New York

What doesn’t New York City have? I’m not quite sure, but the “Big Apple” certainly has enough bakeries, candy shops, and worldly sweets to make your Halloween a truly cultural celebration.

Enjoy the traditionally Greek pastry, baklava, in Mediterranean bakeries and restaurants throughout the city. If you can’t decide which place to stop into, the friendly Poseidon Bakery on 9th Ave and the up-scale restaurant Thalassa on Franklin St. have both received great reviews.

Head East of Broadway to try the delicious Chinese moon cakes available in all of Chinatown’s bakeries. The moon cake, eaten during China’s Mid-Autumn Festival, is a crusted cake usually filled with a lotus seed or sweet bean paste.

Jose Luis Flores, pastry chef at New York restaurants OLA and Calle Ocho, has taken on creating the “ultimate Latin American dessert.” He incorporates tropical fruits and relies on classic Latin American flavors like Dulce de Leche (a sweet milk sauce) to create tastes from back home. For a more relaxed and cheap option, Casa Adela, a Puerto Rican restaurant in the East Village, offers a comfortable setting, cheap dining, and food like grandma used to make it. Enjoy Adela’s flan with a cappuccino for four dollars.

No need to go to Italy for some great-tasting gelato…Italian gelato company, Grom Gelato, has brought their specialty flavors directly to New York. The busy gelato shop brings ingredients straight from Italy to recreate their famous flavors. Though lines can get long, savoring some real gelato is a worthwhile treat, and if you don’t have time, little Italy offers plenty of stops for a quick scoop.

If you’re more in the mood for an American favorite, Magnolia’s is the destination for a good old-fashioned cupcake. Found in three locations throughout New York, you can’t go wrong with a classic vanilla cupcake or try a pumpkin, German chocolate, or coconut one to go gourmet.

If you’re overwhelmed by the options that New York has to offer, there are several food tasting and cultural tours available to guide you on your epicurean way.

To get ready for your trip, visit:

New York Hotels
New York Attractions
http://www.splendora.com/cityguide/new_york/foodie/sweets_bakeries

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Lake Placid, New York makes for a fantastic fall getaway for the whole family!

With biking, hiking, and even heritage tours, you will never be bored. Enjoy the beautiful scenery as you discover all that Lake Placid has to offer. Practice your swing at one of the many golf courses or even go antique shopping and browse Adirondack crafts. Further your relaxation with a day at the spa, or indulge your taste buds at Candy Man Homemade Adirondack Chocolates! Bringing the entire family? Try camping or kayaking with the kids for a back-to-school weekend getaway!

RealTraveler kforecki shares:

“Eric made a spontaneous turn and we headed toward Lake Placid, NY. We ended up taking the Veterans’ Memorial Highway up Mountain Whiteface for absolutely SPECTACULAR views of the Green and Adirondack mountains. THIS was the truly spectacular, breathtaking part. (and my favorite part of the trip so far.) We actually hiked up a portion of the mountain (only 1/5 mile, but we had to earn every inch of it!) before hanging out at the top, and I could have stayed up there forever.

When we reluctantly left, we drove to Lake Placid to see the Olympic Stadium. We were able to walk around it a little and see the figure-skating and ice hockey rinks from both the 1932 and 1980 games. (for those of you who have seen “Miracle” - we saw that ice rink!) We also took a lap around the speed-skating rink, which is now a running track in front of the awesome high school building. Lake Placid overall is a pretty nice place — it seems like the “up north” of New York, where New Yorkers might come for an outdoor vacation. After walking around a bit and sampling some fudge, crepes, etc., we finally headed off to Vermont” (more…)

To plan your trip to Lake Placid, visit:

Lake Placid Attractions
Lake Placid Hotels

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