We have some new gems to tell you about…
So this post is a little late, but I figured better late than never! Last November we went back to New York and just had a great time. Not only were we treated to perhaps the best weather I’ve ever had there – not a cloud in the sky and unseasonably warm which left us in light jackets! – we had the chance to revisit some of our favorite places we hadn’t been to in years and also discover some new gems. So it’s time to share!! If you’re new to my NYC guides, then it might be best to start with mine original post (although it’s from 2017 so a little outdated now!). my revised post from 2020 is more current, but the best way to browse all my recommendations is with this map which has been viewed 140,000 times! How crazy is that?! It’s pretty useful if I do say so myself and contains full color guides to hotels, brunch, dinners, coffees, shopping, nightlife, sightseeing and more…
TRAVEL TAKEAWAY:
Jet lag is killer – especially when your little one has rescheduled you to start every day at 6am. The last we managed to sleep was at 5am on the last morning!! Relax this by leaning into it, booking breakfast and dinner early and going to bed around 9pm. Not the most glamorous, especially in the city that never sleeps – but we weren’t really jet lagged when we got home.
You no longer need a metro card for the metro! They accept Apple Pay – just tap when you start a trip. The metro is still the best, cheapest and fastest way to get around.
I think I’m a convert to living in Williamsburg. I really like the neighborhood vibe and the restaurants there are incredible – I never felt like we missed out on not being in Manhattan. It just suits the stage of life we’re in right now (although if I’m visiting with my girlfriends, I’d definitely want to be somewhere more central – depends on what you’re looking for!).
Leave extra room in your suitcase – the shopping is very good (and yes, I ended up paying for the extra luggage on the way home!).
OUR FOUR-DAY ITINERARY:
I always think it’s helpful to present our itineraries here – just in case you’re looking for a good place to start and build your trip from. Keep in mind that we are bad parents. HA! There is so much more that we could have packed in, but ultimately we wanted to have a little slower journey there than usual. And also, we’ve been a few times before, so we didn’t do any of the classic touristy stuff because we’re lucky enough to have done it already. My previous two NYC posts have itineraries that are more ready for this..
FIRST DAY
3 pm – Arrival at JFK.
5pm – Arrival at hotel and leave the bags. We explored the area and did a lot of Christmas shopping Smoochie Baby.
19:00 – We had dinner at Cafe Mogadorand managed to fit in a piece of of Joe and after. I was still hungry so we grabbed some ice cream and also made a detour to the local Trader Joe’s because I like supermarkets abroad.
9 PM – Back to the hotel and back to bed.
DAY MONDAY
9 AM – Breakfast at Sunday in Brooklyn – would always recommend here.
10:30 am – Shopping in Williamsburg – find all my recommendations here. Definitely check out Faith. Back to the hotel to drop off the bags and get some snacks.
2pm – Walk over the Williamsburg Bridge and to The Vintage Twin (great, but expensive, for Levi’s 501), then until FAO Schwarz to collect something for the little one.
19:00 – Dinner at ABC kitchenthen back to the hotel.
TUESDAY
9 AM – Breakfast at the hotel and then departure Peloton Studios to do a live lesson!!
12 pm – Return to Williamsburg to grab some lunch from Frankel’sstopped at a few shops on the way back to the hotel.
3 pm – Relaxation time back at the hotel – we were tired from all the first starts!
19:00 – Dinner at Rule of thirdsthen back to the hotel.
Wednesday
9 AM – Breakfast at Russ & Daughters to meet with Lizzie!
22:30 – Fell in Awake Vintage, Whole foods and then I took the subway to Sephora.
12 pm – Get a sandwich from Misson Sandwich Social. I recommend ordering online for pickup if it’s a busy time – this place gets packed!
3 pm – Check-out from the hotel and return to JFK.
Pictures from Mark Newton
