Seven Grams Caffé

Seven Grams Caffé is an independent coffee shop with locations in Chelsea and Hudson Square. The name Seven Grams is an ode to the true Italian standard since a perfect espresso shot is made out of exactly 7 grams of coffee! Their baked goods are also made from scratch, in-house and freshly baked every day - and yes, they cater!

I ordered a cappuccino and loved every single sip. It was super well balanced and not too milky which happens often! A had a café au lait and said he really enjoyed it as well! Also - how picture perfect are their mugs and saucers?! If you're in this neck of the woods I'd strongly recommend a visit to this cozy café!

   

Starbucks Reserve Roastery

Starbucks has opened a high end resto/bar/café called the Reserve Roastery in New York. This immersive coffee experience is located right across the Chelsea Market.  It is massive inside, with three floors including a roastery, a bar, and café/restaurant style seating on two floors!

You can take your coffee to go, or order some food (pizzas, sandwiches, pastries) along with a coffee to enjoy there. I tried a cardamom latté which was amazing, and we also tried the Pantheon roast brewed through the siphon process. This process basically heats up water to boiling and then the coffee slowly brews, creating a very clean delicious cup of coffee, accentuating certain notes. We also sampled the same coffee brewed with the clover method. Both were delicious and I actually enjoyed them a lot without adding any cream or sugar!

You can read more about this on the NY Eater site. What a cool experience!!

Christmas Decorations

I love Christmas so much! There's something about this season that just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy! I was so excited to decorate our new apartment this year, and wanted to share some of the pieces we bought to make it feel festive in here. Hope you all have a wonderful holiday season!

Fall Getaways

We had the pleasure of attending another beautiful fall wedding in Warrenton, Virginia recently. The couple's wedding venue was a gorgeous spot called the Airlie. The grounds are large with multiple B&B style houses and plenty of meeting / event spaces. You can also sign up for activities like archery and skeet shooting! I still can't get over the gorgeous fall foliage. Such a great little getaway from the city!

Zibetto Espresso

Zibetto Espresso is a cute little Italian-style coffee shop in midtown. We stopped by for a cappuccino after spending the morning at the MoMa (check out some of my fav photos below by Warhol, Pollock and Monet!).

I loved the long marble counter and although the space was narrow the mirror on the opposite wall created the allusion of a larger spot while maintaining the cozy European atmosphere! Zibetto has 3 different locations (all around midtown) and they serve coffee, pastries and paninis. Such a great spot for a quick pick me up!

Travel Tip: The famous LOVE sculpture is just around the corner from Zibetto (6th and 56th location)!

Harper's Ferry, West Virginia

Harper's Ferry is a gorgeous historic town in West Virginia. This cute little town is bordered by the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers. You can arrange for tours in the summer, and there are a few museums, quaint boutiques and some beautiful hiking and biking trails to explore. The famous Appalachian Trail runs through the town and attracts lots of visitors and hikers! I've heard the views are beautiful but didn't get a chance to hike to the lookout points this trip. Bring your pup or just come with friends and you won't regret a day in Harper's Ferry!

PS If you're a fan of beer there is a new brewery in the area that opened recently called Harper's Ferry Brewing.

Madman Espresso

Madman is a NY coffee house that opened in 2012. They have two locations - one close to Penn Station and the other in Greenwich Village. Their motto is life is good and they do serve mad good coffee.

I stopped in for an afternoon pick me up and almost couldn’t find the entrance! I looked like a silly tourist dodging the business people rushing to pick up their lunch. The midtown location is hidden between fabric stores and restaurants. Once I finally found it, I stepped inside and greeted by a calm and welcoming feel!

The café has a rustic chic interior with soft lighting. I love the large wood table and the bar stools nestled against the front windows. It wasn’t too loud either and I felt like I had briefly escaped from my workday. My chai latte was delicious and was ready so quickly! The baristas were kind and knowledgeable too - no rude coffee snobs over here. Great spot for no fuss coffee and snacks including pastries and quiches. Stop by for an afternoon pick me up if you’re in the area or if your office is close by! 

PS The lids on their to go cups are so nice and sturdy! No spills for clumsy old me with these bad boys!

Travel Tip: There is the Renaissance Hotel right next door and I had to take an obligatory fall photo with my coffee and some pumpkins!

Birch Coffee West Village

Birch Coffee was started by two guys named Paul and Jeremy who were looking for a change. They wanted to make a difference. In a world overrun by smart phones and news feeds, they wanted a business where people came first! These guys have now translated that dream into 10 successful cafés around New York.

We stopped by the West Village location on 7^th and 14^th, and I noticed that the Birch baristas go out of their way to know your name and order. They are welcoming and friendly and make it so easy to order great coffee! They even asked me what kind of milk I wanted in my (drip) coffee and poured it in for me behind the counter! They really prepare the coffee for you all the way -  now that’s service and simplicity! A got a chai latte and of course I took a sip of that as well. It was delicious and so flavourful! 

The seating is great here too – a few tall tables with stools and counter seating along the windows. I noticed that they had a mini library where you could take books and drop books off as you wanted! They also had some “conversation starter” signs that you can put on your table if you want to start a conversation and potentially make a new friend! I loved that concept!

Birch roasts their coffee in Long Island City and sells their beans wholesale as well. They offer coffee classes to anyone who wants to learn more!

I really loved this place and want to check out their other locations around the city as well!

Xanadu Coffee

Xanadu Coffee is a cute little spot in Chelsea. It's nestled between a dry cleaner, barbershop and an AT&T store right on 23rd street. I love the lighting and the cute décor inside! The subtle flowers on the backsplash was definitely my favourite detail. The spot is small and doesn't have a bathroom so I wouldn't recommend setting up camp here for hours on end to study, but they do have free wifi and the mirrors add a nice touch and make the space feel more open. 

They have many flavours of gelato which you can enjoy outside, and their coffee is delicious as well. It was recently re-opened by new owners who are Turkish – so of course when we found that out we decided that we had to try their Turkish Coffee! I decided to try their cappuccino as well. Both were good but a bit bolder than I was expecting. The menu includes hot and cold coffee, teas, smoothies and plenty of food items as well like sandwiches, sweet and savoury crepes and waffles! 

We didn’t have much time to sit and enjoy your coffee so we got our to go. This place is not fancy but the coffee is good and the barista was super friendly! Would definitely recommend paying them a visit if you’re in Chelsea.