New York City – the city of dreams.
The city I’ve grown up visiting and continue to be mesmerized by every time I pop out of the Lincoln Tunnel or cross the George Washington Bridge. The city I have fantasized about bringing Andrew to since we met three years ago, scurrying through the busy streets hand in hand, feeling the enormity of the city, its towering buildings and never-ending noise.
Last weekend, that fantasy popped out of my mind and into the real world, right onto the streets of Manhattan. And it was the real-life fairytale I always dreamed of. This was Andrew’s very first time in New York City. Being able to take him to one of my favorite places for the first time made this trip so much more special.
Day One
After checking into our hotel, we made our way to Times Square. Being Andrew’s first time, I had to hold him close as he looked in awe of all the skyscrapers and tried to keep up with the pace of city walkers.
Among the hustle and bustle of Times Square, we found place for lunch – Dos Caminos. This came highly recommended from all my Google searches, and we weren’t disappointed. When you first walk in, it can be quite deceiving. At first, you think it’s a small Mexican café. But then, you walk downed a subway-styled staircase and are presently surprised by the huge, cozy downstairs restaurant. The food is a little funky if you’re used to typical Mexican food, but it’s still yummy and a good option if you’re in the Times Square area!
We left lunch and were greeted by snowflakes kissing our cheeks, as if they were welcoming us to the city. Even more special? It was Andrew’s first time EVER seeing snow. In Times Square!
With snow falling all around us and a white blanket becoming thicker and thicker on the city’s features, we made our way to my happiest place on Earth – Central Park. This day… made me so happy I had to fight back tears the entire time. Snow in Central Park? With my love? A freaking DREAM. The whole day felt like a movie – skipping through the snow, watching Andrew make snow angels, attempting to have a snowball fight. If I could relive this day, I would go back over and over and over again.
To top it all off, we ended our snowy adventure at my late grandma’s favorite bar – Neary’s. As soon as I walked in, I felt her presence all around me. Sitting at that bar, I looked around, picturing where she would sit, drinking a glass of Dewar’s, and how much I wish she could’ve been there with Andrew and me. But I know she was there – she wouldn’t miss it.
Day Two
We started this beautiful Sunday at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The beauty of this holy place touches my heart and soul. The verse that was the overarching theme for the mass hit so close to home – “Here I am Lord, I come to do your will.” This Sunday service was the best way to start our day.
Next up: the subway! Honestly, taking the subway is like a rite of passage when coming to New York, so Andrew had to experience it. By the end of the weekend, we mastered the subway, saw a subway rat and witnessed men singing “Stand by Me” through a subway car.
We took the subway to the High Line and jumped off right in front of the Vessel. We didn’t go in but it’s a really cool structure.
We ate brunch at Friedman’s in Hudson Yards – yum! It’s tight and was crowded but… I mean just look at this French toast with berry compote. The menu has such a good selection. Andrew got a pastrami reuben that was to DIE for. Highly recommend!
With happy bellies, we walked the High Line to its end. I had never done it before but thought it was really cool – all the street views, art and architecture give you with a lot to take in on the mile trek down the converted railway path.
From the High Line, we took the subway all the way downtown to the 9/11 Memorial. While we didn’t go into the museum (although I HIGHLY recommend you do), we sat quietly on a bench under the Freedom Tower, in between the two pools. And I prayed. This place is so eerie yet beautiful. Knowing the tragedy that occurred right where we were standing haunts me and makes me heart races. But what they transformed it into, a stunning memorial where all Americans can come to pay their respects, puts a smile on my face. Never forget.
From downtown, we took the subway to Washington Square Park. We sat in the park for a little while, listening to a man playing exquisitely on a grand piano right in front of the arch. New York is so special like that – you never know what you’ll stumble upon.
Not quite ready for dinner, we found a local bar called Arts and Crafts Beer Parlor. It was nothing exceptional but at the same time it was. I love sitting in places with the locals. Here, we drank some good beer and witnessed NYU students aggressively cheering on the Kansas City Chiefs – an interesting mix.
After some good brews and even better conversation, we headed off to the part of the trip Andrew had really been waiting for – Little Italy! We ended up going to Caffe Napoli and had the best, carb-filled meal – lots of bread, fettuccini alfredo and chicken piccata. Andrew was in heaven!
We ended our day at the popular Magnolia Bakery. HIGHLY recommend the red velvet cheesecake – drooling!
Day Three
With our flight back to Florida late that night, we spent our last day in the city trying not to walk too much (30+ miles in a weekend… ouch) and checking unfinished things off of our to-do list. At the top of that list – bagels! We started our day at a little bagel place near our hotel (didn’t get the name) and… wow, did I miss a good New York bagel.
From there, we took a subway to the American Museum of Natural History. I had been before but forgot just how huge this place is. It. Is. Massive. We were there for over two hours and didn’t even make it through every exhibit. My favorite part? The dinosaurs!
Next on the list – pizza! We went to a nearby neighborhood pizza place called Patsy’s Pizzeria. The service wasn’t great, but the pizza was pretty good. However, if you’re looking for some real New York pizza, I would go elsewhere – this gave me more artisan pizza vibes.
We ended our trip in my favorite way possible – warm Levain Bakery cookies on a bench in Central Park. We found the cutest gazebo to sit in, overlooking a pond with the city skyline on its horizon.
TIP: If you’re planning on taking a quick trip to NYC and don’t want to put a huge hole in your pocket, go during MLK weekend! Right after the holidays is a great time to travel because no one else really is. I used the app Hopper to find extremely cheap flights on United ($97 round trip) and we got our hotel for a bargain (less than $300 for two nights near Times Square)!
This trip was a dream (besides our flight home being delayed three hours). I wouldn’t trade this weekend for the world and will probably be reliving it in my memories for months on end.
Take that trip with the person you love. Life is too short to put your dreams on the back burner.