22 in NYC

I have been seeing a cool thread on social media where people share a picture from the last normal day before quarantine started. For me, this day was my 22nd birthday in New York City.

For my birthday this year, Kevin and I wanted to cross a restaurant off of my very long bucket list of NYC eats, by making a reservation a month in advance for the infamous, Italian spot, Carbone. This restaurant is elegant and classic, exceeding all of my expectations. For years, I have been longing to try Carbone’s signature spicy rigatoni and my birthday seemed like the perfect occasion to do so.

As soon as we sat down at our table, we were served an assortment of meats, cheeses, and bread. We ordered the Spicy Rigatoni Vodka, Tortellini al Ragu, and Mario’s Meatballs, as a persistent maître d’ made pasta recommendations and poured a delicious bottle of cabernet. I savored every single bite, taking in the charming atmosphere around me. Of course, I recommend the rigatoni, as it is a popular crowd-pleaser, but the tortellini’s flavorful sauce combined with the creaminess of the cheese made for an unexpected treat. I absolutely loved my food and the experience of dining at Carbone. If you’re planning your own meal at the Michelin Star restaurant, make sure to book exactly one month in advance!

After lunch, we walked around and shopped in SoHo. We were so lucky to have a sunny day to enjoy being outside as we walked for hours into various neighborhoods.

Later in the day, we spontaneously met up with my cousin Sarina at Houston Hall in the West Village. Houston Hall is a huge beer hall with long wooden picnic tables, serving craft beers and classic bar food. This huge place is unlike anywhere I’ve been in the city. Lucky for me, Sarina moved to SoHo about a year ago so she has been a great resource for finding new places to eat and the city’s best happy hour deals.

After having a few beers at Houston Hall, we met Sarina’s boyfriend, Gill at Bleecker Street Bar, a casual dive with a few pool tables and dartboards. After having a little too much fun playing all the bar games, we headed to Prince St. Pizza in NoLita, which conveniently sits around the corner from Sarina’s adorable apartment. I’ve seen these slices of Sicilian pizza loaded with pepperoni all over Instagram and popular food blogs. It’s famously known as one of the best pizza places in the city. Upon further research, Prince St. was also named one of the “Nine Best Restaurants in America You Have to Try in Your Lifetime” by CNBC. The line out the door was definitely worth the wait.

 

Kevin and I stayed at the INNSIDE New York NoMad, a 4-star hotel in Chelsea. We absolutely loved this modern, spotless hotel.  We had an incredible view of The Empire State building and really took advantage of the central location. There is a beautiful bar and restaurant, The Wilson, attached to the hotel lobby. Although we didn’t get the opportunity to eat here, I glanced over the menu while waiting for a cab, and the almond ricotta ravioli and avocado fries were calling my name.

 

It wouldn’t be my birthday if I didn’t celebrate with brunch so the next day, Kevin and I went to Clinton St. Baking Company, somewhere I have been dying to go. These pancakes are the real deal, perhaps some of the best I’ve ever had. New York Magazine has even voted the blueberry pancakes the best in the city twice. The line was so long that we reluctantly grabbed two seats at the bar. I ordered those famous blueberry pancakes with warm maple butter and Kevin had an eggs benedict special served with avocado on a warm, flaky biscuit. I loved the bright, diner vibes at this place and I would definitely go back in a heartbeat.

As full as we were, I knew we were very close to Katz’s Delicatessen, an absolute NYC classic my parents have raved about for years. This traditional Jewish deli serves sandwiches piled high with pastrami and corned beef. I knew one of these sandwiches would be perfect for dinner after we got out of the city, so we got one to-go before jumping back on the bus to Jersey.

I had the absolute best time on my birthday, surrounded by a really fun group of people in one of my favorite places. It’s also really strange to think that quarantine would start pretty much the next day. Restaurants were closing, broadway shows were canceled, and the two tickets Kevin and I had for the Philadelphia Sixers game two days later wouldn’t go to good use. Thinking back now and writing this post a few months later, it brings a smile to my face knowing that things will eventually return to normal. We will dance in bars again, enjoy brunch mimosas soon, and eventually get back to taking advantage of all the amazing things that New York City has to offer.