My Favorites: Burger Joint, NY

If you like a good and cheap burger, when in NY, you have to stop by at Burger Joint.

Located in a hidden corner in the lobby of the fancy Le Parker Meridien Hotel, you will be amazed with the environment (ultra simple, tiny, walls covered with writtings and drawings) and the burger.

It's straight to the point: you stand in a line and when it's your turn, you choose between hamburger or cheeseburger, how you like it cooked, a few ingredients, french fries, drinks, brownie and that's it. When your order is ready, they will call your name.

If you're lucky (I was!), you can find a table and eat your burger there. Otherwise you have to eat it standing, on the street or at home (I went there dinner time, around 19h, and the restaurant was crowded all the time, but the line goes very fast)



The flavor is delicious, the meat is very tasty, the ingredients are fresh, and the french fries are crisp.

Burger Joint joined the list of my favorite hamburgers!

In love: gold

I'm always rearranging and changing the decor of my house, and it's been quite some time that I'm paying more attention to golden pieces, and I'm in love with it!
I've always kept an eye on metallics and, with the holidays, it was much easier to find great things. Now, I'm gonna share with you some nice pieces that will change your home - for the better - for sure:

Zebra Cowride Rug (I love this rug, and it is also available in silver)

Drinking glasses

Bowl (amazing, isn't it? And you can also use it as center piece, for your big pieces jewelry etc)

Flatware

Bodum coffee maker (also available in silver)

Another beautiful bowl.

Vases

Set of small bowls (you can also use it for your jewelry; inside your drawers; in your bathroom; on the counters...)

Gold for every taste, from the more exaggerated to the more discreet!

This week's DELIGHT: Chocolate Pecan Tart

Taking a break from the NY news, today is the recipe of the week: Chocolate Pecan Tart.

I chose this dessert for my New Year's dinner and, let me tell you, it entered the hall of my favorites because it's so easy to make and delicious. A chocolate overdose!

It's perfect if eaten chilled or at room temperature. The chocolate cream melts in your mouth (use a good quality chocolate, please). And you can also substitute the pecans for hazelnuts, almonds or peanuts. Check out here the recipe.

Rices to Riches, NY

On this trip to NY, I went back to a place that I had visited a few years ago and loved it: Rice to Riches.

It's a rice pudding shop. That's right! Rice pudding! I love rice pudding and over there you can find different flavors (cinnamon, chocolate, original, peanut butter, rum, coconut, among many others) and toppings (fruits, nuts, granola, etc.)

I ordered a medium portion (good for two people) with 2 flavors: maple syrup and tiramisu. It's so good! For those who like rice pudding, OMG! In addition to that, the store is super cute and colorful.

Rice pudding paradise!

NY - Food Markets

One of the things I wanted to do in NY was to visit the Chelsea Market and Eataly.
I've heard a lot about these two markets for quite some time, so I went there to check them out:

Chelsea Market

Located in Chelsea, this market is so cute! A super charming building (a former biscuit factory), beautifully decorated, has butcher, bakery, kitchen supply store, many choices of sweets (cookies, cupcakes, cakes), ice creams, chocolates etc..
With live music and calm environment, you can sit at the tables and eat a snack made with fresh ingredients.

Eataly
This market is an Italian food paradise! 
Sofisticated but alive and packed during lunch time, has it all: butcher, pasta, fish, cafeteria, ice cream, dairy, restaurants, snack bars, kitchen supply, cookbooks, wines and beers etc..

I ate a mortadela and cheese sandwich, and suplí (fried rice cake stuffed with mozzarella). Dio Santo, what a delight!

Two different options, but equally delicious!

New York, New York

I'm back after two weeks of trips, tourism, food and fun; and nothing better than starting with a post about one of the cities that I love most: New York!

With light, people, food and novelty, the city is amazing! I had the opportunity to visit it a few times, and each one of them I find a different NY.
This time I went with my mom, who was visiting the city for the first time, so I had to focus on touristic spots, but I had some amazing tips from "locals", so we got to visit different places as well.
Tourists or not tourists, NY remains very charming! Below are some photos taken during walks through the streets...

Lights at Rockefeller Center

NY' tradition: food carts

Colorful mini markets

Magnolia Bakery (yes, here I am again!)

Times Square

Brooklyn Bridge

Squirrel

Statue of Liberty

Central Park

NY at night

New construction at Ground Zero

Empire State

Streets of NY

Next posts I will talk about food (of course!), and give you tips of other places you should visit when in town!

Away...

Dear readers, I'm finishing packing to travel tomorrow, and unfortunately I'll not be able to update the blog while I'm away. But I'll be back in two weeks with many hot tips to post here. See you!

Malibu Seafood

This Saturday I went to a restaurant suggested by my dear friend Edina, called Malibu Seafood.

I love fish & chips and she told me that they have a delicious one, so I went to check it out (and they do!) Besides being a nice and simple place, it's affordable and the food is very tasty.
The restaurant is kind of a drive-thru, but on foot: you enter, place your order, pay, wait for your number to be called, take your tray with the food and eat it at the tables they have outside.

We ordered two types of grilled fish with rice pilaf, salad and baked potato:

And an order of fish & chips. Mmm... So yummy!

Everything was very tasty, well seasoned and fresh. And as their sign says (pic below) "the reason they don't open for breakfast is they're out catching lunch".

On the menu you will find different types of grilled fish, soups, sandwiches, fish tacos etc..

And they also have a small fish store for you to buy and prepare your dishes at home.

And all this facing the beautiful PCH and Malibu Beach.

A great idea for a weekend!