Coney Island Adventure

Last weekend Brian, Emily, and I ventured to Coney Island for an afternoon at the aquarium. After we walked around the aquarium (which is currently getting a major makeover), we strolled along the boardwalk to Nathan's. No trip to Coney Island is complete without hotdogs and crinkle cut fries! We stopped at Gourmanoff in Brighton Beach for some Russian sweet treats after our late lunch. The apple pierogies were out of this world amazing! After trying the four we purchased I walked right back into the store and got several more to take home!

A Must-See: The Highline.

When my friends and family come to visit me in New York City, I have a small list of must-see sights that I try to get to every time. The Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park, Brooklyn Heights, and Washington Square Park are among them. One of my favorite places to go in the city, with or without visitors, is The Highline. The park, who's first section opened in 2009, stretches up the west side of Manhattan from Gansevoort Street to 30th Street on old elevated railroad tracks. The Highline's history is fascinating, and I am so grateful that the Friends of the Highline were able to perserve the space and create an amazing outdoor oasis thirty feet above the hustle and bustle of 10th Avenue.

My brother, Lucas, and I spent last Saturday walking the length of The Highline. Flowers were in bloom throughout the sections of the park, and we stopped frequently to admire the wildlife and the views of the traffic below. It was the perfect way to spend our afternoon.

Scenes from the weekend.

JR's Inside Out New York City- Oh how I wish I would have had my picture taken for this! 

Times Square. 

Grand Central and the Chrysler Building. 

My favorite peanut butter fudge pretzel Italian ice from Ralph's. 

Breakfast at Brooklyn Bagel. 

Sockerbit candy stop. 

7th Annual Dance Parade

One of my favorite rooms in the MET- Degas. 

The Mall in Central Park. 

When I first moved to New York City back in 2003, my family took turns visiting me in my new home. We explored the city together, discovering new restaurants, shops, and streets with every visit. My little brother Lucas visited for the first time in August before my sophomore year of college. Unfortunately for him, most of his time was spent helping me settle into my first off-campus apartment downtown and making countless trips to Bed, Bath, and Beyond. Poor guy. So, during his second visit to the city this past weekend, I treated it like his first.

On Friday night we caught up over dinner in Butcher Bar's back garden. The weather was absolutely perfect that night, and I am so glad we took advantage of being outside as much as possible before the rain arrived Saturday afternoon. After dinner, we walked through midtown and then made our way down Lexington Ave. to Ralph's for a late night treat. On Saturday we had breakfast at Brooklyn Bagel, walked The Highline, and wandered around the West Village. That night we saw live music on the Lower East Side at The Living Room, which was really fun. After two sets, we concluded the evening at Katz's deli with the most delicious pastrami sandwich on rye. On Sunday morning we battled the rain while most New Yorkers opted to stay in their pajamas all day. We walked across the bridge, indulged in a brisket sandwich at the Brooklyn Smorgasburg, toured several galleries at the MET, and walked the southern end of Central Park from 84th Street down to 59th Street. By Sunday night we were both exhausted, so we decided to order in Indian food instead of making the trip to Jackson Heights. It was a wonderful weekend, and I am excited to spend one more day with Lucas before he flies back to Chicago tomorrow night!

Scenes from the weekend.

Once Brian and I heard Saturday's rainy forecast, we declared that we would not get out of our pajamas. Aside from a quick trip to get a manicure/pedicure and 16 Handles, I stuck to our plan like a champ. We brewed pots of coffee, watched Friends, played our favorite iPhone games, and lounged around the house all day long. It was wonderful. On Sunday we were a bit more productive. After cleaning the house all morning, we spent the afternoon on the west side. We shopped around Chelsea Market, ate a delicious lunch at Le Pain Quotidien, and then enjoyed a slice of Monkey Cake from Amy's Bread and iced coffee from 9th Street Espresso as we watched the traffic in the 10th Avenue Square. We concluded our date day walking the length of The Highline. How was your weekend?