New York City: Day 2

The second day's weather was the least pleasant of all, and what better way of making use of the day than spending it in one of New York's best museums- The Met! 

Since it wasn't too far away from the hotel (or so we thought) we walk all the way. I thought we were going to take a taxi and I was unprepared as I whole my boots with heels... let's just say I still have blisters. 

The stroll by Central Park on our way was worth it though. 

And yes, I did take a picture on the stairs just where Blair Waldorf from Gossip Girl would sit... 

If you've ever been to the Met, you'll know how large it is and what a vast variety of art it holds. From Egyptian tombs, to Renaissance art, to pop art, and much more, the Met has something for everyone. Here are a few of my favorite pieces and areas.

(I just thought this one was funny)

Our hotel was really nicely located so it was so easy to quickly get to places like Times Square.

Finally, to end the day we went to Serendipity. It was completely full so it's best to be there earlier than planned! Obviously we skipped the savory part of the meal and only had desert...

More good eats!

One of my favorite restaurants of all time is Shade found in the Heights. The prices are perfect for what they serve and I have been going ever since I was 3 years old.

The restaurant is formal during the night but during the day, especially for Sunday brunch, it is perfect for a family lunch or to meet up with friends. 

And as it is on a street filled with small boutiques, antique stores, other restaurants, and cafes, I always stop by Boomtown which has amazing coffee!!

New York City: Day 1

Recently, I went on vacation to New York City with my family. I have been to the concrete jungle many times, and I can honestly say that it is one of my favorite cities. It has something for everyone, from its wide range of museums, its vast variety of cultures, all of the architecture, and once more. Sure some people may not be in such a good mood but neither would I if I constantly had tourists asking me for directions (this was me when my parents let me run loose for an afternoon) 

This was my day one... 

First came my short 3 hour flight. These pictures aren't really relevant but I always feel so artistic when I take pictures on the plane 

We arrived in New York at around 2 and wasted no time by hopping into a taxi and going to the Frick collection- a small museum inside of a beautiful mansion that holds New York's prettiest indoor garden and some very famous art pieces.

Then it was time to eat. New York has every type of food you can imagine from high quality restaurants to quick and easy street food. One of most famous street foods is Halal Guys, which can be located at almost any corner and the lines get super long! 

After walking around for a while, it began to get dark (and cold) and New York traded the sun for its bright city lights. 

We then went all the way to Brooklyn to get the best pizza and cannoli you can get in New York. We went to Grimaldi's, and Italian Pizzeria that has been open for a very long time. 

To end the night, we walked around in Brooklyn and took a few pictures of the bridge. 

good eats

Ok so I'm pretty sure Local Foods doesn't only exist in Texas but just in case you haven't heard of it, it's one of those restaurants that makes you feel like you can conquer the world and become a super healthy yoga instructor or something along those lines.

Also if you happen to have celiac disease or you just don't want to eat gluten, they have really good gluten free bread now! 

Their menu changes a little bit every time I go and I think it's because their options change with the seasons. 

In my opinion, it is a little bit expensive compared to other restaurants BUT it is still a refreshing taste and is always a nice place to meetup with friends for lunch. 

Museum lovin'!!

I haven't made a blog post in quite a while and what better way to get back into the swing of things than by writing about a recent cultural event I atended!

In Houston there is a museum called the Asia Society Museum and their most recent exposition is about Asian and Mexican migration into the United States. Just the building itself is stunning with its architectural simplicity and modern style.

They hosted a large event to share both cultures while allowing guests to gaze at the expeditions. 

My favorite was this giant pile of fortune cookies... 

Outside of the museum were about 7 really well known food trucks and I went straight to the sweet side as we had already had dinner 

This is a very rough and rushed post as I am half asleep writing this but hopefully now that I have the blogger app, I'll try and write more often! 

 

A little slice of Greece

I am not a big fan of Houston in general but there's one thing that Houston is really good at and that is being a city full of different cultures and arts. There are so many different races in Houston and so many celebrations and festivals are held to let everyone else in on some of their culture. 

One of the biggest festivals is the Greek Festival held in AOS (a Greek Orthodox School). I have been going to this festival for as long as I remember and I wouldn't be surprised if baklava was my first word...

The best part of the festival is the food and you can never get enough so we usually take a lot of boxes back home

from kebabs...

 

to the "dinner plate" with pastitsio, tiropita, spanakopita, keftedes, and Greek salata...

and straight to the desert- baklava, kourambiedes, finikia, koulourakia, and rice pudding

 

There are also plenty of other options such as gyros, Greek custard, etc.

Another main part of the festival is the booths that are set inside of the building filled with different Greek objects and materials. All of the stands are run by Greeks with products that are shipped all the way from Greece.

 

 

 

The festival is constantly playing Greek music and at night it is live. Every now and then they have performances demonstrating original Greek dances. Opa!