NEW YORK CITY

We had been talking about going to NYC for 5 years, and each year, the dates that we had planned to go passed us by. This year, Ed Sheeran helped me make the decision to bite the bullet and book our trip. I found out he was going to be performing on the Today Show in early July, and I knew I had to be there. My insanely talented friend Zach is a stage manager on the show, and he made my dream of seeing Ed perform a reality (thank you so much, Zach!) Before I knew it, Josh and I were finally on a plane bound for New York City. Josh had never been to the Big Apple before, and it was so cool watching his reaction as we flew over the bright lights and massive skyscrapers to land by the Hudson.

Ed Sheeran was pure perfection, my dream was realized, and our early morning on the Today Show was one I will never forget. I usually spend each morning during my summer break watching the show, so it was incredibly special actually being there on Rockefeller Plaza as the cameras zoomed above our heads!

We stayed at The Archer Hotel near Times Square and had such a wonderful experience! What stood out to me the most about The Archer was the incredible customer service. Our plane had been 2 hours late taking off from NC, so when we finally got to the hotel it was about 2AM, and we were completely exhausted and a bit overwhelmed. Regardless of the time and our frazzled demeanor, we were welcomed with a warm smile, kind regards, helpful hints, and a delicious sweet treat the minute we checked in. I had spent so much time researching hotels, and I kept coming back to The Archer because of the great reviews, gorgeous decor, convenient location, and of course, the amazing rooftop bar and lounge, Spyglass.

Each night you stay at The Archer,  you will come back to your room to find a new sweet treat fresh from a local store or bakery placed on a tray near your bed. After showering off the day in the amazing (and large) white/black subway-tiled shower, you can throw on a fluffy Archer robe, slip your feet into the seriously cute (and Insta-worthy) slippers they provide for your stay, and indulge in whatever complimentary dessert was provided!

We packed a ridiculous amount of adventures into our 3 days in NYC, and I am oh so glad we did. It rained our first full day in the city, so what did we do? The Met, of course! Josh and I absolutely love getting lost in museums and galleries, so it truly was a perfect way to spend our morning.

By the time we finished making our way through thousands of years at the American Museum of Natural History and centuries of artwork at The Met, the sun had come out and we were ready to taste the city. We had made reservations at The Standard Grill, which is located in the Meatpacking District near the Highline. The experience there was everything I hoped it would be and more, from the vintage cream-and-white-tiled floor, to the swoon-worthy bar, to the insanely delicious cheese plate and melt-in-your-mouth NY Strip. Afterwards, we met up for drinks with my best friend, who happened to be living in Brooklyn and knew all the best places to get libations in the Lower East Side. Some of the spots she took us to would have been virtually impossible for tourists like us to know about (let alone find), so it made our experience so much more of an adventure having a local to show us around!

That evening, we made our way back to The Archer, took the elevator up to the rooftop, and watched the sun set over the city as we ate unbelievably good sliders and drank locally-inspired cocktails from Spyglass Rooftop Bar and Lounge. Did I mention that the Empire State Building is literally a stone’s throw away from The Archer? The location of the hotel allowed us to hop in a Lyft at a moment’s notice and be within a 15-minute ride from most all of the districts we wanted to visit.

Our last night in NYC was unlike anything I expected it to be, and we couldn’t have asked for anything better. A few of my amazing friends from college invited us to see one of our crazy-talented friends from acting school perform with his band, Shirley House, at the McKintrick Hotel in Chelsea. We arrived at the hotel, not knowing what to expect, and before I knew it we going upstairs in a dimly-lit and densely-packed elevator with a seriously cool vintage vibe. When the doors opened, the party started… what a NIGHT! Seriously, that show was one of the highlights of our trip, and it was all thanks to my seriously cool friends who let us in on their secret to a good time in the city.

We ended our trip in Brooklyn at Smorgasburg food market, and it was heavenly. Our burgers from Burger Supreme Burger were life-changing, seriously, and ever since then we have used that burger as our burger standard against which we judge all others! After the market, we headed to Torst, which Josh had been dreaming about for months. It was such a perfect way to spend our last few hours of our trip. The atmosphere was so chill, and the guys there were incredibly nice, generous, and knowledgeable. The vibe was everything we love about the craft community. If you are anywhere near NYC, we highly recommend a trip to Torst in Brookyln!

My biggest advice for experiencing New York City to the fullest when you only have a few days? Let people who live there help you experience the city they call home. Go “behind the curtain” and find the spots that only the locals know about. We tried to avoid “touristy” spots, and even though we stayed near Times Square, we actually never saw it. Honestly? I was okay with that. Next time, I’ll really do as the locals do and take the subway… I feel like we got a ride from every single Lyft driver in NYC, and we have the receipts to prove it!