The Big Apple

“Wherever you go, go with all your heart” – Confucius

When it comes to New York, there is no other way for me to go. I always go with all my heart.

As soon as we decided to base ourselves in Toronto, I knew I wouldn’t be able to resist taking the short flight between the two cities. My love for NYC started many years ago through the movies and TV shows my sister and I watched and the visits to family friends we took as kids.

In our early 20’s, my sister and I stayed in a teeny tiny apartment in the Lower East Side eating takeaway from cardboard boxes and hanging out at local coffee shops. Every time I’m there, I imagine what it would be like to actually live there. And so the dream continues.

So I put my big girl pants on and headed off to NYC on my own. I had the luxury of flying from a small airport on Toronto Island with Porter Airlines; famed for their tiny propellor planes and slightly old school service. There are only two seats each side of the aisle, the drinks are all served in glassware and you take your luggage with you to the plane door where they load it for you; starting my solo trip off in style!

I was very lucky that, thanks to a friendly connection, I could stay with a lovely family in East Williamsburg near Graham Avenue. On my first morning, I woke up to a fresh green juice outside my room. The sweetest! Only two stops on the L-train from Bedford Avenue it was a new area for me to explore.

Far from the glamour of Manhattan and without the 'hipster cool’ of central Williamsburg or Brooklyn, this part of town was a little rough around the edges. A little more ‘real life’ New York. But like everywhere in the city, there’s definitely still a sense of gentrification in the area; Grass Roots Juicery is a ‘rustic-chic, counter-serve nook’ where I had a tumeric latte that came with a tiny vial of CBD oil on the side and Shakti Barre have a studio in the area offering great yoga and barre classes in a cool space.

I spent the next few days exploring. I headed back to Chelsea Market and The High Line, discovering new spots along the way. I met a lovely woman who part owns Zach and Zoe Sweet Bee Farm, a family bee keeping business in New Jersey named after her son and daughter. After reading about the range of health benefits of local, raw honey, she and her husband began using local honey as a way of trying to treat Zach’s allergies and eventually started their own business. I bought a tiny pot of delciious matcha honey that I’m still saving for a special honey occasion.

Photos of Levain Bakery usually pop up on Instagram alongside some annoying ‘if you know, you know’ tagline. And I definitely KNOW. They’re no secret but the Levain Bakery cookies are out of this world. Soft and crunchy and full of gooey deliciousness. My sister took me there last year and they’re impossible to resist.

Another sweet treat discovery this trip was Supermoon Bakehouse; examples of their decadent pastries are laid out on the counter for you to choose from, each with their own decoration and filling. They have plain croissants with a delicious glaze, sweet, savoury, ‘chuffins’ (a croissant and muffin fusion), ‘cronuts’ (a croissant and doughnut fusion) and straight-up doughnuts. If you have a sweet tooth, this is not one to miss.

Galli is a great Italian I found in the heart of Soho, the midway point between where I was staying and my beautiful friend who lives in Hoboken. A chilled bottle of white, creamy carbonara and a kale, orange and almond salad. Happy days.

Standard Dose became my sanctuary away from the city buzz. A beautiful store selling CBD products, they have a gorgeous meditation room where they were hosting lunchtime sessions free of charge. Huge comfy cushions, sun streaming through the skylight and a range of herbal teas to choose from; it was the perfect place to clear my head.

Jivamukti Yoga was high on my list of places to visit this year. My yoga teacher trained with this school so it felt special to take a few classes here while I was in the city. They have a snuggly cafe overlooking the busy street below, serving up herbal teas and nourishing meals with a retail store selling everything from their famous China Gel to their branded activewear, jewellery and beautiful gifts.

I ate bagels for breakfast and bought ‘uniquely sugared mini’ doughnuts from Dougnuttery; had lunch at Five Leaves in trendy Bedford Avenue, rummaged for vintage at Beacons Closet and bought dinner from Whole Foods. I wandered around The Met and ate lunch on Madison Avenue. I walked and walked, then walked some more.

Lemon’s Rooftop at the Wythe Hotel was the perfect spot for my last afternoon in the city. I was there last year for my 30th and it has amazing views of the city, looking back over to Manhattan from the Brooklyn shoreline. Aperols at sunset - very Sex and the City! And then to Grand Central - the most beautiful train station I’ve ever seen, to take the train north to Connecticut.