Travel diary: New York City
The first time I went to New York City, I was about 12 years old and went with my father for two days while he had business meetings. I remember going to the top of the Empire State Building, seeing the Ghostbusters Ecto-1 parked right outside our hotel(!), and getting harassed by a gross druggie on the subway (not fun). All in all, I wasn’t really a huge fan of the too-big, too-dark, too-dirty big city. (But seeing the Ghostbusters’ car was pretty cool.) Since then I’ve been to NYC quite a few times, and every time I like it more. The last couple of visits have been pretty amazing, and this most recent trip definitely takes the cake.
The reason for our visit to NYC was to attend the opening of Andy’s brother Steve’s solo show at CRG Gallery. Steve’s works on display were amazing, and we were all so very happy for him. I am proud to call him my brother in law, and he’s just plain a really great guy, too! Here’s Andy and his dad admiring some of Steve’s work. 
Andy and I packed a ton of stuff into our few days in NYC… eating, shopping, drinking, friends, family, more eating, more drinking… We saw Newsies on Broadway and LOVED it. So good. We both walked out of there immediately wanting to watch the movie again — is that weird?! We also had fun at the Harry Potter Exhibition, where you get to see a lot of the actual props and costumes used during filming. We’re both such nerds for anything Harry Potter.
We went to Pommes Frites, Andy’s favorite place to get fries when he was in college, and after hearing about this place for years, it definitely did not disappoint! It was a hard decision but we went with the dill lemon mayo, sweet chili, and cheddar cheese dipping sauces. I can’t wait to go back and try more flavors! No trip to NYC is complete without at least a little shopping. I had a great time at Muji, where I picked up some colored pencils and pens. We also stopped at CB2 to “try on” couches. Since there isn’t a store in Cleveland, it was nice to actually sit on some of the couches we’ve been considering buying, and I think there’s one we might go for! I also loved stopping by the showroom of Schoolhouse Electric. I have always enjoyed their vintage aesthetic and think some of their lighting would be perfect in our old house. We saw several lights that we’ll keep in mind for future renovations. 
And speaking of lights, I fell in love with some old-fashioned lighted signs, like on the Ace Hotel and inside the Chelsea Market. 
And this holiday lighting display inside the Chelsea Market was breathtaking. So. Many. Lights. 
Every night we were able to hang out with old friends, and it was really, really nice to see some of our favorite people. I enjoyed having a drink at The Breslin inside the Ace Hotel. The drinks were good, but the decor alone is worth the trip. Plus there’s a photobooth in the hotel lobby — you know we had to try it! 
My favorite thing to do in NY, though, isn’t the eating or drinking or shopping — which are all fantastic — it’s just wandering. From the Flat Iron Building to the carousel at Bryant Park to the lions in front of the public library and the Empire State Building covered in a blanket of fog, there’s something special around every corner. 
I’m already looking forward to my next trip to New York City… and some more of those fries.
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