Visiting NYC? My weekend recs!
$$$- price range
RES- if you should make a reservation or buy a ticket in advance
Friday:
10am: Get the most beautiful lavender latte at Remi Flower & Cafe in midtown before heading to brunch. It is a flower shop and coffee shop and is my favorite $
12pm: Head to Sarabeth’s (Central Park South is my favorite location but all are good-might need a resi) for a cute esthetic brunch $$, RES
3pm: Head down south of Manhattan to hop on the Staten Island Ferry. It is free and has a ferry every 30 minutes. You can see a perfect view of the Statue of Liberty without the insane prices, tourists and the long wait time to get on a boat. When you get on, sit on the right side of the boat- that has the best view of her. You can also drink beer in a bag from one of the stores in the terminal (my favorite part). When you get to Staten Island, come straight back on the next ferry- hurry. Do not need to be in Staten Island too long FREE
5pm: Grab a drink before dinner at the coolest speakeasy in Chinatown, Basement. You walk through a vending machine into a bar with yummy cocktails, popcorn to snack on before dinner and beer pong and other drinking games to play $$
7pm: Dinner at Yeah Shanghai Deluxe (also formally known as New Shanghai Deluxe). It is my favorite family style chinese food in Chinatown. Soup dumplings, shrimp friend rice, sweet and sour chicken, scallion pancakes, green beans and hot sake are my staples! So fucking good! $
10pm: End your night at Asia Roma. It looks sketchy, I know but trust me when I say I have had the best New York nights here singing the most casual drunk karaoke and everyone is so nice and supportive. They literally plug in an iPhone and you look up your song on Youtube. It is amazing and drinks are cheap $
Midnight: Go to bed because you have a big day tomorrow. If you need a midnight snack, you can get a slice of pizza at any hour of the night in New York City.
Saturday:
9am: Grab a coffee (anywhere but Starbucks) and enjoy it in Bryant Park. Ten thousand coffee is my favorite coffee in midtown area $
11am: walk over to Haven Rooftop for brunch. Great views, great brunch options and kind of a little party vibe! $$, RES
2pm: Broadway matinee. Broadway shows are AMAZING and I have honestly only ever seen one bad Broadway show (it is not on anymore so it is ok). My favorites are Wicked, Lion King, and Moulin Rouge that are on all the time. It is so worth it $$, RES
6pm: Head down to West Village for a drink before dinner (if you do not drink, head down anyways to sit in Washington Square Park before dinner. The most New York things are happening there at all times and I can’t really explain it in words). Grab a cocktail at Donte’s- there are two locations. Both are great but you are going to go to Dante’s West Village, it is the original and bigger so you have more options for seating and less of a wait for a quick drink $$
7:30pm: I will give you two options for dinner- both amazing but different food options. Boucherie West Village, incredible French dinner with the BEST cocktails. No joke, some of my favorite cocktails in the city live at Boucherie: La Vie En Rose, Boucherie Old Fashioned and Monk’s Sour. Second option is Rosemary’s West Village, amazing Italian food with a fun vibe and aesthetic. Please order Rosemary’s focaccia, the spaghetti and Branzino! So good $$$, RES (for both)
9:30pm, 10pm or 10:45pm: Comedy show at Comedy Cellar. They have three venues (Black Fat Pussy Cat, Village Underground and the original location on MacDougal St) but they are all owned by the same people and actually have a lot of the same comedians performing each night. This is truly one of the most New York experiences you can have. A lot of famous people have performed here and still come back as a surprise. You have to make a reservation for these shows in advance because the waitlist line normally does not work out. Each venue has different times but like I said, majority all of the same comedians so they are pretty much the same. $25 cover and a two item minimum for people at the table $$, RES
Sunday:
10am: Grab a coffee and a bagel (either at H&H, Tal Bagels, Ess a Bagel- you honestly can’t go wrong with any bagel in NYC but those are my favorites) and go sit in Central Park for breakfast $
12pm: Spend the rest of the afternoon before your flight at the MET. It is a cool experience and I think everyone should go at least once. It is free if you bring someone that lives in New York (resident discount) and in the summertime the rooftop is open with an exhibit and amazing views for a photo op $
