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!

stay-cation continued: nothing better than chocolate and sandwiches

Joe's amazing sandwich at the Meatball Shop: balls, pesto and provolone

Here is the last installment of photos from Joe and my weekend. Saturday we spent in the Lower East Side, wandering in and out of all the incredibly hip clothing stores, and stopping in the amazing Economy Candy. We had dinner at the Meatball Shop with my cousin Jeremy and his roommate Jon, which as usual, was delicious.

cannolis cannolis cannolis

Nutella filled cannolis!

Vegan treat study break

As you can probably tell, I've been updating a heck of a lot less than usual, as I've been busy working on final papers, looking into classes for the summer, and preparing for next semester. I am SO looking forward to my pretty much 1 month vacation. During that time, I probably won't be updating, but you can definitely expect to hear from me in February.

Last night, I took a break from work and went with my friend Caroline to Babycakes, with is an dairy-free, soy-free, gluten-free, processed sugar-free bakery! I'm a little skeptical about vegan deserts but I had many people rave about it to me so I knew I had to try it.

babycakes is located on the LES and is super adorable

Long weekend adventures

I'm starting to really like it here. That doesn't mean I'm totally comfortable or that I don't go running back to my room sometimes to watch the Sopranos and shut out the noise and chaos of the city, but goddamn this place is amazing.

On Saturday I woke up and went to the Union Square farmers market. There is so much amazing produce it blew my mind, and it happens 3 times a week, five minutes from my house.

Herb and tea man. Purchased small bag of Zatar spice mix.

About as congested as the Halifax farmers market