When Danny and I decided to trade in your typical college spring break: sunburns, red cups, and sandy beaches in for a week in New York City, I was not entirely sure what to expect. I went to the big apple in 2009 and covered all of the typical touristy spots, but this time I really wanted to experience the city. Yes, I wanted to hit a landmark or two, but above all I wanted to do as the New Yorkers do.
I soon discovered that doing as the New Yorkers do meant rushing from subway platform to subway platform, fighting for cabs at 3AM, and walking as fast as your legs can carry you; however, this rushed lifestyle is justifiable. I came to the conclusion that the reason people are frantically rushing everywhere is because there is always something to do—most involving eating or drinking… usually both.
On our first day, Danny and I hit Times Square, Bryant Park, Battery Park and the Financial District. It is amazing how you can go from being in a crowd of heckling street vendors to Wall Street in a matter of minutes. Not only did we see some of NYC’s landmarks, but we were also lucky enough to visit the set of CBS’s Elementary (my dear Watson). Kelly, Danny’s sister, works on the show, so we got our own personal tour of all of their main sets (Sherlock’s house and the police station) and we got to meet most of the cast and crew including Lucy Liu, who was extremely normal and friendly! Needless to say, at the end of our long days walking, we picked up the habit of watching an episode or two of Elementary.
Over the course of the next few days, Danny and I explored
all corners of Manhattan. We treated ourselves to a picturesque brunch on the
Upper East Side at a café called Sant Ambroeus and strolled Central Park. We
wandered through the Meat Packing District, Chelsea, and Soho and walked the
historical Highline filled with murals and foliage. We shopped and of course,
got a frozen hot chocolate from Serendipity 3. We watched the 911 Memorial
being constructed and took the Staten Island Ferry right past the Statue of
Liberty. We also couldn’t pass up going to a classic New York comedy club, The
Stand. Although we covered a lot of ground, the most memorable things weren’t
as much the places… but food inside of them.
Now, I’m not one to consider myself a “foodie,” but I think it’s impossible not to be one in New York. While everything I ate was amazing, some things stood out above the rest. For the last three days of our trip we stayed with my old roommate Lex. She told me we had reservation for a $35 brunch at Maya on the Upper East Side. I hesitantly agreed and set my expectations for overpriced orange juice and scrambled eggs. What I soon discovered is that brunch isn’t just a meal. Brunch is a huge social event. The reason you had to make a reservation a few days in advanced is because there were two-hour waits if you didn’t. Everyone goes to brunch around lunchtime and indulges in amazing food, and in our case, amazing drinks. Maya served us unlimited tapas, or small plates, of anything on the menu and was constantly refilling the mango mimosas and bloody marias before they were even empty.
Now, I’m not one to consider myself a “foodie,” but I think it’s impossible not to be one in New York. While everything I ate was amazing, some things stood out above the rest. For the last three days of our trip we stayed with my old roommate Lex. She told me we had reservation for a $35 brunch at Maya on the Upper East Side. I hesitantly agreed and set my expectations for overpriced orange juice and scrambled eggs. What I soon discovered is that brunch isn’t just a meal. Brunch is a huge social event. The reason you had to make a reservation a few days in advanced is because there were two-hour waits if you didn’t. Everyone goes to brunch around lunchtime and indulges in amazing food, and in our case, amazing drinks. Maya served us unlimited tapas, or small plates, of anything on the menu and was constantly refilling the mango mimosas and bloody marias before they were even empty.
I could go on forever about the basil lemon white wine sangria we had in the Flat Iron District, the local Brooklyn beer we enjoyed on the rooftop of the Wythe hotel overlooking the Manhattan skyline, the poached eggs wrapped in smoked salmon I had for brunch at Penelope, and pizza after pizza after pizza, but the list would go on forever. Sadly our trip came to an end too soon. Danny, Lex, Kelly, Erika and I all enjoyed a delectable last dinner and drinks at hipster heaven—The Ace Hotel.
