You guys! First off, happy Monday. How was everyone’s weekend? I was back in Montauk with Amy and Gab and the weather was beautifulllll. You can catch up on my instas here.

Second off, I’m so excited to share that I’ve teamed up with Gray Malin again!! Gray and his team have asked me to contribute once a month to his lifestyle blog and of course I said yes! We’re kicking off the series with my “72 Hours In New York City.” I haven’t done a recap of my favorite spots in New York in quite some time. Of course you can see some of my go-to restaurant recommendations over on my NYC Travel Guide but it was so fun to provide some updates, especially for you out-of-towners. Whenever I have friends visiting the city, it’s typically for 2-3 days a time so I try to provide a good balance of must-visit tourist destinations as well as some local neighborhood favorites. I always share rule number one to visiting New York as well: Stay away from Times Square. Unless you are with someone who “must” see Times Square, it’s usually over-crowded, over-priced, and usually results in the quote “I would never live in New York.” Well, duh. I would never live in Times Square, either.

So with that, read on for what to do in New York City! I’ve basically provided an entire ternary for your next visit to the Big Apple! Hopefully I’ve sparked some ideas for your next visit OR if you live here, I hope I introduced you to some fun new restaurants! Have a great week, ladies and gents. <3 Lauren

DAY ONE 

Check in to the Standard Hotel Meat Packing. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes as New York requires a lot of walking! I always stash a pair of “just in case” heels in my purse for wherever the day may take me.

Head on over to brunch at Buvette, a French tapas restaurant located in the heart of the West Village. Be prepared to wait, as this is a local neighborhood favorite—but trust me when I say it’s worth the 20-30 minute wait. In case you are in more of a hurry, I’d recommend Bluestone Lane Cafe or Sant Ambroeus.

After brunch, take a stroll around the West Village. If you’re skincare obsessed like me, pop into Caudalie‘s only NY location on Grove Street.

Head on over to SoHo for some more great shopping. I recommend shopping down West Broadway or Prince Street. Although this area is crowded, it’s less so than the stores located on Broadway. Every store you could imagine is located off of Prince. Don’t miss the Illesteva store (Prince and Mulberry), the AG Jeans Store, Club Monaco, J.Crew and so on. You can also venture down to Spring for additional shopping options!

Grab a late lunch at the Dutch, located at Sullivan and Prince Street. Order the Lobster Roll.

After lunch head back to the hotel for a little R&R.

Grab a pre-dinner cocktail at the Brass Monkey rooftop. There are gorgeous views of the Hudson that make it the perfect spot for a cool summer night. Afterwards make your way to Santina, one of my absolute favorite restaurants in New York. You HAVE to order the Calabrian Tune Cecina, basically a tuscan chickpea pancake with spicy tuna tartare. Delicious.

After dinner, take a stroll down the Highline. There’s an entrance right by Santina.

DAY TWO: UPTWON

Grab a cab up to Central Park and grab brunch at the Boat House. A can’t-miss New York City staple, it’s also one of my favorite places to dine during the holidays.

After brunch take a stroll around Central Park. I always love visiting the Pond (located at the 75th entrance) that has little remote control sailboats that kids can play with.

After Central Park, head south down 5th Avenue. Grab a coffee at Ralph’s. If you’re not shopped out, you can pop in to the high-end luxury stores located all up and down 5th Avenue. I always think it’s fun to see when visiting!

There are a few places I would recommend uptown for lunch. First and foremost, the cafe at Bergdorfs. The restaurant is full of birdcage chairs (so fun) and the food is delicious. This is perfect spot for a girls’ trip! Other notable favorites uptown include: Nobu, The Plaza, Quality Italian, or Fig and Olive.

For an easy but fun tourist afternoon, head west to 41st and 11th Avenue to catch the New York City Water Taxi. This is one of my favorite things to do when I have friends in town! The tour takes you up and down the Manhattan coastline giving a ton of background on the city, takes you close to the Statue of Liberty, and has several stops along the West Side including Chelsea Market, the West Village and South Street Seaport.

After your fun-filled day, head back to the hotel to get ready for dinner. A few of my go-to’s for dinner include: Rosemary’s, Jeffrey’s Grocery, Charlie Bird, or Babbo. If I’m playing favorites, Rosemary’s would win. It’s a spacious Italian restaurant located in the West Village. Order the caprese focaccia bread. You can see all of my favorite dinner recommendations here.

DAY THREE

For your last morning in the city, I would grab a quick cup of coffee and a blanket and head over to the Pier on the Hudson. Located right on the water, it’s the perfect location to relax, catch some sun and city views.

Afterwards, head down to lunch at Grand Banks. This old ship turned restaurant on the water is one of my favorite restaurants in the city. Order the skipper key cocktail and the lobster roll.

One of the best parts about New York are the Broadway and comedy shows at your fingertips. I always love going to a low-key pizza place (Ribalta is so good) and catching a show at the Comedy Cellar at the Underground! It’s not uncommon for big name comedians to show up last minute!

For an after-show cocktail, head over to Happiest Hour. With palm tree wallpaper and delicious cocktails, I might even meet you there!

Last Image via Gray Malin