48 Hours in NYC
Sabrina and I flew out to NY to watch our friend Kelly graduate from Hoftsra—we’re so proud of her and also grateful that we had an excuse to venture into the city together! Here’s what we did in our short amount of time:
Day 1
10 AM: NY Bagels (you’re my everything!)
Kelly took us to her all-time favorite bagel shop My Three Sons, and boy were these bagels a triple threat. Soft, fluffy, flavorful—there’s a reason why they have such a good rep.
2 PM: Lunch at Junoon
There’s nothing like a little Junoon at noon! The Lal Mirch Ka Paneer was my favorite—house made cheese, apricot chutney, apples, and brûlée figs. It was such an interesting twist on my favorite traditional dish!
3:30 PM: Lunch (yes, again) at ilili
So the thing about only having two days in the city is that you have to maximize it! Sabrina and I split a light lunch at Junoon and saved our appetite so that we could do it all over again at ilili. We’re always on the hunt for the best falafel, and this one was perfectly crispy with a fun square shape.
4:30 PM: Hey, want to see the roof?
230 fifth is a trendy rooftop garden and bar that was especially busy on this sunny day! You can enjoy some fun drinks and snacks while jamming out to music and looking right at the Empire State Building.
5:30 PM: Ice Cream with a View
We went to Ample Hills for some Peppermint Pattie ice cream and walked with it along the High Line. Looking out at the view with the wind blowing through my hair reminded me of why I love the city so much—there’s something freeing and inspiring in being surrounded by tall skyscrapers, and immersed in human connection.
We then headed back to Kelly’s to greet her family who just flew in!
Day 2
7:15 AM: Started off with Some Soul
You can’t come to NYC without riding at Soul Cycle! I mean it’s the home of this spin studio. I rode with Master Instructor Ayana Curtis and it was so fun tapping it back to Beyonce, NOTD, and Ed Sheeran.
12 PM: Thai Me Up
Kelly, Sabrina, and I had a yummy lunch (just one this time) at Thai Villa filled with tofu, veggies, and rice. We cooled down from the 87 degree weather with some jasmine iced tea, and then walked around the city!
2 PM: Central Park
I’ve ran through the park before, but am always surprised by how much there is to see! I got chills going through Strawberry Fields for the first time and love that even in the hustle and bustle of the city, this sacred space is still dedicated to peace, quiet, and all the dreamers.
3 PM: All the Chocolate
It’s never a trip to NYC without a good cookie break from Levain! My favorite is the dark chocolate chocolate chip cookie—crispy on the outside, warm and gooey on the inside?! The best.
5:30 PM: Slice Slice Baby
We stopped for a slice of Prince Street Pizza and a kids scoop of ice cream at OddFellows to tie us down before our 6:30 reservation. Side note—if any boy looks at me the way I look at pizza, it’s basically true love.
6:30 PM: ABC, easy as one, two, three
ABC Kitchen was my favorite meal last time I visited NYC and now, Jean-Georges is back and better than ever with his plant-based abcV. One of my favorite dishes that we ordered was the lasagnette: ramp pesto, asparagus, oyster mushrooms, ricotta, a sprinkle of heaven.
8:00 PM: Milk Bar (the best kind of bar)
We ended the night with a slice of Milk Bar Pie! Imagine a toasted oat crust with a gooey buttery filling—it’s sweet, savory, and sticky all at the same time.
Until Next Time!
We made all of these plans and reservations the day of, and I wouldn’t have it any other way! It’s always nice to come into a trip with a full itinerary, but I’ve found that I always enjoy the moments in between even more. There’s nothing like exploring and laughing through the city with your friends—with a slice of thin crust pizza, of course!
