The Coolest Ice Cream in NYC

September 18, 2017

Not all ice creams were created equal as evidenced by these tried and true NYC hits. From soft serve reimagined to a handful of flavors you never knew you needed in your life (blueberry milk chocolate, anyone?), keep reading for the ultimate NYC ice cream tour de force.

🍦 Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream 🍦

Van Leeuwen's nails the hipster foodie vibe, offering a range of vegan and non-vegan ice cream options in an array of flavors in everything from classic vanilla or chocolate, to earl gray tea, lemon meringue yogurt tart, matcha tea, or black sesame for more adventurous ice cream connoisseurs. They feature a handful of new and interesting flavors every month and selections vary per location (or truck).

Multiple NYC locations; see here.

🍦 Cha Cha Matcha🍦

Cha Cha Matcha is tucked away between the Nolita and Little Italy neighborhoods, marked by white benches and a pastel pink awning from the outside (and the occasional line). The interior of the ice cream shop is adorned with Instagram-worthy floral and leafy themed wallpaper, accompanied by trendy, upbeat music. The pastel pink and matcha green theme continues, with coffee, ice cream and pastries offered in a range of matcha infused or flavored options. Eclectic flavors like passionfruit, red bean and pumpkin also make an appearance on the menu to complement the matcha in everything from lattes to soft-serve.

Location: 373 Broome St

🍦 Milk Bar🍦

Milk Bar is a classic NYC treat–you've undoubtedly seen their illuminated hot pink logo scattered across your Instagram feed, accompanied by a swirl of "cereal milk" flavored soft serve and cornflakes–the perfect mix of salty and sweet. They have multiple locations throughout the city, so it's not hard to happen upon one of their cozy spots. In addition to their signature cereal milk, Milk Bar offers a handful of milkshakes, cookies and desserts concocted from a mix of eclectic flavors.

Multiple NYC locations, see here

🍦 Taiyaki🍦

Taiyaki is super fun and definitely worth a stop if you're in the Soho/Chinatown area. While most of their ice cream confections will set you back about $7, the soft serve comes in a range of fun flavors like sesame and matcha (my personal favorites) with mochi toppers. Their signature fish cone is filled with red bean paste at the bottom and has more of a crunchy, pastry consistency than a traditional wafer or sugar cone.

Location: 119 Baxter St

🍦 Morgenstern's Finest Ice Cream 🍦

Most ice creams are pretty good. Morgenstern's is great. The Nolita ice cream parlor boasts a well curated list of flavors, but I'm definitely partial to the salted pretzel caramel. From blueberry milk chocolate, to coconut espresso or black coconut ash, the options are adventuresome, but not too weird sounding to prevent you from trying a bite. 10/10 would recommend.

Location: 2 Rivington St

Feature image via

Visiting the Glossier Showroom

June 17, 2017

MODA has been documenting the rise of Glossier's digitally-borne beauty empire since the brand's early days. And while ordering online and choosing products purely based off of customer ratings and appealing packaging can be fun, I was intrigued by Glossier's relatively new showroom space in NYC.

The showroom itself is located in the penthouse of the brand's official New York headquarters. Guests enter the building from the street and take the elevator up to an airy, brightly-lit space filled with cheeky Glossier posters, take-away post cards and artfully arranged magazines. Friendly employees dressed in cute, pastel pink work suits offer help or advice when needed.

The displays change according to season and product launches. When I visited this past weekend, the brand was celebrating the debut of the birthday cake flavored Balm Dotcalm–a glittery collaboration with Milk Bar, a popular ice cream and dessert spot with multiple locations in the city. Confetti and colorful balloons adorned the space to accompany the product's birthday party-themed launch.

Podiums dedicated to each item display all of the brand's products, free for curious visitors and shoppers alike to test out and purchase in store. The space can get busy depending on the day, but testing out all the products doesn't take much time given Glossier's curated and fairly limited collection of so-called beauty essentials. Any in-store purchase is accompanied by the brand's signature pink pouch, a slew of stickers and other trademark swag.

I tried the new Invisible Shield SPF 35 sunscreen first, a recent launch for the brand that's part of a larger "Have Safe Sun" marketing campaign in coordination with Glossier's beauty blogging counterparts at Into The Gloss. The sunscreen really is transparent (and has a nice citrusy scent), with a consistency more in line with a light moisturizer or jelly cleanser than the thick, gloppy sunscreen you're used to slathering on.

I've heard mixed reviews about Glossier's skincare products and their effect on people with more sensitive skin, so I didn't spend much time experimenting with their face masks, moisturizers, cleansers or serums. I can attest to how effective their balms are, however. Balm Dotcalm comes in six different flavors, but they all accomplish the same thing. The salve is incredibly moisturizing–whether I am incorporating the balm into my daily makeup routine or swiping some on before bed, the product lasts and leaves my lips feeling smooth and hydrated. In my opinion, the Rose and Mint flavors smell the best, and I ended up purchasing the Mint to join the Cherry balm I already own.

I'd already purchased a Generation G in Crush, but I was curious to see how the other shades compare. As I mentioned in my previous review of the product, I am somewhat disappointed by how little pigment the product boasts. Even after multiple swipes on my hand, most of the colors barely registered, and the application appeared pretty uneven.

The Perfecting Skin Tint and Stretch Concealer definitely perform as advertised and the coverage is minimal at best. I was pretty disappointed by the Cloud Paint blushes. The product didn't blend as easily as I would have liked, perhaps because the consistency of the blush is very liquid-based, making it harder to control your application. Since the blush is very pigmented and builds fast, it can be hard to salvage your look if you decide you've put too much on.

I also wasn't a fan of the Haloscope highlighters–one of the products I initially intended on buying before my visit. Considering the price of the highlighter ($22 a pop), the application was messy and uneven when I swiped a couple swatches on my hand. I own similar products (a shimmery eye pencil from Sephora and a creamy gold eyeshadow from CVS) that get the job done better and cost half the price.

I also purchased a Boy Brow (in color Brown) at the showroom. I've heard people gushing about this brow gel since Glossier first launched and I'm happy to say this product doesn't disappoint. I had my first trial run with the product when I borrowed my friend's Boy Brow a couple weeks ago and was impressed by how nicely the gel shapes and fills in your brows without altering their natural shape too drastically. If you're interested in trying out the product, I would recommend going a shade lighter than your natural brow color or even opting for the clear version.

Overall, the Glossier showroom was a fun and easy way to finally acquaint myself with all of the products I've seen floating around social media and the Internet at some point or another. While the collection was pretty hit or miss in my opinion, it all comes down to what you're looking for in a product. For lighter coverage and barely there makeup–a look, mind you, that is very on-message with Glossier's whole brand ethos–these products might do the trick for you. I generally prefer more bang for my buck, however, and would prefer either more product or better results to accompany Glossier's price tag.

Still a little unsure about trying out a Glossier product? Use this code for 10% off your first order! Happy shopping :)

Glossier Showroom

Address: 123 Lafayette St, New York, NY 10013

Feature image via

NYFW 2017

February 19, 2017

Blizzards may have struck the streets of New York City full time, but NYFW was still in full swing. From Jason Wu's glamorously revamped vision for his brand's 10th anniversary, to Raf Simon's debut collection at the helm of Calvin Klein, keep reading for our fashion week highlights.

Tommy x Gigi Season 2

Of all places, NYFW was off to a running start in Los Angeles this season. Tommy Hilfiger and Gigi Hadid's latest collaboration (nearly sold out online by this point!) was an ode to the quintessential California girl, featuring oversized sweatshirts, festival-ready sundresses and slouchy boyfriend jeans emblazoned with Cali-girl inspired patches. Apart from the star-studded front row and Fergie's concert at the close of the show, the real highlight of the night was undoubtedly Gigi's washboard abs.

Raf Simons debuts at Calvin Klein

Raf Simons' first collection for Calvin Klein is arguably what most (if not all) fashion industry players have been eagerly waiting for this season. In his new role at CK, Simons has been granted complete creative control, from his sleek rebranding of the classic American label to his androgynous debut collection. Through these changes, the designer appears to be replacing the brand's sex-infused era of shirtless Justin Bieber and Marky Mark imagery with a more subverted and nuanced sensuality.

A decade's worth of style at Jason Wu

If any young American designer can be hailed as a true arbiter of classic dressing and feminine taste, it's Jason Wu. From season to season, Wu consistently refines the female form through his sleek tailoring, eye for detail and simultaneously effortless yet streamlined aesthetic. This season, Wu celebrated the ten year anniversary of his namesake brand with an intimate, salon-styling showing, sending fresh, athletic-minded looks down the runway.

#NoAfterParty at Alexander Wang

Staying true to form, Alexander Wang brought the after party to his guests this season. With rave music pulsating through an old theater in Harlem, Wang's goth muses stomped down the stage/runway as guests cheered and co-mingled below. Afterwards, models were invited to party and sip from red solo cups amongst the crowd with "No After Party" emblazoned across tees and tights, closing the night with another one of Wang's legendary NYFW (and NSFW) parties.

Ralph Lauren's orchid oasis

Ralph Lauren's resplendent see-now, buy-now collection debuted against the flower filled backdrop of his flagship store in NYC. Floor grazing silk slips and streamlined suits took to the catwalk, donned by fashion favorites like Kendall Jenner, Taylor Hill and Victoria's Secret newcomer, Grace Elizabeth. For anyone curious about the latest staples of their fall/winter wardrobe, Lauren found his answer in an expansive palette of neutrals, with choice cutouts and light layering.

Marc Jacobs closes NYFW, sans social media

Perhaps guests were shocked to find themselves at Marc Jacobs' latest show, watching his FW17 collection file down the runway in relative silence, without the ability to document the entire event on their iPhones. The lack of music and Instagram posting was replaced by the bustling sounds of the city as models proceeded to their seats outside, against the the sound of cars honking and the shutter of cameras that awaited. In a reversal of roles, models slyly eyed and snapped photos of Jacobs' star studded guest list once attendees exited the building, where the social media ban was lifted.

Feature image via; view the rest of Phil Oh's NYFW street style photos here

Jack's Wife Freda Review

August 14, 2016

A quick trip to NYC this week warranted a stop at brunch and food blogger favorite, Jack's Wife Freda. The cozy bistro has two locations in Lower Manhattan, and serves a variety of Mediterranean and American inspired cuisine. I visited the Carmine St. location, near the NYU campus in Greenwich Village.

Note: menu subject to change; image via — Note: menu subject to change; image via

I swung by a little after normal lunch hours for a quick bite to eat and was pleased to find that breakfast is served until 5pm. Service was a little on the slow side despite the venue being fairly empty, but the staff was friendly. The decor, from the round marble tables to the colorful dishes and flower arrangements definitely created a welcome atmosphere. The prints and paintings that covered most of the walls were eclectic and nicely complimented the restaurant's vibrant aesthetic and their playfully illustrated menus also doubled as placemats, which I thought was a nice touch.

In all honesty my food didn't quite live up to the hype and incredibly appealing Instagram photos I've come across. My grapefruit yogurt was good, but not too photogenic, so I've included some of the more colorful options off the menu below. Definitely worth the visit if you plan on ordering more than one dish and best for brunch or dessert.