Can You Tell I Like Books?

One last post for one of my favorite little shops in all of downtown Manhattan? Yes, yes it is! Like I've said in a previous post, I love to read and I can do it for hours and hours with no breaks in between (maybe not no breaks, but you know what I mean). This store is so unique and I just happened to stumble upon it because I was walking all over the Lower East Side. Anywhere street I could walk on, I would go to. Any store that looked interesting, I would walk in! I feel really lucky to have found this store because it is a diamond in the rough; it happens to be one of the most interesting stores that I've ever gotten to walk into!

This place is called Bluestockings and it's located on Allen Street between Stanton and Rivington. Bluestockings is a bookstore where the workers volunteer their time and have books on topics such as feminism, race issues, climate change, and more subjects that some people would never dare get into talking about. I think that's what genuinely makes this place cool and so appealing, the fact that the books they have here really challenge normal ideologies that some people may have and causes people to see things in a different light due to the content of the literature.

Image by bluestockings

Just an FYI, Bluestockings is fair trade cafe, as well! Fair trade is where awareness is raised for what an organization stands for, such as the ideologies discussed above! It's honestly undoubtedly nice to sit in this cafe, relax, and read a book. It's even vegan and organic so if that's your thing than Bluestockings is really the perfect place to go to.

The second you walk into Bluestockings, you get a sense of welcoming and acceptance for anybody and everybody. It does not matter race nor religious beliefs, anybody is welcome in this store with open arms. There is something for everyone to read because there is such a broad category of books throughout the whole store.

Bluestockings not only has this wide array of books to choose from, they also have merchandise that I still regret not buying. They have little pins, bags, mugs, and more that talk about the importance of reading or just have the ability to make someone laugh. My favorite mug they sell is probably the "fuel to fight the power" mug because it is so true for me that coffee is my fuel to get me through my day! Coffee also happens to be my fuel to fight the power, incase you were wondering that.

The environment in this place is just, honestly, one of the best in New York City. The employees are also so welcoming and everybody walking around has a truly friendly face. I feel like it's the one place in the city that you can interact with people without the fear of someone getting annoyed with you like the rest of Manhattan. As the last post I'm going to make for this blog, I highly recommend going to this incredible hole-in-the-wall store and buying anything that catches your eye.

Seriously, do it.

Better Than the Rest

I can't even begin to be able to describe this place, but I'll try my best. Have you ever had something to eat that just melts in your mouth and makes you see fireworks with your eyes closed because the food is just that good? Or maybe you could hear cheers in your head where it's so loud like an audience at a concert? If you have, then congrats you've had food as phenomenal as I have at an incredible restaurant called TAO.

TAO is by far the best Pan-Asian food you will ever have in your life (So biased, I know). It's some of the best food I've ever eaten, in general. I've been to some of the best restaurants in New York City, like Del Posto and the Four Seasons, and this place is by far my absolute favorite. There are two locations for TAO in Manhattan, but I definitely prefer the restaurant in Downtown Chelsea compared to the location in Midtown East. TAO's location in Chelsea is between West 17th and 16th Street off of 9th Avenue, just a short, convenient walk from Penn Station!

Image by cityelitegroup

The first time I ever went to TAO was for my best friend's sixteenth birthday and boy was it an experience. I remember how excited all of us got when we walked into this restaurant; it is still one of the most breathtaking places I have ever gotten the experience to enjoy. The main piece of the whole restaurant, probably the first thing you notice when you walk in, is the statue of Quan Yin Buddha; the Goddess of Mercy is the main statue in the downtown restaurant, standing proudly with 24 giving arms. This statue isn't even the first you see when you see when you walk into TAO since there is a Buddha laying down above the seats in the lounge.

Besides this place being absolutely gorgeous with its decor, it's got food that will knock you out of your seat (that's how impressed you'd be, I mean... you know?). This was the place where I realized I am completely in love with edamame, the outside is so salty with these perfect soy beans that you take out and eat. Seriously, have you ever had edamame?! It sounds sooo bad, but trust me it's sooo good!

Also, by my standards, their deserts are to die for. They make these chocolate Buddhas that are cute and delicious all in one, what more could you need from chocolate?! Don't even get me started on the Giant Fortune Cookie, too... Actually, get me started on it. I won't shut up about that desert for hours on end, it is seriously one of the best things I have ever tasted in my entire life. UGH, writing about it right now is making my mouth water! It's made with chocolate moose, what more could you really ask for, come on now.

If me ranting about how much I love TAO in Chelsea doesn't convince you to go try this place, then I don't know what would. If you love Asian cuisine as much as I do, then I highly recommend TAO as a restaurant you should stop at in Manhattan.

A Love for Comics

A place that's not in downtown Manhattan?! No way, can you believe it! Well, you shouldn't because this place is also in downtown. Like deep downtown by the Brooklyn bridge, you have to take the J to get down there. It's a pretty well-known place, but people usually go to the store in midtown rather than the one that is far superior in downtown.

The place I'm talking about is Midtown Comics, but it isn't located in midtown. This Midtown location is in the financial district on Fulton in between Cliff and Gold Street. The other Midtown Comics in Manhattan are located in Times Square and Hell's Kitchen; Hell's Kitchen is a pretty nice area, but I'd rather be downtown any day. Also, this shop being in the middle of the financial district is seriously one of my favorite things.

Image by freshcomics

So I'm just going to put this out here now, if you can't already tell, I'm a huge nerd. I really do love reading comics and, because of school, I haven't had the time to really sit down and get a good read in. It's kind of disheartening, honestly. I got into comics a few years back and it really helped me to get out of a low point in my life. Comics have been there for me just like music has, which I should probably be embarrassed to admit but oh well.

Anyway, on to the comic store itself! This place sticks out like a sore thumb in this district because of their purple awning and I absolutely love it. The inside, though? Ugh, if you like comics then this is like a safe haven... I promise. I have dropped too much money at this store, but I don't regret spending a dime.

The walls are completely stacked with comics of every kind; I'm so basic that I immediately flock to the Batman section. He's my favorite superhero, what can I say! This place also has an exorbitant amount of Trades, which is one of the best things to buy if you don't want to buy individual comics. Trades are the entire series of a comic put into one, AKA one of the easiest ways to read through a storyline.

Now don't get me wrong, the Midtown Comics in Times Square is pretty nice; the thing about it though is that it is always overcrowded. It's a pretty well-known place over in Times Square because it is truly in the heart of midtown and was the first one made of the franchise. The Midtown that is downtown (why does this sound so confusing) is much less busy and actually gives you a chance to get what you want without that rushed feeling.

If you're as much of a nerd as I am and like comics, I'd definitely recommend checking out the Midtown Comics that's in a pretty awesome part of New York. They have so much merchandise from the comics themselves to t-shirts and Pop Vinyls (the cutest!). Seriously, it's a nerd's paradise. Go!

Jack's Wife Freda

I'm sure you can tell by now that downtown is my favorite place to be in all of Manhattan. That being said... there are still some places downtown that I can't stand. One of these places is pretty well known and is bustling with activity; this neighborhood is called SoHo. The place is just like a Time Square number two with a smaller people amount of people roaming through. When I say it's a Time Square number two, I don't mean it has billboards all over the place and flashing lights. What I do mean though is that it is swarmed by tourists on the daily.

Now, as much as I don't like SoHo, and this kills me to say, one of my favorite restaurants comes from this small, hipster neighborhood. Jack's Wife Freda is located on Lafayette Street between Broome and Spring Street; they serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner and have an array of items for everyone to enjoy. This place is always packed and I can almost guarantee that, if you go here, you'll have to wait behind a few people before getting to enjoy this gem of an establishment (seriously, it's that good).

image by jackswifefreda

There isn't a time of day during any time of the week that this place isn't absolutely packed to the brim. In my personal opinion, the best time of day to go is brunch; what better way to start your day than with a Mediterranean Breakfast?! The food served at Jack's Wife Freda is American-Mediterranean and is seriously too good to be true. If you enjoy Mediterranean food or anything with a bit of spice on it to really enjoy what you're eating, then you should go here.

Also, the story behind the way the owners of this restaurant met is one of my all time favorites. The two were separately on vacation in New York and went to a place called Balthazar (I went to this restaurant in London and I highly recommend!!). The two decided that they wanted to be together; The owner Dean being from South Africa and owner Maya being from Israel. Long story short, after coming to New York they opened up Jack's Wife Freda and named it after Dean's grandparents. How cute is that?!

Another really cool thing about this place is the way the restaurant is spaced out. Pretty much everybody sits together at a table, this makes coming here alone for a cup of coffee and a quick breakfast really nice and easy. This open space also allows people to talk to strangers, if they so desire; the atmosphere is always comfortable and welcoming here.

As much as I don't like SoHo, I'd say the subway trip down to Spring Street is definitely worth getting off at for Jack's Wife Freda. If SoHo isn't your cup of tea though, like it isn't for me, there is now a Jack's Wife Freda in the West Village! I've yet to try it, but I can almost guarantee that it'd be just as good as the original!

Get Lost in Books

Honestly, I can read for hours on end without interruption if I really like the book I'm reading. I have this one book I've yet to pick up called Lobotomy: Surviving the Ramones by Dee Dee Ramone; I know for a fact that the second I pick this book up that it won't leave my hands until I complete it. I mean, a book written by the bassist in one of my favorite punk rock bands?! Sounds like a pretty perfect book to me.

On the topic of books, Strand is one of the best places I have ever been to in Manhattan. Located in the East Village on Broadway and 12th Street is one of the most magical places on Earth. Before you even get inside the store there are mounds of cheap, used books on the sidewalk that you can buy! When you walk in the store, though... wow. The energy of that store can instantly change a bad mood to a great one.

Image by amny

The first time I ever went to this bookstore was over break. I went into the city to go to a friend's apartment and spend the day with her; she planned out a day for us and Strand happened to be in her itinerary! I can't even begin to thank Emma enough for showing me this bookstore because it's a place I know I can get lost in for hours, given the opportunity.

After we'd walked in and I had finally picked up a copy of 1984 by George Orwell (which I have been dying to read), I walked straight to the poetry table. Poetry is something I've always been interested in; it's something less and less people enjoy, but I've always found myself fascinated by poetry. There were so many poetry books to choose from, it was kind of overwhelming since there were so many options to choose from. Eventually, I found the perfect book that I just knew I had to buy, Poems of New York. This book is a collection of poems about the city I hold near and dear to my heart and I knew that I had to have it when I saw it.

The downstairs of Strand is fiction books, nonfiction, poetry, mythology, etc. while the upstairs has to do with art and music. When I walked upstairs, I think I fell in love. There was an abundance of photography books, books about painters, and books about music. I told myself after picking up 1984 and Poems of New York that I wouldn't buy anything else... I lied to myself. On one of the tables was a book that read Iggy Pop Life Class and I immediately picked this book up and began to flip through. It's a book about the life drawing pieces of Iggy Pop that are on display at the Brooklyn Museum. I knew I had to have this book and decided to splurge on myself; it's probably my favorite book that I've ever purchased to date.

If you are in the city and happen to be a lover of books, drag whoever you're with and go to Strand! You will not regret it one bit and, who knows, maybe it could become one of your favorite places, too!

South in the City

I am ridiculously excited to talk about this restaurant and it's honestly going to be one of the first places I go to eat when I get off the subway at Delancey. I found this place on a whim one day when my friend and I were looking for a place to eat. Honestly, the place is pretty popular amongst New Yorkers, in Manhattan and Brooklyn, and always has people dining here. Whether they're sitting at the bar for a drink or sitting down to enjoy one of the best meals in Manhattan (in my humble opinion, of course), people are bound to get their money's worth.

This lovely place is called Sweet Chick and it is located on Ludow Street right off of E. Houston. Also, Houston is not pronounced like the city in Texas so if you happen to be going to New York, please don't pronounce it like that... it's pronounced How-stun. That was really off topic, but I guess that was just some extra city info for you! Anyway, this restaurant is my greatest find in all of Manhattan; they also have another location on Bedford in Brooklyn if you're ever over there instead of Manhattan! You know how State College prides themselves on the Waffle Shop and that they have some of the best waffles, pretty much, ever? Don't get mad at me for saying this, but the waffles at Sweet Chick are exponentially better. 

photo by sweetchick

Quick side note: if you're ever looking for some of the best waffles in America (seriously they win dozens of awards for their waffles) and are in New York, feel free to go to Wafels and Dinges. Those are some quality Belgium waffles.

Anyway, Sweet Chick isn't only known for making incredibly good waffles, but for making really good waffles and chicken. If chicken and waffles is a meal you like, then this is the place to go. They even make vegetarian fried chicken so people that are not meat lovers can come and enjoy, as well! I've heard the the dupe fried chicken tastes just like real fried chicken, too! I could just rant about their food for hours on end, there is a reason why this awesome place is always packed. 

Image by sweetchick

I haven't even begun to talk about the vibe of this place. Sweet Chick is seriously one of the most relaxing places to go to sit down and have a bite. I've never felt rushed when I finished my meal to immediately get up and leave and the staff there is always so sociable and love to interact with the diners. The waiters and waitresses are always up for conversation with the diners and seem to genuinely love working at this place. I can understand why, this place as such a chill environment! I could never see someone getting stressed out here, really.

If you happen to be in New York, need a spot to eat that isn't expensive, and want to be in a chill environment, then Sweet Chick is the perfect place for you! I'd definitely recommend this place to anyone, it's one of a kind!

Summer Movies

So, downtown Manhattan seems to be a reoccurring theme in these posts. Honestly, I might as well live in downtown when I'm home unless something's going on in Brooklyn that I can go to. Downtown is, in my humble opinion, the best place for young adults to go and enjoy their time whenever they're in Manhattan. There's always something going on there whether it be during the day or at night.

This past summer I was looking up outdoor movies in Manhattan for friends and I to go to and happened to stumble upon one of my favorite things in the city. It's something that I'm ridiculously excited to do again this summer! The movies start showing every Thursday night in the summer from the beginning of July to the end of August so people have two full months to go see movies outside with gorgeous weather for no money.

These free movies are held in Tompkins Square Park in the East Village between Avenues A and B. Free Films in Tompkins is one of the best things I've been to in the city; it's simplistic, but has a lot of value. You can bring a blanket to sit on, relax, and enjoy a movie on a blowup screen with a bunch of other people who know about the event! They also have a free music act about an hour before the film starts for people to enjoy if they happen to get to the film a bit earlier. The artists are usually always from New York so it gives people a taste of some great New York talent that they wouldn't get elsewhere!

Two of my best friends and I went to a movie screening in the beginning of August for the first time. I was particularly excited about going to see this movie in Tompkins because it happened to be one of my all time favorite movies, True Romance. This movie is a bit of a cult classic since it's not very well known, but if you have the time to watch something then you should definitely check this movie out! It's written by Quentin Tarantino and stars one of my all time favorite actors, Christian Slater.

Anyway, the three of us went to a small sandwich shop on St. Marks before walking down to the park. We set up a blanket and had an extra incase it got a bit chilly later in the night and then we were set! Having a little picnic in the smaller parks in Manhattan is always nice since it's much more secluded than Central Park, so being able to sit out with my friends as the sun set in Tompkins was extremely fun. Also, people are always walking their dogs through Tompkins so it's definitely really great if you're a dog person like me!

If you happen to be in New York in the summertime, you should definitely hit up a Tompkins movie night. It's free and the movies they show are always really good ones! They even showed Rocky Horror Picture Show, which I was pretty sad I missed. Overall, it's a really nice thing to do with friends and I'd highly recommend doing this for anyone that's really big into movies or just enjoys a relaxing time.

The Strange Building in Bowery

Have you ever had a dream where you see a crazy looking building that is jutting out from all edges, you know something out of the ordinary? Okay, maybe you haven't. But now that I've got you thinking about it, don't you think it'd be weird to see a building like this in real life, or even be inside a building like this?

Well, if you happen to be on Bowery in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, you're welcome to experience this strange place for yourself! This interesting place is called The New Museum and always has unique exhibits to match the exterior of the building. The building appears to be stacked on itself and constantly has different things on the outside of it. For a while, they used to have the words "Hell yeah!" in rainbow font, but have now switched it to being a pirate ship!

Image from wikipedia

Now I know what you might be thinking... "that does not look like a hole-in-the-wall kind of place!" Maybe it doesn't look like one, but I promise it is. Before I went inside, I hadn't even given the place a second glance on a walk down the street. Honestly, I thought it was some hipster building since they're constantly popping up around Manhattan. I'm so thankful I went in here, though, because it is definitely my favorite Museum in all of Manhattan.

The New Museum has been around for decades, but has only been at it's current location on Bowery since 2007. This building is extremely different from every other building surrounding it and causes the museum to stand out to anyone passing by from blocks away. The iconic design is one of the most amazing things about this place, beside the view that you can get in the building on that is absolutely breathtaking. I'll go more into that view a little later on, though.

The first time I ever went to The New Museum was an interesting experience. It was the first time I couldn't directly find a piece of artwork to connect with, but I had found everything so much more interesting than most art galleries. I took the time to read about each and every exhibit that was there and found myself engrossed in the weirdness that is this museum. Something that stands out to me was an odd video that was shown in a very dark room of people up close. Someone in the room was playing saxophone, but in a way that portrayed this video as people being stressed since the sax sounded so strained. It was definitely fascinating, to say the least.

On Saturdays and Sundays, those that go to The New Museum are in for a real treat. This treat is known as the Sky Deck and is only opened on the weekends. The Sky Deck is an room lined with windows, almost like a sunroom, and allows people to exit onto the large balcony outside. This view is my absolute favorite view of the Lower East Side and is one of the main reasons why this building is truly great. From seeing everything downtown to the skyline of the city, it is gorgeous.

Honestly, this place is pretty great. I encourage anyone going into the city to go check out whatever weird exhibit is now in this museum! It's also cheap, too! Half off students if you bring your ID, so enjoy!

We All Love Ice Cream

Every time I walk into this shop, I automatically get a smile on my face. From the aroma of different flavors to the smiling workers at the register, I always know I'm in for a treat whenever I walk into Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream.

Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream is located between 2nd and 1st avenue on 7th street in the East Village. Everything about this place, well maybe not the fact that it's so small that it's hard to find a seat from it always being so busy, is incredible. It offers and incredible selection of ice cream flavors that include vegan options that way nobody is left out! This place is constantly teeming with regulars from New York, and for good reason too. 

Image from timeout

The ice cream at this place is absolute perfection. The array of options this place has is absolutely incredible; they go from simple flavors like vanilla bean to an incredible passion fruit layer cake! They even make sundaes with whatever flavors you want and have coffees, teas, and pastries that anybody can enjoy. As a coffee lover myself, I have to say that they have some great coffee over there that can keep you up for a nice long while.

Now, I can't take the credit for finding this place. One of my close friends from home decided to google a place where she and I could get ice cream together. Now it seems like it is an easy task to find a place in Manhattan to get good ice cream, but my friend happens to be vegan so it really isn't all that easy. We decided to try this place out together over a year ago now and, to our surprise when we got to the shop, there was a line just out the door. We waited for about ten minutes until we got to the front and were able to order.

We each got two scoops of what we wanted and took a seat at the small bar by the window. After seeing the long line this place garnered, I was not shocked at how incredible my ice cream was. My friend on the other hand was so excited and surprised by the fact that she had found such great vegan ice cream. She offered me a bite and I originally declined since they make their products with coconut milk, which is definitely far from something I tend to enjoy. After a second time of her asking, I took her up on the offer and was pleasantly surprised to find there was almost no difference between the taste of her and my ice cream. The only real difference was that we had different of ice cream!

My absolute favorite flavor that I've tried from Van Leeuwen is the cookies and cream. It's a classic that has always been one of my favorite kinds of ice cream. It is so creamy and the taste just pops in your mouth! 

If you ever come into the city and wonder where you can get the perfect ice cream, Van Leeuwen is the place for you!

Hidden Alleyway

All over the thirteen mile long city there are hidden gems to explore from restaurants to museums and even bookstores. If you look hard enough, you're bound to find some of the most amazing places you will ever get to see. I understand that if you're not from New York, the first place you would want to go as a tourist would be Times Square. After a few days of touring around that tiny spot in Midtown, it'll get boring and quite repetitive; at that point in time, you should definitely take a subway and travel up or downtown to find the truly unique and special places this city has to offer.

Downtown Manhattan is one of my favorite parts of the city in it's entirety; it is such a unique part of the five boroughs and I find new places to go every time I walk anywhere downtown. One of my favorite places in the downtown area happens to be in a small alleyway in the lower east side right off of Rivington Avenue.

Down an alleyway littered with graffiti are some hanging lights throughout the end of the alley and a door that appears as if you're walking into a roomie apartment with a large window that takes light from a darker spot in Manhattan. The only way you can really tell this place is a restaurant before you enter is the A rating posted on a small window pane for all to see. This place is called Freemans and it's the only building down Freeman Alley.

Image by freemansrestaurant

The modern American restaurant is a unique space in a well travelled area of downtown, but is still hidden; so much so that if you had no clue this restaurant was there you wouldn't even waste your time glancing down the alleyway. Some won't even give this alley cluttered with murals by artists and writing scattered all over the wall a second glance. Some tourists will venture down the alley just to view it's hidden treasures without knowing a restaurant is waiting at the end; I've even had someone ask me in that alleyway what the door led to after watching a friend and I exit, out of pure curiosity.

Freemans offers an assortment of options from brunch until dinner time. There are options for everybody at this restaurant from steaks, to seafood, to vegetarian foods. If I had to recommend a dish form Freemans, it would have to be the Seared Filet Mignon; it's cooked to perfection every single time I get it. If you're not a fan of meats, I'd also recommend the Five Cheese Macaroni; this dish is packed with so much taste that it practically explodes your in mouth.

I constantly bring people to this phenomenal establishment to show them one of my favorite secrets of Manhattan. Downtown is practically a second home for me, ergo I consistently find new places to visit and dine in! If you don't know about Freemans, there'd never be a reason to go down this beautiful alleyway.

Think! wheatpaste in Freeman Alley

If you ever decide to venture into Manhattan's Lower East side and have not a clue on where to go for a great meal, Freemans should be a place that you consider!