New York
I’ve been wanting to get back to New York city for a long time, so I was thrilled to plan a trip to the East Coast in September, which in my opinion is one of the best times to visit. I had really been wanting to attend Experts Only, an EDM festival opening at the end of September that was started by John Summit. I figured I could combine the festival with a trip to the city and stay about a week, visiting friends and family and doing some solo exploring.
Day 1
I arrived in NY on Friday and checked in to The Standard High Line Hotel, which was located in the Meatpacking District, an area that I really love. The view was incredible and I loved the design of the entire hotel. There’s even a cute outdoor bar in front of the hotel with diner themed drinks and snacks, as well as the rooftop bar Le Bain.
For dinner I headed to The Office of Mr. Moto, a tucked away sushi restaurant in the East Village that features a 21-course handmade sushi dinner. We had to find a hidden call box and enter a specially provided code to enter which was so fun. Each serving is made by itamae, which are highly-trained sushi chefs, who served me and several other guests all seated together at one counter. All the food and sake was incredible and it was such a unique experience.
After dinner we stopped by The Rhymers’ Club, a nearby bar with a very sleek interior design and of course, I indulged in an espresso martini. Next we headed over to Marquee, a nightclub in Manhattan with a stunning view of the city. Layton Giordani, one of the artists playing at Experts Only that weekend, was the DJ for the night. It was such a fun kickoff to the weekend to be at the highest dance floor in the city, meeting new people and enjoying the amazing views.
Day 2
Saturday was beautiful, and I took advantage of the perfect weather by going on a walk along the High Line. I love seeing the city this way, you’re simultaneously weaving between buildings but still elevated from the street and busy traffic.
It was the first day of the festival, which was being held on Randall’s Island, a pretty unique location to have an event. Guests had the option to take a ferry to the island which was a pretty awesome way to roll up to a festival.
We started off the in VIP area but quickly transitioned to dancing in GA, which I pretty much always find to be more fun, as the crowds are more energetic and there’s generally more PLUR. Overall it was a super fun opening set, I was very in the moment and met a few people in the crowd who had traveled from all over.
Day 3
I headed to Le Coin the next day for some lunch - this is an adorable French restaurant in the Meatpacking District and the oysters and fries I ordered were perfect.
I wanted to get to the festival a bit earlier on Sunday because there was a slot marked “???” on the lineup and I predicted that John Summit would be playing a surprise set at one of the smaller stages. Luckily, I was right and was only a few rows back from the stage for his afternoon performance which was so energetic!
The Day 2 set was even better than the first night, I befriended a few girls and we got up pretty close to the stage and stayed until the very end before taking the ferry back to Manhattan.
Day 4
The next day I explored the Little Island park, which is right by the Standard High Line. I love the design of this park and the views of the city skyline are so gorgeous. It’s also totally free for anyone and they even have a little ampitheater for performances.
I wandered around the city a bit more before heading back to my cousin’s apartment and resting up for the week to come.
Day 5
On Tuesday I headed to Central Park to explore, grab coffee, and read my new book - My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh, which I highly recommend. I love Central Park so much and could spend hours there (which I did).
Day 6
Of course I had to find a good spot to find a New York bagel the next morning to cure my hangover. Cinnamon raisin with extra cream cheese and OJ = heaven. Then I headed to the NoMad district to browse Rizzoli’s bookstore and grab some coffee.
Day 7
For my final day in NYC, I headed back to the High Line to enjoy more views of the city (this time walking south).
For dinner I headed to Sugarfish in SoHo (I love their sushi here!) then I took the subway up to Yankee Stadium for a rainy baseball game. I snagged a cheap ticket for only $20.
This was a really special trip for me - getting to revisit a city I love as an independent adult, spend time with my cousin and meet new people all while enjoying music I love and seeing new sights. I always feel a constant electric energy in New York. There’s always some experience beckoning me to get out and explore, try something new, say hello to a stranger. I love being in a place with no shortage of excitement and opportunity. I’m sure I’ll be back soon!
