That place, this year

As Biebs so poetically said, and as I hear ALL the time…life is worth living. And staring down the barrel of a big new one, it’s good to have plans and things to look forward to right? For a start, I am really REALLY looking forward to Monday and getting some routine and order back in our lives. Like REALLY looking forward to it.

You know what else I am looking forward to? In 59 days Rob and I are going here.

SHUT UP NO I WILL NOT SHUT UP YOU SHUT UP.

I’m a little excited. And at day 40 of the school holidays, a gal has GOT to look forward.

Do you remember when I was there last time? Can you even believe it’s been almost 5 years? How can that be?! Those 2 weeks were some of the best of my life, and I vowed that I would be back, and be back with Rob. For my 40th! Well, it’s not my birthday when we are there but cheap flights call you to action whenever you can.

Thought I’d check in with you guys for your tips on where to go and what to see. We are going without the kids for 10 nights.

SHUT UP NO I WILL NOT SHUT UP YOU SHUT UP.

I cannot wait for the complete check out of normal life and to spend time with Rob in the best city in the world. All that time, just us. Walking all day and night and not having to bribe anyone with ice creams. Talking, really talking about stuff, other than cling wrap and non dissolving dishwasher tablets. Sleeping with no clothes on. NOT BEING WOKEN UP. Having sex. Shopping. Eating. Drinking. All of the things.

Bring. It. On.

And let’s not forget the pizza.

How could you?!

And if you’re new here and want to see what I got up to on my trip 5 years ago, this post has all of the details in it. Such good memories.

So, tell me, what’s your NUMBER ONE tip/thing to do or see in NYC?
Can you pick just one?

Gorgeous illustrations are from Claire Caulfield.

Comments

  1. I LOVED your posts from NYC last time. Can’t wait to relive it all again with new adventures. πŸ™‚

  2. I definitely recommend jumping on Pinterest and searching for NYC ideas. There is lists of things like ’10 places you won’t see other tourists’ and all sorts of interesting ideas of things off the beaten track. One thing I was really disappointed we didn’t get to do was attend a Sunday morning ‘worship’ in Harlem. I’m not religious…but the singing is meant to be amazing. Some do ‘tourist friendly’ ones, that also offer breakfast.

  3. Love love love NYC! Stay in the village if you can, we’d come home every night exhausted from walking all day and dump our stuff and then there were a plethora of great local restaurants to choose from and all in staggering distance home. Walk the High Line,all of it. I only had time for a short section. Do a food tour with Foods of NYC, run by a dynamic young guy called Josh who reinvented himself after the financial crisis, can highly recommend the food truck one. Daisy May’s BBQ for authentic BBQ food and if you can’t be bothered to go there they deliver! so good, can you tell I like food???

  4. SHUT UP! I so wanted to go there for my 40th (Ant is 40 too this year and has never been – I so want to share NY with him). Might get there next year instead. #oneyearlate

  5. Get out on the water…do a sunset sail
    Go to a jazz club
    Go to a show on broardway
    Spend as long as you can at The Met
    Walk over Brooklyn Bridge from the Brooklyn side
    Hire a row boat in Central Park
    Go to Eately (we went to the new one at Westfield site near the World Trade precinct) there are two! Eat food there and also grab food to take back to your accommodation.
    Visit Top of the Rock
    ….sorry you asked for one ? thing.

  6. Oh my gosh! I am so excited for you!!!

  7. If you like NYC pizza I highly recommend a Scott’s Pizza Tour. We did the Sunday tour, Scott picks 4 pizzerias in the NYC area, always starting at Lombardi’s the original NYC pizzeria. You travel around on an old yellow school bus and have a slice of pizza at each stop. We got to checkout the different types of pizza ovens and learnt about the different ways a pizza can be made. It was great.

  8. More ideas… The Frick, Central Park (have a glass of wine at the boat house), City Lights Harbour Cruise. If you intend to go to a lot of the popular tourist spots I recommend you buy a New York Pass before you go.

  9. Modern Major says

    Exciting!!! I disappeared to Palm Springs for my 40th last year! BEST DECISION EVER! Do you have Sibella Court’s “The Stylist’s Guide to NYC”? You need it! You can boz mine. Pop up the hill anytime to collect and we can have a large wine. X Melissa

  10. Oh you couldn’t have timed this better, we are going in October, only for 4 nights, but will be watching your blog for tips and ideas. Loved your blogs from your last trip to NY.

  11. Fantastic! I just really loved walking the entire length of Central Park, criss crossing the breadth and discovering all its hidden treasures. We were jet lagged, so up early and in the park on an unseasonably cold late April day and we almost had the place to ourselves at first. Tulips, blossom, daffs! It was magical to see it in the spring time.
    Of course the Met is spectacular too. I loved the collection of Degas.
    I walked past Chloe Sevigny on Madison Avenue. Not a highlight as such, but cool to be in a city where celebs just fall into step with everyone else. It really is a city where anything seems possible!
    I wish I had done the high line walk. It looks quirky and fun.
    I know you’ll have many cool things lined up already! What a great thing to have to look forward to.

  12. Airbnb in Brooklyn! Live in one burrough and venture to the other for adventures. Good way to see a little more. Or better yet (if you can be bothered) spend half time in Manhattan and half in Brooklyn.

    Have fun!

  13. There’s so much to do as you already know but my one thing would be get tickets to The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon. Sure I had to check twitter like a mad person to check the date and time tickets were being released for the dates we were there and then I had to get up in the middle of the night to be ready to claim said tickets but it was so worth it. So much fun being in the live studio audience. Then after the show head up to the top of the rock and then have a drink downstairs in Rockefeller center.

    And the high line – but I think you’ve already done that.

  14. And take in a baseball game (if it’s on when you’re there?) And ride bikes around Central Park.

  15. Beth, if you haven’t booked accomodation, check out The Box House, Brooklyn. Although not in NYC as such, easy access to the city, (bridge walk and subway). Spacious rooms with a kitchen and plenty of space! We loved being on this side of wonderful New York

  16. ab/fab! … good for you guys beth!
    you will have a honeymoon of 10 days!
    erinmadethis.com has done some blog posts on some great eating places in new York!
    … about a year ago worth a look hun! she does food well!
    enjoy the planning! …
    omg, love the mags in rob’s new twuck!
    much love m:)X

  17. Exciting! I’m keen to follow this too as we head there in four months!

  18. Exciting! Gather up some gorgeous European supplies from the Eataly next to the Flatiron Building and have a picnic in the park opposite. Admire the architecture in the area. Duck up to Grand Central Station for some more great architecture inside, take photos of fab Art Deco interior.

  19. Katie Macleod says
  20. Hi Beth
    I followed your NYC trip and stayed at Andrea’s Air bnb on your rec, of course ideal location and cost.
    We loved MOMA, MET and Guggenheim
    Walking Brooklyn Bridge at night def from Brooklyn side to Manhattan.
    Balthazars
    Eataly
    Strolling through Central Park
    Dough doughnuts in Brooklyn and then go wandering the entire neighbourhood and Prospect Park and Brooklyn Museum.
    I also did the free NYC tours of downtown food streets and Grand Central Terminal (you end up giving them a $10-$20 tip as thanks), highly worthwhile, guides are friendly and knowledgeable and have tips and insights.
    Lastly Blue room for sublime Jazz experience
    Best wishes, such a wonderful city

  21. Very excited for you and Rob, what a way to spend your big birthday…and sans children no less! I went for a girls trip with my baby sis and mom a few years back. We stayed in Midtown, just off Broadway, easy access to the subway, shopping, shows, literally walk down the street to Times Square and up the street to Central Park. I highly recommend Stanton Social Club, on the Lower East Side, their food is all share plates and the best food we ate all week (except the pizza of course)! I had heard about them from “Best Thing I Ever Ate…” on Food Network. They have these French Onion Soup Dumplings that are to die for! It’s like having an entire bowl of soup in one delicious bite, don’t know how they do it. You will need a reservation and they fill up pretty quickly, I booked ours online about a month in advance. Can’t wait to see all your adventures!

  22. Honae MacNeill says

    Book tickets to sleep no more. It will be the weirdest show youve ever seen but it is so bloody memorable. I LOVED it. I work in advertising and all my advertising friends told me i had to go. Go, allow yourself to be separated from Rob and just GO WITH IT!!! It’s like choose your own adventure. So cool.

  23. Honae MacNeill says

    Oh, and have dinner and cocktails upstairs before the show!!

  24. Ah New York, one of my favourite cities, what a way to celebrate your birthday. I have a few suggestions –
    Hire a bike and cycle around Central Park.
    There is a burger place called Shake Shack, 691 8th Ave, Theatre District, make sure you get the chocolate shake with your burger and do not share, it is too good.
    If you’re in the SoHo area make sure you drop past a shop called The Evolution Store, it’s a quirky little shop with interesting things.
    Sunset Hudson River cruise, beautiful. Can’t wait to read all about it ?

  25. Briony McNeil says

    Take hubby to the Burger Joint hidden inside the hotel Le Parker Meridien. Authentic burger joint that they had to build the glamorous hotel around. I had friends living in NYC and they loved surprising visitors by taking them there, it’s like stepping back in time (and there is a moment of confusion because you have to enter via the upmarket hotel). The burgers are also tasty too. I love hidden NYC moments.

  26. The absolute best pizza in New York is Numero 28 in the West Village! So many locals told us to go and it was divine!! Also, do a tour with ‘Bike the Big Apple’ – amazing!!

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