New York – The Girl on the Go

New York’s Sweet Treats

Published on May 4, 2017June 8, 2017 by TheGirlOnTheGo1 Comment

This one is for all the sweet-toothed people out there like myself. New York is home to some of the best spots for people like you and me. In my few days there I tried to get to as many of them as possible for you guys and here is my list. Just incase you couldn’t tell from my Instagram account, I definitely didn’t end up sticking to my own How to Stay Healthy Whilst Traveling tips. As they say when in New York…(In no particular order).

IMG_20170427_210042_725 — New York – Angelo’s Pizza Broadway – Cheese Cake

1) Magnolia Bakery

By faaaaaaaar the best thing I had in New York came from Magnolia. Despite having a few locations around New York the place was jammed with people trying to get the good stuff – Banana Pudding. Little back story on me. Bananas are the top of a very short list of the foods I don’t like/won’t eat. Despite all of their amazing health benefits I wouldn’t eat one if someone paid me $1,000. But I bit the bullet and tried the Banana pudding from magnolia last time i was there because I love banana bread so imagined they would be similar. I fell in love. I still hate bananas but id say I dream about this pudding once a week. Their peanut butter bars were also amazing. They tasted like Reeces cups on a biscuit. Honestly, to die for.

18339018_1412875568756197_1608601745_o — Banana Pudding from Magnolia

On a side note this place is takeaway only, but if you are lucky and are in there when it isn’t too busy there is a small ledge where you can stand and eat your cakes.

18339007_1412875575422863_81067932_o — Magnolia Bakery – 6th Avenue, New York

Overall 10/10

2) Serendipity

Channelled my inner Kim K and went on a hot date to Serendipity. I havent seen the movie ‘Serendipity’ so I am sorry for the terrible reference. Anyway, we had heard about the ‘infamous’ frozen hot chocolate so we had to try it. I tried to go last time I was in New York and arrived at 2/3pm and there was a 45 minute line out the door. This time we made sure we got there 5 minutes before it opened so we would be in the first seating session. This was on a Friday morning and there was already a line formed when we arrived, I would imagine on the weekends it could be worse.

18338812_1412875732089514_1142215877_o — Frozen Hot Chocolate from Serendipity III

They do lunch there too, the people beside us got some of it and while it looked good, it was nothing special. Instead, we decided we would go somewhere we really wanted to go rather than just settling for an average lunch here. So onto the Frozen Hot chocolate, DEFINITELY share one! No matter how hungry you are, these things are bloody filling so don’t over do it. I enjoyed it, I would say it is a cool place to go if you haven’t been but I wouldn’t be rushing back only because I didn’t think it was special enough to line up for. See more pictures over on my Instagram.

18318249_1412875715422849_289596891_o — Serendipity III – New York

Overall 8/10

3) Dylan’s Candy Bar

This one is definitely not for the people who don’t like sugary things. You can smell this place from down the block, it is jam packed with so many sweets, chocolate and fudge the sweet smells could knock someone out. There are a few locations around New York.

Everything is seriously overpriced but it is worth the visit, there is a wall that shows you what lots of celebrity’s favourite candy is, so that is cool to check out!

Overall 8/10

4) Dó
I went to DÓ to see what all the Instagram hype was all about (fooled no one with that last sentence, the place looked delicious). We queued in a line across the street for 25 mins before we were allowed to go in and order (thought we would be queuing for much longer!). We were given a menu which listed at least 16 different flavours that we could choose from.

18289814_1412875788756175_542351727_o — DÓ Cookie Dough New York. French Vanilla Pink Cone with Cake Batter and PB Snickerdoodle

It seems that when we ordered 2 scoops we forgot that you can only really have a few mouth fulls of cookie dough before you feel sick. Two scoops was way too much and you never really hear that coming from me. If you are going SHARE a 1 scoop!!

Overall 7/10

5) Cakes by Melissa

Cute little bakery found in numerous locations around New York. There was one right beside my hotel last time I was there, which I was in waaaay too many times. They do mini cupcakes and mini macarons. When you walk in you will think that they are too small (trust me I did), but with a cup of coffee one of each is the perfect little treat to satisfy a sweet craving. Not the cheapest but when you are only getting a few it is not too bad.

Overall 9/10

6) Doughnuttery

This little place can be found in the food market below the Plaza Hotel – which I will mention is bloody unbelievable!! It is like a little village down there! So down there, there was a little doughnut stall, which as far as I am told can also be found in the Chelsea Food Market called Doughnuttery. This little stall served mini doughnuts at a minimum of 6. All of the doughnuts were prepared plain and you we chose what flavour/topping/sugar that would be on your doughnuts. There were some crazy flavours on that menu. We got the glazed and the Coco Loco. They were DEVINE. Even better was they were still a bit warm.

18289829_1412875168756237_58150279_o — Doughnuttery Menu – The Plaza Hotel, New York

Overall 9/10

I really wanted to go to The Chelsea Food Market and Blacktap for their famous Milkshakes, so I will be back! I hope this list has been informative and that you enjoy it. If you did like or find it helpful give it a like and subscribe below.

The Girl on the Go xx

New York Accommodation – Pod 51

Published on April 30, 2017May 25, 2017 by TheGirlOnTheGo1 Comment

When you find a budget flights and accommodation on Expedia.com you never know what you are going to get. What we got well exceeded our expectations. We had such a lovely stay in Pod 51 and would definitely recommend it to a friend. For both price and experience.

About Pod 51: Pod 51 is a very simple, funky little hotel. The reception has a little coffee and breakfast area with loads of comfy seating areas. There is a little patio off the back of reception with loads of tables, chairs and pretty fairy lights. Perfect spot for a drink in the evening before heading out. They also have a roof top seating area with some cool, colourful sun chairs, so if you are going in the summer don’t forget the suncream for some sunbathing.

The Room: The room is super simple, we got a private bunkbed room. It is super clean and is surprisingly spacious when you push your bags under the bed. There is a little sink and a desk in the room and we shared a bathroom – which was soooo clean and the shower was one of those rainfall showers. It probably one of the best hotel showers I have experienced. According to the websites you can get regular double bed rooms with private bathrooms. We loved our little room it was perfect for us. Super clean and really modern.

Location: Pod 51 is located on 51st street and 3rd avenue so it is only a short walk from the centre of the action. It is a 15-20 minute walk to Times Square, 10 minute walk to 5th avenue and 15 minutes from Central Park.

Things to know:

Given towels.
Can’t check in until after 3pm.
Free Wifi.
Check out 12pm.
No breakfast included.

I was so impressed with Pod 51 especially at the rate we got on Expedia.com, would definitely recommend staying here to anyone visiting New York (Probably would’t be the best for a family, but perfect for a trip away with a friend). There is no need for a fancy, expensive hotel when you are only going to be sleeping in it.

I hope you found this review helpful, let me know what you think of it if you get to try it! Don’t forget to check out some of my other New York related posts, New York – Angelo’s Pizza Broadway, New York in 3 days. See you soon.

The Girl on the Go xx

New York – Angelo’s Pizza Broadway

Published on April 28, 2017May 25, 2017 by TheGirlOnTheGo3 Comments

Looking for a spot to grab a quick and yummy meal before heading off to a show? Angelo’s Pizza Broadway is the place for you. Just a block or two down from the theatres you can’t go wrong.

IMG_20170427_205905_121 — Angelo’s Pizza Broadway

You can save your best dress for another night, the dress code is casual and the atmosphere is relaxed. Perfect for a family or if you just want some good food. The service is extremely quick so perfect for a quick catch up with some friends or a bite to eat after work. Even better they run a happy hour before 7 so if you are going to a show be sure to take full advantage of that as the drink in the theatre is scarily expensive.

IMG_20170427_205800_910 — Cheese Heaven AM I RIGHT??

Now to the food, we had seen pictures of their Baked Ziti all over Instagram so neither of us were willing to give in and get something else. So we both got it. It was amazing we both loved it, for those of you wondering it is simply pasta in a tomato sauce with a f*** load of cheese. Go to my Instagram to see the cheese pull!!!! Simple but amazing. Other recommendations we had been given included The Square Pizza and The Rigatoni all Vodka.

IMG_20170427_205957_454 — Angelo’s Baked Ziti

We had been told that the were known for their Black and White Chocolate mousse cake, unfortunately they were all out so we had the New York Style Cheesecake and it was really delicious but would have loved to have tried the mousse cake.

Food: 8.5/10

Atmosphere: 6/10

Price: $18 – 25$ (Main Course)

Hope you get to Angelo’s and try it all for yourself.

The Girl on the Go xx

New York in 4 days

Published on March 10, 2017June 8, 2017 by TheGirlOnTheGo8 Comments

Hey Guys,

As you may have seen from my Instagram last weekend I was in New York – the city that never sleeps. True, but you don’t have to miss your 8 hours in order to see the whole city in a long weekend because I am going to show you how to see everything and still give you time to relax and enjoy yourself.

The key is to have a plan, not a minute by minute plan but some kind of rough outline of things that you might want to see. If you don’t know what the best way to plan a weekend away is, no need to fret. I will be posting a separate blog post on what the best way to prepare for a trip away is. In the mean time if you don’t have a plan or simply don’t know what you should try to see in New York read on because I will give you a break down on what I did.

Friday:

Grand Central Station – You won’t be there long but it is a must see, the marble floor’s and high ceilings are magnificent. Good picture opportunity on the balcony.

IMG_20170228_100554_252 — Grand Central Station

Times Square – just a short walk from GCS, this isn’t to be rushed. The day I was there the weather was beautiful so I just sat in the centre people watching.
Magnolia Bakery – Only a few blocks away from TS, the Banana Pudding is a must try. I will add I don’t like bananas, honestly, I hate them. But a friend told me about the banana pudding and said I wouldn’t regret it. Ooooooooh my it was amazing. So good I went back later on that day for more.
Banana Pudding from Magnolia
High Line – Although it is a bit far away from TS & MB, after my Banana Pudding I headed to The High Line. The High Line is an old train track that has been turned into a pedestrianised walkway that runs along the west side of the Manhattan, it makes you forget you are in the middle of one of the busiest cities in the world.
Times Square at night – I thought it was impressive during the day. I was wrong. You have to see TS both during the day and the night.

IMG_20170225_160354_742 — Times Square by Night

Dinner – So, I will admit. Despite every warning I was given not to eat around the TS area I did it. And regret it. My Dad told me there is no point in me getting a 45 min cab across NYC to go and find places I found on my Instagram explore page. So we went somewhere near TS that had 4.6/5 stars on Google. It was Japanese and we queued for an hour (presumed this was a good sign). It was called ‘Sake Bar Hagi’ and it was a waste of a meal in New York. (Should have known when I saw the picture menu)

Saturday:

5th Avenue – There is so much to see in such a small area around 5th avenue. The Rockefeller Centre, St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Trump Tower. Ending in Central Park. The Bottom of the Rockefeller Centre (where the ice rink is in winter) is an amazing location to go and have a drink on a sunny afternoon.
Central Park – There are a few bike rental shops around the park but we just walked. There are is the ‘main’ lake with the row boats and the restaurant and there is a smaller one just near it. We sat at both for a while, they were both gorgeous. Beside the small lake there was a little coffee shop with surprisingly reasonable and tasty sandwiches, cakes and giant cookies.
Central Park, New York
Dylan’s Candy Bar – For people like me with a serious sweet tooth you will be in heaven. For people who don’t love sweets, you may want to cover your mouth and nose. It isn’s necessarily any better than any other sweet shop, just it is one of those things people do when in New York so I thought I would jump on the bandwagon and see what all the hype is about. No real hype, just sugar.
Urban Space – We found this little food market just beside our hotel, it was really trendy with close to 20 food vendors (something for everyone in the audience) and a communal seating area. Lunch or Dinner is sorted, now your only problem will be trying to choose and getting a seat. Honestly can’t recommend this place enough, I went back to this place a few times on my stay and absolutely loved it every single time.

IMG_20170226_164552_979 — Burger Heaven – Urban Space

Refinery Hotel – Close to the Empire State Building there is a Hotel with a roof-top bar. It isn’t very high so you won’t be getting amazing views of the city, but it is a very trendy and cool place to go and have a drink or some food. When I was there 75% of it was covered over due to winter so don’t count it out if it is a bad night. I only had a drink there but be aware you will have to fight for a place at the bar on a Saturday night.
Hundred Acres – We went for dinner in Soho, unfortunately, it was raining but I would have loved to have a walk around down there. We went for dinner in a restaurant called Hundred Acres. All of the dishes seemed normal but when they were brought out they had a Lebanese twist. Which was surprising but tasty.

IMG_20170303_123611_154 — Eating in Soho, New York

Sunday:

9/11 Memorial – In the morning we got a taxi to the memorial, pictures don’t do it any justice it was vastly overwhelming. The museum is a MUST. If you bring a US student card you get a discount to get in. This museum can’t be rushed. Leave around 2 hours to get through it all. It is pretty full on but hugely insightful.
One World Observatory @ One World Trade Centre – Right next door there is an observatory on the 100th floor of the One World Trade Centre. You have to pay to get in but, the views were spectacular you can see the whole city especially on a good day.

IMG_20170228_122448_622 — World Trade Centre Observatory

Pizza by the slice – Go and get yourself a slice of Joe’s Pizza. At only $2.95 per slice you won’t be breaking the bank but won’t be compromising on taste. The thin and crispy base is what dreams are made of. It can be found at numerous locations around the city.
Broadway – You have to go to a show if you are in New York. You can get discounted tickets at the big red booth in Times Square ‘TKTS’. I know during the summer you have to queue for them but when I was there it was a lot quieter so we were able to walk straight up an hour before the show and buy them (At busier times I would recommend going to get your tickets early when the booth opens to avoid dissappointment). There were tickets available between $35 USD and $90 USD. We went to ‘School of Rock’ it was amazing, I would highly recommend it. Warning: drinks are really expensive in the theater.
Ellen’s Stardust Diner – We went here for a drink before the show, it is great fun watching the waiters and waitresses hop up onto the tables in song. Having said that, I have heard the food is terrible. So if possible try and go and sit at the bar for a drink (it is small so not ideal for a party bigger than 2/3).
Angelo’s Pizza Broadway – If you are looking for some quick yet delicious dinner before your show instead of just a drink, check out my post on New York – Angelo’s Pizza Broadway.

Monday:

Brooklyn Bridge – Get yourself down towards the Brooklyn Bridge, it is a gorgeous walk across to Brooklyn on a sunny day but I imagine it wouldn’t be as pleasant in the wind and rain. It is a great photo opportunity and Brooklyn gives you a stunning view of the Manhattan sky line. When you get off the bridge walk back towards the water. There are lovely benches where you can sit in the sun and enjoy your Shake Shack Milkshake.
Brooklyn Bridge feat. The Girl on the Go
East River Ferry – To save yourself the walk back across the bridge get a $4 water taxi ride on the ‘East River Ferry’ back across to the bottom of Wall Street.
Wall Street – Walk your way up Wall Street past all of the tall buildings and artisan coffee shops. You will come to the stunning New York Stock Exchange.
New York Stock Exchange
Soho – Walking through Soho is different to other parts of the city, it is a less built up and trendy area filled with unique little shops. Can lead onto Union Square.
Union Square – Always something going on here, it was one of the busiest places I was in in New York. Chess fan? There seemed to be some kind of tournament going on, if that’s what you are into. There appeared to be a ‘Whole Foods’ around this area as we saw loads of people with takeaway boxes eating in the sun.

18318658_1413723762004711_1542068702_o — Manhattan and The Brooklyn Bridge from Brooklyn

I really hope that this has been able to give you guys a good idea about how to get everything done in one weekend in a relaxed and enjoyable way. Enjoy it, it is one of the best cities I have ever been to! If you are unsure about where to stay check out my recent article New York Accommodation – Pod 51, and if you want to know about some more places to get some sweet treats have a look at New York’s Sweet Treats.

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The Girl on the Go xx