice cream truck/deli. This was my first time eating a cookie ice cream sandwich. It was cold and hard. Since my front teeth are quite sensitive to the cold I had to take a small bite of the cookie and then scrape the ice cream with my teeth. It was worth it! Although...these were humongous. Halfway through I felt like I had enough X: (Could just be the Asian in me talking hah) Next time I'm going to try the Lovelet!!


Truffle Cheddar Pretzel @ Sigmund's

I've never tasted truffle anything before but I heard (from food shows) that truffle oil is supposed to be very heavy and overpowering. I didn't particularly taste that. But it was a good soft pretzel! The strange part was I ended up liking their honey mustard sauce a lot more than the actual pretzel itself...hah.

With all the days I ate out, I rarely got the chance to cook this month. The only times were when I decided to stay home and study on the weekends. Although these were supposed to be quick meals they somehow ended up taking a long time to prepare.


Oatmeal made with milk, a little bit of Agave Nectar, cinnamon, and bananas

I've grown accustomed to eating oatmeal made with milk rather than water. I know it just adds more calories but it's the way I like it...at least I eat oatmeal right? Adding the bananas was a spontaneous decision. There was a banana lying around (which usually does not happen) so I just sliced it and put them in. It tasted really good! Does anyone else eat oatmeal with fruits?


Curry ramen that I made for my brother and I

Usually, I just throw the packets of things a package of ramen comes with straight into the pot of boiling water and consume but for some reason that day I started pulling out this and that from the fridge and it came out to be like that^ in the end.


A sneak peak at one of the outfits I wore in October. I decided not to include my OOTDs here because the post was getting too long. Hope no one minds! Or do you prefer many short posts as opposed to a long monthly summary?

September Happenings

This month went by really quickly! I forgot that school does that to a person's perception of time...Especially with all the days off we had at the school I go to, I hardly felt like I've been attending classes for a whole month already. I didn't get to do many things other than go to school, eat, and shop some. Doesn't sound exciting enough to share right? But nonetheless, there were some highlights of my month!


I didn't get to post on the actual date but Happy Belated Mid-Autumn Festival! (This sounds a little weird to me because the official start of fall was only like a week ago...hah.) For this year I didn't eat the traditional mooncakes. I was finally able to try the snow-skin mooncakes. This one, in particular, was a taro one. I must say...it was yummy. Of course, it's a plus that the mooncake was purple!


The most exciting event of my September!!!!! This one deserves all the exclamation points it can get!!!
I have been anticipating this concert since they announced Big Bang will have one way back in...the summer. I didn't think I'd actually be able to go but when my friend said she was interested as well I definitely wanted to get my butt there in November. She was able to get not 1 but 2 of the highly sought after VIP tickets. I was so surprised...I checked the ticket listings for fun a few minutes after they were released and they were virtually non-existent. Despite the high ticket price, I am stoked! I can't wait for this concert.

The rare chance that my nails are actually strong enough for me to paint them! Nothing too flashy, but a nice transition going into fall no?

I also shopped more than I would like to admit this month. This is just a photo of one of my hauls...Scary! I've been putting a lot more effort into dressing "up" for school nowadays. Definitely trying to get out of the jeans and hoodies rut I was in for the longest time...


I haven't browsed the Macy's selection of clothes in a LONG time. I went the other day with my mother and I was immediately drawn to this burgundy Tommy Hilfiger button down. My mom, on the other hand, did not like it at all. But that didn't stop me from at least trying it. I LOVED the way it looked. It had a slight hi-low and when I tucked the front in, it didn't show my muffin top like most other shirts do *sigh* The only thing that stopped me from getting it was its price. I scanned the top and it came out to be $55.xx...WHY SO PRICEY?! I must wait for this to go on sale!

Do you guys think my gym gear is breaking too many fashion rules (if any)? Or does that not matter when you go to the gym? I haven't been worked out in a while so I made it a point to get myself there the other day. I don't know what made me get on the treadmill when I usually just go on the cross-ramp but it felt nice (at the time). My legs couldn't even bend without hurting for the next few days...

The only other interesting thing I did was eat.

Poutine @ Pommes Frites

I'm not sure how poutine in Canada tastes, but I think this is the closest we can get in NYC? I loved how crunchy the fries were. But I just wished the cheese curds was a little more melted/stringy.


Takoyaki @ Otafuku

A little hole-in-the-wall shop on a side street at St.Marks. I love their takoyaki! Surprisingly, of the three times I've bought from them this was the only time I've eaten it fresh and hot. It was good...The only complaint I have was I wish mine were a bit crispier on the outside. But that could have been a timing problem because I didn't want to burn myself eating the takoyaki right away...heh.


Chocolate Swirl Bread & Macarons @ Panya Bakery

I gotta say I loved both of these. Especially the bread. It wasn't overly sweet but definitely not as plain as white toast. Not something I'd indulge in often but definitely something I'd get again. I love that you can ask them to cut the loaf of bread there. They have a thick toast option! LOVE~


Sunrise (Mango & Strawberry White Tea) with Aloe Jelly @ Yaya Tea Garden

I've tried a couple syrupy teas and I think they just aren't for me...They all taste too sweet for my liking. I wonder if I could ask for less of the syrup the next time I go (whenever that is). But I do appreciate the different types of jellies they had available!


Variety of sushi rolls @ Wasabi

Since I don't eat raw fish, I always end up getting a plate full of not so healthy but very delicious sushi with something fried in it instead. Not complaining though! I love me some sushi!


Homemade Herbal Jelly (not made by me)

I've been eating this all of August and September. At first, we just bought the stuff from the store but my mom decided to try making it herself. It wasn't too bad, although some batches were more jelly like than others. I love to eat this with agave nectar instead of liquid sugar. Apparently, ABCs aren't a big fan of this? I guess I'm the exception...I love this stuff!


I wish I could be as carefree as this guy (at least it seems he is). The next coming months at school will be stressful. Not just because of the workload. Mainly because it's my first semester as a sophomore and I really still have no burning definite decision for my major yet. AHH! Was anyone else in this situation or am I just really terrible for not having a goal in life...still...?
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