48 Hours Ticking Off My New York 'Bucket List'

When you have a full two days in New York, it doesn't matter if you are jet lagged off your face, on a strict diet, or about to max out your credit card. Sometimes you just have to 'go big or go home,' and a precious 48 hours in the Big Apple with my mom meant we made use of every minute. I used to live in NYC a long time ago... before I swapped my 5th Ave stilettos for my Cali-cool Toms and moved West to the Bay Area. When you know a city well, there are some things you have to do while there for just a weekend. To give you an idea, here's what I managed to pack in over a weekend in NYC. 

Friday: 

5:45am: Thanks to jet lag, I am wide-awake despite barely sleeping last night. Oh well, better have a quick am run to get the body ready for American sized portions, and what better place to run around than Central Park?!

Obviously, I listened to Alicia Key's & Jay-Z belting out "In New Yoooork concrete jungle where dreams are made ohhhh there's nothing you can't do now you're in New York"

10:00am: Don't ask me why, but I have never seen turkey bacon on the menu at any London restaurants. It only seemed right to start my first morning off by demolishing a seriously delicious asparagus and cheese omelet with turkey bacon at the Sofitel, made famous by Dominique Strauss-Kahn. After finishing our breakfast of champions, the mothership and I set off for some retail therapy.

11:45am: We didn't even get as far as Henri Bendel before spotting Ann Taylor's colourful spring range. Even the accessories come in fabulous neon colors. When I saw there was a 30% sale off everything in the store, I just about had a heart attack. If you're in the States, get into Ann Taylor now because they have the cutest stuff this season at really reasonable prices (especially considering the £ to $ exchange rate)!

If Kate Hudson is wearing Ann Taylor then I am too. Fact!

1:30: I've basically shopped till I dropped at this point. So we stop for a very quick bite on the street with bags and bags of shopping in hand. I love the 'street meat' in New York and the super trendy pop-up food trucks, which offer every global cuisine and flock to the city streets during lunch-time. For $5, a freshly made Greek gyro pita plate was exactly what the doctor ordered!

A pop-up NYC food truck is the best way to have a fast bite

3:00pm: After squeezing in a few more shops (and every last dime out of my credit card), I drop off all my loot and meet up with my long-time Cali gal pal, Tessa, for a power walk and catch-up around a very sunny Central Park.

A classic THT & Char arm extended shot. Who needs the paparazzi?

After weeks of rain in London, I couldn't have been more delighted to walk in a summer dress and sandals around Central Park. It really is a dreamy spot year-round, but spring time is my favourite season in the Big Apple. 

Picture-perfect, no?

7:00pm After freshing up for dinner, my mom and I head over to the West Village to one of my all-time top NYC restaurants, Joseph Leonard.

A sight that always brings a big smile to my face

It's fun and cozy inside, the staff are always charming (I'm a big fan of Dolly, who is hilarious and super sweet), and... the food is kick-ass.

Not your average looking appetizer right?

Although the menu always changes, Joseph Leonard makes the WORLD's BEST carrot cake. I know that is a huge statement, but ever since I was first introduced to this 5 star carrot cake by my friends Megan and Daniel, I always order the carrot cake and am convinced I could eat two helpings every time. I might have called during the day to make sure they had it. Luckily, they did...  

Let me assure you, every bite of this bad boy is perfection

11:00pm: Following some 'after dinner drinks' with friends, I can barely keep my eyes open and literally fall asleep the second my head hits the pillow.

Saturday:

9:15am: I set off in a taxi with a venti-sized coffee in hand en route to Brooklyn. It’s so fun to zip across a virtually traffic-free Manhattan at this time of the day.

 

10:00am: After meeting my BU girlfriend Gosia at Buttermilk Channel, there is lots of catching up and laughter over 'remember when' tales... 

 

...and needless to say, Bloody Marys are immediately ordered. We loved the Star of The Sea Bloody Marys, garnished with an East Coast Oyster!

Breakfast in a glass?

You know I love a good London burger, but as a true burger lover (and critic), I try burgers wherever I go. I had heard good things about Buttermilk Channel. I mean, why else would Jay-Z and Beyoncé spend New Year's Eve chowing down at Buttermilk Channel if it wasn't amazing, right? Well, turns out Jigga and B don't only have good taste in cars, cigars, watches and shoes, because this Brooklyn restaurant is finger-licking fantastic. Definitely try the burger, I reckon it's Brooklyn's finest.

Beyonce, can you handle this? I don't think you can handle this wooooo

12:15pm:
What better way to walk off an early brunch, than walking across the Brooklyn bridge, which offers fantastic panoramic views of the city? 

Can you see a historic monument far in the distance?

If you have been to New York, but haven't walked across the Brooklyn bridge, then you have to add this to your 'NYC to do list.'

Loving being together on such a gorgeous day!

12:45pm: 

We happened to walk by The Freedom Tower, which is the replacement building for what was once New York's World Trade Center destroyed on 9/11, 2001. I always find it quite emotional going back to where the two World Trade Centers used to be, but I have to say, The Freedom Tower is pretty magnificent. I cannot wait to see it once it is completed.  

2:00pm

After a quick little pit stop at Intermix, just to ensure the shop still was up to par since I was last in the States, we walked over to The High Line in the West Side. The High Line is an elevated public park built on a historic freight rail line, and it is just spectacular. 

We walked the full High Line, which starts in the Meatpacking District (on Gansevoort Street), and ends on West 34th Street, between 10th & 11th Avenues.

There are tons of spots to hang out and just relax, but somehow we managed to find an ice cream cookie dealer. Probably the best type of street dealer out there if you ask me. 

Say hello to green tea ice cream on a gingersnap cookie!

The High Line is such a cool idea, and I wish there was something similar in London, because if there was, I would hang out there all the time!

4:00pm:

After a very long-extended goodbye to Gosia at Penn Station, we dashed back to the hotel to get all dolled up for 'the last NYC dinner' of the weekend.

7:00pm: 

Deciding where to go on a Saturday night in New York is a tough decision for most, but for me, I love going to Balthazar in Soho. It has been one of my favourite restaurants for years, and it always lives up the superb standard that I so fondly cherish.

In a booth at Balthazar on Saturday night is probably one of the best spots one can be!

I'm a huge fan of Balthazar's fresh oysters, and enjoy ordering a mixture of oysters from the East Coast, Canada, and the West Coast.. after all, you don't want to discriminate right?  

It goes without saying that we tried the burger, which was incredible. Nuff' said.

10:00pm:
After a day of sunshine, walking, and eating our way around New York, we were exhausted. I drifted off to sleep smiling, apparently spooning my mother, which I'm sure she was thrilled about. I blame it on the Sancerre at dinner!


Sunday:

9:00am: Once we packed our bags, moms and I dashed off to a Duane Reade pharmacy or two, so I could stock up on products which cannot easily be found in the UK. I realized how behind I was in my US celeb gossip by glancing over at US Weekly & OK! USA magazine; clearly I needed all the trashy mags I could get my manicured hands on. How else will I find out how Jessica Simpson plans to lose her baby weight?!

I'm stressed just reading the cover of this ground-breaking news story

11:45am: After a quick but thorough brunch, I'm proud to say we stopped for some culture at The Morgan Library and Museum. A visit to Pierpont Morgan's 1906 library, will certainly make you want to step up your book collection and study at home!

3:15pm: The mothership and I were back in a taxi, but this time on our way to the airport. As we passed by the legendary Shake Shack, I wished we had brought Shake Shack takeout with us en route to the airport, but at this point in the weekend I honestly couldn't eat another bite.

 

For those of you ever in NYC, you basically haven't lived until you try a Shake Shack burger and shake... freakin' amazing. 

Feast your eyes on this sexiness

Looking out the window I thought, farewell for now New York and thank you for such an amazing weekend. As always, I love visiting this city and I couldn't have asked for better company or a more enjoyable time while I was here.

6:00pm

As my plane was preparing to depart, I stopped contemplating the crash diet I was going to need to force myself to go on the second I hit UK turf and listened to a song on my iPod, about a very special city called New York...