Travel Tuesday: New York City (Again!)
Jesse and I went to New York the weekend of November 26th
for our fourth anniversary and had the best time. He had never been, and this
was only my second time after going with Katy for New Years 2017 – and it was incredible
how different an experience it was! Katy and I stayed in Brooklyn last time,
and Jesse and I stayed in Manhattan; and, of course, it’s always a bit different
traveling with a girlfriend than with your partner, so it was awesome how my
two NYC experiences were completely unique from each other.
TIMES SQUARE
A friend told us to go here, and it was by far our favourite
experience of the trip. Sleep No More is an immersive, interactive theatre
experience that takes place in the historic McKittrick Hotel. The production
has taken over a few floors of the place for its creepy, Prohibition-era take
on Shakespeare’s Macbeth. It was awesome. The entire audience is given masks
and told not to speak. After sipping cocktails in a ‘20s-style lounge, you’re
shown up to the first floor of the set. From there, you’re free to wander,
explore the incredibly detailed and spooky set, and wait to cross paths with
one of the ever-moving actors. You can follow them around and watch their part
of the story unfold, or simply branch off on your own to experience the
production in your own way. It was unreal. 10/10 would recommend.
Since they don't allow phones in the venue, I didn't snap any photos - but you can find out more about the McKittrick Hotel and Sleep No More here.
SHOPPING IN WILLIAMSBURG
We didn’t spend much time in Brooklyn, but one place we did
explore was Williamsburg. Katy and I had shopped in Williamsburg over New Years
and I was excited to show Jesse the stretch of hipstery boutiques and businesses.
We found some treasures at a bunch of cute places, including a sparkly skirt
for me that I plan on wearing to every Christmas event ever.
CHELSEA MARKET
Nestled beneath a section of the High Line is the ChelseaMarket, a huge building that houses a cornucopia of clothing stores, home décor
shops and restaurants. I recommend bypassing all this stuff and going straight
for the Artists and Fleas section of the Market, which is located towards the
south of the building. Here you’ll find a bunch of vendors selling unique and
awesome wares, from ethically made alpaca fur slippers to vintage dresses to handmade
soaps and candles (I bought a few delicious Mason jar candles from Ooh La LaPetite, which is owned by a French artisan who now lives in Brooklyn.
It’s only been two weeks and I’ve already finished Cinnamon one, FML).
EMPIRE STATE BUILDING
Another very touristy, but very NECESSARY thing on our list.
Just checking out the iconic lobby felt special, especially since it was all
decked out in sparkly Christmas decorations and reminded me of that scene from
Elf. We bought the most expensive observatory tickets, meaning we were given
access to all three decks. The view was obviously spectacular from every one,
but the crowd dwindled the higher we went. The journey to the very top deck is
via an ancient elevator (one of the oldest in America, from what I remember?),
and the deck itself is very intimate – and very fucking high. Jesse took some
beautiful film shots while we were up there. It was insane to experience New
York from that perspective – and in one of the most famous buildings in the
world.
RARE BAR & GRILL
We went here for our first dinner and I recommend it because
of the view and the awesome service. Their heated patio boasts an awesome view
of the skyline, so you can sip cocktails and munch on sliders while taking in
the flashy, multi-coloured tops of the buildings.
ANGEL’S SHARE
This is a “secret” bar located on top of a Japanese
restaurant in the East Village. I was adamant about checking out of the city’s
speakeasies, and Angel’s Share didn’t disappoint. Dark and cosy, it’s the
perfect spot to warm up with a fancy drink. They don’t serve food, so don’t
come hungry – and just know that you’ll probably have to wait a bit to snag a
spot. We waited 45 minutes, but it was worth it. I was too drunk to take any pictures, but click the link up there ^ to check out their Instagram.
I feel like I’ve
gotten to know two very different sides of the city now, and can’t wait to go
back to explore more.
My last NYC post was broken down by neighbourhood, but this
time I’m going to break it down by must-sees.
 |
| Central Park, one of our first stops of the trip |
Like I said, this was Jesse’s first time in New York, so we
definitely prioritized a few touristy things. I hadn’t even seen Times Square
my first time, so we were both excited to experience the most famous
intersection in the world. Only thing was, our anniversary weekend just so
happened to fall on Black Friday this year – so the place as RAMMED. But
despite the crowds, we had a great time taking in all the electric craziness
and even doing some shopping. We went there a few times, and it was especially
awe-inspiring at night. Usually I’d get mad at so many advertisements pounding into
my retinas at once, but the giant-ass screens were so intense I didn’t even
care. It was pretty.
SLEEP NO MORE
Since they don't allow phones in the venue, I didn't snap any photos - but you can find out more about the McKittrick Hotel and Sleep No More here.
THE HIGH LINE
I wrote about the High Line in my last NYC post, but it was
such a ~high~light of this trip that I wanted to mention it again. It’s such a
magical place, especially at sunset. Jesse loved it and we took some photos
during golden hour. So romantic and fun.
MUD
On our last morning, we met up with some friends at this coffee shop in the East Village, not far from Angel’s Share. I instantly became
obsessed with their coffee – they steam the milk, making it taste like actual heaven.
I wanted to take some espresso beans home but we had zero room left in our
luggage, LOL. Check them out – they also have an adorable back patio.
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