Good morning! I’m coming to you with a full and happy heart today.
I took a vacation day on Friday to be able to spend a long weekend with two of my very best girlfriends who were in town visiting. Believe it or not, I have known Brittany and Melissa for 29 years! We go all the way back to pre-school and creative movement dance classes together, and we have stayed close over the years, despite the many changes in addresses.
Brittany lives in Scottsdale and Melissa lives in Orlando, so we try to get together and celebrate our friendship with a long weekend of catching up about once a year. This year, the girls flew to me to spend a few days in New York City!
Our time in Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan was the perfect blend of relaxing and fun. I was bummed that they came on a weekend that was filled with rain showers and cool temperatures, but we still made the most of our time together and had a blast!
Our Friday started with an early commute over to Greenwich Village. I made the biggest mistake of calling an Uber versus taking the train during rush hour. (I know.) I also agreed to take the tunnel over instead of the bridge. (I know. #NewNewYorker)
That said, I learned a few things that morning (commutes into the City are no joke!), and our relaxing day started off a little more stressed than planned.
After an incredibly delayed arrival (and two separate phone calls to push back our appointments), we were greeted by an extremely welcoming and accommodating staff at Drybar. I repeatedly apologized for our tardiness, and I was very grateful that they were still able to fit us in. I had only visited once before, and it was our same group of girls in Scottsdale last year.
Drybar – Greenwich Village
Drybar is a very popular blowdry bar that is a treat for any girl who wants a salon-styled look and doesn’t know how to achieve it. It’s also great for days where you want to feel fabulous, you’re in a hurry, or you simply don’t feel like doing your hair.
Styling appointments last 45 minutes long and include a shampoo, scalp massage (<- um, yes), blowdry, and style. The prices vary depending on location, and all blowouts cost $45 in New York City. You can choose to add a braid, an updo, or an additional 10 minute scalp massage for an extra fee.
Stylists are well versed in a variety of styles, and you are asked to choose one from the Look Book at the beginning of the appointment. I usually select the Cosmo hairstyle (loose curls) that is easy to maintain and touch up for days at a time.
My stylist was really nice, and I had a great conversation with her throughout the hour. I love the calming environment of Drybars. The majority of the space is white with cheery bursts of bright yellow and grey. The best part, however, is the upbeat music and constant rotation of chick flicks around the stations. It doesn’t get much more girly than watching a movie like Breakfast At Tiffany’s while primping.
I’m in love with all of the products that I’ve been introduced to during appointments, and I have my eye on the Dry Conditioner to help hydrate and detangle my hair in between washes.
I reached out to Drybar prior to our day in the salon, and I was delighted when they agreed to comp our blowouts in exchange for an honest mention of my experience on the blog. (As always, all opinions are my own.)
I loved being able to treat my girls to the services, and I can’t recommend Drybar enough to anyone looking to unwind and/or celebrate something special with a blowout!
Despite the rain pouring down outside, we all left feeling fresh and fabulous. We were given complimentary umbrellas to help save our blowouts and made a dash for our Uber car as soon as it arrived. Thank you so much, Drybar!
Tenoverten – SoHo
Next up on our morning of pampering was a trip to tenoverten for manicures and pedicures. There are several nail salons that offer much more affordable mani/pedi services in our neighborhood, but I really wanted us to relax and enjoy our time away from our normal, busy lives in a quiet, serene environment. I researched the best nail salons in New York City earlier in the week, and several sources pointed me to tenoverten.
For convenience, I booked at the SoHo salon, and it was a little (unlabeled) oasis tucked away from the main street that is located on a second floor walk-up on W Houston. The salon gave off a very spa-like vibe that made me feel separated from any stresses that popped into my mind. It was gorgeous and very contemporary!
I ended up getting my signature mani and pedi services at the same time, which was something I had never experienced. I felt like a movie star!
I won’t be popping in on a regular basis (as the prices and the location aren’t a great fit for me), but I have a good feeling that I’ll be back to indulge on a special occasion in the future.
Bareburger – SoHo
By the time we finished our morning of beauty, we were famished! I’m not incredibly familiar with the area, so I was grateful to see Bareburger pop up when I did a quick search of restaurants close to us. (And yes, it was still raining.)
I’ve visited Bareburger a few times now, and no trip ever disappoints. The restaurant is only stocked with non-GMO, organic, and fair trade items. There is so much to choose from on their menu, and it’s specialized to accommodate all appetites including vegan, vegetarian, Paleo, gluten-free, etc.
Hungry, we started with a generous order of the Macho Fries. They’re amazing and loaded with loads of cheese, guacamole, and calories.
I opted for The Hudson salad for my entrée, and it was a delicious balance. You can find Bareburger locations in New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Connecticut, Toronto, and Ohio.
After a rainy morning of bouncing around town, we trained back to Brooklyn for a few hours of downtime at my apartment. We rested, recharged, and found some last minute tickets to Cirque du Soleil later that night!
Despite the rainy and chilly weather rolling in, we headed out towards Randalls Island, umbrellas in hand.
Kurios – Cirque du Soleil
After long train ride to 125th Street and a few unsuccessful taxi cab hails, we called an Uber to bring us to Randall’s Island Park and made it to the Cirque du Soleil circus tent just in time. Scott and I love seeing Cirque performances, so when my friends suggested going to see the new KURIOS show, I was all about it!
The only thing that I wasn’t looking forward to was getting to the tent in the rain.
It wasn’t easy getting on and off Randall’s Island, but the trip is doable when you plan extra time in your commute. Thankfully, the show was great and proved to be well worth the hassle!
In fact, KURIOS might just be my favorite Cirque show yet. That’s saying a lot, too, because I’ve seen several. The acrobatic acts normally stand out the most to me, but this show offered that as well as highly entertaining skits for transitions and fillers. There was a scene where a guy was trying to impress his date (an audience member) with impressions, and I literally cried because I was laughing so hard. It was hilarious!
The show takes a look at the late-19th century world inventor who invents a machine that defies the laws of time, space and dimension. It was oddly intriguing, as all Cirque shows are, and all three of us gave it two enthusiastic thumbs up!
Tickets start at just $54, and it didn’t look like there would be a bad seat in the house. KURIOS will be in NYC until the end of November and is coming to Miami, Dallas, and Houston next.
After the show, we took and Uber to midtown and met Scott for a quick bite after work. We trained home together about an hour or so later, and turned we in hoping that we would wake up to clear skies the next day. (Thank goodness that was the case.)
It was a fabulous Friday if I do say so myself!
Stay tuned for more highlights of our girls’ weekend in NYC coming soon.
(Linking these Weekend Snapshots up with Katie and Erin.)
Questions of the Day
• Have you ever seen a Cirque du Soleil show? Which one is your favorite?
• What was one highlight from your weekend?
Happy Monday!
The post Girls’ Weekend in New York City (Part I) appeared first on Life In Leggings.
