Ok maybe not alllllll the food & shops, but these are a few of the places we visited in New York that we loved (some favorites from before, some newbies). I couldn’t list them all because then we’d be here until next Tuesday and you’d probably judge me for how much I ate, but these places were all top notch experiences. I’m still trying to work off all the bagel weight, because don’t you think for a second that we didn’t have Black Seed Bagels more than once.

Anyway, after this mess of iPhone #foodpics below (plus a few shops thrown in the mix), there’s a lil breakdown of each place in case you fancy my unsolicited opinions. BYE NEW YORK, I miss you already.

Clockwise from top left: Black Seed Bagels, Cafe Gitane, Happy Bones, Rubirosa, Freeman’s, Jack’s Wife Freda

 

Clockwise from top left: The Butcher’s Daughter, Cafe Colette, Buvette, Navy, Buvette again, Roberta’s

 

Clockwise from top left: Schoolhouse Electric, Steven Alan Home, Still House, Mociun, Joinery, Rag & Bone

And now, if you’re still tuned in, the breakdown:

FOOD
Black Seed Bagels: There must be something in the water here (get it? bagel jokes), because holy crap these bagels are GOOD. We went twice, in case you skipped over the part at the top of the post where I mentioned we went there twice. Don’t forget to order the lox or beet-cured salmon, please.

Cafe Gitane: Been here a million times but seriously, why does their avocado toast taste so good? This time we sat at the bar so we could watch the staff put together the toast. We took notes, tried it at home, and NO DICE.

Jack’s Wife Freda: We went to Jack’s at 5pm on a Thursday night (hey, we took the red eye the night before) and had one of the best meals of the trip. Ummm the beet dip with pita was next level and I never tire of a good brussels sprout dish.

Happy Bones: Don’t ever ask my opinion on a coffee place because I don’t drink coffee. But their ginger tea was super refreshing and their donut game was pretty on point. Plus, it’s so cute – those tortoise shell spoons!

Freeman’s: I was really excited to go to Freeman’s because it makes for a great instagram photo, what with the picturesque alley + string lights combo they’ve got going on out front. What made it even better was that the brunch was really great. I always say that you can’t trust a person who orders granola for brunch (aka what I ordered), but I swear, I had just eaten a donut from Happy Bones AND I was sharing Kyle’s smoked trout with hardboiled eggs and toast.

Rubirosa: Alex pretty much forced us to order the vodka pizza and I’M SO GLAD SHE DID. Let me set the record straight: I’m not a pizza person. I KNOW, I’m sorry. It’s not something I’m proud of. But holy crap, I enjoyed this pizza so much. The flavor was unlike anything I’ve ever had before. So if you go, I’m forcing you to order the vodka pizza.

The Butcher’s Daughter: This breakfast was the perfect detox after a night indulging in Rubirosa pizza. We ordered a few things on the menu, like the muesli and the avocado benedict, and everything was fresh, light, and delicious. Definitely order a juice!

Buvette: Paris? Is that you? Sure feels like it here. Also the waffle was pretty delicious.

Navy: Kyle and I had a romantic dinner for 2 at Navy and it was a perfect meal to end our vacation. The oysters were some of the best we’ve had and I’d really like to eat that mussel toast again.

Cafe Colette: This cafe in Brooklyn was pretty much the cutest place ever. Their fish tacos were really good and that’s saying a lot coming from a Southern California taco aficionado. Also, God bless their air conditioning system. We stumbled in super overheated and it was like a mini oasis away from the heat.

Roberta’s: When we got to Roberta’s, the hostess told us it would be a 2 hour wait. We made our way to the tiki bar in the back (yes, I said tiki bar) to wait out the storm, and 20 minutes later our table was ready. Talk about a happy surprise. Also, chewy dough, HELLO I like you.

SHOPS – and here’s the rapid fire round:
Schoolhouse Electric: for all the home decor and fixtures
Steven Alan Home: the best ceramics and planters
Rag & Bone: because duh
McNally Jackson Goods for the Study: really neat/fancy office supplies
Diptique: because everyone needs a good candle
Saturdays Surf NYC: a great men’s brand, but still wanted all the things for myself
Still House: ceramics and jewelry, what more could you want?
Love Adorned: jewelry, home goods, and a really good stack of Moroccan rugs
Joinery: a Brooklyn staple – great home goods and apparel
Mociun: heart swoons, alllll the heart swoons
Pilgrim Surf and Supply: because we were traveling with lots of dudes and this is perfect for dudes
catbird: best jewelry store IMO
Space Ninety8: a multi-story urban outfitters with a great roof top

New York, until next time.