Socrates, Monkey 007 & My Breakfast Cupcake

It’s true I pigged out in New York. It was hard not to. How on earth could I travel to New York and starve myself?! No, no, that just would not do!

The afternoon I arrived in New York, I was slammed with appointments. Touring a couple of hotels, then going to Brooklyn to check out some of Charlie’s photographs at an exhibit, then off to meet a couple of fellow travel bloggers. When I finally returned to Yotel at 10pm, I was starving! Lucky for me there was a vendor outside the hotel selling gyros and other goodies. I ordered a couple of extra spicy lamb gyros, went up to my hotel room, turned on the TV, sat at the desk and began to slowly eat and work. Yes. A friday night in New York and I was in my room by 10:30pm licking my lips after each bite of my spicy lamb gyro. [I wonder if he delivers to Canada...]

The following morning I was set to meet Alisha and explore Coney Island. It was 9 am and the streets of New York were almost bare. There were hardly any people around. Most of the shops were closed. When I saw a sign reading ‘Crumbs Bake Shop’, I thought of fresh bread or bagels. When I opened the door, I almost jumped with glee. The place was full of cupcakes. Delicious, yummy, perfectly moist, cupcakes. It was obvious to me that I must eat a cupcake for breakfast. So, I did!

I was told to wait for Alisha at The Pulp & The Bean in Brooklyn, near Franklin Ave subway stop. It was there that I drank the most amazing iced chai latte of my life! It was so tasty, I drank two of them while I waited for her. [I hear Margaret Thatcher went here like a year ago]

Alisha and I wandered along the boardwalk and pier in Coney Island for a time before making our way to Nathan’s for one of their famous hotdogs. I was a tad plain and ordered a hotdog with sauteed onions. Alisha was more daring and ate a chili cheese dog. Oh, that hotdog tasted good. If it wasn’t so busy, I may have ordered a second one for the road.

When I left Alisha in Brooklyn, I felt satisfied, but not full. This was a good thing as I was to meet Charlie and Sherry in the West Village for dinner. Our meeting spot was Buvette, a lovely french gastroteque on Grove Street. I enjoyed a glass of champagne with raspberries as I waited for Charlie and Sherry. Once they arrived we ordered 4 cheese plates which came with crusty country bread slightly soaked in olive oil. We chatted and ate, and ate and chatted. It was delicious. I could have sat there until closing. I’ll definitely be returning to Buvette the next time I’m in New York.

After Buvette we walked to Washington Square and then to The Meatball Shop for dinner. We decided to eat family style and ordered a Hero Meatball Sandwich, Buffalo Chicken Meatballs, Spicy Pork Meatballs, Salad, and Mashed Potatoes, plus these massive ice cream cookies for dessert. When we finished eating, I was full! Oh, I slept so good that night. Wow, what a food day!

Sunday was a bit slower pace, but not in terms of food. Sunday was Brunch at DohYo! For $35 I received all I could eat gourmet tapa-style dishes and all I could drink cocktails. My first course consisted of a Bloody Mary, Crunchy Shrimp [which I still dream about], Crab Wontons and Bacon. My second course was Sake Sangria, Halibut Sliders, and a Seared Tuna Salad. My third and final course was a Lychee Bellini, french toast and some mexican dish with tortilla chips, a black bean sauce and an egg ontop. I ate for 90 minutes and continued to drink for another 90. When brunch was finally over I went to my room for a nap! That evening I decided to stay close to the hotel as I had a 6am flight. So, I put on some okay clothes, walked downstairs and ordered spicy lamb gyros.

So, yeah. I went to New York and ate. A lot. The only photos I took of my food was at Brunch on Sunday. I guess I was too busy eating to bother with my camera.  Guess who is planning a dinner of Edamame beans this week? ME!!

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Travel doesn’t discriminate. Anyone can travel. You don’t need to cross the ocean to have real life experiences. You can have them in your own backyard if you’re open to them. Be fierce. Be spontaneous. Explore. Discover. Learn. Share. Repeat.

Crazy Yak? statue at Yotel

I walked through the front door into a clean, white, modern style lobby. On the left wall was a row of flat screen computers used for self check-in, to my right was a glass wall. On the other side of the glass wall was a huge mechanical arm and rows of floor to ceiling square compartments. I stood there and watched as the robotic arm opened a compartment, then retrieved a piece of luggage and placed it in a little opening in the wall. It was beyond cool. I could have stood there for over an hour, watching.

I heard of Yotel from Andrew Hickey (@BrooklynNomad), and after glancing through their website, I definitely wanted to check it out.

Yotel is one of a handful of funky boutique hotels in New York, and one of the first flexible hotels in the area. This is the first hotel I’ve been to that was moveable walls which convert a day lounge to a night club, or low Japanese style tables on hydraulics that can be lowered to be flush with the floor, creating an extra dance floor inside a restaurant.

But the moveable walls and tables are not the only thing that makes this hotel stand out. There is the sound architect who designed the music which plays in the small lounge/eating area leading from the hotel concierge to DohYo restaurant. There is the huge outdoor terrace with fabulous views of the city. There is free wifi!

My cabin was on the 26th floor. The room was simple, clean, minimal and modern. The walls were white. Everything was white, except for the floor which was purple. There was a floor to ceiling window at the far end of the room and a glass shower. The bed was in an upright position and on the side of the desk was a button to make the bed lay flat. It was Friday, and all I could think about was relaxing in my room and enjoying the peace and solitude -something I’ve been craving a lot lately.

Inside my Yotel cabin

Sleeping was not as easy as I hoped it would be. The hotel was quiet and the room was dark enough, but the bed was hard. On the first night I had visions of being back in Asia where comfortable beds don’t seem to exist. But, in order to have a bed that moves from a laying position to a sitting position, you would need a firmer mattress. It’s a small price to pay (in my opinion). On my second night sleep came easier and I didn’t really notice the firmness of the bed.

As much as I would have liked to hibernate in my room (I’m still craving my own quiet space), I was in New York. I cannot spend an entire weekend in New York in my hotel room, no matter how good my view was.

View from my cabin

As some of you may have read, I decided to visit DohYo! for Sunday Brunch, an event that sounded way too good to be true. I had a blast. Fabulous gourmet tapas-style dishes, free-flowing cocktails, a live DJ and lots of great people watching. It’s an event that I recommend to everyone who will be in New York on a Sunday (reservations are a good idea).  If you’re not available for Sunday Brunch, then stop by during your stay for lunch or dinner. There won’t be crowds of people, but the food is still amazing.

New York is a unique city and if you ask me, in order to visit a unique city, you should stay in a unique hotel. Yotel staff are accommodating and friendly. The rooms are clean and comfortable. The restaurant serves delicious food which I am still craving, AND everyone (guests and visitors) who visit the restaurant, café or nightclub on FOUR receives FREE WIFI! That is something very unique and not just in New York.

Have you stayed at Yotel or one of New York’s other boutique hotels?

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Join the SpunkyGirl Monologues community on Facebook! I’d love to hear about your travel plans, thoughts about posts, travel tips, advice and questions. Feel free to post a link to your blog, or share a travel photo.  

Travel doesn’t discriminate. Anyone can travel. You don’t need to cross the ocean to have real life experiences. You can have them in your own backyard if you’re open to them. Be fierce. Be spontaneous. Explore. Discover. Learn. Share. Repeat. 

The lights were on and music was pulsating through the room. It was like sitting in a nightclub, except I wasn’t in a nightclub, I was sitting at  a table at DohYo, a restaurant on the 4th floor of Yotel in New York. The time? 12 noon.

“The Brunch on Sundays is good. I hear a lot of crazy stories about it, but I haven’t been yet” explained Jenn as she took me on a tour of Yotel in New York City. Naturally, I was intrigued. Then she told me about the live DJ, the free-flowing small plates and cocktails all for just $35. In minutes I went from being intrigued to outright desire. My thoughts were “I MUST go. There is no way I can miss this!”. So, I cancelled the plans I had made for Sunday and Jenn made a reservation for me.

I arrived a few minutes early and taken to a small booth overlooking the bar. A great spot. For the next two hours I ate the most decadent brunch of my life! I started off with a plate of Crunchy Shrimp, some Crab Wontons,Bacon and a Bloody Mary. Thankfully each dish is served tapas style which made it easier to sample without feeling as though I would burst afterward. My next course consisted of Seared Tuna Salad, Halibut Sliders and Sake Sangria. My third and final course was French Toast, Grilled Salmon with Wasabi Mashed Potatoes and a Lychee Bellini. I ate slowly, chatting with the staff and the guys beside me and waiting for the craziness to start. I wasn’t disappointed.

3:00 p.m. is when brunch took on a whole new life. Many people had been drinking since 11 a.m. Everyone was happy, chatty and gearing up to party. I had stepped away for an hour, but when I walked back into DohYo the place was buzzing. Club kids were catwalking down a restaurant aisle, drinks were flowing, and the music was vibrating off the walls. It was nothing like I have ever seen. I loved it.

Perhaps these photos will help convey the craziness of my Sunday afternoon -although I hear I was there on a quiet day.

NYC Club Kids

Work it, baby!

A congo around the restaurant...

Maurice & Erikson

Loved all the gold!

Erikson & the DJ

Say cheese!

I had a few tentative plans for Sunday afternoon, like a trip to High Line and possibly Chealsea market, but brunch completely hijacked my plans. The energy in the room was too good to pass up. I had to stay and hang-out, plus I wanted to sit down and have Ian do a line sketch of me and as he was a popular guy, I had to wait until the end of the brunch to get mine done. That’s okay though, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. In fact, when I come back to New York in April or May I plan to stay at Yotel and come to brunch. Hopefully I’ll catch the Drag Queen Runway show next time!

Ian with the drawing he did of moi!

Joey & Friends!

Do you recognize yourself or a friend? Let me know and I’ll add their name to the photo! Forgive me, it was a crazy afternoon and my memory is a tad tainted. LOL

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Join the SpunkyGirl Monologues community on Facebook! I’d love to hear about your travel plans, thoughts about posts, travel tips, advice and questions. Feel free to post a link to your blog, or share a travel photo.

Travel doesn’t discriminate. Anyone can travel. You don’t need to cross the ocean to have real life experiences. You can have them in your own backyard if you’re open to them. Be fierce. Be spontaneous. Explore. Discover. Learn. Share. Repeat.

I love New York. I know, it’s a cliché. Everyone says it. But I can’t help myself. I love the architecture here. Yes, the architecture! I love riding in cabs and holding on to the roof strap as if my life depended on it. I love the street vendors. I love the subway. I love the all the kooky ppl who ride the subway.

One of this things I want to do while I’m in New York this weekend is to ride the subway over taking a cab. It’s cheaper. And did I mention the kooky people? I took a cab from LaGuardia to my hotel, then from my hotel to the ACE Hotel, but after that I was committed to taking the subway to Brooklyn.

Charlie, my Mongol Rally Teamie has a couple of photos on show at the PowerHouse Arena in Brooklyn for the NY Photo Festival, which starts tonight. I thought it would be fun to take the subway over and check it out (I like to support friends when I can). So, I asked the guy at the ACE Hotel for directions and he graciously printed them for me. This is what I was suppose to do…

• Take R train from W28th to 34th Street.
• Take F train downtown to York Street in Brooklyn
• Walk 7 min (15 for me) to the PowerHouse Arena

Easy, right? I know! That is totally what I thought too. I even asked the man behind the window thingy to make sure I was in the right place! OMG I am such a tourist…

So, I get on the R train and successfully transfer onto the F train. I even had a seat. Score for me!! However, part way through the ride the conductor guy comes on and announces that as of W4th the train is going to make all A train stops due to something I don’t remember. This is where smart people pay attention. This is also where I thought the train would just make more stops and I would still get to York Street. Then we arrived at W4th and over half of the train got off. Did I get off too? Heavens no! Why would I do a silly thing like that!!

Yeah, I stayed on the F train as it became the A and by the time we go to Fulton Street I was in a mini panic that I would end up on the wrong end of Brooklyn. So…I quickly got off the train. I climbed some stairs. I saw a sign that said J train and for some stupid reason my brain thought F train and I went over there. Thankfully I started to clue in and actually asked if the train was going to York Street. “New York Street?!” the guy asked with this crazy confused look on his face, “No, York Street. Does this train stop at York Street?” I asked again. “Oh, I don’t know.” replied the guy. Awesome. So helpful. Thanks, dude.

Did I take another train to get to Dumbo in Brooklyn? Nope! I climbed an ungodly amount of stairs to street level and hailed a cab! It cost me like $15 and I was 25 minutes late getting to PowerHouse. Thankfully Charlie was late as well and arrived about 5 minutes after I did.

Let’s hope I have better subway luck tomorrow. I’m suppose to go to Brooklyn to meet Alisha.

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Join the SpunkyGirl Monologues community on Facebook! I’d love to hear about your travel plans, thoughts about posts, travel tips, advice and questions. Feel free to post a link to your blog, or share a travel photo.

Travel doesn’t discriminate. Anyone can travel. You don’t need to cross the ocean to have real life experiences. You can have them in your own backyard if you’re open to them. Be fierce. Be spontaneous. Explore. Discover. Learn. Share. Repeat.

I am not now, nor have I ever been, a fashionista. I’m a plain girl. I’ve always been a plain girl. I like comfy pants and t-shirts. I like cardigans. I like tints like black, beige and grey. I rarely wear more than mascara and lip balm. Yet, somehow, New York has this ability to change me from a plain comfy girl, to a girl who actually cares about what she wears, how her makeup looks and how many shoes she can pack in one tiny carry-on bag. Yes, for some odd and probably lame reason, New York has the ability to change me.

This morning I woke up like any other day. My throat is still swollen and I was planning to relax again. Then, sometime mid-morning, I received an email from Charlie about our plans on Saturday. That was it. That is all it took for me to go from chill-mode to OMG-I’m-going-to-New-York-tomorrow-and-I-have-nothing-to-wear-and-my-makeup-kit-sucks-what-the-frack-will-I-do?! mode. In a (wait for it) New York minute, my mindset had changed.

So I threw on clothes, sans shower (you can gross out now), grabbed my wallet and left the house. I’m staying with family in the town where I went to High School, I’m not all that concerned about my appearance. I went to a clothing store, with greasy hair, no makeup and UGG boots that have a big ass hole in the toe. OMG I’m laughing just thinking about it. I’m such a train wreck.

ANYWAY I went to the store in search of jeans cause I had to get rid of my only pair, my mongolia ripped knee pair, because of a sewage back-up at a bar which I was walking in and kind of helping with. Normally I would have kept the jeans, but no matter how well they were cleaned, I don’t think I’d be able to get passed the idea of them wading in a sewage back-up. Grossed out yet? Yeah, I’ll stop there. So, I went out and bought jeans without trying them on as I really didn’t want to prolong my outing and I find the clerks annoyingly helpful. Yippee! New jeans and a second new pair of pants and I got them for like 75% off!

Needless to say I am now wearing said jeans in an effort to ‘stretch’ them out and make them more comfy for this weekend. I am such a dork. lol

My New York panic/excitement didn’t stop there. Nope, not at all. For a girl who hardly ever wears makeup, I was sure in a panic when I thought about mine. I’m going out. I’m meeting people. I can’t look like a frump! I need new make-up! Coincidentally this is the SAME thing I thought last weekend when NYE was approaching and I ended up buy hot pink eye shadow and gold glitter from Urban Decay. Did I resist the urge today? Uh…I wish I could say yes, but that would be a lie. I bought Golden Taupe duo shadow & glitter by Lise Watier.

As if the jeans and the eye makeup wasn’t funny enough, I am also sitting her thinking of the fun and funky jewelry I own that I never get to wear because I live in a small sleepy town in Ontario. Looks like the big ass black beaded ring is coming out to play!!

I think my biggest challenge in New York is to NOT GO SHOPPING!

Does a trip to New York City change you? Please say it’s not just me. This is like my 4th time there. It’s not like it’s my first time….

Did you find this post interesting?

Join the SpunkyGirl Monologues community on Facebook! I’d love to hear about your travel plans, thoughts about posts, travel tips, advice and questions. Feel free to post a link to your blog, or share a travel photo.

Travel doesn’t discriminate. Anyone can travel. You don’t need to cross the ocean to have real life experiences. You can have them in your own backyard if you’re open to them. Be fierce. Be spontaneous. Explore. Discover. Learn. Share. Repeat.

Yes, it’s true. I’m returning to New York City!!

I’ve traveled to New York City three times. My first trip was in 1994, on one of my Dad’s business trips. My second trip was in 2008 with Moose Travel Network  (I received a pretty good deal as I was working for HI Niagara at the time). My third trip was in 2010, when I attended TBEX for the first time. Each visit to New York was special, in its own way. Maybe special is too strong of a word for my last trip…damn, it was hot that summer.

I’ve stayed in  a hotel on Broadway. I’ve stayed in a hostel on the Upper West Side and I’ve stayed in a quirky boutique hotel in the East Village. I’ve seen broadway shows, and off-broadway shows. I’ve been to Rockefeller Centre, Harlem, the Statue of Liberty, the Rock, and Times Square. I’ve eaten at Momofuku, Mama Mexico, Otto and a slew of other restaurants. I’ve drunk at Mason Dixon, Professor Toms, some dive bar I don’t remember, and other places I don’t remember. And after all that, I have not even come close to scratching the surface of Manhattan or the burrows. Actually, I’ve never visited the burrows. Not once. I managed to see the Brooklyn Bridge for a few minutes before being called back to my hotel to take care of an issue that could have waited.

In January I’ll be returning to New York for a weekend to meet my fellow Mongol Rally teammate, Charlie Grosso. I’m excited. Charlie and I have spoken via Skype, but it’ll be nice to chat in person about the rally, our route and how we’re going to raise £75,000 for the rally charity, The Lotus Children’s Centre Charitable Trust. We’ll also be hanging out with the lovely Sherry Ott, the woman responsible for convincing me to sign on with Charlie. Can you say Girl’s Night?! I’m also hoping to meet some fellow bloggers while I’m in the city.

Aside from hanging with Charlie and Sherry, my plans are somewhat open. I’ve decided to stay at the HI on Amsterdam as it’s near the subway and the fabulous Mama Mexico. I have no clue where I’m meeting Charlie and Sherry yet, but I do know that I’ll be spending some time in Brooklyn with Alisha, who has graciously offered to be my tour guide. That is pretty much where my weekend travel plans end. It’s not a bad thing. I can handle flying into New York and having time to explore. That being said, recommendations is always a good thing.

As a girl who loves to experience things that are different and/or quirky, I’m looking for some places to hit up while I’m in the city. I’m also looking for some cheap eats and a place (or two) for fun, but not tacky, souvenirs.

My time in New York will be short, but it’s also going to be fun. I’m looking forward to returning to the city and the fact that’s it’s a small trip. Plus, it’s my first trip in 2012. I think that deserves something spectacular. Don’t you?

What are YOUR recommendations for NYC?

A mural in the Meat-Packing District

Hello, my name is Pamela and I’m a quirk-a-holic. Okay, so you probably already knew that, but I still felt the need to tell you, again.

In my mind New York City is like quirk-mecca. Although I haven’t seen all of New York City’s quirky corners, I know they are there. I can feel it in my bones. I like to think that as soon as I step foot in New York City (again), I’ll feel this quirky-like magnetic pull and  discover all of the city’s quirky little secrets.

In 2009 I found cheap flights to New York and flew from Western Canada for only $500! I felt like I had just hit the proverbial jackpot. Deals like that don’t come along very often. At first I thought my flight was going to be the best part of my trip, I was wrong. Once I was in New York City, I quickly got a taste of the city’s quirky offerings.

My hotel of choice was The Jane in the West Village. My room at The Jane (which I was  sharing with another travel blogger during the TBEX event) was small. I’m not kidding. I opened the door to my room for the first time and was greeted to my bed (the bottom bunk) on the right and the space from the bed to the wall on the other side of the room was about 2.5ft. The hotel’s quirkiness didn’t stop there. While sitting in their small café downstairs I found myself starring at stuffed alligators, crystal lighting fixture, odd paintings and I think there was a boat oar laying around somewhere as well.

My second taste of New York’s quirky side came when I decided to take a walk and ended up at Union Square Park. It was the weekend and there were all kinds of vendors set-up, selling everything from jewelry to paintings to clothing. But that is not all. Within minutes of walking into the park I found a vendor selling something completely different. Something so unique that my quirk-dar went off the charts. There, in Union Square Park, was a guy selling Sock Puppet Portraits! It was like walking through the funny house gates of quirk-heaven. I mean, who does that?! I was so tickled pink that I bought 3 or 4 portraits to bring home as gifts for friends. The fact that each portrait features a different character who has his own backstory and MySpace page made my purchase even better. I was so excited by my find that I wrote about it.

Now that I’m spending a few month in Toronto, I can’t help but think of boarding the train at Union Station and going to New York City for a few days. Why would I want to go to New York City again? I want to find even more quirky corners. I want to make friends with the strange and quirky -as long as they return me in one piece and allow me to write about my experiences.

Are you from New York? Do you have some strange or quirky places I can visit? Please leave me your suggestions in the comments!

The post has been sponsored by Flight Centre. I’d like to thank them personally for getting my juices flowing and for bring my obsession for finding quirky places to life, again. I know New York City has a lot to offer and if I can make this little Quirk-Mecca trip possible, I’d endeavor to make myself the Queen of Quirky Travel. Yes, I am serious.

For the first time in 5 years, I’m experiencing a heat wave, and I don’t like it. I’m in New York City for the 2nd Annual Travel Blogger Exchange (TBEX) conference, a 2-day event, with loads of travel writers/bloggers from around the globe. This is my first time attending TBEX. I didn’t make a lot of plans before I arrived in New York, my focus was to meet other travelers, listen to the speakers and hopefully learn some helpful tips along the way. It’s the best $40 I have ever spent.

The panels were great, for the most part. Some of them could have been longer and others a lot shorter, but I took away some good tips on SEO (search engine optimization), monetization, writing styles and more. When I walk out of the Cantor Theatre after a day of panels my head is swimming with thoughts and ideas. My blog is only 8 months old- a newbie by most standards. However, perhaps this will allow me to make minor changes to improve my writing and my blog.

I know, I said the word “change”. But, with new ideas comes change. It’s not a bad thing.

“One thing that never ceases to amaze me, along with the growth of vegetation from the earth and of hair from the head, is the growth of understanding.” Alice Walker

Listed below are some of the insights and changes I’m planning to make over the next 4-6 weeks.

1. This blog is too diverse. There is simply too much too absorb. Wow, I never thought I would type those words. Ever. But, it’s true. What this means is that I’ll be spending the next few weeks tweaking this blog and simplifying things a little bit. Although the name of this blog (No, I am NOT changing it) may not tell my readers what they’re in for, my homepage will.

2. I’m Canadian. As I sat in the cool theatre listening to the cheers when it was announced that TBEX would be hosted in Vancouver next year I had an idea. Actually, I’ve been thinking about it for a little while now, but the announcement pushed things along at a faster pace. I’m planning on using this blog for my personal travels, tips and advice and starting a new blog that is solely focus’ on traveling in Canada. I love my country, there is SO much to see and do. Now I want YOU; the reader, to know so you can come visit!

3. It’s been almost 12 years since I’ve sat in an English class. I need help! Over the next few months I’ll be working on my writing style and producing more ‘quality’ posts.

4. Photography is a bog part of who I am, and my photographs will have a larger presence in future posts of this blog and on the new one.

5. Karma. She can be a goddess or a bitch. Personally, I’d like to stay on her good side. Over the next few weeks (and continuing through time) I hope to reach out to more of my fellow bloggers and travelers and host guest posts, links and more.

The above points make look small, but there is a lot of work involved and I am more than up for the challenge.

“Accept the challenges so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory.”

- Gen. George S. Patton

Wow, I just used a quote by General Patton. I clearly need more sleep!

TBEX was great. I met some fabulous people, partied to an extent that would make my Irish, English and Scottish ancestors proud, and I learned a thing or two about how to build a better blog. A big thanks to Kim Mance (Galavanting T.V.) for creating Travel Blog Exchange and organizing the conference, and an even bigger thank-you to Jessica Spiegel of Why Go Italy (@italylogue on Twitter) for telling me about the conference in the first place. You’re both first class ladies!