Travel Journal: Autumn in New York

Everywhere I ate, shopped, and explored in New York City.

Hello! My husband and I spent last week gallivanting around New York City, and it was such a magical time. We visited for the first time two years ago, and I talked about how it kind of disappointed me after wanting to go for so long. I’m happy to report that this trip was a lot more satisfying. I’m not sure whether it was the location where we stayed, the things we did, or the fact that in my opinion, autumn makes everything 10x more magical, but I had a lovely time.

We don’t subscribe to slow travel, per se, but it’s definitely slow-ish. I prefer to explore new places via cafes, local shops, and trendy restaurants, and make a home base at a boutique hotel that adds to the experience. We usually plan one or two big excursions per day, and always have a least one day where we just hang out at or around the hotel. I would definitely classify myself as a foodie, also (does anyone still use that term?) and really enjoy finding exciting new restaurants to try. I love reading the Michelin Bib Gourmand lists for anywhere we visit (or just at home too) because they’re great food without the fine dining price point or pretension (aka, you’ll get actual food in real serving sizes, not experimental foam and goo).

Anyways, without further ado, here’s what we got up to!

Monday

12pm – Takeoff! We used our miles to upgrade to first class, and it was fun feeling bougie, even though it was one of those tiny planes that only have about 4 rows of first class seats. Still, I got a mid-air glass of prosecco (in real glass!) and they broke out the good snacks.

3pm – Check-in time at the hotel. We stayed at the Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg, and it was amazing. The room itself was a bit industrial for my taste, but the lobby was gorgeous, and the two restaurants – Le Crocodile and Bar Blondeau – were fabulous.

6pm – We headed upstairs to dinner at the hotel’s Bar Blondeau, a more casual option than the French restaurant downstairs. We had the fried mussels to start, which is a little outside of my comfort zone – the flavor was great, but I cannot get past the texture, sorry! I had the Japanese Fried Chicken, which was so good, and Josiah (my husband) got the classic burger, plus a slew of delicious craft cocktails. We called it a night pretty early, because I was absolutely exhausted. I think I ended up sleeping for nearly 11 hours. Whoops!