The Palace Within My Dreams: The Big Apple

Ultimate kid at heart

I spent the last week in the city staying at my brothers on a little staycation, and I had the best time ever. I knew I had to take advantage of my dwindling days without the responsibility of classes or a 9-5 job, and I figured what better time than now.

I crossed off SO many things off my accumulating city bucket list, and the best part was that I got to skip out on the lines and crowds that I'd anticipate if I was to go during the weekends. I spent 95% of my time by myself, and that was ideal. I planned out my daily itinerary to my own pleasing, walked to most places, and didn't have to worry about tiring someone else out (or being annoyed that they weren't able to keep up with me). Trust me, I ran myself to the ground - think 30,000 steps for a typical day.

With friends I went to a bustling rooftop restaurant scene, got fresh NYC pizza, went shopping, went to a birthday party, and saw a movie on the lawn of Bryant Park.

My parents came in for a day over the weekend and with my family I ate brunch (duh), saw The Color Purple on Broadway, visited Columbia's campus (my brother is currently a weekend student), and had Italian food.

On my own I saw Matilda on Broadway, went shopping in Soho (twice), saw a cool Picasso exhibit at Rockefeller Center, waited in line (for 3 hours!) and got tickets for Troilus and Cressida for Shakespeare in the Park, walked around the Jacqueline Kennedy reservoir at Central Park, visited the Costume Institute's annual exhibit at the MET, saw Finding Neverland on Broadway, visited the Brooklyn Flea Market, walked the Brooklyn Bridge, explored Greenwich Village, and went to the Highline Park.

I ate salads at Sweetgreen, make your own ice cream bars at a Magnum pop-up store, a chicken sandwich at Shake Shack (that rival's Chick-Fil-A in my mind), a classic bagel breakfast sandwich, multiple ice cream cones from ice cream trucks while walking outside, the best cookies at Levain Bakery, vegan food that if I had daily access to would never go back to meat again at By Chloe, baked goods at Bouchon Bakery, an assortment of unique eats at the Smorgasburg Food Market including Indian parottas and truffle fries, a chicken sandwich at Fuku+ (the latest in the Momofuku brand... Shake Shack's was still better), finallyyyyy a cronut (and a frozen s'more which was not good in my opinion) at Dominique Ansel's, donuts at Dough, and last but not least a trendy but delicious poke bowl.

You could say I put those 30,000 daily steps to good use.

I had so much fun, even though the lifestyle I lived for those seven days isn't exactly sustainable long term on a daily basis (I'm not kidding when I say I really did run myself to the ground, fueled by eating everything in sight). While another city staycation isn't foreseeable in the near future, I'm already jotting down places to eat and things to see for the next time (hello, sushi burger!). And until I'm in the city full-time living my staycation, I'll take these little trips all I can get.