Capital Cooking with Lauren DeSantis: On the Road Again: NYC Foodie Get-away

Last weekend, my best friends came to visit me in DC. We decided to take the trip to the next level and headed up to NYC.

We had so much fun shopping, eating, drinking and dancing.

The next time you're getting a little stir crazy in DC, hop in the car and drive north.

How to Travel:

I hopped in a Cadillac XTS, on my way to NYC, with my girls from the Show Me State. This car has it all. I liked the Driver Awareness Package. Warning: Your cheeks might vibrate. It includes forward collision warning, lane departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert, blind spot alert and Safety Alert Seat. The seat cushion vibrates, to warn the you of potential problems. This car is great for a weekend get-away because it is so spacious that all of the passengers can ride comfortably. You don't even have to turn the lights on. It has sensors to determine the car’s speed and steering and the headlamps swivel to cast light precisely into your path of travel. Did I mention the 14-speaker Bose^® Studio Surround^® Sound system? We took full advantage and rocked out.

Where to Stay:

The Westin New York Grand Central offers the perfect location to stay in Midtown. They just opened their doors after a complete rehab on October 1, 2012. The beds and pillows are comfy and the rooms are pretty spacious for New York.

Where to Eat:

Bowery Diner: Yes, it was 4:30 a.m. when we arrived after a night of dancing. How good was their mac 'n cheese? OMG, loved it. Maybe I had just had too many shots, or maybe it was just as wonderful as I remember.

Bourbon Street Bar and Grille: We ate brunch at this restaurant and the best part about it is their bottomless cocktails for only $10. The food was pretty good too. You can sit outside and listen to the sounds of the city.

Bell Book and Candle: I've been dying to try this restaurant since meeting the owner, John Mooney, last year in Iceland. We had a blast and I couldn't wait to try his food. I was extremely impressed! Everything was fantastic!!

From the Burrata, to the fried deviled eggs, to the fresh tomato salad (did I mention that they were grown on the roof?), to the lobster tacos, all of the dishes were perfection. I loved the BBQ beef brisket quesadillas as well.

Don't skip dessert. They have the yummiest individual ice cream sandwiches, peanut butter bread pudding, and warm chocolate brownies with pistachio ice cream.

The best part was taking a tour of the roof after dinner.

We grabbed some fresh mint and they made us mojitos. So amazing!

Brother Jimmy's: We didn't plan ahead on brunch reservations, so we wound up at Brother Jimmy's. It turned out to be a great BBQ spot. Loved their Grill Cheese and Mac 'n Cheese.