New York City with Girlfriends #1

I’ve been back from New York for almost a week now, and I still feel a little lost without those skyscraper buildings and twinkling lights to guide me.

I mentioned in my last post that I was heading out to New York for my fourth visit, but would be experiencing the city a little differently this time – with girlfriends. New York is an amazing city to discover with anyone, but the high energy, glamorous backdrop and abundance of shopping make it the perfect place for a girls’ holiday.

We stayed in an adorable apartment in Greenpoint, Brooklyn – a beautiful neighbourhood very close to hipster-centric Williamsburg, but quieter and more peaceful. It was a great spot, with an amazing view across the river to Manhattan and a subway stop on the doorstep.

I fell head-over-heels for Brooklyn – Greenpoint and Williamsburg had such a friendly, community feel with so many independent restaurants, bars and shops to discover. I only spotted one Starbucks while walking around the area, and every street had that slightly gritty look that’s just so New York. An interesting contrast to the sparkling glamour of (some parts of) Manhattan.

When we weren’t wandering down Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg with fresh juices and new purchases from Catbird, we were doing the tourist thing in Manhattan. My friends Lauren and Nic had never been to New York before and no matter how cool you are, first-time visitors HAVE to see the essentials.

We also visited Grand Central Station – I’d never been inside before but was instantly captured by that amazing carved ceiling and the art deco design. We marvelled at the New Yorkers just going about their daily business – catching trains, waiting for friends, generally hanging about – inside this insanely beautiful space. How do commuters get anywhere with such a distraction above their heads?

I have many, many photos to share so I’ll split this post in two and will be back tomorrow with more from our trip. For now, I’ll leave you with some top tips for enjoying Brooklyn with ‘the girls’ and recommend you book your own trip, stat.

Brooklyn.

Shop
Catbird for stacking rings
In God We Trust for seriously cool womenswear

Eat
The Meatball Shop for, well, meatballs. AMAZING meatballs
Fornino for spectacular pizza

Drink
Donna for stronger than strong (and also delicious) cocktails
PT for a cosy, relaxed atmosphere and more strong cocktails

Do
Walk over the Williamsburg Bridge – different to the Brooklyn Bridge, it’s less touristy and more ‘authentic’, with loads of graffiti and an awesome (albeit obstructed by grates) view of both Brooklyn and the Manhattan skyline.
Get a mani/pedi at Primp and Polish – I LOVE NYC’s mani/pedi culture. It’s so cheap, so easy and a great way to take a break from hectic New York life. I had this amazing nail art done in the Bedford Ave salon.