Balls to the Walls

It is hard to believe 4th of July is less than 4 days away... that means most of you are road tripping somewhere come Friday for a weekend filled with family, friends and of course, flag cake. 

Bringing some fuel for those traffic filled car rides is a MUST. Enter: no bake energy balls. My younger (and wiser) sister brought these bad boys to my attention and I am now a strong ball-iever. The best part is that they take less than 15 minutes to make and are filled with protein. Try them for yourself!

No Bake (Gluten Free) Energy Balls
Ingredients (makes about 36 servings)
-1/2 cup of honey
-2 cups unsweeted coconut flakes
-1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
-1 cup smooth peanut butter or almond butter 
-2 cups gluten free rolled oats
-4 ounces minature chocolate chips
-1  cup flax seeds
-1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions
- Combine and stir all ingredients together in medium bowl until thoroughly mixed. 
- Cover bowl and let chill in refrigerator for about 15 minutes
- Once chilled, roll into balls of about 1" in diameter on to a baking sheet with parchment paper
-Get snacking!

CHEERS

We are just one week away from the official first day of summer which means outdoor happy hour season is finally HERE! Below are a few of my favorite spots broken down by occasion/vibe. Now get planning that #treatyoself Tuesday. Cheers.

I'm On a Boat // Island Vibe

1. Pier A Harbor House- both inside and out, views of the Statue of Liberty, great menu.
2. Frying Pan- perfect way to spend a sunny Saturday, anticipate long lines, average age of the crowd is 22.
3. Grand Banks- great for date night, order the oysters, go during off times can be long line.
4. Gilligan's at the Soho Grand- island oasis, order the watermelon margs, perfect way to spend a Sunday.

Swanky As F

1. Loopy Doopy in the Conrad Hotel- go for the Prosecco & Ice Pop cocktail, good views of the Hudson River, expensive. 
2. Soho House Rooftop- think Miami in NYC, large pool on the top of the roof with lounge chairs and couches surrounding it, good people watching.
3. PH-D Rooftop Lounge- throwback to an 80's penthouse, clubby feel, skyline views from Meatpacking, expensive drinks. 

Hipsters Only

1. Hotel Hugo Azul Rooftop- Cuban decor, order the frozen drinks and tacos, expensive. 
2. Mulberry Project Back Yard Patio- walls covered in street art, made to order cocktails, good for date night.
3. Wythe Hotel Ides Rooftop- Refurbished factory on the Brooklyn waterfront, amazing views of Manhattan, go during off times can be long lines.
4. Mr. Purple Roof at the Hotel Indigo- new hot spot with a trendy crowd, small pool, great views of city, inside/outside options.

Big Group Gatherings

1. Brass Monkey Rooftop- 90 draft and bottled beers to choose from, TV on the roof for watching games, views of the Hudson, not expensive.
2. Freehold- grassy outdoor space with ping pong and cornhole, good way to spend a Saturday, open space. 
3. The Jeffery- backyard beer garden, sports on TV, good place for day drinking.

Co-Worker Hang

1. Roof at Park South- good central location for after work drinks, overlooks the Empire State Building, good apps. 
2. Perfect Pint- Irish pub in the heart of Time Square, top floor rooftop is perfect for after work drinks. 
3. La Birreria Eataly- beer garden above Eataly, good for a Friday summer lunch, great apps. 

Where I'm Eating

Happy Friday and more importantly, happy (almost) summer! Summer in NYC means weekend trips away, but in the case that your stuck in the city, below are four restaurants I consider a city "escape". Check them out and get your zen on. Enjoy! 

1. Palma: 28 Cornelia St. New York, NY - 212-691-2223
Rustic 35-seat dining room. Serving Italian classics crafted from organic ingredients. Set in a beautiful a garden. Perfect for date night. Order the sea bass, cauliflower salad, or gluten free pasta. 

2. Maman: 211 West Broadway New York, NY - 646-882-8682
Chic bakery and cafe in the front and restaurant in the back. Feels like a country home in the South of France. Great for brunch with Mom. Order the chocolate chunk cookie, stuffed calamari with raisins, or roasted potatoes. 

3. Two Hands Restaurant & Bar: 251 Church St. New York, NY - No phone, email churchst@twohandsnyc.com
Light and bright Tribeca oasis. Filled with plants and beautiful, friendly Australians. Order the smashed-avocado toast, pickled-chili scrambled eggs, and cauliflower couscous. 

4. Pizza Beach: 167 Orchard St. New York, NY - 646-852-6478
Cali meets Montauk. Gluten free pizza. Good for big groups and kids. Order the heirloom carrots, sweet potatoes and avocado, bacon egg and cheese pizza. 

Tequila? More like... Te-kill-ya!

Happy Cinco De Mayo everyone!!!! Any holiday that calls for margs, guac, and tacos is my kind of holiday. 

I am pretty picky when it comes to my margs because if they are not done correctly you can wake up with a head (and body) full of regrets. Which is why I try to stick with the “silver” varieties of tequila because the “gold” types are more likely to result in pain the next day. I have also found the mixing tequila with sugar mixers or other liquors is also a big time no-no. Lastly, I remove the salt because it makes my face feel a bit less “bloated” the next morning ;)

Below is a recipe for one of my favorite clean and skinny margarita. Try it for yourself!

Alexis’s Famous Skinny Marg:
Ingredients:
- 1 lime
- Silver Tequila (I like Patrón Silver)
- Agave

Directions:
- Squeeze 1 lime into a glass 
- Pour 1-2 shots (depending on how strong you want it) of SILVER tequila 
- Add 1 tablespoon Agave (or less if you want to make it more tart)
- Shake it all up for 10 seconds in cocktail shaker
- Pour over ice

THIS ROCKS!

Over the last four months I have had five good friends get engaged. Yes, FIVE. Love is in the AIR!

With all of these engagements comes the question of what is an appropriate engagement gift. While I don't always think an engagement gift is necessary, you can always get something small and fun to show the couple you are excited for their next step. Below are a few of my favorite picks.
xo

For the organized bride
- Gift Log
- Hellos & Goodbyes Notebook
- Ring Tray

For the new cook

- Newlywed Cookbook

- Blue Apron Subscription

- Serving Set

For the party animals

- Shake Cocktail Book

- Glassware
- Beverage Bucket

For the new roomies
- Homepolish Gift Card
- Cheese Board
- Howdy Doormat

Where I'm Eating

Living in New York City one of my favorite things to do is try new restaurants. Whether it be for date night, a birthday brunch or lunch with my parents I love to explore new places whenever I can. 

With that in mind, I decided that I am going to create a monthly post called "Where I'm Eating" to update you on some of my favorite food spots around the city. For this first post, I decided to focus on three of my favorite casual go-to spots that are great to add to your repertoire. Hope you find it helpful and bon appétit!

1. Mary's Fish Camp: 64 Charles St. New York, NY 10014 - 646-486-2185
West Village lunch time staple. Relaxed atmosphere. Sit at the counter and order the mussels and lobster roll. Kid friendly.

2. Joseph Leonard: 170 Waverly Pl. New York, NY 10014 - 646-429-8383
Great for brunch or date night. Trendy crowd. Rustic atmosphere. Long wait time. Order the bloody caesar, brussels sprouts, pork hock. 

3. Bubby's Tribeca: 120 Hudson St. New York, NY 10013 - 212-219-0666
Tribeca neighborhood staple. Family friendly. Bomb brunch. Order the market omelet, huevos rancheros, homemade pie, good & evil cocktail.

GROOVY

I am a big music gal. The only reason I look forward to Monday mornings is because I know I will have a new Case of the Monday's playlist in my inbox before 9am-- subscribe here if you haven't already. #headphonemondays

One of my goals for 2016 is to get out and see more live concerts. From Barclays to City Winery to Brooklyn Bowl to Manhattan Proper NYC is filled with opportunities to see live shows and explore new venues and I plan on doing that moving forward. Enter: SoFar Sounds.  

SoFar Sounds is a company that creates small concerts in intimate spaces around the world. Both the venue of the concert and acts performing are a surprise until the day before you go. Locations are usually private homes or businesses and nights typically feature three acts of equal importance. I went to my first show last week at Public Factory (which is a men's retail store during the day) and saw Gymnast Band, Lil Freckles, and Jagged-Edge perform. We had a great time and I highly recommend checking it out with a group of friends to change up your typical happy hour// dinner routine.
xo

OUT WITH THE OLD

Happy Monday and more importantly-- Happy SPRING! 

Cheers to an extra hour of daylight, chambray outfits, and of course CADBURY EGGS. 

I spent the weekend vegging out (such a treat!!!!!) and actually went through my closet between episodes of Scandal and trips to my favorite cafe Mulberry and Vine for some #springcleaning. 

I combed through my closet asking myself if I had worn this item within the last year and if I would wear it on a first date or interview, if the answer was no the item was tossed. At the end of the day, I netted out with three full garbage bags of clothes and brought them to Second Time Around in Chelsea where they will pay me for the items that sell and donate the rest. Making money AND being charitable. WIN WIN. 

Now that I have all that new money coming in, I feel less guilty about checking out the Joie Friends & Family sale....... ENDS TODAY!!!! 

Getting Loose at the Moose!

I don't know about you but this week has been dragging on my end... and its only Tuesday. Woof.

To powder through, I have been day dreaming about my recent trip out to Jackson Hole. This was my first time visiting the rustic cowboy town and I now understand why many refer to it as "The Big One". After only a few runs, I noticed a difference in the difficulty of the terrain on the mountain (90% of the trails are labeled Expert or Intermediate) and in level of skiers on that come to Jackson. These people are not messing around and this mountain should be on every expert skiers bucket list. In terms of après-ski the Mangy Moose is a crowd favorite and must after a long day on the slopes.

Downtown Jackson also has a lot to offer from shopping to fitness to spa services. If you want to do a day trip, Yellowstone National Park is only about two hours away by car and promises incredible views. As far as restaurants, I highly recommend having lunch with the locals at Sweetwater and Nora's Fish Creek Inn and saving one night for a fancier dinner at Snake River Grill. In terms of nightlife the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar cannot be skipped. 

Thank you Jackson, I will be back!

Don't Cry for Me Argentina

In the spirit of #ThrowBackThursday I wanted to finally give you some highlights of my trip to Argentina this past Christmas.We spent 13 days in Argentina and kicked of the vacation in Buenos Aires. 

Buenos Aires is capital of Argentina and known by many for its world class tango dancing, juicy steak, and delicious Malbec-- while we were only there for 48 hours we somehow managed to try all three. And YES, they are worth the hype. 

We spent our days exploring the tree-lined avenues, French buildings, small cafes, and the famous La Recoleta Cemetery. On Christmas Eve we went to an authentic tango dinner show at Gala Tango which was arguably the best night of my Mom's life #dancingqueen. 

While our visit was brief, I now understand why Buenos Aires is viewed as the Paris of the South and would add it to your travel bucket list.
¡Adiós! 

QUALITY TIME

Happy February and Happy Valentines Day week to all you lovers out there! I am headed to SF for the long weekend to visit my best friend and cannot WAIT! #galentines 

In the spirit of the season, I wanted to share a quiz that helps you discover your "love language". I know what your thinking...... Molly SPARE me! BUT, we all show and receive love in different ways and doing this quiz will help you understand what you want//need from a partner and how you show your love in return. 

After taking the quiz I realized that my love language is quality time....  had I known this a long time ago I may have thought twice before being in a long distance relationship. Take the quiz and find out what works best for YOU!

The 5 Languages of Love are pretty straightforward and outlined below. 

• 1. Words of Affirmation: Expressing affection through spoken affection, praise, or appreciation.
• 2. Acts of Service: Actions, rather than words, are used to show and receive love.
• 3. Receiving Gifts: Gifting is symbolic of love and affection.
• 4. Quality Time: Expressing affection with undivided, undistracted attention.
• 5. Physical Touch: It can be sex or holding hands. With this love language, the speaker feels affection through physical touch.

Call me Betty Crocker

Congratulations we made it through the first two weeks of 2016. And more importantly, we made it to a long weekend. Raise the ROOF!!!!!!!

One of my goals for Q1 was to cook//bake//do something beyond use a microwave or toaster once a week. My sister recommended I try her Paleo Banana Bread recipe because 1) I am Celiac and 2) it is tough for me to find gluten free baked goods that do not taste dense or gummy. 

Lets just say this is a game changer. If you are into soft, spongy goodness RUN don't walk to your oven to give this a shot.

Paleo Banana Bread
Ingredients
-3/4 teaspoon baking soda
-3/4 teaspoon baking powder
-1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
-1 teaspoon cinnamon
-3/4 cup almond flour
-1/14 cup coconut flour
-2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
-2 large eggs
-3 ripe medium bananas
-1/4 cup maple syrup
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
-Preheat oven 350 degrees and prepare 9x5 loaf pan
-In a medium bowl, whisk together baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and flours.
-In a separate bowl, mix coconut oil, eggs, banana, maple syrup, vanilla
-Mix bowls
-Pour batter into pan and bake 45-55 minutes