New York State of Mind, Part 3

We headed down to the West Village to the Big Gay Ice Cream Shop.

Here's me and my sis outside the shop.

For my birthday dinner, we headed to Eataly! OMG, what an amazing spot.

You can choose from a million fresh or dry pasta for take out.

 Besides pasta, there is a huge selection of everything you can imagine, mostly all originating from Italy.

There are restaurants scattered amongst the groceries, if you can believe it. We chose the pasta/pizza one. I had this amazing dish: ravioli stuffed with spinach and ricotta topped with lemon and pistachios. Yum-o!

And a last look at my favourite building in NYC. The Flat Iron. We rested in a park just north of it and I got to gaze at it for a while. Ahhh. I love NY!

New York State of Mind, Part 2

 We spent a good amount of time on the High Line. It's a former elevated train turned into a park.

It has all sorts of nooks and crannies. This one a sort of classroom where you can view the street below.

In certain spots, the High Line goes under buildings and has food kiosks. Finally made it to Blue Bottle Coffee, which was on my bucket list.

 We left the High Line and headed down to Chelsea Market where we met Richard's fabulous niece Jess, who is studying at Julliard. 

We had lunch and then went to L'Arte del Gelato.

Here's my niece Sylvie, Jess and me saying "Nom, nom, nom!"

 Speaking of food, did I mention the fabulous meal we had the day before at Jack's Wife Freda?

 A very loud, funky and happening place with delicious food.

I had the Greek and kale salad. Perfect on a hot day!

New York State of Mind Part 1

For my birthday, I met my sis and my niece in New York City. When we got into our hotel room, a lovely cheese, fruit and cookie platter greeted us. My niece Sylvie celebrates her birthday three days after mine, so it was a joint celebration.

 Our first stop was the World Trade Memorial. A very moving spot. We located the name of my brother-in-law's cousin who perished in 9/11. Very sad. Such a young man.

Here's what One World Trade looks like from the ground (to the left). The white wings look like a peace dove and I believe it is going to be a subway entrance.

Then we rode up the elevator to the top of One World Observatory. What a view. That square below is the footprint of one of the World Trade towers. The names of the dead are engraved around those squares.

 And the views? Spectacular! That tall building is the Empire State.

 Bridges into Brooklyn.

We had a drink a half floor above the observatory and all I can say is, wow!

Cheese Fries at Neil's

While in NYC a few weeks back, my sister Marci asked a few cops where we could grab a good cup of coffee -- that wouldn't cost us $5 a cup -- and they directed us to Neil's Coffee Shop.


Great call! The place is one of those real joints I love to go to.


Even at three o'clock in the afternoon, the food orders were coming fast and furious.


The menu had all the typical diner fare you'd expect...


...which included a great cup of coffee.


We couldn't find poutine on the menu so we ordered a plate of cheese fries...


...which my niece Sylvie and I split. She also had a chocolate shake. Ah, to be 19 again...

Photographer's Cat

While in New York City, I noticed this lovely working cat at the front door of a photographer's studio.


When I happened by later on, the critter had moved to a higher spot amongst the topiary. Cute.

Yee Mei Fong Bakery

We visited my Aunt Minnie in Flushing, NY and on our way to her apartment, thought we'd pick up a cake. We stopped at Yee Mei Fong Bakery just across the street from the subway.


Much of her area is now Korean and this bakery was so much fun. Check out these colourful sandwiches. At least I think they were sandwiches.


The cakes had both delicious and odd-looking decorations. Nice fruit and strange buttercream squiggles.


This one was really pretty with blackberries and -- is that melon?


I have no idea what the iced drawing on this cake is supposed to represent. Besides that, there are buttercream roses, fruit, a plastic happy birthday sign and an animal's head (mouse? elephant?) made out of plastic or marzipan. Not sure.


There were many displays of many more cakes. We bought a tiramisu one and it was yummy.


Here are pots of what might be mini-tiramisus.


Lovely looking fruit and custard thingies.


And even more. Not sure what was under the fruit but it looks really nice.


These are odd looking pastries. And they must be popular because there sure are a lot of them.


Here are some pink ones. Thy say they are strawberry mocha. Hmmm.


Now don't you just love the puffer fish cake? I've never seen one in a bakery before.



Or a pig cake. "Happy birthday to my favourite pig?" Or maybe a pig is a good luck symbol?

Red Velvet Cake

While in New York City, I noticed a definite trend. Red velvet cake everywhere. Here's a mini cupcake at Lily O'Briens, an Irish chocolate café at Bryant Park.


My niece Sylvie was feeling peckish, so she got herself a slice of their red velvet cake.


While strolling around the city the next day, we spotted these red velvet cupcakes at a bakery called Crumbs.


It put me in mind of a red velvet cake I made a few years ago for a party. I got the recipe from an issue of Martha Stewart Living magazine.


So when I got home from my trip and invited a few family members over for a barbecue, I thought a red velvet cake was just the thing to make for dessert. I think everyone agreed it was a good choice. Great colour, eh? Tasted good too.

Big Things: Button & Needle

Don't you just love this giant button and needle seen in the Fashion District in New York City? Fab!