If you follow me on Instagram, you know I just had the time of my life on a Girls Trip to New York City! I had only been to NYC once before on a High School trip, and I had never been during the Christmas season, so I was so excited to visit again!
We were only there for a few days, but we packed so much in! I'm already planning my next trip though, because there is so much to see, do, and EAT.
Here's a little recap of this trip..








The Best Gal Pals 💗


Where We Stayed

We stayed at the Cassa Times Square hotel, but the name was a bit misleading. We were actually more in the Hell's Kitchen area which is just a few blocks over from Times Square. The hotel had an adorable rooftop terrace and complimentary wine hour every evening as well as complimentary breakfast. However, the rooms were small (granted, we were packing 5 girls in each room), and the staff was not the most accommodating (actual conversation: "Hi, can you send up a few more wash cloths to room 301?" "No, we are out of wash cloths." 😐) All in all, the hotel met our needs. We honestly weren't in our rooms very much anyway. But, I probably wouldn't stay there again. 





What We Did

 Everything!!!
We traveled in a large group and were only there for a short time, but we still fit in a lot of fun! The best part about New York City is if you don't get everything done that you want to do in your first visit (you won't), you can just plan another trip back again and again and again...(hope my husband isn't reading this)! 😉

Here's a quick rundown of the what we visited this time:

 - Times Square

 - 9/11 Memorial and Oculus Mall
(want to go back and do the 9/11 Museum tour)

 - Statue of Liberty
(We did not take the ferry to Ellis Island this time. Many of us had already done that during previous trips.)

 - Central Park
(Would love to do a horse and buggy tour through the park)

 - Shops on 5th Ave.
(Wanted to try on a million dollar ring at Tiffany's....casual)

 - Rockefeller Center

 - The Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall

 -  Grand Central Station

 - Christmas Market at Bryant Park

 - Macy's

 - West Village / Carrie Bradshaw's Townhouse / Friends Apartment

 - Chelsea Market

 - The High Line





Where We Ate

The Broadway Lounge at Marriot Marquis
Swanky and crowded, but a great view.
We got drinks and appetizers here before dinner.



Saju Bistro
Yummy French Provencal cuisine and decorated so adorable for Christmas!
Loved the atmosphere in there.
Just be sure to ask for tap water, or you'll see a $35 charge on your bill! 😂
My Dish: Rigatoni à La Saucisse de Campagne
(Rigatoni with Italian sausage, broccoli rabe, extra virgin oil, garlic and a touch of Grana Padano cheese)



Havana Central Times Square
Cozy and fun with live music!
Feels like you're going back in time.
My Dish: Pollo al Ajillo - a garlic lover's dream!



Juliana's Pizza
The cutest little Pizzeria with a long history.
They close each day from 3:15 - 4:00 pm to stoke their coal brick oven.
My Dish: White Pizza with Mushrooms



Chelsea Market
Tons of grocery focused retail stores and all sorts of places to eat!
We browsed through Chelsea Market on our last day and grabbed a snack there.
My Dish: Egg Salad on an Everything Bagel from Davidovich Bakery
Salted Caramels from the Li-Lac Chocolates stand



The Sugar Factory
Celebrity favorite candy Cafes and Restaurants.
Make sure you go to the restaurant if you want to enjoy a sit down meal and/or the signature drinks!
We accidentally went to the cafe on 8th Ave, and it is just a candy/sweets shop (still cute though).
My Dish: We shared 2 signature drinks, The Drake and The Watermelon Patch, between 5 of us, and it was PLENTY!



Mercato
Just steps from our hotel, and the sweetest Italian ambiance.
My Dish: Ravioli Di Ricotta E Spinaci Al Burro E Salvia
(Homemade ravioli filled with spinach and ricotta, butter and sage sauce)





What I Wore
For once in my life, I actually dressed for function over fashion on this trip. I was so stressed about freezing to death, so I packed all of my warmest clothes and layered up. All of those heavy items didn't leave much room in my suitcase for my best blogger outfits, but I achieved my goal of staying warm and not being miserable!

My Must Haves:
Padded Parka
Winter Boots
Fleece Lined Leggings
Big Cozy Scarf
Beanie
Puffer Vest
CuddlDuds


























Have you ever been to the Big Apple?!
What were your favorite things you did/saw/ate??

Let me know in the comments section below!

XOXO, 
Abby





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