💛A Few of my Favorite Things💛
NYC didn't ask for me to be here, but I'm back and with opinions.
Raindrops on trash piles and whiskers on rodents. Bright flashing sirens and manhole explosions. Julie Andrews’ favorite things would’ve looked a little different these days… (especially with a Nolita pad, Equinox subscription, and disposable income)
What exactly does it mean to have a favorite? The Merriam-Webster definition of the word is “one that is treated or regarded with special favor or liking.” In the advent of social media (oh Lord), “to favorite” became a verb. A shirt or an ice cream flavor can now be your “fav.” If we really liked something that much, wouldn’t we take the time to use the whole word instead of abbreviating it?
To write an NYC “Favorites” list, I first thought of my favorite flower (peony), color (pink), band (Pink Floyd), and vegetable (eggplant). Those things remain pretty steadfast in my life. But over the years, the word “favorite” has become ubiquitous. In this city, you’re off the internet for a week, and there’s already a new favorite bakery, coffee shop, or drinks spot everybody’s raving about. The lifespan of Food & Bev can feel short-lived.
The other day, I was *digitally* leafing through my old Substack posts. Having such a finite (and public) time capsule of my old likes and dislikes is strange too. I look back on myself and can’t help but LOL a little. I really said X was my favorite French pastry? Or that Y was my fav falafel, when it’s now so obviously Z?
My childhood bestie Hunton and I used to compile shoebox time capsules and bury them in our backyards. Now that’s a lost art. There was no online anon to cite the archives and be like: you really wrote this poem about Caramel Apples in 5th grade, or said Goldfish were your favorite snack (because they smile back)?
A favorite can change every day, week, or month. A favorite can be the first one you try, and then the only one you ever have after you refuse to branch out (where are all of my other stubborn Tauruses?). A favorite can be the thing you’ve used the longest. It can be a placeholder for closely-held nostalgia of an era past. By no means is a favorite the best or all-time greatest ever. A favorite is specific to you, but meant to be shared - because it could be someone else’s too.
As a *reinducted* Big Apple resident, I inherently enjoy catching the “wave” of trends. I spent the month of June seeing where friends and gut intuition took me in terms of NYC food, drink, and fun. All this being said, here I present you with my fleeting favorites. My preferred lemonade, discount store, and Bushwick jazz club until someone comes along and comments on this post, proving me wrong and pointing out a better one. Until then, I said what I said.
The Lemonade from The Elk (new location on Mott Street)
I am convinced that nothing beats a good lemonade on a hot summer’s day.
I’ve long loved The Elk for their overpriced food and matchamallow (marshmallow-flavored Matcha latte), but they’ve truly outdone themselves with this lemonade. I’ve been finding myself back in that area quite a bit, and I simply can’t resist their tart beveragio. As far as lemonade complaints can go, the drink can taste too sweet or too watery at times (think: Minute Maid). The Elk achieves a version that is neither, and I applaud them.
Other cool products like so are featured on Snaxshot, a groovy Substack newsletter that has recently come to my attention and into my inbox. #shoutout
Smoothie/juice bar @ East Village Organic
As a new kid to the block, I’ve quickly become infatuated with this neighborhood spot. Quite expensive (isn’t everything?), but a $10 smoothie is easier to justify here than most other places (not to name names, but I’m looking at you, JuicePress). From Berries & Butter to Green Power to Green Energy, these smoothies are packing (a cold) heat🔥 The clientele in this grocery store is also unnecessarily attractive, which never hurts. Fun products to try, as well as many organic staples. 10/10.
Pressed is back (and JuicePress is worse than ever)
Didn’t mean to turn this post into the JuicePress smear campaign, but here we are.
The last time I had eaten a Pressed Freeze was in high school, when we’d train up to Boston to try other intriguing “new” foods like Sweetgreen. Annabelle put me back onto the Vanilla flavor “Freeze” this summer, and I can’t stop! Other dairy-free frozen treats like Morgenstern’s Bananas are all the rage right now, but Pressed still reigns supreme in my book.
While I’m on this topic, I must draw attention to Van Leeuwen’s LICT (Lead Ice Cream Taster) Contest. Not the craziest fan of their cream, but this seems fun as hell. If I was better at making application videos (my track record of Survivor rejections shows I’m clearly not), I’d have applied.
Matt Lombardo at St. Marks Yoga (really all of the instructors)
Words don’t do justice to my love of this place. If only I could show you with a killer eagle pose or by hitting my Warrior III. With every chest-opener stretch, I expand my gratitude for these hallowed East Village halls. To have such an incredible yoga studio so close by… how lucky can a girl get!
Drop in for a $10 class or get a pass. They even offer pilates now with Terri Steele (a fantastic instructor who I want to hate for making it so hard, but when I have abs, I’ll be thanking her). Just had to plug this spot on my food blog because I’ve been going here e’ryday and shout out to Matt in particular because he even remembered my name after my 2-yr hiatus.
The new-ish discount store on 3rd Av
Another random plug, but at least this one sells food (at shockingly low rates). Peruse the USA Super Store directly after your yoga class and you’ll find every category of every item under the sun. Reminiscent of Tuesday Mornings as a child…
Guacamole (from El Nico)
Brand-spanking-new, dog-friendly Williamsburg hotel, The Penny, has a rooftop restaurant, El Nico.
The selling points: strong, floral cocktails with skyline views and guacamole in its peak form. Lime-drenched avocado swimming in a pool of olive oil, cut with crunchy diced onions. After a year in France, where the guacamole scene is scarce at best, this is a much-needed homecoming.
My recent kick as a flexitarian makes an exception for these Octopus Tacos (the sole purpose Tara brought me here). Recently described to me as the “sausage of the sea,” octopus is one of my lasting favorite things. Yes, I refuse to watch My Octopus Teacher.
For this dish, if I’m being honest, the char-grilled tentacle should have stood alone. Our waiter agreed. With something this perfect, there is no need for the entire taco get-up.
Jazz Music (at Cafe Erzulie)
For Cafe Erzulie and I, it was love at first sight. He was shy (disguised from the outside as an abandoned storefront with blackout curtains). I made the first move (my friends and I walked through the door after our confused faces were a dead giveaway to the fact that we had not a clue where to go). It was a long evening, and he was a smooth talker (a local jazz ensemble, Flavio & Friends, played a set of 3/4 improv and 1/4 tranquilizing elevator music). Most of all, he had an impeccable taste (delicious Haitian food and summer cocktails, *see below*).
Top left: variety of patés (chicken, beef spinach) served with a spicy tabasco sauce
Top right: fried plantains and - surprise! - guacamole
Bottom left: caramelized plantains with sweet cream
Bottom right: spicy watermelon mezcal margarita
Bonus points: a Wednesday night in Bushwick pulsated with more thumping liveliness than any weekend downtown. Vowing to visit more often.
NuMarket
Just before embarking on an arduous media cleanse last week (which anyone who has contacted me recently has heard me lament over my self-inflicted pity pain), I stumbled upon this amazing article by Emma Orlow for Eater.
The crowdfunding startup targets Food & Bev, setting it apart from the classic GoFundMe model. It was also started by a University of Michigan alumni (my faux alma mater, woop woop!). In this world of fast and fleeting favs, it’s essential to distinguish the longevity of entrepreneurial dreams. Excited to see where this goes.
That’s all for now, folks. More NYC updates to come!
Also taking a very exciting trip to an undisclosed mystery location this month, which will produce a profound food blog moment for Accent on the E history.
xoxo
Interesting food tour of NYC....but I’ll pass on the octopus taco, and the pressed freeze color combo is interesting.
Love your blog! 👍🏻