A very good friend of mine [ 😉 ] visited me last month, and I got to experience some of my favorite and first timedate-like spots in NYC with him!

Favorite place to grab a burger – Shake Shack at Battery Park  (below is the Smoke Shack)

Favorite Thai food place on a budget – Cafetasia at 8th and University Place (Below is the Crispy Half Chicken)

Favorite fun ice cream shops – *Big Gay Ice Cream Shop (I went to the one on Grove St. & 7th Ave. South)

Favorite place to take a date with a view – Brooklyn Bridge

First Sit Down Restaurant in Brooklyn – Vinegar Hill House (Hudson Ave at Water St.) Pictured below is the beet salad, the wild boar shank with risotto, the country, and the panna cotta.

First 8 Course tasting menu – Zenkichi (Brooklyn – N. 6th Street at Wythe)

First Valentine’s Day Dinner in the city – Tribeca Grill (Greenwich at Franklin St.)

Favorite ex-internship location – Chelsea Market (W. 14th St. at 9th Ave.)

Favorite pizza – Artichoke (We went to the one right next to Chelsea Market)

First Hot Chocolate Festival – *City Bakery

First Walk on the Highline

Coolest movie theater I’ve ever been to – *Nighthawk Cinema (Brooklyn – Metropolitan Ave. at Berry Street)

Favorite grilled corn in the city – Cafe Habana (Prince at Elizabeth Street)

Favorite rice pudding – Rice to Riches (Spring at Mott St.)

New favorite hot dog – Brighton (851 Ave of the Americas)

Best Halal Cart -* 53rd and 6th

New Favorite Indian Restaurant – Panna II (1st Avenue & 5th Street)

First Steak Frites in New York – Balthazar (Spring at Crosby Street)

 

Lots of eating and walking everywhere, but it was one of the best birthday weeks ever =)

*Marks images I did not take myself and do not have the rights to.