NEW YORK CITY - USA
The city that never sleeps..
It’s hard to know where to begin with this city..When to begin or how to begin..
This city has played a huge part in my life. It has been a distant dream but also a familiar friend.
It has been the source of so much hope and inspiration but it has also been a place where I have found friends, made memories and experienced many of my big life moments. I love it dearly.
My adventures with NYC began at 17 years old when my dear friend and I got on a greyhound bus and travelled into the big apple from Pennsylvania having spent the summer working in a resort in the Poconos. We thought that we were the coolest cats around. We promptly spent all of our savings at Abercrombie & Fitch and we ate all of the candies and milkshakes that we could stomach.
Today, I have kids and I have honeymooned there, got engaged there, witnessed my friends getting married there, holidayed there and more. Our romance continues…
On this occasion, I am going to take you along on the journey that my husband and I took there with our baby girl. We stayed in a great airbnb in Williamsburg Brooklyn.
Williamsburg offered us what we could neither find nor afford in Manhattan and that was space, a bit of quiet and the opportunity to get up with our heavily jet lagged daughter, at 03.30, and watch Winnie the Poo whilst the rest of the world slept. Brooklyn was the perfect fit. Full of character, amazing food, welcoming communities and an easy daily commute not the island if we chose to.
We may have had a kid, but we still loved the energy and the vibrancy of the big city so we travelled in most days.
Our neighbourhood was perfect, walking distance to everything that we needed and at helpful opening hours! The fact that our local coffee shop opened at 06.00 was perfect as by that time we had already been up for hours.
The infamous Joe’s pizza was just on the next street and I must admit to us having frequented that a little too often as our tired feet ands tired parent eyes got the better of us and pizza and movie night was just what we wanted after a long day out and about.
We were a short distance away from the Subway and as there were 2 of us, travelling on the Subway with the pram was not an issue and the pram allowed for us to take Freya out and about and her have good naps. The perfect times for us to get a quiet coffee in and a decent meal.
Frankels Delicatessen
One of our first foodie finds was this place. I had read about it on a number of food blogs and I was longing to get my hands on one of their pastrami bagels.
We opted for a brisket bagel with a side of pickles. It was so good that Lukasz went back the next day whilst off on a run and brought us back goodies
We made sure that we got into the city and didn’t forget why we had dragged our daughter across the ocean. We wanted to show her the ‘big lights’. So we decided to spend a day doing the Brooklyn Bridge and some food haunts in the city that we had always loved.
Starting at Cafe Cluny, a gorgeous neighbourhood cafe which we had been introduced to by our friends when we visited NYC for their wedding. Then Dean & Delta where I want to eat and buy everything every time that I visit..coffee stop at intelligentsia and then cookies with friends at Mamanyc. A fabulous foodie day.
NYC views from Rooftop Bar in Brooklyn
The Brooklyn Bridge
We were treated to some gorgeous weather as we headed across the Brooklyn Bridge, it can get pretty busy and of course we all want a photo, so choose your timing wisely.
Our next few days were spent strolling and eating and sleeping (when we could) and eating some more.
We made plans to meet up with friends and fortunately there was a big food market on in Brooklyn so we headed there on the Saturday to meet up with Freya’s God parents and share in some drinks and food in the epic style that only American food trucks can do.
In my opinion, there are certain things that you just need to do when you visit NYC and to me, these are non negotiable. I have done a number of them over and over again and I do not tire of them, a few, I have only just done for the first time recently and I am so glad that I have done them.
So here is my list of must do’s on the island:
Central Park
Take a stroll in Central Park and take in the many happenings around you. From rollerskating to baseball practice and romance to wildlife.
This is where I got engaged!
Make it stand out
Visit the MET and enjoy some of the world’s most incredible art (free on Tuesday)
New York Public Library
A stunning piece of architecture, steeped in history and fun to see the location where many movies have been filmed.
Take a stroll
Take a walk downtown. Most people head straight for 5th Avenue and that is fun, fun to see the landmark shops but don’t forget to head downtown too. So many cafes, boutiques and a lot more space.
And just to think, this was only 1 trip! There have been so many wonderful adventures in NYC and so many more to come I’m sure. I can’t wait to get back there sometime in the future and see what new and exciting places have popped up.
A city that you simply must not miss out on. It may not be your cup of tea but I think that you have to give it a go and see what you think.
NYC we love you