NYC Diaries #12 Everything I did in May and it's worth sharing
A post with some personal recs of things and places in New York City that wouldn't make it to Google search results.
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It was a slow month compared to other months, so forgive me for the lack of recs!
1. Caffè Panna
I've seen numerous Instagram accounts recommending this spot, and I must say I was curious about it, but I didn't have high expectations. I was so wrong… Caffè Panna serves Italian-inspired ice cream and coffee shops with daily changing flavors - everything is made in-house. Thiago and I were absolutely blown away by this ice cream. It was creamy and fresh, and the flavors were delicious. We were also pretty curious about the sundaes; I guess we will have to go back soon…
77 Irving Pl.
2. Randalls Island
Randalls Island (featured on the pic above!) is not a new place for me - but the other day was actually the first day I went there for a run, and I had to leave a recommendation. Whether you are a runner or cyclist - or you are just looking to escape from the city without going too far, this island is definitely a spot to check it out. It is so peaceful!
3. Hiking in Cold Spring
Since the weather was getting warmer, we took advantage of that to do something again: hiking in Cold Spring. It was exactly like last year: we took the Metro-North, walked to the starting point, and did the Bull Hill Short Loop - which took us a little bit over 2h. After that, we had lunch at Cozy Corner Cafe, a delicious spot for brunch at Main St. What I love about Cold Spring is how easy it is to explore it without a car. Whether you want to explore the shops and restaurants or nature, the Metro-North takes you there in over an hour, and everything is accessible by walking.
4. An Upstate Getaway
Speaking of Upstate, we escaped the city for two days over Memorial Day weekend. We stayed in a stunning Airbnb in Hyde Park and explored some spots around. You can check my recs on the video above.
I think it's no secret that we love to explore Upstate NY - and here's a trick: depending on your destination, you can skip Manhattan's traffic (and tolls) by renting a car out of the city. For us, it was so convenient to take the Metro-North and pick up a car in Poughkeepsie (and, sometimes, it's cheaper!).
5. At home massages
Also wanted to give you this rec: Liz Soares is a physical therapist and licensed massage therapist in both NJ and NY. She comes to your place and she offers a range of treatments tailored to each client’s needs - MiracleTouch, Lymphatic Drainage, Miracle Face, and more. I've known her for years - and I had the opportunity to try her amazing Lymphatic Drainage again and also the Cryo treatment.
EXTRA: I'm in Paris :)
I'm writing this newsletter from my sister's place, out of Paris - I'm here for a month, pursuing an old dream of mine: studying French at Alliance Française de Paris. I'm completing a week of classes, and wow… it has been a journey. Remember what I mentioned in some of my previous posts about reminding yourself that learning a language (or any other new thing) is a marathon and not a sprint? Well, this has been my daily reminder here while attending classes, trying to understand passé composé, and attempting small tasks like ordering my lunch or asking questions. I had a huge impostor syndrome feeling on my first day of class - but, luckily, I was able to take myself out of that state and giving me more credit.
It's currently 4 pm here, and I'm almost sleeping on my computer while writing this, lol. But I'm so happy and grateful for this experience. I'm especially proud of all the things I've been doing for myself for this past year. The running commitment, the studying abroad programs (first with Spanish and now with French), my new work project, and the new experiences and challenges I've been planning.
Another day, a strong and wise woman told me that there's something magical that happens when you turn 40. I still have more than a year to turn 40, but I guess she is right. I've been feeling so motivated to try new things and do things for myself. And just because I want to, because I want to prove things for myself - not to fit in a box or to respond to expectations from other people. It feels genuinely good to be alive.
And since I'm also trying to enjoy this experience at maximum, cause I know a month will go so fast, please forgive me if you don't hear from me next week. As my sister told me yesterday: “this is a one in a life experience, so you better enjoy it. The world is not gonna end if you don't do certain things" (and to be honest, my energy levels to write after 4h of French are not the best ones, lol).
Thanks for being here :) and make sure to follow my Parisian adventures on IG!