Some of our Favorite NYC Eateries

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I am still learning how to do this blogger thing so please forgive my formatting mishaps! I am working on fixing them :)

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This will be a quick post about our favorite NYC-only food spots. Maybe the next time you are in town (or in the neighborhood) you can stop by!

Favorite Brunch - Nolita House - 47 E Houston Street

Mark is NOT a brunch person, but I absolutely adore it. I would have tosay at the moment my favorite brunch place is the Nolita House. I was introduced to this lovely little restaurant by my dear friend Nancy and have only ever had brunchthere although I hear that it is fantastic at any time of day! For brunch they have fantastic eggs benedict and DIVINE baked macaroni and cheese. Not to mention the great jazz and mimosas!(Photo Source of Interior)(photo source of exterior)

Favorite Bakery - Buttercup Bake Shop - 973 2nd Avenue

On the extremely rare occassions that Mark ruffles my feathers he does not come with flowers like a "normal" man. Oh no, he knows better. He comes with Buttercup. The solution to all of life's problems can be found in a slice of chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream icing and a cold glass of milk. They also serve what they call a "shot" of icing which is a 1 oz. dixie cup filled to the brim with buttercream icing. I have no problem eating it with a spoon. There has been somewhat of a craze - both nationwide and citywide - for cupcakes. In NYC we have Crumbs and Magnolia Bakery, and I recently saw on Lexington Avenue a construction store front for Sprinkles - the hot new cupcake company out of LA. There are also cupcake trucks, cupcake delivery companies, and cupcake stands. I have done a tremendous amount of research into the cupcake industry and Manhattan's cupcake options and can say that Buttercup Bake Shop is by far the leader of the pack. I hope you will stop by and give them a whirl soon! (Photo Source)

Favorite Mexican Food - Maz Mezcal - 316 East 86th Street

Mark and I are both crazy for mexican food. We cannot get enough. Having been raised on The Original, Joe T. Garcia's, Uncle Julio's, Mi Cocina, etc. etc. I am VERY picky and have a really hard time finding acceptable Mexican food in NYC. To be honest, I haven't found anything that I consider up to par with what I am used to in Fort Worth - and queso is impossible to find. However, Maz Mezcal definitely comes as close as anything in the city. They have fantastic Chicken Enchiladas Verdes, great refried beans, and solid tamales. Although they do not have queso, they do bring out a little three section boat of salsa with the chips that is pretty fantastic. Another great thing about Maz Mezcal is our shared affection for watermelons. ALL of the art on their walls features watermelons. I am not sure what the story is there but it makes me happy! (Photo Source)

Favorite "Fast Food" - Chipotle

Did I mention that Mark and I really like Mexican food? We eat Chipotle at least 2x a week - and if Mark wasn't attached to me he would probably eat it about 8-10 times a week. Seriously, when I go out of town he eats it twice a day. Anyways, when we people of the non urban environment think of fast food, we think of drive thru. Take away the drive thru aspect and fast food does not have much of an appeal anymore. Going to Wendy's is not quite as exciting when you actually have to walk in...sounds crazy, I know, but it is true. I would love to know how places like Wendy's, McDonalds, Burger King, etc. tackle that problem in urban environments and remain profitable. When everyone is on foot - fast food joints are really not any more convenient (or cheap) than grabbing a slice of pizza, a bagel and schmear (as they say here), or a quick sandwich from the bodega on the corner. Random thought...anyhoo - to get back on topic - Chipotle is awesome and a staple in our diet. There are multiple locations throughout the city (and the country) and if you are ever on the run and want to grab something quick, easy, cheap, and not SO terrible for you, we recommend what we affectionately call Chipootle. (photo source)

Best Burger - Joy Burger - 2 locations

"our" location is 1567 Lexington Avenue

This one is tough for us - we were actually just having this conversation last weekend. We believe it is a REALLY close race with first place going to Joy Burger, second place to P.J. Clarke's(will get its own post at a later date), and third to the Shake Shack. Joy Burger (as we call it) opened right about the time Mark and I started dated which was in the middle of one of the coldest winters NYC had seen in a while! Needless to say, we spent a lot of time snuggled up on the couch at his apartment watching TV. Actually, watching LOST to be specific. Mark was appalled that I hadn't been watching it so I sat down and watched 5 seasons in the span of 3 months or so. I am now a die hard fan as well! Anyways, during that time we decided to try the new place across the street partially to support a new neighborhood business and partially because it was literally across the street and we didn't have to go far to get it!!! "Our" location is definitely a little off the beaten track but they deliver and it is well worth the treck! They pride themselves on their sauces but Mark and I are pretty plain-o when it comes to our burgers. What we love most about them is the high quality of the food (meat is amazing) and their buns! That sounds funny! I love their buns!!! Their french fries and chocolate shakes are pretty awesome too. They also have this fantastic lemon/mint/ice slushy thing they call a Lemonana that I am addicted to in the summer. I also love the outfits that their employees wear - they are so original, functional, professional, and cute at the same time! They are basically jumpsuits that zip up the front and are typically worn by mechanics. But, they are embroidered on the back and front and they also wear these cute little red hats (pictured). It is a GREAT concept. The owners are also pretty awesome, we see them in there a lot which is always a good sign.

(photo source of outdoor shot) (photo source of indoor shot)

And

last

but

not

least...

ITALIAN FOOD!!!!!!

(lasagna photo source)

This is a really hard decision because there are so many fantastic Italian places in Manhattan. SO. MANY. You rarely actually go to a bad Italian place in the city because they will not stay open if they are not top notch. So, in this case I am going to give you Mark's favorite, my favorite, and our favorite.

Mark's Favorite - The Original Vincent's - Little Italy

Vincent's has been in Little Italy for over 100 years and is famous for their sauce. Little Italy has become smaller and smaller over time as Chinatown and Little Korea has expanded, so Vincent's is one of the few original Italian places left. The entire Little Italy experience has become a bit gimicky but is still fun every one in a while - especially around the holidays with the xmas lights on. Vincent's lacks a bit in decor and ambiance but the spicy tomato sauce CANNOT be beat! It is heavenly and the portions are huge. It would be a great place to go with a large group or some kiddos. (photo source)

Melissa's Favorite - Firenze Ristorante - 2nd Avenue and 82nd

This fantastic little itty bitty restaurant nestled on the Upper East Side is a little slice of heaven. The interior is heavily decorated with images of Florence (Firenze) and the food is divine. The service is a 10 and the food is as well. You are greeted at your table with fresh parmesan that your server literally chips off of the block of cheese upon your arrival. The courses are perfectly portioned somewhere between European-sized (small) and America-sized (ginormous) which allows you to actually enjoy the Italian way of eating more than one course. The deserts are to die for and the overall experience has ALWAYS been a 10 for me. I love it so much that I even celebrated my 24th birthday there with all my friends. I couldn't recommend another Italian restaurant on the Upper East Side for a romantic or intimate dinner of anytime. They are the best!(photo source)

Now for Mark and Melissa's Favorite - Mimi's Restaurant and Piano Bar -2nd Avenue and 52nd

Unfortunately pictures were hard to come by of this little slice of heaven! On the Northeast Corner of 52nd and 2nd Avenue this restaurant is a fun combination of both of our previously mentioned favorites. It has the classic red and white checkered tablecloths, candles, and old-school decorations but is also very upbeat - especially on the weekends. There is a piano and a bar that has been bopping every time that we have gone in (5+ times). There are often a few "regulars" hanging at the bar who can be quite a hoot, and the piano player always plays eclectic tunes. The seating is also around the corner of the block which is always the best place to be for people watching. I cannot recall for sure, but I believe they open up the panels to the sidewalks (as many NYC restaurants do) during the summer. Everything we have ever ordered there has been fantastic but the chicken parmesan (Mark's favorite) is to die for! Overall, this would be our go - to place for a weeknight Italian fix and is a great reliable spot!

(photo source)

So, now that my "really short" post about food has become a novel I am going to hold off on writing about P.J. Clarke's, pizza, and lunch spots. I will save those for another post!!!!

Greetings!

Hi! Melissa here!

Let's be honest...the likelihood of Mark curling up with a cup of hot tea and his laptop to write a witty and thoughtful blog post is nil so from now on, you can just assume it is me writing. However, Mark did look over the design and approve, although he said it was a little girly "with all the pink and the flowers". And here I thought I did a good job of choosing a background that was not too frilly...

As many of you know I have tried to start a blog many times in my life, and they have all fizzled literally 1 or 2 posts in. This is different. I swear. Not only did I print the address of this blog on our save the dates (an attempt to get followers of force myself toward accountability now that 200+ people know where to look? eek!), but this is 2011 and one of my goals is to start keeping a blog. For real. This year is going to be one of the most eventful and memorable years of our lives and I would love nothing more than to have a record of it!

So, the purposes of Blog Flothis (Flory + Mathis = Flothis).

1. To keep our friends and family up to date on what is going on in our lives. Are we moving? How is the new job? Where are we headed on our next trip? How are the wedding plans coming?
2. To provide a place for my endless musings about life, art, interiors, style, weddings, and baking. Have you heard the song "I Wanna Talk About Me" by Toby Keith? If not, check out the link. The song is hysterical...and I think Mark can definitely relate! Hopefully this blog will provide Mark with a few additional precious minutes of silence each week while I work on posts. He does a great job of discussing my eyebrows, the pros and cons of scrunchies, and all things wedding - but I know he will be glad for me to have another outlet for my "voice".
3. Lastly, to use my fantastic new MacBookPro that my love bought for me about a week ago!

For those of you that do not know me well let me tell you a bit about myself. Born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas and a graduate of TCU with a bachelor's in Psychology and a minor in Art History. After graduation I left my beloved Fort Worth behind and moved to the Big Apple to attend graduate school at the Sotheby's Institute of Art. 2 years, an internship at the Met, and a dissertation later, I had an MFA in American Fine and Decorative Arts - with my emphasis being on early to mid 19th century American Art. Think John Singer Sargent, Winslow Homer, Thomas Eakins. I adore it. I could disappear into Homer's seascapes and would absolutely give up at least a decade of my life to have my portrait painted by Sargent (or to own one for that matter). I have always had a particular affinity for works on paper - drawings, watercolors, etc. specifically the preparatory type. I love their uninhibited and organic nature - the rough draft where the artist worked out his ideas, concepts, and problem areas without the prying eyes of the commissioner. Sorry for rambling...I am pretty passionate!

Anyways, after receiving my MA I was hired to work at Sotheby's where I worked for three years. It was a FANTASTIC experience but an all-consuming one. After three years I have hung up my badge and am delving into a new arena - I will be an Account Executive at Colangelo Synergy Marketing. I get to "manage relationships" for a living! Manage relationships = talk to people. I can't believe I am going to get paid to do this! And did I mention that you can wear leggings to work? LEGGINGS!!! My all time favorite invention/piece of clothing ever. I am very excited and I start a week from tomorrow. I am also nervous of course!!

I have many loves and am always knee deep in a million projects at once. My loves include but are not limited to: traveling, Buttercup Bakery, leggings, big sunglasses, interior design, Real Simple magazine, John Corbitt, country music (particularly from the 90s), reading my blogs (see the blogs I follow to the left), warm chocolate chip cookies with ice cold milk, neon anything, my magical red couch, the Montgomery Street Antique Mall, all antique malls/flea markets, bangle bracelets, the street vendors in Soho, vintage jewelry in general, babies, Target, Chilean Sea Bass, Blue Bell Ice Cream, my kindle, my mac, Dexter, Big Love, Californication, The Big C, whipped cream, my cowboy boots, big loud trucks, any jewelry with guns on it, searsucker, antique glass, patagonias, 80's music...anyone getting tired yet? haha.

I think that about covers it! I promise that all of my posts will not be so rambling, it is just hard to get started. Thank you for visiting my little corner of the world wide web and I look forward to bringing some smiles and creative ideas your way.

TTFN - Melissa