A few weeks ago, my brother and I spent a long weekend in New York City! This was my third time but, it was his first. He LOVES anything vintage. So, I planned our entire trip around all things old! From what we drank to where we ate, there was a definite theme! Don't we look cute? ;)
We arrived around noon on a Friday and immediately dropped our bags off at the apartment. (tip: use
airbnb...you will save A LOT!) Then, top on my brothers list of "things to eat in NYC" was a Lox bagel. Before leaving, I had created quite a lengthy list of restaurants/bars/shops...etc. For Lox Bagels, I had decided that
Tal Bagels was the place to go! By chance, we just happened to turn a corner on our way to the metro stop and there it was!
Of course this was not enough for lunch! We needed pizza! I don't remember where we stopped...but does it really matter? It's NYC after all...
Unfortunately, it was a torrential down pour that day...but we were determined!! On my list, was
Eataly! I had to see it! And we made it! It was EXTREMELY crowded and we didn't actually get anything. But, it was definitely fun to see :)
After that, we headed back to the apartment to start getting ready for our first night on the town! But, alas, we were still hungry! We turned the corner and just happened to pass
No 7 Sub...another spot on my list! The sandwiches are what I would call...hangover food. Just weird! I got the broccoli with lychee and it was good! Other sandwiches include anything from cauliflower to fritos...go with an open mind!
That night, we went to the oldest restaurant in NYC...
21 Club! Originally, we were going to go for the "Pre Theater" dinner menu. It's a GREAT deal. You make your reservations no later than 6:30 and you get the prix fixed menu for $42. But, we decided to just hang out in the bar and watch people. It was so fun talking to our waiter about how he had waited on Grace Kelly, Humphrey Bogart...where they sat...what they drank...the history behind this place is well worth the visit.
Next up, we stopped in at
The Carnegie Club - a cocktail and smoking lounge. This was definitely a great find! They had live jazz music, great wine, and of course...cigars! It was a big hard to find but the speakeasy-type feel with the leather sofas, book cases, and old photos made it feel like a movie set! And...I smoked my first cigar!
At this point, we were pretty much exhausted. So that's where our night ended. Bright and early the next morning, we were at the
Empire State Building! Of course, you have to do that! Here's my tip: buy your tickets online! You can use them WHENEVER! But, get there at 7:50am. Yes...it's early. But, you don't wait in line!
Then, we just wandered Manhattan! We did take a look into
Katz's Delicatessen. But, the crowd is just not worth it! It is definitely a must see but, go down the street to
Russ & Daughters...it's also famous and not as crowded!
That evening, we stopped at a cool spot for a drink called
Middle Branch. A friend of mine in Dallas recommended it and it's definitely cool! Be sure to have the address or you might miss it!
Then, we started making our way down to
PDT (Please Don't Tell). Earlier that day, we called about 70 times and FINALLY got through to make a reservation. They only accept reservations by phone starting at 3pm the day of. So get your speed dial ready! But, before we went there, we had to eat dinner! We found a great place called
Cafe Orlin...a little Mediterranean and a little Indian!
Once we were fat and happy, we walked down the street to PDT! Its located inside a Hot Dog shop. Yes...a hot dog shop. You go in, then step into a phone booth, dial 1 and the other side of the booth opens into the bar!
And don't forget...the drinks are great! A bit pricey...but totally worth it! It's all about the experience :)
And so ended our second night. Early the next morning, we went to the
9/11 memorial. It's very moving...and a must see if you haven't yet. While down there, we walked along Wall Street and to Battery Park to catch a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty.
From there, we walked to lunch at
Beauty & Essex. This is hands down one of my favorite restaurants in New York. It's another one that you might miss if you're not looking carefully! You walk into a pawn shop in a not so good part of town and then into the beautiful restaurant! My brother and I ordered the Lox Pizzetta, Turkey Meatballs, and Lobster & Chorizo Hash.
From here, we made our way to Grand Central Station. This was my first time to see it and it is absolutely beautiful!!
That night, we had reservations at
The Raines Law Room...another speakeasy! Unfortunately, it was so dark inside that I was unable to get a good shot. But...you MUST GO! Again, have the address out or you will miss it! You walk down stairs and ring the door bell. Inside, it's not like a typical bar. You actually don't even see one! You're seated on chairs or couches. Each spot has a door bell on the wall next to it. When you're ready to order, you ring it!
Our flight left the next afternoon. So, we spent the morning wandering as usual. Then, I found this great spot for lunch called
Gazala's. It's delicious mediterranean food! We sat outside and soaked up the NYC sun before heading home...
And there you have it! NYC in one weekend!
A few other spots we hit up:
The Strand Bookstore
Other Music
Limelight
Chinatown
Hell's Kitchen Flea Market
Times Square
Rockefeller Center
Radio City Music Hall
Greenmarket at Union Square
