After the first time I went to Smorgasburg, I said really wanted to go back again. Bestie C and I finally got the chance to squeeze in a visit Saturday. The weather forecast for the day predicted clouds and a bit of precipation. But it was sunny, almost cloudless, and pleasantly windy all day. The perfect weather (minus the sudden gusts of wind) for going to an outdoor food gathering.
Vermont Maple Lemonade Stand
Butternut Donut - $1
We actually got to Williamsburg about half an hour too early. All the vendors were still setting up and we could only sit and wait for them. The two of us were starving! So when we saw a stall with these dollar donuts, we grabbed one for each of us and devoured it. I thought my donut tasted a little bit stale, but it could just be that the donut is a lot denser and more muffin like than what I am use to for a donut. I love that it wasn't overly sweet, just right for me. The sweetness came mostly from the coating so (I think) it balanced well with the butternut donut.
Ramen Burger - $8
Since we arrived super early, the line for the ramen burger was still really short. So...we thought why not...!? I know I said I probably wouldn't buy it again but that was because I expected the lines to be always really long. Again, I felt that the burger was alright. I would have preferred it to have sauce on both noodles buns because it makes it taste SO much better IMO, otherwise the no-sauce bites of ramen tasted a bit bland. Throughout the day we overheard others who tried it and there were overall mixed reviews. I guess it's a personal preference kind of thing? It's definitely a novelty idea and worth at least a try.
Mighty Quinn's
Big Brisket Sandwich - $9 (the Lil sandwiches are $5)
The first time we went to Smorgasburg, we noticed the line for Mighty Quinn's was on par with Ramen Burger's line but didn't get to try their stuff. This time around I couldn't give up the chance again. We were going to get the 'lil' sandwich because we had just finished the ramen burger. But then I noticed how tiny and bite-sized the 'lil' sandwich was. That was definitely a one person sandwich. Plus, the price point of that wasn't worth getting two small ones...so one big sandwich it was. Anyways! I really liked the brisket. It was pretty moist and juicy. The only thing negative was I thought the buns (or top bun in particular) was a bit too thick for my liking.
Pecan Patti
Pomegrante Sweet Tea - $6
Fresh Ginger Sweet Tea - $6
Of all the stands that I remember of that offered non-alcoholic drinks, the teas from this stand probably gives the most value for your money. There was another stand(s) that sold quart-sized drinks but their prices were closer to the double digit range. I liked it so much that I decided to buy the ginger tea to take home for my family to try. I can't pick a favorite though...they all tasted very good to me.
Lumpia Shack
Sampler (L to R ... 3 of each: Original, Vegetarian Truffled Adobo Mushroom, Peking Duck) - $9
I also wanted to try this the last time I went to Smorgasburg but was discouraged by the price. This time I didn't care so much because I really wanted to try lumpia at least once. (I blame itsjudyslife for this craving! :P) I'm glad they offered a Sampler on their menu since I am rather indecisive when it comes to food. This was by far my favorite savory dish of the day. Of course, who wouldn't love a bit of fried food? However...I was kind of expecting them to be bigger or even longer. This seemed more like an appetizer/snack portion. Is this the standard lumpia size? I really have no idea :X
Butter & Scotch
Sticky Toffee Trifle - $6
At this point in the day, I was already pretty full from all the foods and liquids. But I spotted a couple eating this concoction and my sweet tooth was craving it. I've never had a trifle before. Basically this one was a layered dessert with toffee cake baked with some sort of fruit (I think), along with TONS of cream. I think I heard the lady at the stand say there was rum or something alcohol-y in it as well. (I am not sure about this one actually...but judging from their name, Drunk Bakers, I'd say it's safe to assume some is in there.) It was delicious. But of course very indulgent. & I will proudly say I don't regret getting it ^__^
Momo Dressing
Sesame Dressing 12oz - $7 ... (8oz - $5)
I tried Soba noodles over the summer and wanted to try eating it in a different way (other than with spicy soy sauce). The people at the Momo dressing stand recommended the Sesame version for soba. *Cross my fingers* I hope it end up I liking it! I'm actually not a big fan of sesame seeds, but do like sesame flavor. (I know that sounds very contradicting...) Has anyone tried a sesame sauce before with noodles? How is that combo?
Has anyone else made a visit to Smorgasburg yet? What did you try? What are your recommendations?
If you haven't and will be in NYC before the end of November, you still have the chance to visit!
I have been fairly good at not making any spontaneous trips to beauty and drugstores. But once I go into a store to get something that I need, all the can't buy won't buy chants leave my mind. My recent trip to this Korean cosmetics pop-up store was exactly this case.
The reason why I said I needed to go? Ran out of makeup remover.
The main culprit to why I decided I had to make the trip? Discount & GWP
I am a sucker for deals. Even though this isn't the best deal that is around, I still got drawn in somehow.
When I received an e-mail from Missha saying that their brand & a few others were going to be available in a pop-up store in the city, I almost immediately got the shopping itch. It also didn't help that the e-mail included a 30% discount AND a GWP for orders over $30. I was actually waiting for Missha to have a big sale (40 or 50% off) on their website. But impulses got the best of me! Plus, I wanted to see what other brands and products the pop-up store had to offer.
Various Samples .......... GWP makeup pouch with more samples
2 Missha M Super-Extreme Waterproof Soft Pencil Eyeliner (Auto) in Brown and Khaki
Missha M Perfect BB Deep Cleansing Oil
I did walk out with the items that I wanted. But the trouble is I came out with 2 extra eyeliners in order to meet the $30 GWP point. These definitely aren't needed in my collection but my reasoning at the time was "I finished my favorite brown eyeliner and need a replacement." Does this happen to anyone else?
It was definitely an interesting visit. The store layout was very spacious. When I visited, I was the only one there so I received close attention from the SA. But she wasn't the pushy type. There were many brands that I was not familiar with (isoi, Mizon, Gosso, and a few others). I did recognize a few like Missha, BRTC, and Dr. G. A majority of the store's selection is of BB Creams with one or two skincare lines from each brand and some sporadic makeup items. Unsurprisingly, most of the items were on the pricier side.
For anyone else in NYC who is interested in the address of the pop-up store is:
379 Broome Street
New York, NY 10012
It is right off Chinatown and touching a section of Little Italy. This is an area of Manhattan that I don't ever remember going to and I went to Chinatown a lot growing up. Then again, there are still tons of places in NYC that I haven't explored yet. So I shouldn't be one to talk :P
For any who may be wondering about the 30% off and GWP...I am not sure if it is still available. But I think you could check via Missha USA's website
I had the opportunity to finally go on my first hike last Friday. Well, it wasn't a challenging hike but definitely very different compared to the usual walking I do on the city streets. Plus...the weather was great! Sunny but cool and breezy. My favorite kind of weather. It was also an opportunity for me to bring my camera along. Although at some points during the trek I did regret bringing the extra weight with me. Those thoughts just seem silly now when I look back at the photos!
Here's lots of greenery shots for everyone to look at before Fall really starts to set in!
Actually, I bet the park would look great when the foliage starts to change colors.
Croton Point is part of upstate New York. The group of us got there by train. Three more firsts for me: going to Grand Central Station, traveling by the MetroNorth & going upstate sans parents/family. The travel there from Grand Central was about half an hour shorter than the journey back (1hr to vs. 1.5 hr back). But then again, we left around rush hour so it should be expected.
I really love this shot, if I do say so myself ^^;;
And this!
If I remember correctly, this building used to be a boarding house? then some sort of store? Ahh my memory is bad!
Another first! Is this common outside of cities? Owl etiquette...
Yet another first! I have never seen trailers/RVs before in person (at least none that were being used). Apparently you can also pitch a tent and camp at this park, park your RV/trailer and camp, or even rent a cabin and camp. Whatever suites your fancy. Seems like a fun place to be in the summer. I wonder how crowded it gets.
Even though I went to Croton Point Park as part of a cultural requirement, I actually really liked it. There weren't too many big hills so I enjoyed all the walking that we did. Other than all the tiny pesky bugs and insects around & the bright sun, I surprisingly felt very relaxed. Maybe it's because there were barely anyone else there besides us and everything was so quiet there. I definitely want to go again or go somewhere similar. It is definitely something to think twice about though because the individual round trip train tickets are pretty expensive (at least to me it is). Sometimes I wished I lived in a place where there are more of these kind of parks that were closer by... *hmm but then I think I'd probably really miss the convenience of city life heh*
Have you been on hikes/nature walks lately? If you're from NYC, do you have any places you recommend?
