We’re taking you on a weekend trip to New York City! In this episode we explore Manhattan’s top attractions, give you a taste of some of the best things to eat in NYC, take you to one of the most beautiful bars in New York, recommend a few great places to stay in NYC for a splurge or a save, and tips for navigating the subway.

You can take this exact trip by downloading and following our 2-day NYC Itinerary!

NYC in Winter Episode Highlights: 

• Using CITYPASS to see Top of the Rock, Empire State Building, The Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and the NYC City Cruise
• Time Square 
• 9/11 Memorial Reflection Pools 
• Drinks at the gorgeous Ten11 bar
• Where to eat in NYC: Emily’s, Bubby’s, L’industrie, Mamas Too, Los Tacos No 1, Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao, The Best Sichuan

Check out our curated list of NYC Activities & Tours for all activities we recommend and even some that we wanted to do but couldn’t get to.

Hotels in NYC we stayed in on this trip and recommend: 

• IHG Barclays in midtown Manhattan – This is a Chase The Edit hotel
• Courtyard by Marriott Long Island City – Right outside the subway station
• If those are booked up you can look into these other great hotels in NYC on TripAdvisor.

NYC Winter Packing List: Base layers, heated jacket, beanie, rechargeable hand warmers, & travel size umbrella

We have been to NYC before (and would go a million times more) so if you are looking for more inspiration, check out our other NYC summer weekend trip and NYC things to do for first-timers episodes!

Contains affiliate links, thanks for supporting Travel Squad Podcast!

Winter Weekend in NYC – Episode Transcript

0:34

Insurance and get ready to embark on a new adventure with us around the globe.

Hello fellow travelers.

Hey, squaddies.

Welcome to this week’s episode of the Travel Squad podcast.

Today we’re taking you to New York City.

We.

Decided to do a weekend in New York City because we were going to be there anyway.

0:53

We had to fly out of JFK for our trip to Egypt and that flight was on a Monday, so it just set us up so perfectly to have a weekend in the city.

Yeah, and we had been to New York one time before, at least me and Brittany, right?

I’ve been to New York lots of times in the airport, but really one time out and about, if you can believe it.

1:13

And that was at the tail end of a 14 or 16 day South Africa, Zimbabwe trip.

And so our flights were out of New York and we said, hey, we’re in New York, let’s just do it on the way back.

And it was fun, but that was a mistake.

We were tired from the big trip that we had in Africa.

1:31

So we were like, OK, if we have to fly out of New York again, let’s make the most of it.

Let’s do it before we go and get really tired.

And I think that was a great idea.

And I remember loving New York the first time we were there, and I loved it again this time when we were here.

1:47

It’s just such a great city and always something new and exciting to do.

You can literally go to New York over and over and over again and have a completely different trip every single time.

That’s very true.

And I feel like all of us did have a different trip because, yes, we met up with you in New York, Kim, because you came from Austin.

2:05

But our trip to Egypt, we had several people going with us, OG squad member, my sister Zana, and then honorary squaddies Kasha, Ryan and Robin.

So we all got into New York at different times, did certain things together, but also did certain things separately.

2:21

So we all had our own experience here in New York.

So we’re going to talk to you all about that, give you tips leading into this episode just as well.

And before we dive into the meat of the episode, we’re going to start this episode, as we always do, with the tips.

So we’re going to dive right in.

2:37

And my first tip for you guys is if you plan on using public transit, specifically the metro, stay near a metro station.

It makes it so much easier to get around the big city.

And on top of that, give yourself a buffer as well in terms of timing.

2:53

Traffic is a mess whether you take a Lyft, Uber, or taxi.

If you are taking the metro, you can always have delays.

Certain lines could be down.

So always give yourself a buffer if you have a timed experience or trying to be somewhere out of certain time, because you never really know.

3:09

The subway also has a tap system with your credit card.

So if you use your same credit card, you just tap in and then you actually don’t even have to tap out the it’s just a $3 fare no matter what.

And then the city of New York actually caps how many times that they’ll charge you in a seven day period.

3:28

And it said about like I think want to say it’s about $3435.00.

So you can get about 11 rides out of that and we were there for three, three days and we pretty much used that.

So had we stayed longer, we wouldn’t have been charged anymore for the metro system for.

3:44

A week, right, $35 maximum per week.

Unlimited rides.

Unlimited rides after you hit that cap.

We had gone in January.

So I would say wear layers because it can get warm and then it can get obviously cooler.

3:59

We were so lucky that when we were there, the highs were actually in the 50s.

Lows got a little bit lower, you know, into the high 30s, low 40s.

But it wasn’t really too cold.

And ironically enough, when we got back from Egypt and we landed in New York, it was incredibly cold.

4:17

So obviously New York can be really cold during the winter, and it actually is.

We were lucky.

But nevertheless, if you’re in there when it’s really cold, if you’re there when it’s kind of temperate like it was for us, you just always want to have those layers, base layers, beanies, hand warmers.

4:34

We need an umbrella because it rained on us at some point.

So just pack accordingly because the weather can be dicey in New York and change on a dime.

And we’ll leak some of the products that we used in our show notes, so you guys have easy access to them if you’d like.

We always talk about our mini travel umbrella.

4:49

I love that thing.

It’s small enough to fit in your purse.

I have used it on so many trips.

People are like, whoa, you had an umbrella?

I know I’ve recently been making Jamal carry his own Merce because otherwise I end up carrying his sunglasses, his umbrella, everything he has in his pockets, and he can fit his in his merce so it’s nice and discreet.

5:14

That I can, but I just want to say if a woman is already wearing a purse to carry a few things that fit in a man’s pocket just to lighten the load for all the things guys do for women, I think is an easy feat to do.

But you know what?

I rock the merce and I do not mind it.

I just want to throw that out there real quick.

5:30

But the last tip that we have for you before we get into the episode and tell you all about our experience is if you’re going for the first time or even if you’ve been before, I think it’s really beneficial to look into City Pass.

Now, if you’ve never heard of City Pass before, they are available in lots of major U.S. cities and they give you entrances to lots of the major attractions in those cities.

5:52

So City Pass New York is a bundled sightseeing pass that lets you save money while you’re seeing all of the city’s major highlights and must see attractions.

So it covers 5 attractions over a nine day period.

So of course, think going to the top of the Empire State Building, top of Rockefeller Center, going to the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, museums and more all in one easy pass that you can carry.

6:16

And of course, if you’re going to be doing all those things separately, buying those tickets, it adds up to be a lot more than just your city pass experience ticket.

So really do look into that because it’s a good money saver and a great way to see all the main sites.

And if you haven’t been to New York, or it’s still one of your first few times, or maybe you just haven’t done the touristy things, City Pass is awesome for that.

6:39

I mean, seeing the Statue of Liberty is as cool as you think it would be going to the top of the rock.

We’re going to talk about it.

Magnificent.

Yeah, we got a lot of use out of our City Pass, and it wasn’t something I had really heard before, and I’m really glad we got to take advantage of it.

It’s super easy to use.

6:55

There’s an app, you can actually make reservations for the attractions that you want to do in the app, and then it just has the QR code that you have to pull up.

So super convenient to use while you’re there.

All right, let’s get into where we stayed.

There’s a million places to stay in New York.

7:10

And like Jamal said, we all kind of arrived at different times.

We had a little bit different plans from person to person.

And so you 2 decided to stay in one spot.

Yeah, we were staying Friday, Saturday and Sunday night, and we stayed at the Courtyard, Long Island City, NY, Manhattan View, and it was a great location because it wasn’t far from LaGuardia, which is the airport we flew into.

7:33

It was across the street from a subway station, and it was more affordable than Manhattan.

And our hotel was actually in the borough of Queens.

So you heard Brittany say Manhattan View.

Manhattan was just behind the buildings right there.

So that subway that we were next to, of course, could get you really anywhere in New York.

7:48

But we were also one stop away from being in Manhattan without those Manhattan prices.

So for that and the convenience of being close to the airport, close to Manhattan on all sorts of things, we really did find this to be a valuable and nice spot.

I met you all there on the last night.

8:05

We wanted to be together before we flew out and I came over there.

But the first two nights I actually decided to book one of the Chases the Edit hotels.

It was getting to be the end of 2025 and I hadn’t used that credit.

Brittany was reminding me about it.

And so I looked into it and one of the only affordable hotels that are part of the Chase Edit that at least was available this time I was looking, was this IHG Barclays in Midtown Manhattan.

8:31

Really great location, close to the Grand Central Station and walkable to the subways and lots of the attractions that we went to.

Beautiful hotel, gorgeous bar, beautiful lobby, nice rooms.

Took advantage of that $250 credit.

So I girl mathed it right.

8:47

So it’s about the same price as staying at that courtyard.

And I’m like, you know what, We’re going for it.

No, good for you, because when we were out and about doing stuff together, Kim, we did stop by your hotel and go up to your room.

I mean, just even the lobby.

The rest of the hotel, your room itself, it just had that old school luxury New York feel in there in a way, and I really did appreciate that.

9:10

So you had a nice spot, stayed there a couple nights like you said before.

You ended up meeting us at the Marriott Courtyard that we stayed at just the night before our flight to Egypt.

Yes.

And squaddies, if you’re going to New York, you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card and you have that edit credit.

9:26

Look at this hotel.

I do recommend it had great robe slippers, like we said, good location, great interior.

So Friday night when I or actually you guys got there first Friday?

Yeah, we did get there Friday.

We landed at around 6:00 PM in LaGuardia and we decided to get from LaGuardia to the hotel.

9:47

We just didn’t want to take our luggage on the subway or the metro.

So we actually just booked an Uber to take us to our hotel, but we wanted to get in somewhat early because we wanted to go out to dinner that night and grab a New York slice of pizza.

Yeah, so of course you go to New York.

10:02

Nothing’s more classic in New York than a New York style pizza.

So we went to a famous spot called Linda Street Pizza.

There are two locations, one of them is in Manhattan and the other one in Brooklyn.

We ended up going to the Brooklyn location and this is a really popular spot, just one in general.

10:20

And of course, with social media really blowing up, Brittany and I ended up getting 4 slices to share.

What I really like about them too is of course you could get whole pies or you could get the slices.

And if you get slices, you could even tell them, hey, cut the slice in half and they’ll cut it in half if they know you’re sharing it with somebody.

10:37

So one of the pizzas we got was their signature namesake, the Linda St., which was prosciutto and burrata.

We got tartufo, which was a four cheese and your favorite Kim mushrooms and truffle oil.

It was delicious, but I know you don’t like mushrooms.

10:53

I’m just joking with you.

The New Yorker, which was a pepperoni, sausage and ricotta and then a fig jam and bacon.

Now I know that sounds a little bit weird, but let me tell you something.

That fig jam and bacon was both Brittany and I’s favorites.

The New Yorker was second favorite.

11:09

And quite honestly, like Brittany and I really do love truffle and mushroom cheese, these pizzas, but this one here was just OK.

But their other pizzas were delicious and really good.

It’s a good spot to go to and definitely famous in New York right now.

Linda Street Pizza.

11:25

That is really making me want pizza.

Those descriptions just.

So what did you end up doing, Kim, when you got in?

I got in a little bit later than you 2 and went to go check into the hotel.

I really wanted Chinese food, classic New York Chinese food.

11:42

Another classic New York.

And honestly, as soon as you told us the next day, because we didn’t meet up this day, right?

But we knew you were coming in that night, as soon as Brittany told me you got Chinese, I think she mentioned it like when we were standing in line for pizza or something or a little bit afterwards.

I was like, Oh my God, I wasn’t even thinking New York Chinese.

12:00

And now it’s on my mind.

And I was like this close to stopping and getting some Chinese food on our way back to our hotel after the pizza because I wanted some.

Yeah, it was really good.

So I ordered from a place called The Best Sichuan, and it was pretty good.

I don’t know if it was the best ever, but it was really, really good.

12:17

I actually had it delivered.

So I started getting in my head about being alone in New York and like, walking the streets and not knowing the area.

It was late at night and it was cold.

And yeah, so I ordered delivery.

It came in like 10 minutes.

It was so fast.

12:33

I also took advantage of that $100 resort credit that Chase gives you with the Edit hotels.

And I had a couple glasses of wine.

There was one glass I had, and then I wanted something different.

And both Reds.

He poured a couple.

I tried a few.

The best one happened to be like a $40 glass of wine.

12:52

Oh my goodness.

You know what Chase is paying for it so.

There goes half your credit.

But you know what?

Nevertheless, why not win in New York, right?

But I just want to say something.

I know you said you weren’t sure if the best Szechuan was really the best.

But when we went to your hotel room the next day, you had a little bit leftover and you had these green beans and they were cold by this point and not fresh, but they were still super, super dynamite.

13:16

So that’s a testament when you have cold refrigerated Chinese, if it’s still good, then you know it was good the day before, so.

I also got broccoli, chicken and white rice and some low noodles.

Everything was really good.

I do recommend.

So that’s all our first day was, was really a travel day, getting in and of course getting those tasty bites that New York is known for, pizza and Chinese.

13:40

Hey Squatty, if you’re looking to go to New York and you’re concerned about flight prices, I do recommend signing up for Thrifty Traveler.

Their premium subscription will send you e-mail alerts of flights, say to New York that are on sale from the airports that you have personally selected.

13:57

You can also set it to everything and Justice see where you maybe could re navigate yourself To get there a little more affordably.

Go to Thriftytravelercom Premium and use our code TSP an you’ll get $20 off your first year subscription.

So Saturday we had a jam packed day and this is a day that we were meeting up with Kim for the first time.

14:18

So Jamal and I were staying at the Marriott.

We wanted to make our way down towards the very bottom of Manhattan, but we wanted to eat breakfast before him.

Kim actually had breakfast included in her hotel stay so she didn’t meet up with us for breakfast, but I had been hearing her at a place called Bubby’s which has famous for its pancakes so really wanted to try that out.

14:39

We end up taking the subway towards Bubbies.

As we’re walking out of the subway, we’re walking up the steps and we get our first view of the One World Trade Center building just right there.

It’s always really cool when you walk out of a subway station and you see like an iconic building come up right away.

I really do love that.

14:55

I’m obviously that’s happened to us in many places that we’ve traveled to where you come out and you know that you’re going to this vicinity, but you don’t know that that main attraction or building or whatever it is is like right in front of you.

That’s always like super exciting when that happens.

15:12

And of course, going to New York, there is maybe only a couple other more iconic buildings than that one.

So that’s really exciting when that does happen.

But yeah, Brittany wanted to go to Bubbies because it is a very famous breakfast spot, more particularly for their pancakes.

15:29

So on our way to Bubbies, we actually ended up passing the Ghostbusters house.

I didn’t really realize at all that, of course, like when they filmed the movies Ghostbusters, that of course they’re maybe used like a real facade or it could have been a like at a studio.

But apparently they used a real fire station in New York as the outside of the Ghostbusters house.

15:49

And now that fire station is decked out with Ghostbusters stuff.

And so I thought that was actually pretty cool when we were walking by that, but we only had to walk a couple blocks.

So Bubbies is located in the Tribeca region of Manhattan.

It opens at 8:00 AM.

16:06

So we got there right away because they don’t take reservations and we didn’t want to wait any longer.

So why don’t you tell everybody a little bit about the breakfast, Brittany?

Yeah, it is good if you’re trying to beat the crowds to get there, right when it opened, there was already people in line waiting for it to open when we got there, and the line just kept growing while we were waiting in it.

16:24

So we got in right away, though, because we weren’t very far back in line.

But we ended up getting the pancakes with the blueberry compo, which is what they’re famous for.

We got huevos rancheros and eggs Benedict as well and everything we got was really good.

It definitely was really good for sure, but I just want to say this, right?

16:43

A lot of things that are really popular on social media, when you hear that hype and you go there and it doesn’t meet expectation, it didn’t lower it for me here at Bubbies.

They were really good pancakes.

But are they the best in New York?

Like everybody’s saying that is to be determined.

16:58

You know, I just want to say that for sure because lots of places that we’ll talk about where we did go get food are really hyped up just in general because of like reviews, social media influencers, etcetera.

Bubby’s was good, definitely worth a stop, but I wouldn’t say great that you need to make it an absolute priority.

17:16

My favorite dish actually was so huevos rancheros.

Not even the pancakes.

Yeah, me too.

They were delicious.

And then from there, we decided, you know, instead of taking the subway all the way down, that we were going to do some walking.

We needed to meet up with Kim at Battery Park because we had to take the 10:30 ferry to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

17:36

So we decided since we had some time, because we did get our food relatively fast at Bubby’s since we didn’t have have a weight, we ended up walking down to the 9/11 Memorial reflection poles.

We got another view of the One World Trade Center and then we stopped at the Wall Street Bull.

Jamal’s obsessed with the Wall Street bull and taking pictures on its backside.

17:56

Well, you know, the first time we were in New York, we went to go see the Wall Street bull.

It’s just very famous, you know?

And then I did not realize the backside of the Wall Street Bull really has the statue, like endowed, right?

So people are taking photos in the front.

Lots of people are taking in the back, doing things that maybe you should or shouldn’t be doing over there.

18:14

So I have a photo with my friend Josh.

The first time we went on the backside of the bull.

And so I just took one alone.

And then Brittany’s saying I’m obsessed with it.

She got down and took some photos herself.

Right?

Yeah.

And don’t just say, oh, these juvenile people, ’cause I know somebody from the peanut gallery might comment on us and say, oh, my gosh, I can’t believe you did that.

18:36

We saw a foreign family.

I believe they were actually from Spain, husband, wife and a child.

He was no more than 10.

They were even encouraging their son to go in and take those photos with it.

And they got a family one together that I took with them.

So, you know, everybody is doing it.

18:52

That is true.

That is true.

So you got some photos there.

And then we walked from there to Battery Park, which is where you go to get on the ferry to get to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

And in front of Battery Park is where we met up with Kim.

I will say the city and the tourism organizations that are putting towards ferries are so helpful in this area.

19:14

During this weekend, I went to this area twice for ferries.

They are asking you where are you going?

What are you trying to get on?

They’ll direct you exactly where to go because you kind of have to navigate through the park.

Yeah.

And they have like vests and shirts that they’re wearing that state that they are actually like official transport workers.

19:31

So you can be confident in the fact that if they’re wearing those shirts and actually have official gear on them, that they really are giving you the correct advice of this.

This is what you need to do, this is what ferry you need to go on, etcetera, and just heed their advice and recommendations.

So like Brittany said, we had our ferry and boat ride to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

19:53

We did book and utilize this through our city pass that we were talking about before.

When you go on to the ferry, you do have to go through security, almost like you’re going through security at the airport.

There’s an X-ray machine.

You need to take everything, all electronics out of your pocket.

20:11

I believe we even had to take off our shoes, did we not?

Yeah, I think you had to take off your belt too.

Yes, absolutely.

So just also like the when we’re talking about before in terms of advice, give yourself time, give yourself time here because we were here relatively early in the morning, but I can imagine the later you are in the day, of course, there’s only so many ferries, the line could get really, really backed up to get on the ferry and of course security.

20:36

So just keep that in mind.

And we wanted to go to both the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

So if you do plan to do both, plan to be there for about three, 3 1/2 hours so that you can see everything and you’re not super rushed.

You have to take into account the security line.

You have to take into account getting on the ferry.

20:53

Because if the ferry’s full when you get there, you’re going to have to wait till the next ferry to get there to go.

And then going around the Statue of Liberty, then taking another ferry to Ellis Island and then going back to Manhattan.

So it’s quite a process.

You you’re going to need a three 3 1/2 hours at the very minimum.

21:11

Got on the ferry and started sailing.

And like you said, Kim, there really is nothing like seeing Lady Liberty in person, let alone from the ferry as you’re sailing up to it, right?

It’s one thing to see it from land.

And the first time we were in New York, the only time I saw the Statue of Liberty was when we were walking across the Brooklyn Bridge and you see it off in the distance.

21:31

But it was really awesome to actually be on the ferry, sail up to it and around it before we actually got off and got to go onto the island where Lady Liberty resides.

When we went to the Statue of Liberty, you get to get onto the island from there.

21:48

You could probably purchase the opportunity to climb it.

We didn’t do that part.

We walked around.

It had all these different beautiful views of it.

It’s actually very big up close.

Cool to see it up close.

And then there’s a little bit of a very, very small, I don’t even want to call it a museum, but inside there’s a little bit of that that you can look at.

22:07

And that’s kind of what’s on that island.

But definitely worth the stop, wouldn’t you say?

Definitely worth the stop.

Again, it’s not really much to do when you’re there other than see it and go into that museum, maybe learn a little bit about the history.

A lot of people know this, a lot of people don’t, that the Statue of Liberty was actually a gift to the United States from France in the year 1886.

22:27

So you learn a little bit while you’re there.

But of course, as an American or even as a tourist, something really cool to see and one of the most famous iconic landmarks in the world, I believe.

And you can also see views of Manhattan from the island that Lady Liberty is on.

22:43

So it’s a good backdrop if you’re taking pictures before you move on to the ferry going to Ellis Island.

Kim, you were really excited to go to Ellis Island.

I really it was, I like history and how like America came to be is very interesting.

It’s relatively new history compared to ancient Egypt, you know, for example.

23:01

Of course, or even lots of other European countries for that matter.

Yes, yes, yes, yes.

But you know, a couple, 100 years ago, all of these immigrants, mostly from Europe and other countries came and so many of them came through Ellis Island.

That’s why it’s a relevant piece of American history and just cool to be amongst that energy.

23:22

But I am very, very disappointed because all our lives we are told that people come to Ellis Island and they sign the book and they write their name in there and they, some of them change their names.

And there’s this record book of all the immigrants that have come through Ellis Island.

23:38

But that is a lie.

You’re very disappointed when you found out that was a lie that guy and Ranger in there because this is a National Monument.

So the people and workers there are actually like Rangers to the the park and monument.

He basically said that’s all Hollywood not really true.

23:55

I mean we did see because of course when you’re there, you can kind of go through a little museum area of sorts that they do have.

You can see a Ledger book of course of one of the dockings of people who came on somebody who wrote the names.

But it’s not that big massive book that you’re made to believe that it is.

24:13

But but between the years 1892 and 195412 million immigrants were processed on Ellis Island.

So coming from Europe on boat, that’s the first place they landed.

Then of course they go through immigration if they are even allowed.

24:30

And then of course they go.

I forgot what they said.

The statistic was of people who didn’t make it.

But the people who didn’t make it is maybe just because the documentation wasn’t correct done right.

But more so it was because they felt those people were sick.

Maybe they had lice or some sort of other illness or disease.

24:47

So then they didn’t.

But actually a lot of people got through was from what they were saying.

Very few did not.

I think they were saying like only one person.

Yeah.

So that’s good odds.

But then of course, they talked a little bit about how that 1% of 12 million, that’s a lot of people and how many families that split up as well.

25:04

So really interesting history.

We got to watch a really nice movie while we were here, was like 30 minutes and it was very informative and interesting.

Yeah.

And then and we went searching for the book.

We later found out the book didn’t exist.

But they do have a database that you can do some research on if you are looking for people that have gone through Ellis Island.

25:23

But you do have to pay, I want to say it’s like $10 to do the research there.

So we didn’t do that.

We went ahead and moved on and we walked through the exhibits.

You can see old passports of people that had gone through Ellis Island.

It’s just like a cool kind of interactive museum that you walk through before you move on.

25:40

From there, we took the ferry back over to lower Manhattan, hopped on the metro, and scooted our way back up city to Bryant Park.

Yeah, Bryant Park is in midtown Manhattan, and it’s very close to the New York Public Library.

25:57

Brittany wanted to go to the New York Public Library for a specific reason, and when we get to that very shortly, we’ll go ahead and mention it.

But Kim, your hotel was close to Bryant Park.

I don’t remember if you were saying you had walked through there in the evening or in the morning on your way down to Battery Park where we met up.

26:12

But you were mentioning how they had the ice skating rink out there because of course, we went in January, still a little after Christmas.

So they had a lot of the decorations and things still up as well.

So that was really cool.

And they almost had it like a Christmas market because there were a lot of stands that were having food.

26:28

So if you’ve ever been to a European Christmas market, it had that feel, but on a smaller level and such a historic spot of New York as well in Midtown Manhattan.

Yeah, so we just walked through there, saw the Christmas Winter Village, saw the ice skating rink.

There was even some ice bumper cars going on as well.

26:44

But it’s right on the edge of the New York Public Library, and I had heard that it’s just a really beautiful building that has amazing architecture inside.

So we decided to go inside and see some of the architecture.

They have kind of like a museum in there too, that has some significant historical artifacts and exhibits.

27:06

So we just made a quick round in there before heading to Kim’s hotel.

Well, on a cold day, it’s a nice place to go warm up again.

When we were there, it was cold but not incredibly cold, but it was still nice to do that.

But yeah, this is a Public Library with a small area that, again, has those rotating exhibits, so it really is a museum.

27:24

But we were talking about this when we were in the library, is how they don’t make buildings like this anymore.

Just the granite, the columns, the stairs, the grandeur.

I just really love that type of old American architecture that you see and experience here because there’s very few places that still have this in the United States, and the New York Public Library is one of those places.

27:45

So a really cool building to check out.

Wasn’t there some fact you gave about Titanic?

Oh, yeah.

I think one of the gentleman who was one of the, I don’t want to say the founder of the library, but he gave a very large endowment to the building and creation of this particular library was John Jacob Astor.

28:03

He was on the Titanic, and he did die on the Titanic.

And he was one of the wealthiest men in America at the time.

So he is one of the founders and endowers of the funds to build this library.

So interesting.

So rain started to pick up after we left the library and we were heading back to this area because we had a scheduled Top of the Rock experience at 3:30.

28:27

Kim wanted to go back to her hotel so she could change.

We had a few minutes there so we ate her leftover Chinese food.

She delicious.

She did an outfit change and then we went back out to head over to the Rockefeller Center.

28:43

You know, besides it almost pouring down rain on us at this point, we persisted.

We actually showed up.

We thought we were going to go to the top of the rock.

Yeah, we knew it was going to suck because of course you’re going to a top of a skyscraper in midtown Manhattan to get the views.

It’s rainy, it’s cloudy, etcetera.

28:59

But we’re like, all right, we’re going to do it.

And of course, this was also an activity that you could do through City Pass.

But when when we got to Rockefeller Center before we ended up going into the building to try to go upstairs to go to the top, I was really excited because one of the most famous things in New York around Christmas time is the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center.

29:22

And they have the ice skating rink that’s in front of it.

And then in front of the ice skating rink is the famous Prometheus statue, that golden statue that they have down there too.

These are just like icons of New York or whenever they’re showing anything in New York or filming anything.

You see this very often.

29:38

And it was so exciting to actually see Rockefeller Center and the Christmas tree lit up with the ice skating rink.

And it was the last day because we ended up going back to Rockefeller Center the next day and it was gone.

So I feel really lucky that we were able to see that.

29:54

But when we went to go up to the top, one of the security guards told us, hey, if you have reservations, it’s rainy.

I really wouldn’t go up.

If you have the opportunity to reschedule and come back tomorrow or another time, I would definitely do that.

And we’re like, oh, are we able to reschedule?

30:10

This is yeah, absolutely.

Just talk to the people here.

They were the ones that had the the tickets and we’re selling them.

And then of course, they could reschedule.

So we looked at the weather forecast the very next day early in the morning.

It was predicted to be bright and sunny.

And sure enough, we postponed going to the top of the Rock to do it the next day when the weather was going to be better and it was going to be clear in the morning.

30:33

And when we talk about that, when we get to it, I’m really glad that we did do that.

Yeah, I’m really glad that they gave us that option.

That was very kind because they were like, I mean, it is open.

You can go up there, but you’re not going to enjoy it.

So they encouraged us to reschedule.

I’m glad that they did that.

That was very kind of them.

30:48

So we were like, OK, we predicted that we were going to be there for an hour, hour and a half.

So now we have time to kill because we did have reservations later that night, but our reservations that night for dinner weren’t until 7:00.

So we’re like brainstorming what should we do in the meantime?

It’s raining outside.

Of course.

31:04

We grabbed a quick coffee and then we made a plan.

Kim had said she had wanted to go to a bar that she had seen and it was called 1011, so we made plans to go there.

I saw this on a Tick Tock video about the most beautiful bars in New York City and that is why I wanted to go because wasn’t it beautiful?

31:24

It was.

It’s this beautiful bar with glowing Onyx marble.

I’ve never seen anything quite like it.

It’s like an orange glow and it’s a small bar room, but the bar itself is so big and commanding and just like a really cool vibe.

For a 1011 bar.

31:40

We did not have a reservation, so walking into a New York City bar without a reservation, sometimes you’re not going to have much luck.

But we went pretty much exactly when it opened.

It opened at 5:00 and we were in there by like 5-10 and we were able to get a spot at the bar no problem.

31:57

The way they were handling it this night was a $30 cover, and that included your first drink.

The drinks are about $25 anyway, so it’s basically just a drink ticket.

A drink ticket and a little bit of a $5 cover to boot on top of that, right, If they’re going to charge 30 per person.

32:12

But nevertheless, you know, again, even if it wasn’t the Saturday night and they were doing that cover, like you said, Kim, prices for cocktails in Manhattan, I feel like that’s the average and the norm anyway.

So for us in that moment, it was like, all right, whatever, we want to go in, get out of the rain, kill time before dinner.

32:29

And what a great experience it was here just with the ambiance that it had.

I had a drink that I really liked.

It was called Realm of Senses, and it was with Patrone, silver, ancho Reyes, cucumber, jalapeno and lime.

So I feel like it was a Margarita without really being called a Margarita in some sort of way.

32:47

And I did enjoy it.

I had a nice fruity pink drink.

It was called My boyfriend is out of town, but ironically my boyfriend was with me.

Yes, I was keeping close tabs on you.

But it was really good.

We had gin, dragon fruit, lychee and it was nice pink.

It had a little umbrella.

33:03

It was really cute do.

You remember what you had, Kim.

I actually don’t remember.

I remember it being pretty good, like a fruity floral something.

The drinks there were all pretty good.

A craft cocktail bar.

Definitely craft and they all came out with great presentation as well.

33:18

So we stayed there for about an hour.

We really enjoyed the ambience at the bar.

If you’re not seated at the bar, there is like another section you could be seated in had this beautiful black seating, but we wanted to sit at the bar because that’s the whole attraction there.

Well, they also did say those seating areas are actually for people with reservations as well.

33:38

So I didn’t even catch that.

And then we were making our way to Emily for dinner, which is where we had reservations.

So our plan was to hop on the subway and make it to Emily.

But somewhere on the subway, our line disappeared and we couldn’t find the sea line.

33:56

And we like, got out of the station.

We’re trying to follow directions.

We’re going across the street trying to go back under, and no sign says C.

And so we’re really short on time at this point.

And so we end up deciding that we’re going to take a lift to our dinner reservation, but it’s like prime time traffic.

34:16

So now we’re running really late, but we end up finding out later Line A runs the same route and is expressed.

And we should have just done that, but we didn’t know that at the time.

Maps for the most part, we always hype it up, especially with the transportation.

I will say 98% of the time is real solid.

34:34

There’s those outliers.

And this was an outlier time, right, because it had us transfer lines, which I don’t understand why.

And at the station where it said transfer, like you said, we could not find the other line.

So we took that lift.

But again, going back to the tip, and I just really want to stress this, this is New York distance sometimes doesn’t seem very far, but if you’re in traffic, it can be far.

34:56

We were only 3 1/2 miles away from where we were having dinner at Emily in Brooklyn, and it took 30 minutes in the lift for 3 1/2 miles just with traffic.

So that’s New York traffic for you.

That it was worth the journey because Emily was really good.

35:12

Emily is actually available to make reservations on on Rezi and if you have an American Express Gold card, you can get a $50 Rezi credit towards your dinner.

And if you have the American Express Platinum card, you get $100 for Rezi restaurants as well.

So that’s a good way to spend your credit.

35:29

Emily’s was amazing.

We started off with drinks.

I ended up getting an apple cinnamon Margarita and I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I actually really love this Margarita.

Very good.

Tasted like fall in the glass.

That it did and I ended up getting an espresso martini, which I did enjoy.

35:48

But I will say this, your apple cinnamon margaritas that you ladies got, those were absolutely delicious.

But we ended up going here again.

Emily is a very famous spot in Brooklyn.

Of course, now it’s even more famous with social media.

36:04

The hype, it’s fame to claim is actually that it is the best burger in all of New York.

And we were talking earlier about restaurants and the hype they get.

And I’m going to give my very good two cents at the end after we talk about everything that we had here because some places are overhyped, but this place was not one of the ones that’s overhyped.

36:23

This place really meets and exceeds the hype that it gets.

And they’re of course, very well known for that burger, but we tried a lot of different things on the menu and everything was so good.

We started with a Caesar salad that had anchovies on top and then we also ordered some roasted carrots that had honey, sriracha, garlic, ricotta and olive oil.

36:45

Those carrots were amazing.

The carrots with the dip, so good.

We also got chicken wings, but these chicken wings were a little bit different.

They were actually covered in the Asian spicy sauce, the GAO Chu Jiang, and we really did love this one just as well.

37:03

It came with a house ranch, a little bit of radish on the side as well.

But usually, you know, New York, you’re thinking Buffalo wings.

But here you got it with a little bit of an Asian flair and they were really good.

We got two different pizzas.

One was the breeze.

37:19

It had red sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni, pickled jalapenos and honey.

And then we got the Emily, which was a white pie with white cheese, pistachios and honey.

And oh, and that was definitely my favorite thing, one of the most unique and delicious pizzas I have ever had.

37:38

You actually stated after you ate it.

I think this is the best pizza I’ve ever eaten.

I wish I could have another one right now.

You did say that outright.

And you know, what’s really funny is when we were talking about like Linda St., that fig jam one that we were talking about, this Emily one is also a sleeper because you read the description and it’s like, oh, you don’t really know what it could be.

37:58

But they just make it so well, has that right balance of sweet and savory without going overboard or being too crazy with its flavors.

Like it’s genuinely perfect.

And of course, we did try their famous cheeseburger that’s on a dry aged beef Patty.

38:14

It has the Emmy sauce, which is basically their homemade sauce that they have caramelized onion cheddar and it’s served on a pretzel bun with fries.

And then for dessert, we had a S’mores, Calazone and banana pudding.

38:30

I mean, we really went gung ho out here at Emily and tried everything.

And I have to say, everything that we tried was exceptional, not just good, but exceptional.

And so I’m going to give my two cents now that I was talking about, right?

We went several places here that are highly acclaimed, rated, have all sort of that online lure to it.

38:52

But Emily did not disappoint.

It really meets and exceeds it.

And I would go back here again, like Kim, you were saying how you want to eat the Emily pizza.

Now I want to go here and just go crazy with all the stuff that we ordered and all the other stuff that we didn’t try.

And Squatty’s head over to our Instagram because we do have a reel from our dinner at Emily and we’ll walk you through our whole dinner and experience so you can see what it’s like.

39:14

So if you’re headed to New York, you can come and visit here yourself because it is worth a visit.

So Sunday we had to reschedule our Top of the Rock experience and so we had booked it for 9:00 AM.

And so Kim was actually still available at that time because she had other plans to stay.

39:31

So we all met up to go to the Rockefeller Center.

Top of the Rock is pretty cool.

It’s this immersive experience.

It starts with a movie.

It tells you about the history of the Rockefellers.

They make it snow while you’re watching that movie.

It’s pretty cool.

And then you take this massive elevator ride all the way up to the top, and then you start to explore these indoor and outdoor observation decks, and there’s a couple of different levels.

39:56

They start you at the bottom and you work your way up.

Yeah.

And for you guys who do not know, like Rockefeller Center is not just one building.

It covers several square blocks, like 22 acres between 40 8th St. and 51st St. in Midtown Manhattan, and it’s 19 commercial buildings.

40:14

So this is really the home of NBC and all its satellites and all of its media entities that are.

Under NBC, so they film Saturday Night Live here, Radio City Music Hall is here, all sorts of other stuff takes place here.

And of course these are commercial buildings as well.

40:32

So the top of the Rock is going to the top of the tallest building of the one of 19 at Rockefeller Center here.

And being in Midtown Manhattan, just in the center, you have views depending on what side you’re looking at Central Park.

40:47

Then you could look at lower Manhattan and you can see all the way to the Empire State Building, lower Manhattan with one World Trade.

So this was an amazing experience as a whole, just going up to the top, the show and things that they tell you, the history, making it snow, like you said to Kim, and then just the payoff, which were the views.

41:05

And it was a beautiful, clear day, considering the day before it was raining.

Yeah, I’m so glad we rescheduled it.

One of the decks that we were on, one of the floors that we were on, it had these glass panels that were like floor to, I don’t know, probably like 10 feet high glass panels.

41:21

And you just had these panoramic views behind you.

We went up another level and there was like maybe a little half wall, but you can still look down on to New York City.

And then from this area you could actually take another elevator up to go 30 feet even higher.

41:37

And Kim actually did that, and she had it to herself.

Yeah, it’s like this big round pedestal of sorts, and then as an elevator it kind of just makes the stand taller and then it’s surrounded by glass.

It was a little freaky up there, but you do get a pretty cool view.

41:53

And then it’s 360°.

It does rotate.

Did you feel like a lot of the rotation while you were up there, or was it slow enough that you were OK?

I.

Mean it’s, it’s not like a roller coaster, it’s not rotating that fast, but you can feel it for sure.

And it’s a little windy.

It was windy when you’re up there all the way at the top, but what I really liked about it is the outside levels.

42:13

There’s three different levels, so you walk out, there’s this big area you can circle all around, and then there’s a second level, then even eventually a third level from all different angles within the building.

So great experience.

We’re going to talk about going to the top of another famous building here in New York.

42:31

I’m just already going to give you the spoiler.

All three of us are going to say Rockefeller Center is probably the best one to go to the top of, for sure.

Yes.

Do you disagree, Kim?

Well, I didn’t go to the Empire State.

Building that’s right, you did not go to the Empire State Building.

That was with Robin, so we’ll get to that Very.

42:48

But I have been to the Edge rooftop in Hudson Yards and I do think Rockefeller is better.

Yeah, there’s a lot of debate over which building has the best views, and I’ve been to the top, even before this, of the Empire State Building.

But I do think that the views at Top of the Rock were much better.

43:04

I enjoyed that a lot.

But you know, if you want to go to the Empire State Building because it’s a classic building, that’s OK too.

We did both in this visit since it was included in our city Pass, and we went with our friend Robin.

But before we headed over there, we went to grab breakfast at Liberty Bagels right outside of the Rockefeller Center.

43:22

I got a bagel that was really delicious.

It was like bacon, egg and cheese with scallion cream cheese.

And I had it on a jalapeno cheddar bagel.

So good.

Yeah, and Liberty Bagels is a chain.

There’s lots of locations all around New York, so you could just get plain bagels with cream cheese, all different different flavors of cream cheese on different varieties of bagels or make them actually as a sandwich.

43:44

You know, we’re talking about famous food in New York.

We already mentioned Chinese pizza.

Well, bagels are on that list as well.

So this morning we didn’t have breakfast by we I’m talking about me and Brittany.

But did you have any at your hotel Kim, because you have the included breakfast.

44:01

You just skipped out on it and met us at Top of the Rock, then I’ve.

Mentioned many times on this show, I’m not the biggest breakfast person, especially when it’s so early, early in the morning.

I just am not ready and I think this was an earlier morning and I wanted to get a little bit more sleep.

44:18

Well, perfect, you saved the space because we all had Liberty Bagels and we did not mention at this point in time we had met up with Zana because Zana got in the night before, but she met us in the morning at Top of the Rock.

She did not go up with us, but at some point we split up.

44:35

Yeah, Zana and I had a reservation at the QC New York Spa in Governors Island.

We needed to be checked in there by noon, so it was perfect timing to go to the Rockefeller, have a little breakfast, and then get on the Metro and go down back to Battery Park, get on that ferry over to Governors Island.

44:52

This time QC New York Spa is the spa of wonders.

That’s their tagline.

And it definitely lives up to that, has a gorgeous view of the Manhattan skyline.

I am doing an entire Just the Tip mini episode on the QC New York spot where I’m going to go into detail about it.

45:11

It may be a longer Just the Tip because it was such an amazing experience and spas like this require the whole day.

So got in at noon, stayed the entire night.

I’ll meet back up with you later but now we’ve split ways.

I’m at the spot and you guys are still exploring Manhattan.

45:28

That’s correct.

So from here, Brittany and I split up with you and Zayna.

We went to the Empire State Building.

We met up with Robin at around 10:00 AM because that’s when our ticket was to go to the top of the Empire State Building.

Robin had got in the night before, actually herself went to a a Broadway play that night when she had got in.

45:49

So this was our first time meeting up with her and of course.

Harry Potter and she said it was really good.

Yes, she went to the Harry Potter Broadway in New York and then of course Empire State Building here real quick.

Want to mention also included with the City Pass.

46:05

Yeah, the Empire State Building I’ve actually been to before.

I’ve been to New York three times.

Once was when I was in high school with FFA.

And we did come here to the Empire State Building.

But it’s also an immersive experience, kind of like Top of the Rock.

You do a walkthrough to learn about the history.

46:21

One thing that they had differently was they had these time capsules that were on display and it showed different eras and things that were popular.

And so, you know, in the 90s, they had like, I think like a Walkman and a cassette and some other like items from the our past.

46:37

But they had like different time capsules from different periods of time that you can walk through.

They also had a section that featured all of the movies that featured the building.

And then they had this King Kong exhibit where you could go into King Kong’s hand and pretend like you’re being scared because he’s in the background.

46:55

Looking through the windows like you’re inside, He’s outside, but you could see him through the windows.

So it was a really fun, immersive experience, no doubt.

And then you go up to look at the panoramic views of the city.

You can see Manhattan, Central Park, the Hudson River, really great views.

47:12

But we had just been to Top of the Rock, so like we said, we did enjoy the view more, but it was still a good experience.

What I think I liked more about the view at Top of the Rock versus the Empire State Building is not the Empire State Building.

You’re on the 86th floor, which is very, very high up.

47:29

But if you’ve seen the Empire State Building, of course, it is kind of like a rectangular building and it has the Spire that goes up and kind of angles into a triangle.

So the observation deck, you are walking all the way around that.

So you really can’t get a 360 view from like one point.

47:47

Yes, you could get a 360 view like walking all the way around, but I felt like at Rockefeller Center, just the way they had those 3 tiered open levels at the top of the building, you can still get that 360 view without an obstructed view, if that makes sense.

48:03

Like there was nothing really blocking you from seeing from side to side if you were standing in one spot.

Whereas here at Empire State Building there was.

So there’s also that.

But I at the Empire State Building, it’s also a very, very famous building.

You can’t see the view of it at Top of the Rock.

48:18

You can actually see the Empire State Building.

So it just adds to the skyline view of Manhattan that you get as well.

So for all those reasons I would say Top of the Rock is better, but still worth going, especially if you’re utilizing during City Pass or just want to go to it because the Empire State Building is a more famous building than 30 Rockefeller Center.

48:37

Robin actually wasn’t with us when we got Liberty Bagel, so she was hankering for a little snack.

And Jamal, like he had mentioned earlier, was really jealous of Kim’s New York Chinese experience and he was like, I really want to get some dumplings while we’re here.

We ended up actually walking by one of the places he did research on and they are famous for their soup dumplings.

48:58

So we did pop in there and grab like a quick snack.

Yeah, we went to Nan Shang Shoulong Bao, which is a dumpling house that’s right across the street from the Empire State Building, and we went in.

Robin wanted to eat.

I obviously just ate that Liberty bagel, but I’ve never turned down Chinese, let alone some dumplings or some dim sum.

49:19

So we sat and enjoyed ourselves and had some soup dumplings here, but they were really good.

I would love to have been more hungry more time.

This would have been a great spot to go and just have a full meal too.

Yeah, we just got like a six pack of little soup dumplings, ate those.

49:35

Robin had I think a little bit more.

And then Jamal and I were splitting up from Robin.

She wanted to go explore Central Park, but Jamal and I had reservations with the City Pass to do a landmarks cruise with Circle Line Cruises, and Kim’s done a similar cruise in the past.

49:52

Was it breakfast included that kind of went around Manhattan?

Yes, I did a brunch open bar cruise that went to the Statue of Liberty and then kind of down where New Jersey is, that pathway, then Brooklyn Bridge, of course.

50:07

Yeah, We were all on like this group chat with a group of different things that we were doing.

And so our friends Cash and Ryan, we’re going to be landing this morning.

And they said, hey, if we land early enough, we want to come meet you for this.

So we made plans just to meet at the pier.

50:24

We’re meeting at Pier 83, but the only way to get there is to take a bus.

So we end up getting on a bus.

And I said to Jamal, I said, I wonder if we’re going to end up on the same bus as them because like we’re going to get there around the same time.

We have to board like 45 minutes early.

50:40

We get on a bus line, they’re not there.

Well, it’s not like we thought we were going to end up in a random bus with Kasha and Ryan.

They had already told you that they were in the vicinity of Times Square, which we were by as well at that point in time.

50:56

And that’s where that bus line kind of originates or goes down that Main Street to get to the pier where we needed to go.

So we’re like, OK, they’re here around.

Are we going to end up on the bus together?

So we get on the bus, they’re not there at the stop, but I want to say it was like 2 stops later they’re they are waiting to get on the bus and so they don’t even see us on the bus.

51:21

And Ryan gets on 1st and then Ke$ha.

And as Ryan’s walking down, I just like, reach out and touch him.

And he was like, oh, there you guys are.

Yeah, he thought some sort of rando New Yorker grabbed him for a second.

So luckily he had his wits about him to remain calm because obviously, you know, riding public transit New York, you don’t really want people touching you, let’s just say.

51:43

So Britney was bold and reaching out for Ryan in that moment.

But yeah, we ran into them of all places.

That’s where we meet up on the same bus line, going to the same spot.

Of course, we were meeting at that location, but they just happened to catch our bus.

Not the next one, not the one before.

51:58

Perfect timing to meet up with them.

We did the Circle Line landmarks cruise, which you’ll see the skyline, the Brooklyn Bridge, Statue of Liberty.

It kind of goes by Governors Island.

At that point.

I was like, oh, Kim and Zana are over there having their spa day.

And it just goes around to some other landmarks, too.

52:16

There’s live narration.

You learn all about New York and all about all of the buildings and the waters and bridges around it.

So it’s quite informative.

And the cruise itself is about an hour and. 1/2 Yeah, Really cool way to see the skyline of New York.

52:31

I will say this, we’ve all done the architectural river tour in Chicago.

I’m just going to flat out say it.

I think it was better than this because you get a lot of history of the buildings and you think, oh, what’s the history of the buildings?

Have to do anything, but it’s really, really quite interesting in Chicago here, you got history of New York, some of the buildings.

52:48

This was still a a great time, no doubt.

But I think what I appreciated more about this is, of course, when you’re in New York or on land or in Manhattan, I mean you’re in a concrete jungle, you look up, you could see the buildings, but just seeing a New York on the water sailing is a completely different perspective.

53:05

So it’s a lot cooler to see it that way and I really appreciated that.

Squatty’s we’re going to have a New York City guide itinerary out for you as this episode comes out.

It’s going to be in our show notes and it’s also going to be on our website, shoptravelsquad.com.

53:20

Go to our website and see all of the other itineraries that we have for you that are built out so you can see a step by step day itinerary for you to follow.

So after we were done with the Landmarks cruise, we ended up going with Kasha and Ryan to Times Square.

53:38

They were going in that vicinity cause of course that’s where they needed to catch the bus to get out there and they were hoping to get a little bit more time and get to Times Square first.

They did not.

So we went and of course experienced that together.

How can you go to New York and not go to Times Square?

So if you don’t know, Times Square is the heart of New York City.

53:54

This is the spot where it’s famous for all its neon billboards, St. performers and just that non-stop energy.

Robin had mentioned that she had gone to Carlos for cannolis, so we went and picked up a cannolis from Carlos.

It’s pretty good.

Not the best cannolis I’ve had, I’ve had better in Boston, but good nonetheless.

54:12

And then Cash and Ryan were really interested in trying out some food spots.

They said on their list, place called Tacos Numero Uno was high on their list.

So we walked there from Times Square.

As we were actually in Times Square, someone heard us talking about it and was like, Oh my God, that is the best place for tacos in New York.

54:30

You have to go.

So that just kind of cemented into everyone’s mind that we need to go check it out.

We got carne asada tacos.

They were quite delicious.

They’re very similar to tacos that you’ll find in San Diego.

Were they the best tacos I’ve ever had?

No.

But were they good for where we were?

54:46

Absolutely.

Yeah, they were good authentic.

And I give air quotes because they are authentic tacos, but like for East Coast, but we are so spoiled being here in California, San Diego, and of course just being able to hop over the border and go to Tijuana.

So they really were like street style Mexican tacos, but nothing quite like the authentic ones that you get in Mexico, that is for sure.

55:08

But good nevertheless.

And if you’re there and having a hankering for Mexican food, I would recommend the spot for sure.

They also wanted to get a slice of New York style, so we went back to Lundestree, but this time we didn’t go to the Brooklyn location.

We went to the location that’s in Manhattan, and Jamal and I just got our two favorite slices that we had gotten Friday night, which were The New Yorker and the Big Jam Pizza.

55:31

Then after that, we all ended up meeting up at the hotel at the Courtyard Marriott again.

Kim, you were done with your reservation at the other hotel after the spa was Zaina, you ended up coming there.

We ended up going there with cash and Ryan.

55:46

Robin was already staying there.

So.

So this was the first time all seven of us were together before our flight to Egypt the next day.

Just hanging out in the lobby bar area, socializing, having a drink, which was a really good time.

But that pretty much concluded our time in New York before our great adventure in Egypt.

56:04

Might have concluded yours but didn’t quite conclude mine but.

I know well, Kim, you are a rally all night type of girl.

You went out and rallied in the night, you know, Well, maybe let you talk more about that in the Just the Tip episode because that was a continuation of your spa experience in some way, I would wager to say.

56:22

It’ll be a mystery squaddies! Tune in to the QC New York Spa mini episode coming out soon.

And thank you so, so much for tuning in to our episode this week.