(My own) NYC Marathon

Ok, it wasn’t a full marathon, it was a couple of miles shy of 26, but it still was a lot of miles (~23!) on my feet over the 30 hours I had available to spend in NYC over the recent holiday weekend. I made it to two boroughs, 3 restaurants and The Met, as well as a few favorite stores, and a new one to which I plan to return. Sit back and I’ll tell you all about it…

The day started early with an 8:10 train to Moynihan, a rough time after a busy shift the previous night at The Aviary. However, arriving in the city before 11:00 was a treat and the energy I always feel when I’m in NYC, along with some bonus caffeine, gave me all the charge I needed to power through the day.

My agenda for this particular getaway was pretty simple – a good meal or two, a little time getting pampered, the new Manet/Degas exhibit and lots of people watching, something I absolutely need to do in much the same way as I need to be in possession of plane tickets. What can I say other than fashion and travel inspire me?

When I’m in the city, I often stay way downtown to position myself for an evening run along the water. This time around, though, I opted for a more midtown location since dinner plans were going to get in the way of my being able to take a run on my favorite route a,one the Hudson. The Draper, a property in the Hilton portfolio just west of 5th Avenue, was comfortable, clean and well situated for getting back and forth to Moynihan, as well as accessing the subway. I’d stay there again for sure.

After ditching my overnight bag at the hotel, and grabbing a cup of Joe, it was all about strolling down Fifth Avenue. I was on the hunt for a beauty product which my social media feeds had been filled with, as well as a new shade of fall lipstick. First stop: Sephora. 

You should know I’m kind of a makeup minimalist, it’s generally just a little Boy Brow and a matte lipstick before I dash out the door. But, I’m a Bobbi Brown fan and the ads for Miracle Balm had me intrigued – I needed to try it. Unfortunately, the Jones Road line is not available at Sephora, nor were there any Kat Von D lipsticks in my preferred formula to add to my collection. No worries – a very helpful beauty consultant was able to make my visit worthwhile with a waxing of my tragic eyebrows and the suggestion that I look at the Sephora line of lip colors for a product similar to the KVD shades that I love. 

Are you aware that Sephora offers beauty treatments in addition to make up applications? While they take advance appointments, I wasn’t sure exactly which location was going to be most convenient for me so I took my chances on walking into the Flatiron branch, which worked out beautifully. I had to wait for a few minutes, but the sales floor staff were awesome about getting me into a chair and I had plenty of time to find the perfect new lipstick for fall.

Now that the important stuff was managed (those eyebrows!) I continued south, hitting up all my regular spots – Fishs Eddy for cheap stemware and the fancy Banana Republic on Fifth to try on clothes which I would never buy, like this FABULOUS coat. My itch to shop scratched, the next need to be addressed was lunch – and I had no plan….

In a perfect world, my friend and I would have rolled into Via Carota and scored a couple of seats. Alas, that was not to be, so instead we made our way to a stalwart favorite of mine for what I believe to be the best French onion soup in NYC: Pastis. Mon dieu! This is the stuff dreams are made of…rich, flavorful broth, sweet onions and cheese that is both stringy and crunchy depending upon which part of the crock your spoon approaches. This and a glass of Cremant make a wonderful light(ish) meal which I will happily return for time and time again.

My final stop, prior to heading back to my hotel to get ready for dinner in Brooklyn, was the mothership location for Jones Road Beauty. My social media feed has been filled with ads for this cosmetic line and I was intrigued by the combination facial highlighter/moisturizer known as Miracle Balm. I arrived in their last hour of open hours and was quickly assisted in selecting the correct shade (dusty rose) of Miracle Balm to lend both a subtle luminosity to my cheeks, as well as much needed moisture to my skin and…

I love it! 

I’ve never been one to wear foundation but this stuff really works for me. I’ve read some criticisms about the product because it feels a tad tacky when first applied and what can I say? Guilty as charged. However, 20 minutes after tapping it on my cheek bones with my fingers, the jojoba oil base has melted into my skin leaving a subtle glow that I’m really digging. I’ve heard that there are mini sizes that occasionally make an appearance on the market and I’ve got my eyes open for when I might be able to score a couple of additional shades to add to my cosmetics bag.

Have you ever obsessed over and purchased something which originally came to your attention online? Did it live up to the hype?

My dinner in Brooklyn was fun, even if the food left me less than impressed. I’m not going to say where I went, but I’m in no rush to go back to the specific restaurant again. Carroll Gardens, however, was a neighborhood to which I would happily return to explore further. Any must eat places for me to file away until my next Brooklyn getaway?

On Monday morning, my goal was to get to The Met as close to opening (10:00 am) as I could comfortably manage. I arrived at 10:15, which I considered a success, but the Manet/Degas show was already a scene. I scanned the QR code to get on the waiting list to enter the exhibit and was waved in approximately 10 minutes later. Unfortunately, for me, it was just too crowded. I don’t like having to elbow my way through a gallery (or really anywhere) and I was only able to survive for about 45 minutes.  What I saw was interesting and beautifully curated. Maybe I’ll make it back again after the crowds have died down.

The last thing on my NYC wishlist was a meal at Via Carota and, unlike Sunday afternoon, Monday I was able to make it happen. Despite there not being any available reservations on Resy, I was able to be seated within 15 minutes of when I initially approached the host. My tip is to be open about where you’d like to sit and arrive post-lunch rush and pre-dinner service. They serve straight through and between 2-3:30 is a pretty sweet spot to aim for. I was seated at the bar where I thoroughly enjoyed the service I was given, the opportunity to talk with other diners and, of course, the food.

Holy crap – the tagliatelle with parmesan and prosciutto rocked my world. After being disappointed with the previous night’s pasty pasta in Brooklyn, this plate was everything I could have hoped for – toothsome, yet tender, rich yet not heavy and absolutely delicious. I’ve been thinking and talking about it ever since! A quatro of bianco, and a generous portion of sauteed broccolini on the side, made me a very happy woman. I can’t wait to return and sample more of their offerings.

Satiated in most every way, I made my way back uptown to catch my train and return to Albany. Thanks, NYC. You never fail to fill me up.