Restaurants on a whim

When my roommate Jess and I woke up this morning, we were aching for brunch, so I found a quaint restaurant with a name as unique as its food selection – Elephant & Castle. I sipped on iced coffee while savoring my egg white omelet with goat cheese, fresh tomato and basil. It was well-done just like I like, and the strong coffee woke me up.

Then, Jess and I wandered.

But not all who wander are lost. You see, that’s the great thing about life. You don’t have to know where you are going to get there. And Jess and I had no idea where we were going today. No particular destination. No plans. No time constraint. So we wandered.

We wandered past Jefferson Market Garden and Jackson Square, along streets that house million-dollar town homes with colorful doors and fresh flowers, and into vintage stores, including my newfound favorite, Zachary’s Smile…and let me tell you, his smile would make you smile. The vintage store sells clothing from the early 1900’s and each article of clothing is more exquisite than the next.

It was then that our travels brought us to Tea and Symphathy. Feeling classy, we sipped on tea at 3 p.m. in this charming English tea room that only has room for 20 people at a time. With a beautiful porcelain tea pot of green tea all to myself, I couldn’t help but indulge in a warm scone with homemade strawberry jam.

Because the tea shop is so small, it has a "wait-outside" policy. To me, its one-in-one-out policy was a tad annoying, but the flaky scones made the wait worth it. And I didn't even mind turning off my cell phone, as a sign on the front door suggested, so that the other patrons wouldn't be disturbed.

Sometimes the best places to grab a quick snack are best found when wandering.

KP in the City is more like KP in Foodie Heaven

Somebody pinch me.

No really…pinch me. I am sitting at my desk in my chic flat for four - well I don’t know that you’d call “old and rusty” chic, but it’s certainly feeling fabulous.

Just to set the mood, I am overlooking Union Square in New York City and peering into about 20 other apartments whose tenants seem to have forgotten to shut their shades to keep my wandering eyes from escaping my 8th floor milieu. It doesn’t get better than this. OK, maybe if I were eating a chocolate-covered apple it’d be better. But I am eating left over pad thai and I’m hoping that you’ll keep me company.

My secret desire to be a restaurant critic can really flourish in this city. If there is one thing there is not a shortage of in Manhattan, it’s food. Every other door is an entrance to a restaurant. I have indulged in sushi at a chic, upscale sushi joint, Thai food at a cafeteria-style Asian-Fusion restaurant called Cafetasia, a pound-worth of salad at my beloved Whole Foods, a hole-in-the-wall sandwich and salad eatery right under my flat, Toasties, “sinless” ice-cream and yogurt at the praised Tasti D Lite and Pinkberry and, of course, famous New York bagels. I even found a chocolate-covered apple from a vender at a farmer’s market on the street. Pinch me please. This is all too good to be true.

Yep…It’s official. I am in heaven. And, actually, do me a favor - don’t pinch me too hard because I’m not ready to snap back to reality any time soon.