lifestyle
I love New York City! It holds a special place in my heart. I’ve lived and worked in New York City, and I met my husband in New York City. I have experienced so much personal growth in this magical city. This city has the best energy! For travelers, there is so much to do, and each person can have such a different experience. Central Park is my favorite place to escape and unwind after exploring the city all day—it offers a breath of fresh air and a chance to regain a sense of calm.
Since moving back to Michigan, I enjoy traveling back to Manhattan any chance that I get. I recently tagged along with my husband, who had a work conference in the Big Apple. Being a health coach, and a luxury and wellness travel advisor, that meant I spent my trip trying out new work-out classes, enjoying some non-toxic nail care, experiencing some amazing hotels and spas, and eating at my favorite places in the city!
Because the city is so large and has so much to offer, this is just a peek into some of my favorite things in NYC.
When we arrived late Monday night, we check into our room and ran over to Digg Inn and got our favorite comfort food. Everything is locally sourced and so delicious.
Tuesday morning, there was a small blizzard, but thankfully Physique 57 was just around the corner so I can could and get my Barre on! I loved this class. It has a great community of people and offered the perfect body burn that I needed.
After my workout, I stopped by my favorite juice shop, Juice Press! Their Clean Green Smoothie is my favorite, alongside of their raw oatmeal. Warning: The oatmeal is addictive! All ingredients are organic and fresh too—bingo!
That afternoon I had the pleasure of touring the Mandarin Oriental New York hotel and spa. The views from this hotel are amazing, and the rooms are spacious by New York City standards. The Spa is beautiful, with the amethyst crystal steam room being my favorite feature.
I also really appreciate that they provide a meditation pillow and yoga mat in every room. Heck ya! This hotel is perfect for families, couples, business travelers or anyone who enjoys luxury hotels, with beautiful views of Central Park and The Hudson River right from your bedroom.
After the tour, I ventured over to my old stomping grounds, Barneys New York. I worked at the corporate office while I was living in New York. It is always an emotional feeling going back to a place that has such dear memories. I walked up every floor, looking at the amazing, well designed clothing, bags and shoes. I purchased a new pair of tennis shoes—Stella McCartney X Adidas with Continental rubber soles!—and then enjoyed a delicious vegan salad at Genes Café.
Have you ever eaten alone before? I find it so peaceful. The snow was falling and I was warm inside, enjoying every moment.
It was then time to rest my feet and treat my toes to a non-toxic pedicure at Tenoverten. I adore this nail salon. I visited the location on 56th street, but there are a couple other locations in Manhattan, as well as one in Austin, Texas and L.A. Their polish is 8-free, meaning they are free of eight ingredients typically found in nail polish that are believed to be toxic.
That night I grabbed my favorite salad from Sweetgreen and hopped over to my college besties apartment to catch up and watch our favorite shows.
I welcomed Wednesday with a juice from Joe & the Juice (I had the Joe’s Identity), and hopped on the subway to work-out class.
This time I visited New York Pilates’ Bowery location, and the studio is beautiful! They had Kombucha on tap and the studio was filled with sunlight beaming in through the large wall of windows.
The class was challenging in the best way. It is also an intimate group, so the instructor pays attention to your form, and you feel supported through your practice. I will definitely be back!
I walked down the street and around the corner (literally) to stop by another old favorite of mine, The Butcher’s Daughter on Kenmare. It felt like home. Kenmare is The Butcher’s Daughters’ very first location and I remember when it first opened. It smelled exactly the same and the food tasted just as I remembered it. I got the egg sandwich, which was amazing!
When in NYC, you walk walk walk and I love it. I walked seven to eight miles everyday of my trip. It felt so good to move my body.
So, I continued my day and walked down to the Four Seasons New York Downtown to tour the hotel and spa. This place is gorgeous. It offers such a bright, clean feel and the rooms are also quite big. The mini-bar in each room is stocked with nibbles from local companies, which I thought is a nice touch.
Every room also contains a heavenly soaker tub.
The spa and fitness facilities are top notch. The lap pool is 75-feet long and is perfectly heated with a beautiful view of the city. There is even music playing underwater! The fitness area is open 24/7, which is perfect for guests traveling in from all over the world. The spa has partnered with Dr. Burgener Switzerland, the Swiss expert in beauty and rejuvenation, and Omorovicza, from the International Spa City of Budapest, to create customized experiences found exclusively at Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown.
I could have stayed all day!
But I had to leave to walk up the road to The Greenwich Hotel for another tour and spa treatment. This hotel is one-of-a-kind. Every room is so unique and the attention to detail with the interior design is phenomenal. The hotel has only 88 rooms and no two rooms are alike. It has a very intimate, cozy feel.
The Shibui Spa in the hotel is magnificent. I was lucky enough to experience the spa firsthand and received the Omakase massage treatment. I rested in a comfortable lounge chair by the heated swimming pool, enjoying some refreshing fruit-infused water, before and after my treatment.
After spending a few hours there, I left feeling relaxed and rejuvenated.
That evening, I went back uptown to meet Clark at Fig and Olive for a late dinner. I got the Vegan Carrot Ginger Soup and the Fig and Olive Salad, with some seltzer water. It was the perfect ending to a great day in the city.
Thursday was my final day! I woke up, and like a creature of habit ran over to Juice Press for a juice, then made my way down to the Flatiron district to visit Sundays studios for a non-toxic manicure! Their studio is so beautiful and feels so zen. They even offer non-toxic gel, as well as meditation.
It was such a beautiful and sunny day in N.Y.C, so I decided to treat myself to my favorite sweet treat, Pressed FREEZE Juicery! FREEZE is a soft-serve, frozen treat made up of fruit and vegetable juice, as well as almonds and coconuts. It is vegan, and gluten- and dairy-free, so it’s packed with nutrition. And, it tastes exactly like ice cream!
From there I ventured down to Springbone Kitchen. I have been wanting to try this forever. I had the flu a few weeks prior, so bone broth as just what I needed. I got the Immunity Broth, made of chicken broth, ginger, garlic and vitamin C. Everything on the menu looked amazing. I cannot wait to come back!
It was almost time to leave, but thankfully I was able to visit The Peninsula New York Luxury Hotel before heading to the airport. This hotel is magnificent. Located in the heart of midtown, with amazing views up and down 5th avenue, it is the perfect location if you want to be in the center of it all. The rooms here are also very spacious and the decor is super elegant. The highlights of the hotel are the spa and the rooftop at bar—Salon de Ning.
Clark met me for a drink on the rooftop before we made our way back to Michigan!
In Summary
WHERE TO STAY:
The Peninsula New York Luxury Hotel
Four Seasons New York Downtown
Mandarin Oriental New York
The Greenwich Hotel
WHERE TO PAMPER YOURSELF:
The Spa at Four Seasons New York Downtown
The Peninsula Spa at the Peninsula New York Luxury Hotel
The Spa at Mandarin Oriental New York
Shibui Spa at The Greenwich Hotel
NON-TOXIC NAIL CARE:
Tenoverten
Sundays nail salon
WHERE TO WORK OUT:
SoulCycle
New York Pilates
Physique 57
Flex Studios
WHERE TO EAT:
-Juices:
Juice Press
Joe and the Juice
Pressed Freeze Juicery
-Lunch/Dinner:
Digg Inn
Sweetgreens
ABC Kitchen/abcV
Two Hands
The Butcher’s Daughter
The Little Beet table
Springbone Kitchen
