New York City: Weekend Recap

Hi friends,

She is back from the concrete (and very snowy) jungle!

Since this is my “yes” year and my goal is to be more spontaneous and just LIVE LIFE… I decided to visit a friend in New York City and spend 3 days there. Why not, am I right?

I also decided to go during a massive snow storm *cue my anxiety* but it ended up being BEAUTIFUL and quite the experience. Although, I think my fingers and toes are still frozen.

New York City is an incredibly overwhelming place, let me tell you. I had gotten about a million different recommendations for where to eat and what to see, and sadly I had only 3 days to try and cram in as many activities as possible. EEK. With that being said…

Here is a little travel recap of what I did and what I recommend the next time you visit the Big Apple! 

Food: 

Kyma (Dinner / Greek / Hudson Yards)

I am not normally a huge fan of Greek food but this restaurant really impressed me! The appetizers were literally TO DIE FOR and whatever you do… get the tomato salad and the zucchini fritters. You can thank me later. If you are looking for a bit of a quieter place - heads up! Around 9 it gets very crowded and there’s a DJ (although I thought it was really fun and vibey… just a little loud).

Don Angie (Dinner / Italian / West Village)

I kid you not… this was the BEST food I have ever had in my whole entire life. THE LASAGNA WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE. It’s very small and you cannot get in without a reservation made far in advance. Pro tip: Reservations are released 7 days in advance at exactly 9, Set your alarms so you don’t miss out! 

NOMO Kitchen (Brunch / Soho)

A super cute (and very Instagrammable) spot for lunch/brunch located in the Nomo Soho hotel. If you are feeling very ballsy… get the freakin’ SoHo burger. It’s massive and incredibly intimidating, but also one of the best burgers I have EVER had. Also, it’s definitely big enough to split between two people!

Loconda Verde (Brunch / Italian / Tribeca)

An urban twist on class Italian and really yummy! We made reservations last minute on a Sunday, so it’s pretty easy to snag a spot. All i have to say is… GET THE WHIPPED HONEY RICOTTA. I think I still have dreams about this appetizer.

Drink:

Electric Lemon 

Located in the Equinox hotel and A TOTAL VIBE. A good spot for a date night or drinks with the girls, and it has an awesome view of the city (make sure to check out the bathrooms, they’re super cool and have a view). It books up pretty far in advance and if you want a spot by the bar, definitely make a reservation!

The Up&Up 

I had no clue that New York City had so many dang speakeasies?! Seriously, who knew that was a thing? We went here on a whim and it was really low key (but still cool), plus the drinks were fabulous! The bartenders really knew what they were doing… Seriously, they were like cocktail wizards behind the bar. If you are a spicy marg kind of person - get the Zuzu’s Petals drink. *Chefs Kiss*

Bathtub Gin

I mean you should go here for the photo opp in the bathtub ALONE. It was a really cool + vibey + poppin’ spot (especially on a Saturday night). You definitely need a reservation here or there’s no way you will get in the door to snag a spot. The drinks were good but you definitely will come more for the atmosphere! 

Activities:

Summit One Vanderbilt

I had come across this on Instagram and after seeing the views.. I HAD TO GO?! Located on the 91st floor of the One Vanderbuilt building (the 4th tallest skyscraper in NYC by the way), this observation deck will blow your mind. Seriously. It’s a massive art installation with mirrored rooms, floor to ceiling windows, interactive areas… and a bar at the very top #winning. If you are wanting something for the ‘gram, this is it. 

Being the Type A person that I am, I booked tickets WAY too far in advance. You really only need to do it a day or two before you want to go and it’s much smarter to do this because you won’t want to go if the weather is crappy, so if you book super far in advance you are taking a chance AND the tickets are non refundable, eek. Lucky for us, the skies cleared up by the time we got to the top and we got to see a pretty epic sunset. I would recommend getting your tickets for the 4:30 pm time slot because that will put you at the top right when the sun is setting. Here is what it looked like when I went. DREAMY.

Pro tips:

• If you are a little late for your time slot, that’s totally fine. They don’t check and they also don’t rush you out (AKA you could stay up there for 5 hours if you truly wanted to).
• Don’t splurge on the more expensive tickets. There’s a couple different options and honestly, you will get to see PLENTY by just getting the general admission ticket ($39). Apparently you can upgrade and ride in the glass elevator but everyone told us it’s super crowded and only lasts like 60 seconds (and isn’t worth the money).
• You will have to wear bulky, cloth booties over your shoes when you go to the top floor & you cannot take them off - trust me, I tried. If you want them to blend into your outfit and not look totally bizarre and ruin your photos (just sayin, y’all), then wear black shoes or black pants so they blend in!

Honorable Mentions (places I really wanted to stop by but didn’t have time):

Carbonne: Make sure to make a reservation for dinner 30 days in advance! Apparently it’s easier to get in for lunch and those you can make just two weeks in advance. Also, this was apparently a hot spot for Kim & Kanye so YOU KNOW it is good. 

Magic Hour: A pink themed rooftop bar. Need I say more? Legit, I will be coming back to New York just so I can visit this place.

Lola Taverna: Highly recommended to me + very cute aesthetic with a nice outdoor area.

Emily (West Village): Fabulous pizza and also highly, highly recommended by the people of the ‘gram!

I hope this helped anyone who is planning a future trip to NYC! Stay tuned for more of my travels and get ready to Move WITH Morgan!

Xo,

Morg