Chic Places: A Long Walk In Nyc

New York City, my heart goes out to you… right now everywhere in the United States and the world, is suffering from the impact of widespread COVID-19. But NYC in particular, appears to be one of the hardest hit cities in America. New Yorkers have been told to remain inside, which I imagine is much more difficult given the small nature of most homes there. I am sure a walk outside in this brisk Spring air is a privilege for most city dwellers everywhere and I can’t help but reminisce about my own big day walking the dense streets last Fall in the big city. At the very least, this post is meant to be a small mention of gratitude and love to one of the greatest cities in the world. Enjoy.

We started our day outside of our hotel on the Upper West side, early in the morning, following our redeye in from the west coast. Since I knew we’d be walking the city all morning, I decided to wear sneakers and try my best athleisure wear chic I could muster, hence my fabulous faux fur cropped coat. And the result was the most practical and fabulous outfit I’ve ever worn; I can’t wait to find a reason to repeat. And given that walking is the only activity outside the house I have now, this shouldn’t be hard to do!

In search of some strong coffee, we walked a short distance to the famed Plaza Hotel Food Hall and found some goods at the Ladurée counter. Unfortunately is was too early in the day for the infamous lobster roll, but I was excited to get moving and overcome my jet lag, knowing there would be many delicious options at every turn in this great big, food obsessed city.  

Arthur I and both had separate eating agendas for the day, his being Katz’s Deli, mine being a delicious pasta dish, in addition to the many cute neighborhoods and places to explore. 

So we walked down 5th avenue and eventually hit the Lower East Side after many blocks and many lovely little neighborhoods to explore. Arthur found an amazing pastrami sandwich at Katz Deli and I was appalled at the low effort bagel selection given I judge delis solely on their cheese bagels and matzo ball soup. However, the place was quite an institution and I loved seeing Arthur happy with my recommendation, especially since he’s gone fully vegan since.

After Arthur got his New York deli fix, we continued on, heading towards the villages. Arthur quickly found a vintage looking ice cream shop his friend recommended, to fulfill his sweet tooth. I again, held out for something saltier, knowing full well how close we were to the quaint Sant Ambroeus in nearby West Village. 

This is perhaps what I love the most about New York, how so many different places are relatively close to one another, yet so unique on their own. And even though this city is home to so many people, welcoming millions of visitors everyday, there are still so many quiet streets and neighborhoods that exist peacefully. 

Like the villages, where I happily walked right into for my now second caffeine fix of the day, at the charming little Aimé Leon Dore. An upscale men’s shop, full of colorful casual wears, has the most scenic storefront with adorable scalloped awnings. It was no surprise that they opened a small cafe for us all enjoy the lovely setting. I felt compelled to order the popular freddo cappuccino, which is similar to the Greek frappes we enjoyed on our honeymoon and perfect for a sunny day outside. 

After twenty minutes of people watching and our second dose of caffeine set in we continued our stroll right into the fashionable streets of Soho. I immediately found a lovely background for my ensemble of the day, as I assume most style bloggers do.

Shortly after window shopping in Soho, I was finally ready for a little snack and so we headed towards the lovely little West Village neighborhood in search of my favorite food group, pasta. Of course I made it seem as if we just magically stumbled upon the charming little Sant Ambroeus, to my less directionally gifted husband. It was, after all, the most perfect spot for siting alfresco, with my love and the best cacio e pepe of course. 

Sitting outside on a perfectly cozy New York street corner, on a beautiful fall afternoon, eating delicious pasta in leggings and a fur coat was perhaps the closest I’ll ever get to emulating Carrie Bradshaw, whose apartment facade was just a stone’s throw away. And of course my beloved blue and white mural also lived on the same street. If I wasn’t so obsessed with central park and the quiet, classic vibe of the Upper East Side, the cobblestone street of West Village would most certainly be my next favorite place to live should I ever relocate to Manhattan. 

But in times like these, I’ve never been more grateful to live in a city where being outside still allowed. I pray the New Yorkers can return to their fast paced lifestyle soon and the rest of the world can recover from the tragedy of our time. I will be continuing to share the things and places that inspire me most here on Gisele Chic, as it’s one great thing that keeps me going during these uncertain times. Until then, let’s all do our part to find joy amongst all that we can’t control. New York, we love you!

“The city is uncomfortable and inconvenient; but New Yorkers temperamentally do not crave comfort and convenience—if they did they would live elsewhere.“ —E. B. White

-MGN