Last week was such an incredible whirlwind of excitement. I was in snowy NYC for a two-day launch party thrown by I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter, where they unveiled their new celebrity spokesperson. But more on that later! As a sometimes rather dawdling Alabama girl, I’m completely enamored with the hustle and bustle of NYC, so a few of us gals decided to get there a few days early and make the most of our trip. The darling Maria from Two Peas and Their Pod and I were the first to arrive, and we had a blast running around on our first day in the city.
We consulted the giant weather-forecasting mirror the hotel had by the elevators on every single floor for how to dress. I got such a kick out of this thing! We bundled up like snow bunnies for what turned out to be the coldest day in NYC since 2005.
Our first stop was breakfast at Clinton Street Baking for some of their famous blueberry pancakes. Talk about scrumptious! Loved the warm maple butter for drizzling. Or in our case, dunking.
Did I mention it was cold?? After breakfast we popped into Jacques Torres for some hot chocolate to warm up. Oh my gosh, check out how completely rich and decadent this was.
Warmed up and on a sugar high, we found our way to a charming cupcake shop, Sweet Revenge. I nearly fainted when they brought these out to the table.
LOVED these gorgeous cupcakes. Here we have their signature cupcake, the Sweet Revenge. A Peanut Butter Cake with chocolate ganache center and peanut butter fudge frosting.
The Raspberry Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. I really liked this one.
And the Mexican Vanilla Cake with Mexican Vanilla Buttercream.
I’ve never had anything like these cupcakes! They were so incredibly dense, totally reminded me of buttery pound cake. The Peanut Butter Cake was definitely a favorite.
Such a cute place, definitely check them out if you are in the area!
For lunch I was dying to try a falafel sandwich. Can you believe I’ve never had one? Maria took me to Taïm, voted by Serious Eats as the best falafel sandwich in NYC for a roasted red pepper falafel. I think this was one of Maria’s favorite meals of the trip!
Right next door was The Roasting Plant, famous for their chocolate chip cookies. You know we had to check it out.
When we got there I absolutely could not resist trying the Vanilla Hot Gelato Shake. I’m not sure what all they did to it, but I did see them steaming it in the espresso machine to warm it up. Tasted just like a vanilla hot chocolate!
That afternoon we made our way over to City Bakery. I’d been dying to try their pretzel croissant since the last time I was in NYC.
It’s got a delicious, salty, crackly outer shell, with a decadently soft and buttery croissant interior. Goodness gracious, this was heavenly!
We also stopped by this totally fun little cupcake shop called Baked by Melissa.
Check out how tiny they were! Loved this place, they had a Chocolate Chip Pancake cupcake that changed my life. I could’ve eaten quite a few of those bad boys.
Maria and I walked all over NYC. I absolutely loved these gorgeous, snow covered streets.
We were making our way to Chelsea Market, but got distracted by these cute cakes!
When we got to Chelsea Market we met up with Dorie Greenspan at Sarabeth’s Kitchen. Last time I was there I got some heavenly Strawberry Raspberry jam. Strawberry jams are my weakness. Dorie introduced us to Sarabeth herself, such a pleasure to meet these two precious ladies!
We also got to sample a few of Sarabeth’s treats!
I don’t remember what this sugary, buttery, flakey muffin was called, but it sure was dreamy.
Dorie gave us a wonderful list of bakeries, cookies, cupcakes and restaurants to try over the next few days on our NYC adventure. I treasured this sweet handwritten note.
Dorie has cute handwriting.
Dorie is an excellent speller.
I’m not sure I would’ve been able to handle all those French names without the internets.
______________________________
New Feature
Starting with this post, you can click on any of the photos to view the EXIF data for that image. It’ll tell you what camera I used, plus the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. Not that this is particularly life-altering information here. But it might be nice to have at some point. Just in case.
See you tomorrow!
Amanda, can you make a tutorial to make feature that can show the EXIF data for the image in blogger?
thanks. :)
I am so glad you added this extra info! I was just looking through some of your pics of food and thinking … “I wish there was a way to know what settings she used!” It makes me very happy!!
I love the parchment paper cupcake liners. They just make you want to rip them off to get to the cupcakes. Do you think they are premade or do you think the bakers make them?
Thanks for sharing your trip with us. Makes me feel like I’m there too!
Nancy
Did you ever make it to 1 girl Cookies? Dawn is besties with my sister! If you are ever back in NYC, tell her I told you about her! She is a geat person!!!! Love all the food pics, I cant imagine how much I would weigh if I ate all those yummy treats! I shudder to think! How do you do it???
Hey Amanda! We seem to have extremely similar tastes…not to mention the same fabulous name lol!! I have that exact same purse from Charming Charlie! I spotted it while in the store and I heard it just calling my name! I love it…so colorful and yet so easy to match with!
Yay! Can’t wait to read your other posts too. So much fun in NYC!
yes, i wanna know the secret that so many of these other peeps are asking as well!!!! you are so skinny, what are you doing to keep yourself that way after you are eating all of these sweet treats?! whatever it is, i want in on it! you are gorgeous!!!
Amanda, I love ya, girlie! Thank you SO MUCH for adding the EXIF!! I can’t tell you how many times I’m scratching my head, trying to duplicate something in my newbie-ness. You make food look heavenly and I love reading about your adventures.
Can you tell me, what kind of camera bag are you toting in your 2nd shot? I feel like we have similar taste, and I have yet to find a bag that suits me. Perhaps yours will do the trick….
Thank you, thank you!
Thanks Jennifer! It’s the same purse that’s in the first photo, from Charming Charlie. Kevin got it for me last year for Valentine’s Day and I have loved that thing to death! :)
This post reminds me why I have to get back to NYC. We lived in Manhattan for about 3 years and how I miss all of those specialty food shops, tucked away in every corner.
Love your seeing your bakery visits!
I was just thinking the same thing as some of the other commenters…just LOOKING at all these delicious cupcakes, pastries and desserts makes me gain weight! How do you manage to stay so thin?! Please share your secrets :)
OMG, your pictures need to come with some kind of advisory/warning..LOL. Here in Michigan, there was a Jacque Torres chocolatier/bakery that opened 2 yrs ago, but closed late last year..dang!! Their cookies and (of course) the hot chocolate were out of this world!
I have enjoyed your blog for years now. I love all your tasty, tempting posts. I appreciated you sharing your weight loss story, ans I have a similar one as well, except you got skinnier then me ;) And, I have referred back to yours often. Question though: How do you maintain staying looking so great eating all this sweet delights?
Wow! I am so jealous, all of those treats look amazing. I have to ask you….I read your weight loss post, I book marked it, and I refer to it often. What an inspiration. I have been following it for a few weeks now and have started to see results! Thank you! Anyway, do you really eat these treats?
I have a total sweet tooth and I love to bake. I also love to travel and I spend hours researching restaurants and dessert stops before we go to any new city. We are getting ready to go on a trip in a couple of weeks and I’m so afraid all of my progress is going to be for nothing by the time we get home. How do you keep the weight off?
Love NYC pictures! Especially food ones. :) I only lived in NYC for one FULL winter, and it was that winter in 2005. Now, anytime friends (or I) go to NYC in the winter I prepare them for the worst. Then they’re all “oh it wasn’t so bad”. I often jokingly blame moving back to Oklahoma on the brutal winters. So, I am sort of glad that they’ve had another one so people don’t think I’m a wimp. :D
It’s a good thing you walked all over New York, otherwise you’d be as big as a good ole Alabama barn! LOL. You are too cute! I love getting your emails. Just glad you didn’t get stuck in NYC!
That’s what I want to know too! How can you eat ALL these decadent desserts and delicious foods and stay thin? What’s the secret?
I also want to know how you stay so thin, color me green. I love your blog and all of the great photos!
Love the new feature! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the new feature re photo settings. I plan to make use of this feature every time you post!
Glad you had a blast in New York,please come back soon.
Is all the travel you do job related? If so, what is your occuapation and how can I get a job like yours? I would love to travel as much as you and I need to know your secret!
oh my. I love that you share these trips with us (jealous) readers. I can’t wait to see the rest of the trip!
Oh.My.Goodness. I am almost tripping over myself to book a trip to NYC to follow your itinerary.
And you got to spend time with darling Brooke! I’m so jealous. Even though she created my incredible blog banner, I have yet to give her a big hug in person.
And loved the weather report – was this at the Paramount?
Love your blog!!
I am just DROOLING over this post! The next trip I go on, I’m going to plan it all around food… And I know where I can go to research it! =D
Also, LOVE the new EXIF data feature!
Thanks for sharing….I wanted to eat my screen!!
Oh I am so jealous of the food you get to eat! How do you stay so skinny? Do you work out like crazy? Please let me know your secret!
:) how are you not HUGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!????? :)
I still have yet to figure out how you stay to TINY! You are always sampling or baking heavenly treats!
thanks for sharing! love your photos!
Very cool feature!
You are awesome. Thanks so much for the EXIF info you are adding, I’ll bet that is a lot of work. I mean, I’m lucky if I can remember *any* of my camera settings. :) Thanks for helping me learn the photography ropes!
I miss you already! I had so much fun with you in NYC! We need to travel together more often:)
This looks like so much fun! But it’s cruel to my tummy to see all that delicious-ness after I just had a Special K bar for breakfast – ha! I need to know where you got your adorable boots (in the magic mirror picture). This Texas gal is headed to Boston in two weeks and I need something snuggly for my toes! :)
Amanda, how do you keep your figure while eating all these yummy treats? Please share your secrets! And thanks for sharing your adventures with us. :)
Amanda…LOVE YOUR COAT! Where is it from?! you’re so cute :)
Thanks Teri! I got it at Ann Taylor Loft last year, or it might’ve been the year before that.
I should’ve known…I’ve come to learn you’re an Ann Taylor Loft girl! :) super cute!
You are so fun to travel with!
OMG, please stop. I’m dying here just looking at this stuff, not to mention I’m drooling over my keyboard!
YUMMY! Those pictures make me so hungry & seriously gain about 20 lbs! Thanks for sharing!
Oh MY Gosh!!! Those cupcakes make me want to take a trip to NYC. How do you find such fantastic places to eat at & what kind of food budget do you take on your trips? You always make my mouth water with the fabulous pics you take of the scrumptious food finds.
Amanda,
Love this post. Our son lives in NYC and we visit often. I will check out some of these places soon. We will be there in April.
Thank you so much for listing your camera settings and equipment used. The shot of the street is wonderful. I am sure you used a wide angle lens but now I can look.
Thanks a lot of this extra step.
Chere
One last comment if you please and this could be to any of the posters: How to some commentors have their photo next to their comments. I love this idea as it gives a face to them. I would love to add this to mine as well.
Cheers!
Tara
You can get one at Gravatar.com
Good Morning Amanda,
Love the shots of NYC. Looks like you both had a lovely time. As I was looking through these I started thinking to myself how wonderful it would be if you shared what photo settings etc you used to take your shots. Just to get to the bottom of the post to find out you had done the exact thing. Brilliant!
I would like to make one request as an addition; would you add what lens you used as well?
Of all of your grab-n-go lenses which one is your “VISA – never leave home without it”?
As always thanks for the beautiful inspiration and palate temptations.
TLC
Hi Tara! I tried to add the lens info (that’s the number one thing I wanted to add!) but WordPress won’t automatically fetch it for me, like with the other info. Bummer! However the lens I’m using 99% of the time is the 24-70mm f/2.8, especially on trips and I can only take one or two. Love this lens!
I love Baked by Melissa – you can eat 3 or 4 cupcakes and not even be phased by it. :)
Looks like another great trip filled with more deliciously cute cupcakes!!!
I am so envious of you, getting to travel so much! :) I always enjoy looking at all your photos and will live vicariously through you. As a true Midwesterner, I probably would feel lost in New York, but some day I would love to see it, and go to B&H or Adorama, as well. LOL Thanks for sharing your trip!
Stephanie,
Thank you for your kind mention of B&H Photo. If you are a customer of ours, on behalf of all of us at B&H Photo, please accept our warm thanks and deep gratitude for your patronage. We look forward to earning your trust and continued business for many years to come. I invite you and your fellow readers to check out our new informative and entertaining blog at http://www.bhinsights.com
All the best to you and yours.
Hershel K. Waldner
Supervisor,
Online Marketing Department
B&H Photo-Video-Audio
212-239-7500 ext. 2893
P.S. When you make that trip to NYC, let me know and perhaps I can arrange a VIP tour of our superstore and extensive support facilities just for you and your traveling companion(s).
Oh wonderful! All that food makes me super hungry!
Christine
greatoakcircle.com
you just made me want to go to new york more than anything…what an amazing trip!
Very lovely pictures. NYC seems like the perfect place to be in winter. Reminds me of all my favorite movies. My question is the same as Beverly. What hotel?
Question: HOW IN THE WORLD DO YOU KEEP FROM GAINING WEIGHT. Also, which hotel?
One question, can I go next time. Please!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh the cupcakes are divine. Paulette
I want to visit all those eateries before I die. But I’d have to lose about 30 pounds first! Thanks for sharing.
As I am trying to learn how to use my camera, I love the EXIF information! Thanks for thinking of adding that in!
I didn’t think I had any plans to visit NYC any time soon, but after reading all about the bakeries you found, I’m starting to reconsider!
I LOVE NYC!!! Glad you had fun! I will have to check some of these places out next time I’m down there!
You look like your dressed for our area. I love that bag you have in the first picture. where ever did you get it? Glad you loved your trip. My Hubby and I are flying to New York the end of April to go shopping and can’t wait to eat there.Take care and stay warm
Thanks Jessica! It’s from Charming Charlie.
I love the EXIF info! and this “Not that this is particularly life-altering information here. But it might be nice to have at some point”- LOL but so true!
Jacques Torres — yeah, I’ll take ANYTHING from there :)
Your pics and time with Maria and the whole trip…awesome!