Monday 25 February 2013

Big lights will inspire you

Although its currently London fashion week I am avoiding the hustle and bustle of Somerset House and remaining tucked up in the flat, happily planning my trip to the big apple in a few weeks time. It's been three years since my last visit and I'm not going to lie, I cannot wait to hit the city again. There's lots on my to-do list, and its been made even longer by this time being joined by The Boy, my Mum, Dad, and my brother, so I of course want to take them to see all the best tourist spots. 

Here's some of the sights that are on my to-do list so far.

The High Line
 Image by Future City

Walking the High Line is something I've never actually done before but have heard a lot about - and after reading Alyssa's blog I cannot wait to go. It looks lots of fun - I'm just hoping it will be just as gorgeous in the cold as it looks in the Summer.

Levain Bakery

In the past when I've visited Manhattan it's been all about Magnolia Bakery but this time I fancy trying out the Levain Bakery for a sweet treat. A cute spot on the Upper West Side, the Levain Bakery has amazing reviews on Trip Advisor and looks well worth a visit.

Top of the Rock
 Image by InternsNTheCity

Top of the Rock is somewhere that I have been to before and absolutely loved (regardless of my vertigo) and I can't wait to go to again. The views are fantastic, and I love that you can see so much of Central Park and take beautiful pictures of the Empire State Building.

Staten Island Ferry

The Staten Island Ferry is one of the things I love about New York - the ability to take beautiful pictures of lower Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty, all for free! I love this city.

Ricky's NYC


Ricky's is the go-to shop for all the make up and hair care needs of New Yorkers and I always make a pit stop here to stock up on American brands and supplies for Halloween. Note to self: you do not need any more nail varnishes.

Central Park

Central Park is the perfect place for a romantic stroll and I can easily while away a whole day exploring the different areas. I know my Mum in particular will love it here.

Dim Sum in Chinatown



Since I last went to NYC I've got really into having Dim Sum (mainly due to The Boy's obsession with all things Chinese and food related) and cannot wait to explore Chinatown and try some Dim Sum on this trip.

Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge

I've walked across the Brooklyn Bridge many times but it just never gets old, the many sights are gorgeous and I normally take far too many photographs. It's such an iconic New York landmark that no trip to Manhattan would be complete without paying a visit.

There are so many sights I can't wait to see this is really just a taster - there will no doubt be many posts following my visit documenting every last detail.

Sunday 24 February 2013

I scream for ice cream

The Boy and I have always been relatively low key when it comes to Valentines day, choosing to cook for each other at home rather than pay escalated prices at our favourite restaurants, and this year was no different. We spent the evening at home, watching a DVD and eating a delicious home cooked meal, it was bliss after another hectic day at the office. As a special treat I decided to take The Boy out for gelato before our weekly trip to the cinema on Friday night, not just for valentines day, just because. 


We headed to a cute little spot called La Gelatiera near Leicester Square that I'd been told about by a friend at work that is famed for its unusual gelato flavours and is sure to be heaving all the time as soon as Spring arrives. 

We sampled the Salty Caramel (delicious), followed by the Stilton Cheese and Walnuts (unusually tasty) before settling on one scoop of the Salty Caramel and one of Apple Pie, both of which were a taste sensation.


We're planning on heading back to try the Chocolate and Chilli and the Pear and Sake flavours - I'd recommend popping in if you're ever in the area, even just to sample a cake, which all looked delicious.

They even have an in-house laboratory where you can watch the gelato churning process whilst relaxing at one of the cute tables (all made out of reclaimed materials) - the entire place was right up my street, comfortable and cosy and perfect for a low key Friday night date.

 
If you're in London and have a sweet tooth, La Gelatiera can be found at New Row, Covent Garden - more information can be found here.

Sunday 10 February 2013

Sunday night date at Malmaison

Last weekend The Boy and I headed out for a much needed Sunday night away from home. After weeks of illness and long hours at work we needed a break, and what better than a random night away from home in our city?

After reading this post by The Londoner late last year I knew that a stay at the Malmaison Hotel would be right up my street and the food at the Brasserie would be equally as appealing to The Boy (and me).

Maxi Dress - River Island
Clutch Bag - H&M
Scarf - Homemade
Faux Leather Jacket - F&F

We headed East on Sunday afternoon and went to the 5pm showing of the musical Jersey Boys, a show that The Boy has been dying to see, at the Prince Edward Theatre near Leicester Square. Having seen Wicked a few weeks ago I was a little underwhelmed - I like a musical with all the bells and whistles (i.e. flying witches, talking monkeys and a girl with green skin) - but The Boy loved it. And to be fair I enjoyed it to. The set was ingenious and the music was foot-tappingly good, it was the perfect start to date night.

After the musical, we took a nighttime stroll near the Barbican before settling in for a late supper at the hotel restaurant, the Brasserie. Situated in the basement, I was concerned that we might be the only ones dining so late on a Sunday but I needn't have worried as, thanks to the fantastic food on offer, the restaurant was reassuringly busy. I had the crab and avocado starter which was absolutely delicious (anything that involves avocado is a winner with me) whilst The Boy settled for calamari and chorizo (equally delicious). Over a crisp bottle of white we discussed plans for 2013, our previous dates and our first proper night of drinks after a dry January. It was wonderful.
 Just a little bit naughty

For our mains The Boy went for lamb (his favourite) whilst I lowered the tone with the Stack Burger. An absolute monster of a meal, and one which Michael had to help me with more than a little bit. We finished with cocktails and more chatter as the bar started to empty, comfortable with the knowledge we only had a two minute trip in the lift to reach our room, rather than a 45 minute tube journey across the city. It was both a relaxing and fun night, we shall definitely be making a return visit.

The Boy and I took advantage of the Malmaison Sunday Stopover - a great deal if you fancy a delicious meal alongside a comfortable overnight stay in one of twelve cosmopolitan cities.
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