April 2017 – as we venture

Scenes from Sunday 4/23

April 29, 2017April 29, 2017cafe, explore, food, lower east side, restaurant, soho, UncategorizedLeave a Comment

It doesn’t matter if you wake up late on a Sunday, you still deserve a good coffee. I put on my shades and strolled over to THE- CAFE- Sel Rose. The cafe is amazingly tranquil and the barista was sweet enough to top my cappuccino off with a heart. Everywhere you looked is worth a photo. I love when I see subtle details! I highly recommend trying the vanilla syrup, as stated it was AWESOME and it gave my coffee good depth without being sugary.

I then journeyed on to Baz Bagel, it is a neighborhood bagel shop that has table and lunch counter seating. It is covered with millennial pink, but still an old school vibe- Not sure how long they have been around. They are serving up the traditional Jewish bagel with all accessories. The prices are reasonable you can get eggs any style with a bagel and smear for under $9. I would call ahead for a take-out order, it took well over 15 minutes for my order. I plan on returning for the seat down experience- I liked the fact they weren’t trying to turn over tables.

THE CAFE directions: 1 Delancey Street, NYC

BAZ BAGEL directions: 181 Grande Street, NYC

Milan, Italy

April 10, 2017September 20, 2017duomo, italy, milan, UncategorizedLeave a Comment

Milan is the fashion capital of the world for a reason. It is really inspiring to see style both in the architecture and in dress. Everywhere you turn there are people with vibrant attire juxtaposed against gray marble. Besides taking photos, my only agenda was letting my Italian friends allow me to eat my way through this metropolis city.

Milan is formed in a circular formation and the center ring includes the top sights such as the Duomo, Vittorio Emanuele Monument, Royal Palace, The opera house- Teatro alla Scala and at the very edge, Castle- Castello which continues on to Sempione park.

My home base was near the Duomo, so heading south down Corso di porta Ticiense was our regular strolling route. On the weekends, this area comes alive with a sea of people hanging out in the area of Colonne di San Lorenzo all the way up to the square of Porta Ticinese. Pro tip: give your self time to wander in and out of the boutiques that line the streets or a long lunch.

My four days in Milan wasn’t enough because there is true intimacy that Italians offer. After my first lunch service lasted two hours, I decided I would return, which made my experience less focused on checking off a list of to do’s. My advice, let your own agenda melt away. Commit to conversations, ask questions and you will end up learning more about wine, winemakers, food and other parts of Italy during four hour meals.

The city from the ground is breathtaking, but I highly recommend going to the top of the Duomo. Plan ahead by buying your ticket(s) at the booth one day prior, the only wait you will have is up the steps or the elevator ride. I purchased a non-elevator ticket because the line is shorter and the price slightly cheaper. If you’re fortunate to be above the city on a sunny day and you can see Milan for miles, but no matter the weather, you will have an up close introduction to the painfully detailed architecture that took six centuries to complete. Its truly awe impressing.

My favorite’s list:

A must visit- Duomo
Shop & eat @ Excelsior Milano
Sip and view @ Terrazza Apero
Shop for shoes @ Michele Lopriore
Have wine and apps @ Alle Zitelle

Scenes From Sunday 4/2/17

April 3, 2017April 30, 2017brooklyn, dining, eating, explore, food, manhattan, nyc, restaurant, sightseeing, soho, Uncategorized, venture, walkingLeave a Comment

Sunday felt like spring in NYC, so everyone was out and about, shopping and dining al fresco.

I began my 10,000 steps journey in Brooklyn where I grabbed a bagel and ate in Cooper park. There were dogs, babies and groups of people hanging out and I could actually picture summer.

I got moving by heading via the L train to Union Square, it was a bit hectic, so I choose to venture down to Lower East Side. I picked Cafe Marma, for lunch. I really love the simplicity of the food and the low key vibe of the cafe. People come and go or sit and chat. Laptop friendly, so you can get a good amount of work done in peace. The area is changing, I spotted Blue Bottle across the street, hopefully this will be one of the few commercial businesses that make an appearance.

Post lunch, I wandered through Soho. The shops were bustling and the streets were filled with all sorts of fashion forward people. I especially felt like all the buildings were dazzling, from the sun beaming down. I rounded out my walk by going through Little Italy. I wanted to see if anything changed in this area and to my relief its still holding on to its charm.