Astoria Provisions

One of the perks of maternity leave is exploring new places in my neighborhood with Greta in tow. Earlier this summer we took a long walk down to Astoria Provisions, a restaurant that recently opened in the old Astor Bake Shop location. I first heard about Astoria Provisions on Instagram when their cinnamon roll ice cream sandwich popped up on my feed. Yes, you read that correctly, a cinnamon roll ice cream sandwich! Greta and I sat down for lunch together and enjoyed a delicious meal. I didn't have room for an ice cream sandwich after my French dip sandwich, so I opted to take home a cinnamon roll to enjoy at home later on. Everything we tried was delicious! I am looking forward to another long lunch at Astoria Provisions soon!

Long Island City

A few weeks ago Brian and I took Greta to Long Island City for the first time. Before walking along the waterfront park we stopped in LIC Flea & Food for lunch. We started with an empanada from Empanada Papa and a BBQ sandwich from Miss Holly's Smokehouse. The BBQ was so delicious we went back immediately to Miss Holly's for a second! It was really nice enjoying the summer day as a family of three.

Our New York City Wedding {us + the city}

After our ceremony at City Hall, Brian and I spent a couple hours driving around Brooklyn and Manhattan with our photographer in a 1969 checkered cab. We stopped at Brooklyn Bridge Park, Top of the Rock, and Gramercy Park Hotel. We loved talking to Peter, our chauffeur for the day, while we rode around town. He had so many amazing stories about celebrities who rented out his cab! Brian and I were both so happy and excited to be married and loved having time by ourselves to let it all sink in before our family dinner at Maialino.

Our New York City Wedding

Our New York City wedding was truly a dream come true. I can't wait to share photos from our special day throughout the week. Stay tuned!

Love, Brunch, and Whiskey

When my friends Brianne and Lindsey asked how I wanted to celebrate my upcoming wedding in New York City, I knew I didn't want a typical bachelorette party. I much prefer daytime activities around the city to nighttime activities at bars and clubs. So, we worked together to plan a "Daina Day," full of my favorite things! We started our day together with a delicious brunch at Vinegar Hill House. Lindsey brought a fun game to play while we ate and the girls also wrote down mystery memories for me to share. We also enjoyed some yummy cupcakes that Jen brought at the end of our meal.

After brunch we walked to the Brooklyn Navy Yards to tour the Kings County Distillery.

The tour was super informative and interesting! We learned all about the history, culture, and process of distilling bourbon. We also got to try lots of samples! 

Lindsey, Jacqueline, and I walked down to DUMBO after the tour for coffee and cookies at One Girl Cookies. We don't get to spend time together often, so it was so nice to catch up! Enjoying ice cream in the park was a part of our original plan, but the cold and misty weather was not ideal for chilly treats. We will just have to return to the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory together once I am a Mrs.!

Thank you to all of my New York City ladies for such a wonderful day!