Back in October, Mr. PRL and I did a quick extended weekend trip to New York. The main purpose of our trip was to see Justin Timberlake in concert (on my bucket list!) but it ended up being quite a busy weekend for us. We packed a lot into a few days – two sporting events, a lot of great food, some shopping (of course!) and making my own “customized” lipstick. Keep reading to learn what we did and where we ate during our weekend in NYC!
Where we stayed
I’m not going to get into much detail about this as we stayed here last time we were in New York. It’s a great location – close to Times Square (if you see that as a positive) and within close proximity to Central Park. The rooms are small (which is par for the course in NYC) but functional. This time around we found the beds a little hard but we were so exhausted by the end of the day neither of us had problems sleeping. The lobby is a bit of a madhouse during the day and sometimes the wait for an elevator can be a bit long but overall we had no real complaints about our stay and I’d recommend it, particularly if you can get a good deal on your stay.
Where We Ate (New)
We had a craving for pasta one night and this place had pretty good reviews so we figured we’d give it a try. It was a good choice! We both had spaghetti and meatball bowls and they were some of the best meatballs I’ve ever had. They had some great cocktails too – definitely recommend!
This was our lunch spot after a busy morning of lipstick-making and shopping in Soho and it didn’t disappoint. We shared a baked ziti and a Chicken Parm sandwich and both were delicious and filling. It is a tiny little place though – when we were there it wasn’t too busy but when it is you’ll likely be bumping elbows with the table next to you.
I went here in search of the world-famous Cronut – sadly, they were sold out but they recommended a few other things for us – one of which a DKA ( a sweet and flaky pastry) that came with a claim that people liked it better than a Cronut. Let me say that if that’s the case then I don’t think I missed anything. It reminded me of a sweeter version of a stale croissant and I wasn’t all that impressed.
Like Central Park, pizza is an essential meal in NYC. We stopped here for lunch on our last day and it was good – I’d say it’s on par with the rest of the pizza joints we’ve visited.
Where we ate (repeats)
I don’t think I’ll ever be able to go to NYC and not go to Ess-a-Bagel – I’m pretty sure they make the most amazing bagel in the world. This time was just as good as the first!
One day for lunch we decided to hit up Blue Smoke, a BBQ restaurant we also visited on our last trip. This time wasn’t quite as good as our first – the mac n cheese was still out of this world but we ordered a hot chicken sandwich (good but not amazing); turkey (pretty good) and sausage (just okay). We’re starting to get some good BBQ restaurants back home so I think that’s why it wasn’t quite as good as we remembered it.
What’s your fave burger place? I determined on this trip that Shake Shack takes that honour for me – I LOVE flattop burgers and theirs are just the best out of the many I’ve tried. Add in their cheese fries and it’s basically heaven on a tray.
What we did
NHL & NFL Games
How did I get wrangled into attending two sporting events in one short trip? I’m still asking myself that question. One was definitely better than the other – the football game was in an outdoor stadium and it was a blustery, overcast day. Even worse – the stadium food was pretty disappointing (aside from a pretty delicious hot dog) which is one of the only reasons I go to football games.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BpNusbil-42/
Now the hockey game was a different story. Madison Square Gardens is a fun place to watch a game – first of all, it scores major points for being inside. Second, their food options are extensive and delicious, with many curated by famous chefs. We enjoyed some really good short rib tacos by Jean George and tater tot nachos by ##. The game itself was great because the Flames won but the fans were generally respectful, which is always nice.
NYC has a lot of comedy clubs to choose from, many who attract some big names. We didn’t see anyone famous when we were there but it was still a pretty good show. Ironically one of the opening comedians was way funnier than the headliner but we still enjoyed ourselves and would definitely go back – it’s a great way to spend an evening!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BpULzWLFUXy/
Central Park
On our last day, we picked up a bagel at Ess-A-Bagel, sat in Central Park to eat it and wandered around. I was hoping that the leaves would be changing or have changed but they were just barely starting (in mid-October? What a concept!). It’s such a nice escape from the hustle and bustle of the city that you almost forget where you are. No visit to NYC is complete without a trip here, in my opinion.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BpWwDZAlTeU/
Bite Beauty Lip Lab
Making my own custom lipstick was something I tried to do on our last trip without success so I made sure to book an appointment in advance this time around. Was it worth it? Read my review on the service here.
Shopping in Soho
After my appointment at the Bite Beauty Lab, I did a little shopping in Soho. I love shopping in this neighbourhood – it’s filled with historic buildings, pop-up shops and unique finds. Despite temptation leering at every corner, I only picked up a few things. I stumbled across a Winky Lux pop-up and picked up a palette and lip balm, and a new jacket at Uniqlo.
Justin Timberlake Concert (Man of the Woods Tour)
I have been a JT fan since his N’Sync days and I’ve always wanted to see him in concert but since he never comes to Calgary (curse you Saddledome), I knew we were going to have to travel to see him. What better place than MSG? Seriously, what an amazing place to see a concert, I don’t think there’s a bad seat in the entire place and acoustics were amazing. JT was surreal – he basically performed for 2 hours straight – it was easily the best concert I’ve ever been to. I’m so glad we got to see him when we did – he cancelled his second show in NYC two days later due to bruised vocal cords.
And that was our trip – short and sweet. Have you ever been to NYC?
Leave a Reply