Bet You've Never Been to this Kind of Brunch

Financial planning is a struggle for many. I can attest to that as I always find myself spending more than I'm saving. Going to dinner with friends and ordering take out can add up. You're probably asking yourself right now, "I thought this was a food blog. Why is she writing about her finances?" Well for the food lovers who are seeking financial freedom or just looking to learn how to invest, there is a brunch for you. Brunch and Budget® is a brunch that can help you conquer your finances, whatever your situation may be. 

Pamela Capalad is a CFP (Certified Financial Planner) and AFC (Accredited Financial Counselor) based in NYC, and the mastermind behind this informative brunch. Brunch and Budget® is a one-on-one financial planning session with Pamela that takes place over brunch. When asked why the meeting takes place over brunch, Pamela responds by saying:

It's not about the food (though we love the food) or about the numbers (though I'm a nerd about the numbers). It's about sharing and building together on common ground. Breaking bread with you cuts away the pretense, the gravitas, and, frankly, the BS, that often comes with engaging in the financial services industry. As we uncover what you really value and what you truly want your life to look like, we can put in motion the strategies and tactics that will bring you financial clarity. All the other noise is silenced, all the other distractions disappear. Brunch & Budget® isn't about brunch or even about budgeting. B&B gives us the space to have real, open, and vulnerable conversations. It's about getting to the heart of why we're sitting across the table in the first place - to help you find the path to live the life you want to live. Let's get there together.

Due to Pamela's transparent and relaxed approach, she does not put a price tag on how expensive or inexpensive the brunch must be. If you need some suggestions on where to host the initial brunch, the B&B team has you covered here. If you're strapped for cash, Pamela  enjoys home cooked meals as well. She does not take payment for the initial meeting, as she only accepts the free meal. You can check out the services that Pamela and her team at B&B provide here. B&B has a blog as well as podcasts that highlight different finance topics by giving tips and tricks on how to achieve your goals.

Don't let brunch be the only thing holding you back from experiencing financial freedom or from taking the next step to invest in your future! First brunch meetings are booked until October 2018, but hop on the wait list here to secure your spot for down the road. 

It's Almost that Time Again!

NYC restaurant week is slowly approaching! From July 23rd, 2018 to August 17th, 2018, consumers can experience delicious cuisine at over 100 restaurants in NYC at a discounted price. A two-course lunch is $26 and a three-course dinner is $42 at participating restaurants. If you have been dying to check out a certain restaurant but feel that the menu is a bit overpriced, restaurant week is the time to do so.

Restaurant week was created to make top notch restaurants available to everyone. Take a look at this video presented by Zagat that provides a brief rundown on how to make sure you get the most out of restaurant week.

The full list of participating restaurants will be available here on July 9th, 2018. You can browse participating restaurants and make reservations directly on the site. Restaurant week only happens twice a year. Make sure you don't miss out on the amazing deals!

The Starch that Goes with Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner

What starch goes with every meal? One that can be prepared in multiple fashions - potatoes! From home fries, to french fries, to mashed potatoes, there is a potato for every meal. Below are a few restaurants in NYC that serve a fantastic potato with their dishes.

Breakfast Potatoes:

• Cupping Room Cafe
• This quaint American eatery located on West Broadway and Broome Street. This cafe opens at 8 am everyday to serve their home fries that guests rave about. The home fries are cooked to crispy perfection with a dash of chopped onions and peppers. Pair the home fries with a side of avocado toast for a delicious combination

Photo Courtesy of @Cabsy_King

• Sarabeth's
• With five locations in NYC, no matter what part of the city you are in you can count on Sarabeth's to serve delicious breakfast and zesty three-pepper home fries. The three-pepper home fries have always been a staple on Sarabeth's breakfast and brunch menus and taste even better when accompanied by the perfectly poached eggs benedict.

Photo Courtesy of Amazon Restaurants

• Lunch Potatoes:

• Pomme Frites
• If you're in the mood just for french fries, this is the place for you. Located on MacDougal Street, Pomme Frites strictly serves authentic Belgian french fries with over 30 sauces to choose from.

Photo Courtesy of @ForkInCle

• STK
• When looking for a more upscale but on a budget lunch option, this NYC steakhouse has two locations with a great prix fixe menu. The perfectly rectangular truffle french fries go great with any dish on the menu!

Photo Courtesy of Yelp

Dinner Potatoes:

• Smith & Wollensky
• This steakhouse located in Midtown East offers multiple potato sides to go with your dinner entree. Cajun baby potatoes, whipped potatoes, and loaded baked potato gratin are just a few of the potato dishes offered. You can't go wrong with any of them!

Photo Courtesy of Trip Advisor

• Anassa Taverna
• For a Greek take on potatoes, Anassa Taverna is the place. Located on the Upper East Side, Anassa Taverna serves tender lemon potatoes with all of its entrees.



Photo Courtesy of Yelp

Potatoes can be cooked numerous ways to accompany any meal at any time of day. Check out one of these restaurants next time you are in the mood for this awesome starch!

Pints on Pints on Pints

Alert! Museum of Ice Cream has launched a sweet treat on West 14^th Street just in time for summer. After collaborating with Target, Museum of Ice Cream has created its own line of ice cream and they can only be purchased at The Pint Shop! The Pint Shop is Museum of Ice Cream’s newest location since the opening of its original pop-up museum in 2016.

The Pint Shop is an interactive grocery store that offers exciting life-size, ice cream themed installations and adorably designed aisles. Visitors can learn about the extensive process of how ice cream is made. The Pint Shop is free and open to the public. For a more exclusive and expensive experience, visitors can book a tasting room for their private party. The tasting room experience is reservation only and limited to a party of 20 or less. Visitors are given a 30 minute, in-depth look at all of the ingredients that go into the making of ice cream. Guests also experience all seven of The Pint Shop’s ice cream flavors. All tasting room guests are sent home with a free pint of ice cream. For $1,250, yourself and 19 friends can embark on a tasting room journey. Reservation times for the tasting room are available on Thursday's each week at 10:30 am sharp.

Currently, The Pint Shop is the only location where patrons can purchase the exclusive ice cream flavors. On July 8^th, 2018, The Pint Shop will be sharing its signature pints with Target to allow consumers across the nation to indulge in the one of a kind ice cream. Pints will be sold for $4.99 at over 1,800 Target locations nationwide. The flavors include:

• Cherrylicious
• Chocolate Crush
• Churro Churro
• Nana Bread
• Pinata
• Sprinkles Pool
• Vanillionaire

Photo Courtesy of @Griff_Lipson

Many find Target to be an odd sponsor for Museum of Ice Cream to collaborate with but the two do share similar interests. In a statement given to Newsweek, Target commented on the collaboration.

It was Museum of Ice Cream and Target’s shared values of joy, inclusivity and creativity that brought the two together. In 2016, Target visited the first Museum of Ice Cream in New York City and knew it was something special. This will be the first time the Museum of Ice Cream ice cream will be available at a retailer. With this partnership, people nationwide will be able to experience the beloved Museum of Ice Cream signature aesthetic right at their local Target store, just in time for summer.

Next time you're in the Meatpacking District, be sure to check out The Pint Shop. Make sure to bring your smartphone as The Pint Shop's installations have been considered Instagram worthy. 

Can You Find These Underground Eateries?

There is more to dining in NYC than meets the eye. Imagine finding an undercover entrance or doorway that leads to a concealed restaurant. The restaurants on the list below are just some of the hidden gems scattered around NYC.

• La Esquina
• This trendy, dimly lit restaurant rests underneath The Local Deli located on Kenmare Street in SoHo. You can grab a taco from the deli or open the hidden door located on the wall diagonally across from the shop's entrance to find the restaurant. Head downstairs to experience the restaurants extensive menu and tequila bar. If you plan to check it out on a weekend, be sure to make a reservation ahead of time.

• Freemans
• Freemans is tricky to find and does not have an exact address because it is located in an alley on the Lower East Side. Freemans offers classic American fare at a moderate price point. In the summer, there is outdoor seating along the alley way.

• Decoy
• If you are a fan of peaking duck, this is place for you! Decoy is located underneath Red Farm on Hudson Street in the West Village. To get to Decoy, you must go down a small staircase. Try not to blink because it can be easily missed.

• Hudson Clearwater
• Hudson Clearwater is a not so easy to find American restaurant in the West Village. To enter, you must go through an unmarked door located on Hudson Street. Be sure to check out Hudson Clearwater during the summer months if you are looking to dine in a backyard hangout setting.

• El Sabroso
• El Sabroso may be the coolest and most low-key restaurant on this list as it is located in... drum roll please... a truck loading dock! Located near Times Square on West 37th Street between 7th and 8th Avenues, you can find inexpensive Ecuadorian cuisine being served here from 7 am to 5 pm Monday through Saturday. 

Why go to a crowded conventional eatery when you can enjoy peace and quiet at one of these incognito restaurants?

Top Five Cheesy Spots

Macaroni and cheese is an awesome cheat day meal. As a mac and cheese fanatic, I tend to seek out restaurants that offer this classic dish. Here is a list of 10 restaurants I've been to over the years in NYC that have mac and cheese on the menu:

1.  The Smith

      With four locations throughout NYC, you will always be able to find mac and cheese in your area. The Smith's menu changes seasonally but don't worry, the mac and cheese always remains. The Smith serves their mac and cheese in the same skillet it is baked in, so be careful it will be hot!

Photo courtesy of  @DailyCravings

2.   Cafeteria

      Located in Chelsea, Cafeteria offers late night hours to fulfill your mac craving. Cafeteria offers a "sampler" which contains small portions of three different types of mac and cheese. They've also put a new twist on mac and cheese with their creation of the mac and cheese spring roll.

Photo courtesy of @FattiesFeed

3.   S'MAC

      Located in East Village, S'MAC offers a wide variety of mac and cheese, take away style. If you're not in the mood for a sit down dinner, S'MAC is the place to go. For those that are wheatless, S'MAC offers a gluten free option!

Photo courtesy of @MikeEatsNYC

4.  The Milling Room

      The Milling Room is located on the Upper West Side. If you're looking for a fancier setting to enjoy your mac and cheese, this is the spot. 

Photo courtesy of @TheMillingRoom

5.   Macbar 
Located in the SoHo, Macbar is a quaint take away spot that only offers mac and cheese. The mac and cheese is served in an adorable plastic container that is shaped like macaroni.

Photo courtesy of @BeautyNTheBites

If you have been to one or all of the restaurants on this list, leave your ranking and reviews in the comments! If there are any mac and cheese havens that are not listed but you feel deserve a spot, please let me know!