tourist in my own city (part 2) — leave a little sparkle

Hope you all enjoyed the long holiday weekend!

How did you spend the time? Did you head out for a fun weekend with friends, travel to somewhere you’ve never been before, or keep it lowkey and relax at home? C & I opted for the latter. I’ll let you in on a little secret. I love the 4th of July, or any long weekend when folks leave, in NYC. When the city empties, you get to enjoy so much of what it has to offer without the bustle of crowds. Moreover, C & I are also heading to Seoul in September [this will be our first time in Asia!!], so still saving up after biting that bullet [it’s true what they say about plane fare y’all].

So what did we do in New York, you ask? One of the things C has taught me, which I‘ve actually written about here, is being a tourist in your own city. It means exactly what it sounds like –staying curious and trying out new things in your city. I’m sure we can all agree that when you move to a new place everything feels exciting and new. And then, that bucket list mentality eventually wears off as you become more familiar with the city and it becomes your home.

So, we went back to our running bucket list and took our top picks. P.S. Highly recommend keeping a “bucket list,” no matter where you may live. As you get recommendations or friends recount stories to you, you just jot them down here. And then, when you have a long weekend or even a free afternoon, you can pull an idea right from here! Voila!

Some highlights from our weekend:

Dominique Ansel Bakery: Yes, the home of the cronut. For those of you who know me, you know that I’m no big fan of donuts, and given that the line on a typical day can be up to an hour it's clear why I haven't gone rushing here. This weekend the line was ~15 mins [see what I mean!!] and the pastry that I think should be getting more hoopla is Dominique’s Kouign Amann. The DKA is best described as a caramelized croissant, and let me tell you, it is delicious. We didn't opt for the cronut. This month’s flavor was blueberry & sweetcorn, so we passed. I want my first cronut experience to be *chef’s kiss*.
Zabars: Believe it or not, this tried and true New York establishment I had never visited! As a West Village girl, Murray’s has been my staple bagel fix. When C lived on the Lower East Side, we frequented Kossar’s. But this weekend, we decided to take the trip uptown. Zabars did not disappoint. We ordered classic lox on an everything bagel, and we also opted for rugelach. SO delicious! Next time, we’re going to try the babka!
Omakase dinner: Umami Sushi is this tiny non presumptuous restaurant that has been our go-to over the years. We wanted to set aside a night to have dinner at the bar, and, because it’s so tiny, have the place basically to ourselves. Our wish was granted this weekend!

Isn’t this what it’s all about? Hope that wherever you are, whether it's a crazy city like New York or a smaller town, that you can continue to find novel ways to experience the place you call home.