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An Ultimate Girls Weekend in NYC

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When my friends and family come to visit NYC, I don’t want them to leave without saying they ate the best food, drank the best cocktails, saw the coolest spots and explored the cutest neighborhoods. Of course we can swing by necessary tourist spots, but I want to dig right into the places I would meet up with friends or guarantee they would have the best taste, drink or time to remember.

My aunt and cousin came to visit a few weeks ago and I had the best time putting together the ultimate itinerary. There is so much to see in the city, but I had to narrow it down for a few days. One of my favorite parts things is not on the itinerary was simply getting ready with them every morning! We sometimes wouldn’t head out until noon, but we weren’t in any rush because we got to have coffee and catch up together in my teeny tiny apartment!

Once we got out and about in the city, we snacked and sipped our way around. I’m sharing some of our favorite spots and hope it sparks inspiration for the next time you’re in Manhattan!

  • Meat Girls on Broadway
  • Spot in Times Square
  • Drinks at Dante
  • Eggs at Buvette

Friday

  • Brunch at Buvette. This restaurant has the best steamed eggs you’ll ever have, but there is usually a wait! Put your name in, get coffee at Via Carota, walk to Washington Square Park and then swing back just in time for your table.
  • Afternoon cocktail at Dante. My all-time favorite spot for drinks, especially when you stumble upon a live band playing afternoon jazz music like we did!
  • Head home for charcuterie board snacks and Aperol Spritz while getting ready for the night.
  • See Mean Girls (SO good!) and swing through Times Square.
  • Late dinner and snacks back in the neighborhood at The Penrose.

Saturday

  • Head to Remi Flower & Coffee for stunning rose lattes in the working flower shop.
  • Take the train over to 30th St. and 10th Ave. to start the High Line! (The Vessel and Hudson Yards wasn’t open yet, but now that it is, you can see that!)
  • Walk down the High Line to Chelsea Market and explore.
  • Walk to the West Village and put our name in for last-minute reservations at Emily. (Absolutely make reservations before!)
  • Stroll around waiting for Emily. Swing into Murray’s Cheese Bar for wine and snacks, then a drink at The Garrett West above Five Guys.
  • Dinner at Emily for the best pizza and burger combo in the city. I know, I know, fire me because it’s not New York-style pizza ;)
  • Dessert at Milk Bar for Christina Tossi’s famous Milk Bar pie, cereal milk ice cream and birthday cake truffles.
  • Every other bar we wanted to hit was packed or hosting a private event, so we grabbed wine at Rosemary’s!

Sunday

  • Make pancakes and coffee at home.
  • See the 9/11 Memorial Museum (Pro-tip: Go through the beginning faster, skip the 11-minute time lapse movie and concentrate your time on the Historical Museum at the end of the tour.)
  • Hang out in Soho. Shop at the Glossier flagship store, have tacos and margs at La Esquina‘s flagship cafe, visit the Color Factory.
  • Head back to La Esquina’s secret basement (!!) for more drinks to celebrate the end of the weekend!
Washington Square Park

I am so grateful for visitors and love seeing the city through their eyes. Plus, it’s so fun when we can explore new things together! I am always looking out for the next great spot to take family or friends when they’re in town, so leave any ideas below.

Love food. Love self. Love life.
Gabriela

My New York City Apartment Tour

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Welcome to my little oasis – my home sweet home in the city! I will admit, it feels a little weird putting pictures up of my apartment when it’s so tiny and intimate, but I love looking at other people’s home tours, so I figured, why not share! It took about a year of getting settled and decorated, but I couldn’t be more happy with my slice of the city. New York has taught me to embrace the minimalist lifestyle, so I tried to keep things simple and versatile. Everything has multiple purposes and will hopefully be able to translate into another apartment in the future!

The Great Room

My dad calls this main room “The Great Room” to make it sound fancier than it is  – it’s really just my bedroom AND my living room combined ha! This is the reality of New York City. I love the natural lighting that reflects off the two mirrors to really brighten up the space. I have a TV on the wall next to my bed so I can rotate it around to either view from the chairs or the bed. It’s snug, but I don’t let space be an excuse not to have friends over, throw a dinner party or hang out like I would anywhere else!

The Kitchen

This is what many of you see on my weekly Instagram Stories. It’s the spot where all the meal prep goes down! The kitchen is 100% the reason I jumped on this apartment when it became available. It’s rare to get this size of a galley kitchen in a studio, especially with this much built in storage! To maximize my space, I’ve stuffed winter gear, purses and laundry items in these cabinets, too. The natural lighting is where all my photography takes place and it makes such a difference!

To take advantage of truly every single spot in the kitchen, I added this rolling table from CB2. I could not believe how perfectly it fit – it’s like an extension of the countertops, so I can use it for groceries and to set out ingredients for cooking. It gives me a little extra space drying dishes, eating dinner and being able to sit at a little desk. One day in a different apartment, I could treat it like an island or add two more stools to make it a hightop table!

I love my little apartment and the way it’s come together! I’ve learned that you don’t need a lot of space or a lot of things to feel at home. Hopefully this gives you a little idea of what it’s like to live in New York City and potentially some design inspiration for your own space!

Shop the Apartment:

Love food. Love self. Love life.
Gabriela

Where to Eat When You Visit New York

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One of the best things about living in New York is having so many friends and family come visit. I love being able to give recommendations on where to eat and drink. After a year of living in the city, I’ve collected quite the list. These are the must-try spots I’ve vetted in Manhattan and would gladly take anyone who comes to visit. I I hope this list inspired you when you’re visiting the city!

 

Breakfast

Brooklyn Bagel (Located in Chelsea)

I’ve had some good bagels in the city, but the hands-down winner is Brooklyn Bagel in Chelsea. They coat their bagels with seasoning (sesame seeds below!) on BOTH sides for extra texture and they pile the inside high with cream cheese.

Buvette (West Village)

This cozy French spot in the West Village has the most incredible steamed (yes!! steamed!!) eggs served with a big slice of bread, prosciutto and freshly grated cheese. There is usually quite a wait, so either sneak into a seat at the bar if you can, or put down your name and stroll around the neighborhood while you’re waiting. Cappuccino and almond croissants are a must for an appetizer!

Jack’s Wife Freda (SOHO)

I love this spot for it’s American Mediterranean-style food and beautiful aesthetic (just see their Instagram). The rosewater waffle is amazing and I’ve always wanted to try their green shakshuka!

Lunch

Los Tacos No. 1 (Chelsea Market)

I’m not trying to be overly dramatic here, but the adobada taco from Los Tacos No.1 is undoubtedly the best taco I’ve ever had in my life. Is it a blessing or a curse that I work upstairs and could hypothetically have them everyday? Shaved pork, pineapple, creamy avocado sauce is honestly life changing.

Nom Wah Tea Parlor (Chinatown) 

This Dim Sum spot is one of the original in Chinatown and is one of my favorite spots to visit. That fluffy dumpling below tasted like a sweet pillow of heaven! After Alex Guarnaschelli visited it on her Food Network show, Fix Me a Plate, I loved it even more.

Dinner

Barbutto (West Village)

Promise me when I say that you will have the most-memorable Carbonara and Kale Caesar of your life. The restaurant has big windows that come up when it’s nice out and you can people watch. Everything on Chef Jonathan Waxman’s menu will be a highlight of your trip.

Corner Bistro (West Village)

This dive-bar like spot has incredible burgers. It’s super casual and cash-only place with inexpensive beer and cozy neighborhood vibe. Cozy in the window sill spot to people watch on a chilly night.

Ipuddo

My friends and I got lucky on a weeknight with a minimal wait, but this ramen spot usually has a two hour wait! Ipuddo had the best pork buns of my life. The fluffy pillows of clouds were slightly sweet to contrast the spicy sauce, tender pork and crisp lettuce. The ramen was also amazing!

Joe’s Pizza (Greenwich Village)

If you’re looking for a great late night (drunk pizza) slice, you have to check out Joe’s Pizza in Greenwich Village. It is an absolute institution and I truly think the pizza tastes better after midnight!

Dessert

Empire Cakes (Chelsea)

When my co-workers said Empire Cakes had the best black and white cookies and blueberry scones, I was sold. The black and white cookie was the first I had in the city and I’ve compared the others to this ever since. It’s shaped more like a short and fat mini cake than a traditional cookie, which was optimal for icing even on the sides. The scones were just moist enough while having a crumbly texture of scones. I loved the soft blue tint the scones had from the berries making them feel especially homemade.

Levain Bakery (Upper West Side)

These are the best cookies in all of New York City. End of story. They are massive, still gooey and melty in the middle when you break them in half. They are so solid that they even last for a few days wrapped tightly with plastic – aka, perfect for you to take a few home with you!

Van Leeuwen Ice Cream (Several locations)

Fantastic ice cream (regular and vegan options!) started in Brooklyn. I love that it’s super creamy and not too sweet. An ideal balance! You can find locations in the West Village, Upper East Side, Brooklyn and more.

Drinks

Dante (Little Italy and West Village)

There are two locations of Dante and I love them both! I was immediately pleased seeing they had Aperol Spritz on tap, but their negroni selection and overall cocktail menus are incredible. The spritz was served in a massive glass with huge square chunks of ice and topped with a lemon and green olive. My dream!

Raoul’s (West Village)

If you’re looking for a vintage-feeling NYC spot, this is where to go! You feel transported back to a classic New York atmosphere and can pop around to other restaurants and bars in the area. If you get there before 5pm, snag a spot at the bar so you can order one of their burgers. They only make 12 a night and they run out fast! The burgers are served with duck fat fries and they’re incredible to say the least.

What’s on your list of favorite spots to visit in New York City? Comment below and I’ll keep updating this list with favorites as they come along. Happy travels!

Love food. Love self. Love life.
Gabriela

My Fall/Winter Bucket List

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I love to make a bucket list to inspire my adventures with the change of every season. The weather is slowly becoming more crisp in the city and the leaves are changing. Fall is here and I’m ready for all the classic activities (apple picking! pumpkin patch!), plus some new things in the city. Here’s what’s on my bucket list. Now that I’m reading these things back, they’re not tooooo fall inspired, so as I keep adding things, I’ll update you on Instagram!

  • Go to an indoor roller skating party (check!)
  • Go apple picking upstate (check!)
  • Make fried chicken from scratch at home (check! Tyler Florence’s recipe was amazing.)
  • Girls weekend trip to Vermont
  • Karaoke in Korea Town
  • Bingo at The Standard Hotel
  • Go on a pizza crawl, mainly visit Scar’s Pizza! (inspired by this)
  • Eat the French Onion burger at Little Prince
  • See Justin Timberlake at Madison Square Garden
  • See the Nutcracker Ballet in December

The apple orchard and pumpkin patch my girlfriends and I visited was an absolute blast. Here are some snapshots from our day. I completely recommend Outhouse Orchards and Harvest Moon (they’re right next to each other!) if you’re looking for spots just outside of New York City.

What else do you think I should add on my list? Comment below!

Love food. Love self. Love life.
Gabriela

What I’ve Learned from One Year in New York City

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Me and my #1 bae, Audree. New York City wouldn’t have been the same without her this year!

It’s official – one year in New York City! This last year has been full of so much fun, the best food I’ve ever eaten, so much adventure, great people and incredible memories. I’ve grown so much at work, made an amazing group of girlfriends, settled into my apartment, found my favorite spots around the city and don’t feel like a tourist anymore.

Over the last year, I’ve been collecting some lessons about life in the city. I think the most hilarious thing is that a majority of them involve transportation. So much to learn there, hah! I can’t wait to see what year two brings.

10 Things I’ve Learned About Living in NYC

  1. You will be spoiled with some of the best food in the entire world at your fingertips. (I’m looking at you Los Tacos No. 1 in Chelsea Market!)
  2. Add 10 minutes to every directions you get from Google Maps. Everything ALWAYS takes longer.
  3. You will do more online shopping than ever. (Hate you but love you, Amazon Prime!)
  4. Crying in public actually feels so liberating.
  5. Every street and avenue are filled with gems that you have to walk by to find out about. Take a different route as you’re walking to and from the same spots.
  6. There are multiple exits that you can walk out of each subway station. Read your Google Maps directions to see which you need to exit to perfectly position you on your way. (You’ll also feel like such a rockstar when you master which one you should take for your most efficient exiting at frequent spots!)
  7. Make your home an oasis. After a long day of the chaos in the city, there’s nothing more valuable than coming home to a quiet, cozy slice of the city that’s all yours.
  8. The busses are completely underrated! Take them – it will save you so much time.
  9. Try to do one new thing a week in the city – even if it’s something as small as walking into a new coffee shop or swinging into a cute bodega.
  10. There will be days when the city drives you CRAZY, but then minutes later, something magical happens and you realize how much you love it.

Year two – let’s do this!!

Photography by Mason Huckabee.

Love food. Love self. Love life.
Gabriela

What I’ve Learned About Living in New York City

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Groceries in the city are a WHOLE new thing. I brought this bag of my beloved Trader Joe’s favorites across the city!

This week kicks off week three of living in New York City and I honestly am beyond happy. I was searching for my dream job for a long time and it is unreal how genuinely excited I have been since I’ve arrived. Don’t get me wrong – there are things that are exhausting about living in the city, but I hope my sense of giddiness doesn’t fade away. I have picked up some fun tips, themes and stories over the last few weeks, so here are some things I’ve learned.

One of my FAVORITE things about the city are the flower bodegas on every corner. This shop on Lexington and 62nd is one of the best I’ve seen.

People Want to Help

Everyone who has moved to the city has tips and stories they will want to share with you. Whether it’s to try a different route to work (aka: the bus is such a nice change from the subway!) or to never step foot into Trader Joe’s on the weekends (I learned that mistake the hard way), people want to give you insight. The first weekend I moved here I went to a housewarming party for one of my best friends, Audree, and the second I said I was new to the city our whole convo changed into stories of New York.

I made this salad on my Instagram Story the other day and it was such a great salad. Roasted golden beets, balsamic Brussels sprouts, farro, gorgonzola cheese, dried cranberries, arugula and a simple vinaigrette.

There’s So Much Food to Eat

You all know I love my Sunday meal prep and have been doing it religiously for years. It has been more difficult than I expected to stick to my pre-made food because there are so many amazing options at your fingertips in the city! I am learning to find a balance between my home cooking and eating out because I still want to enjoy all the amazing food in the city while staying budget conscious and healthy with my home-cooked meals.

It’s still iced coffee season here with 80 degree weather, even though it’s “fall” already.

The City that Never Sleeps

In the city that never sleeps, my body has needed more sleep than ever. Day to day life here is exhausting! I have been walking about three miles a day during the work week and up to six miles on Saturday or Sunday from just exploring or running errands. Listening to my body and actually going to bed early has been super important to get enough rest.

I can’t believe I live in the same city as my BFF Audree from the fashion blog Simply Audree Kate! She’s introducing me to so many of her friends and connections in the city.

Interesting People Everywhere

One of my favorite things about the city is learning about people and hearing their story. People have moved here from all over the world, have super cool jobs, have unique passions and interests, and are so interesting! I love that you can meet new people and also learn about something new.

My friend invited me to The Outsiders event with Get Up and Ride, Socialight Entertainment, and Clif Bar!

Say YES to New Things

There are interesting people everywhere and just as many fun opportunities to meet them if you take advantage of cool events. Yesterday my friend invited me to a bike ride from Brooklyn to the Bronx…and back!! We stopped in Long Island City, Astoria and finally at the Bronx Brewery for some beers and pizza. I met people from all over the city and got to see new parts of New York all in a matter of hours. I can’t wait to keep going to The Outsiders rides with Get Up and Ride.

I would have never expected to bike 20 miles in one day, but boy, was it a gratifying feeling.

Stay tuned for more NYC updates as I keep exploring! In the meantime, follow along on Instagram and Facebook.

Love food. Love self. Love life.
Gabriela

A Weekend in New York City

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Gourmet Gab and Simply Audree Kate in NYC

Last month I got the chance to visit New York City while I was in the northeast for a work trip. I caught up with friends, spent quality time with my bestie Audree Lopez from Simply Audree Kate and got to meet food influencers. After living in the city for a few months in 2013 while interning at Food Network, I love snapping back into the groove of the fast-paced city life. Here’s my weekend recap of all things food and adventure in the Big Apple!

All the Food Stops

After I landed in the city on Thursday afternoon, I went straight to midtown to meet my friend Jessica from college. She recommended this quaint restaurant called Cafe Tarantin and I actually had to look up the exterior on Yelp because it was truly a hidden gem. The grilled haloumi salad with roasted vegetables and portobello was perfectly salty and full of texture. Gabriela Rodiles and Nikki DinkiFor happy hour that evening I got to meet one of my favorite Food Network Stars, Nikki Dinki! She was on season nine of Food Network Star and is known for her “meat on the side” style of cooking. We got Prosecco at Cask and bonded over ripped jeans, food blogging and developing a brand in the food media industry. She is bubbly, full of energy and simply a blast to be around – exactly as I imagined!

Friday morning I braved the spontaneous SNOW storm that I was unprepared for and walked to get coffee with Skyler Bouchard, a fellow contributor to Food Network Snapchat Discover. We hung out at DTUT in the Upper East Side and talked about being young entrepreneurs in the food media world. That afternoon I roamed around Chelsea Market, one of my favorite spots in the city. The indoor food market is lined with restaurants, shops and vendors. It’s also home to Food Network headquarters! I was craving a crab cake sandwich from the Lobster Place and literally scarfed it down.

Gourmet-Gab-Eataly-and-Ivan-Ramen

One of the places on my NYC bucket list was Mario Bataly’s Eataly, an Italian market packed to the brim with cheese, olive oil, produce, wine, kitchen gadgets and pasta. My family friend Jade and I caught up over a cheese plate and wine. I was in absolute heaven! After, I met Audree at Gotham West Market in Hell’s Kitchen to try Ivan Ramen’s Slurp Slurp shop. I learned about Ivan Ramen from Chef’s Table and was so excited to try the world-renowned ramen expert’s specialty. Instead of the traditional bowl, I tried a vegetarian ramen that had a seriously strong topping game with roasted tomato, greens and creamy soft boiled egg.

Brooklyn Smorgasburg

One of my favorite things Audree and I did was wake up on Saturday morning and ride the train to Brooklyn for Smorgasburg. During the summer, the market is outdoors under the sunshine, but in the winter it gets moved to to this grand building in downtown Brooklyn. When we entered the main floor, Brooklyn Flea was set up with vendors of vintage clothing, accessories and home decor. Audree was all about making connections with vendors, eyeing inspiration for her fashion blog and hunting for the craziest vintage glasses or perfect rocker tee.

Gourmet-Gab-Simply-Audree-Kate-Brooklyn-Flea

Tucked downstairs was the mecca of food – my playground. I was overwhelmed by the mouthwatering sights and smells of each vendor. Everything from the trendy ramen burger to NYC’s favorite Dough doughnuts were waiting for us to taste test. After a few laps evaluating our options, Audree and I decided to go with skirt steak nachos and a matcha “Wowfull” waffle cone ice cream treat.

We were both basically silent as we devoured our food. The nachos were salty from the chips and scallions, sweet and nutty from the sesame marinated steak, crunchy from the cabbage and toppings, and creamy from the crema drizzle. The matcha waffle with blueberry cheesecake ice cream, topped with mochi bites and pocky was as much fun to eat as it was delicious.

Gourmet Gab New York City Trip-6

Sunday Exploration

Saturday night Audree and I met up with my two girlfriends, Bianca and Gab, and got drinks at The Jane Hotel. The inside of the Victorian style hotel has a big living room with dancing and amazing music, plus smaller alcoves with a bar and dim lighting. It was probably one of my favorite places I’ve ever been out! The next morning Audree and I woke up and cha cha’d our way to SoHo. We grabbed matcha at the iconic pink Cha Cha Matcha shop while waiting for our table at Jack’s Wife Freda and took photos with the cool street art.

Next up was Jack’s Wife Freda where we met up with two of my other friends, Melinda and Jordan. I had also heard of this spot from all over Instagram, plus read this super cool article about the co-owner Maya’s signature look. Once we sat down, we started with a rosewater waffle with fresh berries and sipped cantaloupe mimosas. The rosewater waffle was something I had never dreamed of before, but I could see myself craving every Sunday from now on. I also had the haloumi poached eggs, inspired by my aforementioned salad! The hour and a half wait was worth it–I loved the restaurant’s blend of American-Mediterranean cuisine and the understated, inviting interior.

After a full weekend of exploring, eating and drinking, I was joined by co-workers and it was time to get back to work on Sunday evening. But then – the craziest part! – is that we got stuck in the blizzard Stella on Tuesday! Thank goodness we stocked up on Uber eats and a couple bottles of wine the night before.

I left the city feeling overjoyed with the adventures and so excited about the possibility of returning. I felt privileged to be surrounded by rock-star gals in New York City who empowered me and made me fall in the love with the city even more. Thanks to Audree for being my hostess for the week and to New York for always opening my eyes to new chapters.

Love food. Love self. Love life.
Gabriela

Authentic Chinese Dining in Queens

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The sounds, smells and sights of Flushing, Queens transported me to China last weekend. After only a thirty-five minute subway ride, I felt like I was in a whole different world. Authentic markets, food and language filled the streets. I was completely immersed in a culture I had yet to experience.

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I met up with some close family friends at Biang, originally a fast food restaurant that expanded its brand to a full waiter-service location. The exposed brick walls, hip music, modern pendant lights, graphic posters and deep wood tables immediately set a positive precedent for the cuisine. We started off our meal with tofu and lamb skewers. The lamb was phenomenal…tender and well-seasoned.

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The garlic bok choy and cold cucumber salad were both phenomenal veggie dishes, which I don’t have pictures of because I was too busy savoring them. The mini bok choys were cooked with thin slices of garlic that allowed the natural taste of the greens come out. The cucumbers were bathed in Szechuan pepper oil and black vinegar sauce. Going to try replicate both if possible.

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Then we ventured into the flour-based dishes. The fresh house-made noodles were excellent, varying in consistency and taste. The first noodle dish we tried was cold. The noodles had a thick texture and were topped with a spicy red sauce and tofu. The second noodle dish was the best thing I ate all night: stewed oxtail flavored with a stew sauce, green onions and greens. The thick hand-ripped noodles were so fresh and almost slightly sweet, and the sauce was so flavorful we almost ordered rice to soak up every last drop.

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The last course was quail eggs on sausage with toasted mantou slices. These mini “tapas” were like a Chinese version of a gourmet breakfast sandwich. The yoke of the sunny-side-up eggs oozed into the ginger spiced sausage patties. Finally, the taste of the sweet and soft steamed buns left you wanting more.

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I was so impressed by Biang that I am anxious to bring friends back for a second dining experience. Next time I venture into Chinatown I will tote my grocery bag to grab fresh cherries from the street vendors and inexpensive noodles for stir fry from the market. I also want to try authentic Boba tea. Any suggestions for flavors? Special thanks to Michael, Brian, Jenny and Julie for guiding me through my first experience in Flushing. I can’t wait for more adventures this summer!

Love food. Love self. Love life.
Gabriela