{{ Well looky here, I’m wearing the jeans I talked about yesterday ^^^ ; ) }}
Perhaps you guys remember my promise to do a TSC guide to New York City a couple of months ago?
Well, either way—ta-da— here it is:
Why now? Uh, honestly I’m currently battling the insane desire to go BACK.
I miss NYC.
The city is just so posh, timeless, & classic…with so much character.
Pretty much I’m a Gemini & lemme tell ya, us Geminis love stimulation. New York is freaking stimulating man.
Like Bob Dylan said:
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“New York was a city where you could be frozen to death in the midst of a busy street and nobody would notice.”
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So true, so interesting, so different, so into it.
Anywho- let’s get down to TSC sparkly, colorful NYC itinerary:
Picking a hotel in NY can be about as overwhelming as picking an Essie nail polish color.
There’s so many options!!
We stayed at:
Andaz 5th Avenue: our experience with Andaz 5th Ave was fab. When we arrived we were greeted with cutie little bowls of berries & flutes of chilled champagne ( the perfect combo right?! ). Our view was insane. The hotel room looked straight at The New York Public Library AKA where Batman was filmed (!!!). One of my favorite parts was the hotel’s charming coffee shop ( best iced tea ever! ) & the craft cocktail underground bar. Basically, this is a rad hotel with a lot of energy…so I’d definitely recommend this spot to anyone who likes to have a good time!
Ok so before I dive into the cocktail/restaurant/places to go stuff, let me talk about Michael & his itineraries.
Hmmm. How do I broach this little subjecty-subject?
Let’s just say the guy LOVES his itineraries.
Personally, I’m totally not Mr. Itinerary. My life is so planned/organized at home so when I travel, I like to be a gypsy, wonderlust, moon child explorer without plans.
But……every trip is the same story: Michael types out a three page ( minimum ) to ten page ( yes, ten…maximum ) schedule. Like I said, he LOVVVVESSS his damn itinerary. So as much as I would love to take credit for the following, I can’t. It’s all Michael’s research found on the pages of his beloved itnerary ( I feel like I should make a super nostaglic itinerary scrapbook for our kids- kidding, but kind of not really ).
Ok so here we go:
Cocktails! Woo-hoo! NYC has a realllllll insane cocktail scene.
You have to try:
ACME NYC: amazing wine//amazing food! Trust me.
Death + Company: amazing craft cocktails with some of the best bartenders in the US.
Milk & Honey: so much fun! A must-try. They’re also located in London.
Perla: in my favorite area of NYC: Greenwich Village. Try the cinnamon-infused bourbon & thank me later.
Please Don’t Tell: SERIOUSLY go!! It’s the BEST. This place looks like a typical NYC hot dog shop but don’t be fooled! You go into the little joint, pick up the telephone in the little phone booth, & hit the buzzer once. After a couple minutes someone will come into the phone booth & escort you into a little tiny speak easy. It’s so underground & so cute. My personal favorite bar in NYC. Plus East Village is fun. Remember to make reservations before you go.
The Dead Rabbit: super rad spot for cocktails. Some of the best bartenders & it’s won tons of cocktail spirited awards.
The Standard Grill: insane ambience // fun to people watch // make resos way in advance because it’s hard to get in. Side: their oysters are delish!!
The Smile for cocktails & brunch: the cocktail above is from The Smile & it’s a gin/mint/cucumber/soda concoction.
Some rad areas?
East Village ( super fun to walk around )
ABC Kitchen: this place is Skinny Confidential-esque. I recommend every salad on the menu paired with their chilled rosé…so good. Definitely one of my favorites.
Blue Bottle Coffee: seriously the best coffee on the planet.
Jack’s Wife Frida: AMAZING brunch!
La Bodega Negra: such a fun crowd!! There were woman dancing on our table as we ate tacos & drank bomb-ass margaritas. They put on this rad show & have the most amazing dessert ( see more here ).
Per Se: this was the best meal I’ve ever had…seriously indescribable. The service, ambience, food…A plus. Thomas Keller is the chef & he just kills it in every way possible.
Red Farm: the.best.food.ever.
Rubirosa: PIZZA!!!
The Butcher’s Daughter: their salads are die. They also have the most delicious juices.
The Spotted Pig: for brunch…their bar snacks are just heaven & the crepes are life-changing.
L’Artusi: get the ricotta & honey to start & be sure to end with the olive oil cake- you can’t go wrong ).
Scalinatella: this is Blake Lively’s favorite restaurant in NYC. She said that if she was stranded on a desert island all she would need is their truffle pasta. & you can bet your ass that I stuffed my face with that pasta & also their penne with spicy vodka sauce.
Cipriani: their cucumber, corn & tomato salad is my fave, finished off with a famous Hemingway bellini.
Ralph Lauren’s The Polo Bar: their burger is to die for & they have these fried olives at the bar that are honestly insane.
Rubirosa: has the best vodka pizza in the city, in my opinion.
( SIDENOTE: yes, I’m sure you’re wondering: I gained 5 pounds after this trip ).
Central Park ( I know touristy!! )
Chelsea Market ( this is such a cool marketplace!! I found the most amazing finds. You’ll find everything from fresh fruits to handmade, vintage pins to beautiful coffee table books.
Juice Press: for everything healthy. I’m especially into their shots.
Shopping…duhhhh!!
The Book of Mormon ( such a funny Broadway show by the creators of South Park!! I loved it! )
My miscellaneous tips?
Walk, walk, walk. Breath in the city & enjoy the energy. It truly is contagious.
Try out random pizza places…you won’t be sorry. Their pizza is NO joke. My God.
Be careful of the cab drivers…they drive like Cruella de Vil on crack.
Prepare yourself to wait in line…everywhere!!
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“Cities have sexes: London is a man, Paris a woman, and New York a well-adjusted transsexual.” – Angela Carter
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Ok & obviously I’m not a total expert so any other NYC suggestions are welcome! Next time we go I’m dying to go to Brooklyn.
Did I mention I love New York City?
Chat soon. – L
{ Other NYC post: here & here }
♡ Shop It ♡
I’ll be visiting NYC next spring…so I’ll be making notes from this piece…thanks for all the tips..;))
http://vodkaandarose.blogspot.co.uk
You will love it!! Thanks for reading Jessica! x
Loved this write up.. Isn’t the hemut lang(the shopping bag in ur first pic) store in soho gorgeous?!? I’m glad u ate at perse, a culinary temple apart from brunch/cocktail places! Being a chef who worked at perse I am happily surprised a fitness/fashion blogger took time(getting a reservation is no joke) and money to eat here and appreciates it!! Spotted pig, jacks wife Frida are my fav too! I agree with you abt blue coffee.. It’s the best coffee in the world!!! Hope u got to grab a few Mast chocolates as well!!
Soo gorgeous! And Perse is amazing!! I love that you’re a chef; what a cool job. Glad you liked my picks & I will to try those chocolates babe. x.
While NYC is my 2nd home, I’m always looking for more fabulous recommendations for anything in the city. THANK YOU for sharing your best picks!
Great introduction to NYC! I traveled there when I was younger and loved very minute. I can’t wait to go back. I really enjoyed reading your post.
http://palsywalsyblog.blogspot.ca/
That MUST be why I love the way you write/speak to me on your blog. You’re a Gemini, me too! Great post, will bookmark for future trips to the city. Thanks!
so cool<3
http://www.shallwesasa.com
So excited to see this post! I moved to New York about 2 weeks ago so I’m all about the NYC reccomendations! I live in Brooklyn Heights and it’s so beautiful- definitely check out the area next time you’re in town. As for restaurants, I ate at Rubirosa last night and it was soo good but the best pizza I’ve had out here is at Lucali’s in Brooklyn. It’s a cozy, candlelit restaurant that doesn’t even have a printed menu, they just list the nightly specials, plus it’s BYOB which is so fun. Apparently Jay Z and Beyonce are Sunday night regulars too, nbd! The best pizza I’ve ever had, topped with tons of fresh basil (like an entire plant’s worth). But seriously, thank god I walk everywhere.. too much good food! Oh and PDT is definitely the coolest bar ever! Thanks for the awesome guide! xo
Love reading about people coming to the city and actually taking it in like a “Local”! You’re restaurants picks are fantastic! Next time you visit you’ll have to go to Lure Fishbar, La Esquina (basement) and Cafe Select for brunch! Can’t wait for your Brooklyn review. I hate to do it but I have to suggest one for Brooklyn….Wythe Hotel Rooftop bar (ughhhh there’s really too many options).
I have to second Carly ^ The Wythe rooftop (in Williamsburg, BK) provides ahhhhhh-mazing views of Manhattan. Definitely go there there at sunset and you’ll be taking a million awesome photos. It’s a total gem.
OMG I love this post…New York is such an amazing city. Can’t wait to go back. Will definitely use these suggestions.
great suggestions! Any other hotel suggestions? cant afford $500 a night for the one you recmnd.
Check out Tripadvisor, you’ll find something!
I feel as if we’re kindred spirits..My fiance and I are totally the same when we travel. He does ALL of the planning and itinerary stuff while I just sit back and let him. This is due to the fact, like you, that I’m super organized and everything is planned in everyday life. It’s nice to sit back every once in a while though huh?
Brittany
Loved the blog, but don’t forget that the rest of the boroughs are included in NYC too! I’ve lived in Queens for 3 years, and it is SO underrated. Tourists are afraid to leave Manhattan for some reason. Looking forward to your blog about future travels to the city and all the diversity it holds. 🙂
Love all the pics and tips for NYC! This is absolutely one of my favorite cities to visit. It’s crazy how you can walk around the city all day looking for one spot and find tons of hotspots along the way. I went to Please Don’t Tell a few years ago for my birthday and it was a hotdog stand, not pizza, so they must have switched it up since then. One thing I’ll never get used to in NYC is the tight spaces. I’m a Texas girl, so it’s definitely an adjustment for me. I can’t tell you how many times I got “stuck” in a bar/restaurant bathroom because I was trying to push open a sliding door…
Thanks,
Carly
http://www.playingforeats.com
Such a great article. If I ever go I will try this guide! You really made it interesting.
Love,
http://www.thestyleventure.com
Next time you go to NY you should check out the bar Beauty and Essex. From the street it looks like a pawn shop and then you walk through big doors in the back and it opens up to a totally fab bar. =]
PDT is hidden behind/in Crif Dogs (a hot dog joint) not a pizzaria 🙂
Loving this post on NYC! I adore that city and can’t wait to go back.
x
http://modernensemble.com
Yes, definitely venture over to Brooklyn next time you’re in town! Williamsburg has the BEST food/shopping/vibes of any neighborhood in NYC. Plus INCREDIBLE rooftop views of the skyline, duh. You’ll fall in love. Hint: come in the summer/fall so you can check out Smorgasburg on Saturday and the Brooklyn Flea Market on Sunday 😉
You hit a ton of the hot spots..I’m impressed! Next trip try, rooftop at Gallow Green (these seems really up your ally), speakeasy cocktails at Mayahuel, awesome ramen at Ippudo or Ivan Ramen, the most delicious and healthy acai bowls at Dimes.
Next time you’re in town and in the mood to brunch, check out BitchesWhoBrunch.com for our reccos!
PS – PDT is in an awesome hot dog joint, not a pizza parlor. The hot dogs are amazing…especially after a few cocktails!
I’m going to move to New York next month so thanks for this post it was very helpful.
I absolutely adore!!!!!! your hat in the first pic. May I ask where you got it? I need it. I just do.
Ok so I was a bit skeptical when I saw you wrote a guide to NYC because lets be real– tourists never know the best places to go. BUT…you proved me wrong! You hit reallyyy reallllly good places (many of my favorites…i live in NYC)! ABC Kitchen, Perla, Rubirosa, Jacks Wife Freda…you did well!!! xx
Totally gonna use this next time I am in the city!
Lauryn, have you ever done a post like this on LA? I am visiting there soon and I would LOVE some recommendations from you so much!! xx
I lived in Brooklyn and worked in Soho and the East Village and NYC is truly where my heart is. In Brooklyn, try Northeast Kingdom and Roberta’s in Bushwick, they both change out their menus seasonally based on fresh, local ingredients. In Manhattan, Olives makes incredible sandwiches and Cafe Gitane has fantastic Moroccan inspired dishes and their avocado toast is pretty famous. Wish I could get back there soon 🙂
I love it! The last time I was in New York City is more than 5 years ago. This makes me want to go back… like real bad! Especially the cocktail part… 😀
I just got back from London – also pretty awesome!
And I’ve just started a London series:
http://www.kaleidoscopevision.org/?cat=12
Well Miss Lauryn, you definitely had a good try of New York. You sure should thank your bad for that. Next time you come, you CANNOT miss Brooklyn. This is where the real New Yorkers are. And Bushwick? Think of it as a mini Copenhagen in Brooklyn….best neighborhood/food/street art ever. I’ll be happy to send you places to check out. So glad you love my city!!! I love your blog, gives me such a great escape from the city noise. Don’t stop doing what you do 🙂
Pure Food & Wine is amaaazzzzing! If you ever go to NYC again, it’s a must try. Such a romantic ambiance and the friendliest and kindest staff. AND it’s totally vegan. I was turned off by that at first because I’m not vegan, but I wouldn’t have ever known. So delicious! And she has a vegan dessert shop around the corner.
http://oneluckyduck.com/pages/pure-food-and-wine
I live in the East Village and you are spot on with these recommendations. I love the Smile for brunch and the pizza at Rubirosa is truly what dreams are made of. Haha. Glad you had a fun trip!
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Hi Lauryn,
Ah, love New York and I laughed at the whole itinerary thing. Every time we travel my man wants me to put together an itinerary but like you, I just want to do things spontaneously. However, looks like he picked some awesome spots! Makes me want to go back to NY soon.
One of my favorite food places in NYC is Jack’s Wife Freida. The mint lemonade there is to die for! I’ll have to check out some of the places on your list though. Can’t wait to go back to NYC now
Just moved out on my own to North Jersey and will definitely be using these when I’m feeling adventurous and want to take the train into the city! Thanks Lauryn X
You’re making me want to go back to New York. I love these pictures!
http://arcwrites.blogspot.com/
Found this post on Pinterest and it made me 10x more excited to go to New York than I already was. I leave Monday and I can’t wait to put your suggestions into use. love your blog
Love your hat!! Where did you get it?
Where is the pasta pictured from? I am planning a trip next month and your blog was my first stop to start planning!
Bar Pitti! Enjoy x
I also love nyc. there are lot to enjoy at new your city. i have visited last time and enjoy a lot full escort services 😉
also thanks to share this.. found it useful specially for me 🙂
I want this shoes. Where can I buy them?
Kisses ?
Which ones? : )