Food – Takiyah Travels

New York City, one of my favorite cities, was just what I needed at just the right time. It was Veteran’s Day weekend and I just knew I did not want to spend another three day weekend in DC with nothing to do. My friend suggested New York, and it was the perfect place to get away for the weekend, and I absolutely had the best time with my girls. No matter how many times I visit New York I can never seem to see it all.

Some of the places we visited:

Vessel: If you’re into modern architecture than you will want to visit Vessel. This fairly new spiral staircase opened up in March 2019. It is a beautiful interactive artwork located in the Hudson Yards. It is comprised of 154 intricately interconnecting flight of stairs. The day we visited the winds were extremely high and temperature low causing us to only make it to 7^th floor before heading back down. Now you’re probably thinking the 7^th floor is pretty high up why not continue, well the way the staircase was built the 7^th floor was not that high up, we were still close to the ground. If you can make it all the way up, the views of the city are amazing. They do offer an elevator for those who cannot climb the stairs, the elevator however, is priority for handicap, but if you can wait they do offer the elevator for all at certain times.

Rosé Mansion: The Rosé Mansion, one of my main reasons for going to NY, don’t tell my friends, is an interactive wine tasting adventure, and oh was I excited for this adventure. We tasted eight different Rosés from all over the world and visited 14 rooms full of Instagram worthy photo ops. Each room was very different and told its own story. My favorite room was the room that had an interactive map that revealed to me which wine I would prefer based on my eating habits. At the end of the tour we were led into an area where we could take more pictures in front of backdrops and photo booths, purchase a glass or a bottle of rosé that was tasted on our tour. If you get hungry they have DUMBO Taco food truck and places to sit so you could enjoy tacos and rosé. If you have not had a chance to visit I recommend it. I had a blast and it is the perfect place for a girls day out.

Brooklyn Bridge: Saturday we spent the day in Brooklyn, we had to see the famous bridge that represents Brooklyn so well and check out some street art. The sun was shining but it was a cold 30 degrees. We were freezing but also determined to cross the bridge, things we do for a good photo 🙂 After we crossed the bridge we went to take more pictures in front of the Manhattan Bridge. We couldn’t leave Brooklyn without sitting down for some famous NY style pizza at Grimaldi’s Pizzeria. We were able to be sat pretty quickly but had to order right away. We decided to get a traditional pizza and a white pizza with garlic, both pizzas were delicious.

Central Park: We ended our trip by spending what was a beautiful 60 degree day in Central Park. It was my first time in Central Park and I misjudged how huge it was. We passed by several joggers before making our way to the fountain to listen to live music. The scenery was absolutely breathe taking, people were rowing in the lake and the trees were a beautiful orange, red and brown hue. Of course we had seized the moment for a photo opportunity. After we made our way to the famous mall that was paved with vendors selling their artwork. The park was full of entertainment and everywhere I went I was thoroughly entertained.

Some of the places we ate:

Vandal: If you’re looking for tapas & art with architecture than Vandal is the place. We ordered an array of shareable plates, and everything we ate was absolutely delicious. They also have a lounge in the basement; if after dinner you want to keep the party going head downstairs for some dancing.

Grimaldi’s Pizzeria: If you’re looking for some brick oven NY style pizza and good service then Grimaldi’s is the place to be. Depending on the time you arrive, there may be a line, but it is worth the wait.

Miss Lilly’s: If you want to try a Jamaican restaurant with good vibes, than Miss Lilly’s is the place. We were a little skeptical when we look at the cooks and they were not Jamaican, but the food was really good. I ordered the fish sandwich with jerk fries, everything was seasoned perfectly and had so much flavor. We went on Sunday for brunch and had the bottomless mimosas, if you are thinking about ordering just one mimosa it is probably a better idea to get the bottomless, one mimosa is $13 and bottomless is $18 but you only have an hour.

Ess a Bagel: If you’re looking for a quick breakfast bagel, Ess-a-Bagel is your place. I ordered the baked salmon on a jalapeño bagel; the bagel was soft and freshly baked, and there was enough baked salmon for every bite.

Magnolia Bakery: Do not visit if you do not have a sweet tooth or a sweet craving. If you do then head over to Magnolia Bakery where craving is sure to get satisfied. I had the pumpkin gingersnap banana pudding, it was their seasonal item and it was so rich and creamy. Anything you get I’m sure you will not be disappointed.