NYC Eats: Gemma at the Bowery Hotel

Nestled on the corner of Bowery and 3rd street, Gemma is the quaint restaurant connected to The Bowery Hotel.  With delicious food and a warm, rustic feel it was the perfect place to have brunch with some of my Pi Phi family.  Meeting on a cold and rainy New York morning, I was immediately impressed with the location.  Candles and white painted brick stand in contrast to the dark wooden bar and exposed ceiling beams.  Interesting light fixtures and mix-matched plates brought out the contemporary hipster feel that the Lower East Side favors.  

Not only was the food delicious, but it was also reasonably priced.  As a college student, I am always excited to find places with food that feels indulgent - without breaking the bank.  I ordered the baked eggs, avocado, and prosciutto, a meal served in a skillet, the three items were cooked in a yummy tomato sauce that was great on toast too.  Our table ordered the pastry basket to share, a little treat to ourselves on the rainy Saturday morning.  Delicious, warm buttery and chocolate infused croissants, sweet muffins, and other mouth-watering carbs were piled into the basket.  I was impressed by everything I tried and we all left the restaurant full and happy.  I can't think of anything better than being with good friends and sharing good food.  I loved having brunch at Gemma and I am excited to go back sometime soon! 

♥ Caro

College Football

Tailgating: the act of drinking beer and hovering over Chick-Fil-A nugget trays in a parking lot before a sporting event. Often in the South they can become lavish with oversized tents, large tables of food, televisions hooked up to generators, and a line of fresh burgers on the grill. 

A way to socialize before the game begins.

I grew up attending college football games at Clemson University.  My father went to school there and is a die-hard Tigers fan.  Every year during the season we would spend Saturdays in Clemson attending home games, tailgating and cheering from the stands. College football is a way of life and many people live for these games and enjoy every second – for a good reason.  There is a great sense of community that comes from these events.  Coming home for fall break I knew exactly where in the airport to find my gate because half the plane had Clemson gear on! I love my school and going to college in New York City is amazing, but I do have to say, when I am home for fall break and go to a Clemson game, part of me wishes I had the football weekends too.  The games are always exciting and you see everyone you know just by walking around.

{Every game begins with the team running onto the field!}

I am lucky to have friends at “real schools” so I can experience sporting events and tailgating too! My family still goes to the football games every Saturday and I get phone calls and snap chats about the people who stop by or the latest dish served. I feel like I have been able to have the best of both worlds.  My school has no football team (when you’re campus is New York City it’s a bit hard) and most of the people I meet here are from places where college football isn’t anything special.  Coming from the South where college football is everything, it’s a strange adjustment – you suddenly discover you have so much free time on Saturdays!  I experienced college football for 17 years of my life, now I am able to come back for breaks to get the student experience, visiting friends in school. It was great to be home for the break, tailgate and enjoy the game on Saturday.  I wouldn’t trade my own college experience in the city for anything – but you better believe I still cheer on my Tigers every Saturday in NYC!

♥ Caro

Farmer's Market Fun

Saturday (after brunch, of course) I went to the Union Square Farmer’s Market.  I love this farmer’s market because it feels like a little taste of home in the big city.  All of the tents are set up and the stands are full of fresh fruits and veggies – everything smells amazing! This weekend was especially nice because the sections were full of beautiful fall flowers and giant, bright pumpkins!  The weather on Saturday was beautiful, clear blue skies and a nice warm breeze.  I had so much fun browsing the different stands, picking out the best produce with my friend (and Big sister) Laura. She got a lot of great locally grown things, including homemade applesauce I can’t wait to try! I took some pictures while I was there (at Laura’s request – you can thank her for this post!) I figured I would share them with you.  If you are ever in the city and around Union Square on the weekend definitely check out this great market, even if you aren’t planning to buy anything, it is still a fun experience. 

{Casually looking for the perfect pumpkin}

{Union Square}

{Beautiful fall flowers}

{So many peppers}

{Grow your own peppers - caution, HOT}

{Fall Decorations}

{SO excited Fall is here! Happy pumpkin picking!}

♥ Caro