New York, NY
Welcome to my guide to NYC!!!
There is something about New York that is so exciting and perfect in every way— the people, the energy, the food, the vibe, the theater, shopping, people watching, and so much more. This year for my 16th birthday, my family surprised me, and I got to travel to New York with my mom over an extended long weekend! Ever since my last time in New York, which was over a few days during a summer, I have talked nonstop about going back. Before the trip, I gathered up all of the places I wanted to hit, and we were able to check out most of them. For our four days there, we barely slept and were out at all hours of the day, running on adrenaline, but I wouldn’t want it any other way! On this trip, rather than being tourists in the city, I wanted to explore with my mom like locals and really experience “living” in New York. Here is my New York City guide and must-hit places if you go there! And thank you mom and dad for this amazing trip!!!
To Do
Soho day exploring- We dedicated a day to exploring and shopping in SoHo, my personal favorite area of the city. The best part about SoHo is walking off Broadway to shop at all of the hidden gems. Some of my favorite stores in SoHo were Aritzia, the Alo Yoga flagship, And Other Stories, Glossier, Kith, Reformation, Opening Ceremony, Nike, Golden Goose, Zadig&Voltaire, and the Artists and Fleas market with tons of different vendors.
Top of the Rock- Such an amazing view of the entire city!
Times Square @ night- Definitely a must-visit when in the city, and even though it’s filled with tourists and bustling with activity, that all contributes to the experience!
Fifth Avenue- Bergdorf Goodman, Plaza Hotel, Saks, Barney’s- So fun just to walk through the high-end stores and people watch.
West Village/Washington Square Park/NYU- Another of my favorite neighborhoods, and I love how the NYU campus blends in with the city!
See a Broadway show- We saw Mean Girls which was amazing, and you honestly can’t go wrong choosing a show— the singing, acting, and dancing are all perfect and so well-produced.
Meatpacking District- Walk the High Line, Chelsea Market, Whitney Museum, Comme Des Garçons Pocket shop
Eataly- I love all things Italian, so Eataly was naturally a highlight, and the restaurants inside are also amazing!
Glossier Showroom- We went around 5PM and the line took 30ish minutes, but was honestly so worth it because I am always skeptical buying products online and prefer to test them out first!
Grand Central Terminal & Bryant Park- Super cute area, always bustling with activity, and necessary if you have seen any movie or TV show filmed in the station.
SoulCycle- We took one of my favorite classes ever at the studio in Bryant Park with Kendra, but SoulCycle studios can be found across NYC.
Garment District- Mood Fabrics was a highlight, and exploring tons of little specialty shops lining the streets with unique trims, buttons, and patches (aka HEAVEN!)
Upper East Side & the Met- Ran out of time to hit the Met this trip, but I went on my last trip, and the Met is probably my favorite museum to date! The Met is also perfect if you run into weather issues or rain, as it takes up a good chunk of the day!
Cryotherapy facials!!- This was probably one of the funniest moments of the trip, but I found a Cryo studio on ClassPass, and my mom and I enjoyed our 8 minute freezing cryo facials, while the outdoor temperature was equally as cold! I had always wanted to try cryo and it was definitely an interesting experience!
Upper West Side- Columbia University, Tom’s Restaurant (from Seinfeld!), Levain Bakery
To Eat
Black Tap- Burgers, insane sweet potato fries, and crazy milkshakes!
The Butcher’s Daughter- beautifully decorated restaurant with a market & juices to go on the side
Jack’s Wife Freda- delish brunch and perfect portion sizes! The green shakshuka and poached eggs on halloumi are to die for.
Dig Inn- Ok Dig Inn NEEDS to come to California! Think seasonal vegetables, customizable bowls, roasted sweet potatoes, etc. Am I making anyone else hungry?
Eataly- Il Pastaio serves homemade pasta right in front of you and the food is INSANE!
ByChloe- Plant-based “fast food” and great on the go, the seasonal avo toast and sweet potato mac n cheese with mushroom “bacon” are delish.
Catch NYC- Probably my favorite meal of the trip. The service is great, the atmosphere and volume of the dining area are spot on, and the food melts in your mouth! We ordered the Catch roll (best sushi of my life), the crispy shrimp, and cod lettuce cups. Of course you haven’t gone to Catch without ordering the infamous Hit Me Cake!
Rubirosa- Perfectly crispy and paper thin pizza— be sure to make a reservation ahead of time, I reserved two weeks before and the earliest spot available was 9:45, but that’s New York!
Citizens Of Gramercy/Chelsea- the cutest Australian breakfast/brunch cafe with great lattes
There are also so many spots to grab a classic New York Bagel or Pretzel!
Levain’s famous chocolate chip walnut cookie
Sweets
Momofuku Milk Bar- all across the city and run by pastry chef Christina Tosi, the Bday truffles and soft serve are the best sugar fix!
Magnolia Bakery- GET THE BANANA PUDDING AND YOUR LIFE WILL CHANGE FOREVER
Levain Bakery- best cookie in New York and possibly the best cookie of my life, definitely a ways outside of the main city but soooo worth it you will freak out!!!
Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream- didn’t make it here but multiple people said it’s amazing! They also have an LA location so I will have to check them out...
the most perfect banana pudding
Juice/Coffee/Matcha
Happy Bones- Cute little coffee shop in SoHo, we went after putting our names in at Jack’s Wife Freda and the workers inside are so kind!
Cha Cha Matcha- Another highlight of the trip—every detail inside is so well thought-out, and the quality of matcha did not disappoint
Juice Press- Healthy smoothies and juices- the blue magic smoothie post-Soul hit the spot 🙌
Aritzia SoHo- There is a coffee bar with treats catered by Balthazar upstairs, and everything is complimentary!
The Butcher’s Daughter Market- fresh pressed juices to-go
Pietro Nolita- all pink everything! and very instagrammable which of course I love!
Pret a Manger- Can be found all across the city and great for a quick and healthy juice, coffee, pastry, etc.
Transportation
Subway all the way. Don’t waste money or time in an Uber with NYC traffic, because the Subway makes it so easy to get from point A to point B, and the “transit” function on apple Maps helps to figure out which route to take. A classic NYC taxi is a great one-time activity, but to really cover ground and see multiple things in one day, I found the Subway as the best way to get around.
Obviously there are still more places I have yet to try… Guess I’ll have to come back soon!
xoxo,
josie
