My bi-yearly trips to New York have become one of my favorite times of year, as it allows me to see the city in both summer and winter. I get the chance to explore and catch up with friends before starting work for the trade show. This time around, we were scheduled on an early morning flight into LaGuardia, followed by lunch with my dear friend Lauren and her new man Finn.
Next up was a Sex and the City tour with On Location Tours, followed by a yummy dinner of fish and chips at A Salt & Battery with my fellow writers Katka and Jackie. Then it was straight to work, where I hardly slept for a full week, setting up the booth for NY Now, getting second place in the sales contest and eating at my favorite restaurants.
I also spotted Kim Zolciak at the airport and thought I saw Miss Rosa from Orange is the New Black on my walk to work! Here are some snaps from my week away last month.
Alice and Wonderland Mosaic– Liliana Porter’s mosaic entitled “Alice, The Way Out” was created in 1994 at the 50th street subway station. This was the closest station to our hotel, so we found ourselves here admiring the work frequently.
Banksy on Amsterdam Avenue– On our walk to meet Lauren, I spotted this piece of street art covered in plastic. I thought it might be a Banksy, but I wasn’t sure until I looked it up later. It turns out that someone tried to spray paint over it last year and Zabar’s decided to put up this plastic to protect it.
Brunch at Nice Matin– Something I always add to my New York itinerary is meeting up with one of my best friends from my Sydney days, Lauren. Sammi and I met her and baby Finn for brunch at Nice Matin, a tasty French bistro where we indulged in a sneaky afternoon beverage with spinach eggs benedict.
Walking for eats at Gotham West– The daily walk between my hotel, Ink48, and Javits Center took me past this neighborhood pub with its graffiti and funky billboard. We would usually stop for a bite or drink at Gotham West Market, one of my favorite spots in the neighborhood. I binged on the chicken and waffles at Genuine and sangria from El Colmado. It’s all good!
Dinner at Palma– Every trade show, we have a group dinner where we all dine together and talk about something other than work. It’s a great bonding experience and this year’s was at Palma. I love this restaurant, especially since we were placed in the back that is an 1810 carriage house.
It felt like we were really in someone’s living room, especially the wall-to-wall bookshelves and fresh roses and candles scattered throughout the room. And I loved the La Vie En Rose cocktail, which looks pink and girly, but has a delicious bite to it. Don’t let the rose petal fool you!
New York City can be a great place to spend your vacation but finding the most-happening places and best restaurants can be a challenge. That’s why travelers are now using location insights app such as Trist to travel around the city with confidence. The app also lets you share photos with the community of the places you have visited and explored in the city.