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. 

Three Brothers Coffee

Nashville is such a cool city with great music, delicious food and of course lots of great coffee shops! During my research for our trip to music city, I came across so many great cafés to visit, but ultimately landed on Three Brothers Coffee since it fit well with our itinerary and of course, because of the picturesque alley!

Three Brothers was created by the owners of an outdoor/adventure store (right next door) called Cumberland Transit. They brew a rotation of coffee from around the country. Check out what they are currently brewing here.

This café is located close to Centennial Park, right by Vanderbilt University and attracts a ton of students. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the coffee shop is spacious inside with lots of large tables allowing the students to spread out and study alone or in groups. The menu is extensive will all kinds of coffee as well as some loose leaf teas to choose from. We grabbed an iced coffee, rested for a bit and enjoyed the awesome art in the alley outside. The café features Nashville based artists and the displays rotate every month or so, and is a must-see if you find yourself visiting Nashville.

Travel Tip: Visit the Parthenon located right in the Centennial Park, just a short walk away form this coffee shop.

Nashville, Tennessee

Hey Y'all! I've had Nashville on my travel wishlist for a few years now and I finally had a chance to spend an awesome weekend with family exploring the state which is home to so many legendary country music venues!

So I have to admit that am not a huge fan of country music but I really loved learning about the history and hearing all of the music on the streets. We explored a few different neighbourhoods including downtown, The Gulch and 12 South. Some of our highlights included all of the murals (I stopped to take sooo many pictures!),  visiting the Parthenon, shopping at Reese Witherspoon's store - Draper James, strolling across the John Seigentaler Bridge and eating BBQ at Martin's and hot chicken at Hattie B's. The Country Music Hall of Fame is nice and very picturesque too. We had a great night at The Big Bang - a dueling piano bar too!

The only stop we sadly weren't able to make was The Bluebird Café. If you're planning to visit make sure to reserve tickets online the week before! The Grand Ole Opry is also super famous so if there's a show that's in line with your visit you definitely look for tickets!

 

 

Dominique Ansel

Dominique Ansel is a one of the most famous bakeries in Soho, New York. They are known for inventing the cronut! A cronut is a croissant-donut hybrid pastry that was invented by the famous pastry chef – Mr. Dominique Ansel himself. The pastry itself looks like a donut and is made from croissant-like dough in layers, and filled with flavoured cream. The flavours change every month and we were lucky enough to try key lime dulce de leche in August.

I’ve heard that the line can be super long so your best bet is going during the week or on a rainy day. We waited around one hour starting at noon on a rainy Sunday but it definitely didn’t feel that long. Sometimes the bakery also runs out of cronuts so be prepared! Once you’ve ordered, there is a bit of seating in the back either inside the café, in the enclosed garden or outside in the backyard terrace. All options are great and make a great background for a photo shoot!  

For those of us who are impatient – you can always skip the long cronut line and head straight inside to the bakery to order any of their other delectable goodies. We’ve tried their mini madeleines, chocolate croissants, ham & cheese croissants and the signature item – the DKA. This stands for Dominique’s Kouign Amann and is a small version of the traditional Breton pastry with is similar to a caramelized croissant. The DKA is crispy with a caramelized crust on the outside with a tender flaky inside. 

This bakery has made its way across the country to LA, and even across the ocean to London and Tokyo. They also have Dominique Ansel’s Kitchen and UP (Unlimited Possibilities) in the West Village where you can try dessert and wine pairings. The hype is definitely worth it because it’s so unique. As someone without much of a sweet tooth – this was definitely a treat I enjoyed although I’m sure this is highly dependent on what the flavor of the month is. If you’re visiting NYC and find yourself walking around SoHo, try to spot by and wait out the lines for this unique experience! Your taste buds will thank you!

PS Their coffee is really good too!