“New York is always a great idea!“….obviously a play off of Audrey Hepburn’s quote about Paris. But….it’s true!
Each year, NYC is always on the agenda…if not once, sometimes even twice! WE LOVE NYC! Although, every time that we go, we have our normal faves that bring us back to visit, but we try to incorporate new experiences/places every time. This trip was no different!
I’m highlighting some of both old and new must-see places to try in Manhattan. The above picture was taken at Grand Central Terminal holding our favorite cupcakes….Magnolia’s Bakery! I adore the chocolate on chocolate and my daughter ALWAYS gets the red velvet! So darn good.
What’s important to know about Grand Central Terminal….there is more than trains and subways to catch there. They have a ton of wonderful places to eat and shop and the people watching is amazing. We always enjoy our visit there. In fact, the following picture is another favorite when we are in the city. The Shake Shack. It is a true favorite on the East Coast, but rivals with not only my Texas/Southern chain Whataburger, but also the West Coast version that is a love of mine as well, In-n-Out Burger. NO kidding…..I love all three of them! On a side note, we’ve recently had a couple of In-n-Out Burgers and The Shake Shack pop up in various cities in Texas….and I’m thankful for it!
Moving on….the following pic is from…normally, our 1st stop after checking into the hotel. We normally arrive around lunchtime and are normally STARVING and cannot wait to get to Sarabeth’s! It is always a sure fire pleaser!
This is a pic of the club sandwich that my daughter and I shared and let me tell you….it was divine! In fact, I’m currently working on a remake of the remarkable bacon jam that was on this club sandwich. I.had.never…even thought about bacon jam before, but after this sandwich…I’m on a mission. I made it once for my Royal Wedding Breakfast Watch Party that I recently gave. It was so good, but I’m not quite there just yet. Still perfecting. Stay posted for that recipe. Yum
Oh, and speaking of remakes of recipes, the above pic of the most amazing guacamole and crab salad that you’ll ever put your lips around. Yes, remade that one as well! I’m in love with that. We order it each time we go to Sarabeth’s. It’s that good.
Here’s one last pic of Sarabeth’s.
Okay…for a newbie one. I have always heard of John’s Pizzeria…I had even seen it on our many walks/drives to Carmine’s in Times Square, but I had never eaten there. It was FABULOUS! The atmosphere while waiting in line for your number to be called is a bit chaotic, but very NYC. The hostess is aggressive and far from shy, but she handles the crowd and the wait time very well. You wait in the bar area and can obviously have a beverage while waiting and just chat with whomever is around you. It truly is a great place. I loved the restaurant seating as well. You are basically dining in an old theater. We sat in the mezzanine area and it was so unique. I will definitely be going again.
Back to an old fave. What’s not to love about The Palm Court in the Plaza Hotel? We enjoy having the High Tea there and a cocktail. It is so fun and takes me to London for the afternoon. Below is a pic of our cute little sandwiches, scones, desserts and cocktails. Each one is so very good and our favorite tea there is the Tropical Garden. It is so sweet and fresh…we have a couple of teapots each time we go. Ah….wish I had this now! Actually, having high tea there several times prepared me somewhat with planning for my Royal Wedding Breakfast Watch Party. Insert wink. Oh….I almost forgot to tell you….on one trip, I was able to meet Helena Cassadine from General Hospital while dining there! A little trivia for some of you General Hospital fans. She was super nice and didn’t try to hurt me or anything. LOL!!
This is not a great pic of our menu there, but you get the picture.
Isn’t she cute? My daughter loves the high tea just as much as I do. She asks to go every single time! I’ve created a monster….hahahaha!
Here are some pics of our actual stay there!!
Emily at the Plaza…get it? Eloise at the Plaza….see what I did there? We just couldn’t help ourselves. My girls watched Eloise at the Plaza 1,000+ times when they were little. Who am I kidding? They love to watch it even today.
I am in love with this chandelier….it was one of my favorites at The Plaza. I also was mesmerized with the door handles. Ah….LOVE!
Our beautiful little suite! It was so elegant and classy and I love that!! Actually, I’m a sucker for it!!! The bedding….I was pleased to see that it matched mine and my husband’s at home. Except mine, has our initials embroidered on the front shams. Yeah, I’m one of those peeps. I’m not even ashamed. Same colors and all….I guess that means that I have great taste. Right?
Here is a view of the bathroom…Just look at everything. What.is.not.to.LOVE?
Here is a 1st for me also. I mean, I’ve been to Ground Zero before and the outside memorials, but I had not visited the 9/11 Museum until this last trip. Surreal…..I remember that day like it was yesterday. My daughter and I toured it for hours…just in solemn remembrance. This staircase got me….I just cried.
This beautiful masterpiece is from another favorite hotel of mine. It’s a new one for me though…but not my daughter. She recognized it from the show Gossip Girl, but I loved it for other reasons. The Lotte New York Palace is a fabulous hotel. The amazing picture of my fabulous Avocado Toast breakfast was from their wonderful restaurant, Villard. It was amazing.
Another 1st for me….The Knickerbocker Hotel and St. Cloud Rooftop Restaurant. I mean, the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills introduced it to me. Well, not in person….Lisa Rinna and Kyle Richards took their daughters there on one episode of the show and I thought it looked like a fun place. It was! You can see the Time Square Ball so close that you can almost touch it. It was so cool!
Okay….here we go with another 1st!!! My daughter, the one pictured above scoped this little jewel out and let me tell you. It was a find. The Bun’s Bar is an eclectic little place with a menu that will make your mouth water. We went for the milkshake above….made to order…no one milkshake is the same….very unique and cool. The food though…..was amazing as well! What a great little place! Loved it.
Hello beautiful….now this plate of spaghetti and meatballs is no new find for me. They belong to Carmine’s and it is the ticket!!! OMG…..I cannot say enough about this place. We’ve sought out the Carmine’s in Las Vegas and it does not disappoint, but there is no substitute for the Times Square location! Advice, make a reservation AS SOON as you know that you will be visiting the city, because without one, you will wait until late in the evening to be seated. We waited until 11:00 pm the one night that we had not made a reservation…no lie! But we had to….we had eaten there every night, (3 of them) we were there and could not get enough of it! We had to have it the last night of the same trip. Hahahaha…..don’t judge. 
Back to a classic fave of mine. Norma’s. EVERY.SINGLE.TRIP, we have breakfast at Norma’s. It is located in the Le Parker Meridian Hotel and it is a must to try. Their decadent french toast is amazing and in my younger days, I could eat it every single time, but it is not figure friendly I’m sure, so I try other options now and I’m fine with that. Once every five years maybe I could order it again. LOL, so amazingly divine. Seriously though, I’ve never ordered anything from there that I wasn’t crazy about. You cannot go wrong, I promise.
Yes….the above pic was an Instagram hunt for sure. My daughter had us searching all over for these beauties. We found them. In Brooklyn. The Bagel Store. Yes, the bagel that broke the internet…as they say. This was also the bagel that lost the daughter above her camera. In all of the excitement of finding that precious bagel….standing in line for more than an hour…eyeroll…and the time spent playing games inside until it was your turn to order….she left her camera in her camera bag IN THE TAXI CAB!!! Ugh…so annoying. Lesson learned though.
Okay….the above place…Fig & Olive was a welcome new treasure! I loved it! This beautiful Paella was to die for! So fresh, flavorful and filling! Just a wonderful place!
And lastly, another all-time favorite that you’ll find in Soho! Balthazar is beyond words. I adore everything about it! Every single time that we dine there, I try a different entree and/or appetizer and there is nothing so far that I have not devoured. From drinks to dessert…..this place is a jewel! The pic above is of my daughter’s Steak Au Poivre…and yes, she ate it ALL by herself!!! I kid you not. (I did get one, tiny bite though.)
Well….that’s my highlights for my latest trip to Manhattan. All meals, tickets, etc. were paid by me and enjoyed by us all!
Thanks for the mem’s NYC. I’ll see you soon!!