Thursday, June 11, 2015

NYC: Day Three

After planning this whole trip for my girls, I had one day that I planned more for me.

Downtown is my favorite place in the whole city.


Downtown is a whole different feel.  There is the same hustle and bustle but somehow, it is slower down there.


We woke up Sunday with plans to go downtown.  Yay!!


BUT, we woke up to rain.


Yuck!  Rain in New York is NO fun.


We wanted to do breakfast at Bubby's in Tribeca on Hudson at North Moore.


This is my Mom's favorite place in the city.  Bubby's is where John Kennedy Jr. frequented for many meals.  His apartment was around the corner from Bubby's at 20 North Moore Apartment 9E.  Yes, my Mom has touched the door handle and had her picture made on the front steps.


I was so looking forward to breakfast at Bubby's.  I had been to 20 North Moore but never Bubby's.


I picked up my phone to check what time they opened.  We were jumping out of our skins to get there.


CLOSED!


What?


Yes, CLOSED for renovations.


Rain + Bubby's is closed= DEVASTATED!


This did NOT dampen my spirits.  I was in New York that is all that mattered!


We chose to take the subway downtown.  I wanted the girls to experience it all.


They enjoyed the subway UNTIL a man got super loud on the train.  He was preaching and my girls were NOT a fan.

Our first stop was the 9/11 Memorial.  Even in the rain, it brings overwhelming emotion.


The fountains are beautiful.  The names surrounding it are beautiful.




We also found the tree that stood through both buildings collapsing.


Caroline had a request for our visit downtown.

She LOVES Cupcake Wars.  She also LOVES the judge on the show, Candace Nelson.  Candace is the founder and pastry chef of Sprinkles Cupcakes, the world's first cupcake bakery.


Caroline HAD to go!


We went to the Sprinkles at Brookfield Place.  It is located in the Hudson Eats Food Court.  It was a little hard to find but after asking a hip downtown mom pushing a Bugaboo for help, she pointed us in the right direction.





We ordered cupcakes and glass bottle cokes.  I had the red velvet.  Insane.  So good.  It should be illegal for something to be so delicious.



After finishing her cupcake, Caroline shyly went up to the server and asked if Candace Nelson was there.  So sweet!  She had actually JUST left New York the day before.  We had just missed her.

Caroline was starstruck and I loved it.



We traveled as far as we could using The World Trade Center West Concourse.  It is a beautiful underground passageway which was AWESOME since it was raining.




We went as far as the concourse would take us and headed back out into the rain.  We went to Century 21 on Cortlandt Street.  I held a few Louis Vuitton bags and then made my way to the more reasonably priced items.

Next, we headed to Bleecker Street.



I mean look at the Bleecker Street subway signs.  Fancy, huh?  Coolest street in the city.

We walked down Bleecker and had lunch at John's Pizza.





It is claimed that this is the best pizza in the city.  I have to agree.  It was the best pizza I had ever eaten.  Delicious.

We headed back out in the the rain.


For dessert we decided on macarons.  I really wanted to try Magnolia Bakery but we had already eaten cupcakes earlier in the day.

We stopped in Sugar & Plumm.





I had a beautiful salted caramel macaron.  It was so light and airy and AMAZING!

We headed back in the rain.

Rain.  Rain.  More rain.

Back to the hotel we went.


After resting and changing into dry clothes, we decided to go back down to Chelsea Market.


Big & Bug are standing under this amazing Christmas light display.  Can you find them??

Nestled in the Meatpacking District of Manhattan, Chelsea Market was on my list of places to visit because it is known as one of the greatest indoor food halls of the world.


HELLO?!?!  Heaven on EARTH!

It was full of people eating lobster tails at little silver tables and fabulous artisan shops.  It also holds a two story Anthropologie!


I would love for me and Ryan to go back and taste from every vendor in the beautiful brick building.


Like the website says, "For foodies and even casual tourists, it is possible to enter the Market at one end in the morning and not exit the other until lunchtime, without ever growing bored—and certainly without ever going hungry."


DONE!  It's on my bucket list.


We sampled a few things at the market but decided on Mexican in Midtown for dinner.


We took a cab to Hell's Kitchen.  At 9th Avenue at 51st Street is a little Mexican restaurant called Arriba Arriba.




Their margaritas were amazing and come in 3 sizes... Bebe, Papa & Mama.  I suggest just splurging and getting the Mama.  You will not regret it.  27 ounces of pure happiness.

Full of margarita, chips, salsa and food, we headed back to the hotel.




We realized it was our last night in the city.

Our heart ached for more.  Just one more walk to Rockefeller Plaza.

I walked past St. Patrick's Cathedral at least twice before I saw it on our last night.

Seeing it at night was breathtaking.



The GE Building was also beautiful.


One last trip to one of my favorite places...





On our walk home, we spotted Radio City Music Hall.


We made it back to the hotel soaking wet but so happy.

One last sleep and we would have to go back to NC.

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UP NEXT: Day Four- A few last minute trips and our plane ride home

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