Made in Manhattan
Posted by Megan Lopez on
Sometimes when opportunity comes knocking on your door you just have to take it and run. Last week I was lucky enough to take a little getaway trip to New York with my best friend. In true millennial fashion, I documented my trip for this blog and thought I'd share some of my experiences.
It wasn't my first time in the Big Apple but it was my first time there alone and being over 21. My friend and I stayed at the Arlo NoMad hotel in Manhattan. This place is somewhere you definitely want to check out if your planning your next girls trip or romantic getaway. Situated on the 19th floor, our hotel room had the most beautiful view of the Empire State building (perfect for Instagram worthy shots). The hotel itself had a very urban feel. With restaurants, cocktail bars, and a 24 hour bodega at your service it's a perfect for a quick staycation. If your itinerary involves being out in the city, the hotel was conveniently located a couple blocks from the best shopping on 34th Street and Times Square.
My number one goal for this trip was to be completely spontaneous. It's always easy for travelers to quickly Yelp what the best restaurants and local spots are the best to go to, but sometimes the best places are those you just walk into and try. And that's exactly what we did to start our Wednesday morning. When we saw the store front for Simon & The Whale we knew we had to eat there. When we were seated, we took a look around at the gorgeously designed restaurant and bar. All kinds of books and nostalgic memorabilia filled the bookcases used as table dividers. The space was also filled with tons of hanging plants and botanical accents.
Besides the beautiful decor, the food was beyond delicious. My friend and I both ordered the breakfast special that came with eggs, choice of bacon or sausage, toast, a seasonal salad, and orange juice with a choice of coffee or tea. We also couldn't resist getting some breakfast potatoes. Simon & The Whale served, by far, the best chamomile tea, bacon, and (surprisingly) salad I had ever had for breakfast.
My next stop was The Metropolitan Museum of Art. As a long time fan of Gossip Girl I had already been here on my previous trips to New York, but anyone who's been to The Met knows it's a black hole of wonder and can't be completed in one or two visits (and not even three in my case). My friend was on a work trip so I decided to come here by myself and surround myself with beautiful things to look at for a couple of hours. I walked and gazed in amazement at pieces of art that were new to me and those I had already seen before. After getting endlessly lost (metaphorically and physically) I decided to grab some gelato at the Great Hall Balcony Bar and head to my next destination.
As a Retail Merchandising and Product Development student you can already guess that I am obsessed with all things fashion. Side note: I also volunteer with a professor in my college who in charge of Florida States Historical Fashion Closet which contains over 6,000 historical garments that represent fashion over the course of decades. So when I found out that FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) had a free museum I was totally going to see what it was all about. There were two exhibits I got to see, 1st: Fabric in Fashion which displayed the evolution of textiles and how these attributes contributed to fashion. The 2nd exhibit was 50 Years of the Museum at FIT which showcased the greatest exhibits in FIT history. From Balenciaga, to Coco Chanel. From Yves Saint Laurent to Paul Poiret. From Manolo Blahnik to Ferragamo. Every designer known to change the fashion world had historical pieces showcased and it was a fashion students dream to even be in the same room with such amazing works of art.
Did you really go to New York if you didn't finish a day of museum hopping with some of the best pizza in the country? This Little Italy Pizza shop was just a block away from my walk back to the hotel. That paired with a nice bottle of wine to end the evening was the greatest way to end my last day in the greatest city.
