Tag Archives: brunch

Brunch at La Contenta

In New York City weekend brunches are an absolute must. Sometimes I can’t imagine even eating on the weekends if my day doesn’t start with brunch.

La Contenta NYC Brunch

My friends at citizenMag recently treated me to a fab brunch at La Contenta, an adorable Mexican place on the Lower East Side. After having brunch there, I already can’t wait to go back. Not only is it moderately-priced by NYC standards, it’s also delicious. During my visit I had the best guacamole and huevos rancheros that I’ve ever had.

The margaritas at La Contenta are not only delicious, they are also naturally sweetened with ingredients such as agave so you don’t have to worry about added sugar and calories. They actually specialize in agave-based cocktails and spirits. In my opinion, natural sweeteners taste better too because they aren’t overly sweet. I often don’t order cocktails because I don’t want to be ingesting artificial sweeteners and added calories, but I was totally fine with ordering two at La Contenta. Since I saved on the sugar with the margaritas, I decided to order a slice of tres leches cake for dessert.

Having a Venezuelan mother, I grew up around a lot of tres leches cakes and flans, but I was never a huge fan of them because the consistency was always too watery for me. But since I’d already had a tasty Mexican brunch, I figured “when in Rome” and ordered the cake. It was super yummy and had a lot more structure than most of the cakes and flans I’ve had. It was a great finale to the brunch.

If you’re planning a brunch at La Contenta (which I hope you are), I suggest making reservations. It’s a small restaurant that could easily fill up fast. So make a reservation just to be safe. On top of going back for another brunch, I also want to go back for happy hour for more naturally sweetened cocktails.

Photos by: Zarif Taufiq

Lower East Side La Contenta

Huevos rancheros

NYC Brunch

Tres leches cake

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Brunch at Hotel Chantelle

hotel chantelle brunch

Like every other classy New Yorker, I’m always searching uptown and downtown for the perfect NYC brunch. So when my friend Tracy asked if I wanted to join her for a birthday brunch at Hotel Chantelle, I couldn’t resist. After brunching, I must say that the Hotel Chantelle’s roofdeck is now one of my favorite places for a weekend summer brunch. While it has a sophisticated French feel and serves French-inspired cuisine, it’s still incredibly laid back. They even have $0.92 cocktails!

mimosa cocktails

brunch

Sangria

brunch cocktails

brunch in NYC

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10 Signs You’ve Officially Become a True New York Girl

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In about a month from today, I will have been a resident of New York City for four years. Soon I will have lived in New York for longer than I was in college and it has certainly been a learning experience like no other. I’m seriously considering writing a book. As I continue to grow into a woman about Manhattan, I’ve learned to embrace the challenges (i.e. rent, finding a job, saving money, etc.) and make the most of the fun including Sunday Brunch, Central Park, Fashion Week, and random celebrity sightings. Seeing that so many others can relate to my New York experience, here are 10 signs you’ve become a true New York girl set to make it in the Big Apple.

10. You don’t drive. You prefer to be driven.

9. The HBO series, Girls, hits far too close to home, as does Sex and the City. Sadly, however, your life is nothing like Gossip Girl.

8. You don’t have the time, desire, or proper facilities to cook an actual meal so you mostly eat at restaurants or order delivery.

7. You have a pair of heels that you bought on an impulse and cost more than a month’s rent. Even though you rarely wear them, they are your pride and joy.

6. Starbucks is an essential food group.

5. Tourists annoy you more than anything, but once in a great while, they amuse you.

4. You’re serious about your career, but you’re in no hurry to grow up and settle down. In fact, you’d rather not.

3. Sunday brunch is a sacred occasion. Anything less than at least two hours of unlimited mimosas is completely unacceptable.

2. You spend most of your money on rent and the rest at sample sales and on coffee.

1. You have a resilient spirit that refuses to take no for an answer. Without it, you’d never survive New York.

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Pi Phi Reunion Brunch at Revel

Pi-Beta-Phi-Brunch-Revel-NYC

Saturday afternoon, after a glorious morning of sleeping in, I met my Pi Beta Phi sorority sisters for a long overdue reunion at Revel in NYC’s Meatpacking District.  Revel has long been one of my favorite brunch spots for it’s pitchers of bottomless mimosas and chic decor making it the perfect place for a Pi Phi reunion.  It was wonderful to see my Pi Phi girls again and to hear what everyone has been up to since we formed ties of wine and silver blue so long ago at 210 Walnut Place under the veil of Syracuse Orange.

mimosas-bellini-brunch

Bottomless morning cocktails

Eggs-Brunch-Food-Meal

Scotch Eggs…Yum!

NYC-brunch

Cheers from me and my little, Tracy!

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