If your bestie comes to New York City, go meet her there. Take the 5:10 train before the sun even rises to squeeze in every second together before you have to part ways, back to reality in upstate New York and Dallas. Jump up and down and squeeze each other and contemplate if this is actually really happening or not.
Stay at The Standard Hotel, but close your eyes when you’re in the elevator, cause there are some crazy videos in that thing. And, definitely, close your eyes if one of you needs to shower. Cause I guess it’s the new thing to have a glass shower in the middle of the room for all of your roommates, and New York, to see you neked.
Sleep in the most luscious bed. Ever. Can a bed be luscious? The answer is yes. Dream together, laugh together, cry together, and definitely eat pastries together… all in that luscious bed.
Fall in love with lower Manhattan all over again, and discover new little corners of Chelsea that make your heart skip a beat.
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Look for doughnuts immediatley. Throw away your plans of walking to the nearest bakery, which you’re told doesn’t exist, and swear to each other that you’ll take taxis everywhere the rest of your time together. Have big plans of using the subway and google maps… but throw those out the window and pretend it ain’t no big thang to drop that extra money and flit about Manhattan in taxis, like you’re living the high life. Then, right then, have the best doughnut of your life at Doughnut Plant. But, whatever you do, don’t call it Donut Planet.
Head up to Central Park on the most beautiful day. (And, a southern girl can hail a taxi in no time, don’t let anyone tell you different.) Thank the Lord, over and over again, for the sunshine and sixty five degree weather when it was thirty degrees two days earlier. A little blessing from above.
Eat from a food cart. Hot dogs, nuts 4 nuts, a pretzel, a falafel chicken gyro. You can’t go wrong with any of these, especially the last one.
Get ready to experience the sweetest boy ever. Singing his own songs, maybe eleven years old, with his ukelele case open. People watch in amazement at the bravery and confidence he displays, dropping dollar after dollar in, cause this boy? He’s got talent. Wish that you had asked his name so that you could remember him when you hear him on the radio one day. Say a quick prayer that your boys will be this brave one day, and then say a longer one: Lord, please help me to nurture my children’s dreams like this mama is doing for her boy. Please help me let their souls shine through and let them take risks, just like this. Wipe a tear away.
Next stop: Sprinkles.
When you go to New York, or any city, plan your trip around food. Planning it around anything else would just be silly. Sprinkles has these dainty little cupcakes that will give you just a taste and still leave room for dinner. And more dessert, of course. Get the chai spice cupcake…. and thank me later.
Walk and talk and laugh. My Pastor always says that there is nothing like the local church when the local church is working right. And there’s nothing like the internet when the internet is working right. Isn’t that the truth? Pinch yourself that you’re here together, sisters in Christ and the dearest of friends, after all these internet years. Get changed. Call Eataly and ask them what their restaurant is all about. Know that you need to go there.
You’ll walk in and feel like you’re in Italy immediatley. People are walking around, sipping wine and eating sharp cheddar, ordering freshly made pasta for tonight’s dinner and browsing the wide selection of olive oils. There’s hustle and bustle and it’s all sorts of magical. Head over to pizza and pasta and get seated immediately. Order the Marghertia Pizza and Ravioli Di Funghi. Eat every bite.
Now feels like the right time to discover what French macarons are all about.
Take a taxi to Bisous, Ciao Macrons. You’ll be blown away by the beauty of these little treats. Take lots, of pictures, ask lots of questions, and leave with lots of macarons, still wondering what it will be like when you take your first bite.
You’ll pass Rocco’s Pastry Shop while walking up Bleecker Street. Go inside, the window displays won’t let you do anything but that. Order a New York Cheesecake and cannoli to go, because… Why not?
And just when you think you’re ready to head back to that dreamy bed and indulge… you find IT. Sugar and Plumm… more pastries… more French macarons. And SAMPLES. Your first bite will take place there and you, seriously, contemplate how you have been living your whole life without these. Pistachio and chocolate covered banana, you simply can’t leave without buying more.
Stay up late, talking, and eating, and laughing.
Wake up early to watch the sunrise over the Hudson River and the city skyline.
Have breakfast at Cafeteria. Squeeze in every last minute together and grab the best burger of your entire life at Shake Shack. If you ever questioned if you could down a burger and fries in three minutes before catching the train at Penn Station to Albany and flight from JFK to Dallas: Doubt no more. You can do it.
Dream of doing it all over again together. One day.
Our weekend on instagram. Follow along with me here.
OH this looks like so much fun. i would LOVE to go to New York one day. My husband has no desire to go (unless maybe baseball was involved) but I could surely get my momma to go! GIRLS TRIP, say what?!?!! Everything looks so wonderful! And the food…mercy sakes, DELISH!
awesome!
Looks like you ladies had such a good time! Your friendship with Casey is beautiful! And all that food…beautiful too! Gosh, now this prego woman needs to find her some pastries!
Your trip sounds like it was incredible!!! And now I'm very hungry 🙂
This gave me so many great ideas! My husband and I are jetting to NYC next week! (he's there on business, I'm tagging along). Although he'll be working for chunks of it, we'll still have plenty of time to play!
Ahhh… I could kick myself for not taking metro-north down into the city more often when I lived in Connecticut. Now the only time NYC is a vacation day is on the beginning and end of a stay to see family! Luckily for me, my next trip home will involve a rental car and laguardia. I will HAVE to try Doughnut Plant & anything else houston lacks in east coast food culture. My one place I always hit up is Mamouns Falafel, down on St.Marks Place.
LOVE IT. So happy for you two!!!
LOVED these pictures 🙂 Looks like you had so much fun. NYC is the best!
Erica of
http://sweet-endeavors.blogspot.com/
We totally did this once! Looks like you had a great time. Love the pictures. Such LIFE was captured!
My family was in Central Park on Saturday, too! We took our girls on a Doctor Who nerdwalk and went to the same fountain and saw the same kid playing the ukelele. My pictures of him aren't nearly as good as the ones you took, but wasn't it a beautiful sunshiney day after all of the cold weather the tri-state area has had oh…for five months? We moved from Salt Lake to NJ in June and I sure do love NYC.
It looks like you hit the doughnut plant, too…I am never on too much of a diet to turn down their coconut cream. Anyway- I'm just a reader of your blog who smiled when she saw your post. 🙂
i enjoyed this. a lot.
ok that shower is a bit of an issue but LOVE the highline and hello the donut plant is the BOMB. you did an exceptional job of covering everything important in the city 😉
Love this. So awesome.
oh this post is too much! looked amazing!!! can't wait to meet you both next year 🙂
oh, what fun! 🙂 all that food looks amazing, too!
um…I want to go to New York with you…m'kay?
Oh my gosh…I would LOVE to do this one day!
You have so many great suggestions. And you two ladies are beauties!