Run, Eat, Date, Sleep

The day before the NYC Half Marathon was spent sleeping in and exploring Union Square, Chelsea Square Market, and the High Line.

Our first stop was Union Square to check out lululemon and grab some brunch.

I was able to pick up a new running tech shirt. I miss the discount!

We then grabbed a table at Steak Frites for their delicious brunch with unlimited mimosas and Bloody Marys.

I ordered the Brioche French Toast with berries and sausage. It was one of the best breakfasts I have ever had!

Next up was the expo to grab my bib and swag bag!

There weren’t any vendors there that I absolutely needed to see, so we were in and out and on our way to Chelsea Square Market. I had never been there before, so I had no idea what to expect, but I loved it!

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Our first stop in Chelsea Market was Anthropologie, where I splurged on this lovely smelling candle. I’ve been burning it ever since I returned home.

We also stopped in a grocery store selling the largest Nutella I’ve ever seen. I believe it was over $70. Chelsea Market is full of cute little shops and adorable places to eat. I can’t wait to go back with an emptier stomach so I can try some more things.

Alison and I then headed over to the High Line, a public park built on an historic freight rail line elevated above the streets on Manhattan’s West Side.

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I would love to work in the city and just take my lunch up to the High Line and enjoy the scenery, the view, and people-watching.

It has a little bit of a view of the Statue of Liberty.

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After all of that sight-seeing, we went back to Alison’s for a big ol’ nap, followed by dinner from a local Brooklyn place. I forget the name now!

I’m so glad Alison allowed me to stay with her over the NYC Half weekend. She was a great tour guide!

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I’m just now getting around to recapping my weekend in NYC for the NYC Half!

I left semi-early from Orlando to catch my flight to JFK via JetBlue. It was my first flight with JetBlue, and I don’t think I’ll be flying with anyone else anytime soon. Free first checked bag, individual TVs for everyone, and unlimited snacks and beverages!

Seriously, when Criminal Minds came on, I was in flight heaven!

When I awoke from a nap, I realized I missed out on my snack opportunity and summoned the flight attendant to bring me some cookies

So much better than a little packet of stale biscotti, right?

When I arrived at the airport, it was fairly easy to find my way to the Go Shuttle I was scheduled to take into the city. If you’re looking for transportation to and from the NYC airports, check them out. They were very efficient, and they drop you off wherever you need to go in Manhattan, and it was fairly inexpensive.

I asked to be dropped off in Midtown at the public library.

I had plans to sit and read in Bryant Park, which is adjacent to the library, but it was a dreary, rainy day.

I decided to grab lunch at Cosi instead since we don’t have any in Orlando, and it had been a really long time since I enjoyed one of their sandwiches.

The eating area was quite cramped, and I still had an hour or 2 before Alison would be picking me up to take me to her place, so I decided to leave Cosi so other people could have my table. After a few minutes on Yelp, I found a Chipotle right down the street and grabbed a seat there and read some of “Skinny Bitch” until Alison came to get me.

I was so excited to see her, and I was so ecstatic to have a New Yorker tour guide for the weekend. We headed straight to Brooklyn’s Trader Joe’s for some snacks for the weekend.

We also walked around Brooklyn for a bit, and I picked out my next abode. A nice, little, contemporary brownstone. I’m sure it’s moderately priced

I love streets like this. Makes me think I’ll see Carrie Bradshaw pop out at any minute.

That evening, we laid low and caught dinner at Henry Street Ale House, where we shared the chips and salsa, and I ordered the mushroom, onion, and Swiss burger. So tasty!

I loved the quaint atmosphere and low lighting.

Afterwards, Alison suggested we catch a movie at the cutest little movie theater ever. It only had 2 theaters and 2 employees. We saw Friends with Kids, which was just the right of humor mixed with drama. A majority of the cast was from Bridesmaids, but the comedy in this movie was not over-the-top, unrealistic, and ridiculous like in Bridesmaids. I loved it!

It was a fabulous, low-key evening, and I loved it!

Stay tuned for more NYC recaps.