Gettin’ Carried Away

How would I spend a single day in the City the Never Sleeps? I’d splurge on purchases from my favorite Broadway shops. I’d grab a sanwich at my favorite cafe. I’d take one of my newest friends to her favorite jazz club in the world. And I’d end the whole night by visiting an old high school friend at my old college roommate’s bar. Whoa — that’s a lot in one day!

My Friday in New York began with breakfast at a charming little restaruant in Williamsburg (Brooklyn). Then, after getting some frozen hot chocolate, Becky and I headed for Central Park to take some fall photos. I lived in New York in the winter. I’ve visited Manhattan in during the spring and summer. But I had never been to the city in the fall. Strolling through Central Park, I couldn’t help but be in complete amazement of the bright reds, the warm oranges and the beautiful browns surrounding me. Colorful leaves delecately fell to the ground, exposing thick, strong tree branches. Talk about a photo op!

Upon leaving the park, we decided to walk down 5th Ave, through Rockefeller center and past Times Square. No matter how cliche it might be, Times Square is the epicenter of Manhattan. And it’s one of the best places to take a picture (besides Central Park)! Eventually, we hopped a downtown Q train to Canal Street to begin my shopping spree.

After buying jewelry at SoGood and more jewelry at Laila Rowe, Becky and I were getting pretty hungry again, and headed to Miro Cafe for a sandwich. Located at 594 Broadway, Miro serves up a ton of options for even the pickiest of eaters. Choose from delightful desserts, scrumptious sushi, create-you-own salads and flat bread sandwiches! My #1 pick is a grilled chicken sandwich with lettuce and fresh mozzarella. It’s simple, it’s tasty… it’s simply fantastic! While a meal at Miro could run you between $10 and $20, it is completely worth it.

After walking around for almost 10 hours, we were super excited to take a rest and enjoy some smooth jazz music at the Blue Note. Since the club does not allow flash photography during performances, I’ll have to rely on the power of written word. A piece of advice: it’s always cheaper to sit at the bar for a performance. The beautiful wood bar offers you the perfect line of sight to the small stage. Dimly lit, the entire club exudes a calm, soulful mood perfect for enjoying smooth saxophones, funky keyboards and lovely voices. Ivan Lins and the New York Voices put on a phenomenal show!

Exhausted, but still going strong, Becky and I had one more stop to make before calling it a night. We hopped on an L train at 6th Ave and 14th to go back to Brooklyn. Georgie, my old college roommate, works at Spike Hill, across the street from her apartment. One of the best features of the bar is that it’s basically two different places in one! The left side hosts nightly music entertainment, while the right side boasts a little more room and bit of a restaurant feel. I was fortunate to meet up with my friend Jim from high school. While someone’s controlling music from an iPod, the restaurant side is a bit quieter than the band side. Insider information: Watch out for Spike Hill on the next Real World: Brooklyn on MTV!