New York City Summer 2025 Travel Log: Day 3 — Lox Bagel at Tompkins Square Bagels

A little breakfast at Tompkins Square Bagels before leaving for the airport:

Lox and cream cheese bagel

Did you think I'd leave NYC without having a lox bagel? (The answer is no. Always no. I'm a proud Canadian, but New York bagels beat Montreal bagels every time. Yes, I said it. Sorry, not sorry.)

Fair warning, though — Tompkins Square Bagels is one of the most popular bagel chains in NYC, so there is ALWAYS a line-up, especially on the weekend. The location we went to on the Upper East Side consistently had a line-up for all the days we were there, from morning to close. When we got there for breakfast on this Sunday morning around 9:30AM, there were 50 orders ahead of us. Still, the bagels are so fucking good, it's totally worth the wait.

Tompkins Square Bagels

1159 3rd Ave.

New York, NY 10065

(212) 203-4862

New York City Summer 2025 Travel Log: Day 2 — Green Papaya Salad, THEP Platter, Chicken Massaman Curry, and Khao Pad Sapparod at THEP Thai Restaurant

It has been a long time since either my mom or I had authentic Thai food, so when my brother gave us several suggestions for dinner, we ended up choosing THEP:

Green Papaya Salad: Shredded green papaya, tomatoes, string beans, and peanuts tossed in a Thai spicy lime dressing
THEP Platter: Crab rangoons, spring rolls, chive pancakes, fried chicken dumplings, and fried shrimp dumplings
Chicken Massaman Curry: Rich coconut Massaman curry with bone-in chicken, avocado, sweet potatoes, onions, peanuts, and fried shallots
Khao Pad Sapparod: Shrimp pineapple fried jasmine rice with egg, onions, scallions, tomatoes, carrots, curry powder, and roasted cashews 

Though I do wish we were able to get a table inside the restaurant (it's Saturday night and we didn't have a reservation so they only had one table left on their outdoor patio) because it was getting kinda cold and our table was slanted (a few utensils may have dropped to the floor), the food itself was incredible, especially the Massaman curry, which was rich, flavourful, and sweet, with huge pieces of juicy, tender chicken (apparently, bone-in chicken is the authentic way) and big chunks of sweet potato. I'd never had avocado in a curry before, but it lends a smooth earthiness and different textural component to it. The green papaya salad also makes for an amazing palate cleanser between all the rich, savoury dishes.

Our server was really nice and almost scarily efficient — as she was speeding by, she replaced our jug of water before we even realized it was empty, and sped by again with new cutlery literally 20 seconds after my mom dropped her spoon. Also, as far as I could see, everyone who works there is also Thai (or at least spoke Thai to each other), which is always a good sign for authenticity at a Thai restaurant. Definitely recommend if you're looking for an incredible Thai meal in NYC!

THEP Thai Restaurant

1439 2nd Ave.

New York, NY 10021

(212) 899-9995

New York City Summer 2025 Travel Log: Day 2 — A Ride on the Roosevelt Island Tramway

Aside from never having visited Central Park Zoo in the last 30+ times I've been to NYC, I also had never been to Roosevelt Island. My brother thought it'd be nice to spend the afternoon just roaming around and enjoying the nice weather with a bit of different scenery than the regular hustle and bustle of Manhattan, so he took us on a little trip to Roosevelt Island via the Roosevelt Island Tramway:

Queensboro Bridge
Roosevelt Island Tramway
Roosevelt Island Tramway
East River
Queensboro Bridge
View of Queensboro Bridge from Roosevelt Island
View of Queensboro Bridge and East River from Roosevelt Island

To be honest, there's not much to do on Roosevelt Island because it's mostly residential, but the weather was amazing — not too hot, sunny with a lovely breeze — and the views of Queensboro Bridge and the East River are spectacular, so we took a long stroll around, went down their main retail street, and stopped for some drinks at a cute little cafe called Cafe Aviva (where I had a most delicious iced matcha) before heading back on the tram to Manhattan. It does cost a single MTA fare to go on the tram one-way, but I thought it was worth $5.50 to visit an area of NYC that isn't crowded, dirty, or touristy.

And including our stroll through Central Park, we walked over 30,000 steps! Surely, that's enough exercise for the week.

Roosevelt Island Tramway

254 E 60th St.

New York, NY 10022

(212) 832-4555

Cafe Aviva

559 Main St.

New York, NY 10044

New York City Summer 2025 Travel Log: Day 2 — Guacamole con Totopos, Corn Esquites, and Tacos at Tacombi

After walking 10,000 steps through Central Park, it was time for lunch. So my brother suggested Tacombi, one of his go-to places for Mexican and is super kid- and stroller-friendly. (In fact, there was a 5-year-old's birthday party being held a few tables down from us.) They've designed the place to look like a Mexican street eatery with square fold out tables, metal chairs, concrete floors, and a big open kitchen, where everyone cooking is actually Mexican — always a good sign for authentic Mexican food.

Guacamole con Totopos
Corn Esquites
Beef Birria Taco
Sinaloa Shrimp Taco
Baja Crispy Fish Taco

This meal did not disappoint. It was everything I hoped it would be, but especially that birria taco, which is by far the best I've ever had. Like, I will dream of that taco for years to come. Frankly, my only regret is that I didn't order another one.

Tacombi

202 E 70th St.

New York, NY 10021

(646) 726-4302

New York City Summer 2025 Travel Log: Day 2 — A Stroll Through Central Park

We already visited Central Park Zoo, but it was such a nice day today — a perfect 23°C, sunny with a light breeze — that it would've been churlish not to take a walk through Central Park.

Central Park
Central Park Mall
Central Park Mall
Naumburg Bandshell
Bethesda Terrace Grand Staircase
Bethesda Terrace
Bethesda Fountain — Angel of the Waters Statue
Conservatory Water
Conservatory Water
Alice in Wonderland Sculpture by Jose de Creeft

This might just be the best free thing to do in NYC.

The Mall

Central Park

New York, NY 10022

(212) 310-6600

Naumburg Bandshell

Central Park

Terrace Dr. Near W 72nd St.

New York, NY 10019

(212) 501-7809

Bethesda Terrace and Fountain

Central Park

New York, NY 10024

(212) 310-6600

Conservatory Water

Central Park

E 72nd St.

New York, NY 10021

(917) 522-0054

Alice in Wonderland Sculpture

Central Park

E 74th St.

New York, NY 10021

(212) 310-6600

New York City Summer 2025 Travel Log: Day 2 — Exploring Central Park Zoo

Having a 21-month-old nephew who is fascinated by animals gave us a great reason to visit Central Park Zoo, which I had never been to before despite having been to NYC at least 30 times. So, we spent the morning exploring the flora and fauna:

Scarlet Macaw
Toco Toucan
Victoria Crowned Pigeon
Australian Ringneck
Plush-Crested Jay
Tricolored Heron
Banded Mongoose
Gila Monster
Bolivian Gray Titi Monkey
Black and White Ruffed Lemur
Japanese Macaque
Patagonian Mara
Emperor Goose
Mandarin Duck
Hydrangeas
Begonia Grandis
Canna Indica
Hydrangeas

As someone who doesn't particularly like spending time in nature, I hadn't felt the need to go to a zoo in over three decades and somehow forgot just how fascinating wild animals are. Kinda disappointed that we didn't get to see the leopards or bears or red pandas (toddlers get fussy REAL FAST and it was getting to nap time), but it does give me more reason to visit again. Of course, leave it to me to spend more time in nature in New York City of all places when I live in Canada…

Central Park Zoo

Central Park

830 5th Ave.

New York, NY 10021

(212) 436-6500

New York City Summer 2025 Travel Log: Day 2 — Ham and Gruyère Croissant, Mushroom and Spinach Quiche, and Almond Croissant at Julien Boulangerie

Nothing like starting the day with a fresh cup of coffee and some delectably delicious (or délicieusement délicieux, if you will) French pastries at Julien Boulangerie:

Croissant au jambon et gruyère + quiche aux champignons et épinards
Croissant aux amandes

SO. FREAKING. GOOD. As it turns out, 9:00AM on a Saturday morning is the most ideal time to come here, especially if you have a toddler in a stroller — there was a line-up for take-out, but we otherwise had the whole cafe area to ourselves. (I guess there is some truth to "the early bird gets the worm.") And the best part of eating at a bakery? Being able to get a dessert pastry to follow up your appetizer and main course pastries. 

Julien Boulangerie

1247 3rd Ave.

New York, NY 10021

(212) 401-1200

New York City Summer 2025 Travel Log: Day 1 — New York Pizza with Sausage, Roasted Peppers, Mushrooms, and Basil From Patsy's Pizzeria

We spent the rest of the afternoon spending time with my brother and playing with my nephew, and we were so exhausted that we decided just to order delivery to my brother's apartment for dinner. When he asked what we wanted to eat, I immediately said, "PIZZA!" Because what's a trip to NYC without getting New York pizza?

Pizza with sausage, roasted peppers, mushrooms, and basil

So we ordered from Patsy's, one of his go-to pizzerias. (Coincidentally, I went to the location in Brooklyn back in March and was obsessed.) Now, our mother, the blasphemer that she is, does not like pepperoni. So we settled for sausage instead, and then added roasted peppers, mushrooms, and some basil for aroma. And while it does not look pretty (it may be one of the least photogenic pizzas I've ever seen, to be honest), it was absolutely DELICIOUS. And the toppings were APLENTY. I was kind of surprised by the amount of toppings, if I'm honest — the crust could barely hold on to everything — but when folded in half, it still had the perfect droop. 

Patsy's Pizzeria

1279 1st Ave.

New York, NY 10065

(212) 639-1000

New York City Summer 2025 Travel Log: Day 1 — Julienne Salad, Mac & Cheese, and B.L.A.T. Sandwich with Rosemary Fries at Festivál Cafe

Greetings from NYC! This time, I am not here for a concert or anything BTS-related. (Shocking, I know.) I'm actually here with my mom for the weekend to visit my brother and his family before my sis-in-law gives birth to my soon-to-be niece. Of course, any visit with my brother means good food, and we started off with a bang at Festivál Cafe, which is apparently NYC's "only farm-to-bar cafe." I don't really know what that means, but we had a fabulous time.

Julienne Salad: Shredded kale, apple, pecan praline, roasted squash, pomegranate, herb goat cheese, and red wine vinaigrette
Festivál Mac & Cheese
Festivál focuses on seasonal farm-to-table menus, so they're still serving their summer offerings right now. We started off with the Julienne Salad and the Festivál Mac & Cheese to share. The salad was phenomenal, super-fresh with the most incredible flavours and textures: crisp kale with tart apples and pomegranate seeds, sweet caramelized pecans, earthy roasted squash, and tangy goat cheese, all tossed with red wine vinaigrette. It's the type of salad where every bite is different but totally delicious, and I could honestly eat this everyday. The Mac & Cheese was decent with perfectly cooked noodles, a creamy cheese sauce, and a breadcrumb topping, but it is pretty one-note and could benefit from more salt and seasoning to keep it interesting. As it is, it's nothing to write home about.

Festivál B.L.A.T.: North Country bacon, local lettuce, beefsteak tomato, red onion, avocado, and herb aioli on a toasted baguette served with rosemary fries

For our mains, my mom, sis-in-law, and I all ordered the Festivál B.L.A.T. — basically, a BLT with avocado. It just sounded too good to resist, especially on a hot day like today, and I was right. It was excellent. The bacon was thick, crunchy, and beautifully cured, the lettuce and tomato were ultra-fresh and crisp, the red onion added a nice sharp bite, and the avocado added the perfect amount of creaminess to balance out all the crunch. The sandwich was served with the some of the most amazing fries, too — seasoned perfectly with rosemary sea salt, and had the most exquisite crispy exterior while keeping really soft and fluffy on the inside. I suspect that they're double-fried, maybe even triple-fried, because regular fries just don't retain this kind of texture. Simply put, they are noteworthy fries.

Anyway, this was an amazing lunch. Would highly recommend visiting if you're in the Upper East Side, especially around 2:00PM on a weekday, when it's not busy and you can truly enjoy the calm, cozy atmosphere and lovely service.

Festivál Cafe

1155 2nd Ave.

New York, NY 10065

(646) 398-9686