NYC Diaries #7 Everything I did in November and it's worth sharing
A post with 7 personal recs of things and places in New York City that wouldn't make it to Google search results.
Since I didn't spend the whole month of November in NYC, I couldn't gather 10 recs and tips to feature at this time… but I do think these ones are worth it!
1. The NYC Marathon
10 years watching the NYC Marathon, and I never get tired of it. This is, without a doubt, one of the best days of the year to be in New York City. Nothing beats the energy of runners challenging themselves and the audience celebrating and cheering them up! This year was special because my friend Raquel was among the runners, and it was really special to be there for her.
This is one of the days that always makes me remember the reason why I love this city ❤️
2. An Italian restaurant in the in the Upper East Side
After my friend completed her first marathon, we joined her at a celebration at La Voglia - an Italian restaurant in NYC. Although the race ended on the west side of Central Park, all the restaurants were packed, so we decided to go to the east side. This was such a great choice. It's a relatively new restaurant in the neighborhood - and it is super spacious. The menu features pizzas and pasta - our pizza was delicious!
Address: 1645 3rd Ave.
3. Discovering the amazing Nuts Factory
Nuts Factory invited me to a private event to check their new Dubai Chocolate flavors - in case you are not familiar, the Dubai Chocolate is a milk chocolate candy with a creamy pistachio center and crispy knafeh, or shredded phyllo dough that went viral on social media recently. They launched new flavors like birthday cake and pretzels. We also had the opportunity to shop around, and let me tell you, this place is a paradise. They have freshly roasted nuts & candied nuts, dried fruits, gummies, spices, teas, and more! As you can see, my husband was really happy… lol.
4. A special dinner at La Grande Boucherie
Celebrated my friend's birthday (give her a follow, she creates amazing content about NYC!) at La Grande Boucherie, and this is such a perfect spot for special occasions. The setting is beautiful and transports you straight to Paris. The menu features classic French dishes - the mixed greens salad with goat cheese croquettes is a delight, but I also recommend the Escargots. For the main, I finally had their burger, and it didn't disappoint. And all their desserts are delicious!
Address: : 145 W 53rd St.
5. Lunch at The House of the Red Pearl
I worked with The Seaport in November - by the way, you can check my video here - and that included dining at House of the Red Pearl, one of the restaurants inside Tin Building. First, I love the “speakeasy” vibes of this place - the entrance is kinda hidden. Secondly, the food is really good. The Black Bean Spare Ribs were our favorite dish, but we also loved the Tofu Skin Spring Rolls, the Black Pepper Wagyu Beef Chinese Egg Noodles, and the Mala Chicken. But perhaps the highlight was the desserts - the flavors were not... predictable, you know? We had the Mango Sago Pudding and the Roasted Golden Pineapple Upside Down Cake Yellow Curry Ice Cream.
PLUS… this restaurant was featured in one episode of And Just Like That… when Carrie and Adam have dinner with Seema and her date.
Address - Tin Building - 96 South St.
6. The Jingle Jangle at Dead Rabbit - Pier 17
I must say I have pet peeves about Holiday-themed places - it's usually more about the decor and less about the food. But not the new Jingle Jangle - a spot brought by Dead Rabbit, one of the most famous pubs in the city - located at Pier 17. I was there to help a friend with content (that's why I forgot to take decent photos, lol), and I must tell you we were both impressed. Ok, yes, the decor is absolutely stunning, but the food is also really good. The Seafood Chowder with smoked salmon was delicious, and my friend loved the Wagyu Smash Patty. The desserts were also incredible, and, of course, you can't go wrong with their cocktails. They will be open for Christmas and New Year's Eve - and in January, the place will be converted into a Sports Bar.
7. I'm running my first half-marathon!
So, yeah, of course, the NYC Marathon had that effect on me - I decided to put my name on the list for the United Airlines NYC Half to see what would happen. It turns out I was selected (it was through a lottery), and after being scared, excited, and afraid, I'm now enjoying the process of training and challenging myself!
By the way, I'm using Runna to help with my training routine! Runna is a running app designed to provide personalized training plans for runners of all levels, from beginners to marathoners. It uses user data—like current fitness levels, goals, and race dates—to create tailored schedules. You can use my code LAURAP to get two weeks free to try the app!
And that's it for today! Hope you are enjoying these monthly recs!
Hi Laura,
We’re heading to NYC for New Year’s until January 6, which also happens to be my birthday. I’ve read all the restaurant recommendations you posted, and I’m still deciding which one to go to. There are so many options with different flavors! Could you recommend the best one for kids?
Also, I wanted to congratulate you and Tiago on signing up for the half marathon! That’s something I’d love to do one day. Could you explain how it works? Thank you so much! Best, Mirian