New York in Winter

New York in Winter. Those words alone are enough to bring a chill to your spine if you live here or have been here before during the months between December to March or even April at worst. The daylight hours shrink, as do your fingers but sadly, not your waistline due all the rich, comforting foods that abound and the lack of exercise as a result of excuses related to the cold.

Here are a couple of interesting places that I've discovered in the last few weeks:

Baohaus - great name, great place for cheap and seriously tasty eats. Ever since David Chang reinvented the humble Asian bun we used to eat a dim sum/yum cha, the 'bao' has practically become a food group of its' own. Eddie Huang, chef, lawyer and hip hop lover rocks this joint. At this small place in the East Village, you can get several varieties all for under $4 each with names like 'Chairman Bao' and the 'Jeremy Lin Bao'. I ordered the Haus Bao (braised all natural Creekstone Beef Cheek Served with: crushed peanut, cilantro, Haus Relish, and Taiwanese red sugar) and the Uncle Jesse (Organic Fried Tofu - Served with: crushed peanut, cilantro, Haus Sauce, and Taiwanese red sugar). A fun and original place and concept - check out the walls and the music!

Physical Graffiti - If you recognize the photo and the title then you already know that these buildings are the same ones used for Led Zeppelin's album cover of the same name. If you didn't recognize it, then you can see the original album cover here.

Samurai Mama - This spot in Williamsburg has great lunch specials during the day including these 'Sushi Tacos' which are essentially nigiri sushi wrapped in crispy seaweed rather than a tortilla. They are served with a wooden tray of 3 sauces which go from mild, medium to hot. Lunch for $10 including miso soup and salad that's healthy and tasty? Yes please!

Columbus' Living Room - The artist, Tatzu Nishi created a 'living room' art installation around the statue of Columbus at Columbus Circle in November-December 2012. It was truly transformative, especially if you've seen how it looked before. For more information, click here.

Northern Spy Food Co - wholesome and wonderful ingredients are focused on here at this East Village hotspot. Try their signature kale salad with roasted delicata squash, almonds, cheddar and shaved pecorino topped with fried eggs. Also they had a free daily pie special during weekday lunches if you check in on Foursquare.

Macy's Thanksgiving Parade - I attended my first parade in person after having watched it on tv so many times. My tip is to go to the balloon blowing day before the parade if you want to get up close and personal to Hello Kitty, Sonic the Hedgehog or any of the other balloons. Otherwise on the day itself, be prepared to stand in the cold, embrace the crowds and enjoy the larger than life spectacle that makes it all worth it.

Cafe Con Leche - I've always loved the diversity in this city. You can pretty much get cuisine from anywhere in the world here. At Cafe Con Leche, they offer a hearty and flavorsome Latin American brunch. Pictured here are the scrambled eggs with peppers, tomato and onions served with fried plaintain and arepas for $11. No need to eat until dinner!

Chelsea Market - I've been here many times before but I still love it. This time I noticed these creative cupcakes at one of the bakeries inside, whose name I didn't take notice of. It's the cupcake battle of good vs evil.

Well, signing off Mickey Mouse style. Further adventures await!