Start spreading the news, I’m leaving today! I want to be a part of it New York, New York! Ok, so maybe I just got back but Frank Sinatra is still stuck in my head from such an amazing trip!
Booking your flight
I prefer to fly into JFK over LGA any day! Both airports are located in Queens, NY and are pretty similar times away from The City. LGA seems to be slightly lower in prices but let me tell you, it is worth the extra money to fly JFK especially in the rainy summer season! You can easily get into The City from JFK by hopping on the Air Train ($5) and it connects to the subway at Jamaica Station. I got on the E train for ($2.75) and 30mins later was in the Time Square area. LGA also tends to flood so if there is rain, there are flight delays!
I came to attend a conference held at Pier 94 so I booked a hotel in Hell’s Kitchen. I loved the location. Close to the pier, close to Time Square, close to Broadway!
Hudson Yards
Just about a 10min walk from Hell’s Kitchen is New York’s newest neighborhood Hudson Yards, There are more than 100 shops and culinary experiences, various public art pieces and 14 acres of public space. In front of the shopping area you will find The Vessel a new landmark, which is a spiral staircase meant to be climbed. This interactive artwork was imagined by Thomas Heatherwick and Heatherwick Studio as a focal point where people can enjoy new perspectives of the city and one another from different heights, angles and vantage points. To climb the Vessel you need to have tickets. You can reserve tickets 14 days in advance online or try for same day tickets starting at 9:30am.
The High Line
While the subway is an easy way to get around the city, weather permitting, I do prefer to walk. On my way down the west side, I decided to explore the High Line. This is a fairly new public park that was built on a historic freight rail line elevated above the streets on Manhattan’s West Side. It gives you another interesting perspective of the city. What I love most is the vast amount of greenery, you almost forget you are in the city. You really have an opportunity to appreciate and explore nature, art and design above the streets of the West Side.
Hu Kitchen
A dairy free girl’s dream come true. I knew I loved Hu when I discovered the wonderful chocolate bar at Whole Foods. On vacation it is so easy to get off track with your nutrition. Finding out that Hu Kitchen has a local restaurant in NYC was a jackpot moment! Healthy eating on the go and getting to experience a brand I already knew and loved for their sweets?!? The restaurant is set up more like a mini food hall with it’s quick service style counter and upstairs seating area. There was a variety of options to customize your bowl both with cold and warm options. I went with a quinoa bowl with curry chicken and topped off with broccoli and sweet potato. There were also a variety of sauces some creamy, some spicy but all of them tasty! There were also fresh pressed juices, various types of waters and lots of treats!
Love you so matcha
Matcha lattes are all the craze but mix that with a beautiful aesthetic and you have a winning combination! You could see the bright pink and lime green from down the street, we knew we had to stop in! ChaCha Matcha uses ceremonial ground matcha, so all the benefits of the calm focus and calorie burn without the jitters. There are various drinks with matcha from lattes, lemonade or chai as well as classic coffee drinks, cold brew and espresso. There are also sweets like match croissants, vegan banana bread and ice cream. I went for the swirl of matcha ice cream and lavender ice cream. So refreshing and delicious. Plenty of opportunities for pictures here so have your camera ready!
Yoga in Time Square
I was so lucky to be flying into the city on Friday June 21 which is the summer solstice (first day of Summer). Every year Time Square partners up with Aerie for an amazing all day yoga event outside in the middle of the hectic Time Square! Signing up makes sure you have a spot secured but they have two different roped off areas so my friends who did not preregister were also able to get in! The teachers were on a raised platform but they also had cameras projecting the yoga class on the huge jumbotrons of Time Square! It was awesome, Aerie gave us all yoga mats to use and take home plus some great coupons on active wear and samples of a ton of great wellness brands!
Haven
Summertime in the city means it’s rooftop season! Haven is located on the top of the Sanctuary Hotel and offers stunning views above the city in the theater district. I chose this place since it was a few blocks from the theater of our Broadway show. The vibe is very boho chic. Beautiful macrame details are found is almost all the decor. Craft cocktails and american cuisine are offered in the dinning area and there is a small bar area with a DJ spinning for happy hour. My drink of choice was the solstice - I felt it only appropriate considering it was first day of summer! It has Tito's Vodka, Strawberry Puree, Peach Liqueur, Prosecco - light and refreshing! You could also get a variety of beers, wine by the glass or bottle and enjoy some great appetizers with a stunning view! Full menu available too if you have the time.
On Broadway
The heart of musicals is in the theater district. I have been to NYC so many times but never made it to a Broadway show, totally unacceptable I know! There are so many shows to chose from, and with the Tony’s just announcing I had some great options! I knew I wanted to go for a classic and I just love the music from Chicago so we opted to go to the Ambassador Theatre and check out ALL - THAT - JAAAAZZZ! It was phenomenal! We were a little late in the ticket buying so had to have seats in the second level but the theater was so intimate, we felt so close. The performers were amazing, music was great. An overall wonderful experience.
Cantina
Another day, another rooftop! We decided to try another one of the amazing rooftops this time in Hell’s Kitchen area close to our hotel. Cantina is a modern Mexican restaurant and much more lively than Haven. Perfect for Happy Hour! For HH you can get $8 Margaritas, wines or sangria. There is also Taco Tuesday specials and Wednesday they have big ass margaritas and big ass tacos for parties of 8. Not there for HH or a daily special, no worries because the party is still there! We ordered fresh guacamole and a pitcher of margaritas and had so much fun dancing to an amazing DJ. The views of the city were amazing and there are still covered areas so you won’t be hot in the sun.
NYC Pizza
To get that real authentic NYC pizza experience you have to go to the small pizzerias in the neighborhood. We were lucky to stumble upon Sal’s! Thin crust, large fordable slice of cheese is my go to and I wouldn’t change it for the world! Something must be in the water because pizza always tastes the best here in NYC!
TWA Terminal
Did I walk through a time warp? Am I in the 1960s? The 1962 landmark TWA terminal has been reignited and restored into a hotel and flight center! I got to JFK very early to give myself some time to explore before I left. In the baggage claim area you will find a bright red wall and elevator, take it to the second floor and prepare to be amazed! Give yourself at least 30mins just to walk around. There are two bars so you can also grab a drink. Make sure to peak around every corner for hidden seating areas and artifacts from the past!
Do you have a favorite area in NYC? I’ll be sharing another blog post with more neighborhoods in the upper east side soon!