5 Things I Want to do in NYC after Quarantine

Happy Thursday y’all! I was really inspired by Allie’s post yesterday about ten restaurants she can’t wait to visit in New York once quarantine was over, and it got me thinking about what exactly I want to do when I return to New York eventually. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t know when that will be and every day is something new (and I by no means am saying I know what’s going on to a T, etc., etc.), BUT I’m hopeful that I will be making my debut back in my abode before the end of 2020, to put it vaguely.

When I was going through my drafts on blog posts, I actually had a spring bucket list in NYC planned out for March before everything happened and it’s crazy to think that an entire season will have passed by the time I return (one of the best seasons in the city, nonetheless). So today’s post is dedicated to sharing what I’m looking forward to most, although things are likely going to be a bit different than they have been my last four years in the city.

Is there anything y’all want to do in NYC? Perhaps it’s just making a trip there one day once we’re able to fly freely. Would love to know your thoughts! Have a great day y’all and thanks for reading!

1. Not allow myself to let a day go by without leaving the apartment. Unless I’m sick of course, there are so many days (mainly Sundays) that I’ve let just pass without leaving the apartment. Lazy days of course are welcome, but I’m going to make a pact to get out every day and always find at least one place to go. There’s so much to do and see in New York, and I haven’t even hit the tip of the iceberg there.

2. Grab a slice of pizza from Joe’s Pizza or John’s (either Bleeker or Times Square. Oh, your family has a rivalry debate as to whether Joe’s or John’s has the best pizza in all of NYC? After months away, WHO CARES! I will be heading to both pizza joints to get a slice. I get pepperoni/jalapeño or supreme from Joe’s and Margherita from John’s. You can’t go wrong with an authentic NYC slice (and no, dollar pizza does not count as the same thing).

3. Spend more of my time exploring uptown. It’s funny, as a millennial in New York you aren’t really supposed to venture past 14th street according to “trendy folks,” *plot twist* I live above 14th street lol. I’ve made a point to venture to Midtown/UES/Yorkville/UWS/etc. as minimal as possible, but after this whole pandemic thing I want to make it a goal to at least venture uptown once a month whether it’s going to Central Park, walking on Madison Ave. past the stores I can’t afford, or checking out the park on the river on the West Side.

4. Take some sort of elaborate photoshoot at Top of the Rock or in Times Square. I have plenty of pictures in New York from over the years, but when I was looking through for some sort of iconic shot while in quarantine I realized that I primarily shoot in West Village or Gramercy to showcase the “quintessential” Carrie Bradshaw style NYC. I’ve never done an actual photo shoot in some place iconic or have anything other than a few iPhone photos to share (hence, this post photo being from when I started my internship at Cosmopolitan before my junior year of college).

5. Find more local spots to support. I know of small local restaurants and bars that aren’t chains and whatnot, but I want to explore more of the vintage and local shops that NYC is known for (while sticking true to my aesthetic/not doing it just for TikTok lol). I feel like the smaller, local stores are where you meet those true New Yorkers with history, and it’s definitely something I want to explore once they’re able to open again.