Melissa S.'s Profile

My friends and I rushed out with enthusiasm on a brisk Saturday morning in January to visit the Cooper-Hewitt Museum.  Alas, in our excitement, we inconveniently forgot to eat breakfast before hitting the exhibits.  Luckily, for us, there is The Cafe at Cooper-Hewitt Museum.  And what a jewel it is.

You walk through a sunny, windowed corridor with modern yet retro looking tables and chairs to find this little cafe, which is located downstairs in the southeast corner of the building.  Of course, the price of the food is to be expected, since they are well-aware that your blood sugar is low from taking in so much fabulous design history.  However, I had the most delicious vegetarian spinach-pita wrap, with balsamic vinaigrette, olive tampanada, portobello mushrooms, fresh leaves of spinach, red bell peppers, and hummus.  TO DIE FOR.  It was a large portion and I could hardly finish half, but I tucked the other half into my bag to eat later.

Yes, it's pricey, but if you want to eat food that tastes good, not just looks good, this place fits the bill.  If you're unwilling to pay museum prices, then stop in here for a chocolate-chunk cookie... an AMAZING buy and a quick pick-me-up, for less than a dollar!!!!!!!

The Shop at Cooper-Hewitt deserves recognition.  If you're looking for the perfect gift for a quirky, artsy friend or even a hard-to-shop-for hipster, you can find something unique here.  

Given the small space, there is a fairly vast selection of art and design books.  There is also a myriad of jewelry, watches, notecards, and other small, wonderous objects.  My personal favorite thing at the store is a travel-size, humidity-proof salt & pepper shaker by Swiss Army Supplies.    When my best friend's birthday rolls around next year, I think that's what I'll get her -- for some reason, it's just totally up her alley.

This is my favorite musuem in New York, because it is just so DOABLE.  I love to take friends from out of town here, partly because the quirky exhibits always win them over, but mainly because you really feel a nice sense of accomplishment when you are able to see everything in a musuem in only a matter of hours.  In the same vein, if you're looking to take a date to a museum, this is the place to go.  

The security guard told me that this building was the Rockefeller's mansion.  The building is gorgeous, both outside and inside, where it has been beautifully restored to its original, extravagant state.

Best of all, admission is only $10 with a student ID.

This place was a little hard to find, but was pretty nice as far as hookah bars go.  There was a giant flatscreen television hanging from one of the back walls, which was playing music videos ranging from what you would typically expect, like popular rap and hip-hop songs, to some of my favorite obscure European dance songs -- and if you know me, you will know that this won me over.

As far as the seating goes, it lived up to its name.

This takes the cake for the worst excuse for a dance club in New York.  Hands down, no contest.  Crowded, with dirty floors (it creeps me out when I'm trying to dance and my shoes keep sticking), and literally, the worst DJ in history.  Not even kidding.  I'm pretty forgiving when it comes to music at a club -- I don't even have to love the song, just give me a decent beat, I'll be all right.  I don't know what this guy was smoking up in his little turntable nook, but he was totally oblivious to the massive group of annoyed people below him who were to carry out a mutiny.  

In short?  Never again.

Granted, it may have been the company I was with that soured this place for me, but it's just nothing special.  Yes, the bartenders are pretty attentive, given the crowds.  But the mix of music is no better than what you would hear on some pop radio station.  And to top it off, the place has sort of a funky, musty smell that I just can't stand.

Also -- there is a poorly placed step near the entry way that nearly caused me to knock over the bouncer.  Okay, who am I kidding, I would have bounced off the bouncer (who proved, in my mind, that the gorilla is definitely one of our closer relatives), but it certainly didn't help him believe that we were sober enough to come into the bar... and we didn't even have a drink yet.

It's convenient if you happen to be down near 1st & 1st, but it's definitely nothing I would seek out.  The pizza is definitely not worth the price, and really, not worth anything at all.  My friend had the falafel, which was even more expensive than the pizza and not any better.

The bagels are good, BUT -- the tofu scallion cream cheese is to die for.  I know, I know, you probably don't want to hear about the soy alternative to cream cheese, but I made a non-vegan friend try it -- they actually preferred it over the regular cream cheese.  

The service can be slow and meandering, but I've never experienced rudeness.  The convenient location contributes to the fact I keep coming back, but in all honesty -- it's the tofu scallion cream cheese that I crave.

The sushi was not the best that I've had in the city, and certainly not the best for the price.  Alas, I came here on another person's dime, so I wasn't nearly as disappointed as I would have been had I spent my own cash -- but still, this restaurant, which is trendy and beautifully decorated on the inside, just did not deliver.

I came with a big group, and everybody's food was delivered at the same time -- except mine.  They told me it would be right out, and well, it wasn't.  About 20 minutes later, I saw a waiter carrying my food from table to table, trying to figure out who it belonged to... I know I could have gotten his attention, but it was amusing to watch him go to and from different patrons, trying to figure out where to deliver the food.

I didn't drink, but had a sip of one of the specialty martini that a friend ordered -- it did not impress.  Especially not at that price.

Grabbed a quick bite to eat here on a Sunday morning.  I had the regular pancakes, but I immediately regretted not ordering the banana pancakes -- I saw another patron eating them, and they looked delicious.  Even so, the pancakes were nice and fluffy.  I enjoyed the seasoned potatoes on the side, too.  The service was quick and easy.  I sat at the bar, which overlooks the griddles -- I always love being able to watch my food being cooked.