Travel- NEW YORK CITY, BABY

I want to start this off by sharing the places I would go back IMMEDIATELY if I had another trip to NYC coming up - (a good testament to how solid this list is)

1. Katz Deli - this was such an unexpected win. Did I expect a massive meat sandwich to be my favorite bite of the trip? No. Not at all. I didn’t even think I liked pastrami but here we are lol. Go and get a sando and bask in the cool ambiance of this historic establishment!

2. BROOKLYN - didn’t get enough time here but Frankels pastrami egg and cheese on an everything bagel was MASTERFUL and the bike ride back to Manhattan was SO MUCH FUN. I’m always down for an adventure and it was exactly that!

3. Run in central park - how I’d do it: start somewhere (south side, anywhere) and do a big loop around, finishing at bethesda / boat house area and stick around for coffee at a cafe or breakfast at the boathouse (make a reservation!) or one of the many grab n go cafes on the more southern side of the park.

4. ICE CREAM: I didn’t get to go to Cafe Panna and I’m so sad about it (biggest regret)- so that would be on my list. Seed and Mill and Madison Fare were some favorite bites that I would absolutely go back to!

5. COFFEE: cafe lyria for a hang and the vibes - but truly there are SO MANY great coffee shops all over that you really can’t go wrong (try a bunch!)

6. Chinatown for dinner (dumplings) and then walk across the Brooklyn bridge at sunset (see chinatown food tour info below! - but lots of dumplings on there!)

7. PIZZA - finding your favorite slice is what new york city is all about. SO MANY places to try. Mama's Too!, Prince Street, L'industrie, Village Square, Joe's, are a few to add to your list!

MY FOOD RECS, in order from favorite to least...

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*pop up, frankels, apollo

BAGELS:

1. Frankels - pastrami egg and cheese (photo) is my FAVORITE bagel sando I’ve ever had (Brooklyn)

2. Apollo bagels (multiple locations)

3. Pop up bagels - rip and dip! (Multiple locations)

4. Ess a bagel (multiple locations)

5. Best bagel - get the lox and scallion cream cheese!

6. Zuckers bagel sando (multiple locations)

7. Tal bagels (multiple locations)

PIZZA:

1. Mama’s too! *upper west is better so if you can, go to that location. all slices are great - cacio e pepe and upside down were standouts (photo)! Sicilian slices

2. Prince street pizza (didn't go on this trip, but the pepperoni slice is pure perfection)  Sicilian slices

3. Joe's - a classic, cheap new york slice

4. If you love Neapolitan style pizza - L’Antica was great and came highly recommended - great outdoor ambiance

5. L’Industrie (multiple locations) - not my favorite NYC slice and not worth the line but I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt and assume it was an off night?

COFFEE:

1. CAFE LYRIA (NoHo) such a cool outdoor vibe and great coffee

2. Solid state coffee (upper west) incredible coffee!!

3. Not as bitter (east village) cool vibe and unique coffee/matcha options

4. Irving farm (upper west) coffee is great but ask for a sample of their soft serve and pour some coffee on top - bangin!

5. Frame coffee (upper west) - great little work spot

6. Remi (upper east) - incredible coffee and beautifully prepared - located in a flower shop

7. Blank street coffee (multiple locations) - classic nyc chain

8. 787 coffee *coffee in a bag anyone? Solid coffee and cute space (west village & multiple locations)

ICE CREAM:

1. Seed & Mill: tahini sundae was UNREAL GOOD (Chelsea Market - set aside a couple of hours to explore the market and walk the highline )

2. Madison Fare (upper east) - greek style yogurt, get the Dubai chocolate sundae!!!

3. Cafe panna - didn’t get a chance to go and that is my biggest mistake of my trip lol

4. Kolkata Chai Co (chai softserve, SO GOOD)

5. Softside (SoHo) “then riff” which was a olive oil salt sundae!

HAPPY HOUR/DRINKS:

1. Fairfax LOVED the menu and cocktails - get the burger and sit outside! (West village) make a reservation!

2. Wayland - awesome happy hour and VIBEY AF (east village)

3. Harriets Rooftop - THE BEST VIEW of the brooklyn bridge. Go for sunset for the most incredible golden hour.

4. Westlight (brooklyn) another rooftop with incredible city views

5. Beco (brooklyn) vibes and pitchers of drinks

MUST TRY/EXTRAS:

1. Katz deli (A MUUUUST) tbh my favorite food experience of the trip

2. CHINA TOWN: Tasty dumpling (pork chive dumpling), Shin Jiao ($3 peanut noodles and $3.5 pork and chive dumplings are a MUST), Mei Lai Wan (pineapple pork steamed bun), Shanghai 21 (Szechuan dumplings!!!)

3. Omakase (went to shinn west and it was so special/spectacular!)

4. Crumb cake (crumbly cafe and bakery)

5. Win Son (scallion BEC pancake & mochi donut) in brooklyn - worth the trip!

6. Burger (Gotham burger or 7th street)

7. Brunch: Little Ruby’s

8. Banana bread pudding (magnolia bakery - HIT so hard my first try last year, less good this year so maybe it’s a hit or miss??)

9. Cookies (Levain) I mean…its a slay

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MUST DO:

1. Walk across the Brooklyn bridge at sunrise or sunset

2. Picnic in central park (grab sandwiches at a deli)

3. City bike across the Manhattan bridge (plan for food/drinks on both sides for the perfect little activity!)

4. Yankees game (if applicable)

5. Run in central park (go for a run, make sure you go through bethesda / boat house area and stick around for coffee at a cafe or breakfast at the boathouse (make a reservation!)

6. Go to a Broadway show