Summery Sunday Snacks

After a whole week of dealing with people and running around being busy, it’s so nice to take a day and just relax by yourself. Over the summer, Sundays have become that day for me. Go to church in the morning, and then find a peaceful little corner to nibble on some food and read a book. Surprisingly, I’ve been able to find a lot of these quiet places in New York: a bench by the pier or a table in a park. And here are some of what I snacked on during those Sunday afternoons.

Near the hustle and bustle of the South Street Seaport is a lovely little cafe called Made Fresh Daily. When you step inside, you’ll see a brightly lit space with white tables and clean decor. Sit down for a meal and all the noise of the city falls away.

Chicken BBQ salad

I had the chicken BBQ salad which comes on a bed of arugula and romaine and topped with avocado, cole slaw, tomatoes and a light vinaigrette. Paired with strawberry lemonade for the perfect summer lunch.

At the midway point between church and my apartment is Grandaisy Bakery, and after passing by it several times, I finally decided to go in one afternoon. The place was empty, but the service was peppy and friendly.

Tortino di Frangipane with an Iced Latte

They had a display case of many pastries plus a sandwich menu. I sat down with the tortino di frangipane, which is an almond tart with fresh berries and a chocolatey crust, along with an iced coffee.

As the weather got hotter, I was craving icy cold drinks whenever I stepped outside. Just 3 blocks from my apartment is Sun’s Organic Tea Shop, which serves the best milk tea ever. They use real tea, not powder, and it makes a world of difference.

Mango smoothie

What I really like from Sun’s though is their Mango Smoothie! Oh so yummy and made with real mangoes so there are chunks of mango mixed in. The best summer drink!

Another great place to spend a Sunday is the MoMA. The firm that I was interning at gets me free tickets to the MoMA, which was pretty sweet. On the 5th floor of the museum is Terrace 5, a beautiful dining place where you can get a meal, dessert, or even just a drink.

Pineapple Juice

Coffee

Enjoy a glass of cold pineapple juice or a coffee after wandering around the MoMA. Plus, if you can get a seat on the balcony, the view is fantastic!

The beautiful view

Made Fresh Daily
226 Front St
(between Beekman St & Peck Slip)
New York, NY 10038

Grandaisy Bakery
250 W Broadway
(between Moore St & Beach St)
New York, NY 10013

Sun’s Organic Tea Shop
79 Bayard St
(between Mott St & Mulberry St)
New York, NY 10013

Terrace 5 at the MoMA
Museum of Modern Art
11 W 53rd St, 5th Fl
New York, NY 10019

Twistedly Twisty

A while ago, my friend KN and I spent a wonderful Saturday wandering around Charlottesville downtown and ate lunch at the Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar. It’s a very strange and bizarre kind of place that serves over 50 different kinds of tea, mostly vegetarian options, and it turns into a hookah bar at night. Yep. Very interesting.

And I discovered that the restaurant certainly lived up to all that I imagined it to be. They have this giant fake tree growing in the middle of the place with lots of carved nooks for old books. There’re also lots of pillows so you can choose to take off your shoes and sit on the ground or to be less fun and sit at regular tables. Although I chose to sit at a table because the pillows looked icky.

Tea

KN and I shared a pot of tea, which might have been the jasmine pearls, but my memory fails me. Then she ordered the PMT sandwich with pesto, mozzarella, and tomatoes, while I ordered the Tunisian tuna with a spicy harrissa sauce.

The PMT

Tunisian Tuna

Both sandwiches came with a side salad too. My sandwich, sadly, was a disappointment, as the tuna was dry and the sauce too spicy. I love spice, but for some reason, that combination in the sandwich was way overpowering, and I couldn’t finish it. I tried a bite of the PMT, which was a lot better.  Hahah Maybe I’ll get that one next time. The tea, however, was the best part. There were so many different kinds to choose from, but ask for their recommendations and they’ll point you to the right direction.

Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar
414 E Main St.
Charlottesville, VA 22902