Tucked away behind an inconspicuous stairwell is a cafe connoisseur's paradise - D'Good Cafe.

With its quaint decorations, charming interior, savoury brunch mains and freshly brewed coffee, D'Good is perfect for chilling with friends on a lazy afternoon.

Famous for their pastas, eggs benny and coffees, I particularly enjoyed their Forest Mushroom and Striploin Beef. The rich flavour of the beef was perfectly perfectly into the rosé sauce, and the tender beef slices complemented the al dente pasta flawlessly. Their eggs benny deserves a notable mention for its 10/10 runny yolk consistency (and also for being so photogenic). 

Perhaps the most well-recognised spot in the cafe is its rooftop alfresco, with its instagram-worthy floral background. The girls and I decided to have an impromptu 'photoshoot', and our self-timed iPhones actually managed to capture decent photos. 

The cafe's ambience on the second floor made it a great place for chatting with friends, whereas their third floor seems to cater to students who wish to study over a cuppa. 

Verdict? I'm convinced D' Good deserves a return visit.

New York is always a good idea. For the free-and-easy traveller visiting NYC on a tight schedule, here's a list of the top 16 things to do.

The easiest and quickest way to travel around NYC is by their subway system. If you are planning to make multiple trips on the subway or public buses, it would be worthwhile to invest in a 7-day unlimited Metrocard at USD32 (+ USD 1 for the card deposit). It may be rather confusing to navigate around the city so do keep a copy of the NYC subway map on hand and don't get onto the wrong express/local trains! (Express trains skip certain stations). If you are planning to visit multiple locations on the list, you may want to purchase a city pass to get more discounts.


Visit: Central Park

Opening hours: Daily, 6am - 1am.

You can't say you've been to NYC if you haven't visited Central Park. Situated in the heart of Manhattan, Central Park is a 843-acre patch of nature right smack in the middle of the concrete jungle. Complete with a lake, outdoor ice-skating rink, hills, meadows, playgrounds, a zoo and even a castle, it is a favourite among both locals and tourists. Many scenes from movies and TV shows have been filmed there and if you're lucky, you might even spot a filming. (I managed to see a crew filming a scene for CSI.) Some attractions within the park include The Mall, Literary Walk, Central Park Zoo, Bethesda Forest and Terrace, Strawberry Fields, Belvedere Castle, Loeb Boathouse by the Lake and the rink. Entrance to the park is free though you might have to pay an extra fee for visiting the zoo, skating or etc. You would need at least half a day to explore the park properly, so plan your route well or just follow one of the walking tours available.


Eat: The Halal Guys

Location: Just off the Southwest corner of 53rd and 6th Avenue.
Opening hours: Daily, 10am - 4am

Food trucks are a sight unique to NYC, and one of the most famous chains would be The Halal Guys. Their gyro platters (USD 7 - 8), topped with their secret "white sauce", are a must-try. For the more adventurous, you could try adding some hot sauce judiciously. A single platter can easily feed two. Don't be misled by similar-looking food trucks in the vicinity - The Halal Guys have their distinctive logo on their staff's mustard-coloured shirts.


Visit: Brooklyn Bridge, DUMBO & Brooklyn Bridge Park

Location: Brooklyn Bridge Park, 334 Furman St, Brooklyn, NY 11201, USA
Opening hours: Daily, 6am - 1am.

Brooklyn Bridge, and its adjacent Manhattan Bridge, are symbolic of NYC. Washington street is THE spot for your perfect Instagram shot - a stunning view of Manhattan Bridge in the window between two red brick-and-iron-cast buildings. Walk around the neighbourhood and you'll find street art by famous graffiti artists like Eltono, Shepard Fairey, Faith47, MOMO, Stefan Sagmeister, and Yuko Shimizu. A little further down and you'll reach Brooklyn Bridge Park, where you can stroll along the East River and gaze at the Manhattan skyline with its gleaming glass and steel skyscrapers. If you're up for some 'zza, you can head over to Grimaldi's or Juliana's for the best pizzas in town. After exploring the Brooklyn neighbourhood, you can walk across the Brooklyn Bridge towards Manhattan. The bridge gets rather crowded in the day, so if you prefer not to have photobombers in your pictures, you could beat the crowd and get onto Brooklyn Bridge at dawn. 


Visit: The Met Museum

Location: 1000 5th Ave, New York, NY 10028, USA