We have two special days going on today! The first day of Spring and Macaron Day! And, since it’s currently snowing in the city we’re just going to ignore the first one for now and instead focus on the tastier of the two.

Macarons, the treats that are almost too pretty to eat! I mean really though, I really struggle to eat one without taking a photo first. Well macaron lovers, you’re in luck because today isMacaron Day! The most exciting part about the celebration of these little delicious bites is that stores all over the city are offering FREE macarons. 

Get in on the fun and find the location nearest you with this handy map Gothamist created >> Click me for the interactive map

Happy Pi Day everyone! While the day is actually meant to celebrate the ratio of a circle’s circumference – woh, math talk – I thought we’d celebrate the other kind of pi.. PIE! I think this one tastes a little better too ;-)

So where should you head when you’re in the mood for some sweet flakey crusted goodness? I’ve got you covered!

1. Hill Country Chicken: Come in for chicken, leave with some pie. Not only is Hill Country’s food awesome, but their pies are seriously on point too. They’re serving up classic favorites like Apple Streusel and Double Cherry and mixing it up with Salted Margarita and Cowboy Pie. I tried their Pink Lemonade special pie last summer (pictured above) and I’ve still been trying to find a pie to top it.
2. Pies ‘n’ Thighs: I love this place for the name alone. Well-known in Williamsburg for their Southern bites, the restaurant recently also opened up a Manhattan location in the LES. Whether you want to get your chocolate fix with their Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie or try their Sour Cherry Pear Crumble Pie, they have you covered. 
3. Momofuku Milk Bar: Momofuku has never steered me wrong with their sweets! I’m addicted to their cornflake marshmallow cookies but they also have some delicious pies on their menu including their famous, Crack Pie. Crack pie skips the traditional fruit or nut filling and goes straight for a butterey, sweet and salty taste. You have to try it to know why it’s a fan-favorite.
4. Four & Twenty Blackbirds: Four & Twenty Blackbirds is serving up some serious pie out in Brooklyn. You can order up a slice at their Gowanus location, the Brooklyn Public Library and at some other local restaurants. With flavors like Salty Honey, Chocolate Julep and Sweet Potato Apple Crumble, it definitely sounds like its worth leaving the UES for! 
5. Little Pie Company: If you’re looking for a delicious take on some of the classics, Little Pie Company is your spot. Between their seasonal options, their Sour Cream Apple Walnut Pie and Mississippi Mud Pie. There’s plenty on the menu to satisfy your pie craving! 

Enjoy that pie NYC!

There aren’t many things better than girl time + brunch! This weekend I combined both with some of my favorite ladies on the Lower East Side. I have to be honest, the winter weather has put a serious damper on my city adventures lately so I’m glad my friend suggested we get out of the neighborhood! 

Our destination? Sons of Essex. It may have been only 1 in the afternoon, but the spot had the vibe of a cool lounge with dimmed lights and hip hop music. I don’t make it to the LES nearly enough, but when I do I really enjoy the old-New York feeling the neighborhood gives off. SOE stays true to its roots and boosts an eclectic mix of decor within a vintage styled loft that I really loved.

I often find myself falling into my tried-and-true brunch order of eggs benedict – I mean you really can’t go wrong with that order! – but a quick look over the menu told me I needed to try something else. I know my photos aren’t great on this one (dim-lighting!) but after the first glance I found myself already debating between several items. The fun thing about the menu is they have some funky items you definitely aren’t going to find anywhere else – Crunch berry french toast, SOE brunch pizza, and drumroll please… a Mac N cheese omelet. Trust me it was a hard decision! Even harder because this was my “last supper” for awhile before switching to healthy eating before my Jamaica trip next month.

So what did I end up going with? The mac N cheese omelet! I mean.. I had to right? We also ordered up a side of truffle tots, because again, we had to!

So what did I think? Let me tell you! Hellooooo cheesy goodness! You might be wondering how mac and cheese would work with eggs, and I’m here to tell you, it totally works! Just think of an extra creamy cheese omelet. The combination of the gruyere and mascarpone… just perfect.

One of my friends ordered another dish I’d totally recommend, their SOE brunch pizza. Eggs, cheddar and bacon served on a thin crust? Man, I really just love brunch food. We were all really impressed with the food and the portion sizes were just right. I will definite be back to try out more of the menu – after the Jamaica trip that is ;-). If you check it out, I’d definitely recommend making a reservation too. Downtown is a little harder to just walk-in and get a seat and this place was definitely hopping the whole time we were there. Sunday brunch is served all day until 8pm though so you definitely aren’t limited to the afternoon!

We were definitely full after brunch but since we were in the neighborhood we decided we had to pop into one of my friend’s favorite little cupcake shops nearby, Sugar Sweet Sunshine.

Totally a dessert to-go trip for us, but you can’t possibly visit a cupcake shop without leaving with a couple – full or not! Their cupcakes are the perfect amount of sweet with a homemade touch. I ordered up their Strawberry cupcake with cream cheese and peanut butter frosting and it was a nice little PB&J tasting snack for later. That flavor actually had kind of more of a muffin cake texture to me, which I really liked. 

They have lots of yummy sounding flavors though that my friend insists are some of the best cupcakes in the city. So even if you’re full from your trip to SOE, do yourself a favor and pick up a couple to go!