NYC Recap

As I sit here, reflecting on the past number of days, I’ve found difficulty in looking for the right words that best describe this trip. In short, NYC was… SIMPLY MAGICAL. I had high expectations for the city, and to be honest… my experience surpassed all of them and then some!

* Cue “Welcome to New York” by Taylor Swift *

Day 1:

We stayed in an adorable Airbnb in the Bed Stuy neighborhood of Brooklyn. We were just two blocks away from the G subway train which took us everywhere throughout the city!

Bed Stuy is a neighborhood full of character. Between its famous Brooklyn brownstone row-houses and untouched storefronts, this up and coming community had a number of hipter cafés and eateries along the way!

Our favorite: Marcy & Myrtle Café. This quaint little shop was our go-to stop, first thing in the AM!

We made way to Midtown Manhattan. Let me just say, the second we stepped out for the night, (5 layers deep and allll) the cold still hit me like a ton of bricks!

As we were walking down the avenues we had to pause to gawk at the Saks Fifth Ave. holiday light show. It was effing majestic!

As I had no idea where anything was, I was not aware we were literally right across the street from the Rockefeller Center! Seeing the iconic Christmas tree and ice staking rink, definitely was a “pinch me-moment.”

We then made way inside to the Top of the Rock. This Observatory on the roof of the Rockefeller Center features 360 VIEWSSS of the city. It was absolutely breathtaking.

*As we were paying for our tickets we realized there was a “CityPASS” option which gave admission to the top 6 NYC attractions (def came in handy)!*

We explored for about 10-15 minutes before we reached Time Square. AHHHH!

Day 2:

We took the G line to downtown Brooklyn and walked through some of the prettiest streets, I have ever seen!

For lunch we stumbled upon – Oaxaca Taqueria

Our burritos were not only massive but also bomb.com!

We then walked our way to the Brooklyn Bridge.

These views were stunning!

We walked across the bridge into the financial district and cozied up inside a local coffee shop for a good chunk of time.

We set out for dinner in Midtown at uber-chic bistro/bar, Madison & Vine. Music was on point and the food was absolutely delish!

We then grabbed some drinks at the Top of the Strand. This cozy rooftop lounge featured a cool glass ceiling which allowed for unobstructed views of the Empire State!

We were warm, drinks were strong, and we had the best seats in town 🙂

Later, we walked just a few blocks to the Empire State!

We arrived just past midnight but with doors closing at 2AM, we basically had the views all to ourselves (:

Day 3:

Waking up in a winter wonderland = UTTER HAPPINESS! This was by far a dream come true, especially for a California girl.

We had our morning coffee fix and headed to Central Park!

We passed the Columbus Circle Christmas Market and ventured throughout the park.

An Instagrammer’s dream, really. Just picture: horse-drawn carriages plotting by, little kids mid snow ball fight, and live saxophonists playing our favorite holiday tunes. It was a scene straight out of a movie.

We headed for lunch near by at Le Pain Quotidien.

We then spent several hours in the 9/11 Memorial Museum. I def recommend putting a couple of hours aside for this as it really put our time in this beautiful city into perspective. 

For dinner we ate next door at the Osteria Della Pace-Eataly. My favorite dish from Rome was Cacio e Pepe, so seeing this item on their menu thoroughly excited me.

FYI, IT WAS PERFECTION!

We then headed out to another part of town. And boy was I in for a treat!

Blue Note Jazz Club

*LIFE MADE.*

Day 4:

First things first, caffeine.

We headed to the harbor and made way to see Lady Liberty!

Next stop, DUMBO.

For lunch we ate at the cute and yummy Westville eatery.

We then walked to the neighborhood of Brooklyn Heights.

It was the cutest neighborhood I have ever seen! #ACTUALgoals

Madison Square Park

For Dinner we ate at Rolf’s German Restaurant

PROST!

Brooklyn Bridge Park

Views of the skyline and the Brooklyn Bridge set way for the most romantic stroll.

Last but not least, we could not miss out on the Raging Bull.

All in all, this trip was an absolute dream! It was romantic and full of the Christmas spirit. I utterly fell in love with the city. The charm of this city makes it hard to not want to go back! Xoxo