3 x GREENPOINT

Some of my favorite memories from NYC must have been when I was around 21 and dating this hipster skater boy who would bring me to skate parks, Brooklyn basement parties and buy me PBAs. We would smoke American Spirits and drink organic coffee out of Mason jars. He lived in Greenpoint, which I back then had no clue where was, but after been living in NYC for a couple of years started to really enjoy. Here are a few of my favorite spots in this cozy Brooklyn neighborhood:

Peter Pan Doughnut
727 Manhattan Ave

Okay, this must be donut heaven! There are soooo many different options and I want to eat them all. Thank god they are also super cheap and so is the coffee, bagels, and other pastries. It is the perfect place to cure a hangover or get some supplies for your walk in McCarren park or trip on the East River Ferry.

Paulie Gee's

70 Greenpoint Ave

If you decide to stand the pretty long wait for a table you will not get disappointed. This place has an amazing rustic atmosphere and the best pizza I have ever tried. No more explanation needed - just do yourself a favor and try it. 

Beacon's Closet

74 Guernsey St

It can be tough to find good second-hand stores in NYC. It's either the super expensive ones in SOHO/Nolita or the extremely hipstery ones in Bushwick. Beacon's Closet is the BOMB! If you give it a little time you can find everything from an old vintage Levi's jacket to a pair of never used Rag & Bone boots. I have bought Alexander Wang skirts for $15 and an incredible Oscar de la Renta dress for $40!!! No joke!! I go here almost every Sunday to dig for new treasures and i never leave empty handed. 

Other cool Greenpoint spots: Five Leaves, Baker's Dozen, Riviera Cafe, WNYC Transmitter Park, The Black Rabbit and so many more! 

BLACK x WHITE

3 x NOLITA

What I love most about NYC, other than the 24-hour deli's/diners/bagel shops/bars is how much diversity the city has and how a short subway ride can bring you from one extreme to another.
One of my favorite areas and where I have spent a lot of time is Nolita and here are some reasons why:

Elizabeth Street Garden
Elizabeth Street, between Prince & Spring streets

This is hands down my favorite green spot in NYC. It feels like a little sanctuary with beautiful sunflowers, amazing statues, and just the best atmosphere. I love sitting on one of the big stone benches drinking my ice coffee or reading a newspaper in the sun in between the flowers.

Rintintin 

14 Spring Street

Nothing says summer to me as much as sitting outside Rintintin on a warm Tuesday night sharing a bottle of ice cold rose and smoking Malborough lights. The food here is great, very unpretentious and well priced and the crowd is the perfect mix of hipsters, couples, bankers and socialites. 

The Butcher's Daughter

19 Kenmare

The Butcher's Daughter is always packed from 11-3 which is understandable. Spend an hour lunch break in the sun, drinking a juice and people watch is really the best cure for you Friday hangover. Trust me - I'm talking from experience. The food is on the healthier side and very "green" so if your hangover only can be cured with bacon and cheese this is not your spot. Save it for your next holy Monday when you decide to start a new life. 

Other great Nolita spots: Ruby's, Happy Bones, Little Cupcake Bakeshop, Tacombi & Egg Shop.

xx S

Books to read on the subway #1

It's Monday, again, which for most of us means time to get on the subway and go to work. I do enjoy mixing up my subway routine a little so I switch between listening to music (usually one song that I put on repeat), desperately try to load my Instagram or Snapchat feed or my favorite reading a book. Especially, after a 9 hour day at work which mostly consist of looking into my computer screen with a 30-minute break lunch break which mostly consists of looking into my iPhone, there is just something refreshing about reading and it makes you wish that your 16 minute commute in the F train was just a couple of minutes longer so you could finish a few more pages.

Here are some of my most recent subway reads:

1. Patti Smith - Just Kids

Let me just say this is the perfect book to read on the subway! First of all, it has the perfect handy size to fit in your bag. More importantly, it is a great memoir about an amazing woman living in our wonderful city New York. Read. it. now!

2. Mary Traina - The 20 Something Guide to Getting It Together

If there is a place in the world that can make you feel small, naive and very confused it is New York City! Fear no more, this book is really helpful! It is your guide to making it as a real-life grown up. Even if you are thinking right now that you don't need self-help books or cheesy quotes to make it, this book is so much more and it really does give you great tools to accomplish goals and maybe even finding out what those goals are.

If your subway ride is 3 stops or less I will suggest that you have some articles ready on either your phone or printed out before leaving work. It is such a good way to kill time!

X

MOOD #FRIYAY

It's Friday. It's 5PM. It's the fucking weekend!