My Personal NYC faves

A friend recently emailed me asking what to do/where to go in NYC (hey Norm & Shelly! :)), so I thought I'd go ahead and share my personal faves for anyone that is interested! 

Food/Restaurants:

First off, you MUST go to Serendipity 3.  It can sometimes be a long wait, so I've found that going after seeing a show is usually wise (although late!) since I only go for dessert.  They are famous for their frozen hot chocolate, but I'll be honest...wasn't a huge fan.  What I think is amazing is the "Can't Say No" sundae...if you like pb, choc, banana...it's a dream (and HUGE...definitely worth splitting).

For breakfast, you've got to get a bagel - that's what NYC is famous for.  My personal fave is Ess-a-bagel - it's an old shop full of grumpy men and the bagels are fantastic.  If it's not convenient to where you're staying you can always grab a bite at Dean & Deluca instead.  If you're coffee drinkers...this is my personal fave coffee and they have all sorts of bakery items as well.  Again, just a fun shop.  They're coolest store is in SoHo - it's full of gourmet grocery items, etc.  Fun to shop through if you're someone who appreciates fine foods.

Italian food is also a must in NYC - my personal fave being Carmine's.  It's family style dining, but even if it's just for two, it's still worth it!  You'll probably have a major amount of leftovers, but go ahead and take them - you never know if you'll pass by a homeless person or someone in need that could use a good meal.  Just make sure to ask for some plastic silverware with your "to-go" box.

You can't visit NYC without enjoying some New York style pizza!  The best pizza (again, my opinion only....there are a lot out there!) is Lombardi's or Grimaldi's, but since most people stay in the Times Square area when they visit NYC, John's Pizzeria is also a great option.

Shows:

One show I highly recommend - even though you probably think I'm crazy - is Mama Mia.  My uncle lives in NYC and I asked him once what he recommended and he said he had seen pretty much everything - but the best, by far, was Mama Mia.  So, I took his word, we got tickets...and oh.my.word.  Amazing.  The audience was dancing in the aisles by the end of the show!  If you've seen the movie (which is AWFUL), don't let that ruin your idea of Mama Mia - because the broadway show is amazing.  In regards to tickets, I usually wait until I get to NYC and then wait in line at the TKTS booth.  They don't have tickets to every show, but usually the long running ones are available (like Mama Mia, Lion King, etc.)  It's way cheaper to get tickets that way, but you do need to get there early and wait in line...because it's a pretty long line.  Once the ticket booth is open - it goes really fast though, so it's worth it.  I've also seen Phantom of the Opera, Wicked, Jersey Boys, Les Miserables, "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change", Legally Blonde and White Christmas.  I loved all of them, so I don't think you can really go wrong!  Out of those options, I think guys will enjoy Jersey Boys the most.  Be forewarned though - it has quite a bit of language.

Shopping/Siteseeing:

One great thing about shopping anywhere in NYC is that they don't have sales tax on purchases under $100.  That's just always a nice surprise when you pay exactly what's on the tag!

If you're interested in buying a purse, perfume, jewelry or sunglasses in NYC, I don't recommend purchasing off the street.  You definitely want to head down to Canal Street for that kind of thing (plus, you should visit Chinatown at least once!).  I will tell you the secret to getting a great bag, but you'll have to email me for that :).

Check out Dylan's Candy Bar - just a fun store.  It's Ralph Lauren's daughter's (Dylan) business - a huge candy store with every vintage candy you can imagine.  Totally worth seeing/exploring because it's so colorful and fun.  They also have the most incredible hot cocoa I've ever had.

Grand Central Station is beautiful - and easy to get to on the subway.  Definitely worth seeing in my opinion.

Central Park is a must see.  You can rent bikes if you're there during warm months, you can take a carriage ride all year 'round or you can just wander through the park...there's quite a bit to see even if it's during the winter.

I LOVE SoHo.  I'm a boutique shopper myself, so SoHo is more my cup-o-tea.

You've gotta shop Fifth Avenue. 'Nuff said.

Transportation:

Take the SUBWAY!  Maybe it's because I'm cheap, but I would rather take the subway than a taxi any day (even from the airport)!  I think the public transit system is one of my favorite things about NYC.  Now that almost every person owns a smart phone of some kind, all you've gotta do is download an app for the subway and it will tell you based on where you are and where you want to go - what train to get on!  You might be overwhelmed at first, but you'll get the hang of it and in the end, wonder why you even own a car :).  If you're staying in the city for multiple days, just purchase an unlimited multi-day card (otherwise it's $4.50 per ride!).  You can purchase a 7-day card for just $27 and if you only stay for 4 - just give it away when you're finished!  I've always found someone who needed it.

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Last, but not least, wear good shoes.  Lame, I know, but you will walk a LOT and will regret it if you don't.  Doesn't mean you have to put on a pair of white sneakers, but I wouldn't really recommend your stillettos for an all-day affair either.

I think that covers most of it!  I could go on and on because I love New York, so if there's anything I didn't cover or that you still want to know - shoot me an email and I would be happy to respond!  Have a GREAT trip!!!