AMY ELISE ALLEN: August 2014

Brandon and I took a trip to New York with my parents last week and got back the day before school started for me. It was very spur of the moment. Tickets were purchased maybe a week before we left. I guess we just weren't ready for summer to end. Now I'm a week into school and I miss it so badly. Brandon and I went last August as well and this year we were leaning towards San Francisco, but New York won out in the end. Again. There's just something about it that puts a spell on you. The food perhaps, the hustle and bustle, new things to explore around every corner and running into all those iconic places and buildings that you see in all the movies. Next up on my bucket list is to see it in the winter and fall. I want to see the Rockefeller Center tree light up and the skating rinks in the city.

Our first day we were pretty tired because we took a red eye flight like we seem to always do. We dropped our stuff off at the hotel and then went and saw Washington Square Park. After that, we went and checked out one of Mario Batali's restaurants called Otto. We picked up tons of goodies, walked across the Brooklyn Bridge, went to Mast Brothers Chocolate, and explored Chelsea's Market.

Day two, we went to The Doughnut Plant, explored a market, a cathedral and walked around Central Park. We went to the Shake Shack in Madison Square Park to enjoy some burgers and shakes, stopped to admire the Flat Iron building and stopped into Eataly. They had a long wait list though and so we walked to a place where we could have Ramen like Brandon used to in Japan. They don't have places like that in Utah and last time we were in New York we ran out of time. That was really good. In fact, I'm craving some right now. We walked through Times Square after that to see Newsies on Broadway! It was the last week they were playing and I feel like that made it even better. They got a standing ovation in the middle of the show. It was pretty amazing. We got more pizza and ice cream after that on the stroll back to our hotel. Basically, if it was open, we were getting it.

Day three started out at the Donut Pub which was pretty cute. You sit on these stools at the counter and you tell them which donuts you want as you eat them and you pay after! There were so many choices. I had a hard time. Then we went to the MOMA to enjoy some art. Well, some of us did. :) Brandon checked out after the first little bit. Then we went to SOHO to enjoy some pizza at Lombardi's and did a little shopping until our dinner reservation at Butter at 8. Brandon and I really wanted to go to Alex Guarnaschelli's restaurant last time we were in New York but it was being renovated. So we made sure to hit it this time. That was delicious. I have been wanting to try her beignets for dessert ever since I saw them on the food network forever ago. They did not disappoint.

Day 4 we headed home. But not before going to find Banksy's street art and stopping at the Doughnut Plant one more time. Have I mentioned doughnuts are my absolute favorite? I want them for breakfast every day...that doesn't happen though. I promise.