Sometimes I make reservations at restaurants I think I’ll like WAYYYYYY in advance so I have surprise plans. So a couple weekends ago I got a notification from Open Table – I had a reservation for brunch at Freemans on the Lower East Side for six. HOW NICE.

So I grabbed five interesting people to see if they’d like to attend an alley-themed day.

See, Freemans is in a silly little alley. As is the smallest museum in New York City. I decided that was enough for a theme.

Freemans is incredibly “New York.” We had to locate Freemans Alley on a map, ’cause none of us had seen it before. (And by a map, I mean Google Maps. Because no one uses maps.) Then, we proceeded to find the alley, and therefore, the restaurant.

It was seriously cute. You walk up to this sky blue door with greenery and hanging lights all around it, then inside it’s all about the taxidermy. It’s kind of like a modern-day hipster Little House on the Prairie. But instead, it’s a quaint yet trendy cabin-looking restaurant in the middle of NYC.

Inside is very bright and airy, yet cozy feeling. The menu was rustic American. I had skillet eggs with bacon, spinach, grits and cheddar ($13.) I tasted the pancakes too – a delicious stack with strawberry-rhubarb sauce. Oh, and I had a Bloody Mary. Everything came out picture-perfectly, tasted great and there were no complaints.

It was a solid brunch. And the best part was the atmosphere – just so fun and different. A little escape from the city into the country. I would definitely go back to experience dinner, or do a private party in the upstairs area.

Next: we were on to Mmuseumm – a very small museum, just a 20-minute walk to Chinatown.

Located at 4 Cortlandt Alley, Mmuseumm is tiny, but you can’t miss it. We walked down the street and there was already someone in there, taking pictures. We waited our turn and took a look – there were a few exhibits. I can’t say I had ever seen these exhibits anywhere else.

The Cornflake Index? Inmate Inventions? Very weird stuff. That means it was a successful trip. I even paid the $5 suggested donation price.

So there you have it: Alleyway day. Highly suggested on a chill Saturday afternoon.

What else can I add to this alley-themed itinerary? @maryinmanhattan