Five Things: NYC

If I had to choose one layover as my all-time favorite, it would be NYC. I enjoy the food scene, shopping, and Broadway shows.

This weekend I had a long layover in Long Island. I hopped on board the Long Island Railroad. The train is a convenient way to travel to Manhattan from Long Island. The trains run once an hour, and the ride is 1 hour and 15 minutes from Central Islip to Penn Station. It costs $25 for a round trip ticket. Most hotels provide shuttle service to the train stations in Long Island. Uber is also available on Long Island.

Here are 5 things I enjoyed in NYC.

{Senza Gluten}

1.  SENZA GLUTEN: First on my agenda was an early dinner at Senza Gluten. Senza Gluten is a new 100% gluten-free restaurant in Greenwich Village. I ordered the Margherita pizza made with San Marzano tomato sauce, buffalo mozzarella, fresh basil, and extra virgin olive oil. San Marzano are the best tomatoes. It was as good as the gluten-free pizza in Italy. The restaurant has a lovely ambiance. I sat outside but took a peek inside and the interior seating has a rustic vibe. The service was excellent. The owner made a point to introduce herself to me and asked my thoughts on the meal. I recommend making a reservation due to the restaurant’s popularity. 

{Jennifer’s Way Chocolate Chip Cookies}

2.  JENNIFER’S WAY GLUTEN-FREE BAKERY: Next stop was dessert at my favorite bakery in the city, Jennifer’s Way located in the East Village. I have a love affair with Jennifer’s chocolate chip cookies. I keep hoping she’ll write a cookbook and share the recipe.  I am picky when it comes to bakeries. I will not buy items stored in a refrigerated case. I find it makes the baked goods dry. Products are fresh at Jennifer’s Way. If you are visiting NYC, call ahead and place an order for the house-made version of the chocolate chip cookies. The cookies are so popular and sometimes sell out. I also recommend reading her book, Jennifer’s Way: My Journey With Celiac Disease. Jennifer is making a huge difference in celiac awareness, and I am so thankful for her efforts to educate others about celiac disease.

{Three Lives & Company Booksellers | The Paris Style Guide | Stumptown Coffee | Tom Ford Lipstick}

3.  THE PARIS STYLE GUIDE by Elodie Rambuad: I love visiting independent bookstores. NYC has several great ones. I particularly enjoy stopping in Three Lives & Company Booksellers located in Greenwich Village. I picked up a copy of Elodie Rambuad’s, The Paris Style Guide. I prefer travel books that showcase beautiful photography and small or family businesses. This book is excellent for planning a trip to Paris.

I stopped by Stumptown Coffee in Greenwich Village for a caffeine fix. I started my day very early and needed a boost since I was going to a Broadway show later in the evening. The cold brew with milk is one of my favorite things. I enjoyed a delicious cappuccino before catching the subway to Times Square.

Tom Ford lipstick is one of my favorite beauty products. If you visit NYC, don’t miss the beauty department at Bergdorf’s Goodman.

{Cap Beauty}

4.  CAP BEAUTY: I found some new products to try at Cap Beauty. Cap Beauty is a relatively new natural beauty store located in Greenwich Village. It is one of the only U.S. stores to purchase The Beauty Chef products. The Beauty Chef’s products are wonderful products to improve digestion and natural beauty. I will share more about my products finds in a future post. If you are looking for natural products, I recommend visiting Cap Beauty’s online store or the retail location in NYC.

{On the Town Starring Misty Copeland}

5.  ON THE TOWN: One of my favorite pastimes is going to Broadway shows. I use an app called Today’s Tickets for discount show tickets. Use this app and pick up show tickets outside the theater entrance instead of standing in the long TKTS lines. I also refer to the Playbill Manager website for updated show information and discounts. I attended one of the last performances of “On the Town” starring Misty Copeland. It was a delight to see Misty Copeland perform live on stage. Misty’s story is remarkable. When she discovered ballet, Misty was living in a shabby motel room, struggling with her five siblings for a place to sleep on the floor. A true prodigy, she was dancing en pointe within three months of taking her first dance class and performing professionally in just over a year. Read her remarkable memoir, A Ballerina’s Story.

I am looking forward to Nelson George’s documentary, “A Ballerina’s Tale” out October 14. “A Ballerina’s Tale“ is an intimate look at a crucial point in Misty Copeland’s life and her remarkable resilience.

And I’d love to know what are some of your favorite hot spots in NYC?