You know you’re completely in love with a city when you feel like it’s your first time every time you come back. There’s no other place than New York that makes me feel this way. It’s been two years since I’ve come back to this concrete jungle and as expected, I felt a surge of complete joy and excitement as I landed on a late Wednesday night. I’ve been to New York a couple of hundred times now and still, it makes my heart skip a beat. I was in desperate need for a vacation this past spring so I packed my bags and headed to the Big Apple and then to Washington DC for some solo adventuring. Here’s what I got up to for that one week in the Empire State.

 

One of the best parts of New York City is definitely the fashion. Even after traveling all over the world, there’s still nothing that comes close to how stylish the average New Yorker is. I’ve always found that New York is a place where you can just be yourself; you can dress however you want because it’s all about individual style here. Don’t be afraid to look as unique as you feel –  fashion has no rules in the Big Apple. Known as the city where everyone is from somewhere else, it’s a melting pot of cultures and the hotspot for world fashion. It’s no wonder why it’s my favourite city in the world – everyone’s just as strange as I am (:

Pictured above on my first day in New York, I’m wearing my signature double denim that I’ve been rocking for the past few months. I loved repping the Canadian tuxedo – the oversized denim jacket with the ripped jeans definitely had an urban flair to it while being right on trend with this season’s favourite look. I didn’t notice at the time but I can see now that I ended up matching with the rug from my Airbnb in Brooklyn. Looks like it’s a black and blue aesthetic for the win (: On a side note, when visiting solo to NYC, Airbnbs in Brooklyn are the way to go – they’re much more cost-efficient than Manhattan. Just don’t be too intimidated by Brooklyn’s rundown appearance, it doesn’t bite – but paying for a hotel in Manhattan might.

Wearing: M Boutique Denim Jacket | M Boutique Crop Top | Uniqlo Distressed Jeans | Auxiliary Belt | Keds Platforms | Clara Lifestyle Earrings | Top Shop Necklace

 

First up on the agenda was a long-awaited visit to Ivan Ramen – featured on Netflix’s Chef’s Table. I watched this particular episode during my trip to Japan last year and was transfixed. The owner and chef of the restaurant, Ivan Orkin originally started his ramen shop in Tokyo to great popularity until eventually, moving back home to open one right in New York City. I’m a great lover of ramen so I’ve been dreaming of getting my hands on one of his bowls of ramen for what feels like a lifetime. When I arrived, I sat at the bar to enjoy the view of the sous chefs working away, preparing my bowl of Shoyu ramen. I’m not going to lie but after finishing my meal, the ramen didn’t exactly live up to my expectations – it was a bit too salty and not flavourful enough. I’d come back to try their Shio ramen, which I hear is less heavy. In spite of that, I did enjoy the decor of the restaurant with their high-top vinyl teal seats and an animated strip of ramen-slurping customers.

 

When coming to New York, one must visit at least one art museum while in town. I’ve been to the MoMA multiple times already, which I LOVE and can go a hundred times more but I decided to switch it up and check out the New Museum this time instead. It consisted of seven floors of contemporary art with the Sky Room sitting on the top floor. Unfortunately for me, I visited on a Thursday so I wasn’t able to take in the panoramic views of the Sky Room as it’s only open on the weekends. The rest of the museum was nothing I’d seen before; it was full of very odd but thought-provoking art that definitely made me scratch my head a few times. Pictured above is one of the larger art pieces found in the museum that I enjoyed – using cement brick and coloured string threaded through the wall. It was pretty neat how the artist utilized the entire gallery wall as part of the artwork – how they did it I’m still trying to figure out.

 

Although the New Museum was very different and definitely one of its kind, I would say it’s probably one of the less enjoyable NYC art museums. After being to the MoMa, Whitney Museum and the Guggenheim, the collection at the New Museum didn’t wow me like the others. I liked how it’s in a very modern building with a minimalistic approach to art and design; it presented new ideas from emerging and under-recognized artists. However, as an overall experience, it seemed to lack variety. It was a lot smaller in size with only a few artists’ work within the gallery and one featured artist. It’s not for everyone; you definitely have to keep an open mind when visiting. But those interested in visiting, check out this amazing bathroom tile in the bottom floor (pictured above)! The art in the museum might not be everyone’s cup of tea but this blue and gray tiled artwork definitely is.

 

Like I mentioned earlier, it’s been two years since I’d come back to New York City. On the one hand, everything felt new again and on the other, it felt like I had never left. I could spend hours walking through the streets of NYC; there’s an endless amount of pretty little coffee shops, different districts to explore and amazing food in every corner you turn. Some people hate the hustle and bustle of New York but it’s what gives this city its charm. One of my strangely favourite parts of New York is the metro system. It’s over 100 years old and looks the part but it’s where you’ll find some of the most interesting people in New York. I’ve watched some of the most talented street performers right in the New York metro and one out of three times, there’ll be a performance on the train that you’re riding on. The city emulates so much raw energy and talent from all kinds of unassuming people – you really never know what you’re going to get.

 

So what is one thing, amongst many things, that you can only find in New York City? That has to be the perfect cup of boba from Boba Guys with the chewiest tapioca I’ve ever had – that’s a good thing for those that don’t know. The Asian in me goes crazy for creative and innovative bubble tea shops. Although there’s plenty of good places in Toronto to get your bubble tea fix, I’ve never found one that quite hits the spot like Boba Guys. Pictured above in Washington Square Park, I took a break from my hours of walking to enjoy this cup of Lavender milk tea. I actually enjoyed the Jasmine flavour more – that I tried last time – but the tapioca was right on point as expected. This is one of the many indulgences I look forward to when coming to town. New York City has some of the best dessert shops in the world that I have a lifetime before I can try all of them.

 

I’ve always loved traveling solo because of how freeing it can be to work on your own schedule. I can go wherever I want without the stress of having to worry about another person. However, one downside to traveling by yourself is pretty obvious – there’s no one to help take pictures for you. Well, taking this nuisance into consideration for this trip, I went and purchased a tripod for my iPhone beforehand. Pictured above in Brooklyn Heights – wearing my second-day outfit – I got to try out this tripod business for the first time and it worked like a charm! I’ll admit that it isn’t the best (having bought it for $25 from Pacific Mall) and would have trouble staying up due to the wind. However, after working out the kinks, I was able to successfully take this stellar shot all by myself. My outfit for the day included my go-to summer biker shorts set, my spring trench and of course, my platform Keds to walk all day in. The Keds really did save my life on this trip – they were comfortable yet stylish enough to go with almost every outfit.

Wearing: Babaton Jacket | M Boutique Crop Top | Wilfred Free Biker Shorts | Keds Platforms | Welly Merk Watch | Ray-Ban Sunglasses

 

If you’re looking to do some sightseeing, the one thing that never gets old is walking the Brooklyn Bridge. New York is known for its multiple bridges that connect Manhattan to the other boroughs of the city. The oldest and most stunning one is definitely the Brooklyn Bridge that takes you from City Hall to Dumbo in Brooklyn. I’ve walked it a total of seven times now and the view of the New York skyline during sunset is still a breathtaking experience for me. I’d recommend taking the train over to Brooklyn first, where you can explore Dumbo district a bit before starting your walk on the bridge so you can end back up in Manhattan afterward. I’ve always liked the more hipster vibe of Brooklyn. I love going to Williamsburg to shop for little trinkets and in Dumbo, there’s the very famous Grimaldi’s Pizzeria that people line down the street for.

 

Something new to do in town, in contrast to the bridge walking and observatories, is the newly built Vessel situated in Hudson Yards. You may recognize it as the honeycomb-shaped spaceship-looking structure that overlooks the Hudson River, seen all over Instagram for the past few months. Sitting at 16 stories high, I would’ve loved to climb all the way up to the top. However, first things first, I came for my IG shot which took up an hour of my time. After that, I needed to run across town to meet up with my sister who was also in town. I came to realize that while using a tripod to take all your photos on a solo trip is amazing, the amount of stares you garner during that time is both entertaining and sometimes nerve-racking. I was literally trying to get that one good shot in a sea of hundreds of people walking by constantly – let’s just say the struggle was real. Alas, after 150 tries, I finally did it! The photo pictured above is proof that persistence does indeed pay off 🙂

Wearing: Fashion Nova Bodysuit | Uniqlo Distressed Jeans | Auxiliary Belt | Clara Lifestyle Earrings | Welly Merk Watch

 

After spending three amazing days in New York City, I packed my bags and headed to Washington DC for one night. Let me just tell you, when I got to DC, it was like I’d entered right into the desert; the temperatures rose by 10 degrees in comparison to NYC. I definitely underestimated how hot it was going to be and not going to lie, I didn’t exactly bring many summer outfit options. Needless to say, I was scared I might faint of heat exhaustion when I arrived in my leather jacket and ripped jeans. It took around four and a half hours to arrive in DC by Greyhound bus and although it was scorching hot, I was excited to be in back after 7 long years. The last time I visited was at the end of July and I also remember it being the hottest day of my life. FYI prepare for mid-thirties weather when visiting the capital city!

Wearing: Uniqlo Distressed Jeans | Hibou Booties | M Boutique Leather Jacket

 

After checking into my 5-star Airbnb and changing into slightly more appropriate clothing, I made my first stop in town – the Washington Monument. Pictured above in front of the Reflecting Pool at the Lincoln Memorial, I felt alleviated to have finally made it here. The truth is when I visited Washington seven years ago, I missed out on seeing this iconic pool after a full day of walking in scorching temperatures. By the time we’d reached the monument, we took a quick look at it and ran to find cooler conditions. I’ve always made it one of my goals to come back one day to see this very special pool that you may recognize from a very iconic scene in Forest Gump. It may have taken me seven long years but it felt good to be back! The trek was definitely worth it as it was easily the highlight of my entire trip. The reflection of the monument against the vast size of the pool was perfect for hours of self-reflection and of course, solo tripod picture-taking.

Wearing: Talula Chambray Shirt | Fashion Nova Crop Top | American Apparel Leggings | Keds Platforms | Ray-Ban Sunglasses

 

I’m not going to lie, I must have done the most walking I’ve ever done in my life during this trip from New York to Washington trip. Particularly in Washington, I must have walked about 100 miles in total from the metro stations to the points of interest. Because I only had about one full day to spend in DC during my one-night stay, I made sure to hit up the three hot spots that I absolutely needed to see. After feeling very accomplished from seeing the Washington Monument the first day, I made sure to visit the White House before leaving. Although the viewing point for the general public was quite far in distance, it was still nice to peak the very famous White House. It was heavily guarded by security as one could assume and only authorizes scheduled visits to enter through the gates. The rest of us could only take some distant shots of it while fighting for space with the other tourists. You can see my selfie included at the bottom of this post.

 

From the government buildings to the multiple iconic sites, Washington is also known for their numerous museums. The most famous ones being the Smithsonian Institution Museums situated throughout central Washington. I only had time to visit one of them, which also happened to be the newest one to the Smithsonian family – the National Museum of African History and Culture. The building sits very close in proximity to the White House so you could definitely kill two birds with one stone. I enjoyed the modern design of the building, which included a large display of articles of clothing from iconic African pop culture figures. Some notable ones were MC Hammer’s pants, Ray Charles’ suit jacket, and Michael Jackson’s signature concert outfit. It was a short stay in Washington but well worth the near 5-hour bus ride it took to get there. It’s one of the cleanest cities I’ve ever been with so much history and beauty. In fact, I hear their cherry blossoms during the springtime are the prettiest you’ll find from all around the world.

 

After a two-hour delay on the way back to New York City, I was ecstatic to have made it back. For those wondering why I decided to come back to NYC, the truth is this girl’s on a budget so I originally flew into New York and decided to bus back home afterward. I figured I’d come back to New York for one more day since there’s so much more to do here and plus, a 12-hour bus ride home sure beats a 17-hour one from DC. Pictured above on my final day in the beautiful city of New York, I decided to wear my ripped jeans once again with my chambray shirt for a double denim look. Since it was much cooler that day in NYC, I threw on my leather jacket over top for an edgy city look. I love dressing casually during the day while traveling; it allows me to get from point A to B much faster when I’m in my Keds as opposed to heeled sandals. I used to walk all day in heels but after seeing how much more comfortable it is to just wear platform flats, I’ve definitely switched out.

Wearing: M Boutique Leather Jacket | Talula Chambray Shirt | Uniqlo Distressed Jeans | Keds Platforms | Top Shop Necklace | Clara Lifestyle Earrings

 

Of course, I couldn’t leave New York before having a slice of their world-famous pizza. There’s many and I mean MANY amazing pizza joints in the city but my ultimate favourite has to be Two Boots Pizza. Made famous by Sex and the City, there are a few locations in NYC but I always find myself coming back to the one in Williamsburg. The main reason for that being how much I love dropping by the quaint little district of Williamsburg every time I’m in New York for Artists and Fleas (when they still had their original location). However, even though my favourite handcrafted goods market has moved to Manhattan now, I still like to walk around to see what unique treasures I can find. A close second to Two Boots Pizza is any of the one-dollar pizzerias all over Manhattan. No doubt, thin-crust pizza in New York is to die for.

 

One thing I’ve been wanting to do for many years now is to go back to Central Park. New York is such a busy city and when you’re in town, you definitely feel it. There’s so much to do and very little time in between. Central Park is one thing on my list that unfortunately gets pushed back because I’ve been here a handful of times already. However, this time, I made sure to make a timely visit to the largest urban park located right in the center of Manhattan. It was nice to take a break from the constant honking and noise pollution that I’ve become accustomed to in the city. Once I entered into this beautiful oasis, I found an instant calmness within myself; being surrounded by stretches of greenery, small hills and nature really does the soul some good. I ended up sitting by the patio bar at the famous Loeb Boathouse restaurant, enjoying a mojito as I watched people row-boating on the lake.

 

Central Park is the mother of all parks to me. Not only is it massive in size but there’s also so much to do while inside; you’ll find a zoo, a rowboat rental, many jogging and hiking trails, multiple picnic spots and large boulders to sit atop. Pictured above, I’m sitting in front of the most central part of Central Park – the picturesque fountain situated right in front of the largest lake in the park. I sat there as I listened to the most beautiful cover of ‘Hallelujah’ by a nearby street performer while the sun shone down me – it was quite a glorious day. And who doesn’t love a park smack right in the middle of the notorious concrete jungle? In the looming distance, you can marvel at the multitude of skyscrapers that make up New York City’s beautiful skyline.

 

They say New York is not for everybody but I say it has something for everyone. I don’t know how I’m still in complete awe every time I come back but there’s something about this city that just does it for me. However, after staying in three different Airbnbs in the span of a week, I was ready to go back home. Yes, New York can be quite expensive (hence, why I opted to bus back instead) but after being away for two long years, the money spent on this trip was well worth it. When traveling solo, one downside is that there’s no one to split the costs with so I always stay in Airbnbs located a bit outside of the city center. There’s a time to splurge and a time to save so make sure to create a budget-friendly itinerary before venturing off on your next solo adventure.

 

I ended my week-long trip in true New York fashion with a last look at the highly populated Times Square. Even after complaining multiple times about how busy and touristy it is here, somehow I always find myself coming back and acting like a tourist myself. By that I mean taking hundreds of selfies, buying myself a full bag of M&Ms and sitting in the square people-watching. For those that don’t know, I love to live like a tourist but look like a local while traveling. I also have a real weakness for souvenirs – no lie. By now, a lot of people are probably wondering how I can visit NYC so many times and never get bored. Well, the answer is it just makes me so insanely happy to be in New York that any other city would just be secondary to the way I feel when I’m back here – in the city that never sleeps. 

 

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New York to Washington Photo Gallery