We got home from Mary and Matt's wedding late on Sunday night and then packed up to leave for NYC Thursday morning. Matt had a conference there (the same one we have gone to in the past a few times) and he really wanted me to join him for this one. It didn't take too much convincing as I love NYC in the fall and they were just starting to get all the holiday decorations set up. My parents came up to the cities to watch the kids while we were gone and thankfully they had just as much fun (if not more) than we did!!
I had already decided to join Matt for the conference when I was on the phone with my sister Lindsay one day back in September. We were talking about their plans while they were in the states and Lindsay mentioned that they would either be taking a trip to London for a few days or to NYC. Thankfully for us, London didn't work out and they ended up vein gin NYC over the same days as we were!!
We all arrived in the city on Thursday afternoon and met up for dinner, along with Rob's old flatmate and his wife, Zander and Kristen, who Lindsay and Rob were staying with. We ate at a great little Italian restaurant that Zander had recommended and then all took in a show on Broadway--Motown.
Zander and Kristen are from New Zealand and have only been living in NYC for under a year, so this was not only Rob's first Broadway show but also theirs.
The show was great and had some really amazing singing and dancing. Plus, it's always fun to see a show on Broadway--the talent is just phenomenal!
Matt had work meetings the next morning, so I just hung around the city and enjoyed being back for the first time in 4 years! Sights like this never get old….
And thankfully the colors in Central Park were still pretty great, despite it feeling like winter back home. I could wander the streets of New York with just my camera, a book and a coffee for hours. I don't know what it is, but I'm continuously enamored with the city that never sleeps.
I hung out with Rob and Linds a bit in the afternoon, just walking around the city and doing some shopping, then headed back to our hotel to meet up with Matt for dinner. Matt has a crazy knack for finding wonderful restaurants and this night did not disappoint. Linds and Rob headed back to Zander and Kristen's for dinner, so Matt and I were on our own. We ate at this fantastic place called Quality Meats, which actually reminded us of our favorite restaurant in the cities, the Butcher and the Boar. Amazing atmosphere, great food pairings (I was even tempted--although I didn't--to try the steak tartare), a talented bartender who mixed up a special drink for me based on what I told him I liked and didn't like, and of course the best company!!
Coolest doors….
Started off with some great oysters and prawns to start off our meal….and although I don't have a picture of it, they made an AmAzInG table side barbecue sauce. I had never seen that done before, but they mixed it all right in front of us and it was absolutely fantastic. Even as I sit here typing this, Matt said, "Oh man, that bbq sauce was so good. I can't wait to go back!"
Exploring Soho market with my sis
And one of Matt and my favorite places in all of NYC--a tiny little jewish bakery on the upper west side called Levain Bakery. We first went here about 9 years ago on our first trip out to New York after I had read about it on some random blog. They were known for their amazing chocolate chip cookies and let's just say they did not disappoint! You know they must be amazing if we have gone every single time we've been in New York ever since! But this time was a bit different….
We got there on a Saturday afternoon, but since we were on vacation, we weren't really paying attention to what day of the week it was! This was the line we saw……you can see the sign from the picture above is on the far left of this picture just on the left of the blue molding. That blue molding is actually the top of the bakery….the entrance to the bakery is down a few stairs and its located underneath this MaxWax store. (You can see Matt on the right hand side in the black coat, heading to the back of the line!)
And this is a picture of the ENTIRE place….it's absolutely tiny! Honestly, every time we've gone to New York, we always just hope that the bakery is still there. But after what we saw this last time, if they've lasted for over 10 years, with the lines we had to wait in, I don't think they'll be closing their doors anytime soon!
And here is their selection…..they don't make a lot of different items (they do a lot of custom orders), but boy do they do those few things well!
After we got our cookies and a few for Linds and Rob and Zander and Kristen, we headed to a coffee shop. But I had to take one more picture of that crazy line…..
(Apparently they have been featured on Oprah--when she had a show--as well as Live with Kelly and Michael and a few others) but we had NEVER had to wait in a line before!
Serious deliciousness!!
We met with with Lindsay and Rob and Kristen and Zander and headed back to Brooklyn for dinner at a quaint little restaurant near Kristen and Zander's apartment and then to hang out at their place for awhile. Zander had told us all that taking the ferry back to their place is really beautiful at night, but with the last ferry leaving at 5pm, we didn't know if we'd make it. We walked towards the ferry station and were about a mile away when we saw the ferry just pulling in---so we all started sprinting!! It was absolutely hilarious--of course Rob took off like a gazelle and was our guarantee that he wouldn't let the ferry leave without the rest of us. As we started sprinting, Rob shouted, "Yeah team!" and we were all-in on the race to make it. We did make it and boy was it worth it!
Beautiful skyline views of Manhattan
We walked through a beautiful little village-type town called Williamsburg, where Zander and Kristen live, and it was so fun to see a part of Brooklyn we wouldn't have otherwise seen. We ate at this amazing little restaurant, located on the first floor of their apartment building. Zander and Kristen had been waiting for a special occasion to try the place out, after seeing it was always packed out and hearing rave reviews from everyone. And boy were we glad they waited to take us there!! It was phenomenal!! We didn't take a lot of pictures, but if you check out the website (Marlow & Sons) you'll get a great feel for the place. Matt was in heaven with the selection of oysters and convinced both Rob and Zander to try one. With it being their first-ever oyster, Linds had to take a pic! (Rob looks a bit nervous at this point)
The next morning, Matt and I hit up another of our favorites in the city---breakfast at Norma's in the Le Meridien Hotel. Mouth-watering food every single time we go and the fresh-squeezed OJ can't be beat!
Most of our time spent in New York was walking around, shopping, reading at coffee shops and relaxing. But with all the times we have gone to NYC, Matt had still never been to a game at Madison Square Garden. And although I am now in a hockey family, I didn't grow up in one so I was unaware of how iconic Madison Square Garden is. But we decided last minute to go to a Rangers game and it was very cool! Just getting off the subway, right underneath MSG, and walking upstairs and right into the venue was an experience in itself!
Seeing just about any sporting event with this guy is a good time!
We had a great time in one of our favorite cities and it wouldn't have been possibly without my amazing parents. My mom even had to head back home the day before we were coming back, but my Dad said it would be no big deal and he'd handle everything just fine. I got this text from him while we were sitting at the Rangers game….
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