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caffeinejournalist23 · 2 years ago

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DO plan a minimal itinerary & DON'T be afraid to explore! - sometimes the best things happen by accident! So do a little bit of research and planning - you don't want to be preyed upon by scamming "monks" or the overwhelming/chaotic energy of the city! BUT you also don't want to be too rigid in your visit because then you miss out on truly becoming one with "the greatest city in the world". Funny story; for my first trip to New York with some gal pals we wanted to make sure we tried a variety of foods while we were there because let's face it - in the midwest, we don't have a whole lot of authentic variety; every strip mall has the same 4 fast-food chains and it's extremely difficult to find new spots within a 30-mile radius. We made a reservation for brunch but had to go elsewhere because our RSVP was lost after being just 5 minutes late to the place. Well, it kinda worked out because we roamed the block (just near the NYU campus for context) and we found an aesthetically pleasing Australian Coffee & Brunch spot that could seat us immediately. Unfortunately to this day we still cannot remember the name of the place because the mimosas were strong that day, but it still holds the title of the BEST brunch experience of our lives - and to think we would've never experienced it had we not felt comfortable exploring the unexpected!

2) DON'T be naive & DO be brave! - The Big Apple can often be depicted as a scary crime-ridden place; I mean, this city is a direct inspiration for Gotham City in the Batman franchise - which is a city literally manifested of crime.

HOWEVER, I will say that more stuff shocked me than threatened me, lol. Yes, my friends got catcalled and hit on a LOT (I mean they're gorgeous so was it really much of a surprise?), and yes when we got lost that first night in the city it was a little intimidating trying to figure out the subway system. BUT we never felt like we were in any imminent danger; police were friendly and watchful, we kept our wits about us and (mostly) stayed together (my bladder and mimosas don't mix so when I gotta pee it's every woman for herself), and when I had the courage to ask locals like construction workers, baristas, and shoppers waiting in lines for directions, everyone was very nice and helpful! In my personal opinion, New York is way more friendly and courteous than Chicago; Chicago is like a second home to me with my frequent visits - and one of my dearest friends lives there - but I feel like the overall atmosphere there is much colder than NYC. My last visit to Chicago the bus driver yelled at me when I asked him to confirm the stop I needed, but in my first visit to New York an off-duty taxi driver gave me a lift to a dinner reservation I was running late for and only charged me $5; make of that what you will. I say that to say; if you assume the worst in people you will never have a chance to experience the best in them.

3) DON'T wear heels & DO pack your favorite outfits! - NYC is one of the most Instagram-able places on the planet and we all want to look our best while taking pictures in Dumbo or Times Square (which I would never recommend for photos more than once unless you're feeling particularly extroverted). I must caution you though - wearing heels or that one pair of "standing only" jeans is NOT the move for your visit. New York figuratively and physically moves very quickly, so you need to dress practically. My one friend made the mistake of wearing painfully tall-heeled booties for a late-night photoshoot walking around the piers; her shoes - and her feet! - were destroyed by the time we got back for the night. Also, news-flash: NEW YORK CAN GET COLD ASF! In the midwest, we're used to sitting in a warm, heated car and only wearing our coats for a 5-minute walk across the parking lot; here in New York, a 10-minute commute can feel like an hour-long trek through your freezer. They say that The Weeknd's song "I Can't Feel My Face" is about drugs - no, I can assure you it was about the freezing cold winters in New York City.

Aaand, New York city IS the fashion capital of America - I mean we have a whole week dedicated to it and everything. This is the place to show off your fashion senses. I'd like to think NYC is the melting pot of two things - delicious food and haute fashion. Wear your cowgirl boots and your scrunchies and your dark academia mini skirt and your leather bodysuit and your beanie - we wanna see it all. And costume changes throughout the day are kinda part of the NYC lifestyle, so bring your faves and strut your stuff!

4) DO bring some spending money & DON'T pay for dumb attractions - I can understand the temptation to wanna purchase some tour tickets to the Empire State Building as soon as you book the hotel room, and honestly if it would just crush your heart to not see it then just buy the ticket homie. Being a tourist in New York doing ✨tourist tings✨ will give you the tourist experience though - including waiting in long lines, having to haul ass across town to meet reservations and check-in times, and getting crowded with other tourists (beware the ever-irritating "Camera Ken" who will curse you and your descendants if a strand of your hair gets in the way of his seventh picture of the Statue of Liberty). Based on my personal experience I can admit that some tourist attractions are fun to explore and take photos at (the New Year's Ball in Times Square, for example) but some are also overhyped and over-priced (the Color Factory, for instance). Just do some research and remember that New York will always be here; if nothing else, you could always come back again in the future and check more attractions off your to-do list. Also, be sure to have some money for shopping and not just attraction tickets! - from name-brand-dupes to confectionaries beyond your wildest fever dreams, you're gonna wanna buy some shit.

Although New York does host a plethora of stores that also operate throughout the country, there simply is no comparison to the NYC location - Nike is a great example of this; there's a small 500ft Nike outlet just across the state border from me, but the Nike store in NYC is over 5 stories tall WITH A WHOLE FLOOR DEDICATED TO WOMENS' SHOES. We went to the NYC Burlington store and I lost my shit - three whole floors of ridiculously discounted goodies. Best believe I was glad to have passed up the $100+ ticket to the Empire State Building and could use that on a 2000s aesthetic shopping spree instead - Blaire Waldorf could never carry her shopping bags down the escalator the same way I did, I took that main character moment to heart. 😂

5) DO try NYC staples of food but DON'T follow a food guide from FoodNetwork - Look, I hate to say it, but I promise you for every recommendation you have to try a cocktail at Mr. Purple or a pastrami on rye at Katz's, there's an even better (and often cheaper) alternative at a hidden gem in the neighborhoods of Queens or Brooklyn. Go to YouTube and watch videos from Here Be Barr - Jon's a Brooklyn native who is almost always going on new food adventures with his pal #benthecameraman and other NYC natives; his recommendations are incredible and most of the places he suggests you visit are away from the claustrophobia and expansiveness of tourist traps.

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Well, that's all for today my caffeinated gems! Stay tuned for more coming soon!

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