The most amazing, incredible, colorful, culinary, melting pot in the world. New York is absolutely magical and I would give anything to go back in time to move there. I chose to move back to Rome which makes me equally grateful, but there is no other city like New York City. Just look at it!
Skylark NYC 
Skylark NYC
So the first 2 photos look amazing right? Well, I have to be honest, it didn’t start that way… instead it went something like this…. It was SOOOO incredibly cold OMG I WAS DYING hahaha.. those who know me, know that I put the heater on when its 70 degrees, imagine me in this cold? wow… I think my face says it all haha!!! BRUTAL…but worth it 🙂
From the airport, we went to the hotel. The weirdest hotel ever, it was like we walked right into the future, the twilight zone. Weird donkey’s with huge smiles were at the entrance and there were robots there to take your luggages too. We checked in on screens (no humans) and it was so frustrating! I was like “omgg where are the humans!!” hahaha We finally found a human on the 4th floor and we finally got settled into our futuristic “cabin.” Don’t ask…
Cold? 
Luckily we got the effff out of the cold, settled into our weird spaceship room and what do you think our first stop was? DINNNERRRRR TIMEEE haha!! We went and had a beautiful Italian dinner at Olio e Piú in Greenwich Village. We were dying for a true Roman Carbonara and what better place to have that (outside of Rome) than New York City! It was the best way to celebrate my birthday….again….
Uber 
Olio e Piú
Day 2 of the Smors Adventures
We woke up bright and early to head over to Central Park 🙂 First we needed some kind of coffee since our hotel didn’t even have any.. lets not even get into the hotel!! So we did our morning sightseeing in search of a traditional NY coffee- we found it and it tasted like dirt hahaha and it was SO COLD- but here I am!! 
We finished what we could but then went straight to Bluestone Lane for some breakfast. Now THIS was where the coffee was at!! We had 2 golden lattes (almond milk, espresso, turmeric & honey- my daily routine actually), a perfect avocado toast topped with prosciutto and egg as well as a smoked salmon sandwich on brioche bread. Everything was perfect, and what more could you ask for when you’re enjoying an amazing coffee overlooking Central Park with your best friend.
Blue Stone Central Park 
Avocado Toast with Prosciutto & Egg 
Smoked Salmon on Brioche
Such a great little spot in Central Park- so of course after, we walked through it 🙂 I was a little sad that it was so grey- Val hasn’t ever been there, so she couldn’t see the actual beauty of it but it was soooo cold and snowy that it was understandable, the cold froze the park haha. We loved it anyway- even if I stepped in a huge puddle of mud.. of course!!! But seeing this beautiful park surrounding this incredible city made it just as magical as if it were Spring.
Central Park 
Smors in the Park 
Alice & Wonderland
Now, you can only imagine the hunger we felt after walking through the park for a whooole 15 minutes haha and it was so cold so what better thing to do then find something to eat… we thought of trying a new Italian place but instead… who goes to NYC and doesn’t have a dirty dog with pizza?? OF COURSE when it was time for us to have those, there wasn’t a hot dog stand or pizza place in sight hahaha jeeeeezzzz… walking, walking, walking I spotted that yellow “Sabrett” umbrella and right behind it a “Pizza Famiglia” SCORE! First though, I had to take my “Gossip Girl” photo-op since we were passing The Met Museum… a must if you’re ever in NYC 🙂
The MET 
Sabrett Hot Dogs 
Famiglia Pizza
So we’ve walked through Broadway, Time Square, shopped, ate, went through Central Park and explored the Empire State Building that it was seriously time for a nap. We needed some beauty sleep for our night out. We are grandmas hahaha so we needed a nap ok?!
We’re up!!! And ready as ever to hit the town 🙂 Our first stop was The Skylark NYC for some before dinner drinks. This turned into the best night we have, and I have ever had in NYC. We had wonderful craft cocktails overlooking the most incredible sunset in the world. In a warehouse, you go all the way up to the rooftop where an amazing bar is- it overlooks the whole entire city as well as the Hudson River- incredible. The photos at the beginning of the blog is the view of this place but the best was that we were sitting right in front of the building that has the New Years Eve Ball- breathtaking!!!
Skylark Terrace 
New Years Ball 
Skylark Coctails 
Skylark Lounge
It was an incredible place, but after 3 very strong cocktails and an amazing cheese and charcuterie platter, it was time to leave as we had a reservation at “Thai Villa.” Sorry, no photos of the platter since we were so wrapped up in our drinks and cheese- one thing you need to know about Valentina and I is that you can’t mess with us and our CHEESE! WE LOVE CHEESE! haha
After our cheese fest, we made it to Thai Villa restaurant where we had a 30 minute wait ahead of us. If you do end up getting to NYC, please go check out Thai Villa– it was seriously so good!! While we were waiting, a group of 3 comes in and got a table before us- this didn’t sit well with Val haha so she went up to the guys and goes “Cool, you’re 3 people, well let’s make it 5 because we’re joining you!” And we did!! Turns out the guys were from Cali AND Vegas so we all just felt right at home. Unfortunately no pictures of the food and the restaurant as we were having the best time- this turned into the best NYC night we could have. Just this one goofy photo of me since they surprised me with some more B-Day love ♥
We all left the restaurant for some drinks at The Seville, inside The James Hotel-Nomad. They have their own little door that leads there from the street which makes it the coolest little underground bar. It was perfect. Perfect company, perfect DJ and the perfect scenery. What an amazing night and although I don’t have any food pics besides the nerd one above hahaha here are a couple tipsy monstrosity photos for you!! All other photos and videos (of me rapping to Coolio) can be found on my IG highlights 🙂
Smors @ Seville 
New Friends 
My Love
To conclude the evening- I present to you Gyro at 3am and my beautiful best friend Valentina devouring it hahah!! She will kill me for this, but it is soooo worth it- just like the Gyro!!! Love you Smors ♥ (BTW, yes the room has purple lights…wtf).
My best friend 
and our Gryro
Day 3 of the Smors adventures
It was a rough, and I mean a ROUGH morning- this grandma can’t hang after 7 drinks haha but that didn’t stop us on our last and final day! We mustered up all our strength and energy, got ready and went to another magical destination 🙂 A place where my father would always take my mamma and located in the heart of Central Park… Tavern on the Green ♥ It was a place I held in my heart for so long that I was so incredibly blessed to get to share the place and the experience for the first time with my one and only best friend.
Lump Crab Cocktail & Steak Tartar 
Tavern on the Green 
Cobb Salad & Signature Burger 
Tavern on the Green
After this food coma of a lunch, this grandma needed a nap ASAP! The night before killed my soul haha that I couldn’t even reeeeally enjoy my lunch and I was NOT about to miss drinks at the Peninsula or a walk with the bestie down 5th avenue & Rockefeller Center! And luckily after my nap, that is exactly what we did.. and with a perfect Ramen, from Tonchin to end the night.
Thank you NYC and especially my bestie, Valentina for bringing me back to the place I love most in this world and for the best birthday a girl could ask for. Hopefully one day in my future I will be able to call NYC my home♥
- NEW YORK CITY
- Istanbul, Turkey
- Cape Town- Things to EAT
- Cape Town, Things to do
- Durban, South Africa
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