71 irving

(via ny mag)

on sunday, t and i decided to head over to the gramercy park neighborhood for brunch at friend of a farmer. this was our second attempt and we were yet again, unsuccessful. the lines are always so long. though that was frustrating, we found the most wonderful coffee shop next door which made the trip down there totally worth it. it's located at 71 irving place, and goes by the same name though it's owned by a coffee compnay called irving farm coffee. it has a cozy, rustic vibe and i really felt like i was in vermont instead of the city. aka this is why i loved it. but i also thought the cofee was absolutely delish and i even bought a pound to bring home to my mom (the packaging is adorbs!). next time, i want to go back and try the pastries and other baked goods, since they all looked tasty. it's just a little place, but it could be my new favorite spot.

meatball shop

well yesterday was just the most wonderful day. i went wedding dress shoppping (for her, not me!) with K&A. it was oodles and boatloads of fun. we finally found THE dress at kleinfeld, which was just an amazing experience all around. but the best part of the day for me was definitely the dinner afterwards! k's fiancee read a review of meatball shop in new york magazine and was dying to try it. i believe it only opened to the public on wednesday? well. let me tell you. it was AWESOME. they only sell meatballs and ice cream sandwiches pretty much, but that was okay by me. the atmosphere was beyond cozy with dark burgundy walls and vintage wedding photos (appropriate!), dim lighting and milk bottle flower vases at the bar. it was very crowded, but didn't take us too long to find a spot for five people at one of their family style tables. the owner was our waiter, and he was fabulously downtown with a plaid shirt and tatoo covered arms. did i mention he was also a babe? i had beef balls (the meat was local!) with mushroom gravy and a caramel/chocolate chip cookie sandwich for dessert. here are some pics, which i stole from nymag (sorry!). i would definitely recommend this place to anyone. the food is awesome, the atmosphere cool but not too cool and everything was reasonably priced. pretty much my qualifications exactly. xx

freeman's

so this post is very much after the fact. i visited the restaurant freeman's on the lower east side a while back. but i still think it's probably the coolest place i've been to in the city. it has an incredibly rustic cozy feel to it, which as you know, is totally my cup of tea. it is hidden in a back alley, and it feels like an amazing secret you've discovered. i believe the exact location is "off of rivington" between the bowery and chrystie.i went for brunch with friends and although the host who sat us was a totally douche, the meal itself was outstanding. we started wtih delicious cocktails and i have no recollection of what i had..but i know i loved it. here is the cocktail menu. i then ordered the buckwheat pancakes and our group shared the spinach and artichoke dip. i also tried the cheese grits. i have to say, the spinach and artichoke dip was definitely the best i've ever had and i wanted to lick the bowl of cheese grits but i thought that was inappropriate because they were not mine. anyway..my lovely blog readers. who wants to go to freeman's with me for dinner sometime? i promise i will buy you flowers and it can be romantic.

warm & cozy

so it's chilly out and it's october (when did that happen?) and what i'd really love to do tonight is curl up by a fireplace and listen to music and eat cheese and crackers and drink wine. who's with me? aren't these fireplaces absolutely gorgeous. i never really appreciated having one in my house growing up, but now i think there is such an old fashioned romance that is created by a crackling fire and good company.

eeek! wilfie and nell!

let's just say i really have no clue what i'm talking about when it comes to bars in nyc. wait, i never know what i'm talking about.besides for professor thom's in the east village,  i'm really no good at giving recommendations. but, now that i have experience wilfie & nell, i will definitely want to bring my out of town buddies here. i went for l&m's birthday on thursday. it is the most "jueggly" place i've been to so far. think: exposed brick walls, arm chairs, mason chairs with candles (DYINNGGG) and sliding barn doors. they have good beer, amazing food (mini-burgers, grilled cheese etc.) and it's overall a great atmosphere. i was nervous it would be way too trendy for me given the west village location but it ended up being an awesome place and  a lovely evening.

delphinium home

while wandering around hell's kitchen, looking for a place to have lunch, i finally had the opportunity to stop into a store i've passed many times. delphinium home, located on 9th avenue near 47th street is an adorable shop that reminds me of the tiny, electic boutiques that i find to be much more common in western mass than new york city (uptown at least). it is the perfect balance of knick knacks and practical (sort of) things. my favorite were the bumble bee and lady bug rain boots for little kids, the fragrant candles and of course the cookbooks. the store is bright and colorful, and had i not been dragged away, i could have stayed exploring for quite a while. i definitely recommend going. it would be a perfect place to buy a housewarming gift or birthday present!

i'd rather be..

i want to be in this bed: with this dog: watching this movie:

the upper rust

(via knackstudios & heartfish)

a terrific discovery was made while wandering the east village before dinner last night. it's called the upper rust and i feel like it is my personal design style made a reality. it's on e 9th street between ave a and 1st. i was first intrigued by the collection of vintage chairs out front, some metal and some beautiful weathered wood. then, i noticed a huge bouquet of hydrangea in the window and immediately knew i had to investigate. inside there were so many treasures! vintage jars, starfish, mini license plates, embellished frames and old mirrors. some old, some new. but all perfect. i think that's the closest i've come to a secret garden experience. i hope to return soon and bring my roommates, who i know will love it!

westville

so last night, i had the most wonderful dinner date. and in my opinion a great dinner date is made up of good food, good people and good conversation (cheesy, i know). i certainly can find that easily with l & m. they are two of my favorite nyc girls and i love meeting up with them. they have great taste and always introduce me to cute, delicious and affordable places to eat in new york. l recommended we head to a restaurant called westville. there is a west village location and also one in alphabet city. i opted for the east side spot, simply be cause it's slightly closer to my apartment. when i arrived, it was already bustling. the front and side walls were mysteriously non-existent so it really felt more like we were eating outside. there's a real country feel to it (which i love) with worn signage and clapboard walls. the greatest thing about westville are the variety of sides you can choose from. they are fresh daily and include things like green peas with shallots and bacon and artichoke hearts with parmesan. you usually choose two from a list of about 20 to go with your entree. i'd have to say the best of all the sides were certainly the sweet potato fries (we decided they were probably the best we'd ever had). all in all, it was a wonderful night spent with great friends and i now have another favorite restaurant that has guaranteed good food for a reasonable price.

nook

this is the most perfect nook i have ever seen. books, candles, fresh flowers, great light and a down comforter. what more could someone ask for? thanks to home sweet home for putting this one up...