Michelle's super-awesome NYC guide!

So here it is: my NYC guide, and let me tell you - it was fun! Going through all my favourite places in the city has felt like a really fantastic summation of the last two years, and all the places that filled my heart with joy.

What you won't find on this list: tourist traps,  Subway sandwiches franchise locations, or reputable bus tours.

What you will find on this list: great cafes, bars, restaurants and favourite hang outs, organized loosely by neighborhood, followed by a short list of my preferred non-annoying NYC tourist sites.

I will update this list if something I forgot about (which is inevitable) pops back into my head, but please leave a comment if you want a specific recommendation. I will not pretend to be an expert on NYC dining, especially not when it comes to the upper east and upper west sides, but if you follow some of these recommendations I can promise you'll get a great taste of the city, its all its weird, amazing dimensions.

So click ahead for the guide!

j+m september adventures: noodles, art, tunes and cannolis

First off, this week was fantastic, with news that I would be starting an internship at a really exciting musical organization, and my first meeting with my thesis adviser. The ball is definitely rolling. Also, I got picked up by a street style blogger for this East Village Blog, put out by NYU and the NY Times. It was hilarious, fun, and definitely a bit awkward. Check it out here.

This weekend was Joe's first visit of the school year, and we did not hold back! Food, art, musical adventures abounded. Here is the first installment of weekend pics etc. Joe got in late Thursday night, so Friday morning we hit the Whitney Museum, which houses a nice, often changing collection of American modern and contemporary art. We followed up the Whitney with a nice walk in Central Park before running home to get ready for our dinner at Momofuku Noodle Bar. I have discovered the trick to eating at restaurants on weekends that are overwhelmingly popular with New Yorkers: eat early. Getting there before 7 meant we were seated immediately, which definitely took me by surprise. If anything was to discribe my Noodle Bar experience it would be "porky". Pork buns followed by the Momofuku Ramen, which represents all manner of pig products. By far the most interesting part of the meal was Chang's signature bacon dashi in the Ramen broth, which lends it an incredibly smokey flavor. Overall, the meal was excellent and the staff incredibly attentive, although I found, like many people, the pork buns to be overwhelmingly fatty. Still prefer Ippudos buns! But overall, a lovely culinary experience. We finished that night with some friends celebrating a buddy's birthday party uptown. A lovely day.

Very New York Cookies

Munching on snacks outside the Whitney

Central Park