Below is a list of places I REALLY REALLY REALLY want to go to within the next year! And hopefully, I’ll get to blog about each one as I check them off the list. They’re pretty much all dessert places, but hey there’s one savory place on here too!

1. Milk and Cookie Shots @ Dominique Ansel Bakery, NYC. A little over a month ago, I ate a Cronut for the first time, and it was CRAZY GOOD. Happily for me, its afternoon analog doesn’t look anything less!
   

   Photo by Dominique Ansel Bakery

2. Audabomb @ Audabon Bakeshop, Philly. Crystal and I seeked out Audabon Bakeshop twice back when it was still a table stand underground in Suburban Station. And now it’s gone brick and mortar in Philly Chinatown! Audabon Bakeshop macarons were the very first macarons we ever ate, and the founder, Audrey, is even a Pan-Asian alum! This summer she launched Audabombs, which are macaron ice-cream sandwiches. I know where I’m going as soon as I get back to Philly!
   

   Flavor pictured: Black Sesame + Nutter Butter (Photo by Audabon Bakeshop)

3. Macaron topped cupcake/cake @ Whipped Bakeshop, Philly. We discovered these undeniably cute little cakes this past Valentine’s, and I sure hope they run a special like this again!
   

   Photos by Whipped Bakeshop

4. Dessert tasting menu @ Patisserie Tomoko, NYC. At this cozy 8-seat patisserie, you have a clear view of the pastry chef as she works her magic. The dessert price fixe menu changes daily and is described as “French presentation with Japanese and American influences.” Could this be the Sadaharu Aoki of NYC?
   

   Photos by Patisserie Tomoko

5. Dinner @ Laurel, Philly. This 24-seat BYO, owned by Top Chef season 11 winner Nick Elmi opened its doors not even a year ago. It’s currently June and the next available reservation is in September. ‘Nuff said.
   

   Photos by Danya Henninger

6. Brunch @ Café La Maude, Philly. As brunch is my favorite meal, I’m always looking for new places to try, and Café La Maude looks extremely promising! Given their unique French-Lebanese menu, they claim, “It will feel like Paris and taste like Beirut.”

Photos by Cafe La Maude (left) and Elvina Yau (right)

***UPDATE***

The good news is that by the end of junior year, we made it through half of this list! The bad news is we didn’t make it through half of this list! :((( But hey that’s what senior year is for! Here’s some proof:

1. Milk and Cookie Shots @ Dominique Ansel Bakery, NYC.

We actually went overboard on this one and tried their entire holiday set, which came with 5 different milk and cookie pairings! Classic chocolate chip with vanilla milk was the obvious favorite though. (More on this NYC trip here.)

2. Audabomb @ Audabon Bakeshop, Philly.

We ended up getting these on two separate occasions, once right when we returned to campus in the fall and a week later when our friend from Princeton came to visit! Sadly though, Audabon Bakeshop closed earlier this summer. Their insanely cute designs will surely be missed!

Flavors: Royal Milk Tea (left), Salted Caramel Oreo (right)

BUT… You can still get your macaron ice cream sandwich fix at Sugar Philly! Which we did, once… twice… actually at least thrice.

Flavors: Apple Spice (top), Chocolate Brownie Hazelnut (bottom left), Purple Carrot Cake (bottom right)

6. Brunch @ Café La Maude, Philly.

This place was definitely out of the way so don’t think I’ll be coming back anytime soon, but I’m still glad to have made the visit!