Obsession of the Moment: Baked by Melissa

From a girls night in to a mid-afternoon snack at work, Baked by Melissa has been on my radar several times this week. The bakery's bite-sized cupcakes come in a variety of flavors and are seriously addicting. That "betcha can't eat just one" tag line? It definitely applies to these quarter-sized confections. In my experience, the crowd favorite is red velvet with cream cheese icing, but I can't get enough of the s'mores (chocolate cake with a graham cracker stuffing, chocolate icing and a marshmallow topping). Priced at $1 a piece, these tiny treats are well-within my intern budget.

Baked by Melissa has stores in Soho, Union Square, Grand Central and the Fashion District. Readers outside of Manhattan? Don't fret. Order online and you can get your sugar rush delivered.

Yarn Bombs in Brooklyn

Have y'all heard of yarn bombing? Don't feel bad. I hadn't either until I read this New York Times article a few weeks ago. I didn't think much of it until I literally stumbled upon the crafting-graffiti phenomenon.

Earlier this week, a few friends and I ventured over the river to Brooklyn for a bit of exercise, views of the Manhattan skyline and a sweet treat from the famed Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory. Mere steps off the bridge we ran into this yarn bombed bicycle. The crafter in me loved it. So quirky and bright against the boring concrete background!

Readers, have you seen yarn bombing? What do you think of the trend? Is it odd that the color palette reminds me a bit of Missoni? Check out the ad for their collaboration with Target!

Taste Test Tuesday: The Smith NYC

This past weekend a sorority sister of mine came to visit New York, so a group of us went out for a big dinner at The Smith NYC, a chic east village restaurant.

After perusing the chalkboard style menu, I settled on the grilled shrimp with jalapeno grits. Creamy, with a mild cheese flavor and a hint of spice, the grits were good, almost surprisingly so. They nearly fooled me into thinking I was back below the Mason Dixon line. Set atop the grits were 6 perfectly seasoned shrimp. The dish also included a garnish of marinated vegetables, but those only seemed to take away from the rest of the plate. Most of mine remained untouched.

If you aren't a fan of crustaceans, give the ricotta gnocchi with truffle cream a try. I stole a bite from a friend, and immediately caught a case of order envy.

Overall, I'd recommend The Smith for a special occasion. The food was great and the service quite good. The prices, on the other hand, were a bit steep for an unemployed student.