Cupcakes-Galore at Magnolia Bakery- West Village (New York City, USA)

Bleeker street...one of the many places that make New York so charming, so unforgettable and so dear to me. Not only are there beloved Marc Jacobs shops sprinkled throughout the street but it is also a foodie haven beginning with Magnolia Bakery. Eating cupcakes while strolling through Marc Jacobs shops and bookstores? A perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon in my books. 

It was my first time visiting Magnolia Bakery, somehow I happened to miss the reference on Sex and the City during my college years (apparently that's what made them so famous?). So, having missed that boat I was not aware that there is usually a line up around the corner. On this particular Sunday the line up only extended to the door. I was okay with the short yet chaotic wait. So the Count and I lined up and took in all the sweet, sugary vanilla aromas permeating the air. 

There were all sorts of people in the line up. The young family with kids swooning over the big three layered cakes, the Asian female tourists with their designer bags picking out their cupcakes, the old man ordering his usual and us, the first timers who were overwhelmed with the choices. Oh the possibilities. 

Okay, so here I go: I don't like cupcakes! Gasp. Yes I said it. There are many other sweets that I would prefer to a cupcake. So is it so horrible that neither of us actually ordered cupcakes? 

I ordered a snickerdoodle tart from the glass display above. And the Count ordered the flour less chocolate cake. 

After we yelled out our order, we waited to pay. The line up was a bit confusing as people were going straight to the cash counter and others were skipping the line. But somehow there was some sort of unspoken order amongst the chaos. 

While waiting I was seduced by the variety of sweets that were calling my name including the three layered cakes in a variety of flavors. "Eat me Hungry Nomad, you know you're hungry" they all said.

After receiving our coffee I got a chance to get up close and personal with the famous cupcakes...only for a short photo shoot. I definitely have to go back and try the cupcakes for I can't really attest to their claim to fame without having tried it. Wonder what flavor I should try next time? 

Miel Patisserie- Rittenhouse Square (Philadelphia, USA)

I discovered a lovely french pastry shop in the Rittenhouse area. What a shame that I didn't find it sooner. Walking through the doors my eyes quickly turned to the pastry counter, the bread baskets and rows of french desserts including my favorite macarons. Having skipped lunch I decided to treat myself to dessert: not one but two. I opted for a latte with a lemon tart and rose water macaron.

 
The latte was great. Went really well with small mouthfuls of the lemon tart.

The rose macaron tasted like many Persian desserts which use rose water. It was also a perfect macaron: chewy inside with a slight crispy exterior. As I sat there indulging myself, many came in to buy their bread and bags full of dessert. Seems like I am the only one in town that didn't know about this place. I will definitely be back for more.

 

Rybread Cafe- Fairmount/Art Museum (Philadelphia, USA)

It all started with two laid off architects. The year: 2009. Ryan (the 'R' in RyBread) and his girlfriend found themselves unemployed and headed on a road trip of a lifetime. Over the course of the road trip a business idea would develop. Why not open a gourmet sandwich shop in a really neat space? This is exactly what they did when they returned. Rybread Cafe is in our neighborhood and our favorite gourmet sandwich shop. The choices are endless and all equally delicious. 

I'm sure both were great architects but we are selfishly happy that they decided to open a sandwich shop instead. Nothing beats the joy of eating, not even architecture. 

The hair salon turned cafe is small and intimate with only a few indoor seats and several on the outside. The wall is covered by a chalkboard listing their sandwiches in detail. I've only had occasion to try four on the list but have never been dissapointed. 

There is also a variety of bagels, muffins, scones, salads, soups and paninis. Best part: it's all made to order and exteremely fresh. (See Menu).

On my last trip, I had the Hollywood while the Count ordered the Philadelphia. 

My Hollywood sandwich consisted of multi grain toast slabbed with a thick layer of hummus, cucumbers, red onion, shaved carrot, tomatoes and cheese. A great option for vegetarians. 

The Philadelphia was packed with genoa salami, hot cappi, prosciutto, provolone, greens, tomatoes, onions and vinaigrette served on ciabatta bread. The Count seemed to enjoy it but we agreed that our favorites are the San Fran and the Napa. 

If you enjoy gourmet sandwiches as much as we do you should definitely check out Rybread if you haven't already done so. 

Ferrara Bakery & Cafe- Little Italy (New York, USA)

After our meal at Lombardi's, we found ourselves walking through the tourist filled streets of Little Italy. We were looking for dessert. Not just any dessert but that sweet stuff that Italian pastries are made of. Our friends suggested Ferrara Bakery as one of the oldest establishments in New York. We walked in and I immediately felt like I was in Italy. Rows and rows of colorful pastries lined the glass round counter. The Count and I were immediately swooning over the wide selection. How can you choose when there are so many amazing choices to pick from? 

There were tarts! Strawberry, kiwi, berries and lemon meringue tartes. There were eclairs! Chocolate, coffee and vanilla eclairs. There were Cannolis! Chocolate, vanilla and chocolate chip Cannolis. There was the Napoleon, pain au chocolat and an assortment of cakes. The best for me was the mini pastry section. It is meant for people who can't decide on one choice. You can order three mini versions of pastries which is exactly what I did. 

We sat down, made our orders and waited anxiously. Our desserts and coffees were out in a 'jiffy' (Yes! I have decided to use the term 'jiffy'- its fun and should be used more often). Who can guess which one of us ordered the Chocolate cake? 

If you guessed the Count, then you are correct! He ordered the chocolate cake and was unwilling to part with it to try the rest of the selection on our table. Of course, for research purposes I took a bit bite and loved the chocolaty texture and deep dark chocolate flavor. 

Our friends ordered the mini pastry plate and the Napoleon. I tried a bite of the Napoleon which was perfect. Who doesn't love a good Napoleon? Crispy layers of puff pastry with whipping cream oozing between each layer. I have only had such good treats in Italy and France. In fact, while studying in Paris I used to visit the corner pastry shop by my school for my weekly in take of Napoleon or as the french call it 'mille-feuille' (a thousand sheets). 

For my mini pastry sampler I had the chocolate chip Cannoli, chocolate cream puff and a chocolate wrapped pastry. I loved my Cannoli and really battled to finish the other two  (remember I had just finished having endless amounts of pizza at Lombardi's). 

This bakery is the kind of place I could see myself treating my mom (who has the biggest sweet tooth in the world) to every Sunday. Maybe its a good thing I don't live so close. 

Cafe L'Aube- Fairmount/Art Museum (Philadelphia, USA)

I've been in search of a spacious coffee shop in the Fairmount area for weeks. The pickings are slim. There are only a handful of independent coffee spots and one Starbucks that can barely fit ten people. So with the help of Yelp, I found Cafe L'aube tucked away on the corner of Wallace street in the Spring Garden area. 

What is so great about Cafe L'Aube? Well for one, it serves great coffee and pastries. But mainly because it serves delicious and authentic crepes made to order. The employees are francophone and if you close your eyes you may try to imagine yourself sipping away at your cafe and crepe at a french coffee shop.

I started off with a latte and pain au chocolate... a few hours later I found myself hungry again and ordered the ham, mushroom and emmentaler cheese crepe. Delicious and cheesy. 

So far in terms of coffee shops, this is my favorite in the city. Any one have any other recommendations? 

Capogiro Gelateria- Italian Market (Philadelphia, USA)

After our meal at Birra, we went for a stroll on Passyunk street. I am already drawn to this area of town given the colorful shops, restaurants and young/hip atmosphere. We spotted a Gelato shop and decided we had enough room for dessert. 

At the time, I was not aware that Capogiro Gelateria has various locations and is a local and international Gelato celebrity. 

I loved the decor and presentation. Everything was clean, sharp and beautifully presented. The shop was very homey and cozy. 

The gelato is not set out like other gelato shops but is hidden by lids. There are also not a large variety of flavours to choose from but what they did offer was enough. 

The shop also offers a wide range of coffees and sweets. 

And biscotti! I love biscotti. But didn't get a chance to try on this trip. 

The flavors are written on a chalkboard. I ordered the Nocciola and Pistachio while the Count ordered the Dark Chocolate and Grapefruit. 

Capogiro uses local hand picked produce and milk from grass fed, hormone free cows. You can really taste the difference and quality in each spoonful. 

I was not expecting such an explosion of flavours in my mouth. I've had a lot of gelato in my time. And a good amount of that in Italy from Milan, Venice, Florence, Naples and Amalfi coast and I can confidently say that this was one of the best I have ever had. Definitely the best I have had in America. 

The flavours were so strong and the gelato was so creamy. I have never taste gelato this good. No wonder it was picked as the best gelato 'in the world'. 

This is definitely a new favorite. I have yet to try the other locations but I definitely love the space, decor and flavors offered at this location.