Every restaurant in this city has a burger on their menu - and about 80% of them are lackluster as hell. The one at Stanton Social, however, is nuts. And completely worth the ridiculous 45-minute-wait-even-when-you-have-a-reservation vibe at this place. The patty itself is a mixture of short rib, chuck, rib-eye and smoked bacon - and it's the bacon inside that puts it over the top and makes it memorable.I swear to you.
Flying Tiger Copenhagen
“Flying Tiger is a Danish design store offering a quirky, ever-changing selection of own-designed products at surprisingly affordable prices.”
I LOVE THIS STORE.
So this place is basically a classier dollar store and it's been missing from your life.
I especially love the layout of the store. When you walk in, you're forced to walk in a maze-like pattern around the entire store, and I love that. I wish clothing stores were set up that way.
Honestly, I can't even give you a summary of what they've got, there's too much - pilates equipment, desk accessories, gift wrap supplies, games, umbrellas, headphones, EVERYTHING.
I can't imagine someone entering this store and not coming out with something necessary for a well-lived life. I CAN'T.
There's one location (so far) in the U.S. and it's in the Flatiron District in New York, you should definitely check it out.
10 Christmas Activities In NYC
Are you looking for things to do to celebrate the season in New York City? Look no further, baby. These are a few of my favourite things to do in December in NYC.
2. Take a photo with the accurate-looking, old timey Santa at Macy’s, The Plaza or The Queens Center Mall.
3. Eat at The Plaza Food Hall (specifically for their Lady M outpost). Kids might enjoy the Rawther Fancy Teas with Santa, an hour-long tea party in the Eloise Shop (dates/details through the link).
Photo Credit: The Plaza
4. Eat the frozen hot chocolate at Serendipity 3 or if you hate waiting in line, they also sell take-home versions that you can make at home.
Photo Credit: Dish Maps
5. See The Rockettes, finally.
Photo Credit: The New York Times
6. Visit the Christmas markets at The Union Square Holiday Market, The Bryant Park Winter Village, and The Columbus Circle Holiday Market.
7. Visit the best Little Italy in this town, Arthur Avenue in the Bronx
8. Go ice skating in Central Park.
9. Holiday Train Show at Grand Central (yes, there are two train shows on this list - but this one is free and smaller than #1).
Photo Credit: Grand Central Terminal
10. See The Phantom of the Opera before it’s gone forever.
Photo Credit: Gothamist
Friend Anniversaries
I'm not sure why friend anniversaries aren't as recognized as romantic ones, but I vow to change that. I guess they're less common because it's harder to pinpoint the exact moment upon which you became friends with someone. Thankfully, I met one of my closest friends Jenn when my brother Gary was visiting me, so I know the exact date and year - which happens to have been eight years ago today!
We have taken many trips and videos together and I'm thankful as hell to have this fine woman in my life.
If you care to see more of our videos (why would you? We're great!), you can find some of them over here. Happy Anniversary, my love!
Spinach Tofu
I have found the best cream cheese flavour of life and his name is SPINACH TOFU. Does that sound gross? It sounded gross to me, too. But I swear to you, this stuff tastes better than any cream cheese I've ever had. The consistency is the exact same as regular cream cheese and you cannot taste one iota of tofu. And also? Have you ever felt grossly full after a regular sized bagel and cream cheese? Well, if you choose this flavour over regular cream cheese, YOU WILL NEVER FEEL GROSS AGAIN. Maybe 'cause there's just so much less fat in it? I don't know, I'm not a scientist.
If you need to try it, they've got it at Brooklyn Bagel in Queens and I feel like this flavour is slowly picking up steam and showing up at other breakfast places. Keep an eye out.
Bananas Foster
“Bananas Foster is a dessert made from bananas and vanilla ice cream, with a sauce made from butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, dark rum, and banana liqueur. The butter, sugar and bananas are cooked, and then alcohol is added and ignited. The bananas and sauce are then served over the ice cream. Preparation of the dish is often made into a tableside performance as a flambé.”
This is my favourite dessert. Okay, my favourite dessert so far. If I ever come into a lot of money and chefs are lavishing my ignorant little eyes with baked Alaskas and souffles, then maybe we'll have a different story. But for now? Bananas Foster me away, baby.
I think I might love the dish especially because they're so hard to find. But I recently found one at Freeman's (a restaurant at the end of an alleyway in the Lower East Side) and it was heavenly. It was way too sweet to eat alone, so it's definitely perfect for sharing with a person. And that's coming from someone who rarely shares dessert (I mean, c'mon - it's 2015. A grown woman can handle a $10 dessert by herself). So if you've ever wanted to sample one of the greatest desserts out there, you now know where to find it. I do not apologize for not posting a photo of it because, well, it looks pretty unattractive. But that's not its fault. Most old-fashioned desserts have a tendency to look unappealing, I find.
(Speaking of food, I recently decided that my meal-before-execution dinner would totally consist of a steakhouse-quality Caesar salad, a steak Diane, and bananas foster -- all of which would be prepared tableside. Or cellside, whatever. How money would that be?)
The Poetry Brothel
“The Poetry Brothel is a unique and immersive poetry event that takes poetry outside classrooms and lecture halls and places it in the lush interiors of a bordello. Based in concept on the fin-de-siecle bordellos in New Orleans and Paris, many of which functioned as safe havens for fledgling, avant-garde artists, The Poetry Brothel’s “Madame” presents a rotating cast of poets as “whores,” each operating within a carefully constructed character, who impart their work in public readings, spontaneous eruptions of poetry, and most distinctly, as purveyors of private, one-on-one poetry readings in back rooms. For a small fee, all of the “poetry whores” are available for these sequestered readings at any time during the event. Of course, any true brothel needs a good cover; The Poetry Brothel’s is an immersive cabaret, offering a full bar, live jazz, burlesque dancers, painters, and fortune-tellers, with newly integrated themes, performances and installations at each event.
Poets performing at the Brothel are male and female, emerging and established, local and international, and they engage audiences in an immersive experience that flows seamlessly through the Brothel’s public spaces into its private poetry readings. Central to this experience is the creation of character, which for poet and audience function as disguise and as freeing device, enabling The Poetry Brothel to be a place of uninhibited creative expression in which the poets and audience can be themselves in private. Through the vehicle of the private reading, The Poetry Brothel offers access to a part of the artistic process that was previously restricted to individuals in already intimate relationships.”
I started attending Poetry Brothel events early this year and it's really one of the most unique experiences that a person can have in New York City. I've photographed a few of their events, so I'll attach some of those photos below. They typically have an event once every month or two months (taking the summers off), so if you're interested in attending, you can find more details over here.
Burger Joint
I've been getting burgers at Burger Joint (inside the Le Parker Meridien hotel) on and off for years and I just realized - I've never told you about it. Yikes.
It's usually mentioned alongside other burger favourites in the city, so if you haven't been here before, you kind of need to get on that. Once you walk into the hotel, you have to search (depending on what entrance you come in from) for a huge red curtain. It's behind this curtain that you'll follow a hallway that leads you to this burger haven.
It's cash only and definitely worth the trip.
The Frozen Pina Colada at Connolly's
This baby is the most popular drink on Rockaway Beach - and rightfully so. I won't tell you how many of these I had in one sitting, but use your imagination. I will forever and always get one of these every single time I'm remotely near Rockaway Beach. It’s not too sweet, but it is crazy addictive. Watch yourself.
They open for the season on Memorial Day.