Becks and the Cities

Hi guys! Happy Thursday!! I’ve decided to take the next few Thursdays to do a “Throwback Thursday” series.  Last summer, Tristan and I went on a two-week road trip, which started in Charleston, SC and ended in Canada!! Each week I will upload a post about one of the cities we visited.  We had so much fun and I thought it’d be great opportunity to share with you guys!  

It’s no surprise that New York City is one of the most exciting places to visit on the eastern side of the United States. My grandmother lives in Brooklyn and I’ve had many fond memories visiting the bustling city. Every time I go, there’s something new to see or food to try!

One of the coolest places we went to on this trip, was actually at The Bagel Store (odd, right?). If you know, you know. If not, let me explain. This store houses RAINBOW BAGELS. YES. You probably have seen these bad boys pop up on Pinterest or Instagram. Let me just say, for better or for worse, they are that shockingly vibrant! The store is a little out of the way, down Metropolitan Avenue, but a subway ride and a few blocks to walk were worth it! While the bagel was 100% fabulous, the taste was more sugary than expected.  Regardless, I still found them fun.  Tristan’s review, on the other hand: “I probably wouldn’t get these again.”  Oh well.

Basically, if you have a chance to experience them, DO IT.

The next foodie place we bounced to was Tipsy Scoop on East 26th Street. Get ready for a whole lot of flavor, as each flavor is inspired by a classic or modern cocktail. YES- the ice creams are infused with liquor! I got two scoops: dark chocolate whisky salted caramel and spiked hazelnut coffee.  Literally everything I love in a cup.  Tristan went fruity with: strawberry white sangria sorbet and mango margarita sorbet (also everything I love in a cup). You seriously can’t go wrong.  This stop was a jackpot winner for us both. The little shop is a tradition in the owners family. While the generations before served a more traditional scoop in their ice cream parlor, the newest generation is incorporating a twist. And I love every bit of it! I can’t wait to go back!  

Somewhere along the way, we ended up in Times Square. And we needed some food. Yes, more food. That’s when we spotted bbq.  Now, when I think of NYC, I don’t think of bbq. It’s too far north to know a Southern favorite. Well, at least I thought. I was quite skeptical, since I’ve lived in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Mississippi within the last three years. I’d like to think I know a little something about good bbq.  We got a few sliders and mac & cheese for a side. Did not disappoint.

A NY trip couldn’t be complete if I didn’t stop in an art gallery. So we stopped at MoMA! Notice these famous works?

Tristan had never been to a Broadway show before (le gasp!). My family enjoys theater performances, so we grew up going to several shows. I had to take this opportunity and see one with him! We waited in the TKTS line and ended up going with “Phantom of the Opera” at the Majestic Theater. Although I’ve seen Phantom on Broadway before, it’s one of my  favorites and I couldn’t pass up another opportunity to see it! Andrew Lloyd Webber is a musical genius (slayyy) and I can’t get enough of this amazing sound track.

Shout out to my sister, Laura, who learned how to play the entire musical on the piano when I was in high school. You gave me the opportunity to not only sing as the Phantom, but also Christine Daaé, Carlotta, and Raoul….. all at once. Yes, I know every word.

Our journey to the theater was a bit of a bumpy ride. We had been running around all day and wanted to take the train back to Brooklyn to freshen up before the evening show. We had hours to do so and thought we’d have enough time to shower, eat, and change. If you see where this is going, you know there’s more to the story.  The train heading from Manhattan to Brooklyn decided to stop on the Brooklyn Bridge.  Not for a few minutes, but for an HOUR AND A HALF. YES. I had to use the restroom before we got on… imagine my luck. 

When we finally got to the next stop, Tristan and I made a game time decision to ditch the remaining subway stops and Uber our way back to the apartment to change. Guess what… Uber was slower!!! By the time we got back to change, we had minutes to get out of our sweaty clothes and hop into fresh ones. No time to shower or eat. We started our journey back, which was faster than our previous trip (luckily).  At the end, we even had time to spare! We used our good fortune to buy drinks at the theater (we deserved them, right??). Yeah, you guessed right, those drinks were super duper expensive. I think the two drinks total were $45 (at least they were delicious!).  As expected, the show was absolutely amazing. I don’t think I’ll ever tire of the beautiful story.

The next day, we ended our time in NY with pictures and a walk on the Brooklyn Heights Promenade. This platform is ~1,800 ft long and shows views of the lower Manhattan skyline and New York Harbor. My family and I always try to end our NY trips with this walk. It gives you a grand perspective of the amazing city without the crowds!  

If you’re a fan of Polish cuisine, you should stop by Teresa’s, right off the Promenade. Tristan and I only visited the city for a few days, but we’re already looking forward to going back soon!  

Be sure to check out next Thursday’s post- we’re heading to Boston, baby!