Trip to NYC - Things to Do | India Marie

I stated in my last post that I had taken a trip to NYC last month, but I didn’t exactly cover what I did while I was there. I don’t think there will ever be a shortage of things to do in the “Big Apple,” and I don’t know how you could ever be bored even if you lived there. Because my husband (Barrett) and I had already been to NYC before, we decided to skip all of the super touristy things this trip. The plan was to let loose and kick it, and that’s exactly what we did. First thing on the list…

1. Shopping

Because I love shopping so much, I would say that it was one of my main reasons for visiting. We stayed in a small boutique style hotel called NobleDEN that was centrally located between Little Italy, Chinatown, Nolita, Soho, and Lower East Side. It was literally the perfect location for us! We were walking distance to Soho and steps away from Chinatown and Little Italy, which REALLY comes alive at night. Seriously, there is SO much culture in these tiny areas. Soho has something for everyone, and I spent several days strolling in and out of cute little boutiques getting my shop on. Barrett also convinced me to go to 2 sample sales. OMG, I was like a kid in the candy store. I left with a pair of La Perla pumps retailed at $1100 for $100, and a pair of Alexander McQueen mules that were retailed at $800 for $75. If that isn’t a steal, I don’t know what is!

Barrett and I are also (still) huge sneaker fans, so we made sure to visit Stadium, Kith, and Flight Club. I have to warn you though. They have previously released sneakers that have already been sold out; meaning the prices for what they have in store is marked way up. If you don’t mind dropping a pretty penny for that pair of Air Max that sold out in 10 mins, then these places are for you.

2. Broadway Musical

Barrett and I went back and forth for several days trying to decide on which musical we wanted to see. He finally gave in and agreed to go see Aladdin, because you know… Happy wife, happy life J. It was the best decision ever! If you have the chance to go see Aladdin in NYC, GO! We had the best time, and there aren’t enough words to describe how amazing Genie was! Genie was played by Major Attaway. He did the damn thang! Next time we go back, I just may try to convince Barrett to go again because it was THAT good, and he loved it too (even as a 30 year old man).

3. Museum of Sex

This one is a wild card. The museum is exactly what it says it is. It’s informative, but gets really weird. If you’re only interested in human sex, this is not the place for you. Apparently animals have sex the same way humans do and if you’re a bit disturbed by that or think you may be, don’t go. They also had a boob bounce house that’s a little entertaining for about a minute. You know, you get a bit more winded jumping up and down as an adult. They have a pretty cool bar down stairs with a disco that you can take a moment to have a cocktail and enjoy some good old school music before heading to your next destination. I wouldn’t make a trip to go back. It’s a one-time experience, and we only went because a friend suggested it. If you go, try the boob jell-o shot. It packs on a pretty good punch.

4. Beauty and Essex

I was going to save this one for my next NYC post where I cover the places we ate, but I decided to put it here because it’s not just food. It’s an entire experience. We decided to do the Champagne Brunch. It’s every Sunday and you can choose to go at either 1:00 or 3:30. You have to call to make the reservation (do this a couple of weeks in advance). We chose the 3:30 slot. It’s $55 per person and comes with a fixed menu, plus 2 glasses of champagne. When we arrived, we were a bit confused when our Lyft driver dropped us off at a pawn shop. We walked into a literal pawn shop! The security guy asked us did we have reservations, and then escorted us into the restaurant. On the bottom floor, there was a nice bar and the main dining room. We waited at the bar for about 5 minutes, and then were taken upstairs to our table. Once we got upstairs, MIND BLOWN! It was like a completely different restaurant! There was a DJ, and the guy was literally one of the best DJ’s I’d ever heard. We sat down and the food and champagne was constantly flowing for almost 2 hours. By the end of the meal, Barrett and I were up dancing with another couple from LA, having the time of our lives. We left full, I was tipsy (Barrett doesn’t drink), and we had the best energy! The best part? It was only 5:30ish when we left. Round 2 for drinks please?!

I would say that we spent most of our time shopping, walking around enjoying the city, and people watching. If shopping isn’t your jam, there are PLENTY of other things for you to check out. Next time we visit NYC, I’ll have a completely different list of things for you to check out. For the most part, we took the subway everywhere. I’m so very thankful for my husband and his good sense of direction because without him, I would be LOST. 2nd trip to NYC in the books, and I can’t wait for the 3rd!

The dress in the photos is from a local boutique here in Nashville (Shop DressUp). I actually wore this when we went to Beauty and Essex and received tons of compliments. Unfortunately, the dress is now sold out, but I’ve linked some really similar options for you below! That’s all for now… Happy Monday lovelies!

All photos taken by Lauren at Laurel Creative.