Best cafes and restaurants in New York City - an NYC Guide

(Cabbie hat from Windsor, shirt from Forever 21, shorts thrifted but originally from Gap, the stretch ones, and necklace from moonglow.com)

Hello, hello everyone! New York City is a pretty big destination trip for most people, being one of the most popular, biggest cities in the U.S.. There's a reason why people say it's one of the greatest cities in the world. It's a city of opportunity, history, the fast-paced life, and seriously, how many movies are set here? I think everyone needs to take a visit to the Big Apple at least once in their life.

With that being said, hopefully this blog will be helpful to some of you who may be planning a trip here soon. Unfortunately for me, I had planned out this blog purposely because of a trip I had planned for NYC this week, but there was an car accident with my mom (she actually got hit by a car in a parking lot, BUT she's okay, for the most part) she just can't walk on her right leg, her knee is swollen and after an MRI was done, they came to the conclusion that she has a hairline fracture. We had to cancel, so instead of having an NYC blog about my step-by-step days in the city, I may just do a blog post about what to do in Florida, since it looks like I'll be having a stay-cation.

Anyways, I will be talking about the best cafes and restaurants in New York City. Some of these I have personally experienced, and some I did a bit of research on. I wanted to make sure I found the BEST of the best, with not just great food and drinks but places with an awesome atmosphere. So here ya go;

Disclaimer: These pictures are not mine unless otherwise stated.

Cafes;

1. Remi Flower and Coffee - 906 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10017

This was a place I was planning to check out on our trip. Can you say, aesthetic as heck? This place is filled with a beautiful display of flowers and plants. It functions as a flower shop to buy bouquets but also as a coffee shop and it has THE most unique lattes I've ever seen. Among others, they're most popular lattes are the rose and lavender lattes. They apparently put real flowers in your drink. They also do sell some pastries if you're in need of a snack. You most definitely need to take a picture while you're here.

2. Devocion - 25 E 20th St, New York, NY 10003 (near the Flat Iron building)

This is another one that's incredibly pleasing to the eye yet has amazing coffee. There is another cool location in Brooklyn, but this one is in Manhattan near the Flat Iron building. The cappuccinos are apparently made to perfection. Enjoy sipping delicious coffee underneath a skylight and hanging greenery. (The skylight isn't pictured) 

3. Ferrara Bakery & Cafe - (Little Italy) 195 Grand St, New York, NY 10013

If you're in Little Italy, you have GOT to go here! The most authentic Italian pastries and other specialties you will ever have (besides in Italy). In the picture below, I'm eating sfogliatelle with some espresso and my dads sambuca (an Italian liquor usually had with dessert). A cool fact is that this place has been around since 1892. So it's survived the Great Depression and both World Wars. 

(my picture ^)

4.  Serendipity's 3 - 225 E 60th St., New York, NY 10022

Now this place you definitely need a reservation for. This is probably one of the most popular places in NYC for dessert. They also sell coffee, lunch, and dinner, but most people come here for the dessert. If you're just dropping by for dessert, I don't believe you're allowed to make a reservation so you could be waiting 40 minutes or more. Kinda worth it though. They have a famous frozen hot chocolate, crazy looking banana splits, and literally the biggest desserts you have ever seen. Their cool atmosphere is also a bonus; it's super chic and funky. 

(Me in front of Serendipity's. This was probably five years ago now. Jeez, I'm old.)

5. Cha Cha Matcha - 1158 Broadway, New York, NY & 373 Broome St, New York, NY

This is a place I only know about because of Instagram but apparently, they have amazing matcha lattes here and plus, how cute is the inside with all of that pink? If you don't know what matcha is, it's a vibrant green powder made from green tea leaves, most familiar with Japanese culture. It delivers way more antioxidants than regular green tea, not to mention, it has caffeine, of course. You can also get some pastries while you're here.

Restaurants;

1. Pig n'Whistle - 922 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10022

This is a great pub for some Irish food, like corn beef and cabbage or shepherds pie. The space is a bit tight, but it's honestly just such a New York City cool, cozy vibe. There are a few other locations around the city but this is the one I always visit. If you're looking for a cozy, filling Irish meal, this is the place to go. (Also, it's great food to eat if it's cold outside; the perfect winter meal).
Here's a picture of my boyfriend and I here in a booth, two years ago during Christmas :)

2. While We Were Young Kitchen & Cocktails - 183 W 10th St., New York, NY 10014

Now, this place is widely popular on Instagram, mostly for the airy, chic,  aesthetically pleasing setting but the food here is apparently really good as well. They sell cocktails, brunch, and dinner. They have healthy-ish food options such as; Salmon with kale, chickpeas, and pistachio, winter squash pasta with walnuts and dates, but then they also have chicken and waffles and a truffle omelette for brunch (among other things of course). I heard the cauliflower tater tots are AMAZING. If you're going to New York City with a girlfriend, I have a feeling this would be a great place to hang out.

3. Jacks Wife Freda - 224 Lafayette St, New York, NY 10012

A very popular place in Soho, but there are also two other locations in NYC. (The others being West Village and Chelsea) They serve breakfast, lunch, dinner and cocktails. You can check off points for a cute atmosphere and delicious food for this one. They have very interesting foods that they present beautifully. Their ideas come from Israeli and South African culture. For breakfast you can try out "Maya's breakfast bowl" made with scrambled or poached eggs, red quinoa, kale, spaghetti squash, avocado, and grilled tomato. For lunch you can get a "Madame Freda" which is a pressed sandwich with duck prosciutto, cheddar bechamel, gruyere, and a sunny side up egg. And for dinner try out the Ground Lamb and Eggplant "Lasagna". 

4. Cafe Medi - 107 Rivington St., New York, NY 10002

Serving Mediterranean seafood and vegetarian friendly dishes, this place lights up with their sky lit atmosphere and floor to ceiling murals. Their food represents France, Spain, and Italy. Just some examples of the dishes they serve are seared scallops, sweet pea risotto pasta, and lamb souvlaki. 

5. Emilio's Ballato - 55 E Houston St., New York, NY 10012

If you're visiting Soho, definitely stop by and eat at Emilio's. This family owned Italian restaurant is probably the most popular one among all the authentic Italian spots around New York. There are pictures on the wall from all the famous people who have eaten here, from Barack Obama to Jimmy Fallon and other movie stars. Of course it's a bit pricey, like most places in NYC, but that's to be expected. Come here to experience a little taste of Italy. Only downside is they don't take reservations so you may want to put your name on the wait list then do some walking around town.

6. Via Carota - 51 Grove St., New York, NY 10014

Another great Italian spot, this one is nestled in Greenwich village and has a rustic, warm, and cozy charm to it (Obviously I love cozy places so I had to add this in). It'll make you feel like you're actually eating in a small Italian village up on the mountains in cobble-stoned streets. It's inspired by a 17th century Florence villa. The food is out of this world, or well, out of this country and straight from Italy, I should say. Definitely try it out. 

7. Max Brenner Chocolate Bar - 841 Broadway, New York, NY 10003

Okay, this place is crazy. They have chocolate EVERYTHING (yes that is a chocolate marshmellow-covered pizza in the picture). So if you're a chocolate lover, you have got to try this place out. I didn't list it under cafes because they really serve everything, from (of course) desserts, to pizza, burgers, soy-glazed salmon, pasta primavera, pub steak and potatoes, and then everything you can think of with chocolate added to it. There are Cocoa Spiced Waffle Fries, Belgium Hot Chocolate, Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate, an 80s Milkshake, all different types of Fondue and Waffles and Crepes AND chocolate covered pizzas. I can literally go on. There is so much food at this place, chocolate and non-chocolate related. But you obviously need to come here and get SOMETHING chocolate related at some point. This place is just pure awesome.

8. L&B Spumoni Gardens - 2725 86th St., Brooklyn, NY 11223

This is another famous location, although I still don't feel like many people know about it. Established in 1938, this family-owned restaurant got made famous for their Sicilian square pizza, spumoni and Italian ices. You can be served inside their cozy restaurant or eat outside like a true New Yorker on the go. They also have regular, round pies and you can order any of their pizzas by the slice. If you want to eat inside their restaurant, they offer much more than pizza as well. Even though it's in Brooklyn, it's worth the trip.

9. Last but not least..... get AUTHENTIC RAMEN! Anywhere, seriously, because they're all over the place.

I couldn't pick a specific location for this, because almost all of the ones around the city are authentic and family owned. To name a few, here are some in the heart of NYC:

Totto Ramen - 248 E 52nd St

Momosan Ramen & Sake - 342 Lexington Ave

Nakamura - 172 Delancey St

Ivan Ramen - 25 Clinton St

(Picture from Ivan Ramen, NYC)

(Picture from Totto Ramen, NYC)


Hope you enjoyed this blog post! I'm sure there are many more amazing cafes and restaurants I haven't heard of in NYC. If you'd like, suggest some down below for any fellow viewers! 
Have a wonderful weekend,

Lots of love,
Sammi

Live Cozy and Feel Cozy (Part 2)

Happy Friday, everyone! I'm off for the next two days and after working three 12 hours shifts in a row at my hospital, all I want to do is curl up in a ball with some snacks, my blanket, and watch Netflix. But lucky for you, I'm writing this blog post instead of watching netflix! (I have the snacks and blanket though).
So this post is going to be a "Part 2" of my last post, about 'living cozy and feeling cozy'. I have a habit of going on rants when I talk, and apparently when I write too, so initially I was thinking I was going to have both "how to make your home cozy" and "how to feel cozy" under the same blog post but then I realized I had just wayy too much to say so this is now Part 2 of my post; how to feel cozy. So without further ado, let's get into it!

My lifestyle revolves around "self-care" and wearing what I feel comfortable in, or even just relaxing after a long day of work, a lot. In short, coziness is a big part of my lifestyle.
Here's what I like to do to feel more cozy:

• Comfy socks. Can't really go wrong here. I'm the type of person that almost always needs something on their feet inside my house. I went on a little shopping haul to target during the winter and got the COMFIEST socks ever. One pair are more like slipper socks, with little foxes on them and non-skid rubber thingys on the bottom. Those socks are actually pictured above in my blog post picture.
• Pajama sets. I don't know why, but I really feel like I have my life together when I'm wearing a pajama set. I've currently been wanting a silk pajama set. (May ask for one for my birthday from Victoria's Secret). But yeah, pajama sets just make me feel like I've got my life together and that I'm a real adult. Anyone else feel the same?
• Face masks. Not much to say here. Not only does it make you feel cozy, but sooo relaxed and makes me feel like I am living da life. Just put a cocktail in my hand, please. My favorite mask I've found so far was from Target. And it's not just me that thinks it's amazing, but I had my good friend try it on one night when we were hanging out and, yes it does sting for a bit, but when you take it off.... omg. It feels like I have a new face. And I can never tell with any other face masks I've used before, but THIS ONE, honestly makes my skin look more bright and seems to make any blackheads disappear. I'll link it here, just click on the pic!

• Journaling. This is something I personally need to do more of. They have so many cool journals you can get for whatever your interest is! I currently use a blank journal that I got from Barnes and Noble where I write some poetry or whatever is on my mind. (It's a beautiful red leather journal made in Italy. Tip: find a beautiful journal that makes you want to stare at so that way you WILL write in it). I also have a journal with "300 writing prompts" that I got from Target. (Side note: one of my major goals in life is to write a book one day. I LOVE writing). They also have gratitude journals, prayer journals, mindfulness journals, really anything. It's great to use either first thing when you wake up in the morning, instead of reaching for your phone (we all know we're guilty of this) and also right before you go to bed to clear your mind.
• Tea/Coffee/Hot Chocolate. Whatever you're in the mood for, it doesn't matter! I prefer tea at night before bed and hot chocolate on a cold/rainy day. Something about it appealing to multiple senses makes it so lovely to me.
• A good movie/documentary. If you're feeling like just chilling and bringing on the cozy vibes, find a great movie or documentary to watch! I'm picky so I may do a bit of research before finding something that I want to watch, like watching trailers on youtube.
• Clean up your house! I personally cannot relax if my house is a mess. In order to get into my comfy and coziest element, I need my house to be clean. So bring out the vacuum before cuddling up in your bed or on the couch.
• Candles and air diffusers. When you wanna get in the mood for a cozy night, ya need a candle or an air diffuser. Air diffusers are pretty cheap on amazon. I know Doterra products are very in right now, but I honestly don't understand the hype. Their scents are just SO harsh to me. So my favorite types of oil to put in the diffuser are the kind you get from.. hmm, what would you call them? Hippy stores? Haha, I'm not sure. Okay, I just googled it and I believe their called "Metaphysical stores"? Correct me if I'm wrong. But there are a lot of local shops that sell essential oils. These places typically sell crystals, sage, tarot cards, that type of thing. I love those stores. But they have the best smelling oils for your diffuser! One that's a chain is called: The Bodhi Tree.
• A fieldtrip to the bookstore. (Don't forget buying a coffee) Nothing says cozy like curling up on your favorite chair and reading a really good book. In fact, I need to find a new one.. suggestions are welcome :)
• Paint your nails. Matter of fact, just have a spa day with yourself! Nothing beats that.
• Take a bath (maybe even with a bath caddy). Okay so this one, I personally have mixed feelings about taking a bath. That might be weird, but it's just me. Although I really do want one of those cool "bath caddy/board" things where it fits right above your tub in a perfect display to put a glass of wine, hold your phone, tablet, or book in a way that will make you feel like royalty. I low-key really want an iPad just for the fact that putting it on a bath caddy and scrolling down Pintrest with it sounds like A mood for sure. Also, throw a bath bomb in there! I'll link a picture down below of a good bath caddy to get from Etsy. (I may be getting this for myself as well).

• Lotion up! After taking a shower at night before bed, I LOVE to lotion up. Two of my favorite go-to scents right now are "in the stars" and "spiced gingerbread swirl". Both are warm, pretty scents that make me feel so good.
• The app, "Calm". Definitely not sponsored, (I wish I had sponsors), haha but the app called "Calm" is amazing! Not sure if it's available on androids but I use it for my iPhone. Sometimes when I'm working I honestly just put it on for the background noise. You can set up a background with different scenery like a rainy day, a rain forest, a field of wildflowers, the ocean, literally anything and it's so relaxing. They have guided meditations, bed-time stories, calming music and more. Some are free but some are locked, the app is $59.99 for a whole year, but honestly I just use the free ones. It really puts me in my feels.

Welp, that's about it guys! Tomorrow I'm going to be going to the Renaissance festival with my boyfriend but I plan on waking up early tomorrow morning, making some coffee, and writing another blog post. Have a relaxing, lovely and comfy night everyone! Till tomorrow :)

Live Cozy and Feel Cozy

Hey guys! I thought this might be a cute way to start off my blog, especially because I've been practicing some self-care lately and I realized that "coziness" is kind of a big part of my lifestyle. So keep reading if you'd like to hear some of my own tips on how to create a cozy lifestyle.

Just thought I'd throw in a picture of my cozy little living room.

1. Making your home more "homey":

• Get plants! Inside or outside plants, it doesn't matter. If you feel like you have a terrible green thumb, fake plants are great too, to bring those cozy, airy vibes into your home. I recently just got about five plants for our outside patio. Inside plants can also "clean the air" in your home and can not only cozy your home, but brighten it up.
• Candles, candles, candles. Not just candles though, but a candle holder. A great way to make an ordinary candle look elegant AND cozy is to get one of those candle holders from bath and body works. They are so cute and help a candle stand out. I bought a candle holder from there that has a tiny stand and it's made to look like leaves growing around the candle. I personally keep it on my kitchen counter in the middle to give a homey look and I'll switch my candle out depending on my mood or the season. You can fit almost any other candle in it too, I currently have a yankee candle placed inside of it. Side note: get cheap candles at home goods or TJMAXX!
• A chalkboard memo board. I think this is such a cute, homey look that will bring a nice family aesthetic to your home. I got mine at Target and it's just a simple stand-up board with a cork board on the back. There are all different kinds though! I saw the cutest one at target with little mason jars on the side and the chalkboard next to it. There are a lot of "organizer" chalkboard memo boards. I currently have "love grows here" written on it inside a circle of flowers. It's pretty adorable. A good idea to write on one would be a countdown to something important, like an up-coming vacation. Be sure to get colored chalk! Also, letter boards are pretty in right now and a cute, cozy way to spice up your home. I'll link two down below, as well as my own chalkboard I have in my kitchen. That's the first pic right down here (I couldn't link mine to Target's website because I got it a while ago and I don't think they have the exact one anymore.



• Throw blankets. Pretty self-explanatory. How much cozier can it get? Home goods is my go-to place for most home accessories like this. Just throw it over your couch, ottoman, or fold it nicely across the end of your bed.
• Rugs. Even though I have carpeting in my living room, you can't believe how much getting a rug has brightened up and brought complete coziness into my home. My favorite type of rug is "oriental" but of course that's totally up to preference. I think it has something to do with how my mom always had a few oriental rugs around my home growing up, so naturally it reminds me of "home". Not to mention, they look elegant. I got my current rug off of Amazon and, wow, just wow, I wasn't sure what to expect because sometimes buying rugs online doesn't always go over well, but it was perfect and made of a great thick material! My rug is by the Safavieh Evoke Collection, the vintage oriental ivory and blue 5'1" by 7'6". Link and picture down below!

• Decorative pillows. Comfy and cozy. I'm a bit of a clean freak, so I'm constantly perfecting my decorative pillows back in place on my couch once I get up from it. What can I say? I mean, they are cute.
• Farmhouse decor. The whole "farmhouse" look is very in right now, although I feel like it may not always be in, so my home does have a few items with that whole farmhouse style. Distressed-looking rustic decor is a great indicator if you're not sure if something is "farmhouse" worthy. Some examples of this style are: barn doors, wire or wicker baskets, mason jars, anything made of that distressed grey wood color or natural wood colors.
• So in the same category I wanted to list a couple things I have in my own home that bring up the coziness factor and could be listed as "farmhouse" decor. For one, and I literally have no idea if there's a specific name for them but lemme try my best, wooden wall boxes with inspirational quotes. Does that make sense? If I can figure out how to insert pictures or link a pic, I will. I have one of my wall that's made of distressed wood that says, "all you need is love... and more coffee". And how much more accurate can it be? I got it at "Altar'd State". If you don't know that store, look it up. It's one of the most adorable stores there is. Although, I can't really afford any of their clothes, but they've got a super trendy selection of homey decor. Also, Etsy is a great place for these.
• Wicker organizer baskets - These are simply the best! I have two that came as a set, from home goods, and to tie in the whole vibe, they also happen to have a square piece of chalkboard attached to it (meant to mark what's inside). I use them to store all of our dvds and video games and keep it in the living room next to our tv stand. This is a great way to not only bring a cozy feel into your home, but stay organized!
• A nice bookcase. If you're a book reader like me, it's important to have a nice place to store all your books. I personally have one now that I want to get rid of in the future. I'm planning on getting a nice dark wood, or cherry colored one that isn't backless, like mine, and looks more.. I guess expensive? Mine was pretty cheap off of Wayfair and really doesn't hold enough books.
• Collage picture frames (with family pictures). What would be a home without pictures of your family? Picture collage frames let you have multiple pictures in one to display in your home so that way, no matter where your family is, it's a constant reminder of them. A home is where the family is. I personally think having one or two on your wall really makes a home more of a home. If you don't have any, get one now!
• Things that make you feel like "you". Okay, so this is a good point I didn't truly think about until recently. What makes you feel good? What makes you feel like... you? I recently got a record player for my birthday and the cutest stand. I've always loved old vintage things and I love music from the 80's, 70's and 60's. Even 50's... I love myself some Frank Sinatra. (My parents were born in the 50s so I grew up with this kind of music) And because of all that, the presence of having these old records and player in my home just make me feel SO comforted. Other examples of this... well, I love Harry Potter (anyone, relate?) I have a wand I got from Universal I don't know what to do with, and I'm like.. "I don't wanna just let it sit in it's box" so I'm ordering a shelf and stand to put it in my bedroom. How cute is that? And these little things just make your home feel even more "homey", not only to you, but I feel like when others come over they can also feel that same cozyness.
• Wall Shelves with cute knick-nacks. I'm placing a picture below of exactly what I mean. I feel like wall shelves really bring a cozy-ness factor to your home. Especially when you put cute little knick-nacks on them that mean something to you. For example, on mine above my record player I have a little figurine of the Eiffel Tower I got in Paris last year, I have a candle (of course), a little plant (I really want a hanging plant though), and this odd little picture I thrifted that says "our love can't be measured". I'll also add a picture that links to an etsy page for these really cute rustic wall shelves. 

These are my wall shelves that I got from Target. (And my lovely record player, from Amazon)

• Things from other countries or travels. I think this makes for a unique home. I want to get more things, but obviously I need to travel more. I have a plate I hung on the wall from Capri, Italy. And my dad gave me a little wall decoration from Sicily that I have near my front door as well. It holds importance because that's where his side of the family came from and where he lived as a kid. Things like that make my home feel more homey :)

Stay tuned for my next blog that will feature what you can do for yourself to unwind, de-stress, and make yourself feel cozy.
If anyone has any questions about where I got some of my other things I mentioned, leave a comment down below!

Have a beautiful day, lovely people!