City Bakery’s Hot Chocolate festival starts today and I must say I’m excited since I’ve been working near here. If you’re new to New York or love chocolate (or hot chocolate) I really recommend trying one. Be warned, they do sell out fast of their festival specials.
Get it with a homemade marshmallow!
Hot Chocolate Festival
City Bakery
3 West 18th Street
New York, NY 10011
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| A very royal wall. |
Tea and Sympathy is one of those places you know about and have always wanted to go, but for some other reason something always comes up. Our story is set in the Greenwich Village and getting there is a lot like finding Neverland walking several side streets. And even then you have to wait for your own taste of authentic British food.
The big thing you should have to know is that Tea and Sympathy is very quaint and very small. As such they’ve posted several rules on the door and you will have to wait a bit — longer if you have a large party. Speaking of large parties, this place is very much a “tea for two.” I’ve visited with parties as small as two to as big as five, but I recommend no larger than four. And no matter how small you will feel cramped. But the food and tea will make up for it.
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| Nothing says British like beans and toast. Any better would be a toad in a hole. |
Like Alice’s Tea Cup, Tea and Sympathy has a large selection of tea served in a various novelty teapots. Tea flavors range from floral and fruity like Black Currant to more traditional like English Breakfast and Earl Grey (of course).
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| Can’t tell if this teapot is from London, can you? |
The food is pretty good, and the wait staff is pretty prompt with service (especially when it comes to water for tea and more cream for scones). If you are going for Afternoon Tea prepare yourself because it will take you an afternoon to finish.
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| Afternoon Tea for One (and 3/4) |
There are two versions (single and two-person) but there honestly isn’t a difference, except maybe a few more sandwiches. What’s good to know is they are very accommodating if you want a vegetarian version. All you need to do is ask.
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| One of these cups are not like the other. |
However if you aren’t willing to wait for a table or feel weird just standing outside like a dog in the window, they do have a shop adjacent to the restaurant that has enough goodies to satisfy any Anglophile.
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| These teapots are not for sale, but the ones next door are. |
Not able to head down to the Village? Then you can at least visit their blog for recipes, contests and various British things Americans find funny and odd.
Tea and Sympathy
108 Greenwich Avenue
New York City, NY 10011
Also feel free to check out my list of tea rooms in NYC if Tea and Sympathy is not your cup of tea.
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| Is there a doctor in the house? Specifically one that specializes in chocolate addiction |
The best part of winter is of course is heading out of the cold and making a nice warm cup of hot chocolate. And one of the best places in New York City is The City Bakery. I tend to like their hot chocolate because it’s thick and frothy – not to mention they offer giant homemade marshmallows to put into it.
City Bakery knows it has one of the best hot chocolate around, which is why they’ve created their own Hot Chocolate Festival.
Starting tomorrow, City Bakery offers a special hot chocolate concoction each day for a month (in addition to their regular cups of milk and/or dark chocolate). Go early for the special flavors, otherwise you’ll have to settle for regular. Either way it’s a win-win situation (it is chocolate afterall).
I’m looking forward to “Sunken Treasure”, “Moulin Rouge”, and “Ode to the Polar Bear.” How about you?
The City Bakery’s Hot Chocolate Festival
February 1st – 29th, 2012
3 18th Street
New York, NY 10011
212-366-1414
Alice’s Tea Cup is very reminiscent of childhood tea parties you use to have. Except instead of fruit punch you can have actual tea and real tea cakes. (Did I mention real cake?)
Chapter II is one of there most popular locations in New York City for lovers of pink and nostalgic for childhood fancies. As well as people who want a real tea party without the stiff and stuffy atmosphere.
Lolitas love to venture to Alice’s whenever they have the chance, and the wait staff are more than welcoming to those wearing dresses with maximum poofiness. With a short walk from Central Park and the popular shopping avenues–it’s no wonder that this place has wait times that are anywhere from 15 minutes to 2 hours.
I had been several times before, but wanted to introduce the other half to the place. Luckily we had our chance on a late Saturday brunch with a short wait of 15 minutes!
He was a bit skeptical at the thought of Afternoon Tea. He presumed tea and cakes would not be a whole meal, fully knowing that afternoon tea was more of a snack time for adults when lunch was at noon and dinner was served at 8 o’clock rather than around 6 o’clock nowadays.
However when the 3-tiered tray (a Mad Hatter’s tea for two) arrived every questionable thought disappeared at the sight of so much food.
Alice’s is very accomodating for vegetarians and with the tiered trays you can to choose what you want as opposed to being presented with something you probably wouldn’t like (and garnished with caviar).
The setup is pretty standard with sandwiches on one tier, tea cakes on another, and light sweets at the very top (since it’s the smallest and one can go overboard when it comes to noshing on too many). And for the amount of food versus the price, it is well worth the wait for a table.
Also the tea is magnificent for it’s extremely long list and wide variety – from classic English blacks to purer greens and whites to herbal and fruity there’s something for everyone. And Alice’s Tea Cup maintains it’s kitschiness with no two cup and saucers are the same at the table. It also helped we both each got and emptied a pot of tea.
The decor helps you feel at home if you’ve never taken tea what with the multicolored butterfly wings and interpretative pictures of Alice Liddell (that’s the name of the real Alice on the wall) along the walls. It’s a place that you can never tire of and always find something new. Being my second time, I noticed the tables were refurbished vintage sewing machines.
There is a limit to Alice’s Tea Cup and that is you will probably take something home, which is not exactly a bad thing. As you can see the bottom tier became a doggy bag of sweets.
Alice’s Tea Cup does take reservations and have private dining areas for parties and “un-birthdays”, but I find it more fun to drop in and see if there’s room at the Mad Hatter’s tea party.
Who doesn’t love wine tastings? Vertical presents a wine tasting in conjunction with one of their food-related manga titles, Drop of the Gods.
Taste wine featured in the manga series and learn how you can be a better wine connoiseur. This is a great event to go to – especially if you aren’t able to get into Cinched at the Swift Hibernian Lounge tomorrow night.
A Very Vintage Vertical Vednesday – Tasting the Drops of God
Magnolia Bakery is supporting Japan by doing what it does best, baking cupcakes. They have created a special “Japan Cupcake” where $1 from each cupcake sold will go Japan Society’s earthquake relief fund.
They come in vanilla or chocolate cake, with white cream cheese frosting and a raspberry on top.
And to make it a real seller, they’re keeping tally of each cupcake they sell.
Note: I recommend getting them early as they tend to be one of the first flavors to sell out each day.
Locations
(Bleecker)
401 Bleecker St
New York, NY 10014
(Columbus Avenue)
200 Columbus Ave
New York, NY 10023
(Rockefeller Center)
1240 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
(Grand Central)
15 Vanderbilt Avenue
Dining Concourse, Lower Level
New York, NY 10017
While we’re just an ocean away from London but that doesn’t stop New York City from celebrating the Royal Wedding Friday April 29th. Check out these events going on around town and celebrate with your fellow Anglophiles:
The Paley Center for Media is open bright and early for a viewing party at 5:30AM. Celebrate in style with tea, scones, and, of course, champagne. There will be wedding trivia and eventgoers are encourage to wear their best bridesmaid dress for “Most Unique Bridesmaid” contest.
The DUMBO Improvement District and the BBC America are holding a grand old party under the Manhattan Bridge, known as “The Archway.” Featuring:
Lyon will open bright and early at 6AM, and hold a viewing party where you can order breakfast and English beer.
So grab your best hat (or make your own) and set your alarms for that early wake up call. Or if your not into going out, why not throw your own wedding party? Here’s a link for some party ideas.
Royal Wedding Viewing Party
5:30AM
Paley Center for Media
25 West 52 Street
New York, NY 10019
Admission: Free (but reserve your space here)
RoyalWeddingNYC
5AM
The Archway (under Manhattan Bridge)
Admission: Free
Evening Wedding Reception
8PM – 1AM
All Day VIP Pass Only $60
Evening Pass (8pm – 1am) Only $40
Tea & Sympathy
108 Greenwich Avenue
New York, NY 10011
Lyon
118 Greenwich Ave
New York, NY 10011
The Knave of Hearts stole some tarts, but do you know what type of tarts, and want to learn how to make them?
Haley and Lauren Fox, co-owners of Alice’s Teacup, will be an appearance at Macy’s as part of Macy’s Towers of Flowers Festival. They’ll giving a baking demonstration in The Cellar on Thursday April 7th from 1-4PM.
If you can’t make it out, I highly recommend their recipe book that came out last year. It features recipes of food found on the menus at their various locations which you can make at home.
Also check out Macy’s other events for the Towers of Flowers Festival.
A Culinary Wonderland
April 7th, 2011
1-4PM
Macy’s
The Cellar, Lower Level
151 West 34th Street
New York, NY 10001
A bit last minute, but if you happen to wander around uptown, stop by Crumbs’ newest location. Why you ask? Not because you crave their Peppermint Hot Cocoa cupcake (December’s Cupcake of the Month) – a chocolate cupcake filled with buttercream filling with peppermint cream cheese frosting and coated with crushed peppermint candies. (Well, maybe you should stop by for that after all.)
To celebrate their new store, Crumbs is giving away 1000 cupcakes starting at 8AM until they run out. So get them while their fresh and before there’s none left. This is one Early Bird Special you should not miss out on.
*Note: Peppermint Hot Cocoa is not actually hot.
Crumbs Bake Shop
775 Columbus Ave
New York, NY
Winter’s definitely here in the Big Apple. It’s colder, windier and the locals are a tad bit grumpier than usual. This morning the temperature clocked in at a brisk 28 degrees. So bundle up, layer on those petticoats, and don’t forget your bunny-shaped earmuffs on your way out.
Still feeling cold-blooded? Here are some places that I recommend to warm you up from the inside out.
Original Soup Man – Yes the Soup man from Seinfeld. While the man himself is no longer there, the soups still are!
(38th and 6th Ave)
1021 Sixth Avenue
New York, NY 10018
646-852-6113
(55th Street)
259A W. 55th Street
New York, NY 10019
212-956-0900
(3rd Avenue)
918 3rd Avenue
New York, NY 10022
(Bleecker St)
190 Bleecker Street
New York, NY 10012
Max Brenner’s Chocolate by the Bald Man – Nothing says winter like hot chocolate, and one place that makes it best is Max Brenner.
841 Broadway
New York, NY
212-388-0030
Celsius Bar – This pop-up bar and restaurant is erected every winter for people to bask under the warm glow of heat lamps and the scenic view of The Pond at Bryant Park.
5th Ave & 42nd St
New York, NY 10110
Shanghai Cafe – Soup dumplings are a Shanghai specialty, and are not only good but messy. Shanghai’s Cafe is the place for the authenticity and just plain delicious for this type of comfort food.
100 Mott St
(between Canal St & Hester St)
New York, NY 10013
212-966-3988
Shabu Shabu 70 – Shabu shabu also known as Japanese-style hot pot is taking raw ingredients such as deli-cut style meats, vegetables, and noodles all cooked in a full-flavored broth right at your table. Best had with large groups.
314 E 70th St
New York, NY 10021
212-861-5635
La Bonne Soupe – Fondue is the one thing that I try to indulge in at least once a year and the atmosphere at La Bonne makes me thing I’m in my own little version of France.
48 W 55th St
New York, 10019
212-586-7650
