Locals' Picks #5 - Tips and advice from NYC locals - Carolina Salazar
Local's Picks features exclusive insights and recs from NYC locals, showcasing their favorite spots, hidden gems in the city plus personal stories.
I love to rely on tips, recs and advice from locals when I travel - and I also appreciate that in my own city. Bringing other people's perspectives is a win-win: I can learn a lot, and you can learn as well. New York City is such a huge city, with so many things to do and places to explore and I believe every person has their "Tiny Apple” and why not taking a slice of that?
Meet Carolina Salazar - aka @thecarolinalifestyle on IG - a holistic health coach and content creator NYC based with a Brazilian heart. I met Carolina over a creator event in the city and I'm obsessed with her content. Her healthy lifestyle is inspiring and down to earth. I love her recipes and her energy! Plus, she hosts a podcast called Inner Growth with conversations and interviews around self & body love, food freedom and balance. I thought she would bring such an unique perspective to Local's Picks!
Tell us who you are, where you're from and how long have you been living in NYC?
Hi! I’m Carolina and I’m a holistic health coach, wellness and lifestyle content creator and YouTuber, and the host of Inner Growth the podcast. I am originally from São Paulo, Brazil, have lived in the US for 12 years and in NYC for a little over 3 years.
How did you start creating content on social media?
I originally started creating content by sharing my 75 Hard Challenge journey on TikTok in May 2020. I was also going through my own personal healing and wellness journey at the time so I started sharing mindset, cooking and healthy lifestyle tips on my platform, and it started to grow. I eventually created an Instagram page as well, launched my podcast in the spring of 2021, and built my YT channel in 2023 after going full time with content creation.
What are your top 3 favorite restaurants in NYC?
Theodora, Alta Calidad and Bar Bête! They are all in Brooklyn and are incredible!
And a place for drinks?
I really love Zinc Bar in the West Village, which is a really nice jazz bar, as well as Le Bain in the Meatpacking District, which has the best sunset views.
Favorite spot for a sweet treat?
Either Morgenstern’s Bananas or Gelateria Gentile!
Can you share a hidden gem in NYC that tourists often miss? Or a place that 's underrated in your opinion?
I think Brooklyn overall is a hidden gem of NYC – most tourists usually stick to Manhattan and miss out on what Brooklyn has to offer! I love Brooklyn Bridge Park and Pebble Beach in DUMBO for sightseeing and taking pictures and Prospect Park (they have a Farmers Market on Saturday mornings).
NYC can be overwhelming sometimes. How do you find balance living in the city?
One of the biggest things for me is prioritizing living in quieter areas of the city (like Brooklyn), but also incorporating habits like morning or afternoon park walks, staying hydrated, grocery shopping in order to cook at home during the week, and wearing noise cancelling headphones in the subway to prevent overstimulation.
Since you cook a lot, what are your favorite spots for groceries? Any good insider tips?
I usually go to local grocery stores because I don’t live close to a Trader Joes but if I did, that’s where I’d always go because they have the most affordable prices. As for insider tips as a health coach, my best advice would be that you don’t need to buy everything organic, but refer to the Dirty Dozen list by the EWG for the top foods that tend to have pesticide residue – I’d recommend buying those produce items organic!
What's your workout routine? Can you share your favorite studios in the city?
I go through phases with workouts that I’m into but recently my routine has been a mix of park walks with strength training about 3 times a week and pilates 1 time a week. I usually go to my gym, but in terms of studios I love SLT and Solidcore for pilates, and the Corepower Sculpt class!
What's your favorite thing to do in the city?
I love going out to brunch and dinner, shopping and working at coffee shops around Soho, wandering at the Union Square Farmers Market, picnic-ing at Prospect Park, walking along the West Side Highway, people watching in the West Village while chit chatting over an Aperol Spritz.
What's the piece of clothing or accessory that it's your must-have while living in NYC?
Definitely a tote bag of any kind, comfortable yet stylish sneakers (I love the FitFlop F-MODE Leather/Suede Flatform Sneakers), black booties, and a staple leather jacket!
What are your favorite activities or places to visit in NYC during each season?
The Brooklyn Botanical Garden or Elizabeth Street Garden during the springtime, taking the ferry into Dumbo or getting sunset drinks at Le Bain during the summertime, seeing the colorful leaves in Prospect Park or sitting in a coffee shop over a warm drink in the fall time, and walking around the Union Square Christmas market or ice skating in Bryant Park during the wintertime.
Do you have any favorite local shops or boutiques that you recommend?
I LOVE Isalis in the West Village!
Describe your ideal day in NYC from morning to night.
My ideal day in NYC would consist of waking up early, grabbing a matcha to-go from Ciao Gloria and a bagel from Olde Brooklyn Bagel Shop in Brooklyn, going for a walk in Prospect Park and sitting down to people watch and enjoy your bagel, then biking over to Dumbo. Walking around Brooklyn Bridge Park, taking the ferry over to FiDi, and biking over to the West Village. There, grabbing ice cream from Gelateria Gentile, shopping around the WV and SoHo, then grabbing happy hour drinks, sitting outside to catch golden hour and people watch, and finishing off the night with dinner at Little Ruby’s.
Do you have any memorable stories or experiences that highlight why you love NYC?
I can’t think of one particular story, but living in NYC really shapes you and I feel like I’ve gone through many eras and versions of myself over the last three years here. I’ve lived in many apartments and neighborhoods so over time, how I feel about myself, my career and my life has evolved a lot. Because of that, depending on the neighborhood I am walking around in on a given day, I’m often reminiscing and being brought back to old memories and versions of myself, and really noticing how much I’ve changed, which is a cool feeling.
What's the advice you would give to someone moving to the city that you wish you knew sooner?
The more you stay in NYC, the more you love it. It can definitely be overstimulating and a bit overwhelming at first, but over time, you will figure out your people and your favorite spots and you will create a routine that works for you. Of course, every city can have it’s pros and cons, and NYC can be expensive, but you also get so much out of living here. Also, life is pretty easy to romanticize here and you never really stop feeling like you’re in a movie.
Why New York City?
Apparently when I was around 5 years old and living in São Paulo, I told my mom I knew I was going to live in New York when I was older; so I guess there was always a part of my soul that felt pulled to live here. I love NYC because you can walk everywhere so it’s easy to stay active, you can meet very interesting people from all over the world, no one really cares or judges here so it’s much easier to find your true sense of self, and there’s always a new spot, store, restaurant or bar to try out! Also, as a content creator, there are so many opportunities here and it’s a great place to grow your professional life.
Thank you so much, Carol! Make sure to check her amazing profile on Instagram - and also her podcast!