Song of the Day: Back to Black (Jay Z & Beyonce)

First stop NYC. A 24 hour primer before Europe. If you have the opportunity to stop over for 24 hours before heading out on an international destination, you should.

The goal for NYC was to catch up with a friend and experience the spirit of the city like a local. For those of you looking for a way to spend 24 hours in the city, here is the guide to what our 24 hours ended up as:

Late Friday Afternoon – Head to the hotel, freshen up and plot the moves.

Early Friday Evening – Head to the West Village for some shopping and bites

1. Reiss – Fancy frocks from a UK clothing brand. Browse through women’s and men’s collections of wares. Be ready to spend at least $200+ for anything you want to bring home. Decide to save the $$$ for when I get to Italy, but nothing stops me from taking a shopping selfie to imagine which dress I could pretend to wear 🙂

2. Sokerbit – The swedish version of Sweet Factory and is literally a candy store for adults. From confections to preserves and rugs, this shop allows you to buy candies by the pound or bring home other swedish specialities. From yogurt covered muesli to preserves this store will literally make you feel like a kid in a candy store again.

3. Buvette – A Parisian Gastroteque that offers delightful tapas sized french dishes. The US sister equivalent of Buvette in Paris, this place is a must do in NYC. No reservations are accepted so prepare to put down your name (in chalk on the door frame) and wander the West Village until your time to sit comes. The bites are divine and the drinks are amazing. This may be the only bar to also serve Pincon (a bitter that’s an apertif or flavored add in beer). Must orders:
-Jamon Hache Tartinette
-Poulpes aux Olives
-Steak Tartare (MUST)
-Duck Pate
-Paris Manhattan (MUST)

Late Friday Evening – Head to the Flatiron district from some libations & laughs

1. Maysfield – A well appointed bar & restaurant that features upscale southern fare and smoked/grilled/fried seafood. Most importantly Maysfield features over 50 kinds of Whiskeys from all over the world (American, Canadian, Irish, Scotch, Japanese to name a few) and also offers flights or tastings. You can order a 1oz taste or a full pour of any one of their whiskies. I opt for a flight of American Craft whiskeys from the local NY area. A flight and a couple of bourbons later, uncontrollable laughter takes us into 2am.

Late Saturday Morning – Head to Brooklyn, Williamsburg to be exact

Fully hungover and avoiding the sun like the plague, we make our next move. We decide to head into Brooklyn for the day to hang with the hipsters of Williamsburg. The boutique shops, painted walls and graffitied streets are alive with diversity and life. It also didn’t hurt that it was one of the first beautiful and sunny days in NYC. Blossoms and petals showered the streets with springtime snow.

1. Caracas – Venezuelan Arepa Bar serving Rums (neat, on the rocks or in cocktails) and of course Arepas. Over 15 different varieties of Arepas in addition to other Venezuelan delights such as croquetas and tostones with guacamole. Tasting last night’s bourbon on my breath, I order the Hangover Relief Arepa with the hopes that clarity of mind will be restored. Sitting out on the patio, we are showered with flower blossoms from the trees that hang over us. Livelihood returns to my body as we plot the rest of our afternoon.

2. Brooklyn Guitars – We stop in to look at old vintage guitars and let out a bit of a musical tune. Music always seems to heal the soul and watching my sister sing in public inspires me. She has such courage and isn’t afraid to bare her soul. When I hear and watch her sing, my heart swells.

3. Skinny Skinny Urban Gardens – A divine and peaceful escape from the concrete streets. This shop sells beautiful plants, succulents and herbal inspired apothecaries. A peaceful retreat from my hangover as I take in the purfume of lavender and cardamom.

4. Catbird – A quaint little boutique that houses decorative papers and gems. Less than 400 sq feet of baubles, vintage purfumes, candles and housewares. Just walking in the shop is enough to make you feel whimsical inside.

Late Afternoon/Early Evening – Head back to JFK and get ready to head to Italy.

Any new favorite spots you’ve discovered? Would love to hear about them for the next 24 stint in the city!

Wander.