The Stage Mommy Has Moved To A New Address

For a better and newer website experience, please click on the link to the new Stage Mommy

www.thestagemommy.com

The New Stage Mommy

Please feel free to visit our new and better website on our new site address. Don't forget to subscribe so you can get new posts straight to your inbox.

The Stage Mommy is Moving

Aside from our website overhaul, we are also moving to a new address. Please stay tuned and apologies for the lack of posts while we gear up for a newer and better Stage Mommy!

Thank you!

Book Review: The Girl On The Train

I love to read so I think it is but appropriate to have a regular book review on this blog, a book club if you like. As much as I love to read, I have lost touch with the beauty of reading as life got in the way. In the last few months, I have started reading again. I have started reading real books, the one that you actually hold in your hands and be able to actually flip the pages. 

One of my new year's resolutions is to read at least one book a month (that might change haha) and post in here what I think about it. Beware of my disclaimer as I am not a literary critic so don’t expect New York Times bestseller type of reviews. I will review books the way I know how, the stage mommy way.

My first ever book review on the blog is The Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins.

I am easily taken by thrillers and this particular book promises hair raising suspense. I swear I couldn’t put this  book down for the life of me. The main character's constant blackouts makes the story more confounding and I love how the author made three of the characters carry out the narration in the book. Knowing what the other characters are thinking during the course of the story makes it more interesting than it already is.

The main character, Rachel, is an alcoholic whose life went for the worse when her marriage collapsed. Her husband left her for another woman, Anna, whose character takes one of the three narrations in the story. Rachel takes the train to London daily and has been obsessed with a couple (whom she calls Jess and Jason) who sits on their balcony each morning and whom she sees from where she sits on the train. She develops a compulsive familiarity with the couple even though she only sees them from afar. On one of her daily commutes, she "witnessed" something odd about the couple. She learned a few days later that Jess, who is actually named Megan, who takes the third narration in the story, has been missing since that last particular day she saw them on the balcony. One puzzling thing is that she feels she holds the answer to the mystery of Megan's disappearance as she has been having flashbacks of herself walking along the street where Megan lives, injured and bloodied, on the night she disappeared. The story slowly unravels from there, out of the twists and turns that the author cleverly fabricated into the story.  We later on learn that each and every character in the story are somewhat interrelated with a very interesting back story in each of them.

The concept of what happened to Megan and how Rachel could hold the answer to the mystery of her disappearance as manifested by her flashbacks is the gripping component of this book. I just couldn't wait to finish it to know what actually happened to Megan and what was Rachel's connection to it.

I really enjoyed this book and if you are like me who loves the thrill of a suspense story then this book is for you.

The book is soon to be released on film by Dream Works with Emily Blunt as Rachel.

5 Best Things In Paris

Paris is hands down one of the best destinations in Europe. It is like a dream. To wake up to the heavenly smell of croissants with a view of the Eiffel tower is what every romantic’s dreams are made of. But Paris is not just all about romance. It caters to all. I made a list of the best things in the city of lights so you don’t have to.

image

High on my list is a visit to Angelina’s Tea Room. The hot chocolate is not called the best hot chocolate in town for nothing. And if the decadence of the hot chocolate is not enough to lure you in, I am sure the opulence of the interior will. Coco Chanel was known to frequent the place.

image

A walk through Tuileries Garden is a must when in Paris. Take the less beaten path and explore the beauty of this garden. Located between the Louvre museum and Place De La Concorde, there is so much to see and do here. You can grab a chair for free and enjoy its several fountains and sculptures aside from the beautiful flower display.

image

A visit to the Louvre museum should not be missed. The  Louvre is one of the biggest museums in the world with Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo among its collections. I.M Pei’s pyramid on the courtyard is also an art to reckon with.

image

 What is missing from your view when you are at the top of the Eiffel tower? The Eiffel tower, of course. This is why going up the Arc de Triompe is as worth it as going up the Eiffel tower itself. The view of the Champs Elysees below is also one for the books. One of the most beautiful avenues in the world.

If seeing the Eiffel tower from the Arc De Triompe is really not enough and that you have to see the most famous structure in the world up close then beat the long lines by either taking the stairs rather than the elevator or book yourself a lovely meal in one of the restaurants at the top. Either way, going up the Eiffel tower is one of the best experiences any tourist could have.

The Importance of Me Time

If truth be told, we ladies tend to overlook ourselves because we are always too busy taking care of our squad. Aside from running a household, we also bring home the bacon. Gone were the days when the lady of the house stays in the house. With the rise of girl power and feminism, we not only want to run our household, we also want to run the world. Nothing wrong with that. In fact everybody wins. Unfortunately, we forget ourselves in the long run. We get drained and eventually, our surroundings gets affected. 

Someone once said that we need to fill up our well to be able to pour out from it. This is why having that much needed time for ourselves is very important for us to be able to take care of others. 

Studies suggest that making time for ourselves and making ourselves a priority makes us happier and more able to take care of the people around us. Not only that, it also improves concentration making us more productive and strengthens our relationships. 

So how should we spend our me time? I for one believes in the power of me time. For me, it does not have to be elaborate. Doing the things I love always does the trick. I love to read so having a couple of hours reading a book or  browsing my favourite sites online is good for me. Watching my favourite series or programs uninterrupted is another thing. Spending time with a friend to catch up with things also counts for me. But my ultimate me time is being able to leisurely browse the shops in my own time whether it is actual shopping or window shopping. 

Schedule time for yourself regularly, be it for a 30 minute run or a nap, whatever it is, it is the best thing you can do for your family as you will be in your best form to take care of them.

Five Faves

It has been awhile since I posted my last five favourites. Life got in the way and I haven't been very consistent with my posts. Without further adieu, here are my latest favourites.

1.Dyptique candle in Baies - Dyptique is the world's favourite candle and their Baies scent in particular has a cult following.  My first Dyptique was a gift from a friend (Mimosa scent) and I have to say, once you go luxe as far candles are concerned, you never go back. I used it sparingly so it lasted me forever. I burned it for the last time by the end of last year and decided to get a new one as a Christmas present for myself. Selfridges was having an online sale that time so I actually grabbed a bargain. I was tempted to get the Mimosa scent again which I love but at the last minute chose Baies as I was quite curious of its cult following. When I first lighted it, I knew why. It's scent is so heavenly like a bouquet of roses scented with blackcurrant leaves, exactly how the people at Dyptique describes it.

2. Beehive vase - my newfound love of flowers has a consequence, a newfound love of vases. I found this unusual one whilst browsing at The Range, a home store here in the UK. I love that the white and gold compliments any flower I place in it.

3. Clinique Color Pop Lipstick - I love my lipstick and nothing beats the exhilarating feeling of opening a new one. This particular new lipstick of mine is from Clinique. The reason I love this is the fact that it is very hydrating and very pigmented that even their nude ones (I've never been fan of nude) really pops on the lips. Exactly how the name suggests.

4.Statement Cushions - I have been meaning to get rid of my cushions as I have had them since we moved in the house, about 10 years! Cringe. I am drawn lately to cushions that has quotes and characters on them and I have been loving the alphabet cushions from Next. Very inexpensive but good quality.

5. Kate Spade watch - My sister in law introduced me to Kate Spade and since then I have been a fan. I particularly love their handbags and now their watches. This particular simple silver watch has that spade logo in pink, a flair Kate Spade is known for.

How To Get Published On The Huffington Post

image source

The Huffington Post is one of the biggest and multi awarded digital platforms in the world and the  first commercially run United States digital media enterprise to win a Pulitzer Prize (Wikipedia). To have your article published in it is such a privilege. There is no wonder a lot of aspiring writers are clamouring for that chance. I have been lucky enough to have my article accepted and published in January of this year.

I have heard of people sending their work and never hear anything but this did not stop me from trying. After all, what’s the worst that can happen? I have written a post about children and technology on this blog which I have always felt is a good post to be featured in the Parents section as it is about the struggles of parents in our digital time. I also know that this is one of the things that Arianna Huffington (founder and editor in chief) is passionate about, aside from sleep. If you have read her book Thrive, you would know what I’m talking about. 

The Huffington Post has an article submission form but when I was doing my research online, I found out that this is not the best way. Most people who got published emailed their work to the editors themselves and some to Arianna Huffington herself. I emailed my article to one of the editors from the Parents section but after a week of not hearing from them, I decided to email Arianna Huffington herself. She replied exactly a week after. She wrote in her email that they are interested in running my piece and that she will get one of the editors to get in touch with me. This was in November of last year and by December, no editor has contacted me. It was the Christmas rush and life got in the way so I put it in the back burner. After the Christmas season, I decided to email one of the UK editors as I’m based in the UK. I forwarded Arianna’s email to them saying I have not heard from any editor. I got a reply just a few minutes after sending the email and was set up with a blogger account in the next 24 hours. I submitted my article a few days later and it went live  in less than 24 hours. You can read it here.

To summarize, here is a step by step way of how to go about making your dream of being published on the Huffington Post finally come true.

FIRST:

Write an article that you are passionate about. Something that is written from the heart resonates better compared to something that is written only because it is a popular topic. of course, it has be a topic about something that is in consonance with the times. You could also use an article that you have already posted on your blog. The Huffington Post is fine with this as long as it is an original.

SECOND:

Edit. edit. edit. I heard the editors at the Huffington Post are really busy that they don’t have time to heavily edit articles. A well edited piece has a better chance of being published. I read and re-read my article a hundred times. I also asked a friend who used to be my associate editor in our school paper to read and edit it for me. You might not see any more grammatical error but someone with fresh eyes might do. He did find a couple of sentences that needs rewording.

THIRD:

Once you are happy with your article, it is time to think of a good pitch. They receive thousands of pitch emails and you need something that will really catch their eye.  This is how I worded mine.

Some people say it is best to include your head shot. I did but once I got my account, I don’t think it matters as it is you who is going to place your head shot in your profile but please do include a short bio.

FOURTH:

Email it to the editor whom you think is appropriate for your topic or to Arianna herself. Their email addresses are available on the HuffPost website or google like I did. 

FIFTH:

Sit back and relax now that you have done the hard part. If you haven't heard in 2 weeks, follow up and if you still haven't heard, don't lose hope and try again.

Good luck.

The Stage Mommy In 2015: The Highlights

2015 was the year that we travelled the most, which makes travel the highlight of our year. We love to travel as a family but 2015 saw us travelling to places we have never even dreamed of.

The first quarter of the year had us travelling across the pond. America has always been a dream destination and in 2015 we decided to take the plunge. I started planning our itinerary towards the end of 2014 and contacted friends and family for meet ups. Little did we know that a suggestion from a friend would lead us to a road trip to Canada and have the opportunity to see in awe the magnificent Niagara Falls which we are very grateful for. Seeing the Statue of Liberty, the White House and going up to the 87th floor of the Empire State Building also was something to be grateful for.

The second quarter had us travelling to Norway to visit family in Oslo. Norway is not on our travel wish list and I am glad that the presence of family lured us there because we fell in love with its natural beauty and very ancient history. No wonder parts of it was the inspiration for the Disney movie Frozen. We have yet to see the fjords and the Northern lights. Norway, we are not done with you.

On the last quarter of 2015, we found ourselves on our way to Asia specifically Singapore then the Philippines. Singapore is one of our favourite places in the world. This was already our third time there but still we were full of excitement to see this Lion city again. We stayed at the Marina Bay Sands hotel which deserves its own post and had fun swimming in the world's highest infinity pool on its roof top. After a calming stay in Singapore, it was time to head to Cebu to attend a special occasion, my brother's wedding. Being in December, we had the chance to spend Christmas with family back home. It was hectic to try to fit everything in but totally worth it.

Being foodies, 2015 also was a year of firsts on the culinary side. We enjoyed our first spoonful of halal meat gyro and rice from the world's most famous food cart located in Manhattan, savored our first sip of the pork broth on our tonkutsu in London hesistantly tried our first sushi, had for the first time the cloud-like softness of the delicious cakes in Oslo and their fresh seafood, excitedly tried the famous and hyped Cronuts in NYC and the world's best cookie from Levain. We also tried for the first time in Singapore some delicious Nasi Lemak and Laksa on room service and although we've had it before, we also enjoyed some delicious chili crab and Hainanese chicken, something you have to have when in Singapore.

Those, my friends, are the highlights of our 2015 and here's hoping for more culinary experiences and more travel in 2016.

Happy New Year to all!!!

The Stage Mommy's Pancake Recipe

                      

If you have been reading this blog, you would know that I love macarons, afternoon tea and that my favorite meal is breakfast. This is the only meal that I am never clueless as to what to cook or eat. I always know what I want for breakfast every single time. I love breakfast so much that I always look forward to it from the night before. One of the favorite breakfast food in our household are pancakes. I am proud to say I have mastered the recipe of how I want my pancake to be. The original recipe was given to me by a friend and I tweaked it to my liking, took the eggs out now it's fluffy and delicious.

Ingredients

1 cup self raising flour
1 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar (more or less, depends how sweet you want your pancake)
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp melted butter

Method

1. Put all dry ingredients in a bowl.
2. Pour the milk, whisk to a smooth batter.
3. Whisk in the melted butter and the vanilla essence.
4. Transfer batter to a jug to get that perfect round shape.
5. Set a frying pan to medium heat and pour batter from the jug to the pan, one minute on each side or when you see bubbles on the surface.
6. Serve with golden syrup or maple syrup with strawberries, sliced bananas or blueberries as your topping.

This recipe serves 6.

Enjoy!

It Is Time To Look Up

“So, did you enjoy the party?”

“Uhhm, a bit.”

“A bit? I thought you enjoyed playing with the other kids.”

“Well, everybody just wanted to play Minecraft. They didn’t even want to play with normal LEGO!”

This was the conversation I had with my six year old daughter one evening after having just arrived home from a party. Her frustration really tugged at my heart. There she was, my friendly and outgoing six year old, surrounded by children her age, some a bit older, yet feeling alone because the others were too busy to look up from the digital world they were engrossed in, to even play with her. This made me ask myself, what kind of generation are we raising?

I see it all the time, a toddler in a stroller being entertained with an iPhone at the park, a toddler confidently navigating an iPad app at a children’s party, a little girl enjoying a game on her DS in a restaurant. All of them looking down instead of living in the moment.

But I have to admit, they used to be us. That couple at the next table who are both looking down on their phones used to be my husband and me and their little girl on the iPad used to be my six year old. Although I enjoyed using that undivided time scrolling on my phone because the six year old and the husband were also busy doing the same thing, there were no conversations and it has always made me uncomfortable. Aside from it not painting a good picture from the outside, neither is it painting a good picture from the inside, as far as our relationship as a family is concerned.

 I remember before the time of smart phones, my husband and I used to be so engrossed in a conversation while waiting for our food in a restaurant or while in the car and how I used to play with my daughter endlessly when she was little rather than shove an iPad under her nose.  This made me realize that I want to have those conversations again and I want to have that endless playtime with my daughter again, before she grows up and it is too late.

 I realised I have had enough of living a distracted life, of not living life fully because of the trappings of technology. I decided it is time to look up as I realized I wanted to look at my husband’s eyes again when we are having a conversation, watch my daughter run around in the playground or see her priceless smile while playing instead of constantly looking down on my phone. I wanted to live in the moment again, not through a screen and I wanted the same thing for my daughter. A life where first thing in the morning she would look forward to finish that Lego structure she started the night before or finish that book she had been reading rather than check on a life she is building in a virtual world. I want a life for her that is not consumed by likes and comments on Facebook. A life that is not spent looking endlessly at a screen.

I would rather she engages with her friends in real time rather than talking to them through an app on the phone when they are very well sitting beside each other. A life in the real world and not in a virtual world.

From then on, we stopped taking the iPad out whenever we go out and imposed time limits using it. We stopped having phones and tablets on the dining table during meal times and I have made a conscious effort to stop looking at my phone while in a restaurant but better yet, keeping it in my handbag the entire time. We have also started using again the kids activity packs that restaurants provide and started doing regular outdoor activities. We have also started playing with Lego again, as a family. In other words, we started interacting and talking again, in the real sense of the word.

It is still a work in progress but we are almost there. My daughter seldom uses the iPad now and even hardly asks for it. I guess it was harder for me than for her as I love spending time online but as a parent, I know my priorities. I need to lead the way. That new article can be read later and Instagram can definitely wait.

I do not know if my daughter will continue to shun the trappings of technology but what I know is that I don’t want her to be that little girl in the corner with her iPad while the rest of the children are having the time of their life in the real world.

My Top Three Scented Candles

I love candles. That is a given. I love that aside from giving the house a wonderful scent, having some glowing candle lights in the house makes it so cozy and warm. Not only that, candles also make beautiful decorations. around the house. I burn candles all year round, even in the summer.

Over the years, I have tried and tested a variety of scents and brands from high end to medium priced down to the really cheap ones. As they say, you get what you pay for and this also applies to candles.

I have come to find my favourites. Here is my top three list that I have put together to help you with your candle shopping.

Diptyque 

A French brand that exudes luxury. It can be pricey but it is one of the best candles that you can have around your house. Once a friend gave me one as a present, the moment I lit it, I never looked at (or smelled) candles the same way again. The burning time is worth every penny. The throw is very clean without an after smell of synthetic like most candles. You can still smell the scent even when it is not lit and it is always heavenly. Dyptique candles also burn evenly. Getting this candle is really a treat.

Bahoma

I happen to pick this one up when I was desperate as my candle at home was down to its last few burning minutes. Since then, this has been my go to candle. Like most quality candles, the scents are not overwhelming but very gentle. My favourite is the Black Vanilla. Bahoma candles are handmade in a factory in London. They are not the cheapest but I get them for a steal at TK Maxx stores.

The White Company

Who doesn't love The White Company. I love their lotions and potions and most of all, I love their candles. They are mid range priced so you get a quality candle that does not come with a price tag. Prices start at £20 but whereas with Diptyque, you only get a mini candle with this price, with the White Company, this will get you a regular sized candle. So when you are buying on a budget but do not want to compromise on the quality, this is the candle for you.

The Latte Factor: Are We All Guilty Of This?

The Latte Factor was coined by David Bach in his book titled Start Over, Finish Rich. This simply means the little things that we mindlessly spend on daily, like buying coffee every day on your way to work, thus the term Latte Factor. It covers more than just that simple latte, it could be grabbing that bar of chocolate at the till every time, that magazine that you aimlessly pick up while doing your weekly shopping , those lottery tickets that you religiously buy every week or that lunch that you buy at work daily instead of making them yourself. These little trivial things do add up and at the end of the month, you will be surprised to know how much you have spent on them when they could be avoided.

The authors suggests that we monitor our daily or weekly spending and identify our Latte Factor. A daily cup of coffee on your way to work could cost you £3. That is £15 a week and £60 a month. A total of £720 a year! For someone who is an advocate of the idea of enjoying the small things in life, this does not really sit well with me. For someone, that daily cup of coffee from a barista could be their little luxury like mine would be flowers and candles. I suppose I could just get flowers from our garden which I tend to do sometimes but nothing beats that beautifully cultured flowers from the shops. I guess what the author wanted to emphasize is how much you are willing to forego of the little luxuries in life in the aim of saving for something bigger like adding that up to your yearly holiday or to your retirement fund. By all means, if you enjoy these little luxuries, keep them. As they say, life is short after all. Now excuse me while I cancel that digital tv subscription. We do not have time to watch television, anyway.

Now I get the point. Did you?

How To Travel On A Budget Like A Pro

Gone are the days when travelling was considered luxury. In this digital age when everything is at the tip of our fingertips, travelling has never been easier. When as before, booking a flight means going to the airline office or getting a travel itinerary means going to a travel agency, opening your laptop is all you need nowadays. But if you want to travel on a budget, you need to be more savvy than just being able to operate a computer.

Travelling on a budget does not necessarily mean staying in a hostel or B&B nor does it mean taking the red eye or eating from a food truck your entire holiday. All you need is a plan and a little skill. 

Chances are, your mode of transport will be the most expensive item that you will buy on a trip unless you take the train or go with a budget airline.  Even with budget airlines, you could be paying big money if you are not careful. 

Plan ahead. It's highly unlikely that you will get cheap flights at the last minute so I always plan our trips way ahead. From three to six months in advance, you can definitely bag a bargain holiday. Case in point, our flights to New York in March was booked in September. Exactly six months from our flight saving us  £350 each return and that is flying with British Airways. Our recent trip to Oslo which was booked three months in advance, was £180 return for three people and that includes airport parking. It also helped that we flew midweek. Flying on a Tuesday, Wednesday or a Thursday will always guarantee a bargain as much as flying early in the morning and late in the evening. 

This also applies when travelling by train.

Once your bargain flight is secured, you can now start searching for your hotel. You have more leeway in this area. Whereas you cannot cancel a flight without being charged,  with hotels, you can cancel as late as twenty four hours before check-in. I tend to start with comparison websites like hotels dot com and booking dot com. I book them on the free cancellation option and between then and my flight, I keep tabs on the prices. If they go down, I cancel and rebook on the new lower price. 

Be intuitive. Do not be fooled by comparison websites though. A handful of times I discovered that the hotel's main website offered the exact same rate. Sometimes they are cheaper and also with free cancellation. You get perks when you book directly with the hotel so it is best to cancel and book directly when this happens.

I am never the one to scrimp on food, especially on holiday when there is an abundance of choices. But if there is a chance of spending less on food without compromising on the quality then I am in. 

They say hotel buffet breakfasts are expensive but there is actually some savings to be had when you avail of it. Let us face it, nobody really wants to wake up at the crack of dawn during this time. Chances are, people tend to wake up late in the morning and having the buffet breakfast as brunch (breakfast and lunch) is savings in itself. There are so many options on a buffet breakfast that it fills you up until afternoon. The next time you need to spend on food would be for an early dinner. 

Another option is bringing breakfast in. When we were in Paris, we did not include breakfast with our hotel as we wanted to have breakfast in a cafe, al fresco a la Parisienne. We did a lot of walking the day before that a lie in the next day was a very tempting idea. The thought of waking up early did not appeal too much anymore so we bought some delicious pastries from PAUL and had them for breakfast with the free coffee in our hotel room the next day. PAUL pastries are not cheapest of pastries but it was still cheap compared to eating out for breakfast. We did splurge by eating in Angelina's for lunch that day. We were on a holiday after all. 

Raising A Wanderluster

She has the world at her feet.

Every one tells you how tough it is to be a parent but what I can tell you are the joys that comes with it. Case in point, travelling with kids or in my case, travelling with a kid. 

It might not always be the case with every one but travelling with mine has always been a breeze. Her first flight at four months was long haul and she slept during the entire journey. 

Now at  six years old, she has never been more excited to travel and see the world. Learning a word or two in a new language fascinates her. Whether it is going 86 floors up the Empire State Building in New York, learning about the history of Fatima in Portugal, admiring the marvellous Niagara falls in Toronto, sipping hot chocolate at Angelina's in Paris or eating Xiao Long Bao in Singapore, there is always something worth learning for her young and inquisitive mind.

Ava at three years old, standing on the Sea-card right outside Padraos Dos Descobrimentos in Lisbon, Portugal.

It is a wonderful experience seeing the world through my little girl's eyes. Through her eyes, I see magic in everything. I get asked questions that I would not have thought myself and it is a joy to experience these things with her. 

Running with excitement once the gates opened in Disneyland, Paris in her princess dress, of course.

Sipping hot chocolate at Angelina's in Paris.

She has been travelling with us since she was a baby and now she shares our passion to see and explore the world. Travelling definitely teaches her a lot of things she would not learn in a classroom. Learning history that is right in front of her makes it more interesting than it already is. It also teaches her to live some days of her life outside her comfort zone. That could only be a good thing.

Ava standing right across the famous Boat House in Central Park in Manhattan.

In awe of Niagara Falls in Ontario, Canada.

Admiring Edvard Munch's famous painting The Scream in Oslo, Norway.

She has been to several cities in seven countries in three continents. She has learned the art of travelling in her own little way. She now knows what she needs while waiting in airports, on a long haul flight or sitting on a train to somewhere new. Here are her travel essentials and an iPad is not one of them. In this day and age when children her age are glued to their iPads and missing the world around them, I could not be more proud of my little wanderluster.

from L to R: books, vintage iPod, Hello Kitty headset and Fujifilm instax to take photos with.

My New York Story (Part 3) With A Side Of Cronuts!

Grand Central Station

New York is a foodie haven. Michelin starred restaurants, multi- awarded cafe’s, world renowned pastries and food trucks, name it, you will find it there. On our last few days, we were basically just eating our way around New York.  After a brief visit to Grand Central Terminal, which, it has to be said is actually very grand for a train terminal.  Being there and looking at its grandeur makes me imagine a bygone era. Though that bygone era definitely would not have what the city has to offer now in terms of lovely food.

On a rainy Friday, we took the subway to the Upper West Side to buy some delicious cookies from Levain Bakery.  Every morsel was worth the train ride.  The melted chocolate that oozes when you break the cookie in two.  Definitely, heaven in a cookie. I was glad I hoarded as we were off on a road trip to Canada that afternoon, staying for a couple of days then driving back to America in to Virginia then Washington DC then back to NYC.

After our road trip to Virginia, Washington DC and Canada, we still had a couple days in New York before our flight back to London. We took the red eye train from Washington DC and arrived at midnight in NYC. We woke up late and missed the hotel’s buffet breakfast and we ended up having breakfast at a nearby Starbuck’s.

We spent a few hours roaming around the Flat Iron area and had a little peek at Eataly, an Italian market place owned by American chef Mario Batali. I have wanted to try their pasta dishes, being a pasta lover myself but the market like scene in Eataly did not appeal to me. It was crowded and dark. I promised myself I will brave the crowd next time as I have read only great reviews about the food.

From there, we dropped by Macy’s and Victoria’s Secret and did a bit of shopping.

The rest of the afternoon was spent at the American Natural History Museum which the six year old enjoyed so much. She loves this museum as she has been to its British counterpart in London twice already.

Lunch was at the Shake Shack which was just across the museum. The rest of the day was spent walking along typical Manhattan neighborhoods, past brownstone apartments then walked up to Columbus Circle to have a quick bite of some macarons at Bouchon bakery by Michelin star chef Thomas Keller. The macarons were from a Michelin starred chef alright but it cannot beat my favourite Pierre Herme macarons in taste.

It was a wonderful day just us three, exploring Manhattan and just going where our feet would lead us.

The long queue outside Dominique Ansel's bakery long before it opened.

On our last day, I decided to wake up at the crack of dawn, five in the morning to be exact and took an Uber ride to SOHO with a girl friend to queue for the world famous Cronut.  The cronut was delicious but it was not how I expected it to be nor was it extraordinary. That is why it did not make it to My Best Three In NYC.  I actually enjoyed Dominique Ansel’s DKA and madeleines more. Although I did enjoy taking a selfie with the Dominique Ansel  himself who humbly opened the bakery doors.

As if by sugar rush, we rushed literally to Magnolia Bakery, taking into consideration that it was our only chance before leaving that evening.  I was told the cupcakes there were not that worth the calories so I went for the Banana Pudding which was the best decision of the day. I wrote more about it here.

And of couse, for a Sex and The City fan like me, no visit to New York would be complete without dropping by the steps of the ultimate and quintessential New Yorker, Carrie Bradshaw.

That sums about my trip to NYC, all three parts of it. I am sure we are not done with New York and we are definitely going back