NYC Recap || Part One

Wow- what a week! My brother and I got back home from our exhilarating/exhausting road-trip to the gleaming city of New York late Saturday night and I've been in recovery mode ever since. After four straight days of walking miles upon miles my feet have definitely seen better days #thankgoodnessforbandaids.

Our trip went something like this: 9 hour drive from South Carolina to DC, 5 hour Megabus ride to New York then the same thing (in reverse) three days later. I love love love to travel and experience new things and places, but whew I am exhausted!

We really had a phenomenal week and I'm so full of gratitude for everything we were able to do and the time we got to spend together. We packed so much into our six day jaunt that I've decided to break it down into a few different posts so it's easier to digest!

We arrived in the city around 10am Tuesday morning and after dropping the bags at our hotel we hit the ground running. Our hotel was a block from Central Park and an equal distance between Columbus Circle and The Plaza which is where we headed first. After a stroll through the park we grabbed a quick lunch while waiting on my friend Emily to arrive then the three of us headed downtown.

One of the absolute highlights of the afternoon spent downtown was getting to explore the gorgeous Club Monaco store on 5th Avenue. The white marble, plush furniture, pastel colors, and pops of lush greenery everywhere made me weak in the knees. The decor combined with the store's in-house Toby's Flatiron Coffee shop and Strand bookstore made me seriously giddy- I'm pretty sure I could live there for the rest of my life and be perfectly happy. Clothes, books & good coffee- what more could a girl ask for?

We continued further downtown toward Washington Square Park and walked past some picture perfect townhouses in the village that looked straight out of a fairy tale. It felt like a different world than the crazy, bustling energy of midtown. If I ever moved to New York I could definitely see myself living there! 

We went back uptown near the hotel for dinner and stumbled upon a fabulous place called The Little Beet. Everything was so fresh and the branding was seriously adorable. If I lived in the city I would easily eat there at least twice a week. Anywhere with quinoa, kale, and sweet potatoes on the menu has my heart.  After eating we rounded out the day with a visit to one of my favorite NYC landmarks, Rockefeller Center.

It was a long, wonderful, crazy day, but I have a feeling that every day in the city is that way. Check back Wednesday for a recap of the Smart Girls Conference! xoxo

-Lanie W.