New York, New York

If I can make it here (after a blizzard), I can make it anywhere (before, during, and after aforementioned blizzard). Thank you, Frank Sinatra, for reminding us about the perpetual charm of the Big Apple. No life is complete without at least one visit to this iconic city. Therefore, if you haven't been here yet, book the flight now.

I visited New York at the end of January and found myself literally knee-deep in snow. My roots are in Brooklyn, so the old stomping grounds of Bay Ride were frozen and covered and smothered in winter's gift. However, a little snow doesn't keep a real New Yorker down. Thanks again, Frankie and the fuel of Dunkin' Donuts coffee.

I usually fly into LaGuardia in Queens and then begin the real adventure. It's possible to find amazing sights in all five boroughs, but most people head to Manhattan for the usual tourist spots. I recently re-discovered Staten Island as the ideal residential side of NYC: close to the city but not the craziness. As a child, I viewed the island as an obligatory rite of passage to the real deal. I take it all back.

Anyway, now that you've purchased that ticket to NYC, here are some gastronomic recommendations. Of course you're visiting for a Broadway show, but travel is not only the sights but also the food.  These are places that I've found to be worth even the plane ticket and the headache of traffic.

Paneantico Bakery, 9124 3rd Ave., Bay Ridge, Brooklyn

Cannolis? Sfogliatelle? Pignoli Cookies? Oh my! Yes, Paneantico is the destination for those interested in a real Italian bakery. Of course, you could go to the usual Junior's for cheesecake or find some place near Mulberry St. in Manhattan, but Bay Ridge is known as once being an Italian stronghold in the NYC area. Therefore, I trust the bakeries outside Little Italy as well. Paneantico's ideal location on the corner of 3rd Ave. and 92nd St. make it easy to get those delectable Italian goodies. The cookies are fresh and last for days. However, dependent upon your portion, they might last one hour. If you're hungry for lunch, the fried eggplant with mozzarella and balsalmic vinegar is another reason why I will drive out of way and park miles away to go to this bakery. Add a cup of coffee and you're ready to go. Mangia!

Nino's Restaurant, 1110 Hylan Blvd., Staten Island

You can't visit an Italian bakery and not eat at a restaurant, so Nino's is one of my top choices in the NYC area. Again, it's not in your typical tourist area, but this restaurant is a local favorite for parties and gatherings. Its quaint atmosphere provides for stress-free dining. Try the prix fixe menu so you can sample the best of Nino's fare. The eggplant rollatini and filet of sole are probably my all-time favorites; however, I'm an equal-opportunity eater and recommend everything. If you notice the number of Staten Island Italians feasting, you know that you've chosen a place even your own Nana would approve. Mangia!

Bagel and Bean, 1710 Broadway, Manhattan

Not only are you here for the Italian food but also the bagels! This place was recommended to me about two years ago, and I will brave any subway train to get my everything toasted with lox and cream cheese. If you haven't had a bagel like this lately, then my sincere condolences. The whitefish salad can move a breaksfast sandwich into lunch. Pair it with an iced coffee and you're ready to brave anything that New York can throw at you. Yes, even I will skip a Dunkin' Donuts run for Bagel and Bean's iced coffee instead. Yikes.

Central Park--um, what?

Brooklyn, Yours Truly, Dunkin' Donuts, and the euphoria in knowing that a visit to Paneantico is in the near future equals Heaven.