New York was amazing.  The trip was everything I wanted: I got to see my friends, spend time with my brother and his girlfriend, and wander the city all by myself for hours on end.  And I cannot forget the reason for the trip: Mike and Marina's beautiful wedding in Connecticut. 

The Initial Plan:
1. Spend time with my brother and his girlfriend
2. Attend Mike and Marina's wedding in CT
3. Spend time with some friends
4. Take a tour of City Hall
5. Visit Matt at Baked
6. Eat

The Unexpected:
1. Involuntarily partake in a full body cleanse due to excessive heat and humidity
2. See Martha Stewart sitting in her glass-encased office as she yelled for her car
3. Tour Martha Stewart's test kitchens as they were preparing a Thanksgiving meal
4. Get stuck in a Chinatown 7-eleven during a thunderstorm
5. Visit Jaylon's apartment in Hogwarts, aka Tudor City
6. Go Sea Kayaking with Ben, Andrea, and DJ
7. Walk the High Line

I need to expand on two things:

Food:My view on food in New York could be summed up with the question I asked my brother: "Isn't it overwhelming to know that you will never be able to eat at all of the restaurants you want?"  Perhaps you find this funny but I do not.  You could live in the city your entire life and only eat at 1% of all of the restaurants.  This concerns me but at the same time helped me rationalize my attempt to eat at as many places as possible in one week.

Isa: Unique place with surprisingly good food; website and menu design is beyond strange.

Zengo: Large restaurant with a nice asian-latin-fusion menu. You must order the special edamame...

Cariño: Nice little Mexican place with great spicy shrimp and lengua tacos.

Diner: Only in Williamsburg can you get away with a restaurant in a run-down train car filled with people wearing hypercolor shirts...but the food (and, especially the burger) was amazing.

Baked: I have mentioned Baked before but please, head to Red Hook and check out Matt's bakery. Not only are the baked goods delicious, he is awesome.

Martha Stewart

Picture this: I am meeting Liz at the Martha office after having just finished walking two miles in 98 degree heat and ~100% humidity.  I get in an elevator surrounded by impeccably dressed women when one looks at me and asks, "Is it really that hot outside?" Yes, yes it is that hot and thank you for verbally acknowledging how sweaty I am.

That was just a blip on the radar, though, as I got to wander the Martha Stewart space, see her prop room, her array of fresh flowers, the numerous magazine layouts, the multiple test kitchens (which I hope to replicate in my next place), and Martha Stewart herself. 

View from my Brother's Place

The High Line

Mike and Marina

Lobby in Tudor City

Entrance to Jay's Place in Tudor City

Baked in Red Hook

Matt from Baked