NYC TRIP HIGHLIGHTS
Four days in NYC, one of my favourite cities in the world. So much to see, so much to do. Here are my favourite parts of the trip!
Eats
If you had told me before we got there that this brunch spot was going to steal the show, I don't think I would have believed you! It was well-reviewed, so not a total shock that we had a great experience, but we were both still talking about the food on the flight home. My waffles were fluffy and so flavourful, and my strawberry frozé was everything I wanted on a very hot afternoon. The pink retro vibes both inside and in the garden patio were adorable and the staff was attentive and friendly. I've added this to my must-visit list for next time I'm in the city, it was that good!
This Italian spot in the West Village had a fantastic covered front patio, with dreamy fairy lights, greenery, and a bustling vibe. From the moment we tucked into our fresh bread and glasses of Lambrusco, we felt like we were in for a treat. The bruschetta ricotta wasn't quite what we expected-- no tomatoes involved! But the truffle and ricotta worked so brilliantly together that we didn't care. By the time our pastas arrived, we were in heaven. Probably one of my favourite meals in NYC ever.
Cocktails
Rooftop cocktails were top of our list for this trip; it just felt like such a quintessentially NYC experience. In researching rooftops in the city, Loopy Doopy was on every single list, and we couldn't resist the pull of the bar's incredibly photogenic signature 'poptails'. We arrived just before this hotel bar opened and grabbed a drink in their sister lobby bar before catching the elevator up to the 16th floor. It's worth getting there early, it filled up very quickly. We made friends with the table next to us and thoroughly enjoyed our alcoholic popsicles in Prosecco. Whether you eat the popsicle and then drink the wine or let the alcoholic pop melt and flavour your bubbles, it's a delicious and refreshing twist on an effervescent summer drink.
One of the most interesting places we went to, Short Stories seems to be a bar/café/restaurant/night club, depending on what time it is. We were there right as it transitioned from dinner into dancing, trying a couple of the book-themed cocktails before taking shots as we danced beneath the shark-shaped disco ball. The staff here made me feel so special for my birthday, the interiors are cute, and honestly watching a restaurant transform itself so efficiently from restaurant to packed nightclub was a treat.
...excuse the lack of pictures of the cocktails. Too much fun was had!
Adventures
Walking the Brooklyn Bridge
Though I've been to the Brooklyn Bridge on previous trips, this was the first time I've actually walked across it from end to end. We started on the Manhattan side and were headed to a reservation at Harriet's Rooftop on the Brooklyn side, so we had to be a bit speedy on our walk. The views were gorgeous though, and it is definitely something that I'm excited to be able to check off my bucket list. My advice for you (and future me, if I ever feel like repeating the adventure): don't do this walk at 3pm on one of the hottest days of the year when there isn't a cloud in the sky. We melted!
Funny Girl
I love musical theatre, especially classic shows! We bought our tickets day of, right at the theatre box office, for cheaper than they were on the TKTS board for and way cheaper than they were online. And for all the chatter online, I LOVED IT. Beanie was incredible, the tap dancing made my ex-dancer heart so happy, and it was a great show from beginning to end. A definite highlight!
Marie's Crisis Café
Have I mentioned I love musicals? Marie's Crisis Café is the West Village piano bar that features musical theatre singalongs from open 'til late. Belting my favourites while surrounded by insanely talented fellow theatre fans under a dizzying rainbow of twinkle lights? My very favourite bar in the world. It also happens to have been one of the very last bars I was in before the world shut down in 2020, so this visit felt emotional. I'm so happy it survived these last two years!
Looking for more NYC trip ideas? Check out my itinerary and the full trip recap!
