new york : {the frocks & other frivolities guide}.

New York - a city of glittering lights and lofty dreams - is not a destination, but an experience. All the most pellucid images and words in the world cannot prepare you for its vivacity, heady pace, and dynamic spirit that beguiles you far beyond your departure. 

Indeed, New York is a cornucopia of sartorial perfection, gustatory delights, and exquisite culture ... but if these weren't reason enough to visit this grand city, this is the place to escape to when one needs perfect clarity to be instilled upon their dreams. 

This is the frocks & other frivolities' guide to NYC, which is inevitably an escapade into the big apple's whimsical world of food, fashion (and other frivolities!) ... but I cannot reiterate enough, lovely readers, that ultimately the greatest adventure in NYC is creating your own...

{P.S. What to bring : a camera, an ample suitcase, and a heart open to new possibilities...}

FASHION // {where to shop}

New York City may as well be a synonym for fashion nirvana; the density of sartorial loveliness is immense enough to flutter even the most stoic of hearts. 

Soho : traipse around the vicinity of Broome/Spring/Wooster/Broadway St and one will stumble upon every bona fide designer desirable as well as quaint boutique gems 

Madison Avenue, Manhattan :  purveyor of luxury high-end designers (Celine, Chloe, Proenza Schouler, Valentino...) that necessitates the obligatory accompaniment of Laduree macarons {also be certain to pop into my favourite shoe store, Schutz}

A Second Chance designer resale boutique : two lovely locations in the Upper East Side and Soho, this is the secret to the luxe polished aesthetic of New York women

Nolita district : Mott St, Elizabeth St ... wonderful for impossibly chic little boutiques

FOOD // {where to eat}

Even the most gastronomically ambitious would find it impossible to find the time or stomach space to accommodate the food mecca that is NYC.

Cafe Gitane : 270 Lafayette St {for delightful orange blossom waffles whilst brushing against the fashion elite}

The Butcher's Daughter : 19 Kenmare St {light organic cuisine}

Gemma : 335 Bowery St, beneath the Bowery Hotel {here, you will understand that the paradox of understated opulence actually exists}

The Mercer Kitchen : 99 Prince St {for languid breakfasts of buttermilk pancakes laced in warmed blueberries and French toast drizzled in caramelised peaches}

Momofuku Milk Bar : several delightful locations {the cereal soft serve is an imperative as are the crack cookies to bring home}

Laduree : 864 Madison Ave {cannot possibly compare to the original in Paris, but revel in a few macarons in nearby Central Park and it is still a transcendent experience}

Balthazar : 80 Spring St {for utterly sumptuous traditional bistro fare in a lusciously dimlit setting, I have such fond memories of the evening I spent dining here}
Dean & DeLuca : multiple locations {for gorgeous gourmet picnics}

FUN // {where to go & other frivolities}

Make a friend and explore the myriad of possibilities in this enchanting city...

The Metropolitan Museum : 1000 5th Ave

The Frick Collection : 1E 70th St

MoMA : 11W 53rd St

Statue of Liberty : Liberty Island {an American icon that will always hold a special place in my heart}

Central Park : 14E 60th St {an utterly whimsical vision in the spring with the magnolias and cherry blossoms on the cusp of blooming} 

Broadway : 729 7th Ave

US Open Tennis Championships : Flushing Meadows {have always been an avid tennis player and would buy a ticket in a heart beat if I were there currently}

...And with that, most importantly, cherish the memories you make in this scintillating city and expect to return with bags laden with treasures and hearts full with stories {if, of course, it hasn't already irrevocably fallen in love and beckoned to stay forever}... <3  

{This post was dedicated to my utterly delightful friend, Shannon, who mentored me throughout my high school years with grace and ease - hope your NYC sojourn was magical!}

Much love, Mandy. xx