An Empire State of Mind (Issue #47)
I’m visiting family this week, so today’s theme is all about one of my favorite places in the world - New York City, baby!!
Hi friends!
This weekend into next week, I’m on vacation visiting family on the East Coast! My parents, my husband Andrew, and I will start in New York City to spend quality time with my grandparents, before splitting off to celebrate my brother-in-law’s wedding in Maryland. I’m really excited to slip away from Minneapolis for a while and to get the chance to catch up and relax with so many people I love!
New York City has always held a special place in my heart and family history. My grandparents, both originally from Honduras, separately immigrated to the United States before meeting and falling in love in New York City. My grandma has spent nearly her entire life in NY, having immigrated at just five years old. She was accompanied by my great-grandma, who had to leave her other children behind as she solidified their new life in America. Years back we even found the Ellis Island passenger and crew arrival list from when they first got here. There it was! My grandma’s name, age, and a list of her belongings, which was limited, in true immigration-story fashion, to just one suitcase.
My grandpa came to New York a little later in life, as an adult through an opportunity with his job at the United Fruit Company. Eventually, my grandparents met and married, and raised my mom and her siblings in Manhattan. Last year I read the book *This Time Tomorrow, which took place blocks away from where my mom grew up on the Upper West Side (and I loved it). Growing up, I always spent a lot of time visiting my grandparent’s house (they still live in the same small apartment my mom grew up in), but I never truly appreciated the city until I got older. Since I’ve explored much more as an adult, I’ve grown to love everything New York has to offer.
This week is the first time in a while that my whole family will be in the city at the same time, and we’re packing a bunch of activities into a relatively short visit. So wish us luck. 😂
Today, join me on a virtual version of my trip, as you work your way through a round-up of New York and travel-inspired recommendations!
A round-up of things to watch, read, and listen to as you head into the weekend.
I know how frustrating paywalls are! When possible, I’ll try to offer gift links through my subscriptions to support access to high-quality journalism.
New York Times: The 100 Best Restaurants in New York City 2023 (gift link) by Pete Wells
This list is such a gift for any traveling foodie! The selections can be sorted by neighborhood and price range, and the accompanying photos provide beautiful texture as you navigate through the long list of highlights. The number one restaurant, Tatiana, opened with a statement from Pete Wells that sold me immediately: “We needed Tatiana. We needed a kitchen that puts Caribbean and African and Black American cooking, too often kept in the city’s margins, right at center stage. We needed to taste the way Kwame Onwuachi focuses and concentrates the flavors of oxtails, goat curry, chopped cheese and other items without losing sight of their roots. And after quarantines and masks and distancing and sundry social traumas, we needed a party. We needed a reason to get dressed up, to drink rum cocktails with spicy food, to stay out past 9 o’clock, to look around a dining room and see a new, heterogeneous vision of New York and to feel hope for its future.” I love the mix of cuisines throughout the list, and I’m hoping to try a couple of them when I’m out there this week!
Vox: The future of cities, according to the experts by Rani Molla
This article takes a real look at the state of big cities, positioning the opinion of experts in conversation with current trends. The pandemic marked a big shift in the way people live and behave in cities, and things are still settling into place following the decline of office culture and the rise of remote work. Highly recommend!
The Cut: Where Do New York Tweens Like to Shop? by Casey Lewis
For this article, Casey Lewis followed 25 New York pre-teens to learn all about their favorite stores, personal style, go-to products, and most hated trends. It’s a cute read and filled with amazing quotes (including but not limited to my fave: “I’m over coats and the drama of zipping them up”). If you wanna save a little time, check out Casy Lewis’ TikTok recapping the highlights from the article:
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Playlists to add to your library.
Flights are one of my fave times to catch up on podcasts, so I made you a little playlist to download ahead of your next trip!
Things to try + share in the group chat.
Note: Links preceded by an asterisk (*) are affiliate links that allow me to collect a small commission when you purchase something I’ve recommended. That said, I can promise I’ll only ever share items I love. Buying through these links is one way to support me and my small biz. ❤️
Set in New York City, *In Five Years is a book I’m really excited to crack into. The story follows Dannie Kohan who, after accepting a marriage proposal from her college sweetheart, is mysteriously transported to five years in her future. She awakens next to a different man, and spends one hour in this future life, before returning to the present. But when she returns, she just can’t shake the experience... It’s a cool concept, and I’m excited to check it out!
Travel days are a time when I want my hair ~out of my face~, and I’m looking forward to using my new claw clip while running through the airport. I’ve tried other claw clips and they just aren’t big enough for my curly hair. Luckily, Acrasia’s Hypernova clip was made especially for people with long, thick, and/or curly hair!! It’s super cute and comfy for an easy all-day updo. The one I got is made from wood pulp, making it a more eco-friendly alternative to the standard plastic clips.
On my flight home, I’m looking forward to trying a hack
wrote about at the end of January:“When I’m on the plane (this is mostly in regard to flying home from LA), I will order groceries for the week ahead. That flight typically gets me home late at night. Having groceries arrive the next morning like clockwork makes me feel really cared for when I’m inevitably jet lagged the next day (and it ensures I’ll make a healthy breakfast choice).”
I notoriously eat out a lot during the week following a big trip, so I’m excited to try this life hack to curb that impulse and save a little money. For more great hacks like this, be sure to check out the rest of Grace’s “Little Life Improvers” here.
My mom is one of my favorite people on the planet, so I’m sooooo excited to be able to share her top recommendations with you!! Read it here.
Have a good weekend!
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