It is time to escape into the city! We are lucky to have New York City just a little over an hour away from campus! Hop on the Metro North southbound train on a Saturday morning at the Fairfield station, and before you know it, you will arrive at Grand Central Station.
So, what will you do? You have an infinite number of options. With five boroughs, The Bronx, Staten Island, Queens, Brooklyn, and Manhattan, the city offers something for any person. You will need a few “weekend getaways” to experience what all the boroughs offer.
My friend and I explored lower Manhattan on a recent city day trip. When we arrived at Central Station, we switched to the downtown 6 train and got off at Astor Place. Our first stop was NY Dosas. A dosa is a South Indian dish made of rice and lentils. It is almost like a crepe, but better! It is filled with masala, which is potato and spices. Located in Washington Square Park, NY Dosas is a vegan vendor run by Thiru, also known as “The Legendary Dosa Man.” I could not recommend NY Dosas enough. But make sure to be there at 10:45 AM sharp because if you go any later, be ready to stand in a 1+ hour line for his delicious dosas! Enjoy your dosa while sitting on a bench near the fountain in Washington Square Park, listening to live music, or hoping to be interviewed by Davis for his TikTok series “What’s Poppin.:
The next stop is a unique bookstore you will not want to miss. Sweet Pickle Books is just under a thirty-minute walk away from Washington Square Park. You will find a wide range of used books, magazines, and pickles! This store is fun and is a great spot to buy a gift for a loved one or yourself. Plus, Sweet Pickle Book merch is the best, and many celebrities have been sighted here, including Harry Styles and Emma Roberts.
With New York City being the headquarters of many brands, free events and pop-ups are always open to the public. Follow @nyc_forfree on Instagram because every Friday, she will post free events for the weekend! From free gift-wrapping to free donuts. When I went a few weeks ago, I went to an event and got free Cha Cha Matcha and skincare products! The free Cha Cha Matcha just saved me $8! Loving all the free stuff? Go to Aritzia’s coffee shop, A-OK, located on the second floor of their SoHo location. There you can get a free drink, always! I went later in the day, and they were out of ice, so go early if you want an iced beverage! They have chai lattes, hot chocolate, coffee, matcha, and more—worth the stop and browse of the store.
My favorite meal in the winter is ramen. Lucky for you and me, the best ramen restaurant is a subway ride from the SoHo area. Kame is in the Chelsea neighborhood. They offer ramen, rice bowls, and small plates such as gyozas and spicy edamame. Being a vegetarian, I always appreciate when a restaurant has plenty of plant-based options, and Kame certainly does. They have a separate vegan menu per request! I highly recommend the homemade vegan gyozas, spicy edamame, and ShoYu Tofu ramen. Also, try their delicious Yuzu Sparkling drink.
Just like that, it is time to head back to campus. It isn’t easy to squeeze everything you want to do into a one-day trip, but thankfully, you can come back whenever!