Hello and welcome back to my blog. The official New York City Guide is finally here, all curated by yours truly. It’s crazy that I get to be an NYC local and that I get to call it my home, finally. I hope you find it helpful, and as always, thank you for being here, reading my blog, and supporting every move I make in this crazy life journey.

1. KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

SPRING – SUMMER 2022 – Masks are recommended on all public transportation. Some businesses might not require masks worn indoors, but please do wear them when it’s required. I wear a mask on the train, in ubers, and still bring it everywhere just in case! – Note that this section is updated seasonally. 

Spring and fall are definitely the best time to travel to New York because of the cooler weather. In the summer, it’s super hot, humid, and you’d be walking everywhere, so be prepared to sunscreen up and get sweaty. Don’t forget your favorite outfits and comfy footwear! And I’d say to always have a plan B before you head out just in case something is closed or if the plan changes if the weather does not go as planned.

TAKING THE SUBWAY

There’s really no need to drive in Manhattan since parking is impossible to find and expensive. The subway system is open 24/7. It’s extensive, effective, and somewhat easy to navigate. So be prepared to walk a lot otherwise Uber is always an option. Biking around the city is also so much fun, and I’d highly recommend you to download the CityBike app.

METROCARD:

APPS TO DOWNLOAD:

• Google Maps/Maps for navigation

• Yelp – make sure to read reviews!

• City Bike – if you’re planning to rent a bike, and it’s a super fun way to explore the city.

• Open Table & Resy – restaurant reservation

• Uber & Lyft – rideshare apps

DON’T MAKE YOURSELF LOOK LIKE A TOURIST EVEN IF YOU’RE A TOURIST

Common sense (works anywhere not just in NYC) when in public settings:

• At the airports or train stations: Make sure to stay on the right side of the stairs or escalators and let other people pass you on the left.

• Don’t stand in the middle of the walkway, step to the side when looking at your map or taking pictures. Don’t block traffic, bike lanes, etc.

ALTERNATIVES/PLAN B RECOMMENDATIONS:

• Go to a park, grab matcha or coffee, movie, a museum, library, bookstore,  Happy Hour

• Check out a Broadway show (many last-minute cheap tickets!)

The Lake, Central Park

2. NYC CLASSICS

NYC is made up of 5 boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island. Most tourist attractions are in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and The Bronx.

Must-do if you’re in NYC for the first time!

• Take a stroll at Central Park

• NYC Skyline: Top of the Rock, Empire State Building, The Edge, One Vanderbilt

• Go see Grand Central Terminal

• Walkthrough the High Line, check out Chelsea Market or Hudson Yards at either end of the park

• Check out the Oculus and World Trade Center

• Walk the Brooklyn Bridge (starts from Chinatown or DUMBO end)

• Take photos in DUMBO, Brooklyn Bridge Park and piers

• Explore and shop in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

• Go shopping in Soho (luxury fashion houses, indie boutiques)

• Shop along Fifth Avenue

• Stop by a Sample Sale (random pop-ups or you could also sign up for 260 Sample Sale HERE for weekly updates)

• Go on a food tour of Chinatown in Manhattan or Flushing in Queens – watch my Tik Tok HERE

• Go to a museum or do a museum crawl: MET, MoMA, Whitney, Brooklyn, Guggenheim Museum

• Go to a bar or do a bar crawl

• Track down sites from your favorite movies and TV shows: Sex and the City, Gossip Girls, etc.

NYC is a giant melting pot, so do not try to do everything or fit everything in one trip. Some of my most interesting and memorable travel experiences are those that I accidentally stumble upon, so just be open-minded.

Outfits shot in near Central Park east (left) and West Village (right)

3. NYC NEIGHBORHOODS

MANHATTAN

• Harlem

• Morningside Heights

• East Harlem

• Upper West Side

• Central Park

• Upper East Side

• Midtown West

QUEENS

Popular neighborhoods are listed only:

• Long Island City (LIC)

• Astoria

• Flushing

• Sunnyside

• Forest Hills

Manhattan is split into:

• “districts”- Flatiron District, The Meatpacking District, and The Garment District

• “squares” – Times Square, Union Square, Lincoln Square, and Herald Square

• “heights” – Washington Heights and Morningside Heights

Acronyms to know: 

• SoHo (South of Houston Street)

• NoHo (North of Houston Street)

• Tribeca (The Triangle Below Canal Street)

• NoLita (North of Litle Italy)

Panca – Peruvian restaurant in West Village

4. NYC RESTAURANTS & MARKETS

10 BEST FOOD SPOTS IN NYC TO CHECK OUT IN 2022

French: Buvette (great brunch spot), Balthazar (very popular French food spot in Soho)

Pizza: Roberta’s (must get the Bee Sting), Prince St. Pizza (I only like the pepperoni slices!), Joe’s Pizza (casual quick slices), Lucali (great pizza shop only in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn), L’Industrie Pizzeria (my favorite slice shop in Williamsburg), Paulie Gee’s Slice Shop (my favorite slice shop in Greenpoint, Brooklyn)

Italian: I went to one Italian restaurant in Little Italy, and I didn’t like it. I haven’t been to any of these spots, but these are on my list. – al di la Trattoria, Forsythia, Pepe Rosso To Go, Bar Pitti, Via Carota, Al Di La 

Vietnamese: Banh Mi Sai Gon (great banh mi shop in Chinatown), Madama Vo (great spot in East Village), Saigon Social (modern take on Vietnamese food. I need to go back to try more dishes here!), Pho Grand (cheap Viet and Chinese food spot with decent pho), Lucy’s (takeout, food is just ok!) – My list to try: Di An Di, 5ive Spice Tacos & Banh Mi, Van Da, Bolero, Em Vietnamese Bistro, Nha Minh, High Lua Vietnamese Kitchen, Hanco’s, Hanoi House, Non La

Fried chicken: Turntable Chicken Jazz (popular fried chicken spot, but I didn’t like them as much!), Pelicana, bb.q Chicken Ktown (great spot for Korean fried chicken!!!), Sticky’s Finger Joint, Jollibee (super popular Filipino fast food, great fried chicken!), Bonchon, Chirping Chicken, K Top

Ramen: Ippudo NY, Ichiran – On my list: Ivan Ramen, Lanzhou Ramen, Kyuramen

Japanese: Rule of Thirds, Village Yokocho, Raku – On my list: Davelle

Sushi: Nami Nori (fun hand rolls), Kura (decent omakase at decent price for East Village)- On my list: KazuNori: The Original Hand Roll Bar, Sushi on Jones, DOMODOMO New York, Shinn East, Sushi Nakazawa, Sushi Noz, Sushi Yasaka

Korean: Kochi, Mokyo*, Jeju Noodle Bar*, YUBU, Jua, Her Name Is Han, Take 31, Hangawi, Kochi, Jongro BBQ*, Jungsik, Hyun, The Woo

Chinese: Noodle Village, Wu’s Wonton King, Hwa Yuan Szechuan, Great NY Noodletown, Yin Ji Chang Fen, Shanghai YOU Garden* (Queens), Joe’s Steamed Rice Rolls*, Legend Chicken 

Shabu-shabu: Spring Shabu-Shabu

Hotpot: Haidilao* 

Thai: Klong, Soothr, Fish Cheeks, Tong, Pure Thai Cookhouse*, Thai Villa, OBAO, Top Thai, Klom Klorm, Up Thai, THEP Thai Restaurant

Southeast Asian: LoveMama*, Wok Wok Southeast Asian Kitchen, Pig and Khao

Malaysian: Nyonya

Tapas: Nai, Panca

Ukrainian: Veselka

New American: Electric Lemon (Equinox hotel restaurant in Hudson Yards), Contra, Estela, Gramercy Tavern, Electric Lemon, Sisters

American: Bubby’s, Peak, Maison Pickle, Freehold 

Moroccan: Cafe Mogador

Mexican: Downtown Bakery, Jajaja Plantas Mexicanas, Los Tacos No.1*

Peruvian: Panca (great view, food & service ok), Mission Ceviche, 

Seafood: Dante West Village, Le Bernardin

Nepalese: Cafe Himalaya

Mediterranean: Local 92, Jack’s Wife Freda

Gastropub: Barn Joo Nomad

Health Food Restaurants: Sweetgreen

Vegetarian/Vegan: Planta Queen, Superiority Burger, Double Zero (plant-based pizza), Seitan Rising Vegan Cafe (Bushwick), Public Records

Brunch: Sadelle’s, Anyway Cafe, Poppy’s, Daily Provisions, Maman*, La Cantine (Bushwick)

Bagels: Ess-a-Bagel*, Brooklyn Bagel*, Tompkins Square Bagels, The Bagel Nook, Bagel Hole*

MARKETS

Chelsea Market (must try: Los Tacos No.1, Ting’s, visit Neighborhood Goods & Artists & Fleas)

Time Out Market (DUMBO, must try: Jacob’s Pickle)

Grand Bazaar – flea market in Upper West Side, open Sunday only

Queens Night Market – every Saturday 6 pm to midnight (6/19-8/21 and 9/18-10/30)

Eataly (multiple locations)

Union Square Greenmarket – farmers’ market

Chelsea Flea – flea market

Artists & Flea – inside Chelsea Market

JAPANESE GROCERY STORES I LOVE:

• Sakura-Ya – Queens

• Katagiri Japanese Grocery

• Dainobu

• Sunrise Mart – multiple locations

• Japan Village – Industry City, Brooklyn

• TESO LIFE

• Tominaga Shouten

• Ten Ichi Mart & Deli – Williamsburg

• Midoriya – Williamsburg

• Hanamaru Japanese Mart

FLUSHING, QUEENS, ASIAN FOOD TOUR ft. must-stop places that I love:

• Joe’s Steam Rice Rolls

• Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao (known for soup dumplings)

• Legend Chicken (popcorn chicken, medium spicy)

• Croffle House (croissant waffles!)

• Kyu-kaku Japanese BBQ

• Haidilao Hotpot (tomato and pepper broth are delicious!)

• Xing Fu Tang (brown sugar boba, freshly made boba)

• Tiger Sugar (brown sugar boba, freshly made boba)

• Song Tea (great slushies & tea drinks)

• Soy Bean Chan Flower Shop (tofu dessert)

• Watch my Tik Tok HERE

Places I want to try next: Spring Shabu-Shabu, Shanghai You Garden, Playdate NYC, Moge Tee, Pho Metro, Dunhuang Lanzhou Beef noodle, Daesung Korean Noodle, Joju, White Bear

5. NIGHTLIFE/BARS

Bars, dancing places, & more. 

• Angel’s Share** (exotic cocktails, speakeasy, inside Village Yokocho – great drinks!)

• Joyface

• Please Don’t Tell

• 310 Bowery Bar* (sports bar)

• The Little Shop

• Spring Lounge

• Katana Kitten* (Japanese small bites & cool vibe)

• H0L0 (Bushwick)

• Mood Ring

• Bossa Nova Civic Club

• The Brooklyn Mirage 

• Elsewhere

• Ponyboy

• Kind regards

• Butterfly Soho

• Paul’s Casablanca

• Union Pool

  % ARABICA, DUMBO, Brooklyn

6. COFFEE SHOPS

I love coffee, so lots more to be added!

• Brooklyn Ball Factory

• Hungry Ghost Coffee

• Poetica Coffee

• Oslo Coffee Roasters

• Blank Street 

• Dweebs

• Homecoming

• Citizens of Chelsea

• Think Coffee

• Seven Grams Caffe

• Bird & Branch

7. BAKERIES, DESSERTS, & TEA DRINKS

TEA SHOPS

• Tiger Sugar*

• Alimama Tea*

• ViVi Bubble Tea

• Ho Ho Te

• Gong Cha

• I’Milky

• Coco Fresh Milk Tea*

• BIAO Sugar

• MomenTea

• Lazy Sundaes

• Xing Fu Tang*

• Grace Street Coffee & Desserts

• FIFTYLAN*

• Ten Ren’s Tea Time

• M Tea

• Moge Tee 86

• Infinitea NY

• Teazzi Tea Shop

• Yaya Tea

shopping in Soho

8. CLOTHING STORES

This list includes new & popular, local boutiques, and secondhand, vintage shops that I love to frequent.

MY TOP 10 CLOTHING STORES YOU MUST CHECK OUT IN 2022 IN NYC

THRIFT SHOPS

• Beacon’s Closet (multiple locations. I like the Greenpoint location.))

• Buffalo Exchange (multiple locations)

• L Train Vintage (multiple locations)

• Urban Jungle* (more affordable)

• Crossroads Trading

• Awoke Vintage (multiple locations)

• 10 ft Single by Stella Dallas* – definitely one of my most favorite shops, organized, huge selections

• Chickee’s Vintage* (Williamsburg)

• Gotham Thrift Shop

• Designer Revival

• Amarcord Vintage

• Housing Works

• The Thrifty Hog

• Brooklyn Vintiques

• Malin Landaeus

• Seven Wonders Collective

• Le Grand Strip Vintage Fashion

9. FURNITURE SHOPS

• Big Reuse – Gowanus

• Bedford Galleries – Williamsburg

• Alberto & Sons

• Out Of The Closet

• Furnish Green

• Dobbin St. Co-op – Greenpoint

• Dream Fishing Tackle – Greenpoint, mid-century furniture, amazing vinyl selection & fishing bait

• Remix Market – Long Island City (LIC)

FOR LOCALS: Garbage nights – strolls around streets of NY. Avoid upholstered furniture (bed bugs)

• Faceboook Marketplace

• @stoopingnyc & @curbalert – must be quick to pick things up since both pages have a lot of followers

10. SPECIALTY STORES

Erik Shoe Repair

Canal Plastics Center (plastic fabrication company)

Korin (restaurant supply store)

Nintendo NY (video game store)

Tesolife (Asian household goods store)

Foster Sundry (butcher shop)

BATHHOUSE (Williamsburg, spa)

11. PLANT SHOPS, BOOKSTORES, & STATIONERY STORES

PLANTS: 

• Tula Plants & Design* (Greenpoint, Brooklyn)

• Greenery Unlimited – watch my Tik Tok HERE

• The Sill

• Dashing Plants*

• Little Shop of Soil

• Brooklyn Plantology by Lapide

• horti PLAY

• Indoor Outdoor Gardener

• Noble Planta

BOOKS:

• Strand Book Store*

• Greenlight Bookstore

• Molasses Books

• Housing Works Bookstore

• Rizzoli Bookstore

• Bookoff

STATIONERY:

• niconeco zakkaya – Japanese stationery

• Global Table (pottery)

• Yoseka Stationery (Greenpoint, Brooklyn, Taiwanese stationery) – watch my Tik Tok HERE

• Kinokuniya New York – watch my Tik Tok at Kinokuniya Seattle HERE

views from The High Line (left) & Squibb Park Bridge, Brooklyn (right)

12. NYC PARKS & BRIDGES

• Domino Park

• Brooklyn Bridge Park*

• Squibb Park*

• Brooklyn Heights Promenade*

• Stuyvesant Square Park

• Tompkins Square Park*

• Madison Square Park*

• Hunter’s Point South Park

• Bryant Park

• Astoria Park

• Rockefeller Park

• City Hall Park

• Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms State Park – watch my Tik Tok HERE

13. MUSEUMS

• The Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET)*

• The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)*

• The Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Guggenheim Museum

• The Whitney Museum of American Art

• Brooklyn Museum

• The Met Cloisters

• The Frick Collection*

• The Noguchi Museum* – read my blog post HERE

• 9/11 Memorial & Museum

• Brooklyn Botanic Garden

• American Museum of Natural History

• The Sex Museum

• The Morgan Library & Museum

Coney Island Beach

14. BEACHES IN NYC

• Orchard Beach: The Bronx’s only public beach

• Long Beach

• Robert Moses State Park

• Gunnison Beach

• Midland Beach

• Brighton Beach

• Manhattan Beach

• Bayshore waterfront Park

• South Beach

• Cooper’s Beach

• Main Beach

15. DAY TRIP IDEAS IN NYC AND FROM NYC

• Coney Island – watch my Tik Tok HERE

• Upstate New York

• Montauk

• Catskill

BRB doing more research, so come back for more!

I hope my list of things to do in New York City doesn’t overwhelm you so much. It definitely feels like it to me, and I feel like it will take me years and years to explore it all. I have yet to visit many famous touristy places even after 2 visits and now living here. So if this is your first time in the city, just go do all of the touristy things and have fun being a tourist!

If you notice, I don’t tend to suggest places to stay in most of my travel guides. My recommendation is to just book whatever is within your budget. I’ve stayed at the Boro Hotel in Queens for the first time in NYC back in 2016, a hotel in Midtown, and one Financial District the second visit and third time before getting my Brooklyn apartment key. Just pick whatever is convenient and not too far of a walk from train stations, and I’d say a maximum of 10 minutes walk is good.

Hope this blog post is helpful, and leave me any questions and specific NYC guides that you’d like me to create next. Thanks for reading!

READ MY OTHER CITY GUIDES:

The Ultimate Seattle City Guide

Houston City Travel Guide – 10 Actually Cool Things to Do

Twin Cities Minnesota Guide

15 Most Beautiful Places to Visit in Oregon