drinks

The Whipped Coffee Trend

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Dalgona, also referred to as “whipped coffee” is the latest trend to take over the coffee world amid people missing their Starbucks coffee routine. People are whipping up this caffeinated creation during their extra time at home during quarantine.

The light and airy coffee drink from South Korea has gone viral on social media. It’s pretty, it’s simple to make, it’s delicious and it provides us with memories of our days sipping lattes at the coffee shop.

It’s made of layers of whipped coffee cream and iced milk. It comes together in a flash with minimal ingredients and equipment, and almost makes up for the routine we all miss so much.

Ingredients:

  1. 2 TBSP Instant Coffee (Yes, it has to be instant)
  2. 2 TBSP Boiling Water
  3. 2 TBSP Sugar (Any sugar will work fine)

NOTES: It has to be Instant Coffee because using just any other coffee will not whip. Although, next time you make a regular coffee, blend it and it will change the consistency and flavor to a less bitter taste. It just won’t whip like instant coffee.

Directions:

  1. Combine all ingredients and WHISK away. You can use a hand mixer too. Whisk until coffee is golden brown and frothy.
  2. Fill your glass with milk and ice first. Preferably a clear glass to admire the beauty.
  3. Pour the whipped coffee ontop of the milk and violá!

Notes: Any milk will work. Even non-dairy! The whipped coffee will keep it’s shape and not melt into the milk. Scouts honor.

How to enhance your coffee even more – Add vanilla to your whipped coffee and top with cocoa nibs or chocolate chips. We suggest adding extra sugar to the instant coffee to help with the bitterness.

You can also enhance your milk too – Use ice cream or yogurt. We used a non-dairy milk and blended it with coconut and dates. We think the milk part tasted even better than the coffee.

NYC in Winter

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The Christmas music has stopped playing. Decorations have been taken down. NYC has become pretty darn gloomy.

We have a great hotspot to not only enjoy NYC in winter but to actually be able to tolerate Times Square. Head over to 42nd street for a rooftop with the best view of Times Square at The Knickerbockers rooftop – St. Cloud.

Sit inside by the faux fireplace or head outside to sit in their sky pods.

The Best Bar to Visit during Christmas – ROLF’S NYC

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Visiting NYC during the Holiday season? Be sure to stop by Rolf’s, a German restaurant and bar decorated to make you feel like you’re inside the Rockefeller Christmas tree. This little restaurant gives new meaning to “Deck the Halls.”

If you want to enjoy a German feast for dinner make sure to have a reservation as this is the busy season for ROLF’s and it can get very crowded. If you’ve been eating your way through NYC and just want to check out the decorations, find a seat at the bar and enjoy an amazing holiday themed cocktail.

Tea Time

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Afternoon Tea in England: The most quintessential of English customs, Afternoon Tea in England is a light meal composed of three courses – tea sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam, and sweet pastries. Can also be referred to as High Tea.

Tea in America: The luxe three-tier affair, involving savories, scones, sweets, and of course tea. This can be a serious business in New York City, with a huge range of additions including salads, sandwiches and pastries.

High Tea in Scotland: In Scotland, high tea takes on further differentiation. A Scottish high tea is not unlike an afternoon tea but will include some hot food, such as a cheese on toast or other savory goodies.

Pictured Left to Right: England, America, Scotland.

TIFFANY’S THE BLUE BOX CAFE – NYC

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Afternoon tea at the most lux spot in NYC, where you can sit and snack on croissants while paying homage to Audrey Hepburn’s iconic character in the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

The Blue Box Cafe at their New York flagship store on Fifth Avenue opened in 2017 but the hype continues as it is near impossible to get a reservation. Read our blog post for tips on how to get an almost impossible reservation at this cute cafe.

Boozy Tea – London

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Here’s a modern twist on the  classic afternoon tea, a happy hour with tea-infused cocktails located at the Blind Spot Bar in St. Martins Lane Hotel in London. You can enjoy savory and sweet delights served as art, rather than on a typical 3 tier serving platter. A flight of tea infused drinks using the most exotic tea leaves. And yes, at this boutique hotel you will have to find the hidden door to get to this speakeasy tea.

Another boozy tea infused drink menu can be found at Sketch in London. Their tea room that gives ‘Alice in Wonderland’ vibes is perfect for afternoon tea, but enjoy their boozy tea drinks served in bone china at the bar.

It’s SPRITZ Season!

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Read up on some history and the development of Aperol Spritz…

And where to get a perfect spritz in NYC and Austin…

Aperol with a twist: Get a Frozen Aperol Spritz at Maritime Hotel in NYC or a Fluffy Garibaldi at Uncle Nicky’s in Austin, made with frozen Campari and fluffy orange juice.

New Brunch Spot: Arlo Grey

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Top Chef Winner, Kristen Kish opens Austin’s newest restaurant, Arlo Grey located in Downtown Austin in The Line Hotel. Initially opened for dinner now has brunch.

Super trendy vibe and chic decor at Arlo Grey. Great place for brunch with the tribe and to get some great instagram pics.

It’s not brunch unless there’s alcohol and Arlo Grey serves a Bloody Mary we haven’t seen anywhere else. You become the bartender as it’s a DIY Bloody Mary. We scratched our heads over this but gave it a thumbs up since it’s tasty and specifically made for instagram.

They serve simple morning breakfast items like eggs and bacon and classic drinks at the bar such as an Old Fashioned. As well as delicious items you don’t see on many menus like their chickpea fries or a burger salad.

Tip: Get a great photo op in the bathroom.

  • (The Bathroom)

TREND ALERT: Sgroppino is the new Aperol Spritz.

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We’re calling it now! Sgroppino is the next IT drink for brunching. Bellini’s, Mimosa’s and Frosé all had a good run. Aperol is amazing but it too will have its end. Sgroppino is the next thing and you heard it here first. 

We’re so sure of this because we are brunch connoiseurs. We’re as basic as it comes – We watch the bachelor, we keep up with the Kardashians, we love avocado toast, drink Starbucks lattes, wear Uggs, we can’t even, and we brunch like it’s our job.

As professional brunchers aka acceptable day drinking for the fabulous – a chic alcoholic beverage is essential. It started with a Mimosa but has since then expanded. There was the Rosé era turned into Frosé. More recently the Aperol spritz has hit the brunch scene. Aperol came from Italy and they’re bringing Sgroppino too. 

So what is Sgroppino? It’s simply lemon sorbet, Prosecco and vodka mixed together until it has a creamy texture. 

Any other variation is not a Sgroppino. It’s super smooth and creamy but there is not any dairy in this. It will be whisked together to get the proper texture and should not be blended. A scoop of sorbet or ice cream plopped in Prosecco can not be considered a Sgroppino either. That’s more of an Affogato style. 

Be on the lookout for this drink in the states this summer. Cheers! 

NYC Valentine’s Day Guide

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Single and celebrating Galentine’s Day? Deeply in love looking for a romantic evening? Or going on a Tinder date? We’ve got you covered! Everyone seems to scramble last minute to figure out plans for February 14th. Don’t break a sweat because we have some suggestions for you.

First off we’d like to address how Austinites seem to love this Hallmark holiday while the East Coast has a very cynical outlook on it. They’re just happy it falls on a Thursday this year so it doesn’t ruin their weekend. So to help out the New Yorkers on this pink and red, heart-shaped holiday, we have the fun, the romantic, and the trendy spots for you. 

NYC:

Museum of Sex – Let’s start with the fun/cheesy one. It’s a museum of inappropriateness and lots of giggles. Ummm… and they have a bar. You bet they have a Valentine’s Day special. It’s a bit steep at $105 per ticket and I can’t really justify it so maybe just buy the $20 general admission and go to Eataly after. Also, Shake Shack and Tacombi are nearby. 

Venchi – Your Willy Wonka Dreams have come true with the largest chocolate waterfall in North America. Newly opened and the hottest spot since the Nutella Cafe, this Italian sweet shop will wow you and give you diabetes all at the same time. Serving gelato, crepes, coffee and of course lots of chocolate. 

Winter Village – Want an activity? Head to Bryant Park for some ice skating. If you think ice skating is lame or you just don’t feel like face planting that evening, they have bumper cars for the rink. That’s right – bumper cars! They have tons of shops and food options as well – all instagram worthy. If you’re getting too cold in this polar vortex, go grab a warm seat at the enclosed bar called The Lodge. 

LROOM Cafe – Treat yo self with the finest latte – a 24k Gold Latte that is. It’s called the “Bling Bling Honey Latte” and it’s made with edible glitter and kicks golden milk made with turmeric to the curb. What started as a flower shop, has added a cafe with beautiful concoctions almost too pretty to eat (aka perfect for instagram.) They’ve created pastries, waffles and drinks made to  resemble floral arrangements. We recommend this place for the single ladies where you can get something better than flowers and jewelry – *edible* flowers and jewelry. 

1803NYC – This was added to the list because it’s NYC’s hottest restaurant right now. Newly open with a New Orleans’ vibe and a strong culinary scene that’s creating tons of buzz. Get more than dinner and drinks, stay for the live Jazz which is making a huge comeback these days appealing to younger crowds. 

PHD – A pop up roof top bar with an interesting acronym but actually stands for Penthouse at the Dream. We have a soft spot for The Dream. We’ve been going there since we looked old enough to be there. Now the Dream has a great new rooftop which you can never have enough in any city.