Smorgasburg with a side of Cibo e Vino

Man does it feel good to be back in NYC after two weekends away! Though it was wonderful to see my entire family in the span of two weeks, the travel was rough on my body and I got wicked sick along the way. 

Finally feeling like myself again, I headed out to Brooklyn for lunch with some lovely ladies. We chatted, laughed, brainstormed, dreamed and planned about life and the future. Beautiful company, perfect weather and delicious food (thanks St. Balmain) are always a combination for Saturday success. 

Beware of the #selfie.

Hat - H&M / Top - TopShop / Shorts - Loft / Sunglasses - Vintage

For dessert, we headed over to the Smorgasburg on the Williamsburg waterfront. The Smorgasburg is a food market with over 100 vendors serving everything from donuts to fried chicken every weekend from 11am-6pm during the summer. People flock here to nosh on their favorite sweet and savory treats. The view isn't that bad either.

I decided to purchase a Peoples Pop. They serve fresh local fruit ice pops and shave ice. I think of them as the hipster Popsicle, with very posh flavors like Strawberry Lemongrass and Apple Rosewater.

This is the Strawberry Lemongrass.

Very refreshing on a hot day. I like that they don't load their Popsicles with sugar, just a lot of fresh fruit juice and flavor.

There is something for everyone at the Smorgsaburg. My friends all ended up getting a huge variety of things to eat. From dessert to fresh coconut to mofongo, we made sure to take in all that Smorgasburg had to offer.

I raced back to the UWS to meet up with the Frans to watch The Belmont. If California Chrome would have won, he would be the Triple Crown winner...an historic event. Unfortunately, he came in 5th.

We popped over to a local favorite Cibo E Vino for some wine and food. This is our local Italian place just around the corner from where we live. The bartenders and owners are lovely, and we always get treated so well when we dine. Tonight we decided to eat outside, and enjoy their beautiful outdoor seating area.

I nibbled on the Pasta special, a homemade pasta with prosciutto, tomato and basil.

Their mixed cutting board is packed with charcuterie and cheese. 

The Greek Salad is a favorite, packed with vibrant fresh vegetable and mounds of creamy feta cheese.

Overall, it was a good day. Full days like these, surrounded by some many people I love, remind me how much God loves me and wants for my life. 

xoxo

New York Summer Must-Dos

With the summer season inching closer and closer, I decided to pull together a list of must-dos for here in the city.

This list is not all-inclusive and I'm sure I missed a ton of things, but it is a place to start for those of you who are looking for some new adventures. Please comment and share some of your favorite NYC summer activities, I'd love to check them out!

Perfect Summer Day

Picnic in a Park

Pretty self explanatory.

Here are some of my favorite parks to gather friends, pack a nibble, pop some bubbly and hangout in:

Brooklyn Bridge Park - excellent views
Riverside Park - good shade for those of us with fairer skin
Central Park - The Great Lawn = Classic

Breezy Summer Night

Movies in the Park

You have lots of options to choose from. Some of the more popular venues include Bryant Park, Pier 63 and Riverside Park. Here is a pretty complete list of sites, in all boroughs, showing movies this summer.

Outdoor Dining

The Frying Pan - It's basically a boat off of Manhattan that they turned into a bar/restaurant. It is quite the scene and very popular during the warmer months when it is open.

Bar Pitti - It is quite a trendy location with a large outdoor space in the village. I haven't been but I here the food is excellent.

Birreria - This rooftop restaurant is on the top floor of Eataly. Birreria is an Italian beer garden who's bar is lined with large oak barrels filled with Vini for patrons to enjoy. The food is delicious and the view of the Empire State Building is not that shabby. I literally dream about the Shitake Fritti, and they make a killer Formaggi and Salumi platter.

Day Trip

The Beach - New Yorkers have easy access to a number of really nice beaches. The best are found on Long Island. Jones Beach and Long Beach are both very popular options that can be accessed from Penn Station via the Long Island Railroad for under $20.

Wine Tasting - New York State boasts numerous wineries under three hours from the city. You can head upstate to The Hudson Valley, out to Long Island's North Fork or the Hamptons. There are a plethora of routes and options to choose from. I've experienced wine tasting upstate as well as in the Hamptons, and both are lush and delicious experiences.

Need to Tak a Dip?

McCarren Hotel & Pool - Sometimes an air conditioned subway ride to Williamsburg, Brooklyn is what it is going to take for a refreshing dip. The pool at the McCarren Hotel & Pool, formally the King & Grove, is available to the public through reservations and a fee.

The Beach at the Dream Downtown - This trendy hotel in the Meatpacking District can be accessed if you book one of their two cabanas that seats up to 10 people. I would call and inquire because policies generally change summer to summer.

Summer Classics

Shakespeare in the Park - Every summer, two plays are put on in the middle of Central Park at the Delacorte Theatre. Each play runs for one month and attracts a packed house every night. The tickets are free, but they are only obtained on a first come first served basis at the box office or via a daily on-line lottery, This summer they are showing King Lear and Much Ado About Nothing. A number of famous actors participate and it is a truly memorable event.

Symphony in the Park - This is one of the most magical things I have experienced in New York City. The New York Philharmonic plays a number of performances throughout public parks in the city over the course of a week. They play two concerts in Central Park and then one in every other borough. Spectators fill the Great Lawn with blankets and picnics to dine under the stars while being serenaded by the Phil. After the concert there are usually fireworks which are incredible as they explode over the downtown New York backdrop. I'd suggest arriving around 6:30 and setting up a spot on the southeast portion of the lawn.

Coney Island - You are not a New Yorker until you take a trip out to Coney Island. The board walk, beach, and amusement park are idilic and staples of the NY community. Luna Park is an adventure you have to experience once...being jostled by the Cylone is both terrifying and nostalgic.

Here are some snapshots of summers past. I'm so excited for this summer and the new memories to come.

xoxo

Florida Lobster Feast

The weather was perfection in Florida. I don't generally do a whole heck of a lot when I'm visiting (since it's vacation), but I was excited when Dad suggested we rent a boat for a few hours. I really had no idea what to expect, but I was excited to get out on the water and enjoy the day. 

We packed a lunch of Italian subs, chips, pickles, a nummy bottle of Sancerre, and set out to discover the deep blue. 

To my surprise, Dad was the boat captain...so Bourgeois! The waterways off South West Florida are not as hard to navigate as South Carolina, which made for smooth sailing (or pontooning).

After a few hours of fun in the sun and a quick splash in the Gulf, we headed home and I slipped straight to the pool. I don't get to relax like this often, so I was planning on soaking up as much warmth as possible. I literally had the entire pool to myself the whole trip. I think all the people moved back up north for the summer...I was not complaining.

Just before turning into a lobster, I headed inside for dinner. These little pinchers were waiting, just begging me to crack them open and eat. Dad found an incredible fish market that flies fresh fish in from New England daily. The fish caught off coastal Florida are delicious, but I get how the variety can get a bit old. Dad was super excited when these guys opened and of course made friends with them quickly. 

I could have just eaten lobster, but we opted to add some fresh corn (so sweet), steamed broccoli and cauliflower and fresh baked rosemary rolls.

bon appétit