Macarons make me smile.

It's no secret that I have a serious sweet tooth. My love affair with cupcakes, cookies, donuts, and other confectionaries has reached new heights since I moved to New York ten years ago, and I love trying out bakeries around the city.

For years, I was on a quest for the perfect cupcake. Magnolia Bakery was my first favorite back in 2003 when they only had a little corner shop on Bleeker Street. But once I tried the cakes at Sugar Sweet Sunshine in the Lower East Side, Magnolia was out of the running. Last year I moved on from cupcakes to macarons. I discovered several bakeries around the city that have perfected their macarons- delicate yet crunchy, brightly colored, and filled with amazing creams and fresh fruits. I treated myself to a plate full of cookies this week at La Maison du Macaron, and loved every single bite. I especially enjoyed the pear and port wine macaron and the banana macaron with Nutella filling. My mouth is watering just thinking about them!