Preface
What a weekend! On Friday at noon, we departed Orlando on the Brightline train to Ft. Lauderdale to celebrate my cousin marrying my childhood best friend (super cool right?!). We arrived about 3 hours before the party – just enough time to have a snack, shower my nieces with hugs and kisses, and get ready for the event. On the drive there, I said to my sister and brother-in-law, “You know where we always have fun? Weddings!” A random outburst of excitement. We’ve had a few weddings in the past 5 years, including my own and my sister’s, and they are always filled with love, joy, and family – my favorite things! Joi and Rashod’s celebration did not disappoint! We laughed, we drank, and we danced the night away.
On Saturday (the very next morning), my husband and I were scheduled to fly from Ft. Lauderdale to New York City for my godson’s 1st birthday party that Sunday. Sunday night we’d be on a flight from New York City back home to Orlando. We were prepared for a whirlwind weekend from the time we boarded the Brightline. What we were not prepared for was a delayed flight notification from Delta Saturday morning. By the time we were booked on another flight, what was already going to be just shy of 30 hours in NYC became 24 hours in NYC. Waiting hours at the airport for a suitable flight replacement – one that didn’t arrive so late that we’d be unable to do anything Saturday evening – was a nightmare. There was a rainbow when we arrived at the airport though, so I should’ve know everything would be alright.
When we arrived at the hotel, already early evening, we were placed in the wrong room. By this time, I was over it. My husband, however, was convinced that the room was incorrect and insisted on going downstairs to ensure they made it right. We did and they did. After being escorted to the right room, the deluxe city view corner at Millennium Hotel New York One UN Plaza, we quickly showered and got dressed determined to make the most of our one night in New York City.
Where We Went
With all plans out the window, I consulted Yelp for the best rooftop bars in New York City. Ophelia NY came highly recommended, so we walked there. Beautiful bar on the 26th floor of the Beekman Tower. Next time I’ll be sure to make reservations to secure one of the cutesy spots for two on the indoor patio facing the glass. We were fortunate enough to get a high top table outside without a reservation. The drinks were pretty good and the food was very fresh. We’ll definitely be back.
From there we headed to Spyglass Rooftop Bar. My brother-in-law recommended this one and the views of the Empire State Building were unbeatable – just like he said! We had to sit inside for about 25 minutes as I watched the seats that lined the outdoor terrace like a hawk before securing two. We loved this spot as well.
After Spyglass Rooftop Bar, we headed to Break Bar. I told you we were determined to make the most of our short time in NYC! Break Bar is not your typical bar. You literally break the glass when you’re done drinking. You can also buy additional glasses to break. Sign waiver, drink, then off to the break room. We weren’t here for long, but I’m glad we stopped in. Who knew throwing a glass would be so entertaining?
Random Fact: We hadn’t been to New York since my husband’s 30th birthday – 10 years ago!
By this time, it was a little after 1:00 AM. Mr. Thomas decided that we could not call it a night without dessert. In the city that never sleeps, we stumbled upon NY Bakery and Desserts open and ready to serve. We ordered gelato to have then and a slice of cake to have later. We made it back to the room after 2:00 AM and were totally beat. I was grateful that the bed was quite comfy and drifted off almost immediately. The next day’s agenda: brunch, shopping, party.
We woke up, got ready, and headed to Magic Hour Rooftop for Full Bloom. It’s the time of year where the west terrace is beautifully decorated with flowers and the ambiance is perfectly curated for your favorite influencer. There were a few content girlies snapping away! We didn’t plan on being there long, however we ended up making friends with the couple next to us and chatting away. I’ll take new friends over strict schedules any day! After exchanging contact details with them, we headed to Kith Manhattan – a menswear store that my husband wanted to check out.
By this time, I’m anxiously watching the clock. I really wanted to make it to Jet Set Candy. I have a travel charm bracelet from the brand and thought it’d be cool to pick up a New York charm from their flagship store. We didn’t make it 😭 After Kith we rushed back to the hotel to retrieve our luggage, then jumped in an Uber to head to Brooklyn for the party. As much as I wanted a travel charm, I could not make us late to our entire reason for 24 hours in NYC – my godson, Soleil.
I am thrilled to report that we made it to the party and I totally unplugged. I didn’t even know where my phone was until it was time to arrange transportation to the airport. My bestie planned a beautiful 1st birthday party for her sonshine complete with a Caribbean food truck, photographer, DJ, and quite the selection of frozen treats to keep the kiddos cool in the summer sun. Click the links if you’re planning a party in Brooklyn! It was a great day and I was glad that we were able to share it with them.
Next time we visit NYC it will be for more than 24 hours. Where do you recommend we go?
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