The Cocoa Bar located on Clinton Street in the Lower East Side is the place you want to be this weekend when the snow comes.  Nothing is better than chocolate, hot drinks, cocktails, and free internet on a cold day.  Try the “Cookie Monster,” a warm chocolate chip cookie topped with sticky, vanilla gelato.  Very simple, but excellent.  At the Cocoa Bar you’ll find truffles that include flavors such as wasabi and honey vanilla.  There’re bon bons like apple crumble, passion mango, and bourbon pecan.  Even the names make your mouth water.  The Cocoa Bar is very cozy with it’s tiny tables and candles.  During the day you’ll find many people studying here on their laptops, and at night you’ll see couples enjoying wine and dessert together.  The list of drinks goes on and on with chocolate pairings as well.  There’s beer, sake, white wine, red wine, dessert wine, sparkling wine, coffee and tea.  If you happen to be in Brooklyn, there’s a location there too on 7th Avenue!

Cocoa Bar

Google Map Cocoa Bar

The Manhattan Mall (yes it does exist!) is located on Broadway between 32nd and 33rd street, this mall has around two dozen shops and is only growing.  The stores include Express, The Body Shop, Foot Locker, Victoria’s Secret, Gamestop, and more of your favorites.  It’s located right by Macy’s, making for a very convenient day of shopping.  This summer get ready to have the first JCPenney in Manhattan!  The mall has been under construction for many months and everything is almost done.  They are only making it better and everyone can’t wait for it to finally finish.  There are four levels in the mall, with a train station right underneath and the upper part of the building is filled with offices.  It’s a great place to stay warm in and shop during the winter, and stay cool in during the summer.

Manhattan Mall

Google Map Manhattan Mall

Get ready to go to Highline, one of New York City’s chicest Thai restaurants that is affordable, tasty, and is in a great area, the meatpacking district.  Highline has three levels, which are all equally fabulous with the top level having beds that you can enjoy your drinks on.  In the summer you can also sit outside, something that is always nice on a breezy night.  It is the perfect restaurant to get your favorite Pad Thai, or a fun bar you can go to on a night out.  All of the appetizers are made just the way they sound like and have just the right amount of spices.  The ambiance here makes you want to come back, with the colored lights and funky furniture.  The service is great, there is just nothing to complain about.  Highline is located right next to the old highline train, maybe that’s where they got their name from.

Highline

Google Map Highline

The perfect snack or lunch lies right on 86th Street and 3rd Avenue, Papaya King.  The first, original one is right here on this corner and has been there since 1932.  You might know the place through Seinfeld and Kramer’s adventure here, or you might have visited the place yourself.  Papaya King first started making their fruity drinks when it opened, but then introduced their hot dogs in 1939 and good thing they did because New Yorker’s can tell you they make some of the best.  Everything is fresh, right off the grill and I like how the food here is simple.  They have your standard dogs and fries, but that’s it.  They don’t complicate the menu with burgers and sandwiches, they stick to what they know is good, plus it’s easier for you to pick what you want.  Also be sure to grab one of their special, natural, blended in-house drinks.  My favorite is the Pina Colada, but of course there is always the Papaya, Banana Daquiri, and more!  You have to go, who doesn’t love a good hot dog and refreshing drink?

Papaya King

Google Map Papaya King

Peep, a flashy Thai restaurant in SOHO, is like no other restaurant you’ve been to before.  When you go into one of their two restrooms, you can see out onto the restaurant, an entire wall is a one-way mirror (hence the name “Peep”)!  Besides these cool restrooms, the food is worthy to talk about as well.  As far as noodles go, try the Face Towel Noodles.  It has a fun name, and the sauce is perfect with a basil, spicy, chili flavor, tossed with shrimp, squid and chicken.  The cocktails are fruity and exotic, like the Lychee Mojito that is a great, cloudy pink color with fruit floating around in the glass.  Peep has a very upbeat, fast energy, and you can see the open kitchen in the back, which is always nice.  Located on Prince Street, Peep is in a great area where there is a lot of night life.  Plus if you happen to be there during lunch, there is so much shopping right around the corner that you’ll work up an appetite.

Peep

Google Map Peep