ashleyd /

NYC: Favorite Manhattan Eats

For people visiting and even living in New York City the restaurant scene can be intimidating as hell. There are restaurants around every single corner boasting different ratings and rankings some of which one has never heard of before, especially if you’re visiting from another country. Even though Bo and I called New York City home for five years, we weren’t even able to conquer NY Magazine’s annual best of restaurant list each year.

However, during our five years in the city we did fall in love with a few restaurants which became our go-to spots when friends or family were in town. So now, when we’re back in the city, we can be found enjoying one of these spots. This list is for anyone in the city looking to take in some of the awesome food culture NYC has to offer – enjoy the burgers, cupcakes, and brunches!

In no particular order, here are a few of our favorite spots which are perfect for just about any occasion, unless otherwise noted. Depending on the time of year, always ask if you can enjoy outdoor seating to enjoy more people watching and scenery.

The Meatball Shop –  My favorite dish is their Everything in the Kitchen Sink with the family jewels added on the side!

Agave – Delicious margaritas, killer veggie fajitas, and some of our favorite guacamole.

Big Gay Ice Cream -  American Globs for the win. 

La Esquina – Drool worthy Mexican street corn and fish tacos.

New Wonjo – Delicious Korean BBQ

Prune – Chef Gabrielle Hamilton’s James Beard award winning casual, delicious restaurant in the West Village.

Gramercy Tavern – One of the best dining experiences in the city with casual, beautiful environment and amazing service.

Shake Shack – Head to the Madison Square Park location for a Shack Burger, fries and shake! 

Aqua Grill – I can’t go their without ordering their seafood plateau.

Pure Food and Wine – Their Hen of the Woods tacos, tamales, Philly rolls, and classic sundae are no miss menu items!

15 East – Incredible but expensive sushi.

Bubby’s – They offer something for every person’s brunch taste but their Bloody Mary helped put them on the map.

Maialino – Danny Meyer’s trattoria located in Gramercy Park Hotel has creative house, made pastas on their dinner menu but the brunch menu is actually our favorite.

Murray’s Bagels – Everyone in NYC has their favorite bagel place but this is ours. After a long run there is nothing better than a toasted everything bagel with chive cream cheese!

Two Little Red Hens – An off the beaten path bakery located in Yorkville (86th Street) their cupcakes and whoopie pies answered all my cravings.

Luke’s Lobster – A lobster shack in the heart of Manhattan, it’s worth paying $20 for the lobster roll, chips, beer and a pickle.

Minetta Tavern – The burger.

Momofuku – If you can’t get into the original,  Ssam Bar and Milk Bar are both experiences of their own. How can you beat the Milk Bar compost cookies, crack pie, birthday cake truffles and cereal milk ice cream?

ABC Kitchen – Located in the gorgeous and lust worthy ABC Carpet, their roasted kabocha squash toast and fried organic chicken are two of my favorite menu items.

The Spotted Pig – Once again, this restaurant is known to have one of NYC’s best burgers but it is a great place to spot celebs or enjoy a drink after work.

Casa Mono – Spanish tapas restaurant located in Gramercy whose menu reminds me of my study abroad days in Cadiz, Spain.

Your Turn: Tell me, what did I miss?

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ashleyd /

Running & Greens

Happy Tuesday! I feel like today was book marked on either end by greens and running.

I hope you all had a good day. Instead of taking this week as vacation, I am working from my old office until Friday when we head up to Saratoga Springs for Melissa and Frank’s wedding weekend.

Before heading to the office I headed out to the streets for my first run since the marathon. I headed up Third Avenue and ran 3 miles at a relaxed pace while zoning out. I definitely don’t miss the smell of city garbage piled up on the sidewalks or crowded sidewalks as even at 6am I was dodging in and out of people and trash piles. My legs were a little tight, especially my right hamstring, but otherwise the run felt easy.

It felt so surreal taking the 6 train and my old commute to work this morning. I’m so thankful for this experience to live abroad but I do miss New York City. 

I left the office for a quick lunch around 1pm, eager to try Organic Avenue’s new fall menu items. I follow them on social media and immediately added their roasted squash and beet salad to my list of things to try this week. It exceeded my expectations! Per the suggestion of the staff, I drizzled the dressing on my salad as soon as I returned to the office but let it marinate for 10-15 minutes before eating. While the salad is definitely an expensive lunch option, it was a nutritious and filling treat.   Roasted Squash & Beet Salad

Golden beets, roasted shallots, and aromatic fennel come together to create a perfect flavor combination. Hearty kabocha squash, thought to be a good source of beta-carotene, rounds out this salad that captures the essence of the cooler months.
Calories 260    Sat Fat 2.5g    Sugars 10g

After work I met Jen for another run. Our schedules are a bit different this week and the only time we could manage to meet up was this evening. Since she is a busy mom who fits running and training in between her busy family and work life, I thought that running her plan’s easy 4 miles with her was a perfect way to catch up. It also gave us a chance to enjoy some evening views along the Hudson River and perfect 55 degree weather.

We talked non-stop which made the miles fly! We had so much to catch up on including her marathon training, Staten Island Half Marathon and upcoming travel. I can’t believe that it’s almost been a year since we met! While a great deal has changed over the past year, she is still just as strong and inspiring as ever before. Whether she realized it or not, she gave me some great words of advice today during our run and I’m so thankful for this one on one time we had together.

After the run I spent the next 90 minutes on the massage table at 21st Street Equinox. I hadn’t booked any type of post marathon massage and after today’s 7 miles I knew that my legs would appreciate it and it would help with recovery. Luckily Carlos Blain had a last minute opening. This man worked magic on my legs and back by using a combination of massage therapy, physical therapy stretches and professional strength icy hot. He is a certified physical therapist by training but as his certification from Argentina didn’t transfer when he moved, he is practicing massage therapy in NYC. 

Last but not least, I finally tried Juice Press! After hearing about their delicious juices and smoothies from Gia and Theodora this was another item on my list this week. A Turmeric Sports Tonic and The Love of Kale Salad was the perfect dinner tonight while catching up on this week’s Homeland. The turmeric has healing effects while also being a natural immune booster, perfect for my body post marathon. The manager suggested that this would help with my muscle repair and hydration after the deep tissue massage as well. The salad consisted of kale, arugula, tomatoes, raisins, carrots, and quinoa along with a garlic and tahini dressing which also included a hint of mint. Delicious! Why did this open just 3 blocks from our old apartment AFTER we moved? 

Overall, today was a pretty perfect day. I hope I continue to have opportunities that bring me back to New York City a few times a year as it’s nice to reconnect with good friends and colleagues while also trying some new restaurants and workouts.

Are you a kale fan? If so, how do you prepare it at home? I need some recipe suggestions so I can keep the love alive in Geneva!

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ashleyd /

Thank You New York City

Four years and two months ago I drove into Long Island City, my black Chevrolet Impala filled to the brim with my Philadelphia apartment belongings, as Bo and I moved in together for the first time.

New York City was our first home together. Atlanta, Athens and Philadelphia were only temporary stops before as we knew our days in each were numbered due to graduations.

At that point in my life I was 25 years old, only 3 years out of college, and unsure of everything in my life other than my career and Bo. I was still insecure in my own skin for many reasons. I was shy and not sure how I would make friends in a city where I knew very few people. Most of my UGA acquaintances who moved to NYC after graduation had either decided their time up here was finished or already had established friend groups.

New York City makes you work for your friends. Everyone is busy and no one has time to stop so if you want to make life long friends you have to be willing to put yourself out there.

I found the courage and confidence to go to a blogger and reader brunch with strangers in May 2009, hosted by the lovely Melissa.  It was during this brunch that the ladies convinced me to start a blog. After that one successful moment I continued putting myself out in the world in order to meet new friends. Suddenly I was the person who was willing to get out of my shell and go on “blind workout dates” or ask a co-worker to get a drink after work in hopes of developing the relationship.

The streets of New York City have helped me train for three marathons, proving that with hard work and great friends 26.2 miles is possible. Bo and I discovered this city via the sidewalks, park paths, alleys, and streets. I feel like every nook of the city, especially south of Central Park holds a memory from a long run or jaunt with friends. 

A city that moves at a pace like this one requires a certain level of assertion. Even the sweetest of people will find themselves in a back of a cab trying to hustle the driver because it’s Saturday night and you have somewhere to be. You’ll push through the tourists because while you welcome them to the city and appreciate the money they spend, you are on a different time schedule. Time is money here, proof in the fast paced lunch spots where more chopped salads are served in ten minutes than in two hours anywhere else in America.

I’ve had the absolute joy to work and encounter people from diverse backgrounds and beliefs. I’ve danced along side the Pride Parade as it winds through the Chelsea and Gramercy streets, celebrating the strides that have been made. I’ve had long conversations with cab drivers during treks to JFK or LaGuardia, wanting to know more about what brought them to this country and their experiences.

This city has truly become a home. It has toughened us, it’s taught us to take advantage of every opportunity, it’s exhausted us at times, it’s allowed us to meet and reconnect with some amazing friends, and most of all it’s made us stronger.

But now it’s time for us to take the next step. Hopefully a few years from now we’ll look back on our time in Europe as one that brought us together as a couple and allowed us to explore more than we ever thought possible. But for now, we’re taking one day at a time and can only pray that all 8 checked bags arrive with us in Geneva tomorrow morning.

New York, and all our amazing friends, thank you for everything and see you soon!

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