Birthday Celebrations in Tribeca
📍 Tribeca, NYC

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After a full day last Tuesday, David and I returned to the city to celebrate David’s birthday Thursday night. He was turning the big 3-5, and I wanted him to feel extra special. Keep in mind that he’s always so cryptic about what he wants to do, never has any input on gifts, and it was entirely up to me to plan a night for him. So, after work, we made our way to Tribeca for drinks and a fun dinner with friends. With it being a final birthday celebration as a family of two, it was an evening that we’ll never forget.

Cocktails at the Odeon

Before heading to our dinner reservation, David and I got to the city a little earlier and had some time to kill. My original intentions were to grab a round of drinks and mocktails at The Nines, an incredibly chic bar in NoHo that I’ve heard fantastic things about. Sadly, the universe must have had other plans for us because the local 6 train was inexplicably running express. With a quick pivot, we headed to Tribeca and decided to visit The Odeon. Despite being an NYC staple since the 1980s, David and I have never had the pleasure of visiting before. The people-watching was fantastic, and I can’t wait to return when I sip their cocktails, although the non-alcoholic Roya’s Dress was delicious. 

Dinner at Holywater

After The Odeon and a quick stroll through the neighborhood, we arrived at the dinner destination. Holywater has become a favorite of ours in recent years. They also have a sister location in New Orleans, Seaworthy, that we visit whenever we’re in town. Holywater is such a gem in an otherwise bustling neighborhood. Until very recently, they didn’t even have any signage above their nondescript door. It felt like a scavenger hunt to find it. Once you find the porthole door and make your way inside, it’s like tumbling down the rabbit hole in Alice and Wonderland with increasingly kitschy decor and yacht-rock music. The subterranean restaurant serves up New Orleans-inspired dishes and has a cocktail list that seemingly blends NOLA and NYC classics. Joined by some of our dearest friends, it was an incredible time that ended with blowing out the candle on bread pudding for the Birthday Boy.

As we continue to get older, birthdays sometimes feel more difficult to navigate. Work and life, especially when we have Baby Girl Kennedy, will always take top priority. What I’ve learned is that it’s always important to make room for the celebrations in any shape or form that happens naturally. For David and I, that means a good dinner out and an evening full of laughs.

Love from NYC,
Katie

Thanks for stopping by! To keep up with all things about my travels and style, be sure to visit throughout the week! Be sure to check out my exclusive adventures in NYC and New England. 

Mid-Week Escape in NYC
📍SoHo, NYC

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Last week, David and I had our very own Ferris Bueller’s Day Off Moment and snuck into the city to celebrate his birthday. Okay, so really, I used a personal day, but the effects were the same as if I had played hooky. To quote the movie, “ How can I possibly be expected to handle work on a day like this?” The sun was shining, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky, and it felt absolutely perfect out! There’s something about taking a random day away from work that beats any weekend feeling. To help you inspire taking the rogue vacation day, here’s our mid-week escape in NYC. 

Coffee at the Marlton Hotel

After a mid-morning train into the city, we made our way to the Greenwich Village. Before lunch, I was in need of a caffeine pick-me-up, so we swung into the Marlton Hotel’s espresso bar. It was an unseasonably warm day, and I treated myself to a summertime favorite: espresso tonic. With soda water and a fresh orange slice, think of it as an extra caffeinated soda. We took our drinks to go and killed time before our reservation by sitting in Washington Square Park, which always makes for great people watching! It was the first absolutely gorgeous Spring day of the year, and I was ready to spend as much time outside as possible.

Lunch at Caffè Dante

Since we were out celebrating David’s birthday, I made plans at one of our favorite date spots, Dante. We specifically love the one on MacDougal Street. It has long been our destination for celebrations and intimate nights for two. Even during lunch, this tiny cafe feels so wonderfully intimate. We sat at what has lovingly become our usual table and snacked on their burrata and flatbread. They are continuously rated as one of the best cocktail bars in the world, but they still have an ever-growing list of mocktails. This was such a delight for me in my third trimester. We could have spent all afternoon here, but we had other spots to cross off our list. So, after a few rounds of drinks, we were off to enjoy the beautiful March day.

Shopping and Drinks in SoHo

Even when we have nothing specific to shop for, one of my favorite activities is to aimlessly wander the stores of SoHo. Just a quick stroll from Dante, the cloudless blue sky was also a perfect opportunity to appreciate the stunning cast iron architecture. It is so iconic and perfectly indicative of the neighborhood. With some time to kill, we window-shopped and hopped into a few different stores. The crowds and lines we almost certainly meet on the weekends have melted, a major perk of a mid-week trip. A little thirsty, we popped into Balthazar to enjoy a single round of drinks. We hadn’t been here in a long while, but it’s always a great choice for French fries and maybe even some celeb spotting.

Not pictured was our quick jaunt into Brooklyn to watch David’s alma mater in the conference championship. Although Rhode Island didn’t get the W, it was a long and fulfilling day of playing hooky in the city. Even with Baby Girl Kennedy just a few weeks away, I can’t help but daydream of our future trips into the city together. I know she’ll love the city as much as we do.

Love from NYC,
Katie

Thanks for stopping by! To keep up with all things about my travels and style, be sure to visit throughout the week! Be sure to check out my exclusive adventures in NYC and New England.