The Perfect Birthday in Chelsea

Chelsea Market is a food and shopping hall in the former Nabisco factory where the Oreo Cookie was invented. As you can imagine, the building has character and is formed by deep rich red bricks. The Chelsea Market sign is lit up by bright, theater-like lights and the market is constantly buzzing with people.

When you first walk in, it can be a little overwhelming especially if you go during lunch or evening hours. I would recommend catching the break in traffic by going around 3 or 4pm on a weekday.

There are a bunch of different shops and since I would consider myself a foodie, a handful of great restaurants and cafes. As soon as you walk in you are smacked in the face with aromas that will immediately make your stomach growl. A couple of my favorite spots in Chelsea market are the Doughnuttery and Big Mozz. I can’t even put a finger on my favorite donut because the variety is astonishing and it all depends on my mood; however, you definitely cannot go wrong with the fruity cereal, the PBJ, Apple Cider or the classic Glaze Drizzle. As for at Big Mozz, I am a sucker for the plain mozz sticks dipped in marinara. These two food options are on the heavier side and more of grab and go. These are nowhere near healthy but as soon as you put the food to your mouth, it warms your soul.

Chelsea Market is authentic and a hub of little businesses. I love hearing about new places to try and my goal is to try every food spot in Chelsea Market; they quite literally have every cuisine. If you're in the mood for soup on a cold wintery day I recommend Hale and Hearty Soup and my favorites are the Chicken Pot Pie Soup (yes... yum) or the Roasted Butternut Squash. Let's say you are looking for a bomb taco, then Los Tacos No. 1 has some of the best Carne Asada or Pollo Asado tacos that are mouthwatering and only $3.75!! Chelsea Market is the perfect place to go if you are traveling with a bigger group because everyone would find a meal that they would enjoy, or if you are into bouncing around and trying a bunch of different small plates and cuisines it’s perfect. Chelsea Market is also a great place to explore even if you aren't that hungry because there are cute boutiques and souvenir shops. The market is authentic and almost transports you out of New York. I also love the area around the market. The streets are cobble/stone and not to mention you are right by the Highline.

Now, this next place was on my bucket list of restaurants to try in NYC and I finally had the opportunity to go over the summer for my birthday. This was one of the best meals and experiences I have ever had in the city. Catch is a popular, higher-end restaurant that is located in Chelsea but they also have locations in Las Vegas and Los Angeles. It is a hotspot for celebrities, so if you go here make sure you keep an eye out; apparently, the booth we sat in on my birthday was the table that Justin Bieber always asks for! When you first enter the building you are greeted by a man in a suit who points you in the direction of the elevator. You ride up and then are greeted by hostesses who check you in. The walls are brick, similar to the vibe of Chelsea Market and the decor is pretty simple but lots of wood pieces. One of my favorite things about Catch is that they play good music while you are dining, so you can sing along with your friends and have not a care in the world! Also, wait until you catch a glimpse of Catch's menu (see what I did there)? Let’s start off with my favorite cocktails that are on the menu. Some of their concoction sounds strange but they are all phenomenal. You can’t go wrong with the Pineapple Trainwreck, the Lush Lemonade, which is so refreshing, or the One too Many is amazing as well. Their food menu is pretty extensive so I'll try and point you in the right direction. These are the dishes you cannot go wrong with: the corn, the eggplant, the HellFire sushi Roll, the Catch Roll, any of their sushi for that matter because it is so fresh, the crunchy rice cakes, crispy chicken bao buns, chicken lettuce cups, the crispy brussel sprouts, the parmesan fries, the lobster mac and cheese, the mahi-mahi tacos and last but not least the HIT ME dessert.