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New York City Travel Guide

Over the years, I’ve received many requests for a New York City itinerary. Whether people are coming into town for a quick work meeting, week-long vacation or a girl’s weekend, everyone wants to know where to stay, eat, drink and what to do while they are in town visiting. Therefore, when my friends at Expedia.com asked me to help their readers by sharing my tips on how to enjoy time in New York, I figured it was finally time to start putting things into a post that I can share and reference for years to come.

Planning a trip to New York can be overwhelming because on any given day there are always new restaurants opening, a new Broadway premiering and a new hot spot to enjoy. But, this list will help to provide a starting point for anyone who is coming to New York. Hopefully, you’ll find something whether it’s your fiftieth time or first time visiting.

In order to make this easy to use, I’ve divided it into a few sections which also align with the questions I frequently receive from readers.

Where Should I Stay? Finding the perfect hotel in New York City can be very challenging as there are so many different neighborhoods and the number of options is overwhelming. The first thing I’d recommend deciding is your price range. Once you have this, you can quickly limit the number of hotels on Expedia.com so you are only seeing hotels that are within your price preference. Then, it’s helpful to think about what you want from the experience – gym, breakfast included, hotel restaurant or perfect location. The more you can figure this out before you start researching, the better luck you’ll have.  Based on our friends and family’s experience staying in New York City as well as the knowledge my husband Bo has from working in real estate investments, these are a few hotels we recommend. Of course everyone has their own preferences, so be sure to check out all of the New York City hotel options on Expedia.com.

Picture Credit

  • Five Star Hotels If you’re looking for luxury during your stay, The EDITION is a new hotel on Madison Square Park that puts you in a prime location for exploring, delivers their take on “reinvented luxury” and is also home to a Michelin restaurant, Clocktower. If you’d rather stay closer to Central Park, The PARKER New York offers guests views of Central Park, is walking distance to MOMA, Carnegie Hall, Broadway and Central Park. Inside the hotel, guests can pamper at the rooftop pool or head downstairs to enjoy some rest and relaxation at Drybar, Tenoverten, Skin Laundry, Blushington and more! One of the most popular breakfasts can be found at Norma’s, one of the many restaurants in the hotel.
  • Four Star Hotels These hotels are a bit less expensive but still deliver on experience and location. The Arlo SoHo is a hip hotel based in SoHo which makes it walking distance from many attractions. While part of their concept is small rooms, the amazing rooftop bar and lively atmosphere make up for the smaller rooms. If you like space, our friends recommend upgrading to the king size room which is still reasonably priced for Manhattan and provides a larger room. W Union Square is located in the heart of Union Square and makes walking to areas in both Midtown and downtown easy. The rooms are clean, comfortable and feature Bliss products while the hotel itself includes a popular bar and restaurant area as well as reliable, friendly service.  Last but not least, many co-workers have stayed at Andaz Wall Street. Located in the heart of Wall Street and close to the Brooklyn Bridge, Battery Park and other attractions in downtown Manhattan this hotel includes free Wi-Fi, happy hour and is typically less than $250 per night.

John Dory Oyster Bar

Photo Credit – John Dory website

Where to Eat It seems like a new restaurant opens in New York City every single minute. It’s impossible to stay up-to-date with the latest and greatest spots. Instead, I’ll share with you the list that we’ve put together on a shared iPhone Notes file over the years ranging from our favorite raw bar (The John Dory) to the best chocolate chip cookies in New York and possibly America (Levain Bakery).  I’m happy to answer questions via email or comments if you’re looking for something specific, but this list should provide a decent starting point.

  • Seafood
    • The John Dory
    • Blue Water Grill
    • Aqua Grill
  • Breakfast/Brunch
    • Bubby’s
    • Murray’s Bagels
    • Buvette
    • Little Owl
    • Russ & Daughters
    • ABCV
    • Sadelle’s
  • Baked Goods/Sweets
    • Levain Bakery
    • Two Little Red Hens
    • Magnolia Bakery
  • Worthy of a celebration or special occasion
    • Anisa
    • Gramercy Tavern
    • Gotham Bar & Grill
  • Fast Lunch or Dinner Spot
    • Luke’s Lobster – A lobster shack in the heart of Manhattan, it’s worth paying $20 for the lobster roll, chips, beer and a pickle.
    • Shake Shack
    • Cava
    • Sweetgreen
  • Steak
    • Wolfgang’s
  • The rest of our favorites…
    • Momofuko – If you can’t get into the original,  Ssam Bar and Milk Bar are both experiences of their own. How can you beat the Milk Bar compost cookies, crack pie, birthday cake truffles and cereal milk ice cream?
    • Joe’s Shanghai – The soup dumplings at their Chinatown location are delicious!
    • Riverpark
    • Balthazar
    • Eataly
    • La Esquina
    • Little Owl
    • ABC Kitchen
    • The Spotted Pig

What should I see on Broadway? There is ALWAYS something on Broadway for everyone but the below are the shows that we’ve loved or heard about from friends. Also, you can save money by getting tickets from a TKTS booth which sells same-day and next day tickets at a discount. While there are multiple booths around the city, the one in Brooklyn and South Street Seaport seem to have shorter lines. You can even see the real-time listings on their website or app!

  • Wicked – One of the most wonderful Broadway shows ever and great for all ages.
  • Beautiful: The Carole King Story
  • Waitress – I’ve heard wonderful things about this fun, heartfelt show and most of my friends say it’s great to see with a mom, sister, girlfriend. An added bonus is the pie they serve to everyone during the show!
  • The Phantom of the Opera – This Andrew Lloyd Webber classic has been appealing to people of all ages for years and the set, costumes, music, and story have made this a Broadway hit for YEARS!
  • The Book of Mormon – Hilarious but can offend some people depending on humor. Must be open to vulgarity, -dirty jokes and religious humor. Not recommended for children.
  • Hamilton – expensive, buy tickets in advance
  • Dear Evan Hansen – expensive, buy tickets in advance
  • Avenue Q (off-Broadway)

What Sights Should I Visit? There is no way to see everything in one trip but over the years we’ve taken friends and family to these attractions and returned multiple times as they are very popular with everyone! Be sure to do research in advance as some of these museums or attractions are closed one to two days per week and others, such as the Frick, do not permit children under 10 years of age.

  • The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  • The Natural History Museum
  • The Frick Collection
  • Museum of Modern Art (MOMA)
  • Arthur Avenue Little Italy
  • Ellis Island and The Statue of Liberty
  • Central Park
  • NYC One World Observatory
  • 9/11 Memorial & Museum
  • Grand Central Terminal
  • New York Public Library
  • The High Line
  • Brooklyn Bridge

 

Where Should I  Run?   My favorite way to explore any city is on two feet and whether you are trying to stick to a training plan while visiting the city or just log a few miles, there are plenty of places to run that are safe for any tourist visiting New York for the first time. I always recommend running as early as possible as this will reduce the number of cars and people on the streets which always makes for a more enjoyable run. In fact, my favorite thing to recommend to people visiting is to go for an early morning run as they can see the city “waking up” and finish their run at a local coffee shop or bagel shop.

There are two ways that I recommend running in the city – solo or with a tour. I’ve heard AMAZING things about the City Running Tours and they offer multiple group runs and solo, personalized tours on a daily basis. These group runs allow you the opportunity to get exercise and learn more about the city at the same time. While they aren’t free, a guided run is often a good deal especially if you have limited time in the city or it’s you want to discover a new area.

If you’d rather do your own thing while you run, here are a few of my favorite routes and areas to run.  For even more routes and specific directions, I always point people to this Thrillist article that includes 9 routes throughout the city so there is one convenient to anywhere you’re staying! If you’re visiting during the Christmas holiday season, this holiday run route will take you by all the most famous decorations and light displays!

  • Central Park – It’s impossible to see everything there is to discover in Central Park, which is often referred to as a “runners dream” since it has multiple paths of varying difficulty, beautiful scenery and lots to enjoy. The full, outer loop of Central Park is 6.1 miles but there are multiple ways to make the distance shorter or longer by taking the transverses along the path. There is also a soft, 1.5-mile loop around the reservoir which provides amazing views of the city.
  • Brooklyn Bridge – If you are an early-riser or have a time change to thank for it, take advantage by heading to one of the most iconic spots in New York City and be treated to beautiful views of Brooklyn, Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty. I wouldn’t attempt running on the bridge between the hours of 9 AM and 5 PM so you need to get there early in order to avoid tourists, photographers and cyclists. Make sure to stay safe and run in the pedestrian lane since cyclists tend to go pretty fast across the bridge. From Manhattan to Brooklyn the bridge is approximately 1.5 miles each way so you can easily get in a hill workout using the bridge.
  • West Side Highway – You can enjoy views of New Jersey, Hudson River and Statue of Liberty along the scenic Hudson River Park which runs from 59th Street to Battery Place, the Southern tip of Manhattan. The path is especially gorgeous in spring and summer when all the flowers are in bloom and you can watch boats going up and down the Hudson River. There are multiple water fountains and places to use the restroom along the path but, similar to most areas, it can become crowded and always make sure to look both ways so you don’t run into a biker.

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The Days Are Long But The Years Are Short

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During those first few exhausting but magical weeks after Katie was born, many people reminded that “the days are long, but the years are short.” Becoming a mother is such a gift, but it comes with so many unknowns. Luckily, the joy and tender moments that began in those first weeks have continued and balance out the fear and feeling of being overwhelmed. When Similac asked me to reflect on my time as a parent and share some of the milestone moments that we’ve experienced with Katie as part of this sponsored post, it made me yearn to relive some of these again as they have flown by.

As I’ve mentioned in recent posts, Katie has grown up before our eyes and everything has been a whirl – happening faster than we ever expected. It seems as though one moment we were trying to figure out how to give Katie her first bath and the next we were trying to keep her from standing up in the bath.

In order to ensure that we don’t forget all the special moments, we’ve done our best to document these firsts as much as possible through pictures, blog posts, special calendars and baby books. While many of the memories and words that I’ve written in these books are personal, and something that I look forward to sharing with Katie when she’s older, here are a few “first and only” moments that we’ve experienced over the past ten months.

  • Holding Katie in our arms

I was still in disbelief that after years of talking about have a family of our own and months of planning, our blessing was finally in our arms.

  • Nursing

I remember sitting in the cold hospital bed, so clueless and confused, cradling Katie in my arms, while praying that she would naturally latch to my breast and not cry. Those first few nursing sessions in the hospital were stressful but seemed successful. It wasn’t until a few days later, at our first pediatrician visit, that we realized I didn’t have enough milk supply to keep our growing girl fed. Regardless of how difficult those first few days and weeks were due to insufficient glandular tissue, I do not regret the three months I dedicated to nursing Katie.

  • Milk drunk naps

That sweet smile and look of contentment that was frequently on Katie’s face when she’d fall asleep in our arms during or after a feeding session made me feel such joy and appreciation. I felt such a great appreciation for the support of friends, family and especially our pediatrician who immediately recommended that we use Similac to supplement my breast milk upon realizing that, due to insufficient glandular tissue, all the lactation cookies, supplements and pumping wouldn’t result in enough milk to keep Katie nourished. Similac has been a wonderful fit for our family since that first week as it is easy to find both online and locally and it is the first and only leading infant formula brand with no artificial growth hormones. Similac’s dairy ingredients come from cows that have not been treated with artificial growth hormones.* My mom who is a neonatal nurse also recommends Similac since she knows that they are focused on research and innovation that focuses on bringing the best ingredients possible to the baby. In fact, did you know that Similac is the first brand to include 2′-FL Human Milk Oligosaccharide** in the formula, an ingredient that was previously only found in breast milk? Similac with 2′-FL HMO helps strengthen baby’s immune system to be more like the breastfed infant than ever before. Now moms can feel reassured that their babies will get even more of the important nutrients to strengthen and support their growing immune systems. We’ve been using Similac Pro-Sensitive for the past few months and love that it is gentle and has helped with her gas and spit-up.

Visit the Similac Sisterhood of Motherhood Savings Club, where you can subscribe to monthly delivery at an average savings of 20% and learn more.

 

  • Smiles

For those first few weeks of parenthood, you give so much to this small person but do not get any confirmation or affirmation. That first smile, even though it was barely a full smile, brought tears to my eyes.

  • Finding her voice.

I remember texting Bo a video while he was at work saying that one of Jurassic Park’s dinosaurs was loose in our home. When Katie discovered her voice and the high pitch squeak she was able to make, she wouldn’t stop. As if the sound amazed her, she would do it constantly throughout the day whether I was near her or while she was napping. Luckily, like so many things with babies, it was a phase that passed quickly.

  • Introducing solids

We were so excited to start giving Katie solids that I remember we specifically planned to do it when Bo and I could both be there to experience the fun and mess. Seeing her curiosity and expression after trying a new food perfectly reflects Katie’s personality – curious, thoughtful, and happy.

  • Learning to splash

Even at a young age, Katie loved bath time. We always do bath time right before her last bottle and it is the perfect transition from our evening playtime to the calm of bedtime. Around the time she was five months old, Katie started splashing and enjoying the water so much that she would get upset when we started putting the toys away and drying her after bath time. That first night, when she finally responded to my splashes, was such a treat. Even though I was quickly covered in water, she refused to stop and giggled and smiled for the next few minutes while she kept splashing. Needless to say, these days bath time is a 15-20 minute activity in our household.

  • Standing up

These days Katie is constantly on the move and pushing her body to do new things each day. Lately, standing up assisted by either furniture or people, makes her smile and giggle. I’m not sure if it’s the new perspective or just her satisfaction with this new accomplishment but that smile warms my heart.

  • Interacting with nature

After a long cold weather, it was so special to spend time in the park with Katie last weekend. While we had to watch her every move, seeing her reach for flowers, dig in the dirt and watch the birds was such a joy!

Disclaimer:  Breastfeeding is the gold standard for infant nutrition. For moms who cannot or choose not to breastfeed, formula can be used. Talk to your pediatrician about what type of infant formula is best for your child.

Legal Disclaimer: **No significant difference has been shown between milk derived from rbST-treated and non-rbST- treated cows)  *Not from human milk

Thank you to Similac for sponsoring this post. As always, all opinions are my own.

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Our Favorite Item for Newborn Babies

katie thriving

There is no doubt in my mind that Katie is thriving. She’ll be four months old on Friday and is growing like a weed. While we owe her happiness in great part to the support system we’ve had, we also attribute it to the fact that thankfully, our baby is a strong sleeper. But, she wouldn’t have slept nearly as soundly those first few months without one of our nursery essentials – a swaddle. In fact, we are so in love with swaddling that we are giving swaddle giftsets to all of our friends who are expecting babies!nursery

During the first three months of a babies life, they are actually in their fourth trimester of life. In fact, according to Harvey Karp, the author behind the book The Happiest Baby on The Block, all babies are born three months early. Swaddling, or tightly wrapping the baby in a muslin or cloth blanket, makes the baby feel secure and snug like they did in the womb. It decreases their startle reflex since their arms can’t wriggle around. In addition, it has been found that babies who are swaddled during sleep and fussy periods experience less anxiety and colic symptoms.

Until a few weeks ago, when Katie started rolling, we swaddled her for her naps and nightime sleep. In the beginning, we used the large, muslin square cloths but as she grew older, swaddles that provided assistance through zippers and velcro helped us keep her strong limbs swaddled.

That’s why SwaddleMe products are perfect for infants as depending on the style, they feature zippers or velcro to ensure the baby feels secure. They just introduced five new additions to their SwaddleMe line of safe sleep products for infants and man do I wish we’d had these a few months ago.

SwaddleMe 4

While we used their SwaddleMe Original, their new innovative swaddles would have been so helpful especially as Katie entered month two and three, when she was starting to grow more mobile and we were trying to have her sleep in places other than her bassinet, such as the swing or car seat.

swaddle me kicksie and footsie

Their new SwaddleMe Kicksie is a legs-free swaddle which is perfect for warmer weather, such as the summer months and allows the baby to feel cozy in a 3-point harness such a swing. The snap bottom also makes diaper changing quick and hassle free, which is greatly appreciated during those middle of the night diaper sessions.   They also just launched the SwaddleMe Footsie,  a legs-free swaddle that features pajama-like footies which make it great for cooler weather or even homes with strong air conditioner.

Footsie-1024x1024[1]

Like the Kicksie, the Footsie can also be used in a 3 point harness. This would have been SO helpful last month when when we flew down to Savannah, keeping her warm on the plane, or once she started discovering her feet and kicking them during her naps.

SwaddleMe 2

In addition to these new swaddles, SwaddleMe has launched three new gift sets, which are perfect for every mom-to-be. In fact, I’ve already ordered a few of these since I have FIVE friends who are expecting babies this Spring. The Essentials Gift Set includes muslin blankets, bandana bibs, burp cloths and a SwaddleMe® Original Swaddle. The adorable Baby Bath Gift Set includes muslin and terry bath towels, washcloths and a cute hooded wrap. My favorite set, The Little Lovey Gift Set, includes not only the Original Swaddle and muslin blankets but also an adorable natural shape pacifier with a lovey attached!

This post is sponsored by Mom Trends, Meredith Corporation and Swaddle Me but as always, all opinions are my own. Thank you to MomTrends for the professional photographs.

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