The lifestyle and fashion Blogger, Carly Heitlinger, aka Carly, shares her favorite 7 NY spots that will make you want to move to NYC!
This week, our Founder Fê Paronetto interviewed the Connecticut & NYC Blogger Carly Heitlinger. She’s known as only Carly, on Instagram!
Carly launched her life and style blog The College Prepster as a freshman at Georgetown University in 2008.
She was born in Tampa, Florida, but is currently based in Connecticut.
Her blog features attainable style and inspirational life advice, encouraging girls to live their dreams.
Here are Carly’s Top 7 NYC Hot Spots:
Joe’s Shanghai
“Joe’s Shanghai is my favorite spot for soup dumplings and peanut noodles! It’s well worth the wait. Even though I now live in Connecticut, my boyfriend and I will sometimes take Metro North into the City just because we’re craving those dumplings! Bring cash and an appetite.”
The restaurant was launched in 1995, in Flushing, Queens.
And, in no time, it became a hot spot for soup dumplings and crab pork meat!
Locations:
9 Pell Street, Chinatown
4 West 56th Street, Midtown
136-21 37th Avenue, Flushing, Queens
www.joeshanghairestaurants.com
Sarabeth’s
“I can’t get enough of Sarabeth’s amazing brunch. While many locations can have a ridiculous line, swing by Park Avenue South for a shorter (or no!) wait.”
Opened over 30 years ago, Sarabeth’s is definitely a must go if you’re in NYC.
They offer delicious homestyle cooking in a relaxed, non pretentious environment.
It’s great for Happy Hours too, so check their website to figure out which of the 5 locations will suit you best.
Locations:
381 Park Avenue South, Kips Bay
1295 Madison Avenue, Upper East Side
40 Central Park South, Midtown
339 Greenwich Street, TriBeCa
423 Amsterdam Avenue, Upper West Side
http://sarabethsrestaurants.com
Pommes Frites
“After closing for a while, Pommes Frites is back in business! The authentic Belgian fries or poutine make a great afternoon pick-me-up. I have a personal rule to try a new dipping sauce every time I go– you can’t go wrong.”
What to expect?
A specialty shop serving authentic Belgian fries, perfectly doubt cooked (yeah!), topped with countless tasty sauces.
Can life get better that this?
We don’t think so. Ha!
Location: 128 Macdougal Street, Greenwich Village
Heyday
“There tons of spas around the City, but if you’re short on time and still want to squeeze in a little pampering, try Heyday. Conveniently located in NoMad, the express spa offers 30-minute facials. Walk out of there with glowing skin in a New York minute!”
This is the perfect way to keep your skin healthy, even with a stressful NYC agenda.
They are soon opening a 2nd location, in August, in TriBeCa.
Locations:
1130 Broadway, NoMad
92 Reade Street, TriBeCa
CW Pencil Entreprise
“Described by the NY Times as “intoxicating, “CW Pencil Enterprise is the place to go for pencils. It’s really one of the city’s more unique shopping experiences whether or not you’re a pencil enthusiast!”
Founded by Caroline Weaver, we couldn’t agree more with Carly as being a must-go spot to unleash your creative side!
We’ve written about CW Pencil, so check it out for further information and pictures!
Location: 100A Forsyth Street, Lower East Side
Stick With Me Sweets
“Stick With Me Sweets is the place to go if you have a serious sweet tooth. The chocolate shop offers ridiculously delicious bonbons, caramels, truffles, and more.”
The store was launched in December of 2014 by Susanna Yoon, Founder and head chocolatier.
They offer over 24 unique flavored, hand made treats like bonbons, flavored caramels, chocolate truffles, crisp brittles, toffees, nougats, nut butters, and elegant small cakes.
Oh! And, their chocolatiers were trained under this city’s finest Michelin-starred chefs.
Can’t be less than “amazing”, right?
Location: 202 Mott Street, SoHo
Fishkill Farms
“For a quick afternoon getaway, hop in the car and head up to Fishkill Farms, in the Hudson Valley. Depending on the time of year, there are plenty of fruits and vegetables to pick. Apple season is my favorite and their organic varieties are out of this world.”
Carly has been to Fishkill Farms several times – notice the different seasons in the pictures.
It’s a third generation Hudson Valley farm with ecologically-grown fruits and vegetables, with over 100 years!
The farm store and pick-your-own are open from 9am-6pm.
Location: 9 Fishkill Farm Road, Hopewell Junction, NY
Here are a few other fun questions we asked Carly:
What does NYC mean to you?
“It sounds cliche, but I think NYC really does mean opportunity. Not only do you have the chance to make it in almost any career you could possibly imagine, but there are also so many opportunities for experiences. No matter what time it is, or what day it is, or what neighborhood you’re in, there’s something interesting and exciting going on.”
What will a New Yorker never tell someone?
“If you’re in a pinch and need to use a restroom, skip the $5 Starbucks coffee toll and pop into a hotel lobby instead. They’re generally easy to locate and super clean.”
What piece of advice would you give someone that just moved to NYC?
“Get an unlimited MetroCard and commit to exploring different neighborhoods. I like to pick a restaurant or park in a spot I’ve never been to and then do some exploring before and after my visit.”
Take a look at her website to follow her work and find her on her Social Media Channels!
Thank you, Carly, for sharing with us the places you love the most in New York and upstate!
Didn’t it just make you want to move to NYC?!
Photo Credits: Courtesy of Carly, the venues and Sean Ainechi
*Last Update on Feb/2020.*
