Friday at 5 a.m., while the rest of Laguna Beach slept peacefully, three girls, filled with giddy, awoke their best friend with a surprise trip to New York City for her birthday. I happened to be one of these giddy girls.
By 6 a.m., we were off to LAX and on the plane by eight. It’s about five and a half hours from Los Angeles to JFK airport, so with the time change, we landed at around 4 p.m. Eastern Time. Our hotel was on the Lower East Side; the drive from the airport was about an hour. While Midtown is the New York City most people picture, the Lower East Side is much less touristy. We stayed at the Moxie NYC East Village Hotel. The hotel is perfect for a short visit to New York. It is decorated to match the New York aesthetic with warm lighting, wood accents, and dangling chandeliers. Our room with two bunk beds was perfect for a quick getaway.
After a long day of travel, motivating everyone to get too far from the hotel is hard, especially when it is late. That’s why the Moxie NYC Lower East Side is perfect. Attached to the hotel is one of the best sushi restaurants in NYC: Sake No Hana. This lively Japanese restaurant has a festive and dramatic space that serves creative sushi rolls, wagyu beef, and grilled teppanyaki dishes, perfect for your first night in NYC!
You can only start your first day in New York with one of their iconic bagels! Just a short distance from the Moxie Hotel is one of the most popular bagels spots: Brooklyn Bagels. They have a large variety of fluffy, fresh bagels and a large assortment of cream cheeses ranging from chive to honey bacon sriracha and even cannoli flavored! Being close to SOHO now is the perfect time to take advantage of your location and shop. SOHO has the best and most well-known stores for everyone of different ages and genders. It’s time to spend hard-earned cash at stores such as Aritzia, Alo, MadHappy, Revolve, etc. They even have designer stores, including Prada, Miu Miu, Cartier, and Dior. For dinner, stopping in Little Italy for your last night makes sense. Gelso and Grand has a modern twist with the old, rustic, Italian NYC feel. Their pasta, pizza, and appetizers are some of the best you will ever have!
Although the whole group will probably be exhausted by Sunday from all the fun the city has brought thus far, it will be an early morning to take in all the daylight. The Rockettes are an iconic New York tradition, and the 9 a.m. show is essential for the best last day. Radio City Music Hall is a crucial visit; the ceilings seem as tall as the surrounding skyscrapers, with large, dangling crystal chandeliers hanging down. The show may seem like a tourist trap, but trust me, it is worth every penny. The dancers are incredible, and the show is exceptionally well done. Midtown has hundreds of great places to eat, so choosing the wrong place for lunch would be hard. During the holiday season, New York is known for its excellent winter activities, such as ice skating at Rockefeller Center; to get a spot, you must book ahead of time, but it is worth it. Ice skating under the famous Christmas tree feels like a dream, and it’s the ideal time to reflect on your magical time in the best city in the world.
New York City can be overwhelming, so it is helpful to have a plan, especially if it is such a short amount of time. Have the best time in the city that never sleeps!
