NYE- Plans for Procrastinators

Ahhh.. it's that dreaded question again: What should we do on New Years Eve? If you're like me, you wait for the last minute. And here we are, at the last minute for making New Years Eve plans. Well, InsideGardenCity has gotten the roundup on GC hotspots for you that still have availability for some bubbly fun. But the availability is limited so don't procrastinate any longer, or you will definitely be left out in the cold!

BK Sweeney's Uptown Grill. 636 Franklin Ave., GC. 516-746-3075. Openings still available for their early dinner seating. They will be serving their regular menu in addition to festive New Years Eve dinner specials. You are almost guaranteed a good time at their bar at midnight and after. They will provide noisemakers and complimentary champagne as the ball drops. Sounds like a fun time!

Walk St. 176 7th St., GC. 516-746-2592. They will be offering their regular menu with enhanced New Years Eve specials such as lobster and T-bone steak, plus complimentary champagne at midnight.

Polo Lounge in the Garden City Hotel is hosting a jazz trio starting at 9pm. 516-877-9385. Cost is $50 per person which includes two cocktails and a complimentary champagne toast at midnight. They will provide noisemakers and a fun atmosphere while you watch the ball drop on their large HDTV screen. Reservations are not needed for this. 

Revel. 835 Franklin Ave., GC. 516-246-9111. They are boasting a 10 foot projector screen for the ball drop, DJ and champagne toast. They have dinner seatings available between 4:30 - 6:30 and 6:30 - 7:15. The earlier seating offers an alla carte menu and the latter offers a 3 course menu for $65 per person. 

Novita 860 Franklin Ave., GC 516-739-7660. Their festivities go from 9pm until 2am and include sit down dinner, open bar, dj, dancing and champagne toast. Cost: $125pp + tax/gratuity. Openings remain but don't delay!

Where will you be for NYE? Make sure to drink responsibly and have fun! See you in 2014!

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Holidays Gangnam Style in GC

A fellow GC resident passed on some great inside information last week- the light show in Garden City. I hadn't heard of this before and certainly never observed when living in the city, so I definitely wanted to check it out. I went that night and it is definitely not to be missed. If you are able to drive by 4 Lincoln Ave before their last night on Jan 4, please do it. These are no amateurs. They've been doing this for seven years and their experience shows. It's simple- drive up, tune your radio to 105.5 and enjoy the show. You will hear traditional holiday tunes as well as more recent hit music, such as Gangnam Style. It's a pretty great show and I'm planning to stop by again before the 4th. 

Here's a more comprehensive list of their songs: 

The Fox - Ylvis

Wake Me Up - Avicii

Gangnam Style - Psy

Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO

Wizards in Winter - Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Christmas Eve Sarajevo - Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Jingle Bells - Barbra Streisand

Post-Christmas Week

With Christmas 2014 behind us, I've discovered some less obvious holiday things that made me happy during this post-Christmas week. They are: 

1. Having a fridge filled with leftovers from Christmas dinner. 

2. Eating homemade rum cake for the first time. Yum!

3. Having extra down time to spend with my family & no schedules to follow! #Relaxation

4. Christmas cookies. Need I say more? 

5. Visits with family and friends who I don't see often enough. 

There were also several non-holiday-esque things that made me happy during the post-Christmas week: 

1. Take out from Orchid- Always a treat. This time I tried the chicken lo mein. Did not disappoint. 

2. Rediscovering ice skating. Haven't skated in years. A great time!

3. A sesame bagel from My Three Sons in GC. Surprisingly good. 

4. Continuing the hunt for best local pizza at Mama Theresa's in GC Park. Tasty but the search continues. 

5. Realizing I can still do the hula hoop! Great exercise and so fun.

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Something's Baking

I love the smell of something baking in the oven. With Christmas now over, I realized that I've done more baking in these last few weeks than I probably have over the entire year. I somehow squeezed in the time for scratch baking cupcakes, cookies, cakes and brownies. The baking is still going on in my house during this post-Christmas week and will likely continue right up to New Years. Here are a few of my faves that filled my kitchen with fantastic aromas this holiday season:

chocolate chip pumpkin bread

almond biscotti

pumpkin cheesecake

chocolate cupcakes

almond crescents

hershey kiss blossoms

sugar cookies

chocolate biscotti 
pumpkin cookies

chocolate chip cookies- everyone's all time favorite!

Of course, attending a cookie exchange party helps to add to your variety of baked goods without adding to your time spent in the kitchen. I came home from that party with a ton of delicious home-baked sweets. A big "Thanks" to whoever came up with the fantastic idea of exchanging holiday cookies. I'll bet it was a busy (and obviously very smart) woman! 

What baked in your kitchen this holiday season?

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Take Better Holiday Photos!

Photographer Kenny Lombardi is guest blogging today with some tips on how to take better photos- just in time for the holidays! I'm sure we could all stand to improve our pics a bit. Here's some advice from a pro:

Looking for some tips to make your holiday photos a bit more interesting?  It might be easier than you think. Many people think that a camera is the most important factor in photography, but it’s not.  In fact the most influential piece of the photography puzzle usually sits behind the camera. That’s right …YOU!

Envie of Seventh

It is pretty difficult to walk by Envie, a boutique on Seventh Street, without stopping by to see what unique items are in…and not very difficult to end up leaving with a shopping bag. Envie is neatly laid out inside and the items are fabulous. One thing I loved is the numerous pieces that are, as I call it, made with a conscience … for instance We Dream in Color is one designer you'll see whose jewelry is handcrafted in the US "in a socially conscious fashion with minimal environmental impact". And the pieces are awesome.

You'll also find an array of jewelry that has an edgy vibe to it: think metals and leather. You can definitely stop into Envie after your outfit is set and tie it all together with any of these pieces. These cuffs are gorgeous and are a sneaky way to tie in some subtle chic to any outfit.

Envie boasts some vibrant necklaces and bracelets as well. Get one (or two) of these into your repertoire for a classy update to any outfit. It’s pretty hard to choose a favorite.

Accessories are truly a great way to test out a bold color or style without fully committing to it. Plus, who doesn’t love a big beautiful necklace? Envie has a number that will make a statement. This beautiful piece is what outfits are made around:

Envie has tons of amazing necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings and other great accessories that would make most anyone on your shopping list very happy. There are also some cute bags, hats and scarves too. Last but not least — I can’t forget to mention the Liquid Metal belts I spotted in a tucked-away basket. A must-have that would give any outfit just the right amount of swank. 

All in all – Envie is a lovely store to stop into as you’re perusing the boutiques along Seventh Street. There are a variety of quality accessories that fit the bill if you're looking for something a bit edgy or if you just want to spice up a more traditional outfit. A perfect mix! Envie's owner, Christina, is super sweet and the staff is equally gracious and professional. Worth a trip if you don't live in GC, even better if you do!

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A New Leaf

Considering tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world next to water, A New Leaf Tea Emporium has got you covered. Located at 152 Seventh St, Garden City, A New Leaf is a cozy tea shop with an upscale vibe. It's warm interior with wood decor, trendy wall tiles and ample tables and chairs may give you the feeling of walking into your own kitchen- as well as your living room. I don't know about you but those are the two rooms in my house that I love the most! I appreciate their set up of tables and chairs vs couches. It's comfortable but less casual than the plush couches and chairs that you find in most coffee houses. I'm kind of over wanting to feel like I'm in an episode of Friends anyway. That's so.... [whatever decade that was...].

The teas smell fabulous and their names are very enticing- Bourbon Street Vanilla, Creme Brulee Mint, Nutcracker, Rocky Horror Spice, Golden Monkey, Blue Sapphire, etc... The gracious owner, Kimberly, brings the tea canisters to you so you can sniff their aroma before choosing your brew. There are too many teas to count and it was a tough call but I went with the Nutcracker. With a little bit of honey, it was fantastic although the most interesting sounding may have been the wine-inspired teas such as White Champagne Raspberry and Assam Cabernet. Next time...

There is also a nice selection of scones and cookies as well as delicious jams from Sarabeth's- one of my all time fave brunch places in NYC. Plus, there are some cute items that would make great gifts- tea cups with their own lids (I normally place a small saucer on my mug to keep my tea warm at home but a ceramic lid that matches and perfectly fits the mug would be much nicer), tea travel mugs, unique tea pots and tea sets. I've always thought that an interesting tea pot on your stovetop is a fun item to have in the kitchen rather than a traditional looking one that everyone has. My latest pot was made entirely of clear glass with a funky blue ball on top which was the knob for the lid, but I digress...

Some major pluses about A New Leaf- friendly and informative staff, a serious selection of teas, unique gift items, comfortable atmosphere- all good reasons to go back and try a different tea. I will definitely be making a trip back very soon. 

The Newcomer's Cocktail

Since I never pledged a sorority in college, I finally got my opportunity to attend a sorority-like event. It was the Welcoming Club of Garden City's Newcomer's Cocktail at Tiffany's in Manhasset- just the excuse my fellow suburbanites and I needed to "swank-it-up" a bit on a Thursday night.

The Welcoming Club certainly checked all the boxes on this night. They served delicious cocktails and appetizers. A good number of Tiffany's employees were on-hand in case anyone got the urge to shop during the evening (and shop they did).