Comedy and Cocktails in New York City

Whenever my boyfriend, Jake, visits me in New York City, we try to take advantage of every opportunity that time and budget allows. We spent the first two years of our relationship trapped on a college campus with virtually no means of transportation, so we really appreciate that a $3 NYC MetroCard gives you access to endless restaurants, bars, and attractions. 

However, since Jake has already stayed with me in New York a few times, we pretty much exhausted all of the major tourist attractions. We've been to Times Square, Central Park, the Statue of Liberty, the Met, One World Trade Center, the Empire State Building, Little Italy... the list goes on. We needed a fresh new itinerary, and I started researching online to make a new "things to do in NYC" list. 

And, thanks to that list, Jake and I just had one of the best weekends of our lives. We opted for quality over quantity and chose to do a couple of more expensive activities rather than several cheaper ones, but the weekend really turned out flawlessly. I’ll give an overview of our two-day escapade here, but expect a more in-depth post for nearly every item on this list. Hopefully I'll inspire some new date night ideas in those of you stuck in a dating rut. 

Here was our weekend itinerary:

Mexican Food on the Lower East Side

Jake and I always scour out late-night Mexican cuisine after his bus arrives from Baltimore, and we found that the Lower East Side has some of the best authentic Mexican restaurants in New York City. My favorite is Barrio Chino on Broome Street, which I reviewed here.

The Brooklyn Bridge
With its beautiful architecture and impressive views of the Manhattan skyline, the Brooklyn Bridge is arguably one of the most romantic spots in New York City. Jake and I walked it last year at sunset, but we decided to visit again in the afternoon. You can read my post about the Brooklyn Bridge here.

A Fancy Dinner At Benjamin’s Steakhouse
I know that college students typically don’t eat at fancy expensive steakhouses, but my dad had a gift card to Benjamin’s Steakhouse on 42^nd Street that he kindly let me use for date night. Benjamin’s is hands-down one of the best steakhouses I’ve ever visited. Jake and I had the Benjamin’s salad with bleu cheese and crab chunks (amazing), filets cooked medium (super tender and flavorful), and a home fries/onion rings combination plate (also good). We walked out the door feeling five pounds heavier, and I’d definitely come back here again.

A Comedy Show and Drinks in the Village   

The highlight of our weekend was, without a doubt, Saturday night in Greenwich Village. We snacked on beer, chips, and salsa at Caliente Cab Co. before going to the late-night show at Comedy Cellar on Macdougal Street, where we spent two hours laughing at hilarious comedians and sipping on vodka-pink lemonade drinks. Jake and I loved everything about the Comedy Cellar, including the tasty beverages, unique venue, affordable price, and well-known comedians like Sherrod Small, Godfrey, Dave Attell, and Jeff Ross. Expect a more detailed post about the Comedy Cellar soon!

A Boozy Brunch 
After getting home from the comedy show at 4 a.m., we slept in the next day before our 1 p.m. brunch reservations at Essex. We enjoyed mimosas with our yummy meals: eggs benedict for me and scrambled eggs and sausage for Jake.

Ice cream and people watching in Greenwich Village

We rounded out the weekend with ice cream at Big Gay Ice Cream Shop ­– an eclectic locale in Greenwich that always has a line looping around the corner. Several people told me to get the “Salty Pimp” – vanilla ice cream with sea salt and dulce de leche dipped in chocolate – and the treat made my mouth water! The cone seemed a little small for the nearly $6 price, but I’d rank it one of the best ice cream concoctions of my life. After scarfing down our melting cones and trying to rub ice cream stains off our shirts with wet napkins, Jake and I spent some time people watching in Washington Square Park.

And that’s our weekend! What are your favorite date night ideas?

Recently Read Review: Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella

Today I have my first book-related post on Meet Me in Midtown, which I’m very excited about! I used to be an avid reader in elementary and middle school, starting off with the Junie B. Jones books in first grade and eventually obsessing over the Harry Potter and Twilight sagas. I’ll even admit that I attended an early showing of Twilight when it hit theaters (commence cringing). While my busy schedule allows less time for reading now, I’m still trying to work through some of the novels piling up on my bookshelf.

First on the list: Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella, which initially caught my eye because I love everything related to the 1920’s.

Overview:

Lara Lington is a twenty-something girl living in London and struggling with her love life and career when Sadie, the spirit of her 105-year-old great aunt, pays her a visit. Taking the form of her twenty-year-old self, Sadie still acts and dresses like she’s living in the 1920’s. Lara sets out to help Sadie fulfill her final wish of finding a necklace that she can’t rest peacefully without. On their quest, Sadie helps Lara learn a lot about her family, her relationships, her career, and herself.

Opinion:

First of all, Twenties Girl epitomizes the “chick flick” genre of books. I love an entertaining chick flick sometimes, but those of you who don’t like this type of novel should stay away from Kinsella’s work. Twenties Girl is the first novel I read by the author and I quite liked her style of writing. The friendly tone and simple sentences made for a quick and enjoyable read. Some parts of the plot seemed a little predictable, specifically in the romance department, but other scenes took me by surprise and kept me on my toes. Even though I found Lara’s problems very relatable, I couldn’t really find anything unique or interesting about her character. Sadie, on the other hand, stole the show. She’s funny, loud, outspoken, and also a bit irritating at times, but the annoyingness contributes to her charm.

Rating: 4/5

Twenties Girl is perfect for a light, entertaining beach read. I enjoyed the novel but didn’t have any moments where I simply had to know what happened next, meaning I wasn’t super attached to the characters or plot. I’d still recommend if you’re looking for an easy and fun read!

NYC Dining: Seafood for Brunch at Claw Daddy’s

Note to self: Make reservations before going to weekend brunch in New York City.  Brunch isn’t just a delicious meal here; it’s a way of life. A trendy social affair. A place for those hung-over from the night before to continue the party with endless mimosas, Bloody Mary’s, and screwdrivers.

When my mom was in town, we decided to grab some brunch near my building in the Lower East Side. We didn’t make reservations anywhere, but we didn’t think we’d have trouble finding a table on Saturday at noon. However, as we walked down the streets, we saw that restaurants were overflowing with brunch-goers and most places had lines out the door.

I knew brunch was a big deal in NYC, but I didn’t realize half of Manhattan would crowd into the tiny cafes for midday coffee and cocktails.

After unsuccessfully trying to find a restaurant without an intimidating wait, we came across Claw Daddy’s on Orchard Street. A sign on the window advertised lobster and crab and my seafood-loving mom said, “Let’s try here!” Thankfully we snatched up the last open table.

Most brunch places have huge signs offering drink specials like “unlimited mimosas for two hours” or “three cocktails and an entrée for $25, but Claw Daddy’s didn’t advertise their drinks ­– which is probably why they still had an open table. And although the place did have a selection of cocktails, my mom and I weren’t in the mood for a boozy brunch that day. Coffee was fine by me.

Claw Daddy’s had a semi-small brunch menu and every dish included seafood, which didn’t surprise me considering that the restaurant’s logo is a lobster. My mom decided on the Louisiana crab cake, I got the lobster roll, and we split the lobster mac n’ cheese. My mom also ordered the “Gala Green” cold-pressed juice, which came in a pouch like a juice box! She loved the drink and it was a great photo opportunity.

Lobster roll: Delish! Why don’t people eat lobster for brunch more often? The roll had a generous portion of lobster with the right amount of fixings. The bread wasn’t the best quality but felt perfect for a lobster roll. I’ve never been to Maine, but this is how I imagine “authentic” lobster rolls to look and taste.

Crab cakes: These were good, but not great because the fried coating overpowered the actual crab filling. My mom enjoyed them nonetheless, and the side of black bean ragout was tasty.

Lobster mac n’ cheese: This stuff was creamy, cheese-y, and super filling. I didn’t see too many lobster chunks, but the actual mac n’ cheese tasted real and authentic – you could tell this isn’t the Kraft or Stouffer’s variety. Definitely recommend!

Verdict: I was impressed by brunch at Claw Daddy’s! The seafood was fresh and satisfying. I would eat here again – maybe I’ll try dinner sometimeAs a bonus, Claw Daddy’s has some great happy hour deals like $1 oysters. Even though my mom and I managed to score a table, I’d recommend making reservations for brunch and dinner.