A Jaded Girl's Guide to NYC

it’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood.

jadedgirlnyc — Fri, 21 May 2010 03:07:59 +0000

The weather today was my idea of perfect. Spring in New York is tricky, especially this year it seems. It’s either rainy and chilly, to the extent that a light hoodie doesn’t quite do it but your winter coat is too heavy. Or it’s stifling and humid, a nice little preview of what we have to look forward to for the summer. But today was perfect. I felt a little like Goldilocks, it wasn’t too hot or too cold, but just right. My curmudgeonly coworker even commented at how “balmy” the weather is. If that happens, you know it has to be nice out.

After work the bff and I went to a restaurant nearby and had salads and wine. The windows were open, the air was cool, it was just a perfect night. If the weather could be this balmy all the time, I don’t know if I would ever have anything negative to say. Or rather, anything negative to say about the weather, at least.

why my local starbucks rules.

jadedgirlnyc — Thu, 20 May 2010 03:08:13 +0000

I love the Starbucks near my office. Honestly, it’s not like Starbucks is different wherever you go. That’s what’s kind of comforting about it, to be honest. No matter where you go, if you have a favorite Starbucks drink, you can probably get it. You can’t really say that about everywhere.

The thing that’s great about Starbucks in New York is that there’s seriously a Starbucks everywhere. I thought my neighborhood was lacking in Starbucks because the closest one is a good four blocks away, and that’s really saying something. In Manhattan at least, Starbucks is seriously all around. My favorite Starbucks, however, is the one on the same block as my office.

For a good amount of time, the manager at that Starbucks knew my name. He knew my drink, had it ready for me when I got to the front of the line to pay. I loved it. Even now, when there’s new employees, I love my work Starbucks. I love seeing the same random people there. The crazy lady with the fur hat who dances around. The same boring businessmen. The same people with their same ridiculously complicated drinks. Even though it’s a chain, there’s something so familiar about it that I love. It’s like all the ridiculous randomness of New York compounded into one place. One place with great coffee. Or chai, if that’s what you’re currently addicted to. If only it cost a little bit less.

rainy days (and mondays) always get me down.

jadedgirlnyc — Wed, 19 May 2010 03:01:21 +0000

Not gonna lie, I hate when it rains in the city. I don’t have rain boots, I’ve never been able to find any that fit me well, they all feel so rubbery and weird on my feet so I just gave up. So when it rains, since I’m short, generally the bottoms of my pants get wet. An umbrella can never quite shield me when the rain is coming in every direction, so the rest of me gets soaked. The rain makes my hair frizzy. In general, in case you couldn’t tell, I hate the rain. A lot. You get the people with their huge umbrellas poking your umbrella out of the way, the cab drivers who splash puddles on you, the sopping wet subway stairs…it’s just no fun. Generally when it rains, I’m miserable every second I have to be outside. However, today, in my attempt to find something positive to write about later, I tried not to look at the weather in that light. It didn’t work necessarily well, rain still sucks. However, I found myself having a new appreciation for umbrellas. Generally, umbrellas in the city, like many other things about the city, are black. Everyone seems to have those generic street vendor/Duane Reade umbrellas that flip inside out at the slightest hint of wind. However, amidst all the black, you see little patches of color. Different patterns, maybe those clear umbrellas (which to be honest, kind of freak me out). So I stopped thinking of the umbrellas around me as a nuisance, but rather as a mosaic of color. A painting, almost. The vivid colors contrasting with the black and gray. Just looking at it that tiniest bit differently, made the rain that much more bearable.

jerkytastic.

jadedgirlnyc — Tue, 18 May 2010 02:35:48 +0000

I’m generally not a big fan of jerky. It’s usually too dry and chewy for my liking, as much as I’m a big fan of meat. There is, however, one except to this, and that’s Malaysia Beef Jerky down in Chinatown. A couple years ago I stumbled upon it with my roommate and generally anytime I’m in the neighborhood I have to pick some up now. It’s a bit pricey, but seriously amazing.

If you’re used to American jerky, don’t expect that. This jerky is moist and thin and tender, and the spices they use make it absolutely amazing. You can get sliced jerky, which is more like “American” jerky in terms of its consistency, but it’s still more moist than any jerky I’ve had. Their other jerky is even more moist and tender. Basically, if you’re a meat-eater, go here and get some jerky. For about $4 you can get a quarter-pound. They have beef, pork and chicken varieties and you can get them spicy or not, but I definitely recommend the spicy, it has just the right kick. Just talking about it is making me crave some in fact, too bad I already ate all of mine from the weekend.

decadence at its finest.

jadedgirlnyc — Mon, 17 May 2010 03:48:53 +0000

In my opinion, French food is probably the most decadent food ever. It’s rich, it’s probably generally bad for it, it just feels so indulgent. And also, I don’t see how you can have French food without wine. My favorite French restaurant is Le Gamin in Prospect Heights. If I’m in the area, as I often am, it’s pretty much a necessity to go there. First of all, their food is amazing. Second, their prices are amazing. Third, their garden? Again, amazing.

I had every intention of taking pictures for the specific purpose of posting them in this blog when I went there today. But first our bottle of wine came, along with their amazing bread. Which, by the way, is absolutely delightful with their mustard. I could probably write an entire post on their mustard, honestly. It makes me salivate just thinking about it, it’s just that good. Each time I go, I have to resist the urge to take a bottle of their mustard home with me. But I digress. After our wine and bread came, our cheese platter came. It was so delicious, as it always is, both on its own and with the mustard, but it was halfway gone before I remembered that I planned on taking a picture. Then our entrees came. Again, halfway gone before I remembered to take a picture. Their croque-monsieur? Best I’ve ever had. And the salad that comes with it has the best dressing ever. I don’t know what it is, but I devour every little piece. For dessert we got their cheesecake with a chocolate ganache and strawberries on the side, but again, I forgot to take a picture.

Basically, go to Le Gamin. There are a few locations, but the garden at their location in Prospect Heights is so pretty, combined with the amazing food, that I just can’t resist going there. It’s just all so wonderful that I was only able to remember to take a picture after we left. I was that focused on all of my food. Any restaurant like that is worth trying at least once.

my favorite meal ever.

jadedgirlnyc — Sun, 16 May 2010 03:33:52 +0000

I love brunch. Seriously, I think it’s my favorite meal to actually eat out for. I don’t know what it is exactly, but going out to brunch is just so much fun. Maybe because I can only be that indulgent on weekends and it’s the joy of not working for a couple days combined with delicious comfort food, but I love going to brunch. It also feels very New York City to me, I’m not sure why. So this morning, before going to a matinee of a not-so-good show, the bff and I went to B Bar for brunch.

It’s not like B Bar has particularly different selections on their menu for brunch. I got eggs benedict, which is pretty much my standard by which I measure restaurants for how acceptable their brunch is (B Bar makes a fabulous eggs benedict) and the bff got an omelette. There’s a few things, however, that make B Bar stand out and make it one of my favorite places for brunch. First of all, they start you off with this warm, crumbly banana bread that’s just delightful. Second of all, their home fries are amazing. Generally I’m not a big fan of home fries, but I don’t know if it’s the amount (just enough without taking over half the plate) or the seasoning they use, but their home fries are the best I’ve ever had. But my favorite thing about B Bar? Their garden. Eating at B Bar is like being at a garden party that’s just been sort of plopped down on Bowery. It’s fabulous.

And really, what more do you need than delicious brunch in a garden any time of the year? It’s heated in the winter, open-air in the summer, and all around frivolously delightful. If you’re looking for a fun brunch, this is definitely the place to go.

just like -insert maternal figure here- used to make.

jadedgirlnyc — Sat, 15 May 2010 03:06:07 +0000

Park Slope is full of lots of adorable coffee shops, bars and restaurants, but perhaps the cutest I’ve found thus far is Aunt Suzie on 5th Ave. When you walk in, you immediately feel like you’re walking into someone’s home. It’s not just the atmosphere itself, but the welcoming staff, tables that look like they came from a family member’s dining room and the homestyle cooking all make this one of the homiest restaurants I’ve found in the city. Their food isn’t just good, it’s familiar, and sometimes all you need is to go out to a restaurant where you’re treated like family (and regardless of what the Olive Garden might claim, I didn’t particularly feel like family the one time I went there, so just find your own homestyle non-chain restaurant instead). It’s also worth mentioning, though slightly odd, that their cloth napkins smell amazing. They smell like they just came out of the laundry, and if you’re like me, the smell of fresh laundry is so wonderfully comforting. Have you ever been to a restaurant where the napkins actually smell really good? Probably not. Aunt Suzie is such a wonderful little spot in a neighborhood that’s gradually becoming more expensive and commercialized. It’s great food and great company for a great price.

the best place to buy wine.

jadedgirlnyc — Fri, 14 May 2010 02:38:03 +0000

I love Trader Joe’s. It’s the only place I’ll buy groceries anymore, even though the line is generally ridiculous and I have a tendency to get frustrated by all the people. It’s not like Trader Joe’s is a new concept, I’ve been going there with my family for years for groceries, but the Trader Joe’s Wine Shop? That’s a completely different story.

I know it works differently in other states, but here in New York, you can’t buy liquor in grocery stores. And I love my local liquor store (and will probably mention it at some point), but the concept of being able to buy wine while going grocery shopping? Genius. And being able to get it at Trader Joe’s (or you know, next door)? Even better. Trader Joe’s Wine Shop down in Union Square has great wine because it’s not just delicious, it’s cheap. And I’m not even talking about the three buck chuck, though that certainly serves it’s purpose. I’m a big fan of Chianti, and I absolutely adore the Gaetano D’Aquino (yes I just checked what the name was, as if I could remember that) Chianti that only costs $5. Trader Joe’s has quality wine for cheaper than I can find anywhere else. Now if only they could open one in my neighborhood.

where everybody knows your name.

jadedgirlnyc — Thu, 13 May 2010 02:24:45 +0000

I love my bodega. It’s not that I even go there that often, but when I go in there, I feel so comfortable. I love that the guys who work there know me, that they always say hello, that when I go in there around the same time at night I see the same people. It all feels very homey, it’s almost like a little slice of hometown America. Even though my bodega guys don’t actually know my name, or at least not as far as I know, they know me, and in this big city full of strangers, that little bit of comfort is always welcome.

I don’t know why exactly New Yorkers call our convenience stores bodegas (and for all you non-New Yorkers, now you know what I’m actually talking about), or when exactly that started, but it’s a term that’s stuck, certainly, and calling it anything else would just be weird now. When I first moved here, my bodega was just the place that I’d pop in occasionally when I was doing laundry and needed to kill time. I’d buy a soda, maybe a scratch-off if I felt like being slightly indulgent, a snack of some sort. I mean really, bodegas don’t have all that much to them, just magazines, candy, some microwaveable food, and beer. Lots of beer. As I got more comfortable with my neighborhood and just being in the city in general, my bodega became key in any late-night run for supplies when I had friends staying with me (namely, beer and snacks, because what else do you really need late at night?) Regardless, I love my bodega. Sure, there’s several around me that I could choose from, but the one where everybody knows me, that’s the one I default to. It’s always reassuring after a long day to have that familiarity, that comforting hello.

the most frivolous store ever.

jadedgirlnyc — Wed, 12 May 2010 02:08:28 +0000

I have a slight obsession. Okay, another slight obsession, since apparently I say that a lot. The store Pylones is pretty much the most amazing place ever. NYC is lucky enough to have to a few stores, in fact, we’re the only city in the US that has them. For the record, as I just found out by going to their website, its pronounced “pee-lone”, which isn’t how I’ve been pronouncing it at all for entire time I’ve been talking about how amazing this store is.

Pylones lets me indulge in my whimsical side. Do I actually need a cheese grater that looks like a woman wearing a dress? Or a pen that looks like chopsticks holding sashimi? Or, for that matter, a handbag that looks like a watering can? The answer to all those questions is probably not, but I love it anyway. Pylones is probably the best place ever to buy gifts for people, mainly because you can’t get them anywhere else and because their sales section is seriously amazing. Anytime I go there I have to resist buying basically everything. They have adorable erasers, soaps, coin purses that look like socks. If you’re looking for basically anything adorable, you should go to Pylones. Seriously. It’s just that adorable. Plus, if you’re me, it’s kind of awesome to get people presents that they literally can’t get anywhere else in America. I mean sure, you can order from their website, but I’ve never really gotten into the whole buying things online thing, it’s just not the same if you can’t see the product beforehand, you know? But I digress. Just go to Pylones, try to resist buying everything in the store, and have lots of fun. Just prepare yourself to spend more money than you intended.