Muchas Gracias, New York

All I can say is "thank you" New York for the delicious and festive Mexican spot I discovered during the last few weeks of 2010. Perfectly situated on a tree lined street in the West Village (and walkable from where I work), Diablo Royale (189 W. 10th Street, http://www.diabloroyale.com/) serves up scrumptous and reasonably priced Mexican dishes with a fantastic atmosphere to boot. Although they don't take reservations, it's relatively easy to walk in on a weekday night to meet a couple of friends for some fajitas and margaritas. The bar scene was equally as hopping and seemed to be a great place to meet up for some much needed post-office hours cocktails. Va ahora! Es magnifico!

NYC - Smitten with the Mitten?

As I prepare to head home to Michigan for the holidays, I can't help but notice how many reminders there are of my home state here in the big city. Over the past four months I've been so surprised by the many Michigan references around town - whether on store windows, on sweatshirts zipping past me while jogging along the Hudson, or on restaurant menus themselves. Perhaps I'm looking for them more than the average person, but they're there nonetheless. Here are some of my favorite Midwest reminders --

Grey Dog Cafe (Multiple locations, http://www.thegreydog.com/) - With three quaint locations in downtown Manhattan, these spots absolutely exude a Midwest mentality. Each cafe's atmosphere mimics that of a farm house with wooden benches and chalk board menus. They are best known for their 20+ "Michigan Sandwiches" on the menu which range from the complicated Grey Dog Club to the fan favorite Grilled Cheese. The owners are University of Michigan grads and proudly display some fun paraphernalia around the cafes.

Duane Park Patisserie (179 Duane Street, http://www.duaneparkpatisserie.com/parkpatisserie.com/) - While strolling around my neighborhood this past weekend, I was thrilled to see "Go Blue" written all over the windows of this adorable neighborhood bakery. They have all of the traditional items you would expect of a bakery - croissants, scones, specialty cakes, custom cookies and fun seasonal items - and everything is made on-site and from scratch. The owner was the first woman to be hired as a cook at the Plaza Hotel - if that isn't enough of a reason to trust the goodies at DPP, I don't know what is.

The Hill (416 3rd Avenue, http://thehillny.com/) - Changing things up a bit, The Hill is an upscale sports bar and lounge on 29th and 3rd. It was started (once again) by Michigan grads living in the city who dreamt of setting up the destination spot for Wolverines to cheer their team on from the East coast. I've been a few times and can attest to the deliciousness of the tater tots and the festive Michigan fans that set up court each week. Definitely a fun stop for a Wolverine fan.

Do you know of other businesses with Michigan or Midwest roots in NYC? Let me know on the Midwestern Manhattanite Facebook page or by Tweeting @MWManhattanite.

Perfectly Patent

The search for the perfect Holiday-time shoe is no joking matter. Equally challenging? Finding such a shoe that nicely transitions from the stylish streets of New York City to that annual family holiday party in the the great Midwest. Leave it to me to beat the odds and find the perfect transitional holiday shoe. I give you the Calvin Klein "Olive" black patent pump. With its stacked, chunky heel and manageable height (3.5"), this shoe can easily take you from a day at the office to that holiday cocktail party. You simply can't go wrong with a classic black patent leather pump. Plus, absolutely nothing says "its the holiday season" like black patent leather. These are available right now at Zappos by clicking here.

In the Limelight

Those from the Midwest are used to hopping in their pre-warmed vehicles (hello automatic start) and driving comfortably to the nearest indoor shopping center. Here in New York City? We're not so lucky in the chillier months. Lucky for us, I recently discovered a unique, boutique and yes, indoor(!) shopping destination called The Limelight Marketplace (656 Avenue of the Americas, http://www.limelightmarketplace.com/). The Limelight has an interesting history. In 1844 the facility was built as an Episcopal Church, later to be turned into both a drug counseling facility and then a nightclub (whose opening night was hosted by none other than Andy Warhol). These days, the Marketplace has been reborn and remodeled (thanks to a $15M gut renovation), and features 35 upscale boutiques and restaurants. The more established brands with booths inside include Hunter Boots, Havianas and Le Sportsac, but there are equally adorable no-name brands as well with intriguing merchandise to peruse. If the shopping isn't enough to get you there, the famous Brooklyn Pizzeria, Grimaldi's, will soon be opening its doors in the "food court" area. The food options don't stop there -- in one section of the Marketplace you'll find scrumptous treats such as gelato, cupcakes and other baked goodies to sample on those long shopping days. On the Saturday that I stopped by, there was even a a grill (and grill-master) set up in the courtyard outside providing delicious eats for patrons. Definitely a must see for Manhattanites!

Good Beer Grows in Brooklyn

Yearning for a small taste of Oktoberfest, but without the time to travel overseas to Germany, my friends and I set up a little celebration of our own last Saturday to soak up the fall sunshine and mix up our traditional social regime. While it didn't necessarily involve lederhosen or beer wenches, it did involve an escape from the borough of Manhattan (to Williamsburg, Brooklyn to be exact), ginormous Bavarian pretzels and a big enough variety of beers to satisfy even the most discriminating beer-lover. Here are my top choices for a rousing good Saturday afternoon:

Brooklyn Brewery (79 North 11th Street, http://www.brooklynbrewery.com/) - The entrance is easy to miss since you think its simply the door to the production facility. However, once inside, you don't want to leave! Upon entering, stop at the booth to purchase a slew of beer tokens - 6 beers for $20 is the best deal and you can split them among friends (unless you're feeling ambitious). Head to the back bar to redeem your tokens and don't be shy about asking for samples - Martin was great about letting me sample a wide variety of beers before I honed in on my favorite - the Light Ale. Hungry? While they don't serve food, menus for Fanelli's Pizza are scattered around the casual picnic tables and they deliver right to the brewery. A fun perk to take advantage of is the Brewery Tour describing the history and production processes of the Brewery - it happens Saturdays 1-5 and Sundays 1-4 on the hour. Definitely not a chic or high-end establishment, but when you've got beer and great friends on-hand, what else do you need?

After a few hours at the Brewery, my friends and I ventured over to Radegast Hall & Biergarten (113 N. 3rd Street, http://www.radegasthall.com/), the second stop on our beer tour of Brooklyn. While the Brewery is more about the production and quality of beer, Radegast Hall & Biergarten is most certainly more about the enjoyment and merriment of drinking beer with friends. Choose to sit in the "outdoor" heated Biergarten or inside the hall (usually an easier option on a crowded day). This place definitely has the food - spatzle, sausage and Bavarian pretzels to name a few - enough authentic and delicious options to take you from day to night.

All-in-all a fantastic day in Brooklyn - our own Oktoberfest experience just a subway ride away.

Food Truck Heaven

Few places on Earth have as abundant a food truck presence and followership as New York City. Now, for those out-of-towners, I'm not talking about a random shish kabob and rice street cart. These are legitimate, well-established and delicious food establishments that just happen to be on wheels! While there are dozens and dozens to try (and I surely haven't tasted them all), I have began to compile a list of my favorites:

Street Sweets (http://www.streetsweetsny.com/) - You can spot this turquoise truck a mile away and its appearance perfectly matches the goodies it doles out. While they're typically near the large office buildings in midtown, on lucky Thursday, they head downtown to Houston & King from 3-5PM. My favorite goodies are their whoopie pies (pumpkin in the fall is perfection).

Rickshaw Dumplings (http://www.rickshawdumplings.com/plings.com/) - Something you can actually write-off as a real lunch! Rickshaw Dumplings is a brick and mortar establishment that has gone mobile. I recommend the Chicken and Thai Basil dumplings or the Vegetarian Edamame dumplings with the Asian Green Salad.

Van Leeuwen Ice Cream Truck (http://www.vanleeuwenicecream.com/) - These aren't your ordinary ice cream flavors. They have such inviting flavors as Ginger and Hazelnut, perfect even when the weather gets chillier. I've seen their light yellow trucks all over the city, but you can follow them on Twitter if you really want to pin down their location.

My next food trucks to seek out? Go Burger, El Diablo Tacos, Schnitzel Truck and Waffles & Dinges. All can be followed on Twitter to get up to the minute info on locations and daily specials.

J'adore Gramercy Park

Sometimes among the craziness of the city, it's nice to find a "respite from the storm", so to speak. I feel like I found exactly that this weekend when I decided to explore Gramery Park, a neighborhood that is situated between 14th Street, First Avenue, 23rd Street and Park Avenue South. The shining star of the neighborhood is, no surprise, Gramercy Park itself. The small, fenced-in, two acre park is one of only two private parks in the city. Only residents that live on the border of the park have a key and are allowed access. However, for someone without a key but with a lot of curiosity, I had a great time exploring the area. Here are a few of my favorite stops (aside from the beautifully maintained park which is a must-see in itself):

For after-work drinks or to kick-off a weekend night: Rose Bar or Jade Bar at the Gramercy Park Hotel (2 Lexington Avenue, http://www.gramercyparkhotel.com/). The hotel was recently madeover by hotelier Ian Schrager and it shows - both bars are designed with a kind of bohemian meets high-style mentality - its not cheap though so maybe save this for a special occasion.

For weekend brunch: Friend of a Farmer (77 Irving Place, http://www.friendofafarmer.com/). This spot offers a warm, homey atmosphere that makes you feel like you're a houseguest in a rural estate outside the city. Breakfast and brunch are their specialties.

For coffee/tea/relaxing: Few places in New York feel as non-chainy as 71 Irving Place Coffee & Tea Bar (71 Irving Place, http://www.irvingfarm.com/). They not only provide coffee and tea and other delicious beverages, but also mix up some unique sandwiches, soups, salads and other delightful items perfect to easily help you pass a weekend afternoon.

From tea to martinis and strolling to lounging, Gramercy's got it all!