Two Days in NYC

This was my FIRST time in New York City and I only had two days to take in everything that the Big Apple has to offer. If you're like me, you want to see it all! Navigating through the huge concrete jungle is probably impossible without some sort of tour, so we opted for the NYC Gray Line All Loops bus tour. For $64 we had hop-on-hop-off access to a double decker bus that took us through Uptown, Downtown, Brooklyn, and The Bronx, plus a nighttime tour. Well worth the money! We were able to see everything that we wanted, as well as get a feel for the layout of the city.

The cons of the bus tour are that the staff aren't super knowledgeable and the busses ran late a lot, but really for the price, it's not that big of a deal.

Planning an August trip to the city isn't the smartest, in that it's really humid and gets pretty hot. Luckily for us, it was a mild week of mid-80s temps. We actually experienced a light rain on our second day which was nice and saved us from baking in the sun. Unfortunately though, by the time we took the night tour it was pouring and we had to squeeze into the enclosed level of the bus. Although we missed the glow of the city lights, it was kind of hilarious getting drenched as we drove through Brooklyn (photo evidence below).

Cool spots worth checking out:
-Upstairs at the Kimberly Hotel - drinks are pricey but the view is priceless. Casual setting where you're not pressured to keep buying beverages.
-momofuku milk bar - get the crack pie. You're welcome.
-The Boathouse Central Park - book a reservation in advance and expect a hefty bill, but it's worth the view. You can eat on the patio right on a pond. Plus the location is next to the adorable remote control sailboats you always see on TV/in the movies.
-Top of the Rock - Empire State Building is more popular, but here you have the same great view, plus Central Park. It's cheaper and I hear less crowded.

My suggestions for traveling to NYC with only two days:

-Book a hop-on-hop-off tour
-Take the FREE Staten Island Ferry to see the Statue of Liberty.

-Research what you want to see/do beforehand

-Plan where you'd like to eat and know what neighborhoods the restaurants are in

-Have lots of singles handy to tip tour guides, and most importantly, buy subway tickets

 

NYC Must-Sees, As Told By a New Yorker

Today is my first full day in NYC! Woo hoo! I have a bunch of fun stuff planned, including a blogger dinner with a bunch of great ladies, including today's guest blogger - Kelly from Sparkles and Shoes. So let's get right to it. Kelly is here to give some sightseeing tips on her hometown, New York City!

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Hello, Join the Gossipers' I am Kelly from Sparkles and Shoes.   Leeann asked me to guest post while she is in, of all places, my hometown of New York City.  As I eagerly count the hours until we actually meet in person tonight for dinner I want to share with you the top "must-sees" of one of my favorite places, The Metropolitan Museum of Art.  The Met has so, so much more than just art and is one of my favorite places to escape in the Big Apple.

The first insider tip - the admission is recommended, not required! As I visit the museum often I usually pay $5  that goes towards conservation and restoration of the pieces but I know that really, they do not need my money, as they have hundreds of millions in grants and donations!  When you visit the Met here are my top six "must sees.

 

Egyptian Wing - The Temple of Dendur tops my list and most people I know would agree with me – this is a don’t-leave-without-seeing attraction. The Sackler Wing of the Met has AMAZING floor to ceiling windows that over look Central Park and they cast beautiful natural light on the temple all day.  Go ahead and pose with it before stepping into the back temple and then look directly opposite the window and read the amazing story of how this temple came to live at the Met.  Before you go on to the next room though,  do not forget to see the famous Sphinx of Hatshepsut located to the left of temple.

The Tiffany Glass I would argue that the Tiffany glass on display at the Met is the prettiest stain glass in the world.  From their collection my favorite is the View Oyster Bay glass panel, seen above.  You can find this piece along with some of Louis Comfort Tiffany’s other amazing works in the Met’s American Wing and if you are looking for more beautiful pieces, the New York City flagship is located a mile down 5th Avenue.

Arms and Armor   This section might have to be my favorite wing of the Met!  When my younger brother and I came here as children the soldier’s armor seemed so big but as an adult you realize that none of these men were over 5’5″!!  The gallery consists mainly of armor from European warriors in the Middle Ages complete with wooden shields, spears, swords, axes, and bows. 

Astor Court Chinese Garden - It is hard to find but worth the search, tucked away on the 2nd floor the garden is a beautiful place to sit and think and admire some truly wonderful Asian Art.  It is an added bonus that Astor Court was the first permanent cultural exchange between the U.S. and the People’s Republic of China in 1981, however, I admire it for its serenity rather than it’s diplomatic meaning. 

Two Young Girls at the Piano - This piece by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, completed in 1892, has been one of my favorite since I was a little girl despite not having a sister or a musical gift.    This oil on canvas painting is located in the Robert Lehman Collection along with many other great works of impressionism that I love. 

After absorbing all of the art goodness knows you will need a little break and the roof is the perfect place.

The Roof  - Despite dozens of trips to the museum I visited the seasonal bar on the roof for the first time in June with Erin of Two Thirds Hazel.  While the drinks are overpriced and there are not any good seating options the view is unprecedented.

If this was not enough for you make sure to check out all of my posts about New York City on my blog and my recommendations for a perfect tourist day in the Big Apple!

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