Direction (magnetoception) #2: Some spots around New York City

Just a little peek into some of the fun spots in New York from this past weekend's adventure...

First meal location (or more like priority), Maoz:

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This delicious (and relatively thrifty) place is native to the Netherlands, started by an Israeli husband and wifey, and has many posts around Europe. It wasn't until a few years ago that it landed in the US of A, and boy am I glad. My introduction to the tasty and filling meal was in Barcelona, Spain last year. With a goal of spreading out our dwindling Euros and filling up on some healthy food, Maoz indeed answered our prayers. You can order a basic falafel pita (for around $5) and then they have a salad bar with all sort of crazy good toppings...cous cous salad, roasted broccoli, marinated carrots, salsas, olives, beets, onions and plenty more...and interesting, fabulous sauces. The best part is that the toppings are unlimited. It takes a special talent, but you can ride out the pita part so that you keep filling up with toppings until you are satisfied (or about to burst...which is what generally happens).

So. Good.

Locations in Manhattan:
38 Union Square East (between 16th&17th)
59 East 8th Ave (between broadway and university ave)
2047 Broadway (between 70th & 71st)

Later on, we headed over to the (hidden) Hudson Hotel...

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This is a day shot, but at night, you can barely tell there is something here...Leah thought I was taking her on a wild goose chase or something--good thing she trusted me.

...because her jaws dropped when she saw these cooky elevators leading us up to some mysterious, swanky place.

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The lobby in the Hudson hotel...it looks equally cool at night.

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Once past the velvet ropes (yes, there were ropes), we found ourselves in the lounge, overcome by the pulsating trendy music, equally trendy people, and a glowing floor.

The lighting is key.

The table we sat at is the cozy one to the right. We had quite a view of the ecclectic mix that made up the clientele that evening. Good thing we both get a kick out of people watching. We sipped on our $16 shockingly sweet drinks for the remaining time and took in the ambiance (that included some Eurotrash, revealing designer dresses, Banker-types, International Industry leaders, well-dressed twentysomethings, tipsy thirtysomethings, a pair of glaringly fake boobs and girls with men twice their age). We didn't know how we fit into all of it, but we managed to have a splendid time regardless.

Hudson Hotel
356 West 58th St. (careful you don't miss it)


The next morning we wandered around The Village and Soho. I wanted to go back to this charming cafe that my brother and I found last May. I couldn't remember the name and after leading Leah around the streets for a while, I had an epiphany that it was on Jane Street!
Grounded Coffee and Tea

This cozy cafe is right up my alley...with organic coffee and tea and homemade baked goods, plus free wireless...I really couldn't ask for more. Leah and I decided three key elements of a good cafe besides the food and drink (of course): Lighting--there is a wonderful, huge skylight in Grounded that makes the whole place filled with natural light. Second is couches...or comfortable, homey-feeling seating. Third is good music--this can be quite a subjective topic, but you want to have something subtle that can be appreciated by most, and at the right volume level. Grounded was as good as I remembered it!



28 Jane Street, New York, NY
Grounded Coffee and Tea {images found here}



Then a hop on the L Train to Brooklyn!

Lunch at Bliss Cafe on Bedford street...

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We really liked the font of the sign...good work Bliss cafe.

The place gets quite busy around lunch time, we enjoyed a leisurely stay staring our the window at bustling Bedford street after we were finished.

Full. Yum.

Bliss Cafe
191 Bedford Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11211

After some browsing and shopping around, we recharged at yet another good spot, cafe, ice cream/pastry shop, Penny Licks.

The inside is justifiably as charming as the outside storefront. {image}

All good things.

"The Recession Special" as they like to call it (the small cookie and coffee for a cool $2)...compared to the regular sized cookie, we can see that maybe the current times will shrink our bank accounts as well as our waists?

Penny Licks
158 Bedford Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11211

Fashion Week!

Bryant Park tents in full force...{image}

What we saw when we stopped by there during the first day...

Street photog heckling an off-duty model for a "candid" snap shot. Her English was surprisingly good for a fifteen-year-old Eastern European girl.

Later that eve, we got our dance on in the Lower East Side at yet another cool post that you might walk by it if you aren't looking carefully enough...Cafe Charbon (entrance to the hip bar part is through the Tabac door).

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By day this place is supposedly a really great French bistro...
Most things French appear to be chic and charming without even trying .
This place is a perfect example.

Lively crowd (again, good people watching), good tunes...it's a nice little watering hole if I do say so myself. Credit to my friend Kyle who took us there!

Play that record for me Mr. DJ

Cafe Charbon
170 Orchard St
New York, NY 10002

For only being in the city for a day and a half, i'd say this was a pretty good line up. It was a great start to our long weekend adventure!