Broadway, Beaches and Bethesda: NYC Travel Guide

Ten Point Boutique black dress | Splendid black wedges | Francesca's denim jacket | Ray-Ban blue mirror aviators | Tory Burch black cross-body bag

J Crew black and white stripped dress | J Crew denim jacket | Tory Burch gold and double pearl earrings | red bandana | Ray-Ban black and gold classic aviators | Tory Burch light pink satchel (similar) | Jack Rogers Hampton sandals in platinum

Thanks Erin for the title!

Erin and I started off our trip in the capital of the world, NYC, Friday afternoon.

We took the train into the city after a delicious lunch from La Bottega, Roslyn, which has a lot of gluten free options (perfect for Erin and her gluten allergy). After carbs we had even more carbs at Bond 45 right in Times Square. I was skeptical because I had never been to the restaurant before and I usually just go to my favorite, Becco, but I kind of forgot to make reservations until very close before the trip.

After an early dinner we walked up a couple of blocks to CHICAGO!

I was so excited to see a Bob Fosse show.

I had seen the movie and sang to the music in chorus before, so I knew a lot of the music.

It was amazing!

The dancers and actors were insanely talented, and it was just a really fun show to watch.

At the end of the show, the curtain call- where all the actors bow, I stood up to clap for the insanely talented two leads.

All of a sudden, the non-speaking English tourist behind me tapped my shoulder and said the show wasn’t over yet and to sit down.

Being the avid theater goer that I am, and since I was in the theater department my whole life, I know that when it’s the curtain call, the show is over.

I was defiant and did not sit down when she asked me to.

The women would not take my “no” for an answer, so she started aggressively pulling the back of my denim jacket to make me sit down.

I continued to stand, like all of my friends and family would have done, and I continued to shrug them off and stand proud and clap.

Three seconds later the lights turned on and I spun around and got in the women’s face, without making a scene and told the women to not touch me ever again. 

Of course, they “didn’t understand me.” And I just walked away.

So, lesson to all Broadway newbies, the curtain call signals the end of the show, and it is polite and customary to stand and clap for the lead actors! You don’t have to stand at the curtain call to clap, but most people do.

Also, stranger danger! Word of wise for everyone, DON’T TOUCH STRANGERS!!!!

Pacsun bikini | Ray-Ban blue mirrored aviators 

Aerie blue and orange bikini | Ray-Ban pink mirrored aviators 

We had an early wakeup call the next morning, so we could have optimal sun exposure at the beach.

Erin got to meet two of my besties: Michelle and Marykate as I picked them up to go to the south shore for the beach.

We picked up bagels and made the drive to the ocean.

After several hours in the sun we all felt sun kissed and relaxed.

However, we did not realize until we got home, that we were a bit more than sun kissed.

I put sunscreen on my arms, legs and chest but missed an important body part- my stomach.

Don’t ask me how I forgot my stomach, but I just did.

I was conscious to do every other body part but my stomach... and now I am suffering the consequences.

So, I am now fried.

It hurts to wear pants or laugh.

I haven’t been this burnt since 10th grade right before sophomore prom, in Florida.

That was the first time I ever burned so badly that I peeled.

Lauren James pink t-shirt

Kappa Delta White Rose Formal t-shirt

The weather was so nice on Saturday that we had an early dinner in the backyard which was accompanied by ice cream at the dock!

Such a beautiful sunset with some delicious ice cream ;)

Free People tank top | Forever 21 white denim skirt | Superga green sneakers | Tory Burch black cross-body bag

J Crew floral dress | J Crew denim jacket | J Crew gold hoop earrings | Tory Burch navy espadrilles | Tory Burch large navy York tote bag (similar)

After finding a brunch restaurant with a multitude of gluten free options, Erin and I “brunched” on Sunday morning.
A trip to my town wouldn’t be complete without a family party with lots more food!

We had my niece/Goddaughter’s 2nd birthday party and we munched on lots of appetizers until we decided to depart and make our way back into the city.

We legitimately walked 50+ blocks!

We started at 34th Street and zigged and zagged our way through Macy’s and Lord and Taylor, which they are sadly closing after 100 years, and then we made it to Grand Central Station- the famous station that the city almost tore down!

It wasn’t really raining rather spitting, like how Winston-Salem does (click HERE to read about the Winston-Salem spit) so we decided to walk all the way up 5th Ave to Central Park!

We went into St Patrick’s Cathedral, passed Trump Tower, the Plaza and then walked all the way through Central Park to the Upper West Side.

We of course had to find the Gossip Girl spots, like the Bethesda fountain and the structure behind the fountain which is the place where Chuck and Blair said, “I do.”

I really wanted to go to the bridge that is right near the fountain, but I miscalculated, and we ended up walking literally an extra 20 blocks in the park.

But it worked out because when we exited the park on the Upper West Side we were at the Museum of Natural History, which I slept over at with my Girl Scout troop back in the day, and was only a block away from our restaurant, Cafe Frida.

We munched on some delicious homemade chips and quac before our main courses: tacos and quesadillas.

I found all of the restaurants from the trip on OpenTable! I have been using OpenTable for years and I am a HUGE fan!

I am usually a bit skeptical about going to restaurants that I have never been to before but I love that OpenTable is like an upgraded Yelp because you can find restaurants based on location, read reviews and make reservations! 

I love the website because it makes booking reservations so easy!!

 OpenTable is not sponsoring this post but they should!! 

I was able to easily find restaurants with gluten free options for Erin that were located around all of our NYC plans!

After a fun filled weekend it was time to head home for Erin :( We are both very sad that we won’t be in the same place next fall, as I am going abroad, and little miss Erin is staying at Wake. It hurt me to say goodbye to her as it will be a long time until we are reunited :( but don’t worry senior year ROMMIES!!!

Until next time!

xoxo