NYC Trip 2016 - Styled and Taylored

We returned from our NYC anniversary trip a little over a month ago, and I already miss it like crazy. To say that I love this city is an understatement. It truly feels like a place we could one day call home.

“Manhattan will do that to a girl. You’ll be happy to know, it never wears off.” -Blair Waldorf

Something about New York just makes you fall in love with it a little more every time. The charm, the lights, the hustle and bustle of it all… There are so many things to see and do that you’ll never run out of new adventures.

NYC Iconic Shows

We were able to catch The Late Show with David Letterman 2 years ago, and this year we snagged tickets to see The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. We’ve done all of the major touristy things and enjoy them, but what I enjoy most about our trips here is wandering around the city.

NYC- Shops, Coffee and more

We spent the entire afternoon after The Tonight Show without anything major planned, and we were able to wander in and out of 5th avenue shops, coffee shops, pubs and eventually found the most delicious little steakhouse. (more about each place at the bottom of this post)

Dessert and a Musical

After seeing the off Broadway show, Newsical the Musical (which I highly recommend), we decided to get dessert at Cafe Lalo (from You’ve Got Mail). If you’re around the UWS, Cafe Lalo is a must. The ambiance is great, and the dessert selection is incredible!

NYC- UWS

Running around those charming UWS neighborhoods is also a major treat. We woke up early one morning and walked from our hotel on 77th and Broadway to the park for a jog. I jog pretty often at home, but Central Park jogging is the absolute best! The temps were cool, and the view is to die for. I ended up running a mile farther than I had originally intended (in the rain) because I enjoyed it that much.

A Few of My Favorite NYC Things

Adrianne’s Pizza Bar on Stone Street is the best pizza you will ever eat. The Italian sausage is delish. The only downside is they don’t offer single slices, and you’ll have to order an entire pizza which feeds 3-4. Don’t try to use apple maps to get there. The gps gets a bit confused with the tall buildings around, and it’ll put you blocks from where you actually are. I try to rely on street names to find it. It is a little tucked away and hidden but most definitely worth looking for.

Keens Steakhouse Amazing is all I can say. The thick cut bacon app is the best thing I’ve ever had, and the steak was delicious too.

Café Lalo 83rd and Amsterdam desserts and coffee. Makes a great, relaxing end to your evening.

Carmine’s Best Italian food. We had our reception dinner here, which was 7 courses of Italian greatness. We now return every year because it’s just that good. Everything is served family style and feeds 3-4.

Mille-Feuille Bakery Cafe A super cute little coffee and pastry shop on Broadway between 76th & 77th. The macarons are incredible.

Theatre District Bars There is a little strip of bars off of 46th between 8th and 9th. We went on a Monday night. There was literally no one there, but we still had a blast. The performers have the most beautiful voices ever.

Top of the Rock is an observation deck at the top of Rockefeller center. The views are magnificent, and I recommend going a little before sunset so you can capture day and night views. The Empire State Building, Chrysler Building and Central Park all look amazing from here. See photos in my NYC trip from last year.

World Trade Center Observatory while the world trade center is definitely a must see. I think the view from Rockefeller is 100xs better. We went up mainly because we had never been and wanted the experience. The concept of having your own Ipad tour with history on some of the most iconic buildings is really cool. It’s just super tall, so you’re looking down at everything, and midtown is so far away that you’re unable to capture any of the dreamy NYC photos that you’ll get from the Top of the Rock.

Brooklyn Bridge Walking the Brooklyn Bridge is a beautiful and romantic experience. I suggest taking the subway to Brooklyn, admiring the view from the Brooklyn Bridge Park, then walking back to Manhattan. I say this because the view of the lower Manhattan skyline from the bridge is truly magical.

Times Square Ticket Booth There are often unsold seats to many Broadway and Off Broadway plays. You can get these for up to half off the day off at the ticket booth in Times Square. (under the big red steps)

Newsical the Musical We decided to try an off Broadway show for the first time and loved it. It was comical and entertaining. Think SNL if it were a play. However, if you’re looking for a Broadway play, I’d go with Wicked. It’s my fave.

Ralphs Coffee If you enjoy latte art, Ralph Lauren has delicious coffee in his 5th ave store. The cookie was great too.

Henri Bendel I am obsessed with Bendel’s and have been since Gossip Girl. It’s my absolute favorite store, and it has been a long time dream to collab with them one day. So naturally I have to shop when I’m in town. They just released a new Worth Ave backpack that I cannot live without. I’ll be posting about that as soon as I order it!

NYC Tips

My biggest tip is to try to break your trip into districts or neighborhoods. What I mean by that is don’t walk the bridge, then have lunch on the UES then head to midtown for something else. Try to do everything you want to do between downtown and Brooklyn all in one day. Midtown in the same, and group your Central Park stuff with upper east and west side activities. You wouldn’t want to waste precious vacation moments wandering up and down the subway system.

If you’re planning a trip and have any questions at all, let me know. I’d love to give my suggestions.

NYC 2016