NYC Day 5 + 6

Only a short post as the last two days were the least eventful, we just soaked up as much of the city as we could before we left.

Day 5

We bought a 'Sun and Stars' ticket for the Top of the Rockerfeller Centre observation deck, this allows you to visit the observation deck twice in one day, therefore visitors can see it by day and night. The Top of the Rock is a lot cheaper than the Empire State Building, though I don't know what the view is like from there, the view we had was beautiful. Seeing all of the landmarks associated with New York all around you, Central Park, The Chrysler Building, Empire State Building, and the Statue of Liberty. Absolutely breathtaking it was,

That night we visited the wonderful Serendipity 3 NYC, This was one of the places in New York that I was most excited to visit. Serendipity is a restaurant, known for their desserts and famously associated with Jackie O, Beyonce, The Kardashians, and pretty much anybody who is anybody. I of course had to get their world renowned Frrrozen Hot Chocolate. Apparently, back in the day Jackie O loved this so much that she continuously begged the chefs for the secret recipe, and after refusing her she paid for them to come to the White House and make her one! And to be fair, if I had that much money I'd be flying them out to Cork too. It's almost been a month post Frrrozen Hot Chocolate, and I think about it daily. Not exaggerating. Would 10/10 recommend. Apart from their delicious desserts Serendipity 3 has some really endearing decor, and a really good vibe. 

not my picture,taken from theodysseyonline

Day 6

Our final day was just spent trying to organise ourselves, saying our farewells to such an overwhelming, energetic city. And of course, trying to plan when we could go back.

Now that talking about what we did in New York is over, it's time to start discussing what I got over there. A lot of reviews coming your way soon!

-Laoise, Just The McGinning  xx

NYC Day 3 and 4

In my previous NYC post I neglected to mention the fact that it all goes rapidly downhill after day 2, I became a bad blogger and didn't photograph everything that I did, ate, etc.

Day 3

 We went to the well known Jersey Gardens outlet mall, approximately 35 minutes away on a bus. Lads, this place was massive. You could spend 8 hours there and not even blink, I picked up a few bits in Victoria Secret (major bargains there, bras for a tenner) Forever 21, Abercrombie and that was it really, clothing wise I didn't go mad, make up wise... that's another blog post all together. Jersey Gardens is worth it if you want damage, especially with things like Nike, Levi, Sketchers,and definitely Victoria Secret.
This was a Saturday and was also the day the Global Citizen concert was on in Central Park! We didn't have tickets but Queen Bee was playing and Ed Sheeran (Coldplay and Pearl Jam too, a long with a bucketload of famous people there) so I was dying to go to worship my queen, of course. We walked through Central Park that evening being able to hear faint Ed Sheeran in the background and screaming fans, I quickly learned that people in New York are in good shape, everyone was running, walking, cycling, rollerblading and they all are very tanned and very beautiful and it was nothing like you'd see in Ireland. Eventually we came to a gate and it was as close as we got to the concert, but you could here everything. As the night went on the atmosphere kept rising until Beyoncé came on stage. And then it exploded. Us peasants who were at the distance were dancing singing, we had our own concert. Luckily some guy had the live stream on his phone, so naturally the picture was this : myself and some other girl pinning his phone against the fence , approximately 15 people crowded around one phone, one woman holding 4 chihuahuas in her arms, in the freezing cold for an hour and a half listening to Beyoncé. And having the time of our lives.
New York, I found, is just that kind of place, where these bizarre, funny situations happen and it's just an everyday thing because it's New York and anything goes. Beyoncé killed it by the way, you can watch the entire performance on YouTube and let me tell you, it's a good'n. Can we deal with her and Ed Sheeran doing Drunk In Love?

Day. 4

After lusting over bagels for the first few days we eventually went to 'Pick a Bagel' the place was absolutely packed on that Sunday morning with a queue going right up to the door, we waited on hoping that it would be worth it, and it 110% was. They had every kind of bagel and you could get pretty much whatever you wanted on it. I opted for a 'Veggie Lover' bagel which had portobello mushroom, avocado, tomato, I was stuffed for the afternoon, it was so delicious,

The bagels were our fuel, we hurried off to outside The Plaza hotel where our 'Sex and The City Tour' began. The tour, in a word? Naff. Our guide was brilliant, she was gorgeous, witty and sassy everything you'd want her to be. The tour however, was disappointing you're brought to places in the show that aren't even that prominent, you're taken into a sex shop and you stop to do shopping. The tour stops near the famous 'Magnolia Bakery' but it doesn't actually visit, the three of us went anyways for the novelty of it, of course, Honestly you could do a better tour yourself if you just did a small bit of research.  

Despite looking miserable enough, I'm having the time of my life here, I swear. How they walk around wearing heels in Sex and The City and Gossip Girl is totally beyond me, you need a pair of Nikes for the kind of walking you'd be doing. 

That night we went to see Les Miserables on Broadway. Sacre bleu. Those actors are insanely talented, 12 people on stage and it sounds like 1200. I've been completely in love with Les Mis since the Tom Hooper adaption came out a few years ago, and seeing it on stage just catapulted my love even further. I laughed, cried, and had goose bumps for the entire thing. Absolutely breathtaking 

Final installment will be up before the week is out

Happy Monday!

Laoise, Just The McGinning x

NYC Day 1 and 2

So I deserve a massive slap on the wrist for having not posted in an entire month! I know, I know. Just started college (for make-up, of course) so that is very fun but very busy. I was also busy during the month of September with one little trip across the Atlantic Ocean to New York City.

First time in New York, first time in America, I ventured off with my mum and aunt for 6 days for the holiday of a lifetime. I fell in love, the sounds the people, the food, the STYLE. Not the smells, definitely not the smells, but New York is my kinda fast paced place.

We stayed in Row NYC which is at the heart of the city, 1 minute out the door and you're in Times Square. You're definitely in the more 'touristy' quarter of the city around here, which when it was myself and my mum's first time there that's kind of what we wanted.

Day 1 was moderately boring, just getting our bearings, we ate lunch in Dos Caminos and I had the best guac of MY LIFE. After that we just soaked up the atmosphere, went into the shops on Times Square, Inglot, Forever 21, Disney. You know yourself. The three of us opted for an early night as we were so exhausted (New York is 5 hours behind Ireland) so headed back to the hotel where I sampled some of the food in our hotel restaurant a place called Woolys which sells 'shaved snow'.  Mine was melon flavored and boy, was it strong. The snow was texture wise probably the strangest thing I've had, like a slushee, sorbet, ice cream hybrid. It just dissolves in your mouth straight away, I'd really recommend it.

Dos Caminos guacamole

Shaved Snow

Day 2 got very interesting very quickly. That morning we saw Joseph Gordon Levitt being interviewed on Times Square, as 500 Days of Summer is one of my favourite movies you can imagine that I was only delighted to see his handsome little face in the flesh.  For breakfast we went to Dominique Ansel's Kitchen, I got a blueberry with brioche and it was so delicious, Dominique Ansel's is known well for their cronuts, so naturally we forgot to get one.

Blueberry Brioche

L-R: Pear Yoghurt with Hot Granola and grapefruit juice, Blueberry Brioche and iced coffee, prosciutto and Boursin croissant  

 We went on a walking tour of Downtown New York, for me this was one of the highlights of the trip, our tour guide was called Jimmy, a real New Yorker, or as he described himself as a 'knickerbocker' which is apparently someone from New York who constantly brags about how 'New York' they are. We were brought all around the different areas Greenwich Village, SoHo, NoHo (which I didn't even know existed), Chinatown (not vegetarian friendly :( really couldn't cope ) , Little Italy.   Meanwhile Jimmy was telling us stories about all the history, the people who lived there, showed us the cafe where Bob Dylan wrote 'Blowing in The Wind' all this fascinating information being thrown at you for three and a half hours was definitely heavy going but it's well worth it.

that right there, is the dream. 

On Jimmy's recommendation after the tour we ate in Forlini's, a gorgeous, authentic Italian restaurant. I mean old guys with gelled back hair in pinstripe suits, I expected guns to be pulled out any second, it was basically The Soprano's. The pasta here was exquisite and really light, so we weren't too full. Again I would really recommend this, our waiter was a hoot and a half too.

Ravioli at Forlini's

We ended the day at the World Trade Centre and 9/11 Memorial, there was an eerie silence present the entire time, a mutual sense of respect. The memorial with the two large pools with the names of all the victims is really quite something, each pool is the size of one of the towers so you really see how truly giant they were. After we went to the museum, the museum I found to be more upsetting than beneficial, they have fire engines that were damaged and pieces of metal which is pretty cool. And then you see things, personal things that remind you that the 3,000 that died that day, they all had family, had people they loved and who loved them, had aspirations and futures that were stolen from them. On display you can see goodbye letters, emergency service uniforms, and what was the most upsetting of all, a Peter Rabbit toy that a little girl had with her on one of those flights. The remains of the victims are stored in the museum behind a wall which reads 'No Day Shall Erase You From The Memory of Time' which I just think is so powerful.  I'd definitely recommend visiting the site of 9/11 to pay respect, but the museum, I think is too much

I'm just going to leave it there, days 3 and 4 will be up at the weekend
Love,
Laoise, Just The McGinning