New York, New York
Also known as the Center of the Universe and my hometown. I go back as often as I can and have over the years developed quite a few favorites! Check out this guide to activities, food, hotels and more in the city so nice, they named it twice!
{Note that a separate guide to Brooklyn is in the works}
Places to Stay
KIMPTON HOTEL EVENTI
This is my home away from home in NYC since I'm there an average of once a month. Since 2015 or so, I've adopted the Flatiron/Chelsea neighborhood as my NYC home and just about everyone who works at the front desk knows me by name at this point. And that was true even before I was Inner Circle!
LOWELL HOTEL
Fancy Pants on the Upper East Side and worth every penny.
HOTEL GIRAFFE
Great Flatiron spot with spacious rooms, European breakfast with real NYC bagels and wine hour, plus an adorable roof terrace.
INK48
Because I love Kimptons, if you find yourself over in Hell's Kitchen you'll also find yourself in one of the largest standard hotel rooms in NYC. And I hear they have a great rooftop. My review is brief and I think they've renovated since.
LE PARKER MERIDIEN
I stayed here once for an event, didn't love it but the pool is kind of awesome and they have an amazing burger joint hidden in the lobby.
MARRIOTT MARQUIS
I still hate Times Square.
SOHO GRAND
I'd forgotten I stayed here.
Places to Eat
SURE YOU CAN FIND SOME OF THE WORLD'S BEST CUISINE IN AND AROUND NEW YORK, BUT MOST OF THE TIME YOU'LL BE MORE INTERESTED IN FAST CASUAL OPTIONS. HERE ARE MY FAVORITES, WITH A FEW FINE DINING SPRINKLED IN.
BAGELS
My cousin Amy introduced me to this midtown bagel spot last summer. It's connected to a deli so you can also get some fantastic sandwiches. It's a modern interpretation of a bagel store--so your standard bacon/egg/cheese involves Gruyere but the bagels are awesome. And, they deliver!
PIZZA
Easy, fast favorite, believe it or not--Rose's Pizza in Penn Station. They now have two locations within the station, all on the LIRR level, between KMart and the 8th Avenue Subways/exits.
Once upon a time I was advancing Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi on a visit to New York City and he was obsessed with having pizza. One of the other staffers recommended Mariella Pizza--it's on Lexington between 70 and 71. It was so good Kailash tweeted about it.
DIG INN
I was introduced to this place quite awhile ago by my former colleagues at the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. It's a NYC based fast casual chain with fantastic options for just about every diet--Paleo, Whole 30, Vegan, Vegetarian, you name it. Locations all around Manhattan.
THE GREY DOG
Not long after I started my company, I joined a networking organization and was introduced to this place by a person I was meeting to network with, which turned out to be a guy my friend was trying to fix me up with. So, that didn't really work out but I found this place that I love love love for breakfast and is great for other times of day too. I've visited the University Place and Chelsea locations. Family friendly, reasonably priced, great variety. And they have beer and wine too!
SARABETH'S
It's pretty touristy at this point and therefore expensive too but it's a reliable, family friendly eatery with delicious food. The Central Park location is a go-to.
CAMAJE BISTRO
When I lived in Brooklyn, I hosted my 30th birthday party at a great restaurant called Abigail's which has since closed. I always meant to make it to the chef's original place in the West Village and finally found my way there a few years ago. I wrote about it in this blog post.
CUT BY WOLFGANG PUCK
Admittedly, I was given VIP treatment because I know some great folks who work for Wolfgang Puck. But this steakhouse in the new Four Seasons in lower Manhattan is absolutely worth your while if you love steak, are downtown, or just generally love food. The decor is beautiful, the staff and service exceptional and of course the food is on point. My eldest niece's first fine dining experience and when we left she said, "I think we need to pause here and give them a round of applause for that meal. It was amazing."
THE SHIP NYC
In addition to great food, I've also come to appreciate the artistry of a well crafted cocktail. I was introduced to this speakeasy-feeling modern cocktail bar by a regular who knows the bartenders/mixologists. I didn't eat but the cocktails were fantastic and as a bonus, the bathrooms are clean!
Things to Do
There are endless things to do in New York, it's the city that never sleeps. This is a short list of some of my all-time go-to activities...and again, this doesn't even include Brooklyn!
One of the reasons so many parks are listed is because New York has done a fantastic job of turning its parks into destinations, which I find a great break from whatever else you are doing in the City.
For yoga and CrossFit recommendations, visit my Wellness section.
HIGH LINE PARK
I am a TOTAL city nerd and I have had been interested in redevelopment projects for a long time. The High Line Park is an elevated railway line that runs along the West Side of Manhattan and was saved from demolition by a neighborhood coalition which then turned it into one of the most successful, visited parks in the world. It's a wonderful place to stroll and explore art installations, gardens, and activities produced by the Friends of the High Line throughout the year. Suitable for young people too, just be aware it can be a lot of walking.
BROADWAY
You can certainly buy tickets directly from the box offices of Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters. If you're willing to be a little adventurous, your better bet will be to head to one of four TKTS booths operated by the Theater Development Fund, a long-time NYC non-profit that promotes the arts and makes shows accessible to people of limited financial means including veterans, educators, students, etc. I recommend bypassing the famous Times Square booth (because I hate Times Square) and heading instead to South Street Seaport or Brooklyn, where you can purchase next day tickets and the lines are much more reasonable. Download the TKTS app to see what's at the booths before you go.
TENEMENT MUSEUM
Continuing the city nerd theme, the Tenement Museum is a wonderful place to visit for a taste of New York City's history. It doesn't take too much time and you'll learn a lot. Plus they have a cool museum store.
CENTRAL PARK
Central Park is an entity unto itself, you could spend years just exploring the park! I love to take my nieces (and soon, my nephews too!) to the Heckscher Playground in the southern part of the park. There's a fantastic built playground, water park and natural glacial rocks that are great for exploring too. And of course the Zoo, the Pond, numerous sports fields, on and on. I also recently took a bike tour of Central Park which was a lot of fun for our multi-age group--or it would have been if the temperatures were not so oppressive.
BRYANT PARK
In the heart of Midtown lies Bryant Park, one of the City's early victories in park restoration. The Bryant Park Corporation maintains the entire park, located behind the New York Public Library's historic main building between 5th and 6th Avenues. The boundaries of the park are lined by the same trees you'll find in the Jardins des Tuileries in Paris and instantly create a sense of oasis from the intense hustle and bustle of the City around you. Year-round programming includes movies on the lawn in the summer and an epic Holiday Market from Veterans' Day through the holiday season, all around the ice rink. There's also a carousel and plenty of activities year-round.
MADISON SQUARE PARK
The home of the original Shake Shack, Madison Square Park is the Flatiron's pride and joy. With great playgrounds for kids AND dogs, rotating art installations and seasonal programming, this park really has the feel of a neighborhood park in the heart of the City. A great place to take a break if you're taking a stroll downtown along Broadway. If you're into the Shake Shack, be sure to come when the weather's not so great, that keeps the lines down.