I was welcomed with open arms. The way you return home after a long semester at college, and you’re homesick and all you need is to ground yourself again. Many people will think it is absolutely delusional to think that New York and Manhattan can ground me or serve as a place to build real connections, but it does for me and this time it sealed my conviction that this is the most spectacular city in the world. New York is a source of energy for me and I don’t know what I would do without it. New York felt smaller this time.  

I ‘swanned‘ in to some new spots and discoveries that made this city even more special this Autumn:

Smith and Wollensky

Head in, don’t book a table and make your way to the bar at the back or the bar upstairs. The atmosphere couldn’t get more American. The martinis are pitcher sized. The Irish barmen are hilarious and one of them happened to grow up next door to the only boss I have had, in Galway. Small world eh? That’s what happens when you make conversation with everyone, indiscriminately. 

Uva Wine Bar

My friend who lives in New York, Sarah Bolton introduced me to Uva in 2018. This area is magnetic. It is the real New York experience and it is filled with characters. Best pasta, meatballs and conversations with people I have repeatedly seen there for at least 6 years! 

Dead Rabbit 

I hate lists. I will never visit bars just because they were voted to be No.1 somewhere. We stumbled upon The Dead Rabbit after a night out in FiDi and we are very grateful we did. This is officially to date the best cocktails I have ever had and believe it or not, regulars there aren’t there for it being on a list either. It’s because of their consistency in quality and service! We met many like us who stumbled on it and wanted to just stay!

Fekkai at The Mark

 You want to treat yourself to a real New York blowdry? Fekkai is the place to go. His salons are an institution, you go in once, they will never forget your face and it is a true luxury. I haven’t seen anything like this before but it’s still so nonchalant, you never want to leave.