EAT, SEE, DO: LOWER MANHATTAN (NEW YORK CITY)

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What better way to celebrate Lulu’s birthday than with a city break to our favourite skyscraper-fest with the most elite vibes of all time? That’s right – New York! Our third trip to New York City marked the first time we’ve visited while having our #FLIGHTSANDFEELINGS platform so you already know we had to pack as much as we possibly could in. We know that no matter how many times we visit, we’ll never be short of things to discover, things to see or places to eat at because The Big Apple is exactly that – BIG. We found so much to do that we hadn’t done before, but because of the sheer size of the city we thought it would be helpful to break our “Eat, See, Do” series down into smaller chunks, starting with Lower Manhattan:

Eat at the Supermoon Bakehouse

#FlightsAndFeelings - EAT, SEE, DO: LOWER MANHATTAN (NEW YORK CITY)
SUPERMOON BAKEHOUSE – #FlightsAndFeelings – EAT, SEE, DO: LOWER MANHATTAN (NEW YORK CITY)
#FlightsAndFeelings - EAT, SEE, DO: LOWER MANHATTAN (NEW YORK CITY)
SUPERMOON BAKEHOUSE – #FlightsAndFeelings – EAT, SEE, DO: LOWER MANHATTAN (NEW YORK CITY)
#FlightsAndFeelings - EAT, SEE, DO: LOWER MANHATTAN (NEW YORK CITY)
SUPERMOON BAKEHOUSE – #FlightsAndFeelings – EAT, SEE, DO: LOWER MANHATTAN (NEW YORK CITY)
#FlightsAndFeelings - EAT, SEE, DO: LOWER MANHATTAN (NEW YORK CITY)
SUPERMOON BAKEHOUSE – #FlightsAndFeelings – EAT, SEE, DO: LOWER MANHATTAN (NEW YORK CITY)
With the neon pink signage, marble counters, and edgy baked goods waiting to be packed in their iridescent packaging, this one is an Instagrammer’s dream. We stopped by for some tea and a couple of alternative-flavoured donuts such as the ‘Lavender & Honey’ and the ‘Strawberry, Basil & Rhubarb’ concoctions which were surprisingly really good! The stools in the bakery aren’t the most comfortable which tells us that this isn’t the kind of place they want people sticking around in for too long – not the kind of place you should set up shop with your laptop! That aside, it’s worth popping in if you’re fed up of Dunkin’ Donuts and want a donut (or croissant) with a twist, in a desperately millennial-decorated environment!

Other places to eat: Verlaine is a bar that is located a short walk away from Supermoon Bakehouse and is widely known for their Lychee Martinis; of course we had to pop in during Happy Hour and grab a couple! They also serve up some yummy snacks and bites, and we helped ourselves to calamari and Verlaine hot chips.

Pietro Nolita is another one for the ‘grammers which is tucked away just north of Little Italy (hence the name of the neighbourhood it’s in being ‘Nolita’). The teeny restaurant is decked out in all pink everything! We popped in for a couple of cocktails as we already eaten elsewhere.

#FlightsAndFeelings - EAT, SEE, DO: LOWER MANHATTAN (NEW YORK CITY)
PIETRO NOLITA – #FlightsAndFeelings – EAT, SEE, DO: LOWER MANHATTAN (NEW YORK CITY)
#FlightsAndFeelings - EAT, SEE, DO: LOWER MANHATTAN (NEW YORK CITY)
PIETRO NOLITA – #FlightsAndFeelings – EAT, SEE, DO: LOWER MANHATTAN (NEW YORK CITY)
WATCH: EPISODE 17 – THE NEW YORK MOVIE!

See the 9/11 Memorial at the World Trade Centre

#FlightsAndFeelings - EAT, SEE, DO: LOWER MANHATTAN (NEW YORK CITY)
9/11 MEMORIAL – #FlightsAndFeelings – EAT, SEE, DO: LOWER MANHATTAN (NEW YORK CITY)

Now we must admit, this is something we did during our 2016 visit but in the interest of grouping an itinerary by area we would still always recommend getting to Ground Zero if you’ve not been before. Reading the names of every life lost is overwhelming and deeply saddening as there were so many fatalities, but the memorial is beautifully designed and it is so moving. Almost everyone remembers where they were at the time the tragedy took place (we were both in primary school at the time). The event is something that cannot be imagined, and visiting the site all these years later is still met with a sense of disbelief that it could even have happened at all. However, coming from London which has had its share of horrors it reminds us to be thankful for the bravery of those who responded in the moment – those who were doing their jobs as well as bystanders – and to also admire the strength of those who have been personally affected by it all. The memorial is an architecturally stunning place designed for reflection, and in a city as busy as New York one place you’re guaranteed to find some peace is right here.

Do Spend a Few Hours at The Color Factory

#FlightsAndFeelings - EAT, SEE, DO: LOWER MANHATTAN (NEW YORK CITY)
THE COLOR FACTORY – #FlightsAndFeelings – EAT, SEE, DO: LOWER MANHATTAN (NEW YORK CITY)
#FlightsAndFeelings - EAT, SEE, DO: LOWER MANHATTAN (NEW YORK CITY)
THE COLOR FACTORY – #FlightsAndFeelings – EAT, SEE, DO: LOWER MANHATTAN (NEW YORK CITY)
#FlightsAndFeelings - EAT, SEE, DO: LOWER MANHATTAN (NEW YORK CITY)
THE COLOR FACTORY – #FlightsAndFeelings – EAT, SEE, DO: LOWER MANHATTAN (NEW YORK CITY)
#FlightsAndFeelings - EAT, SEE, DO: LOWER MANHATTAN (NEW YORK CITY)
THE COLOR FACTORY – #FlightsAndFeelings – EAT, SEE, DO: LOWER MANHATTAN (NEW YORK CITY)
Visiting The Color Factory was on the main agenda for Lulu’s birthday and to be truthful, we had no idea what to expect – the posts about it on Instagram were intriguing yet still painfully mysterious. So what did we do? We bought tickets for it in advance before we got out to NYC! Without giving too much away, we found out that it’s an interactive exhibition with a number of walk through rooms all curated by different artists linked to a common theme – colour! If you know Abi you’ll know she loves a holiday where she has a sweet, strong drink in her hand, where the sun is shining and the pool is just one zanku-dance-kick away; getting her to go to a museum or art gallery? Very unlikely! However, Abi enjoyed the activities at The Colour Factory and so we would definitely recommend a visit for anyone who is museum-averse. Top tip: This is perfect for groups, but to fully enjoy every aspect of the exhibition go in pairs, or ensure your group has an even number of attendees!

Other things to do: Shake a leg at the Vig Bar. Located on Spring Street (not too far from Nolita) this is a cute, quiet spot to enjoy happy hour and a mid-week leg shake if you go on a Wednesday or Thursday, where our friend DJ Carver The Great is the resident DJ spinning the greatest and latest in Afrobeats.

What gems do you know about in Lower Manhattan? Let us know!

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