Lately I've been feeling like a muffin manda. Maybe it's the fact that it's warm and summer and berry season, or maybe it's my undying love of breakfast foods (aka breakfast breads), but I have been trying every muffin under the sun. Unlike my never-ending search for the best chocolate chip cookie recipe, I've finally filled the muffin recipe void in my life. And I will never go back-- Muffin manda is a title I now wear with pride.

Quickly backing up, the argument of what should be considered a "muffin" versus a "cupcake" seems to be hotly debated in extremely niche internet circles, so I obviously will address it here and you can feel free to skip this paragraph. In case you're curious where I stand on this pressing topic, please read on: Muffins are moist and have at least a 1:1 fruit-to-dough ratio, and cupcakes are denser and unobstructed by fruity mixins. Muffins crumble apart in a delicious way, and cupcakes kind of hold together when you bite into them (in an equally delicious but different way). Muffins are for any time of day, and so are cupcakes, because it's summer and these are both fun things you should include in your diet! Glad that's out of the way.

I bake a lot for my family, and everyone said these were the best muffins they've ever had. So share the joy of summer muffins and make your friends and family berry happy.

These Muffins Are:

• Moist, fluffy and crumbly
• Super packed with berries
• A perfect base recipe for your individual fruit-filled desires

The Best Mixed Summer Berry Muffins

Makes 12 Muffins

Ingredients:

3 tbs unsalted butter
1 tbs Greek yogurt
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk (I used 1%)
2 cups all purpose flour*
3/4 cup sugar (I used coconut sugar)
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup strawberries
1 cup blueberries
1/2 cup blackberries**

*This time, I ran out of AP flour and used a bit of buckwheat to make up for the remainder. To be honest, I prefer it straight AP, but the buckwheat gives it an earthier, nuttier flavor, so if that's what you like, replace 1/2 cup AP with buckwheat.
** You can really mix and match the berries to your liking-- just have them equal out to 2 1/2 cups.

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375* F and butter/ flour 12 baking tins
2. Whisk together the milk, butter, greek yogurt and eggs.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and sugar in another bowl. Then, stir the wet ingredients into this dry ingredient bowl.
4. Fold the berries into the batter. Spoon batter into the muffin tins.
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool on a rack for 5 minutes.

Let me know if you use an unusual combo of fruits that turn out to be (muf)f-ing amazing.

People like to knock the Cronut, probably due to the mass hysteria and massive lines that have consistently surrounded this hybrid-concoction since it's release in 2012. "It's just a pastry" cry out the hoards of non-believers, the too-cool-for-tourist-food city dwellers who chastise the direction of pop-food culture. But at the end of the day, no matter how little you want to buy into the Cronut craze, if you've tried one, you straight-up can't talk down on it. Why? Because it is delicious.

I remember having high expectations before trying a Cronut for the first time, thinking, yeah, I'm sure it's all hype. And then I remember biting into my Cronut. And in that moment of butter-fueled bliss, I lost it. The last time I had one of those moments was at Poilane in France when I bit into an apple tart. And excuse my french, but Cronuts are f!cking awesome.

Sweet, creamy, flaky, rich, moist, crunchy -- ever flavor and texture profile is summoned in the almighty creation. The reason people went crazy for the Cronut isn't just because it's some wacky hybrid of two awesome foods-- it's because the execution is damn good. And that is because Dominique Ansel himself is really quite amazing.

As the head pastry chef at Daniel for six years, Ansel opened his namesake bakery back in 2011. His mass success stems from a certain authenticity, integrating timeless French technique with creativity, and turning pastries into a big fat "I love you" ode to New York City. New York loves Donuts. Dominique Ansel knows the croissant [no matter what haters say, cause it just is not true]. The world loves creativity, change, innovation. A perfect storm for an amazing pastry party in your mouth.

Ansel's just recently opened his second city outpost, Dominique Ansel Kitchen, on Wednesday, April 29th in the West Village. You may have seen his hashtag "#TimeIsAnIngredient" around social media, as the Kitchen creates pastries as-ordered, integrating a freshness that is game-changing. I haven't made a trip there yet, but I actually cannot wait. What am I most excited for? Could it be the twice baked Marcona Almond croissant with Lavendar and Gin Fragipine? Or maybe the deep brown sugar Kouigan Amann? Or the Smoked Sage Dark Chocolate Brownies? How about everything. In a city filled with mass-produced croissants sold at a markup, Ansel is going a step further to create not just a new product, but an experience. His innovation and dedication is evident -- the last three times I've been in the original bakery, he's been there. Once he held the door for me, and I got freakishly startstruck and kept saying "hi" over again (because most normal people have that reaction when they see a pastry chef, right)?

Sorry for all the words, but basically, this guy is rad and I can't wait to see what he does next. In celebration of butter and Dominique Ansel's newest venture, I wanted to count down the Top 5 Cronut's I've had the glorious tastebudalicious pleasure of sinking my teeth into.

5. Strawberry Rhubarb with Thyme Ganache and Citrus Sugar (April 2015)

For all of those who haven't yet had a Cronut, you should know that it's not just a sugar bomb. I repeat, it's not just a sugar bomb. This is perhaps most evident in the Strawberry Rhubarb creation. Rhubarb has that natural bitter bite, and the strawberry jam is so sweet and delicious. It's kind of like a strawberry rhubarb pie that was baked in South Carolina, and then went on a gap year to France and came back and was all fancy and sophisticated but still remembered it's roots.

4. Matcha and Golden Pineapple (March 2015)

The colors freaked me out at first, I'm not going to lie. Anything that is neon green and neon yellow is probably meant to alarm us and say "don't eat this!" as a vestigal remnant for humans to not devour grass or something weird. But I bit into this and was wowed beyond belief. Something about the sweetness of the pineapple, matched with the smoothness of match tea, turned me into a believe of all things that resemble the Irish flag. I really cannot explain how out of this world the Matcha creme was. It was like eating tea clouds. Yes, clouds made of joy and tea. On instagram, he released a pic of the Matcha Beignets he'll be serving up at Dominique Ansel Kitchen. Cannot wait, as the man knows how to do matcha and donuts right.

3. Pumpkin Chai Tea (October 2014)

Once I was at a Hall and Oates concert (last year... late to the party? nope.) and Daryl Hall said "when I play this song, it feels like the first time, everytime." Well that's kind of how I feel about Cronuts, and this was my first time, and hot damn, was it amazing. I'm not one of those pumpkin spice lunatics, but I can mess with a good chai, and this was out of control. As I said before, something about these tea flavors is so subtley sweet and balance, ahhhh. It reminded me of sitting on a pumpkin patch and drinking a Chai Latte that's spiked. Why spiked? Because why not -- Cronuts are all about indulging, so you do you.

2. Sweet Clementine and Ricotta (May 2015)

Weirdly enough, I am the one human on earth who doesn't like cheese (plz don't stop reading - thank you). Anyways, my childhood was filled with cannolis (lots of cognitive dissonance here, I get that) and rightfully so, I wasn't sure if I was going to love this flavor or be like cheesus, I can't get this down. Well, it was amazing. And guess what? It's still the flavor for more than a week, so you too can try it! The clementine is bursting with bright, fresh citrus notes, and the ricotta is so subtle and used perfectly sparingly. I can't get over how much I actually loved this one and am considering black-(foodie)market purchasing one so I can get my fix again before it's gone foreva.

1. Caribbean Rum Raisin with Sultanas and Tahitian Vanilla Sugar (November 2014)

This is the one Cronut I was like "eh, I probably won't like this flavor" and almost didn't pick it up. I also said that I didn't like Theology (and that's what I majored in) and that I never wanted to go to Australia (sup, studied abroad there, best 4 months ever), so in the natural progression of my life comes this flavor as the top of my list. I picked one up for my roommate and accidentally ate it (and now she's finding out about it this way... awkward). Vanilla is such a beautiful flavor when done correctly, and this was perfect. The rum gave it a certain hint, and the savory-sweetness of the golden raisins complimented the deepness of the rum and the lightness of the vanilla. No joke, this is where it's at. If three flavors could join together to make an unsuspectingly amazing group -- it's these. These are like The Beatles (minus Ringo, sorry Ringo). 

So that's my list. Honorable mention goes to the Valrhona Dark Chocolate with Raspberry Chambord (December 2014) - everyone else loves this one, but I just don't dig raspberry so yeah, that one's on me. Agree? Disagree? Don't know what I'm talking about? Let me know.

If Thanksgiving is a marathon eating holiday, then Easter (in my family, at least) is like the 5k sprint. We spend it down in Georgia. I always cook a big dinner the night before, and then Easter morning, we head to the Lodge at Sea Island for a buffet that is totally. mind. blowing. I dream of it all year round, and then it essentially is an hour long beautiful blur of butter and grits and french toast souffle and butter and fried oysters and blueberry cobbler and more butter.

Due to this gluttonous gem of a brunch, I normally don't make desserts the night before. This past year, though, I had to make this recipe for the fam. My family love brownies (which is part of the reason I love them). Every year for lent though, my chocaholic father gives up chocolate. My sister and I always like to get creative & make him desserts. I had made these a few months back and couldn't stop thinking about how freaking good they were. Even if it was to interfere with the brunch-a-thon, I knew I just had to make these.

Chewy, moist, cinammon-sugary -- these take the goodness of a snickerdoodle, and borrow the buttery, gooeyness goodness of a brownie to make the most addictive, delicious treat on earth. It's like two superpowers coming together and being like "Hi, I am here to save your tastebuds, let's do this right." Looking at these pictures now (not even going to lie) is inspiring me to head into the kitchen and make them again. Right. Now. OK sorry, I might need to stop writing, because I need to bake.

Needless to say, I made a double batch, and between 11 people, they were gone within an hour. They are THAT good. Take my word, people.

These snickerdoodle blondies are:

• Dense, moist, gooey, chewy, buttery
• Gluten free (wahoo, feel good about yoself)
• Only 7 ingredients
• The TOTAL crowd pleaser and one of the top 5 things I've ever baked

The BEST Snickerdoodle Blondies (with a GF option!)

Ingredients:
2 2/3 cups gluten-free baking flour (I suggest Bob's, or a GF flour that has xanthan gum. You can also use All-Purpose flour if you're not GF)
2 Tbs Baking Powder
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup butter (2 sticks) softened
2 eggs, room temperature

3 Tbs white sugar
3 Tbs cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350* F. Place the butter & brown sugar in the mixing bowl and cream together. Add in the 2 eggs until combined.
2. Add the baking powder to the mixture. Now, add in the flour.
3. Line a 9 x 13 baking sheet (or 8 x 8 if you prefer them thicker, like me) with parchment paper. Spread the batter over the pan.
4. Combine the white sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and sprinkle generously over the batter.
5. Bake in the oven for 28-32 minutes (up to 38 min if using the 8 x 8 pan). Take out of the oven and let cool before serving! Slice & enjoy

I love spring. The energy in New York has been infectious since the weather has lightened up. Everyone's smiling and walking around, and the random guy who roller-dances in Washington Square Park is back in action. (And if that doesn't scream Spring is here, then really, what does?)

I somewhat weirdly equate spring with.... pancakes. Nope, not flowers, not sunshine, but pancakes. Why? I've narrowed it down to two things: a vestigial remnant from my childhood circa 1998, and my favorite springtime morning routine in NYC. When I was little, my dad would take my sister and I to Church on Sundays. Afterwards, we were each allowed to pick out a beanie baby out at the pharmacy before walking next-door to On The Way Cafe, where we would eat the best chocolate chip pancakes suburban New York had to offer (if that isn't the ideal Sunday in 1998, seriously, tell me what is).

These days, on weekend mornings, my favorite thing in the world to do is run along the west-side highway sometime before 11am, and then end up at Bubby's in Tribeca, where I order the sourdough starter pancakes with homemade jam. Ahhhh, the best. The absolute best.

Today, I was in a pancakey mood, and after coming back from the south last week, I have been wanting to mess around with this cornbread recipe from Sean Brock. I decided to tweak his cornbread recipe and turn it into pancakes, and then make things really unusual and veganize it by adding a Chia egg for spring power (after all, Chia seeds are the runners superfood). To (literally) top it all off, I made some homemade strawberry jam. For the second batch, I then also threw on some ice cream, because life is fun. 

This recipe is:

• Vegan
• Gluten Free
• Low in fat
• Packed with antioxidants thanks to the Chia seeds
• Under 10 min
• 6 Ingredients

Fluffy Vegan & Gluten Free Cornbread Pancakes

Cornbread Pancake Ingredients:

1 cup Cornmeal (finely ground)
1 Tbs Chia seeds
3/4 cup + 2 Tbs Milk of choice (Almond, Coconut, or regular if not vegan)
1/4 tsp Baking soda
1/4 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tbs Coconut Sugar

Cornbread Pancake Directions:

1. Make your chia egg by following this recipe: Grind your 1 Tbs of Chia seeds with a spice grinder or mortar and pestle into a fine meal, and then add in 3Tbs water. Allow this to sit for about 5-7 min, until it turns into a gel.
2. Combine your milk, baking soda, and baking powder until dissolved. Stir in the cornmeal, and then your chia egg. The batter consistency should be that of a normal pancake batter, albeit a bit coarser (you can add more liquid if it seems too thick. [Note: I love fluffy pancakes, so if not vegan, you can add about 1.5 tbs egg whites for more lift, but totally not necessary]
3. Heat your cast-iron skillet, or frying pan, with oil/butter of choice (I used coconut). Wait for the pan to get hot before pouring in your batter. Let the pancakes sizzle on medium heat and flip each when it starts to turn golden brown on the underside and the top begins to bubble. Cook on the other side until it's golden brown. Plate your cornbread pancakes.
4. Top them with lots and lots of fresh strawberry jam, recipe below. I really dislike when jam has added pectin, and this recipe is soooo simple and delicious. You can also add maple syrup, and if you're feeling awesome, add some vegan or regular ice cream.

Strawberry Jam Recipe [Adapted, Original here]

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar (I do half coconut sugar, half white/cane sugar)
1 large lemon, zested and juiced
1 1/2 pints fresh strawberries

Directions:

1. Combine the sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice over low heat in a pan for 10 minutes, until the sugar dissolves.
2. Add the strawberries and continue to cook over low heat for 20 minutes.
3. Pour into the canning jars {see Ina's tips here}

I was late to the coffee game by a few years. While 6 year-old-kids in Brazil drink coffee when they're lil munchkins (which is probably the far end of the spectrum), and a lot of my friends started indulging in high school or college, I didn't get into the grind until the ripe age of 23. That was when I woke up to the joys of joe, both metaphorically and literally (because that caffeine jolt really gets you the first few times). After my first real espresso experience, my caffeine goggles allowed me to see this city more clearly-- the sun was brighter, the sparse patches of sidewalk grass were greener, the Astor place wind tunnel was less cold. Basking in this espresso fueled-glow, the world was awake and I was happy. Now I'm addicted. the end. COFFEE! 

Anyways, I have gathered that, like many things, New Yorkers dig coffee and are also very polarized about who brews the best cup. For every coffee snob out there, there are just as many people swearing by the 99-cent instant-ready from the corner bodega. As a new coffee devotee, I decided to accept the self-imposed challenge to find the city's best cuppa. And full disclaimer: I'm an espresso person (don't judge me like that, yo). Sometimes I sip it straight, sometimes I go for the Americano, but either way, I live on the edge by drinking unfiltered coffee. Lucky for you straight-up coffee drinkers, my companions who I drag on these adventures into the great unknown of cult-coffee-culture drink the regular stuff, and I've taken their opinions into consideration. I normally don't do rankings with my lists, but good coffee definitely deserves a tiering process. These are my picks for ze best coffee joints in New York:

#5. Abraco

Best if: You want to grab and go without breaking the bank

The first time I went to Abraço, I walked by it three times. Yes, I wasn't wearing my glasses, but it is a hole in the wall place. When I walked in, it seemed like everybody knew everybody in the tiny space and I was just crashing the party-- which was kind of cool too, because hey, if there are that many coffee joints in this city, and these people are really regular-regulars, then something about this place had to be good. Their prices are lower than every other coffee shops by a few quarters, but they don't compromise quality. To add to the aesthetic coolness factor, they put their coffee into Greek corner-store cups, which (I don't know why) are oddly aesthetically appealing. The espresso and coffee are on point, as are the baked goods, like the olive cookies. Abraço - East Village, 86 E 7th

#4. Stumptown Coffee Roasters

Best if: You want to stay for over an hour

Stumptown coffee hails from Portland, Oregon, and is incredibly smooth and drinkable. The shops in NY are great for grabbing a cup and hanging out for a while-- the West 8th Street location is massively huge, and the West 29th Street is in the Ace hotel, which has a large library-esq lobby room. Both places and filled with writers and freelancers and cool people who seem to have no jobs but awesome clothing (or what the group of people who fit into what I call the "NY midday coffee shop paradox"). Their donuts are great, too. Stumptown - Greenwich Village, 30 W. 8th, & Flatiron, 18 W. 29th

#3. Joe Coffee

Best if: You want great no-frills fair-trade coffee

Do you know Joe? So Joe is from the West Village, and is now all over the city. What they lack in space, they make up for in their coffee quality, which is subtly flavorful and fairly sourced. Their iced Americano is great when it's not snowing a foot per day, and the sheer variety of roasts for their regular coffee is awesome as well. The Grand Central location is a lifesaver at times, but heads up-- that location only takes cash. Joe Coffee - West Village, 141 Waverly Place & Multiple Locations

#2. Blue Bottle

Best if: You're a real coffee lover who likes it strong & fresh

I was taken here by my California-based friends, who drink more coffee than any humans I have ever met, so I knew from the get-go that this place was the real deal. A San Francisco import, Blue Bottle is founded on the premise that coffee should be served less than 48 hours since it's been roasted, meaning it's always super fresh and super good. If you are into strong, smooth coffee, then this is the place for you. The Rockefeller Center location is small, but the perfect work pit-stop, as the line is rarely too crazy, since the shop is tucked away. The hype/ cult following for Blue Bottle are completely justified, as the coffee (and counter treats) are out of this world. Blue Bottle - Midtown, 1 Rockefeller Center, & Multiple Locations

#1. La Colombe

The Best All-Around

Where to begin.... ah. I dream of La Colombe before I go to sleep, and I wake up just so that I can get an Americano and an almond croissant from this magical, magical place. To say the coffee is prepared perfectly doesn't do it justice, as all baristers/baristas train for 3-5 months before brewing in-store. To say the flavor is good doesn't do it justice, either, because this is the most deliciously nutty, caramely, and all-around flavorful cup I've ever had. Each blend has such a profoundly unique flavor profile, it's like eating a box of Godiva truffles after you've had Hershey bars your whole life. Their baked goods should be called baked greats, because they get a fresh delivery from Francois Payard (aka the king of french pastries) every morning. The space is open and wide and beautiful, with floor-to-ceiling windows that are perfect for people-watching. I could probably stay here forever, or just apply for a job. This place is magic, pure magic, and if you haven't been, go-- right now. La Colombe - Noho, 400 Lafayette & Multiple Locations

Well, those are my top picks. What are your favorite spots? x

Images: All Instagram, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Mini cookies are the bomb. Why? Because sometimes I want to eat 30 of something in one sitting and not die. And not feel horrible. And actually be happy.

I ate 30 cookies last night and I lived to tell the tale! What's makes these cookies all the better is the fact that the recipe is (A) really easy to make [4 ingredients and 10 minutes, what up] and (B) really tasty. I also made these at the perfect time, because I really needed easy, delicious, tiny cookies last night. That whole mecury-being-in-retrograde thing is wrecking havoc on my life in the most mellow-dramatic way possible. (If you don't know what I'm talking about, read here.)

Mercury in retrograde is essentially a lot of words to say one planet is playing practical jokes on us. To be honest, I'm into it conceptually: I kind of like the idea of this one planet with a sense of humor, but I kind of don't like these little hold-ups in real life. Here's an example of one of my mellow-dramas: before work yesterday, I waited 10 minutes in line for coffee, and then the machine broke when it was my turn. So I went to the subway, and missed the train by a few seconds, and then the train broke, so that took another 15 minutes (and I didn't have any espresso to soothe me over during this 7am moment of "what-the-hell-is-going-on"). A bunch of other stuff happened and I won't bore you with these minor life crises, but bottom line: 30 mini cookies solves all problems mercury throws at us.

I actually was having a craving a shortbread "melt away" style cookie, so I decided to play around with a few simple recipes and see if this would work. My college roommate Courtney came over, and we rolled these into tiny balls, and then they cooked perfectly and then we ate them. A lot of them. (But, hey, it's all good.)

These cookies are:

• Simple & Easy (4 ingredients in total!!! and ready in 10 minutes)
• Perfect for a party/snack bowl
• Chocolate-drenched with a great melt-away texture
• Egg-free! (Can easily be made dairy-free with coconut butter)
• Perfect for soothing a sweet-tooth without going crazy

The Easiest 4-Ingredient Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies

perfect for a party or to satisfy a sweet tooth and not go overboard!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1 cup and 2T flour
2 oz chocolate (I used Guittard as usual, and used a bit less)

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350*F. Cream the butter and confectioner sugar together in your stand mixer. Add the flour and beat on high speed (it may look like it won't combine, but trust me, it will after 2 min!)
2. Chop up the chocolate bar into tiny chunks. Incorporate into the mixture.
3. Roll into tiny balls (ours were the size of plump blueberries). Place onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Optional to sprinkle a bit of salt over the cookies.
4. Bake in the middle rack for 8-10 minutes, or until the bottoms of the cookies just begin to brown. Take out, and let cool. And EAT!

As I said, they're legitimately the easiest. And worth it. Happy baking! x

So once I decided to make this cake for my boyfriends parents-- I usually test stuff myself when I make up a recipe, but they're really cool so I thought, why not. I brought my (admittedly way weird) creation over to their house before my boyfriend and I were heading off to a concert. When we got back, his parents still weren't home... so I decided to try a little tiny bite of the cake, just an unnoticable sliver. And then I ate half the cake. HALF. Half.

And then I had two options: To finish the whole cake and get rid of the evidence, or hand them a half eaten cake the next morning. I went with the worst choice, which was handing them the half eaten cake, only to basically finish it myself a few hours later.

I think this is a fair indicator that the cake is (1) crazy, crazy good and (2) actually not that bad for you (considering I justified eating it once as a solo cake). You would NEVER know that it's made with chickpeas, by the way... I made it for my dad, who actually hates chickpeas, and he said he loved it. They're virtually untraceable, and they kick up the nutrient content by being loaded with protein, vitamins and minerals (like manganese).

This recipe is:

• Gluten-free, Grain-free, Dairy-free, refined sugar free
• High in protein & vitamins/ minerals
• Rich, dense, and chocolatey (SO good)
• Easy to prepare

The Heathiest Chocolate Cake

Grain Free, Dairy Free, High Protein, All Awesome | Serves 8

Ingredients:

1 can of chickpeas
3/4 cup coconut sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 eggs and one egg white
1 Tbs Coconut oil
6 oz chocolate (I use the Icelandic chocolate at wholefoods in 56% cocoa)

[Recipe for the marshmallow frosting is in this post]

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Using highspeed blender or food processor, blend together the chickpeas, 1 egg, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
2. Place the two eggs and one egg white in your stand mixer and mix until fluffy and frothy, about 4 minutes.
3. At the same time, using either a double boiler or a small pot, melt the coconut oil and the chocolate together. Add into the blender/ food processor.
4. Take the blender mixture and slowly fold (1/3 of mixture at a time) into egg mixture, until combined completely but still fluffy.
5. Place into a greased 8 inch cake pan (I use parchment paper on the bottom for easy removal). Bake in the middle rack for 40 minutes.

x

Part deux of the brunch files-- let's go. Cafe Mogador has been around for over 30 years, and I was a late-comer to this party, turning up my first time in August. I've been a mogi ever since (it's like the yogi of brunchers. I made it up).

The Rundown

• Food: Moroccan and Mediterranean dishes. All authentic, none unrecognizable, all awesome.
• Locations: East Village- 101 Saint Mark's Place (between 1st and A), and Williamsburg- 133 Wythe Avenue
• Vibe: Cool people. Relaxed people. Old people. Young people. All people! (No dogs, I saw them once tell a girl her dog couldn't come in... but all people)
• Price: Between $12-16 per person if you're not drinking alcohol
• Boozy drinks? Yep.

It's kind of strange how I ended up at Cafe Mogador for brunch the first time. I had heard foodie friends recommend it for dinner, but I had tucked it away on my long "restaurants to try" list and backlogged it in my mind. In the late summer, I was flipping through a Bon Appetit article profiling celebrities' top spots in NYC. Chloe Sevingy had written that she hits up Mogador multiple times a week for breakfast/brunch. Disclaimer: I have no idea why her suggestion finalized Mogador as a "need to try" in my mind-- I'm not some weird Chloe Sevigny fan and I'm not the celebrity stalking type. My rationale was something like: hey, she seems pretty cool, and if anyone is hitting up the same place 3+ times a week, it must be pretty damn goood.

Since I live about 10 minutes walking distance from the East Village location (as there's also one in the Burg), I decided to hit it up with my boyfriend on a late summer morning (shout out to summer-- if you're reading, come back to me, please).

We didn't have to wait that first time, but I've noticed as the winter has gone on, the wait time is a bit longer (maxing out at 20 minutes at the most, which is still great by NYC brunch standards). The interior is what I could describe as easy and easygoing. It's relaxed enough that you feel like you could wear anything, talk about anything, hang around as long as you want. It's a true cafe as cafes are meant to be-- unpretentious, unrushed, unassuming.

The first thing I ordered when I sat down (which I subsequently order every time I sit down) is a pot of the Moroccan Mint tea. Served in a beautiful metal kettle, it's the most perfect tea: warm, minty, hydrating, intricate. It just makes you feel cool (and warm) at the exact same time, and somehow puts you at ease. I don't know how to explain it, just take my word and order it, and you'll feel like yourself, but more awesome.

I always order the Moroccan eggs, my go-to, my staple-- I literally dream of these eggs and talk about getting brunch there at 2am the night before, which is saying something. The dish is two poached eggs in spicy tomato sauce, with warm pita and homefries (which you can also sub out for salad). The tomato sauce is pure perfection-- the spice is deep and long -asting, and they also give you some out-of-control awesome red pepper hot sauce to add to the dish, if you feel like kicking it up even more. The pita bread so great-- it's fluffy and warm and perfect for catching all of the sauce and yolky goodness in the dish. 

My boyfriend has ordered a lot of the dishes, but his usual go-to is the Moroccan Benedict, which is a spin on the traditional Benedict adding the spicy tomato sauce in addition to the hollandaise. Other stand outs on the menu are the halloumi, which is salty-crispy-delicious pan cooked cheese (FYI- it's basically cheese that tastes like potato chips, so unless you dislike universal forms of deliciousness, you should definitely order it). The baba ghanoush, which is their charred eggplant dip, is also outta-control, and comes with more of that fluffy perfect pita bread.

There are so many reasons why I would say go to Mogador, but it's hard to pinpoint exactly what it is about mogi that makes it special. What Mogador has that others don't at brunch, food wise, is something off the beaten (and overplayed) brunch path. While every other brunch place is regurgitating a spin on pancakes or BECs, Mogador has some seriously unique dishes, that are seriously authentic (meaning, they're not making unique things for uniqueness sake). They're the real deal. What Mogador also has is a different brunch atmosphere-- it's not that crazy, wait in line, instagram 20 pictures of your food thing. It's about going with quality people and having a quality time.

Overall Cool Brunch Rating: 4.5/5

• Pros: Unique, unusually delicious food. Relaxed, inviting vibe.
• Cons: If you're with someone who's not as adventurous and just wants their pancakes, this may be a tough sell (but in that case, just drop them and go solo, it's worth it)
• Tips: In the winter, try to sit away from the door, because it gets drafty. In the summer, try to snag an outdoor table.
• Will I go back: I'm a mogi. Obviously, yes.

For more information, here is Cafe Mogador's website.

The world of loose leaf tea is both magical and daunting: it leaves a lot more room for error, but if you do it right, it's the bomb. You might be thinking "this seems like work and I don't want to do more work just to drink some tea." Well, you are wrong, because there are a few things that loose leaf tea has going for it that bagged tea doesn't:

• Loose leaf tea varieties are comprised of dried whole leafs and buds, and are often hand picked from the best part of the tea plants. These parts have top flavor and top nutritional benefits. Tea bags are filled with "tea dust," which includes ground up twigs and bitter leaves. (Yeah, I'm not feeling twigs at 7am.)
• The flavor keeps longer when you use the whole leaf. Like a fine wine, it matures and opens in flavor over the course of the cup, resulting in complex flavors. With a tea bag, it's basically boom and bust-- a simple flavor at the beginning, and then nada.
• More bang for your buck: you can actually steep a teaspoon of black tea up to 7 times. A teabag is a one-and-done type deal.
• Tea bags can have plastic on them, which can then leach into the hot water. Also, paper tea bags may be bleached or treated with chemicals.

Great, so now you're a loose leaf tea convert with no tea brewing skills. Here come the skills! Take notes.

1. Buy high quality tea with no preservatives

As I mentioned, you can steep a teaspoon up to 7 times, so you can splurge a bit more on loose leaf tea. Top dollar doesn't mean top quality, so make sure you're getting tea without preservatives or additives. Here's a cautionary tale: I'm a sucker when it comes to (a) weird flavors and (b) pun names, so once I bought a billion and a half teas from this cool tea shop that featured weird flavors with pun names. When I started drinking the tea, I was getting these insane migraines. I eventually figured out why this was happening: every flavor was packed with fake sugar and 2fake flavor additives. Go for a trusted source with high quality leaves. (I made a widget of my favorite teas on Amazon, most are from Davidson's. You can also try to dry your own leaves if you're tea-riffic at stuff like that.)

2. Use 2-3 teaspoons of tea leaves for your cup

Some brewing instructions will tell you to infuse 1 teaspoon, but this won't cut it. Here's an article about why people think Teavana's teas tastes diluted when they make them at home-- it's because when brewing samples, Teavana employees use about 3x the recommended amount of tea per 8oz to really make the flavors pop. I've tried different amounts with many different types of tea, and 2-3 tsp is my happy place per cup. Follow the instructions for steeping times though-- those are for real. If you leave the tea in too long, it can become bitter, which is neither fun nor delicious.

3. Invest in a tea infuser

Hello, this is my Manatea. He's a silicon tea influser. Tea infusers come in a bunch of different materials (metal, silicone, etc.) I dig this one because it's a manatee in my cup and I need a lil pick me up at 7am. I also like the silicone because I think sometimes metal leaves a metallic taste (I don't know why, this could totally only be me). But anyways, this makes life easy for you when you're brewing.

4. Get your tea temperature right... (if you feel like being precise)

The temperature of tea actually affects the tea, but let's be real: You don't need to get crazy with it, because it's a cup of tea, not a science experiment. If you feel like becoming a master tea brewer, here's a quick cheat sheet:

• 175 degrees for White and Green Tea
• 195 degrees for Oolong and Black Tea (Black can go all the way up to 205, FYI)
• 208 degrees for Mate, Roobios, and Herbal Tea

5. Books love tea and tea loves books

Books and tea go together. So grab a book and grab some qualiTEA leaves and have an awesome day.

When I was a little kid and would trick-or-treat with my sister and brother on Halloween, my mom would always ask us to save all of our Almond Joys for her. I could never figure out why she wanted them, because in the pecking order of candy, they seemed to rank near the bottom, just slightly above those hard candies  found in waiting rooms. But one day-- mind you, 10 years later-- I woke up, and LOVED coconut. Maybe it's a growing up thing, but I think it happened over night (Congrats, you've now reached adulthood because you like coconut! Here's your 401k). I've always been an almond lover, but once I reached my coconut awakening, I realized how on-point my mom was with that coconut-almond flavor combo. Ahhhh, it's just the best.

Hot chocolate is the universal drink of happiness in the winter time. And if you're living anywhere other than Los Angeles (LA is experiencing a heat wave right now, if you haven't heard), then you're probably in need of a winter pick-me-up. Do you want the indulgent deliciousness of a hot chocolate? Yes. Do you want something that's not packed with heavy cream, and is actually vegan and dairy free? Yes! Do you want a marshmallow topping that's made without corn syrup and preservatives and all that yucky stuff? Definitely, yes. Do you want something that combines the awesomeness of chocolate, coconut, and almonds? YES!

Ok, well read on and the (almond) joy of healthier hot chocolate can be yours!

As mentioned, this recipe...

• is Vegan, Dairy free and Gluten free
• uses no corn syrup or gross preservatives for the marshmallow goodness
• takes under 10 minutes to make (including the whipped topping)
• is perfectly warming and delicious in the winter!

"Almond Joy" (Coconut Almond) Hot Chocolate with Healthier Marshmallow Creme

dairy free wintery goodness in a mug | makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

For the Hot Chocolate:
1/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder or Cacao Powder (for Cacao, I swear by this brand.)
2  15oz cans Coconut Milk
1/2 cup Coconut Sugar (can use light/dark brown sugar instead)
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 cup chopped bittersweet [56% or 64%] Chocolate (If vegan/ DF, make sure your chocolate is dairy free-- this Gerbs chocolate is great! If you're not vegan, this is the best in the world. )
2 tsp Pure Almond extract

For the Marshmallow Creme:
2 Egg Whites
1/2 Cup sugar (I used Cane sugar here, I also often use normal white granulated)

Note: this marshmallow creme is not vegan, but "Oh She Glows" has a great vegan whipped cream recipe using more coconut!

Directions:

1. Preparing the marshmallow creme (8 min total): Set up your stand mixture. Place two room temperature egg whites and 2 Tbs of sugar into the bowl. Beat together on medium to medium high speed, forming soft peaks.
2. While the peaks are forming, take a small sauce pan and add the remaining sugar (6 Tbs) and 2 Tbs water (can add up to 1 Tbs more, if it appears very dry). Only stir once at this point to combine it and don't stir it again! Heat this mixture over medium heat. At the first sign of bubbles over the entire surface, take the mixture off the heat (in other words, the outter edges will boil and show bubbles first-- when you see bubbles over the entire surface area, namely in the middle, it's done! Don't burn your syrup-- take it off).
3. Slow your mixer to medium-low (about 3 on a kitchen aid) and steadily pour in the sugar syrup. Increase speed to medium high, and beat for another 4-5 minutes, until it's glossy.
   1. I know this recipe is more complicated than most I post, but seriously, it's SO worth it-- If you have any questions about making this, message me or leave a comment! Don't be afraid to try it!

1. Preparing the hot cocoa (6 min total): Combine the coconut milk, sugar, and salt over the stove-top in a medium pan over medium heat. Bring down to a simmer and stir until the sugar dissolves (for me, 3 minutes).
2. At the same time, heat 2/3 cup water (a tea kettle or microwave works) and whisk in the cocoa powder.
3. Whisk the cocoa powder into the mixture. Then, whisk in the chocolate until the mixture is smooth. Take off the heat, and before serving, stir in the 1 Tbs almond extract.

Enjoy! x

All I need is a beach (especially in December) and life is goood. I can't think of a better day than reading on the beach, swimming for hours in the ocean, and having a coconutty drink while drying off in the late afternoon. I escaped the freezing cold over Christmas & New Year's to head down to the Dominican Republic with my family and boyfriend. I love warm weather because of the minimal effort on my behalf-- I can just throw on a a dress (and not much else) and hang by the sand.

I found the most beachin' beach book when I was in Strand Bookstore the other week. It's called "Collection of Sand" by Italo Calvino, and it's a collection of poetic essays about life, time, and all the heavy stuff, but in the most beautiful, light way. I definitely recommend it. My favorite spot to read was at these beach cocktail tables-- at night, these actually lit up and turned purple and blue. So cool.

I'm always happy to come back to New York, but there's nothing like standing on a beach in the middle of winter to revive you. Loved every minute of it. x

Dress: Stone Cold Fox (Similar Design Here) // Sunglasses: Ray Ban // Metallic Ankle Tattoo: Child of Wild x Flash Tattoos

I brunch a lot, and I've talked about why brunch is the meal of the gods here. So, I decided I needed to start documenting these awesome places individually.

Since Egg Shop is the elusive great white buffalo of brunch spots (meaning, to actually get in, you have to have all of the stars align and then also have a little new york magic wafting in your direction), I decided to start this series with my visit.

The Rundown

• Food: Eggs. (duh). Lots of egg sandwiches and egg bowls with grains and veggies. And some killa hashbrowns (but more on those in a minute)

• Location: Nolita- 151 Elizabeth Street

• Vibe: People wearing sunglasses. Early to mid twenty-somethings. People who like eggs.

• Price: Each entree runs about $10-14, and they're mid sized. Between two people, we split three and grabbed a side as well. 

• Boozy Drinks? Yep.

We all know that saying "if at first you don't succeed, try and try again." Well I've also heard the quote that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Here's the background: We had tried to hit up egg shop twice before, only to be slapped with a big 1 hour wait time. I'm a hungry person on a Saturday morning, so my staying power (or lack thereof) led us elsewhere. Finally, on a Friday that my boyfriend and I both had off, we hoped we'd beat the rush by showing up 24 hours early to weekend brunch. It paid off-- The wait time was only 20 minutes for a table. I could taste success (in the form of eggs) on the horizon.

We hunkered down at the corner stool spot near the window. [And a random observation, these stools are very comfy stools, because they have a mini back. Will this make or break your trip? Probably not-- just keeping you informed in all ways.]  I ordered a lemongrass tea, which tasted like detoxifying happiness, and my boyfriend ordered a coffee, which tasted like coffee (good coffee, FYI, for you coffee peeps). 

I ended up ordering the Spandex, which is miso quinoa, pickled carrots, greens, and a poached egg (I added a second). My boyfriend ordered the BEC, which looked like heaven, and was made of an egg, shelburne cheddar, blackforest bacon, tomato jam, fresh pickled jalapeno, on a delicious salted fluffy roll. We decided to split the El Camino (a bowl consisting of a poached egg, avocado, pulled pork, tomatoes, tortilla chips and cilantro) and the Hashbrowns (two lil hashbrown nuggs).

The El Camino was the winner to me. I get why they call it "The Road" because I would walk many a road for this bowl (namely, Broadway, because that's how I get from my apartment to this spot). I love sweet southern style pulled pork, and this was perfectly sweet and delicious and saucy. It was rich, not overly heavy, and overly heavenly. The other winner to me was the side of hashbrowns. I'm not a hashbrown person, I repeat, not a hashbrown person, and I was digging these. They're not overly oily or greasy-- more like crispy wedges of shredded potatoes, in a round ball. Like an adult-ified hush puppy. The ketchup was weirdly good-- I don't know why, it was slightly spicy and I slightly wanted to ask for more to put on everything. (I'm also not a ketchup person-- what is this new me Egg Shop has created?) I didn't try the BEC, but my boyfriend was loving it, and he's been around the BEC block more than a few times. The Spandex was good-- it just didn't stand out as much among the other amazing flavors. When I stirred in some of the pulled pork with the quinoa, though-- now we're talking.

As far as the aesthetic and service, it's a small place, but once you're in, the waitstaff is crazy attentive and nice. The food comes out fast, so factor that in to the impending doom of your wait time, because you will get fed quickly (especially if you know what you're ordering, which hopefully you do now). I'm a typography lover, and I love the typeface of everything in there. Down to the little egg-shaped salt shakers, the attention to detail is super cool.

Overall Cool Brunch Rating: 4.5/5

• Pros: Awesome food, great design, great wait staff
• Cons: Wait time
• Tips: Go early [before 10:30], late [after 2:30], or for a "brunch" dinner-- because they serve dinner!  Eggs never go outta style. And order the El Camino, because happiness is eggs and pulled pork.
• Will I go back? I'm egg-static. Yeah! On The Cool York shortlist.

For more information, here's Egg Shop's website.

Happy 2015! Here's to a month of holiday detox (and having to cross out '01/14' on a daily basis). I hit that holidazed and confused peak while on vacation: all of the eating and drinking and merry making takes it toll. And I get it-- people love juicing. But I live in NYC, and it's pretty chilly these days, so I need something spicy and warm, yet light and satisfying. This vegan, anti-oxidant packed salad fits the bill.

Pomegranates are my antioxidant of choice. They are the only food to contain Punicalagin, which is amazing for heart health and lowering blood pressure and bad cholesterol. It's packed with pistachios and chia seeds, for healthy fats and energy. The dressing I made is a creamy lemon tahini infused with tagine spices to produce an absolutely amazing spiced sweetness. I love tagines in the winter-- those slow cooked Moroccan spice infused pots of chicken and lamb that are warm and delicious. But at this point, I need to take a break from the meat. The hybrid of that rich, flavorful spice with a light salad is spot on. Cinnamon is a metabolism kickstarter- a miracle spice. 

Moroccan Spiced Pomegranate Salad with Creamy Tahini Dressing

vegan, detoxifying, and satisfying | serves two as a main, four as a side

Ingredients:

Salad:
Lettuce of choice (I used Iceberg and Romaine because I had them on hand. Try Spinach and Mesclun, too!)
1 Pomegranate
3/4 cup Pistachios
Optional: Chia Seeds to sprinkle on top

Dressing:
Sesame Tahini [I use this brand, suggested by Bon Appétit a few issues back]
1 Lemon
Tagine Spice, also called Ras El Hanout [I use this authentic spice blend by Zamouri Spices but you could alternatively make your own using a recipe like this one]

Directions:

1. To begin, remove the seeds from the pomegranate. [Martha Stewart has a quick video here on an easy way to get the seeds out]
2. Optional step to toast your pistachios, by setting the oven to 350 degrees, and cooking pistachios on a baking sheet for 6-8 minutes (until fragrant). If you want, you can rub off the skins while warm by placing them in a paper towel and rubbing away (friction!)
3. Make your dressing, by combining equal parts Tahini and water. To make 1/2 cup of dressing, use 1/4 cup tahini, 1/4 cup water. Stir in 2-3 Tbs of your tagine spice, whisking rapidly to combine. To finish, stir in lemon juice, tasting the whole time [as lemon sizes differ, just keep tasting.]
4. Stir everything together and serve!

x

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There are a few types of approaches to hangover eating. One is the healthy hangover brunch-- you're eating food that's nutritionally dense, trying to heal your body from the night before. Another approach is the greasy hangover brunch-- you fill yourself with foods that are unhealthy, but you do so in some sort of justifiable manner, since, it is for the sake of your hungover well-being. The third type is pizza-- pizza is a miracle cure-all, at any and all times of the day.

What do all hangover-food joints need? (1) A cool atmosphere, to prevent adding necessary anxiety to your already fragile mind. This can include good music (especially after the thumping bass and/or 90s throwbacks you probably had on repeat the night before). (2) Proximity/wait time. The last thing you want is to is travel 30 minutes on a jerky subway, for a 1 hour wait for a table, followed by a who knows how long wait for food. (3) Food that is so delicious it makes your mind and body feel like it can live again.

So, with New Years Day quickly approaching, here are my top picks in each category:

The Top Healthy Hangover Spots:

El Rey [LES]

Healthy hotspot El Rey is the bomb. It's my kind of healthy hangover-- eggs and grains and avocado and happiness. Plus, there is the (always wonderful) option to get some sort of delicious bakery confection in there. This by far has one of the most cool & relaxed vibes in the city. It's small (like 15 seats) but also does take-away, so you can get your fix if you're getting too antsy to wait. Plus all of the coffee drinks are out of control good (which, we all need on New Years Day).

Egg Shop [Nolita]

I love eggs. So does egg shop. If you want a healthy brunch without feeling like you're eating nothing, go for the Spandex, which is miso quinoa, avocado, a poached egg, and pickled veggies. The reformer sandwich (which is essentially egg whites, vegetables, feta and avocado) is awesome. The con here is the potential wait time (and if you play it right, you can be successful), but you can also get it to go.

The Top Greasy Hangover Spots:

Jacob's Pickles [UWS]

"Hi brb eating 12 biscuits." - real text sent by me at Jacob's Pickles. Don't be fooled by the name-- while there are a lot of pickles, there are also a lot of delicious, biscuit-laden dishes. Chicken biscuits. Gravy biscuits. French toast biscuits with ice cream and berries (yes, my personal favorite). I've seen happiness in 2015, and it comes in the form of biscuits. 

Birds & Bubbles [LES]

Sarah Simmons has been getting a lot of buzz lately as the woman who is making New Yorkers' fried chicken dreams come true. And I agree-- even after watching a video of her in the back kitchen making the chicken, it didn't prepare me for how freaking amazing it would be. I won't even try to explain it-- it's a must try.

Ruby's [Nolita]

How many times can I write about Ruby's? Well, once, twice, here's my third post. Ruby's itself is not greasy-- it actually has so many healthy and delicious options (and their brussel sprouts are killer-- no joke). But the greasy yet oh-my-thank-you-NYE-for-justifying-this sandwich of my dreams is their Egg Sandwich: A fried egg, amazing sauce, a hash brown patty (!!!), and greens. No words can do this one justice. Top sandwich in the world.

The Top Pizza Party Hangover Spots:

Marta [Nomad]

Yes, Marta is a hot spot with a crazy-long wait most of the time. Little known fact: the brunch wait is around 15 minutes. Yep. The thin, crispy crusts of the Roman-style pizza balance the flavors of the sauce and toppings so well. These pizzas are satisfying and perfect for a morning when you're already moving a little slower, because you're not overloaded with crust. Bonus: the atmosphere is so clean & crisp-- perfect for a relaxing recovery.

Roberta's [Bushwick]

Roberta's wins for consistently great pizza, a consistently chill atmosphere, and great music. You can get a standby like the beesting (the amazingly amazing pizza with drizzled honey and spicy soppressata), and then order some traditional yet delectable brunch foods (think cornmeal pancakes, which sound average, but aren't). Roberta's breads and baked goods are also phenomenal. Wait time isn't super predictable, but you could hang around the bar for another round or (more likely) a coffee.

Prince St Pizza [Nolita]

Here's a hypothetical: You wake up, it's noon, you need food within 20 minutes or you're going to see very little of the New Year because you might not survive. Go to Prince St Pizza and grab a few slices, and all will be right in your world. It's your corner pizza joint that is anything but standard, because it's potentially the best in the city. The spicy spring pepperoni slice is out of this world good.

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Here are some snaps from my adventures-- I haven't posted most of these to Insta, so I wanted to share them!

x

Had some of the best gelato I've had in a while at A.B. Biagi... go for the vegan almond flavor (trust me-- this is coming from an ice cream addict).

Wandering through Brooklyn Heights and the lighting was insanely beautiful. Had to snap a pic.

My lil munchkin daisy, wrapped up in a blanket.

Radishing Radishes. I love walking around Union Square Farmers Market when it's sunny out.

Leaving my mark on the subway platform... except it was already there. Another AP beat me to it.

The sunset down in Georgia on the first of this month. Southern stunna.

Popped into MOMA with my momma. Love these lights.

What have you been getting into this month?

x

The Cool Posts

Without fail, we'd wake up every morning (sometimes needing what my aussie friends called recovery) and meet at one of the cafes around the corner. Our tables would be flooded with flat whites and eggs with avocado (my go-to breakfast every morning of my life still, no joke) and we would post up for hours, unrushed, with friends coming and going as they pleased. Sorry for the bad pun in advance--  it wasn't a break, and it wasn't fast: It was the morning event... which is probably why they called it brekkie.

Though I know in New York you would get lots looks if you sat at table for 3 hours, the new gravitation towards Aussie cafe culture has preserved just enough of that unrushed, relaxed vibe for ny to handle. Also, why is aussie breakfast food SO good? Avocado toast, bircher muesli, awesome egg sandwiches-- I get why I was converted to a breakfast lover over there. The country slogan should be "Make eggs, not war."

Naturally, I seek out these cafes. Here are my top picks for Australian cafes in the city:

Bluestone Lane [West Village]

If you want to feel like you're at the beach when you're in the West Village, this is where you need to go. It's so chill and relaxed, and I think this is in part the decor. White walls, aqua accents, and SO many windows-- all proven to boost your mood. The real draw though for me is breakfast all day. (Yes, it exists). I think the best thing on the menu is the coconut quinoa porridge, which has baked peaches, raspberries, almonds, vanilla cashew cream, and toasted coconut slices.

Toby's Estate [Williamsburg & West Village]

Toby's actually just opened in the West Village two days ago (!) on the corner of Charles & 7th ave, which is awesome. The single origin coffee is super strong, super aromatic, and super affordable, compared to places like Bluebottle. If you're into breakfast pastries, the guys at Toby's are seriously doing something that you will love. I have no idea what's in them (and because they're so good, I might not want to know), but you could essentially order any cookie or pastry and be in heaven. If you're a window junkie like me, go to the Williamsburg cafe (pictured above).

Ruby's [Nolita]

Ahhh Ruby's. My most favorite breakfast in the world. This is not an exaggeration-- I don't joke about the bfast. They recently expanded, and in doing so, expanded their menu. If you're feeling breakfasty, please order the breakfast sandwich. This is the epic lineup: A sesame seed bun loaded with a fried egg, roasted tomato, arugula, spicy relish, a hashbrown patty (!!!) and their special sauce, which I believe may be a sweet chili aioli. Just go for it. Like, it's even hard for me to write this, because I don't want to show up one day and have all the breakfast sandwiches be gone. It's my best nyc secret.  

Dudley's [LES]

Run by the same people as my beloved Ruby's, this place is awesome as well. What they share on the menu is my other favorite: The Bronte burger. It's a burger with the same sweet chili aioli, on a crispy and warm ciabatta roll. What's cool about Dudley's is that it's a bit more off-the-beaten-path, tucked away on Orchard in what is now called "little australia." Also, they make an amazing cocktail. The option of having a boozy brunch at any time of the day (or night)? Perfection.

Little Collins [Midtown East]

Maybe you want an Aussie fix, but you're stuck at work. Little Collins is always packed with people (which, in this city, is an indicator that something is worth the wait). For the perfect mid-morning office break, head over and order a flat white. If you're feeling hungry, grab the smash, which is avocado toast loaded with pepitas and chili flakes, or the muse, a bircher muesli & fruit combo. Also, you get a little hazelnut cookie with your coffee/espresso, because Australians get what it is to treat yoself.

Photo Credit- All Instagram: 1, 2, 4, 5

Any places I missed? Let me know!

x

The Cool Posts

I spend this time of year doing a few things. One of them is snuggling under my covers drinking hot tea (anyone's invited to hang-- I take house calls). I also spend my time dreaming of being somewhere warm, somewhere where I can walk around the corner without having to bundle up in ten-thousand layers. True story, I wore leggings under my jeans yesterday. Winter isn't coming-- it's here. And I'm no John Snow-Manda... I'm a human icicle. 

I love dressing for summer because I can wear simple, sheer layers. In the winter, I feel like my clothing goes into hibernation (along with me). Philosophy quiz: if you're wear an awesome outfit, but no one sees it due to your winter coat/scarf/sweater, did it ever really happen?

As I'm dreaming of summer [and vacation] clothing, I am dreaming of lace. I love lace-- especially black lace. My best lace purchase was an Iro jacket I picked up in France last year, which I wear over a silky long sleeve black shirt or an Alexander Wang tight black dress. I'm lusting over the fashion photos I'm seeing of girls who are way cool, in an obviously way warm environment, rocking lace. I'll use this as inspiration for my post-hibernation clothing.

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 

What's your best lace look? 

x

The Cool Posts

New York does food well-- everyone can agree on that. I want to make the bold claim that the best meal you can get in this city is brunch. Brunch is near and dear to my heart (and weekends), and after living in multiple places, I really think New York is the leader of the brunch scene. As a serial bruncher, I have a list of my top New York brunch spots.

Here's where you should go! Check out...

The Smith if you want: a little bit of everything, awesome baked eggs, guy-friendly food [East Village, Midtown, Columbus Circle]

The Smith is the best when I wake up and say "I don't know what the f I want, let's just play it by ear."They legitimately have everything-- great lunch staples, mile-high fluffy french toast, and some bomb potato-waffle creation with creamed spinach and poached eggs. I keep going back for the baked eggs-- delicious cooked eggs in a warm tomato sauce with spinach, artichokes, garlic, and brioche croutons baked in. Perfection.

Jack's Wife Freda if you want: a cool scene, Australian/Mediterranean inspired food [Nolita]

Jack's is such an amazing brunch spot-- great vibe and even greater food. Thanks to their instagram popularity, though, alot of people know this, and the wait can be long. Put your name in, wander around Nolita, and come back to order the Mediterranean breakfast-- eggs, avocado, labne, and a delicious cucumber salad-- or the green shakshuka, which is an awesome take on the pepper-based dish. Their house made hot sauce is drinkably good. A perfect place to people watch, especially if you can snag an outdoor table.

Dimes if you want: healthy food, chill vibe & pretty people [LES/Chinatown]

Dimes is where fashion types, art types, and all-around cool people seem to flock for brunch on any given Sunday. Their acai bowls are creative and totally instagram worthy (try the lavendar blueberry bowl with cashew cream and you will be berry-happy). Their breakfast sandwich has a cult following. Eggs, avocado, cheddar, and their special hot sauce (which has a  fruity yet spicy flavor) on a bun may seem standard, but trust me, it isn't. at all.

Cafe Mogador if you want: adventurous, Moroccan, kind of spicy [East Village/Alphabet City, Williamsburg]

If you're a serial bruncher and need to change it up a little, go to Mogador, right now. Everything is amazing-- their halloumi is some of the best I've had, their pita is amazing, their Moroccan tea is aromatic and sweet, and their babaganoush is bangin. Be adventurous-- I've probably tried half of the menu, and never had something I didn't love. And since we're on the trend of hot sauces... it's the best one. Seriously, the best.

Cafe Luluc if you want: the best pancakes in New York (and the world) [Carroll Gardens]

Welcome to pancake heaven, can I take your order? These things are (no joke) about two inches thick. As a pancake enthusiast, this is actually what dreams are made of. These are for the mornings when you wake up, know exactly what you want (thick, crispy outsides, fluffy middle pancakes) and you want the best. Go crazy and ask for ice cream scooped on top, too. You know what to order here.

What are your favorite spots in NYC?

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The secret burger I'm talking about is the Raoul's burger, aka everything that's right with the world.

If you haven't been, Raoul's is a mainstay of Prince St, one of the few old-style 70s French Bistros in the area, a dark, dreamy bistro artists and poets like Bob Dylan used to frequent. Cool vibes, cool story, check and check. And don't get me wrong-- I love a place with a good history. But the burger? If they were selling it out of a beat down truck on the side of the road... (I mean, let's be real, I probably wouldn't eat it because it's New York, but I would consider it). 

Here are the stats: the kitchen only makes twelve per night. You have to sit at the bar to eat it, and there are limited bar seats, so get ready to rumble. Also, the burgers normally sell out within an hour of opening. Challenge: on.

Before you run out (or they run out), I'm sure you want to know what makes it so awesome. It's a Pat LaFrieda beef blend heavy on the brisket (re: super tender and juicy), topped with a peppercorn mayo, watercress (tossed in an amazing dressing), baby cornichons and triple-cream St. Andre Cheese, all loaded onto a buttered, toasted brioche bun. As if that wasn't enough, there's an au poivre dipping sauce made of cognac cream on the side, along with some duckfat fries. Like a normal person, I cleaned my entire plate and considered ordering a second (except they were all gone by 6:45).

I actually have re-occuring dreams about this burger. It's that good, I kid you not. Go out, and grab it. Now. I promise it will make all other burgers seem like test runs.

What's the best burger you've ever had?

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More Cool Posts

sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

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