Ever since I was little, I’ve dreamed of visiting New York City. Little did I know that I would be going on a girls’ trip to the Concrete Jungle during my senior year of college!
On January 19th, I boarded a plane and discovered that New York was everything I wanted it to be: big, busy, and full of life, lights and history. My friends and I lived the dream of pretending to be Gossip Girl characters all weekend long.
Here’s just a few highlights of our trip:
Time Square
They say you can see Time Square from outer space, and I believe them now.
My friends and I visited Time Square during on first night in the city. We had the luxury of lodging in Manhattan, and Time Square was only a 15 minute walk from our place.
Although it was past midnight, the street looked as if it was mid-afternoon. Full of bright signs and branded images, Time Square truly is an advertising student’s dream!
We also ate at Joe’s Pizza – a joint known for its authentic New York style pizza and for being featured in Spiderman!
Brunch in Brooklyn
For our first proper meal in New York, we had brunch at Glasserie, a delicious Mediterranean restaurant located in Brooklyn. We ordered the Brunch Mezze Feast, a fully vegetarian family style meal. I had a spiked coffee and sipped some mimosas that my friends kindly shared with me. If you’re looking for a yummy restaurant with a cozy atmosphere, I definitely recommend visiting this spot.
Brooklyn Bridge
When you visit New York, of course you have to go to the Brooklyn Bridge! We enjoyed our 1.1 mile walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, posing for tons of photos and appreciating the scenery.
New York’s Own – Cupcakes and Coffee
It isn’t NYC without cupcakes and coffee!
While in Brooklyn, we stopped at Baked by Melissa to try their famous mini cupcakes. They were so delicious and had us wanting more. The cookie dough and sugar cookie cupcakes are my favorites!
We also grabbed coffee at a nearby cafe called Financier Patisserie. I enjoyed a vanilla iced latte, my go-to order for a special occasion, and the cafe didn’t disappoint.
SOHO and Ladurée
There are few places in U.S. more glamorous than SOHO New York. My friends and I grabbed Sunday brunch at Ladurée, an amazing French cafe originally from Paris. The Paris location has been in business since 1862. The moment you walk into SOHO’s Ladurée, you feel like you are right in the middle of France.
I ordered rose tea, and it truly was one of the best teas I’ve ever had. For brunch, we all ordered avocado toast. This entree was prepared with wheat bread, avocado, scrambled eggs and smoked salmon on top. I’m not a fan of smoked salmon, but this dish had me questioning my preferences. Highly recommend it!
I bought a variety of macaroons to bring home to Chicago. Although I’ve never been to Paris (yet!), my friend assured me that SOHO’s macaroons taste just like they do in Paris.
After brunch, we explored the streets and shops of SOHO. This area is full of luxury boutiques, sample sale shops, coffee shops, and luxe antique stores.
Central Park
Our last stop was a classic – Central Park. Beautiful and big, just like NYC.
Central Park might have been the last stop on our trip, but it definitely wasn’t my last adventure in New York. I look forward to going back. But until then, xoxo… you know the rest.
BRITTANY ABRAHAM 