A few weeks ago, Taylor and I went to NYC with his mom and his brother, Adam! I ♥ NY and had been trying to get back since my first visit in 2012. We packed a lot into a roughly 48-hour trip. Much of it was pretty touristy, but I wanted to write about it anyway. This trip confirmed that New York is one of very few places that has a spiritual piece of me – when I go back, in a sense it feels like I never left.
Where We Ate
Vezzo Thin Crust Pizza, 178 Lexington Avenue – Adam’s favorite pizza in New York, and now mine too. I also ate the best side salad of my life there. Like, I could not stop talking about how crisp and flavorful the spring mix was.
Ellen’s Stardust Diner, 1650 Broadway – Extreme tourist trap, but you’re paying for the “Home of the Singing Waitstaff” experience (the food is good, but not $20-French-toast good). It’s a fun atmosphere and the singers are very talented.
John’s Brick Oven Pizza, 278 Bleecker Street – Taylor and Adam gave this pizza rave reviews. I had the ravioli, which was delicious and obviously handmade.
Pasticceria Rocco, 4438, 243 Bleecker Street – I felt the authenticity of this place immediately, because it was like the New York bakeries of my youth in Miami. They have a wide variety of coffee drinks and legit baked treats. I got a tiramisu latte.
Bouchon Bakery, 1 Rockefeller Plaza – Across the street from the Today Show. Went here looking for a black-and-white cookie, had a big chocolate cherry macaron instead.
Heartland Brewery and Rotisserie, 350 5th Avenue – I wish we’d had time to visit some Brooklyn breweries (and Brooklyn in general), but I was excited to try any local beer (in this case their Lavender Wheat). Cindy and I split a lemon rosemary rotisserie chicken.
Charly’s, 1031, 110 Trinity Place – This was a quick walk-up stop between the World Trade Center and Trinity Church, but a solid option if you’re in the area and tired of pizza. I had a surprisingly delicious grilled chicken sandwich, and also found the bona fide black-and-white cookie I had been looking for.
810 Deli & Café, 810 7th Avenue – I was determined to eat an everything bagel with cream cheese before leaving New York, so Taylor and I set out early Sunday morning on almost no sleep to find one before we went to the airport. We had intended to go to a trendier bagel place a block further, but it was so cold I seriously could not continue. I was content with my bagel experience here.
Writing this made me realize that the freshness of even the most basic food is one of the most underrated things about NYC.
Where We Went
NBC Tour at Rockefeller Center – The tour stops change depending on what’s going on that day. We went to the Nightly News set, the Late Night with Seth Meyers set, AND the SNL set, where we saw Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant, and Don Cheadle rehearsing a wedding venue skit!!! Starstruck. I was also excited to stand outside the Today Show studio.
World Trade Center Memorial and Museum – Last time I was in New York, neither the memorial nor the Freedom Tower were finished yet. I recommend buying museum tickets in advance, as we did – the line was long. It took us about three hours to see the museum, which has exhibits about the history and architecture of the towers in addition to the chronological walk through 9/11 and the aftermath. It was powerful and well done. Definitely worth seeing once.
Trinity Church – One of the oldest churches in America, and the final resting place of Alexander and Eliza Hamilton, Angelica Schuyler, and (I was excited to discover) Hercules Mulligan. (FYI, Angelica’s marker is on the opposite side of the church from the Hamiltons.) Many of the tombstones are so old that all the engraving has eroded. The sanctuary is currently under construction, but we visited the chapel, which was also beautiful.
Wall Street – I didn’t realize Fearless Girl had been moved, but she now stands facing the New York Stock Exchange! We didn’t realize the significance of nearby Federal Hall, but wish we had gone in, because it holds the George Washington Inaugural Bible and some other artifacts.
Hope Sculpture (200 West 53rd Street) – Worth swinging by if you’re in the Times Square area. We happened upon it while walking around.
The Original Macy’s, Herald Square – I tried on some potential wedding shoes here! (Unfortunately, the heel was way too high.)
The Friends Apartment (90 Bedford Street) – Technically I shouldn’t count this, because I only saw it from the Uber. We noticed a big group standing across the street and thought that was probably the right place, but it looks a little different than it did on the show. I confirmed the address later. Next time I’ll check it out for real. The above photo is NOT the Friends apartment, but it does look like it.
Hamilton – The highlight of the trip! We had “standing room” tickets at the back of the mezzanine, which was fine by me since I could dance around without disturbing anyone. The location was similar to where I sat when I saw Hamilton in Chicago. An old friend of Taylor’s and Adam’s is a musician in the show and gave us a backstage tour of sorts!! It was amazing. While we stood on the stage, they talked about old times, and I tried to appear cool while absorbing the energy of Lin-Manuel Miranda through the soles of my boots. Also, we found out later that that performance was Michael Luwoye’s last as Hamilton! I still kind of can’t believe it happened and am very grateful.
In conclusion, I can’t wait to go back. Preferably not in February.
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