Favorite Spots in NYC
New York City is known as the “city that never sleeps.” And, in fact, it never does. New York City is always full with busy streets of people shopping, dining, sightseeing, and so much more. There are countless things to do from seeing Broadway musicals to going to the top of The Empire State Building. Right now, NYC is definitely much less busy, but I am hoping we will get back to baseline soon.
I am incredibly grateful to live in the city. It is so accessible and rich with culture and fun things to do. Continue reading to find out some of my favorite spots to check out on your next trip or outing in New York City!
Food
One of my favorite restaurants in New York City would have to be DaNico, which is located in Little Italy. DaNico serves delicious Italian dishes, and is a perfect place to dine on a night out in the city.
If you’re a spicy food lover, you will love Bhatti. Bhatti is located on “Curry Hill”, and serves my favorite Indian dish of all time (and makes it the best), chicken tikka masala. I have actually been eating at and loving this restaurant since I was about six years old.
BlackTap serves American cuisine, and has delicious burgers, but that’s not all… Black Tap is known for their insanely decorated milkshakes. These milkshakes are absolutely mouth-watering and very Instagrammable. Perfect for a sweet tooth!
Black Tap Milkshake
Ousia is a Mediterranean-based restaurant, and is right off of the West Side Highway. Their hummus and pita is especially delicious, and is probably my favorite Mediterranean food in the city.
Ousia Hummus Plate
Lastly, Joe Coffee. Joe Coffee is a coffee shop that, in my opinion, has the best chai lattes you can find. I will admit, I am a little bit obsessed with them. Joe Coffee also has yummy snacks and fuelings that will for sure leave you craving them for days.
Entertainment
New York City is full of fun things to do wherever you go. These are some places that I especially enjoy.
The seashell carousel is located in Battery Park. During this ride, you are immersed into a whole new world of magic under the sea. You are moved by sitting in a seashell. This is a perfect place to go for a calming but fun experience!
Seashell Carousel
Broadway
Broadway is typically known for it’s busy streets, stores, theaters, and bright lights. My momma and I love to go to Broadway musicals. Musicals bring you into a new reality, and sometimes even a fantasy. I saw my first one when I was 4, which was Annie. Some of my all time favorite musicals have been Dear Evan Hansen, Mean Girls, Be More Chill, The Prom, and Hamilton.
I also love eating at a diner on Broadway called Ellen’s Stardust Diner. But, it’s more the entertainment that I love. Ellen’s Stardust Diner is a retro 1950s themed restaurant and features waitstaff that sing songs from todays top pop to songs from your favorite Broadway musicals! I have probably gone there every time that my family or friends have visited, that’s how awesome it is! If you’re visiting NYC, or even live here full time, this diner is a must see.
My first Broadway musical!
Shopping
NYC is full of the cutest places to shop. I have two places that I especially love to go, Bryant Park and Soho.
Every year at Christmas time, Bryant Park opens tons and tons of Christmas shops featuring different companies where you can find practically anything ranging from winter hats to chocolate truffles! It very fun to check out all of the stands showcased. One of my favorite stands last year was the “No Chewing Allowed” chocolate truffles. The truffles are rich, creamy and delicious! I also love getting chocolate chip cookie dough from “DŌ, Cookie Dough Confections.” Now, going a bit off topic of shopping, but Bryant Park also has an ice skating rink that is pretty easy for me to access (obviously by going through a specific entrance,) and of course, super fun! While I’ll never know what it is like to skate in a pair of ice skates, I can tell you that being on the ice in a power wheelchair is awesome. Lastly, there is always a gorgeous Christmas tree up during the holidays that I love to get pictures by!
Bryant Park Christmas Tree
Soho is a neighborhood in downtown Manhattan. It is a very popular place to go shopping because they have so many stores! One of my favorite stores in Soho would be Urban Outfitters. Urban has a variety of items like clothing, accessories, etc. Another of my favorite stores would be Glossier, a makeup and skincare store. What I love about Glossier is that you can actually try any of their products on to see how it looks or feels on you! One last store that I like is Brandy Melville, another clothing store. Soho has many more stores than just these few, and like the Bryant Park Christmas shops, you can also find many things here. Soho is also just a cute neighborhood and is very Instagrammable, like when taking photos standing in cobblestone streets or dining in cute restaurants!
Glossier
Pop-Up Shops
While all pop-up shops don’t last forever in the city, you can always find some new ones as they are coming here all of the time! My two favorite pop-up shops that I have been to would be Candytopia and The Museum of Ice Cream.
Candytopia unfortunately is not in NYC anymore, but it was definitely one of my favorites. Candytopia is an absolute wonderland! It is an interactive candy-land experience, and is even super cute for pictures!
Probably my favorite pop-up shop of all time would be The Museum of Ice Cream. The Museum of Ice Cream is also an interactive experience that is ice cream themed and features bright colors. There are even ice cream samples at each part of the museum, and there are SO many awesome photo opportunities. And, guess what? The pop-up shop is still open! If you’re looking for a fun interactive museum to go to in New York City, this is the one.
With the pandemic, of course I can’t do most of these things now, but I am looking forward to this being all over. I can’t wait to get back to my city!
