Did I get ya?
My NYC trip was an UN-April Fools joke. This planner girl doesn’t book spontaneous trips to NYC!!? But you guys believed me.
And you should have…because I’m really going!!
But I’ve been planning the trip for about a week now because OPEN SKY is my host! I’m making a promotional video for them today! It just-so-happened that I really do have Good Friday off and could fly up. What are the chances!?
I was going to keep the trip a secret and just publish my AM post from the big city, but I figured the UN-April Fools would be more fun. Guess you guys know me too well! Kind of wish I hadn’t been going so I could have said “gotcha” to all of you who commented.
A big thanks to KAREN for taking me to the airport this AM. Security was surprisingly a breeze. And everyone was SO NICE today – a first! But I did get stopped for my breakfast. Yogurt in plastic containers has never been a problem, but gels in jars must be….
I bring you…..YIAJ!!!
Yogurt in a jar
We now use oats to help get the last nut butter out – why not use yogurt to get out the jam!?
When preparing for my flight today I wanted a portable breakfast but also something that I could recycle when I was finished so I wouldn’t have to wash a tupperware. Yes, a PB+Banana sandwich would have been easier, but sandwiches don’t fill me up as well as yogurt, which was what I really wanted!
Enter the almost-empty pumpkin butter jar, which I filled with:
- 1 container Oikos (which only came up about half way, believe it or not!)
- Maybe 1/3 a cup of pumpkin? Maybe more?
- 1/2 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 tbsp Nuttzo
It tasted DIVINE!!!
If I could have fit them, I would have added oats too, but instead I ate half of an Alliebar and am saving the rest for an 11AM snack upon landing in NYC.
So that’s the modeling shoot….
Here’s the real life version:
Starbux Cappuccino. I first ordered an Americano (which I thought was coffee and steamed milk, but apparently it’s just hot water??? I was confused. She said “it’s hot water”) so I quickly switched to a Cap – which was almost TWICE as expensive!! GRRRR!!!
(Apparently my name is Cathy
)
Three cheers for Charlotte’s FREE internet!! A lifesaver every time 🙂
See ya’ll from the open sky!
(Sorry, the last time I”ll do that!)
Alyssa says
Coffee with steamed milk is a Cafe au Lait. Try it, it’s cheaper and has a very similar taste to a cappuccino. The Americano, like you said is coffee with hot water – basically it’s for those who want “normal” coffee and something not as strong which Starbucks is typically known for. Enjoy NYC!
Kelley says
An americano is actually espresso with hot water- I think it’s disgusting! lol but I don’t really like espresso
Leanne says
I love Americanos! It’s my go-to order. But I do add soy to give it a little bit of creaminess so it might taste similar to your cappuccino. The flavor of Starbucks espresso is so delicious… much better than the coffee (which I also like). Give it a try, Kath!
Emmalinda says
Agreed. I actually hate regular drip coffee from Starbucks. It sits too long and gets bitter. I always order an Americano (which is espresso, not coffee), and add a little half & half and a dash of cinnamon. So much better (& cheaper) than most other things on the menu.
emma d. says
Thirded! I don’t like Starbucks drip at all, but love the espresso. And, like Emmalinda, I drink my Americano with half & half and cinnamon! But I add turbinado, too.
Chelsea (Chelsea's Chew and Run Fun) says
Welcome to my neck of the woods today! You’re luck to arrive in the midst of a nice weather streak. Hope you get a change to walk around a bit and enjoy it! I love the idea of YIAJ, I’m now eager to finish up my black cherry preserves in order to try some.
Gabriela says
I love the light in your YIAJ pic!! TJ’s pumpkin butter is the perfect way to start the morning 🙂 Hope you have a great time in NYC!
Freya @ Brit Chick Runs says
You’re SO lucky going to NYC! I’m immensely jealous!!
Love YIAJ, that’s a clever idea – though I do think oats are the winner in cleaning out jars 🙂
Have a safe trip!
Jessica @ How Sweet It Is says
LOVE NYC! Have a great time! 🙂
Susan says
or you could order a misto which is a little bit of coffee and the rest steamed milk. it’s yummy!
Jil says
They always screw up my name, too – and I even have a Starbucks card that has my name printed in BOLD on the front of it – haha. Hope you have a great time, Kath!!
Sarena (The Non-Dairy Queen) says
I miss yogurt. I need to start making my own. The yogurt in a jar to get the pumpkin butter out is a great idea. Seriously, how could you go wrong with that combination??? I am totally a snack planner when I go on trips, especially airplanes. I hate being starving when I get somewhere! Have a great trip!
Food Makes Fun Fuel says
I love YIAJ, it’s always so fun to get that last bit of sweetness of jam at the bottom
Anna @ Newlywed, Newly Veg says
Americanos are pretty good! And yeah, they’re a LOT cheaper! 🙂
Have a great trip!!
Foy Update - Cook. Garden. Write. Repeat. says
An Ameriano is an espresso shot + hot water. Basially you are asking for a very fresh cup of coffee. I prefer them over a regular cup of coffee. Why knows how long that coffee has been sitting there?
Suzanne says
At Starbucks, a Caffe Misto is coffee with steamed milk, and it’s only $2.00 for a tall. It’s my go-to drink and tastes just like a latte!
Estela @ Weekly Bite says
Have a great time! I love NYC!!
Rachel says
I am with you on the Americano. I just don’t like ’em. My favorite drink once it gets warmer is a simple iced coffee.
Have a great adventure in NYC! Can’t wait to read your recaps 🙂
Jenna says
I onlyyy do yiaj 😉
Marisa (Loser for Life) says
Have a great time in NYC…Cathy 😉
Elizabeth says
love americanos! they’re a shot of espresso and hot water! have a fun weekend!
Beth @ Beth's Journey to Thin says
Americano is espresso with hot water.. its kind of similar to regular coffee to me and actually my favorite drink from Starbucks. I love that pumpkin butter from TJ’s… I’m actually running low so maybe I’ll steal your idea!
Kate says
I always get the Venti non-fat Misto from Starbucks. I add a little sprinkle of cinnamon and chocolate on top and it is lovely!
Allie (Live Laugh Eat) says
I am so confused!! First I was like ‘she got me, bummer she’s not going to NYC!’ Then I started to believe you….and then well I guess you’re going, which is what I hoped was the outcome. You deserve a nice weekend trip.
The bars (which I guess Sarah is now referring to as Alliebars hahaha) really are like a bowl of oatmeal in bar form. Whenever I eat them with some H2O they expand in my tummy and make me so full. Hooray! Have a great trip, Kath.
Heather @ Side of Sneakers says
Have a good trip!!! 🙂
Morgan @ Life After Bagels says
My bf LOVES americanos, he has them every Saturday and Sunday for a weekend treat. I think it tastes so similar to the bold blend and why waste the extra $2
Katie says
Enjoy your trip!
Midgetkeeper says
Hope you have fun on your trip.
Deva (Voracious Vorilee) says
Those bars look sooooo delish. I wouldn’t have thought to use a jam jar as a yogurt vessel – I don’t run out of jam very often, though 🙂
Cole says
Have a great trip!
Carolyn @ lovinlosing says
Have fun in NYC!! Should be a beautiful weekend!
Amanda @ Cakes and Ale says
You need to order a Cafe Misto or a Cafe Au Lait – that’s just coffee topped with steamed milk! An Americano is just an espresso shot, filled up with hot water… very intense!
Cynthia (It All Changes) says
Enjoy your trip?!
rustique says
Welcome to NYC on the most beautiful weekend ever. Can’t wait to see what you do!
Jazz says
Echo-ing the Misto love: it tastes EXACTLY like a latte but is half the price!
Amy Pea says
I second that – plus you can control the sweetener…either put in a little or none at all, since it’s plain brewed coffee. I like my Misto Grande with Soy and then I put Cinnamon and Nutmeg on it – that’s my version of a spiced latte!
Have fun in NYC – I wish I was there to eat at Blossom and Babycakes!
Jenny says
Have a great trip!
Heather (Heather's Dish) says
that’s funny…i would never have thought about that being an april fool’s joke 🙂 hope you have a blast, and make sure you give us the video! 🙂
Danielle (Coffee Run) says
I love how all the empty jars are finding another use 😀 Have a safe trip!!
Julie @SavvyEats says
Have a fun trip in NYC! Sometime you should take an extended trip up to Ithaca, NY…I’m moving here in June, and it is fabulous for food blogging!
Heather @ Health, Happiness, and Hope says
I’ve never tried an Americano. I stick with my lattes! 😉
Liesl says
I think at Starbucks they call the Coffee with Steamed Milk a Cafe Misto. Americanos are good, but only if you are in the mood for one. 🙂 The yog in a jar looks fabulous!!
Jessica @ The Process of Healing says
YIAJ is genius!!!! I’ve got to try that!
Annie@stronghealthyfit says
That breakfast concoction looks wonderful! Have a fun trip 🙂
kalli@fitandfortysomething says
oh have a wonderful trip 🙂 what an adventure!
kimberly says
You want a misto! 🙂 YUM! Its 3/4 coffee 1/4 steamed milk! They are SUPER CHEAP TOO! YUM! But sometimes the baristas don’t know what a misto is so you just tell them 3/4 coffee with steamed milk. It should be the same price as an americano! Have fun in NYC! Wish I was there too! I am moving to NC soon and hope to take a trip there. I am in WASHINGTON state right now! 🙂 Can’t wait to move to NC with my soon to be hubby! YEAH!
Taysa (Water, Butter and Wine) says
I LOVE Americanos, especially when I’m iffy about the drip coffee being served. Espresso just has such a great, smooth richness to it.
Leah @ L4L says
Misto = steamed milk + drip coffee
Hannah says
Have fun in New York! I hope Open Sky treats you to some goooood food! 🙂
Vicky says
You should try the Americano-it is a shot of espresso in hot water. It is very fresh tasting. They may ask if you want “extra room” – that means they’ll leave room for you to add milk or half’nhalf.
Kath says
OMG!!! Do you know how cool it would have been to be recognized in NYC!?!? I would have totally invited you to join us!
Vicky says
I told my friend who you were… she had no idea because she doesn’t get blogging, but to me you are a blogger celebrity!
Your Farmers Market pictures are great! It was such a treat to have live music at the market, too bad I missed the dancing couple!
Kath says
So cool!!
Katie says
I have an almost empty jar of that pumpkin butter! I am totally going to use this idea – it’s perfect and so portable! 🙂
jaclyn@todays lady says
I’m glad it wasnt an april fools joke! New York is so exciting!!! Great idea for your portable breakfast!!!
Kathi says
Have fun in nyc and at Open Sky! I am loving my new envitote! I used it to get groceries last night and to bring my potluck items to work today. 🙂
Kath says
Oh so glad! I used mine ALL THE TIME!
daniele says
I love Americanos – I usually find lattes too… heavy or sweet or something – especially if i’m having anything to eat with them, even just a granola bar. Lattes are great for a snack, though. In my Americanos I always ask for a shot caramel and room for about a finger’s worth of 1/2 & 1/2. mmm….
Larbs says
I actually beat you to YIAJ. I was eating it on the train on the way to the airport out of a skippy natural jar…you wouldn’t believe how many people were staring at me because it looked like I was eating spoon after spoon of straight PB…
Kath says
HA!
ruby red says
Fun! Enjoy NYC! Yep, an American is shots of espresso with hot water – an “American” version of coffee, since espresso is so concentrated that diluting it w/ water makes it taste like drip coffee. My friend gets hers with a small amount of steamed milk added in the “room” on top of the hot water/espresso and she loves it.
Emily says
Hi Kath! What a fun, last minute trip 🙂 so exciting!
I’ve made the Starbucks mistake before. I love cappuccinos but only in restaurants – they are too foamy on the go! When I want coffee with steamed skim I order a cafe misto. They are amazing!! Try one – I think you’ll be hooked as well. By the way, I live in NYC now (I saw you in Chicago last spring but I moved haha). Let me know if you have time to meet up for a run/coffee. Enjoy your trip!
Angie says
Did they let you take the yogurt in jar into the airport? Security made me throw out yogurt in a sealed original container last week at our airport!
Kath says
It made it through OK. THey had to put it through the Xray twice. My backup plan was to eat it on the spot!
Kristie says
Wows, yogurt in a PUMPKIN butter jar? Now that sounds like an incredible portable breakfast. I love pb&j but that totally beats it out.
Have an awesome time in NYC!
lynn (The Actors Diet) says
i’ve been eating overnight oats in a jar – usually to use up the plastic containers so i don’t have to heat them up – best of both worlds – yogurt AND oats!
Vicky says
Hi! I just saw you near Union Square… I was going to say hi but it looked like you were deep in conversation. Welcome to NYC! Have fun while you are here, enjoy the weather!
If you want a good workout while you are here you should try FlyWheel… a spin studio. I have become obsessed. If you want to try it there is a promotion this week… just put flyneighbor10 when you check out.
Vicky
Stacey@http://stacey-healthylife.blogspot.com/ says
I thought you were going ot eat the jar on the plan, oh wait I guess you can’t bring glass. Anyway I thought people would look at you funny and not understand eating out of a jar. 🙂 🙂 🙂
Katharine says
Using that pumpkin butter jar is pure genius! Looks DELISH. 🙂
Cassie @ A Very Busy Mind says
Ha. Cathy. I’m a Cassie, but I get Cathy all the time, too.
I tried to take yogurt through security last weekend, but they wouldn’t let me. 🙁 They said the problem wasn’t that it was yogurt, just that it was more than three ounces. I was bummed – it was a freebie from the hotel breakfast! 😉
Rachel in NC says
I agree – Mistos taste a lot like lattes and they are much less expensive. Sometimes I get a NF misto with one shot of syrup and it’s about 1/2 the price of a latte. I think they work because SB’s regular coffee is so strong, sometimes I think it may as well be espresso!
Lisa says
omgggg TJS pumpkin butter = LIFE.
seriously, i find myself eating it straight out of the jar on a spoon 😀
that recipe looks good too- totally copying! maybe add some granola, too 🙂
Frou Frou says
I don’t think we have an Americano in Australia. We have a Long Black which is a shot of espresso and water.
Have fun in New York!
Simply Life says
Have a great trip! oh and yes, when I lived in Seattle (the coffee capital) I was SHOCKED at how americanos were the most popular drink to get…and then I tried them and was hooked!
MLT says
I’m a Seattle-born former barista and yes, Americanos are popular but I don’t care for them…they taste watery to me. Also, espresso has less caffeine than regular roasted beans. I really like the regular Starbucks drip but their mistos are also pretty good!
I do like cappucinos but I always feel like they are a rip off because they are mostly foam, yet the same price as a latte. 🙁