Another New York Recap

My friend Michelle and I headed to New York a couple weekends back.  In all of the times I have been, I have never gone in the Spring.  The weather was terrific- not too cold, not to hot.  During this trip to NYC we decided to try some new restaurants and some old favorites.  

We stayed at the Courtyard Marriott in Soho for the first time.  I highly recommend it because its proximity to some of my fav shopping and dining spots.
On our first night we grabbed wine and dinner at a quaint little Italian place in Soho called Piccola Cucina.  Allen and I ate there a few years back and really enjoyed it.  They have gnocchi {my favorite food in the world} so I am a big fan!  Their Burrata with Tomatoes & Proscuitto and Beef Carpaccio were heavenly.

I had a list of things I wanted to get over the weekend, first of all being gifts for my niece and nephew expected to arrive this summer.  They aren’t even here yet and I already love spoiling them rotten!  Hollins has a blanket that she was given when she was born that adores from Barney’s.  So that was our first spot.  There baby section is just gorgeous!  I found these blankets and sleepers for the twins.  The blankets are perfect in their gray and white nursery!

Also, I have had my eye on a particular bag for a while now.  It was actually on my Spring Wish List on the blog.  So, I splurged and bought the bag!  The great part is that I didn’t have to pay tax and shipped all of the purchases home for a flat fee of $12!

After a long morning of shopping we ate a Fred’s at Barney’s for the first time.  It was delicious.  We both had the Blush cocktail and I have the Club Salad.  Yum!  I would go back in a heartbeat.  It will probably become a staple on future trips to NY.

The Lion is a new restaurant find of mine in the Village.  There is an older gentlemen on the street outside ready to show you the way down the stairs to the restaurant.  Inside, The Lion looks and feels like a cozy old library.  It has gorgeous eclectic art and pictures covering the walls.  I loved everything about it.  The food and drinks were amazing.  The atmosphere was completely entertaining.  You saw everything from a bride and groom and their parents toasting with champagne to girls out for a night on the town.  It was a really fun place to experience.

Kale Salad
After a long and successful day of shopping on Fifth Avenue Michelle and I stopped and had drinks a Rockefeller Center.  In the winter it is an iceskating rink.  In the Spring and summer it is an outdoor lounge and bar.  The weather, view and drinks were amazing… the service need to be improved.  Luckily we ordered 2 drinks at a time so it wasn’t too bad!

We had drinks in Tribeca one night to celebrate a friend moving to London.  The bar is called Ward III. The drink menu was a little overwhelming at first but I decided to go with one of their signature cocktails instead of the Bespoke Cocktail {or build your own with a million choices!} so that took away some of the pressure.  Next time if I have more time I would sit and attempt to make a new flavor creation.
On our last morning we had brunch in the West Village at Morandi.  The menu looked so good that I couldn’t decide what I wanted…. so I splurged on 2 entrees.  Neither disappointed!

 Lemon Ricotta Crepes with Fresh Berries

Procuitto Egg & Cheese on Focaccia 
I am already ready to go back to the Big Apple! Who’s with me???