60 blocks + 8 trains + three days = my trip to NYC

I just returned from New York City on Tuesday. I hadn't been there since I worked for a certain race car driver, which, when I worked for him, I was in NYC for two weeks out of the month, every month, for a year. So I was there a lot, but that's been about two years. Wow! Time really flies.


This time I was there for Playtime NY which is a wonderful, small market for children's clothes and goods. I found five new lines that I will have in the store soon. I looked for things that wouldn't just be for children but all the customers that come into the store. Mission accomplished.
More about that as things come in....


Here's some of the restaurants and shops that I came across on this trip.


Eating:
My friend Amy and I went to one of her favorite places... Five Leaves in Greenpoint. It is such an awesome restaurant. It was packed all morning and lunchtime... I'm sure that
A) It's like that all the time
B) Because it's pretty small
C) Because the food was just so good.
I had the kale salad. It could feed a small army in size and tasted great! Look around and notice all the little touches that they've thought of.... Love this place!

Barrio Chino is one of those places that I always try to head to when in NYC. It's in the Lower East Side. Talk about great tortilla soup and fresh grapefruit margaritas. It's tiny, but what place in NYC isn't?


Paris Sandwich on Grand Ave. in China Town/Little Italy was a great, quick stop. Vietnamese sandwiches might be my most favorite thing to eat. This one was perfect and so cheap.


Taim is one of the best Middle Eastern sandwiches I have ever had. I got the roasted eggplant sandwich. It has a name, but I can't remember what it's called. Just look for the roasted eggplant with a hard boiled egg. You will have arrived. I also got the honey tea. You would think it would be sweet. Not the case. Very bitter. Pass on that, but I'm sure one of their other options would be great. It's really, really small, so unless it's a really nice day and you can sit outside to eat, don't go right at lunch time. There are five or six stools and that's about it.


Shopping:
Phoenix and Nola is this really great line of kids clothes. Everything is really affordable and so soft. I came home with a few presents for friends children.  This is just a few blocks down from Five Leaves.


Erica Weiner Jewelry now has a brick and mortar location in SoHo. She has a great eye for the whole package. I am actually going to start carrying her line in at Amelia, but not for a few more weeks.
The storefront has some things you can't get anywhere else.


Papabubble is a super fun candy store in Little Italy. You can watch them making the candy fresh, before your eyes. You walk in to a wall of candy smells. The candy is so yummy!! And they have samples of just about everything there for you to try. I recommend the passion fruit and the soda filled candy. Ummm, yeah... so good.


That should give you a few new places to try next time you are in the neighborhood.


PS.... I just heard about this hotel and I really wish I had stayed here. Next time....


Feel free to add to this list and tell me about places to head to next time I'm in the city.