New York in February – a lot colder, a little less crowded, but still as charming and exhilarating as ever!
My boyfriend Tim and I went to the big city for Fashion Week – that post can be found here!
I wanted to create a seperate post, however, of all the places we went, ate, shopped, and shot content at! Visiting New York in the winter time is a bit of a different experience, so I thought I’d also share with you what sets the city apart during the winter months than in the summer months!
What We Packed –
Given that temperature were predicted to be around 30 degrees F during the week we were doing, it was absolutely necessary to bring along winter coats and boots. Depending where you are from and what kind of climate you are accustomed to, this could be a major shock. Given that Tim and I are from the Midwest, we were already experiencing similar weather back home. What we didn’t expect was rain and snow, which showed up in the forecast after we had arrived. Thus, I recommend bringing waterproof clothing options with you weather that is a raincoat, waterproof boots, or even waterproof gloves.
Where We Stayed –
The Roosevelt Hotel –
Tim and I stayed here a couple years ago when we came to NYC during the holidays. We decided to revisit the same hotel for a couple reason.
- The cost.
- The space.
- The location.
Tim and I know coming back for Fashion Week meant we had to have a room with a lot of space. Last time we went to New York we stayed at The Blakely and had a room with around 450 sq. ft. of space. Last Fall that was a little tight, so we knew we had to find a place that had AT LEAST that much space – LOL. Unfortunately, and to my surprise, not many hotels have that much space (or more) available to book. Well, unless you didn’t have a budget and could afford a several thousand dollar per night room (which we didn’t lol).
We were able to book a suite at The Roosevelt for under $150/night with 560 sq. ft. of space! (Hotels are usually fairly less expensive this time of year). Even though Tim and I almost always test and try out new hotels, we couldn’t really argue with this deal.
The one thing I really love about The Roosevelt Hotel is the beautiful lobby. There are lots of hotels in busy cities such as New York that don’t have much of a lobby, if one at all. The lobby is incredibly beautiful with a grand chandelier in the center of the room and lots of comfortable seating available. There is also a restaurant/bar area, as well as a cafe and second restaurant behind the concierge desks.
Two complaints with the hotel we had were that the bathroom was rather small, and we had to call several times to get hot water. Secondly, since we had a suite, the second room was always 10 degrees cooler than the bedroom which was uncomfortable whenever we had picked up food to eat or were filming in it.
Location wise, you couldn’t really argue with the hotel. Especially if you are going the “tourist” route and want to see all the sights – Midtown is a perfect location with easy access to the metro!
Where We Ate & Drank –
Mister French –
A modern french restaurant located in the Bowery district. Tim and I went one evening for a “date night” and really enjoyed the place! It definitely is more on the expensive side but if you’re looking for a place for a romantic dinner – it certainly is worth while!
We both got two free drinks along with our dinner- (though I’m not sure if that’s the regular or not!) The first drink was a citrus mojito and the second was a shot glass of one of their house specials.
Lucky Strike –
A place we drove into before shopping around Soho on a rainy day. French style restaurant with classics served starting at 11am. I ordered the Tuna Nicoise and French Onion while Tim orders the Roasted Turkey Sandwich.
Matchaful –
A cafe devoted only to Matcha. Tim and I stopped here before heading to a show that morning and I was a little overwhelmed by all the options for matcha! Every drink is carefully crafted and made. It is all completely natural – I asked for Splenda sweetener and got the eyebrow – lol. The drinks all look beautiful and the interior space is an excellent calming escape from the busy streets.
Interlude Coffee –
Stopped by here after a fashion show I had one evening before heading back to the hotel to meet back up with Tim and found this cafe very calming with a great selection of teas and coffees!
Jackyl & Hyde –
A fun themed “spooky” restaurant with live entertainment and a pub-like atmosphere. Definitely a place I probably wouldn’t have probably picked myself, but a place Tim eagerly wanted to go to and experience! I recommend going as a party – as going on a “date” can be a little awkward and more prone to the live entertainment to poke fun at you – lol!
Coffee N Clothes –
Definitely my favorite places to go for java in the city. The coffee shop is indeed small, but it never disappoints with how cute and insta-worthy their coffee creations are! I always plan ahead and bring a few props with me to get a perfect flatly photo! I also make Tim order a drink (even though he doesn’t like coffee) so I can snag a few extra pics in 😉
Queen Ristorante –
A traditional Italian restaurant Tim and I dove into after being tired of walking around in the cold. Certainly more of an expensive place to lunch, but the only place we could really find spacious seating out of the way of pedestrians and the cold. I ordered a garden salad and minestrone (which was delicious, the salad less so) and Tim ordered chicken parm. Would skip next time due to the price, but a needed stop to rest our feet and warm up over the lunch hour!
Connolly’s Pub And Restaurant –
One of the many pubs in NYC, but one Tim and I ate at twice because of the location to our hotel and also because we both ate relatively inexpensively and left stuffed. Excellent choice for those searching for a warm atmosphere with wholesome food!
Shabu Garden –
An excellent place to score some delicious hot pot in Midtown. Hot pot is one of my favorite things to eat and Tim has recently become a fan too. We found this place looking through Yelp and loved it! Reasonable prices with an all-you-can eat serving station. However, meats are an added cost.
Milk Bar –
Possibly the most fun and delicious places I’ve ever been to for ice cream. I urged Tim to stop by here one night after dinner and it was completely packed! Basically, the ice cream mimics the flavor of the leftover milk you have after eating a bowl of cereal. Hello mega flavor! Some of you may think this sounds disgusting, but I highly encourage you to try it at least once if you’re in the city. They have several locations so you’re bound to find one near your stay!
Hale & Hearty –
My favorite grab and go places to eat in NYC, especially in the colder months. Build your own salad and choose from an abundance of soups. It’s an ideal place for a healthy meal whether you’re on the go or have some time to sit down and chow down. On the less expensive side as well! Around $12/person.
Where We Went –
Broadway –
The last time Tim and I were in New York we didn’t get the chance to see any Broadway shows so we wanted to make sure we did this time! Our second night in the city we went to Chicago since it’s one of the oldest (if not the oldest) show on Broadway! While Tim and I didn’t like it as much as some other shows we’d seen, we were glad we went! The theatre in itself is always fun to see and watch a show in!
Museum of Ice Cream –
A place for those who dream in pink – but really. The entire place is flooded with pink and is a must-see while in NYC! Lots of ice cream tasting along the way as well as some history, fun ushers, and play areas!
Tim and I got to taste several ice cream flavors from around the world we have never heard or had tasted before!
My favorite part by part was the pink 3-story slide!
Entrance fee was around $40 per person.
Central Park –
We were so lucky to have had a day of sunshine in Central Park as nearly every other day we were in the city it was grey and rainy. It truly felt like a spring day (although still rather chilly)! Tim and I walked to the park after visiting The Plaza and grabbed a salted pretzel before taking some photos and walking around a bit. There were plenty of other people in the park enjoying the sunshine and taking in the scenery despite it being the middle of winter. The horses were out giving carriage rides and there were ice skaters out on the rink, as well as street musicians and food vendors!
Dumbo Brooklyn –
We went here to get photos by the famous bridge, but also were in the area because I had an appointment that morning. Unfortunately it was another cold and rainy day so definitely less enjoyable than had we visited in the summer months, but still a fun little trick to see the bridge and get another view of the city across the river!
Upper East Side –
Spent one morning here shopping before we had to catch a cab to the airport that afternoon. Great spot to finding anything designer! Definitely one of the most expensive areas to shop in NYC so keep budgets in mind! If you’re not looking for a new designer piece, enjoy walking in and out of the shops as they always have the newest pieces!
I would absolutely recommend going to New York in the winter, especially if you’d rather go at a time with hotels are less expensive and the city is less crowded! New York is always a blast to visit and tour irregardless of the time of year!
If you have any questions that I didn’t answer in my post, please feel free to drop a comment!
XOXO,
Billie
