New York City
New York in Spring
Accommodations//Flight: I travelled with my mother and we are VERY different. She is boujee AF and I’d sleep in someone’s closet to save money. I do all booking myself, but my mother insisted on a travel agent which cost us $1000 pp for flight/room. YOU CAN DO NYC FOR CHEAPER THAN THIS!
That being said our pricier hotel, Time New York boutique was very nice. breakfast is included and it’s just around the corner from Times Square. You can check it out here
Day 1: Cherry Blossoms and Childhood Dreams
Reason #1 for visiting NYC in Spring: Cherry Blossom season! The Brooklyn Botanic Gardens is a beautiful spot to visit especially in April when the flowers are full bloom. How to get there: Take a 25 min subway from time square to Eastern Parkway Museum Station, then walk 5 mins to the Gardens.
We went at noon and there was already a HUGE line. It took about 35 minutes to get in maybe longer. The cherry blossom festival is a big draw for tourists, so try to go early or in the evening!
Nostalgia and Broadway
I’m not big on musicals, but seeing a play on Broadway is a must in NYC. I was stoked to catch Anastasia, one of my favourite childhood movies. Our seats at the back were $235 CAD pp. It was worth every penny…the singing and dancing were incredible, but the production design and costumes stole the show..absolutely breathtaking!
Anastasia played at Broadhurst theatre so if you’re looking to eat before hand I recommend the Texas Grill right across the street. The bacon wrapped jalapeno shrimp is so good! I tried the Texas BBQ lemonade, it taste like straight bourbon and I showed up to Broadway feeling it lol.
Day 2: Tribeca and Celebrity Ass Grabs
Like a modern day Carrie Bradshaw, one does not simply go to NYC and skip out on 5th avenue. You may not be able to afford anything, but window shopping is a spectacle in itself.
If you’re gonna go big or go home, splurge for brunch at Rockefeller Center. The location is smack dab in the middle of great shopping and the food is great. Be forewarned the bill came to $100 for bacon/eggs and drinks for two.
Close Encounters of the Celebrity Kind
Another reason to visit NYC in spring is the Tribeca Film Festival. As a film major, I was all over this! There are screenings/events all week, but we went for the 45th anniversary of The Godfather at Radio City Music Hall.
The Godfather part 1 and 2 are IMDB’s second and third greatest films of all time, following Shawshank Redemption. Francis Ford Coppola’s Godfather films are considered masterpieces. We purchased tickets (back row again) for 250$ CAD (this was stubhub resale price, if you book ahead through Tribeca site it’s way cheaper). Tickets cover seats to The Godfather 1 and 2, followed by a Q and A with Francis Ford Coppola and the original cast ie. icons like Robert DeNiro, Diane Keaton, Al Pacino etc. It was amazing to share the movie-going experience with the cast. Next to us was a father/son pair, who saw the Godfather when it premiered at Radio City Music Hall decades ago…so to see it again with your heroes…how cool is that!?
Cue intermission. Everyone headed to lobby in hopes to catch a celebrity… this gal ended up falling for one…literally.
Picture it. The big staircase at Radio City Music Hall. People Everywhere. I, wearing a lovely sundress with the grace of ZERO swans, tripped over my feet going down the stairs. I did an awkward stumble/run to catch myself and my arm involuntarily swung out for balance. I accidentally slapped/low key cupped the closest ass to me to break my fall. It was no ordinary ass….
As I embarrassingly turned back to say “Sorry” I realized I cupped the butt of my childhood crush, ‘Daniel Desario’, the number one Freak James Franco.
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I thought i’d play it cool if I ever saw someone famous. They’re just people like us right? Wrong, they are super famous..super rich and apparently release an odour that paralyzes you on cue. I was shaking. I didn’t snag a shot, that felt impolite…instead I patiently waited for him to finish a conversation, however the moment passed and everybody headed back in for the film. I don’t have photographic evidence…but for 3 seconds of my life I was aboard the Pineapple Express.
The cast came out for the Q and A and it was so nice to hear everyone reminisce about the experience. Mostly the cast discussed their admiration for each other and how much fun they had making the films. Everyone would do impressions of Marlon Brando and it was hilarious to watch them all re-enact it.
Late Night Dinners: Right beside the Times New York Hotel is Da Marino, a cute little Italian Piano bar. Perfect for late night apps and some live music.
Day 3. A Modern Day Kerouac: Dive Bars, Thrift Shops and Literary Ghosts
Jack Kerouac is my favourite writer. I love his perspective of the world. He’s an intellect who says “fuck conformity” and learn through experience. I have always been an admirer of Beatnik culture. Kerouac spent a lot of time in NYC so I decided to check out some iconic spots he frequented, mostly in Greenwich Village area.
We started the day at Chelsea Market (for my Toronto natives it’s similar to the Distillery District). It has a couple of cute shops and is a good place to grab a quick bite or coffee. If you are short on time though I would say skip it.
For Lunch we chose The White Horse Tavern. This place was frequented by Beatniks including Kerouac and folk God Bob Dylan. The place has a bit of a funky smell, but it’s pretty cool to sit at a table where Kerouac worked on some of his famous novels, or Dylan wrote songs. Maybe years from now my future offspring could be sitting in the same spot reading my pages. Life is strange and infinite like that.
Shopping:
There’s lots of great boutiques and vintage shops in Greenwich Village, we hit up Starstruck Vintage and then headed down to my favourite spot: The Strand Bookstore.
Real romance is in Beauty and the Beast, when he gives Belle the most beautiful library. The Strand may not be that beautiful, but it is MASSIVE and there are great deals on books! I was in heaven.
Then onto Generation Records located on Bleeker St. For all my vinyl heads here, this spot is awesome to snag great deals, especially the 99 cent bin. I picked up a Stevie Wonder Album in great condition! Bleeker St. is a great shopping spot as well!
Washington Square
Washington square is a little touristy spot with street performers and my favourite gelato chain Amorino. They make your gelato into a flower so flavours are unlimited. YUS PUHLEASEE.
Little Eataly
There’s so many great restaurants in NYC it can be hard to choose one. We knew we wanted some NYC pizza. I’m gluten intolerant so I researched the best GF pizza in NYC. Rubirosa’s was high on several lists for locals and tourists alike. It didn’t disappoint. Hands down, best food we had on our trip. It’s a small restaurant located in Little Italy, and is usually lined up out the door. We waited an hour and it was worth every minute. The portions are huge and the food is amazing.
“Let’s turn on the juice and see what shakes loose”
In the evening we went for drinks at the Tim Burton themed bar “Beetlehouse NYC” (308 E 6th St). You can eat there but it’s a fixed menu and the place fills up fast (it’s tiny).
The bar is decorated with bizarre furniture and pictures from Tim Burton films. The best part is the wait staff are actors dressed up like Burton characters. Beetlejuice was hilarious, just as vile and blunt as the original. He hit on my mom and when a couple left he yelled “Hey lady we didn’t exchange numbers, mines easy it’s 69!” This place is nerd paradise and the drinks are really cool!
Day Four: Breakfast at Tiffany’s, an Empire State of Mind
There’s no spinster more iconic than Audrey Hepburn’s Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. The movie is a staple for every sassy female that wants liberation and love. The opening sequence outside of Tiffany’s is burned in my brain as the moment I and many others fell in love with Audrey. She’s just so…fabulous. We bought Starbucks and had breakfast at Tiffany’s before heading to Central Park.
I thought Central Park would be dull/overrated, but it surprised me. There’s so many beautiful flower gardens and Cherry blossoms too (if you want to save money instead of going to Brooklyn). It’s a great way to kill an afternoon and get some sunshine away from the hustle and bustle. I’d allow for two hours to explore as there’s several scenic spots to check out (we were there 4 hours).
Best Views: A lot of people head to the Empire State Building for views of the NYC skyline, but a better option is Top of the Rock. It’s a)cheaper b)the wait is shorter and c) you get the empire state building in your pictures. Tickets for adults are 41$ you can purchase here.
Fun fact: I was 2/2 for Celebrity encounters as I ended up sitting next to Bill Nye the Science Guy at that airport. Anybody else have a celebrity encounter!?
Where to stay: Check airbnb but if you don’t have a tight budget Time New York was nice
Where to eat: RUBIROSA, Texas BBQ Grill, Da Marino, The White-horse Tavern, Rockefeller Centre
Best Place to grab a quick bite/Coffee: Starbucks are everywhere, Amarino (gelato and coffee), TONS OF STREET MEET
Nightlife: We spent most of our evenings at shows, but there are HUNDREDS of cool rooftop bars and pubs you could check out. TOP of the Rock is really cool in the evening as well for skyline views
Sights and Excursions: Time Square, Central Park, Broadway show, Tribeca Film Festival, Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, MOMA, 5th Avenue, Top of the Rock, Rockefeller Centre, Shopping on Bleeker, 5th Ave, and Washington Square, The Strand Bookstore <3