Ah, New York, my wedges have broken the limits of pedometers here infinite times over, especially when I used to migrate back during Fashion Weeks of long ago, which are now forever forgotten and well out of style. Some of the best, worst, weirdest, and wildest moments in my life originated here in my 20s (mostly between 1 and 3 am).
However, visiting this town in the present tense is a little like seeing an ex-partner; someone you used to love intensely, yet now that you’ve broken up and had time apart, you now notice the flaws, the not-so-endearing idiosyncrasies and all the other un-appealing features you never caught before that initial smitten honeymoon stage. Don’t get me wrong, I do LOVE this place, but now the city and I have grown to a deeper, more understanding relationship!
Scroll down for pics and continued confessions:
I was lucky enough to be in Manhattan for a month–yes, A MONTH! I stayed at the Westin Hotel Grand Central. An excellent location if you yearn to be in the center of the Manhattan buzz and are tantalized by whirring sirens and tooting cars. The rooms were safe and clean, with modern furnishings and amenities–everything you would expect from an SPG Starwoods Hotel.
From my photo above, you can see I stayed in the nosebleed section, giving quite a dizzying view! Across the street stood the Chrysler Building, which doubled as a giant pointy compass when I was out and about and needed to determine the proximity of where I was to burrow back to my rented bed when there were no celestial dots visible in the sky to assist me.
Midtown aside, The Lower East Side is an area where I usually find myself during my stays. Usually, I’m consuming dinner or drinks or wandering around, peeping at storefronts. It’s a nice respite from the tourist trap of Times Square and seems more genuine, breathable, and less feral.
I particularly relish the local boutiques and eateries and, like any female programmed with a shopping radar, am naturally attracted to sparkly objects, which is what happened to me while I was supposed to be waiting for a friend for dinner at ABC Cocina and instead found myself next door, prying open the doors to ABC Carpet & Home for the first time. Little did I know my humble Swedish credit card would be seizing up only a few minutes later…
It may be heralding a boring, soulless name, but ABC Carpet & Home is anything but! The sprawling shop is a style stalker’s alternative universe for indulgent goods we don’t need but everything we definitely want. The New York Times charmingly christened it, ‘A Souk for Trust-Fund Hobbits.’ The store specializes in home decor, where eccentric, often extravagant, wares are displayed on six cavernous floors. An excellent choice for wanna-be shamans, grounding gurus, and Wall St. witches who enjoy stocking up on unique, negative ion-producing products and haute home furnishings with angel auras.
I particularly lusted after the excellent rainbow variety of sparkling raw crystal healing stones and admired the sacred smudge display reserved for energy-cleaning aficionados (see snap above). Also, the wonderfully weaved, over-dyed, ethnic-looking rugs looked so magical they could fly. The soft, velvety assortment of sofas, ottomans, and angular fauteuils are simply heaven to behold, and when I exited the building, it left me not only inspired but in a state of material euphoria and constant want for the rest of the day…
A must-see. Shop with restraint.
Browse my selected recommendations from ABC Home & Carpet below:
Searching for a refuge from the sea of corporate chain shops and restaurants anchored on every corner of Manhattan? A recommended detour is the Chelsea Market, perched near the 14th Street / 8th Avenue subway and a stone’s throw away from the former railway now walking path, The High Line. The Chelsea Market is a voluminous warehouse composed of a food hall and shops of all kinds (many of which are independently owned) with offices upstairs and even a TV studio. It was formerly the National Biscuit Company factory where the Oreo cookie was born and raised. Food and shops aside, one factor that impressed me (and my bladder) was the plethora of women’s toilets available downstairs–all free, clean, and contemporary! I descended upon them on a crowded Saturday afternoon, and there was no queue because there were so many cubicles available! There were miles and miles of them! Must have been designed by a woman. If you need to go–go there!
Bodily functions aside, a fab shop worth exploring is the iconic, Pearl River Mart for Asian-inspired gifts, fashion, ceramics, snacks, and everything in between. The shop also hosts performances, tastings, classes, and other events. I particularly adored the quirky keychains of cat figurines dressed as sushi, namely because of my cat, Sushi, and to this day, am still crying into my pillow with regret for not buying one!
My favorite food shop was the tiny little engine that could called Doughnuttery, where miniature donuts are merrily paraded along a small, vibrating, toy-like conveyor belt in front of you and then blasted in the confection to your liking. My favourite: The Urban Monkey. I find small quantities of cute, bite-sized bits of bliss very dangerous and could have easily bitten 5000 of them. Proceed with caution.
Around the corner from the Chelsea Market is the ultimate blogger’s wet dream: The Museum of Ice Cream. Is it really a museum about Ice Cream? Not really. What can I say about this place other than to prepare to painfully queue for thousands of hours with thousands of 20-somethings sporting freshly ironed hair and eyebrows plucked with surgeon-like precision, anxiously waiting for their turn to nail the perfect shot inside and then getting the hell out.
To say it was chocka was an understatement. In the pic above, out of the shot was a flock of bloggers staring me down and willing me to go away permanently so they could step in my spot and do exactly the same thing. The interior of the ‘museum’ is a pastel and brightly colored wonderland, marketed like a color-coded grocery store to the extreme, dipped in sunshine and wafting of wrath. Stalk at your own risk.
There is nothing more satisfying than stumbling across finds worth noting, and Casa Mezcal, an eatery in the LES (Lower East Side), was no exception. Don’t let the somber grey concrete facade of this Mexican establishment fool you; once inside, you are transported into a colorful and vibrant oasis (see above) buzzing with creative locals.
Time Out Magazine described Casa Mezcal as the first wave of restaurants that helped reshape Mexican cuisine in New York. It’s a great spot for authentic Mexican food with an excellent selection of mezcals. Compared to uptown, prices were far more wallet-friendly, and the service was fine, considering it was heaving at the time I went for an early dinner. Upstairs is an art gallery and the downstairs you can catch performances. A colorful spot with great food and ambiance to meet up for a fun start to the night with friends or family.
Stroll through the restaurants of Little Italy along the corner of Broome & Mulberry, and your eyes will salivate at the sight of this spectacular piece of street art depicting a collaged portrait of Audrey Hepburn. It was spray-painted by Brooklyn-based artist Tristan Eaton and created as part of the Little Italy Street Art (LISA) initiative to bring together a diverse group of street artists to the area as Manhattan’s first and only mural district. There’s nothing more pleasurable than a colorful stroke of serendipity to brighten the everyday!
If you’re a fan of The Real Housewives of New York City (RHONY), you will nod as to what this is about. Madame Paulette is a high-end, dry cleaning company catering to the Upper West Side’s wrinkle-free suited inhabitants who pine for New York City’s finest–and famous–stain exorcist. Its owner is the part-time creepy, full-time embarrassing-to-watch John Mahdessian, boyfriend of the very dirty martini RHONY, Dorinda Medley. I delightfully spotted the van whiz by while jaywalking in Midtown and panted up to it to take this pic before the moment expired!
There are still so many other stories and shots (not the gun ones–the iPhone ones) of The City to show and tell, but I’ll reserve that for post, Part Deux.
Do you have any fantabulous NYC anecdotes to unload? Comment below, and we’ll make sure what happens in New York never stays in New York!
This post is absolutely stunning, firstly those photographs are gorgeous and don’t even get me started on the fact that you stayed for a month! That’s insane! I would give anything, probably my right arm to be able to visit New York so hopefully one day this dream comes true! Your writing style is gorgeous by the way! x
Thanks so much Imogen, much appreciated! Don’t worry, you’ll get there one day and will still be able to keep your right arm too! xx
Awesomely penned..Incredibly beautiful pictures and your experience makes this an interesting post.
I have never been there but I will keep these points in mind. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much Aditi! I feel this article is my true self here and will continue so from now on!
Trace x
Love NY – you captured it’s essence!
Aww, thank you so much Grace!
Trace x
wow! I love this post!
Thanks! It was fun!
Trace x
Oh i wish i can visit Newyork sometime soon. Your post made me want to see these places Asap. Great post and beautifully articulated
.I felt like I was in NY. And pics are amazing.
Hi Trace!
What a fantastic piece of writing, I felt like you had taken me along to New York with you given the depth and clarity of your evocative descriptions.
Speaking of clarity, I love your vivid photogtaphs and can only imagine what you went though to capture some of these subjects so beautifully.
Looking forward to reading part two and hearing about more of your NY escapades!
Hanna x
missbeautysaver.com | Bloglovin <3
Thanks so much Hanna! Great to hear! Part 2 is coming soon!
Trace x
Ah I loved this so much! I’ve been to New York several times but haven’t been in a few years and this reminded me of all the things I love. A month in Manhattan is amazing! I love Chelsea Market, can’t say I’ve ever made a trip to the toilets though. I’ve clearly missed out on something. I love the Audrey Hepburn piece! So beautiful. I can’t wait for part 2! x
Sophie
http://www.glowsteady.co.uk
Cheers for that Sophie! Part 2 is being cooked and simmered as we speak!
Trace x
Wow girl! A month in Manhattan is the coolest thing! I’ve never been to New York, but I would absolutely love to go, it looks like such a fun place to be. The Chelsea Market sounds really interesting, especially as many shops are independently owned, I imagine you can find such goodies. Yay for miniature donuts too! I’m loving all the pinkness in the Museum of Ice Cream, a bloggers paradise indeed. Wow, the Audrey Hepburn art is incredible. I love how colourful and vibrant it is. Thank you for sharing Trace, really enjoyed reading about your wonderful trip! <3 xx
Bexa | http://www.hellobexa.com
Thanks so much, Bexa! Glad you enjoyed it. The city is definitely a fun place to visit, even if for a New York minute!
Trace xx
Such a beautiful & descriptively penned post! I could actually feel like I was there! I have not been there since I was a young adult & felt like it was the most incredible, intimidating place. Thank you for sharing it from your wonderful pov!
Thank you Kari! It was a fun experience!
Trace x
I’ve never been to New York before but I would love to and this post as convinced me of this even more. I’m so jealous that you were able to spend a month there, England seems so boring in comparison. Your writing is very beautiful and I enjoyed reading it.
Vicki | http://www.missviclb.co.uk
Awww, cheers thanks so very much for the lovely compliment! England is not boring, I lived there for 10 years and got to say it is right up there with NY except the English have better haircuts and music! ;o) ;o) Come to New York!
Trace x
The older we become, the more we appreciate certain things. At first, things can seem a bit weird but can grow on you over time. Pretty cool that you got to stay out in Manhattan for a month! You were living well! Love the view you had. There’s so much history out in New York. Oh man, I’d love checking out the mom and pop shops.
I need to take my butt out to NY one of these days! I am in love with the Museum of Ice Cream! There’s so much to look at. Hehe, glad you enjoyed your month out there. Thanks for sharing your awesome adventures!
Nancy ♥ exquisitely.me
Thanks Nancy! The Museum of Ice Cream is definitely worth going! I think they do pop up exhibits in California too–hope you make it there!
Trace x
Wow, lovely photos! You captured some really great shots 🙂
Thanks so much Jenny! It was fun!
Trace x
I have to admit I’m from New York and haven’t done most of these (don’t worry I plan too lol) Great post!
That’s funny! Thanks so much for that, Sheereen!
Trace x
I would love to spend a month in Manhattan. I spent a a few days there. I had no idea that the Chelsea market existed! Next time I visit Manhattan I have to check it out.
You should do; Chelsea Market is well-worth visiting!
Trace :o)
These photos are absolutely gorgeous! New York is on my to visit list! !
Love, Amie ❤
The Curvaceous Vegan
Thanks Amie! I had fun taking them and hope you can make it to NY some day!
Trace x
So jealous you got to spend so much time in the Big Apple! I went to NYC 3 years ago and completely fell in love, just want to go back ASAP and even more so after reading this!! X
Can’t wait to visit New York soon!
It is a great place to visit!
Trace :o)
Great post and I agree with everyone else, the pictures are GORGEOUS. Awesome job.
Thanks so much Judith! It was fun.
Trace x
I can’t wait to visit New York again! I instantly fell in love with it the first time I was there! These are some beautiful shot and I absolutely love your writing style! xx
Thanks so much Huda! NYC is a guilty pleasure for sure!
Trace xx
These are lovely pictures! I probably couldn’t survive a month in New York but I’m glad you had a fantastic time and thank you for sharing your experience.
☼ cabin twenty-four
Thanks so much Eena! A month in NYC is a lot to take in!
Trace x
It looks like you had an amazing time in NYC! All of the photos you included are so gorgeous. Its such a beautiful city I love it so much! I live a little over an hour away and I go fairly often. I love the Audrey Hepburn mural in Little Italy too! The apartment from Breakfast at Tiffanys is near Central Park which is so cool to see in person if you’re a fan of the movie! Chelsea market is another favorite too, theres something for everyone there! Thanks for sharing your experience! Great post!! 🙂
melissakacar.blogspot.com
Thanks Melissa, I’ll have to check out the Breakfast at Tiffanys apt! There’s always so much to see and explore in the City!
luv,
Trace x