Cocktails and The City

A New York Spring

Spring has finally sprung, and that means for New Yorkers, we want to soak in as much of it as possible. It’s really special to see everyone you love outside enjoying the sun. Sitting on the steps of the library or playing frisbee together on the lawn. It creates this New York love. The feeling of pride of being here, of being a small part of this wonderful land we call New York.

However, sometimes life gets in the way. As New Yorkers, we endure so much on the daily. But when life gets hard, it can really take a tole on you, and even us hardy New Yorkers know what this feels like. But when you go through hardships in your life, sometimes all you want is your family around you to console you. This week had been a pretty hard one for me between midterms and family circumstances, and without family here you can really feel the loss of their absence. It can be hard for us international students sometimes. As much as you love New York, home is where your family is, and sometimes it can be too long without a hug from them. However my mom was visiting this week, and every girl knows that life is better with your mom.

 That hug, the first embrace we had as she came off the Subway is what made my week all the more happier. What made me even happier again was finally introducing my mom to my self-made family here, my friends. Sometimes it can be difficult, trying to integrate aspects of your old life with your new one. Luckily for me though, this was easy enough. There’s something so precious about sitting at a table with your mom and your friends, all sharing a bottle of wine. For me, my friends and my family integrate so perfectly. That’s how I know my friends here are my family. And I think if you’re special enough to have found this, you never let it go.

For the first half of Spring break, I was staying with my mom downtown at the Hotel Soleil on 36th street, and I can’t talk highly enough about this fabulous hotel. The concierge will ensure all your trips are organized and the receptionists will persistently offer you anything to make you comfortable. Everyone knows a hotel can make or break your trip. If you stay here, your trip will most certainly be made all the better. You need somewhere that feels like home when family visit, and this hotel provides exactly that. You can have a small piece of home in the center of Midtown with the perfect location to visit all boroughs of New York.

So, for the first day of spring break with my mom, I took her to the West Village. Both of us being Sex and the City fans, we had to check out Carrie Bradshaw’s apartment for ourselves. It is built on gorgeous steps, and when the sun hits it at the right angle, the aura is simply breathtaking. To know that you as stood in the exact spot of one of your favorite and most iconic celebrities and to have touched the same banister that she did every day gives you a sense of bliss. But that’s like the entire of New York. The feeling that where you are is extremely special, the place where you are standing is a place where history has literally been made, and now you are here. Us New Yorkers know that feeling like the back of our hand.

After our brief side quest as tourists, I took her to one of my new favorite bars, Dante which she too loved. Now my mom isn’t like most mom’s. She is the person that gave me my sense of style…and my love for cocktails. So, we ended up bar hopping in the West Village. We next hit a place called Hudsons Clearwater for another two manhattans. These were perhaps some of the best manhattans we had ever had. The perfect amount of rye and vermouth and the perfect company. Afterwords, I had dinner reservations for us at American Cut, an extremely flavorsome restaurant that serves some of the best steaks in town. We enjoyed the NY strip steak together and a Caesar salad. One of the coolest things about this restaurant is that you also have the option of the New York Happy meal which consists of a Caesar salad, truffle fries and a martini, all for the price of $26. Isn’t that the ideal meal of a New Yorker? We shared our delicious meal and then concluded our night at a nearby jazz bar called the Django, hidden inside the Roxy hotel. The vibes here were absolutely immaculate, giving off perfect 1920s vibes. We stayed for another few martins and then stumbled our way home for the perfect evening in the oh so comfortable bed.

The following day we went shopping. Now where better to do that than in the coolest shopping district in New York? SoHo. After too many bags to carry and wallets significantly lighter than before, we stopped for a small refreshment at the Antique garage. This perfect little Lebanese restaurant sits tucked away on Mercer Street but is an absolute must visit. The cozy vibes simply draw you in, and the decorations keep you constantly looking around. Now, our version of a refreshment is a glass of champagne, which hits just perfectly after a long day of walking on the concrete streets of New York… also it’s widely known that champagne has the least calories! Refreshing and healthy!

For dinner, we had reservations at a recently opened Mediterranean restaurant called Leonetta. This restaurant has not been open for long however its dishes are served with perfection. The black pepper humus and pita bread is a must try and coats the palate perfectly for the swordfish main course.

We had to be quick however as night we had something very special planned for tonight. We were going to see Death Becomes her on broadway. I have been looking forward to seeing this musical for months now, but nothing could prepare me for the sheer hilarity that was in store for us. If you’re looking for a new Broadway musical to watch, then you must try Death Becomes Her. You will enter to a sensual and mysterious vibe and leave with a laugh lingering on your tongue. This musical is simply hilarious and will have you laughing the entire way through.

Again, we weren’t yet ready to call it a night, so we went to a bar nearby our hotel, the Ragtrader. This bar is one of our favorites because not only are the drinks exquisite, but every one of the waiters are musicians who perform live in their downstairs bar, whilst making the drinks! If you’re someone who loves Broadway, be sure to check this place out. Also, since we are regular customers, our server gave us a free sticky toffee pudding which also gets served lit up with a blue flame. I’ve noticed this is a recurring theme, is it just an indication that I like to play with fire?

The following day, we decided to take a chill morning after the late nights we’ve recently been having. That means…time for Macys! The department store you can spend hours in and still not have seen it all. As typical shopaholics, me and Mom love it. That’s the best thing about having family visit, any purchase can be justified as “a Celebration of their visit” …. Even the three pairs of shoes I bought for the club. For dinner this evening we tried another recently opened restaurant called Tucci in SoHo. This Italian restaurant is guaranteed to blow you away with their tuna starter and chicken parm main. Good Italians are easy to find in New York, but the vibes and atmosphere of this place are what set it apart from the rest.

This evening, we decided to treat ourselves…. not that we haven’t been already… and take ourselves to the Baccarat Bar on the Upper East Side. We really have been following the Sex and the City theme thus far and tonight remains no different. This bar instantly gives of the exclusive, VIP vibe from the second you walk in. The cocktails and strong and the level of sophistication even stronger. It’s a unique atmosphere with people that give off true New York class. If you’re a real New Yorker, which all of us are trying to become, you have to go to this bar at least once.

Sunday should be a day for rest. But when you’re on vacation, every day is a break. So, we booked ourselves brunch in La Grande Boucherie. This restaurant is a perfect way to begin you’re day, however word to the wise. Make sure you are aware when there are important events going on in New York that may make your travel plans more difficult than they should be. Due to the half marathon today, that we were completely unaware of, it took us significantly longer to get downtown. However, the energy on the crowds faces and the pride at seeing their loved one’s race was more than enough to make up for it. We had a beautiful brunch that filled us up for the rest of the day… that and the two glasses of champagne we consumed… and then we watched some of the marathon. Even in the rain, the racers were smiling in true New York style.

Now, my style is by no means running, so we promptly made our way over to the bar. Being this glamorous in the city is hard, no? We made our way over to The Monkey Bar on Madison Avenue for a much-needed break. The interior of this bar is totally covered in the most elaborate wallpaper, and the niche decorations are enough to keep you glued to your seat… that and the very large midtown pour from our bartender…. I told you New Yorkers need wine for all the walking we do!

The thing with when you hang out with your best friend is that they time can fly by and it feels like mere minutes. That is what life is like with my Mom. We could spend a lifetime talking and never run out of things to say. Bonds like that are so special and if you have one, just like friends, hold tight and never let it go. Even if distance may separate you, having your person beside you can make you forget all of life’s worries.

For dinner this evening, we decided to venture further afield to China Town, and we booked a restaurant named the Chinese Tuxedo. Whilst the exterior may seem unassuming, and the trailing lantern lights on the street outside will grab your attention, the Chinese Tuxedo is such a wonderful place to try authentic Chinese cuisine. The way this restaurant works is that you order a few small dishes from both the hot and cold sections of the menu and they are brought to the table as soon as they are ready, in a shared style. That means you get to try as much as you want, and so can the company you are with. For me and Mom this was ideal since we share everything anyways… and by that, I mean I steal most of her clothes. Leaving the restaurant very fulfilled I knew of a nearby rooftop bar, The Highlight room. For a Sunday it was relatively quiet, however regardless the view is unmatched, looking right over into the city. What a perfect way to end the weekend.

For our final full day together, we had quite the day ahead. It was St Patrick’s day in New York which is a day like no other. The entire of 5th avenue is gated off for one of the largest parades in New York, featuring pipe bands, armies, marching bands, leprechauns and everything in between. For miles, all you could see was the color green and Guinness galore. Something we as Scot’s are completely used to, the New Yorkers less so. For once we had the upper hand… but something tells me I prefer the New York way. We watched the parade until it reached the top of Central Park and then we took a slight detour from the path… all the way to the Boathouse restaurant. As our last full day together, we wanted to do something special so we went there for a larger lunch. Inside, they were hosting a special St Patricks Day menu. However, we have had our fair share of fish and chips, so we opted for the ribeye sandwich and beef burger to share. As we sat eating our meals, over looking the pond I realized this is a moment I will never forget. So, if you have that special someone take them to the Boathouse. A perfect place for a perfect memory.

 Alternatively, there is also the Tavern on the Green, another one of Central Parks famous restaurants. We went there afterwards for our daily “refreshments.” Whilst we were there, we one of the pipe bands marching in the parade did a pop-up performance which was such an interesting addition to our drinks. As a surprise, Mom had booked us another broadway show, this one being Six the musical. In all honesty, the music and songs of this musical were phenomenal, however Death Becomes her was definitely my preference.

To prolong the night as much as we could, we ended our evening in The Rum House, a perfect little Jazz themed bar located right next to the theatre. They played music from a traditional jazz singer all night which gave us the perfect way to end our evening, singing jazz blues and feeling real blues that the vacations was coming to an end.

Mom was leaving for her flight back home today, and the knowledge that I would be staying here was hard to accept. So, what better way to deal with that than to distract ourselves. So, we did the most touristy thing possible. We walked over the Brooklyn bridge. There is a perfect ending to the vacation as we walk over the bridge on the warmest day yet, hand in hand. Less Carrie Bradshaw and more Miranda and Steve but still Sex and the City lovers all the same.

Goodbyes are never easy, especially when you have such a large distance separating you. However, when you have a bond as strong as we do you make it work. Often New York has a way of keeping you occupied with that fast-paced energy, but it’s okay to take a minute to pause. To admit that you may be having a rough day. Because that’s what we are, New Yorkers. We live and feel like everyone else, but the difference is that we have a mindset strong enough to cope with the hardships in a way no others can, and we also have unforgettable experiences in the city which we call home.