The adventure continued on Monday, when the real world went back to work and we kept right on exploring. Our first goal was to wander down to SoHo, where I was determined to do some window shopping on cute cobblestone streets. On the way there, we stumbled across the Union Square Farmer's Market, just in time for breakfast! It was charming, and since it was a weekday it wasn't too crowded at all. The stands were brimming with early fall produce, and we couldn't resist a couple focaccia style breads for breakfast. It was so fun to just stumble across this-- I love traveling and just kind of seeing where we end up!
From the market we headed through Washington Square Park, and on into SoHo. Most of the shops were too posh for our budget, but it was a fun area to wander through. It was a very different side of New York than we'd see the first two days. I loved how this city really had so many distinct neighborhoods.
After SoHo, we hopped on the train and headed uptown to Columbus Circle. We had big plans for lunch... the one and only Jean-Georges. It is a critically acclaimed French restaurant that has three Michelin Stars, and they have a fantastic lunch deal during the week. Our initial plan was to go to Eataly, but we decided to splurge on this NYC landmark for a special treat. I'm going to do a separate post all about the delicious food we ate on the trip, so stay tuned for that...
We spent the afternoon wandering through more of Central Park, with a quick visit into the Plaza Hotel. We wandered through the fancy food hall in the basement, and I had to take a minute to pay homage to a childhood hero!
We did some more wandering through the park, over to Lincoln Center and the Upper West Side. I was charmed by that neighborhood, for sure! After a pit stop for some happy hour drinks, we went back south to Times Square, and met our friends for Newsies. It was always one of my favorite movies growing up, and I couldn't resist the chance to see it live! I was a little disappointed that they changed some of the songs and the plot points, but overall I still loved it. We don't see live theatre or musicals often at all, and I'm always in awe of the talented dancers and singers, and the way the set design can transport you to a new place. The talent in this show was pretty impressive! We capped off the night with some amazing late night food at the famous 2nd Avenue Deli, and I was reminded that I need to incorporate pastrami into my life far more often.
 |
| Lincoln Center |
 |
| I had a spinach knish, and was pretty much in Jewish Deli heaven. |
Tuesday was our last day, and we had some time to wander in the morning before our flight back to Chicago. Since we needed to check out of our apartment, and the train to JFK went through lower Manhattan, we decided to wrap up our stay with some time at the bottom of the island. After ditching our bags at a friend's office, we went past the Stock Exchange and headed down to Battery Park. There was one last indulgence on vacation cupcakes while people watching, and a few pictures in front of Lady Liberty and Ellis Island. If we have more time on another trip, I'd love to take a boat ride or go visit Ellis Island. This time around we just admired from a distance, and soaked up the beautiful early fall weather.
 |
| NYSE all dressed up |
 |
| We walked past Joe's office, so I had to document it. I felt like a parent taking a kids picture on the first day of school! Fact: Joe is a good sport. |
 |
| An out of control salted caramel chocolate cupcake from Crumb. It almost killed me. |
.
 |
| Freedom Tower A somber sight, but this is going to be a beautiful building, with a moving memorial in the shadows. |
love all your adventures here! and union square farmer's market is my market :)
ReplyDelete