I just spent the last four days in one of my favorite cities. To be be specific, it is my second favorite city! It goes: 1. Toronto, Ontario, Canada 2. New York City, New York 3. Seattle, Washington. I have been blessed to be able to travel and of the places I have been, New York City as always made it the hardest to leave. I feel genuine remorse when as I am packing up and checking in to my flight. (By packing I mean pleading with my bag so that it will close) I have been to New York City twice before however this trip was different because I was there with both my mom and dad. I am graduating from university soon and my parents tried to make my last spring break as an undergraduate as memorable as possible. (Break out the tissues, how sweet)
The best parents ever on the Subway
What also made this trip even more exciting was that my father is NOT a fan of big cities, rush, traffic and cold weather... BOY OH BOY was he in fort it! I took this as a challenge, kind like an exciting little experiment in which I was going to convert my father into a city dweller. My main plan consisted of making sure that I let NYC win over his stomach first and then his heart second...
Jack's wife Freda - Bedford St & Bleecker St
West Village
Yummy Food from Jack's Wife Freda
However, I couldn't get by without a little help from my friends. Thanks to my friend Courtney, the first few place that I took my parents to brunch was a major success! Jack's Wife Freda is an American-Mediterranean that serves up traditional elements with an urban spin. The food was not only fresh, it was delicious! As someone who struggles with finding food at breakfast places, they were able to accommodate a gluten, dairy and egg free customer. How amazing is that!?
Sweets by Chloe - Bleecker Street
Later that same day along my way through West Village, I stumbled across my earthly haven. Sweets by Chloe seemed to have dropped out of the heavens and fallen onto Bleecker Street. 100% Vegan they had cakes, cookies and cupcakes galore! I had the gluten-free chocolate chip cookie and skipped along on my merry way!
Risotteria Melotti - Inside
A place that we went back to twice because it was that amazing was another suggestion thanks to Courtney. Risotteria Melotti is traditional Italian cuisine that is 100% Gluten-free! For someone with my dietary restrictions it is was a blessing and the options were plentiful. Located in East Village this restaurant is cozy with a rustic, brick-walled interior. If you like fresh seafood and rice this is a must in the city! The food is fresh, delicious and the service is wonderful!
Dad on the Staten Island Ferry
Aside from the amazing food, another part of my master plan was to take my parents on the Staten Island Ferry. The ferry leaves every half an hour and is a fun and free way to see the city skyline and the Statue of Liberty. If you don't mind bumping elbows and a great view the ferry is a fun addition to add to your list.
Fearless Girl
While my parents took photos of and with the Bull on Wall Street, I took a picture with the new installment of the Fearless Girl. She stands on Wall Street facing the Bull head on.
My adorable parents feat. the Wall Street Bull
I guess no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't quite convince my father that NYC was the greatest city on earth. However, I could tell that he enjoyed his time in the big apple. He wasn't thrilled about the cold weather and traffic but it all seemed to fade into the background. These past three days made me fall even more in love with this city. The sounds, the crowds and the cab rides all wrapped-up in my parka was the most magical way to spend my spring break. This is the first of many blogs that I plan to be posting up on here. Because everyday is a chance for an escapade!
Best,
Stef
On the Brooklyn Bridge with the one and only Mama Lakic