NEW YORK CITY GUIDE: JEFFREY'S GROCERY

What: Saturday brunch at Jeffrey's Grocery with Will

Where: 172 Waverly Place, West Village

Why: Avocado toast, charming exterior, cold brew iced coffee, nautical vibe, and the perfect weekend playlist. More NYC recommendations here!

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What: Saturday brunch at Jeffrey's Grocery with Will

Where: 172 Waverly Place, West Village

Why: Avocado toast, charming exterior, cold brew iced coffee, nautical vibe, and the perfect weekend playlist. More NYC recommendations here!

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NEW YORK CITY GUIDE: FREEMANS

What: Sunday brunch at Freemans with Will

Where: Freeman Alley between Chrystie Street and The Bowery, Lower East Side

Why: This bustling brunch spot is perfect for people watching on a rainy day. The long wait was worth it: we got the best table for two in the house (just ask the hostess!) and ordered way too much food. The artichoke dip and mac and cheese were super healthy out of this world — I already can't wait to go back. More NYC recommendations here!

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What: Sunday brunch at Freemans with Will

Where: Freeman Alley between Chrystie Street and The Bowery, Lower East Side

Why: This bustling brunch spot is perfect for people watching on a rainy day. The long wait was worth it: we got the best table for two in the house (just ask the hostess!) and ordered way too much food. The artichoke dip and mac and cheese were super healthy out of this world — I already can't wait to go back. More NYC recommendations here!

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NEW YORK CITY GUIDE: PALMA

What: Saturday brunch at Palma with Carver and Will

Where: 28 Cornelia Street, West Village

Why: Classic brunch fare and a super charming block. But the real reason I love Palma? Flowers. Everywhere. Seriously the prettiest (and most fragrant) brunch spot in the entire city! More NYC recommendations here. 

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What: Saturday brunch at Palma with Carver and Will

Where: 28 Cornelia Street, West Village

Why: Classic brunch fare and a super charming block. But the real reason I love Palma? Flowers. Everywhere. Seriously the prettiest (and most fragrant) brunch spot in the entire city! More NYC recommendations here. 

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ADVICE FOR MOVING TO NEW YORK

Anxious about moving to New York? I've been getting so many emails about moving to the city, finding a first apartment, finding the right neighborhood, etc. that I thought it might be worthwhile to compile some of the most frequently asked questions into one post. I hope some of you find this helpful!

How did you find your apartment?

I'm obsessed with Streeteasy and highly recommend it for preliminary research. You can search by neighborhood, price, number of bedrooms, pets, etc., save listings you like, and contact brokers and owners directly through the site. I have a couple friends who found their apartments without brokers but I was moving during my busy season for work so it was hugely helpful to work with a broker. Mine worked so hard to find the right apartment that I was almost happy to write him a check for all his help. (Email me if you'd like his info!)

Which neighborhood do you live in? 

I lived on the Upper East Side my first year and just moved to the West Village. The Upper East Side was more "affordable" (which I use as a relative term given that everything in New York is pretty pricey) but the West Village is a better location for downtown meetings, my social life, and taking Rory to the dog park. I now spend more money on my apartment but less time and money on cabs.

How should I choose where to live?
Consider where you work, what you can afford, where your friends live, how often you take the subway, and where you tend to eat and go out. There's no one "cool" place to live and each neighborhood has its own unique feel. Talk to your coworkers and friends who live here and spend an afternoon in a couple different neighborhoods to decide where you feel most at home. I equate it to touring different college campuses your senior year of high school, except you'll only have to stay one year.

How much did you save before moving to New York?
Obviously this is a personal matter but my advice is to save as much as you possibly can. I was lucky that I could live with my parents in Connecticut for a year to save money. If that's not an option, you could always pick up a second job on campus during your senior year to start putting money aside. (I worked in alumni relations on campus and did a virtual internship for an online magazine.) There are no two ways around it: New York is expensive and it helps to start saving early. Where there's a will, there's a way!

How can I make living in New York more affordable?
Pick your battles. For this apartment, I cared most about location and natural light. For other people, having a great kitchen or a true one-bedroom might be more important. My situation is rare in that I work from home and it wouldn't be fair to subject a roommate to my business, dog, inventory, etc. But if your post-grad situation is more traditional, having roommates and living in less central boroughs or neighborhoods is a great way to cut costs. Here's a map with the median rent for one-bedroom apartments last year to help you get a feel for which neighborhoods cost less than others.

How can I decorate my first place on a budget?
I wrote a whole post on that right here!

This all sounds like a lot of work. Is it worth it?
Ask anyone who's dealt with moving to or within New York and they'll tell you it's not a walk in the park. But there's something about this city that sucks you in and makes you fall head over heels in love with it. My friend Hallie did an awesome job explaining it in her love letter to New York City.

I'm visiting New York for the weekend. What should I do / where should I eat?

Check out my New York City guide — I'll be adding new favorites every week! Some recent favorites include Café Cluny, Café Gitane, the Mermaid Inn, Palma, and Tipsy Parson. And definitely see a Broadway show if you can — I loved these three.

Anxious about moving to New York? I've been getting so many emails about moving to the city, finding a first apartment, finding the right neighborhood, etc. that I thought it might be worthwhile to compile some of the most frequently asked questions into one post. I hope some of you find this helpful!

How did you find your apartment?

I'm obsessed with Streeteasy and highly recommend it for preliminary research. You can search by neighborhood, price, number of bedrooms, pets, etc., save listings you like, and contact brokers and owners directly through the site. I have a couple friends who found their apartments without brokers but I was moving during my busy season for work so it was hugely helpful to work with a broker. Mine worked so hard to find the right apartment that I was almost happy to write him a check for all his help. (Email me if you'd like his info!)

Which neighborhood do you live in? 

I lived on the Upper East Side my first year and just moved to the West Village. The Upper East Side was more "affordable" (which I use as a relative term given that everything in New York is pretty pricey) but the West Village is a better location for downtown meetings, my social life, and taking Rory to the dog park. I now spend more money on my apartment but less time and money on cabs.

How should I choose where to live?
Consider where you work, what you can afford, where your friends live, how often you take the subway, and where you tend to eat and go out. There's no one "cool" place to live and each neighborhood has its own unique feel. Talk to your coworkers and friends who live here and spend an afternoon in a couple different neighborhoods to decide where you feel most at home. I equate it to touring different college campuses your senior year of high school, except you'll only have to stay one year.

How much did you save before moving to New York?
Obviously this is a personal matter but my advice is to save as much as you possibly can. I was lucky that I could live with my parents in Connecticut for a year to save money. If that's not an option, you could always pick up a second job on campus during your senior year to start putting money aside. (I worked in alumni relations on campus and did a virtual internship for an online magazine.) There are no two ways around it: New York is expensive and it helps to start saving early. Where there's a will, there's a way!

How can I make living in New York more affordable?
Pick your battles. For this apartment, I cared most about location and natural light. For other people, having a great kitchen or a true one-bedroom might be more important. My situation is rare in that I work from home and it wouldn't be fair to subject a roommate to my business, dog, inventory, etc. But if your post-grad situation is more traditional, having roommates and living in less central boroughs or neighborhoods is a great way to cut costs. Here's a map with the median rent for one-bedroom apartments last year to help you get a feel for which neighborhoods cost less than others.

How can I decorate my first place on a budget?
I wrote a whole post on that right here!

This all sounds like a lot of work. Is it worth it?
Ask anyone who's dealt with moving to or within New York and they'll tell you it's not a walk in the park. But there's something about this city that sucks you in and makes you fall head over heels in love with it. My friend Hallie did an awesome job explaining it in her love letter to New York City.

I'm visiting New York for the weekend. What should I do / where should I eat?

Check out my New York City guide — I'll be adding new favorites every week! Some recent favorites include Café Cluny, Café Gitane, the Mermaid Inn, Palma, and Tipsy Parson. And definitely see a Broadway show if you can — I loved these three.

NEW YORK CITY GUIDE: THREE BROADWAY PLAYS I SAW AND LOVED

So far my New York City Guide has consisted entirely of brunch spots (most of which are just as good for lunch, dinner, etc.). Now I love brunch as much as the next girl (read: a lot)  but I'm pretty excited to have more daylight hours in which to photograph my favorite spots for cocktails, dinner, and dessert throughout the spring and summer. Totally worth the lost hour of sleep, right? Right.

But today I'm switching gears entirely and sharing a must for any proper NYC guide: Broadway! My sister Reilly studied theater in college so our family has always loved musicals and plays — and I'm no exception. I wrote "see three Broadway plays" on my new 101 in 1001 list and I was able to cross it off this past weekend! (Though I'll definitely see more within the next ~2 years!) I thought I'd share what we saw and what I loved about each in case any of you are planning a trip or just a local looking for a recommendation!

Beautiful

My boyfriend's parents gave us tickets to Beautiful for Christmas and neither one of us was sure what to expect. And we loved it! We didn't know much about Carole King going into it (and were definitely the youngest couple there!) but we recognized way more songs than we thought we would and ended the night dancing to "I Feel The Earth Move" with the rest of the audience. If you want to hear killer singing and walk away feeling totally inspired to immediately download every one of Carole King's songs, this one's for you.

Recommended for: bringing your parents (you'll love it as much as they do)

The Book of Mormon

One boyfriend, two Broadway shows in one month. He's a trooper! I gave him tickets to The Book of Mormon for Valentine's Day after my sister declared it the funniest show she's ever seen. It's written by the creators of the show South Park so it's hilariously inappropriate. The dance numbers are seriously catchy and the entire audience was in stitches for the whole play. 

Recommended for: girlfriends, siblings, and significant others (probably not your adorably conservative grandparents!)

The Lion King

My Christmas present to my mom and sister and definitely my favorite of the three. All I can say is whoa. The costumes were out of this world and the child actors literally took my breath away. The opening scene gave all three of us goosebumps — there really are no words. The singing wasn't as powerful as, say, Beautiful but the choreography, lighting, and special effects were extraordinary. If you only see one show this year, this gets my vote.

Recommended for: kids and kids-at-heart (everyone!)

- - - 

Next on my list? I've heard great things about Matilda (I loved the movie growing up!). Have you seen any Broadway shows lately? What's your all-time favorite?

So far my New York City Guide has consisted entirely of brunch spots (most of which are just as good for lunch, dinner, etc.). Now I love brunch as much as the next girl (read: a lot)  but I'm pretty excited to have more daylight hours in which to photograph my favorite spots for cocktails, dinner, and dessert throughout the spring and summer. Totally worth the lost hour of sleep, right? Right.

But today I'm switching gears entirely and sharing a must for any proper NYC guide: Broadway! My sister Reilly studied theater in college so our family has always loved musicals and plays — and I'm no exception. I wrote "see three Broadway plays" on my new 101 in 1001 list and I was able to cross it off this past weekend! (Though I'll definitely see more within the next ~2 years!) I thought I'd share what we saw and what I loved about each in case any of you are planning a trip or just a local looking for a recommendation!

Beautiful

My boyfriend's parents gave us tickets to Beautiful for Christmas and neither one of us was sure what to expect. And we loved it! We didn't know much about Carole King going into it (and were definitely the youngest couple there!) but we recognized way more songs than we thought we would and ended the night dancing to "I Feel The Earth Move" with the rest of the audience. If you want to hear killer singing and walk away feeling totally inspired to immediately download every one of Carole King's songs, this one's for you.

Recommended for: bringing your parents (you'll love it as much as they do)

The Book of Mormon

One boyfriend, two Broadway shows in one month. He's a trooper! I gave him tickets to The Book of Mormon for Valentine's Day after my sister declared it the funniest show she's ever seen. It's written by the creators of the show South Park so it's hilariously inappropriate. The dance numbers are seriously catchy and the entire audience was in stitches for the whole play. 

Recommended for: girlfriends, siblings, and significant others (probably not your adorably conservative grandparents!)

The Lion King

My Christmas present to my mom and sister and definitely my favorite of the three. All I can say is whoa. The costumes were out of this world and the child actors literally took my breath away. The opening scene gave all three of us goosebumps — there really are no words. The singing wasn't as powerful as, say, Beautiful but the choreography, lighting, and special effects were extraordinary. If you only see one show this year, this gets my vote.

Recommended for: kids and kids-at-heart (everyone!)

- - - 

Next on my list? I've heard great things about Matilda (I loved the movie growing up!). Have you seen any Broadway shows lately? What's your all-time favorite?

NEW YORK CITY GUIDE: LADUREE, SOHO

What: Sunday brunch at the new Ladurée SoHo with Amy and Carly

Where: 398 West Broadway, SoHo

Why: To meet a friend for cappuccinos, pick up a sweet treat, or practice your French! Nothing beats the Paris original but I'm happy there's now a New York outpost where you can sit down and enjoy your favorite sweets on the spot. (Although the Upper East Side location is great for an afternoon pick-me-up!)

Wearing: This outfit!

*All photos by Amy Stone

Previously in the New York City Guide:
Locanda Verde
East Pole
August
 Lafayette
Jack's Wife Freda

What: Sunday brunch at the new Ladurée SoHo with Amy and Carly

Where: 398 West Broadway, SoHo

Why: To meet a friend for cappuccinos, pick up a sweet treat, or practice your French! Nothing beats the Paris original but I'm happy there's now a New York outpost where you can sit down and enjoy your favorite sweets on the spot. (Although the Upper East Side location is great for an afternoon pick-me-up!)

Wearing: This outfit!

*All photos by Amy Stone

Previously in the New York City Guide:
Locanda Verde
East Pole
August
 Lafayette
Jack's Wife Freda

NEW YORK CITY GUIDE: LOCANDA VERDE

What: Sunday brunch at Locanda Verde with Amy and Carly

Where: 377 Greenwich Street, TriBeCa

Why: Location, location, location! And great outdoor seating in the summer.

Wearing: This outfit! 

*All photos by Amy Stone

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What: Sunday brunch at Locanda Verde with Amy and Carly

Where: 377 Greenwich Street, TriBeCa

Why: Location, location, location! And great outdoor seating in the summer.

Wearing: This outfit! 

*All photos by Amy Stone

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NEW YORK CITY GUIDE: EAST POLE

What: Saturday brunch at East Pole with Amy and Carly

Where: 133 E. 65th Street, Upper East Side

Why: Avocado toast, navy leather banquettes, Slim Aarons photographs in the bathroom, and vintage maps galore

Wearing: Oversized cashmere and vintage Ray-Bans

*All photos by Amy Stone

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What: Saturday brunch at East Pole with Amy and Carly

Where: 133 E. 65th Street, Upper East Side

Why: Avocado toast, navy leather banquettes, Slim Aarons photographs in the bathroom, and vintage maps galore

Wearing: Oversized cashmere and vintage Ray-Bans

*All photos by Amy Stone

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NEW YORK CITY GUIDE: AUGUST

What: Saturday brunch at August

Where: 359 Bleecker Street, West Village

Why: Gorgeous garden seating in my favorite neighborhood, iced coffee that toootally hit the spot, waiters who are super patient while you take a half hour to look at the menu and catch up with your friend whom you haven't seen in two weeks!

Wearing: See yesterday's outfit post! :)

*All photos by Amy Stone

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What: Saturday brunch at August

Where: 359 Bleecker Street, West Village

Why: Gorgeous garden seating in my favorite neighborhood, iced coffee that toootally hit the spot, waiters who are super patient while you take a half hour to look at the menu and catch up with your friend whom you haven't seen in two weeks!

Wearing: See yesterday's outfit post! :)

*All photos by Amy Stone

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NEW YORK CITY GUIDE: LAFAYETTE

Thank you all for your comments on the first post in this series! Amy and I loved reading about all your favorite New York spots and can't wait to try them all firsthand. Here's where we went this weekend...

Who: Amy of course!

What: Sunday brunch at Lafayette

Where: 380 Lafayette Street, NoHo

Why: Excellent people watching, pretty business cards and matchbooks, and the best almond croissant you've ever tasted. 

Wearing: Annie Griffin dress c/o, Tory Burch bag, J.Crew heels 

*All photos by Amy Stone

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Thank you all for your comments on the first post in this series! Amy and I loved reading about all your favorite New York spots and can't wait to try them all firsthand. Here's where we went this weekend...

Who: Amy of course!

What: Sunday brunch at Lafayette

Where: 380 Lafayette Street, NoHo

Why: Excellent people watching, pretty business cards and matchbooks, and the best almond croissant you've ever tasted. 

Wearing: Annie Griffin dress c/o, Tory Burch bag, J.Crew heels 

*All photos by Amy Stone

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NEW YORK CITY GUIDE: JACK'S WIFE FREDA

Practically everyone I've met in New York has a list of restaurants they're anxious to try. I started mine after reading your comments on this post and have been adding to it based on friends' recommendations and pretty Instagram photos ever since. As a challenge to myself to a) try new places in new neighborhoods and b) branch out into more lifestyle content without posting recipes I can't cook, I decided to start sharing some of my newfound favorites here on the blog with the help of my friend Amy's fabulous photography!

Who: Miss Amy Stone

What: Sunday brunch at Jack's Wife Freda

Where: 224 Lafayette Street, SoHo

Why: Adorable branding, avocado toast, cute waiters, outdoor seating, waffles made with rosewater... Yum. 

Have any of you been to Jack's Wife Freda? What are some of your favorite brunch spots in the city? You know I'm taking notes!

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Practically everyone I've met in New York has a list of restaurants they're anxious to try. I started mine after reading your comments on this post and have been adding to it based on friends' recommendations and pretty Instagram photos ever since. As a challenge to myself to a) try new places in new neighborhoods and b) branch out into more lifestyle content without posting recipes I can't cook, I decided to start sharing some of my newfound favorites here on the blog with the help of my friend Amy's fabulous photography!

Who: Miss Amy Stone

What: Sunday brunch at Jack's Wife Freda

Where: 224 Lafayette Street, SoHo

Why: Adorable branding, avocado toast, cute waiters, outdoor seating, waffles made with rosewater... Yum. 

Have any of you been to Jack's Wife Freda? What are some of your favorite brunch spots in the city? You know I'm taking notes!

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YOUR NEW YORK FAVORITES

My little studio is starting to feel like home! My parents came in earlier this week to hang the cutest window treatments you ever did see and my sofa will be moved in this weekend. I've been trying to share bits and pieces on Instagram (here, here, and here) but I'm such a perfectionist that I don't want to reveal too much until everything is just right!

While I continue to decorate and explore my new neighborhood, I would love to hear some of your New York favorites! Whether you live here or just visit every chance you get, I'm sure you have plenty of recommendations I haven't discovered yet. It might be fun to make a list of new places to try and share the ones I love most here on the blog. So if you have a favorite brunch spot, coffee shop, dog park, takeout place... Please share below! 

Keep up with Design Darling

Boutique / Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter

My little studio is starting to feel like home! My parents came in earlier this week to hang the cutest window treatments you ever did see and my sofa will be moved in this weekend. I've been trying to share bits and pieces on Instagram (here, here, and here) but I'm such a perfectionist that I don't want to reveal too much until everything is just right!

While I continue to decorate and explore my new neighborhood, I would love to hear some of your New York favorites! Whether you live here or just visit every chance you get, I'm sure you have plenty of recommendations I haven't discovered yet. It might be fun to make a list of new places to try and share the ones I love most here on the blog. So if you have a favorite brunch spot, coffee shop, dog park, takeout place... Please share below! 

Keep up with Design Darling

Boutique / Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter