Review: Cookshop, NYC

It's always difficult for me to decide where to eat, especially for brunch. It is my favorite meal of the week after all. I love the idea of eating breakfast at noon and lingering at a table for 2-3 hours drinking coffee and mimosas at the same time. Usually if I commit to brunch, that's all I'm doing that day. And I especially like brunch in NYC. I might argue it's what they do best.

Luckily last weekend, my girlfriend narrowed it down for me with four suggestions. We choose Cookshop because of the variety on their menu and location. I couldn't resist descriptions like, "Skillet Baked 'Dutch Baby' Pancake," and words like "caramelized onions" in the same dish as "buttermilk biscuit" and "bacon." I just couldn't.

The atmosphere was typical for the neighborhood {Chelsea} - groups of young people, and new families {read: babies, but not one of them cried! amazing}. I don't remember if music was playing but the sun softly lit the space as the wait staff bustled around us, and were just the right amount of attentive.

We started with the Cookshop Breakfast Pastries. I highly recommend these and if I was a naughty girl I would have ordered a second plate just to eat for myself. I've never had sweet potato bread before and I very much liked it! Sweet, moist, and cake-y, not unlike banana dense, flaky chocolate chip scone melted in my mouth. Finally, the cranberry apple muffin with maple butter, let's just say I ate more than my portion. I would have stabbed someone with my fork to eat more of that crumbly topping and warm fluffy cake {muffins are breakfast cake. It's true. Get over it.}

Each of us had a hard time choosing a main course and I ended up with the Cookshop Scramble. It had a unique flavor that I kept taking more bites of just to investigate. I liked the biscuit and eggs together but it was a bit rich for me to eat more than a few bites of.

Maybe next time I'll get down with my badself and have a full serving of the breakfast pastries and skip the eggs...

Tip for eating brunch in NYC: like most of your other meals in the city, you will need to make a reservation.

Weekend Recap and Destination: I went to NYC again...

Weekend recap, better late than never!

This weekend was the first time Gman and I went back to NYC together since the big move last spring. As soon as we stepped foot on the streets of the city, we felt like we never left. Saturday, we ate brunch with friends at CookShop. On the cab ride over I got teary eyed at the sight of the people walking in the streets. Yes the streets filled with detritus and the bum peeing on a building while a middle aged couple walked their dog after grabbing bagels and a young woman was clearly in her dress from the night before. As we arrived at the restaurant it was so cold that the garbage in the gutters was frozen in place. We got to the restaurant a few minutes before it opened and I smiled to myself because everyone waiting with us, young couples, group of women, and large family with children, were all wearing black head to toe - coats, tights, pants, shoes, hats, handbags - all black.

After a productive brunch, we walked the Highline and browsed some art galleries in Chelsea {reviews to come}. We stopped in a bar or two before checking out the recently opened Maje, which, if you remember, I promised I would pay a visit. I tried on many goodies but refrained from taking them home, sadly.

Saturday night one of my best friends, Courtney, hosted my birthday party at her apartment. Gman and I were welcomed back with open arms by our friends and immediately caught up on the gossip and goings-on in their lives. It had been so long since we saw everyone, but at the same time the party felt casual, as if something we always did, a normal Saturday night.

I was glad she hosted a party for me for a number of reasons; mostly because it was a more intimate way to spend time with everyone (vs a loud bar) and because it was so freezing cold outside! We could stay in one place all evening and didn't have to shlep our layers of clothes from bar to bar. Although she did insist we have a drink on the roof, which was fun for all of five seconds before my legs and face began to freeze...

Sunday consisted of more brunch, shopping at Eataly and Club Monaco, then wine happy hour and Crif Dogs for a quick dinner. Every moment this weekend played out as perfectly as I imagined. How rarely does that work out?

Weekend Recap and Destination: New York City

This weekend I jumped on the DC to NY bus and for $60 was whisked away to my beloved New York City. Friday started off right with a nap on the bus ride up. As the bus approached the skyline, my heart leapt with excitement and anticipation. Once there I walked the streets to meet the lovely Katie for lunch at Wine on 30. Their menu is light and fresh, perfect for the summer heat. I enjoyed the butter lettuce salad with lemon-mint vinaigrette and Katie had the brie sandwich (noms!). We both paired our meal with the Terra Nova Reserva Sauvignon Blanc. The atmosphere is casual enough for lunch but elegant enough for a lunch with clients.

(A constant layer of sweat covered my skin all weekend. It wasn’t anything a few showers and cold beers couldn’t fix but not preferable. Generally speaking, I would not recommend visiting NYC in late July or August: it’s full of tourists and it’s hot as hell.)

Just like old times I met my buddies out for happy hour at Brother Jimmy’s. If you are from out of town and want to meet friends in a centrally located area, go to Union Square. I always find it to be accessible and tolerable despite some crowds in the square itself.

On Saturday morning before heading into the city (I stayed in Brooklyn) Katie and I stopped by the Smith Canteen and ate the most delicious blueberry muffin EVER. The iced coffee had a wonderful balance of bold flavor and creamy texture. We then jumped on the subway to take a stroll up and down the Highline which has just been extended. The Highline is like a contemporary enchanted garden perched above the busy streets and tucked between the new hotels and dilapidated factories. (I wrote more about it here.) Before our trek down the railroad, we spontaneously decided to stop at the Standard Biergarten for a pint and a pretzel. It was 12:05pm.

Later that day, after a long walk, shopping, tasty falafel and pineapple & coconut smoothies, we met the rest of the ladies out for dinner at La Palapa. Not only was the sangria refreshing but so was the company of my beautiful and clever companions. Sharing a meal and drinks with my girlfriends is definitely in my top five favorite things to do. We picked up where we left off, as if no time had passed since our last dinner out (love!). The night ended with a slice of Brooklyn pizza after hours of dancing around pubs in my leopard booties.

We slept in on Sunday and tried Van Horn Sandwich Shop for a late lunch. Although the menu was limited, there was only one thing we wanted: a fried chicken sandwich. It came with shredded cabbage and cucumbers on the bun and a small salad on the side. Sweet tea was a must to wash it down. It wasn’t exactly a southern style chicken sandwich and tea which is what we were expecting but satisfying none-the-less.

Van Horn Sandwich Shop

the ladies

On the bus ride home I racked my brain for a story to tell about the weekend. Should I talk about my love affair with New York? Was there a funny or awkward situation I could mention? Should I discuss the fashion in the streets? Did I do something stupid? I couldn’t even think of a specific conversation I had. The only thought that came to mind was a general feeling of a full heart and stomach. In the end that’s the reason I keep going back to that beloved city of mine.

Favorite stroll: Highline

The Highline is a public park located in the Meatpacking District. It was designed in the early 2000's by landscape architects James Corner Field Operations in colaboration with arcitects Diller Scofidio + Renfro. It was created out of the early 20th century railways that delivered meat and other goods to the manufacturers that were once located here. Today it is a beautifully realized park (with more to come!) which is my favorite place to take a stroll, especially at sunset! As you walk you are surrounded by iconic New York architecture and sights and people actually walk slowly to take it all in. There are great places to eat, drink, and shop around here too! So great for a date or to kick off a night with the girls!

My husband (from now on he will be called G-man) and I love the Highline so much we had our engagement pictures taken here.

Happy Monday!