Metropolis Café | South End

Metropolis is a cozy bistro nestled in the heart of the South End. It has been a neighborhood mainstay for over 20 years. The vibe is casual and relaxed while the dimly lit space with comfy booths and window nooks sets the scene for a romantic occasion! 

Creative Mediterranean comfort food shines at Metropolis. We were really pleased with our meals. 

Rainbow Trout - stuffed with confit fennel, wilted spinach, preserved lemon + salsa verde

Beetroot + Pear Salad - roasted red beets, Bartlett pear, shaved fennel, Roquefort cheese, toasted hazelnuts, sherry vinaigrette

Veal Scallopini - free range cutlets sauteed with capers, brown butter + cauliflower leek gratin 

Lemon Mousse Tart - raspberries + shaved coconut

Coffee Crème Brulee - with flourless oatmeal chocolate chip cookie

On this evening we were celebrating Valentine's Day! And a super pregnant one at that. We are sooo excited to meet this baby!!

Metropolis Café

548 Tremont St

Boston, MA 02118

NYC Babymoon

A peek into our New York City babymoon getaway the weekend before Christmas, where we stayed in a cozy Airbnb on West 10th Street with the prettiest aqua door. The West Village is infinitely charming by way of cobblestone streets, historic Federal style townhouses, underground jazz clubs, trendy bars and fantastic restaurants. Below, two of my favorite neighborhood meals. 

Barbuto (775 Washington Street) embodies the West Village's casual sophistication and cool neighborhood vibe. The elevated Italian comfort food is very good. We ate: insalata burrata ($16) red and green pears, walnut, oregano / pappardelle con bolognese ($26) veal and pork ragu, tomato, parmesan / gnocchi stagionale ($24) delicata squash, spinach, sage & hazelnut / crostata ($14) Bartlett pear & vanilla gelato / tiramisu ($11) ladyfingers, mascarpone & cocoa. 

Barbuto does not take reservations - which actually helped our cause as I hit so many dead ends with popular West Village spots. [Emphasis on popular, I simply researched who had the best reviews. I was booking a week in advance, in actuality you need about a month or two.] If you head to this chic Italian eatery I'd prepare to wait at the bar for 30 minutes until a cozy table for two opens up - preferably alongside the industrial garage doors to soak in the atmosphere both inside and out. 

Jeffrey's Grocery (172 Waverly Place) is a West Village restaurant and oyster bar with a stellar weekend brunch. As large windows bathe the understated nautical kisch in a serene Sunday morning light, I am once again enraptured by this neighborhood, reflecting on her endless eateries, bars and coffee shops tucked perfectly into every other street corner. We ate: Spinach-Artichoke Benedict ($20) poached eggs, hollandaise and home fries / Fried Egg Sandwich ($18) wilted spinach, gruyere, pickled peppers, english muffin, fries and lettuces. It was quite possibly one of the best egg sandwiches I have had in recent memory.  P.S. They've got a really good looking bloody mary menu; not to mention dinner, cocktail and late night menus; I wouldn't hesitate to check out Jeffery's at any point in your West Village stay.

We walked around a lot, seeing the traditional holiday touristy things; the tree at Rockefeller Center, the Macys windowfronts, Paddy Maguire's Ale House, the Flatiron building as we passed by. We met friends in Columbus Circle for drinks at Ascent Lounge on the 4th floor of the Time Warner Center. The elegant space was matched with gorgeous views of the circle and park, plus friendly bartenders who served Bob a perfect Manhattan. 

Of course there is quite a bit more to share before our departure from Grand Central. Stay tuned. 

Distrito Federal y Dia de Los Muertos

Dia de los Muertos - Day of the Dead - is a Mexican holiday celebrated on November 1st and 2nd that honors the dead with festivals, colorful altars, flowers, foods, drinks, and activities the deceased enjoyed in life. The symbolic Day of the Dead calacas and calaveras - skeletons and skulls appear throughout the celebrations, most notoriously as painted faces. As you can see, we fully embraced this holiday. In the cities grand and sprawling Chapultepec Park we found a lively stall of face painters. Simply walking around with these fun faces elicited waves and cheers from locals and inquiring questions from like minded travelers!

We purchased Pan de Muertos (Dead Bread) and the symbolic yellow marigolds. We visited the Panteón Francés de la Piedad ("French Cemetery of the Mercy") in Colonia Buenos Aires neighborhood and left these items on the graves as our celebratory offering. Pan de Muertos is delicious by the way - a yeasty sweet egg bread flavored with anise and dusted in sugar, it is only made in the weeks leading up to Day of the Dead.

I should also mention, Day of the Dead is not entirely how it's depicted in the opening scene of James Bond Spectre as one might assume. The movie actually inspired Mexico City to host a parade for the first time this year (which we did not attend since it took place on Saturday 11/29 before we arrived.) A typical celebration sees families, friends and young children dressed up and out and about, making for lively streets and neighborhoods. The altars we happened upon along Avenue Alvaro Obregon in Roma Norte and then of course the main scene of altars in Zocalo Square depict the very festive parts of the city.

As a lot of our time was Day of the Dead (and eating and drinking) focused, there were a number of museums and places we didn't explore (Frida Kahlo's House, Louis Barragan Houses) that I would have liked to. I also had to keep reminding myself that Mexico City is the LARGEST city in the Western Hemisphere and with that, there is no way to check everything off a city bucket list in one visit! 

It was wonderful and fulfilling and mesmerizing as we strolled around and spent time in the unique neighborhoods - from the historic El Centro to the hip La Condesa/ Hipodromo and posh Roma/Roma Norte, to gritty Buenos Aires and fancy Polanco. There's a number of gorgeous parks to visit as well - Chapultepec, Alameda Central and Parque Mexico. The must see landmarks in Centro Historico off Zocalo Square include the grand Catedral Metroplitana, the National Palace and Templo Mayor. Very close by are Palacio De Correos/Correo Mayor and Palacio de Bellas Artes, all examples of stunning architecture that you'll want to check out if you visit!

Next I'll tell you about all the incredible meals - where to have the best dinner in Polanco, the best brunch in Roma Norte, where to discover a hidden Mezcal Bar in El Centro, and a secret cocktail bar in Hipodromo. Stay Tuned!