Happy Monday, y’all!

So I’m back home and getting into my rhythm after about 10 days out of town. The Hoch and I had a couple of back to back weddings and decided we’d make a trip out of it.

The first wedding was in NYC and the second one was in Atlanta. So we figured instead of flying back and forth to TX in between, we’d stay on the east coast (thank you to our friends who let us crash!) and celebrate Hoch’s birthday while in NYC. 🙂

It was a lot of fun seeing everyone and of course celebrating our friends. And I really enjoyed being back in NY (I was in full tourist mode the entire time)!

The NY wedding ceremony took place in Manhattan, but the reception was at a place called Giando On The River in Brooklyn, so there were amazing views of the city.

We were dubbed the “party table” and had unlimited supply of beers in an ice bucket right beside our table. Of course we lived up to that reputation, danced the night away, and ate way too many cannolis (the bride is Italian) before heading back to our friend’s place for a night cap.

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The following week was a mix of me doing touristy things with a friend, Katti, who came up to visit for a couple of days, while also celebrating Hoch’s birthday, and me eating all the food (more on this in a sec).

I just love NYC and definitely miss it at times. The vibe of the city really is unlike any other. And one of the biggest things I miss is the food. There is so much diversity; anything you could possibly want, you will find.

SO I thought I’d put together a little list of some of my favorite NYC spots for those of you looking for suggestions on your next visit!

• Artichoke Pizza: It is a chain now, and their signature pie has artichokes, spinach, cheese and a heavy cream sauce. Yeah it’s not healthy, but sooo good. There is one located at La Guardia airport that I try to stop at if I’m unable to get my fill while in the city.
• Grimaldi’s Pizza: A classic Italian pie, with the freshest ingredients, made to order. It originated in Brooklyn, but is now also a chain. There is one here in San Antonio now and it is the only place I ever go to. #pizzasnob
• Halal Guys: Middle eastern spiced chicken, lamp and rice with a creamy white sauce, an extremely spicy red sauce, lettuce, tomato, and pita slices. Hoch say it’s best after a night out on the town. I bet it is, but it’s also pretty damn good for lunch too.

  

• Peter Luger Steakhouse: They have the reputation of being rude and loud, but they really aren’t. It’s not a super fancy steak house, but damn is it good! Do NOT go to Outback Steakhouse when in NYC. There are soo many other great steak houses and this is one of them.
• Shake Shack: A big chain now, but the burgers are just how I like them, basic, nothing too fancy, and the shakes are delicious too. And it’s easy and fast (for the most part).
• Miss Korea BBQ: There are a ton of great Korean BBQ spots in K-town and this one tends to be our go to. Get into a meat coma with some soju, then hit up one of the many Karaoke spots nearby for a night out on the town.
• Turntable Chicken Jazz: A quirky jazz spot with Korean fried chicken. Their chicken wings are some of the best I’ve had! They deep fry them twice so they are extra crispy and don’t underestimate the spicy ones. I could barely make it thru 3 wings. Also, try the Twister, a thinly sliced spiral potato on a stick with spicy mayo, ketchup and parmesan…YUM.
• Bogota Latin Bistro: This spot is in Brooklyn and we went for Hoch’s birthday dinner. It was my first time there, but I would definitely go back! I ordered the traditional Colombian platter which includes steak, chicharron (fried pork skin), rice, beans, avocado, fried egg, and plantains.

  

In all honestly, you can probably stop in most random places in the city and find a good meal. Katti and I ate Indian Food one night since it was closer to where we were staying and it was amazing.

When we lived there, the Hoch and I were good about cooking at home, but looking back, I almost wish we’d eaten out a lot more. I’m sure there are a ton of gems that we missed. And as I continue to type this, I am reminded of other places we ate at. My list could go on and on!

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Now that you’re hungry, I’ll go ahead and wrap this post up with some photos from the Atlanta wedding.

The bride is Chinese and the groom is Filipino so the groomsmen wore Barongs (fancy dress shirts) and we ate our fair share of both cuisines plus some southern staples.

The DJ kicked ass and there was an after party that included bowling until about 2am (I only made it to 1). FUN would be an understatement.

Alright, that’s it for this post!

I think I’ll go eat now. 😉

Kimberly