An Artsy NYC Weekend Getaway
I just got back from another incredible weekend in New York City with my daughter Eden who is a college student, and let me tell you — we packed a LOT into a couple of days. From Broadway to Brooklyn, museums to thrift stores, and some seriously good food along the way, here’s the full scoop (plus tips) if you’re planning your own NYC getaway with a college student.
Table of Contents
Where We Stayed: The Concorde Hotel New York — A Hidden Gem
We stayed at the Concorde Hotel New York and honestly, I think I’ve found my new go-to NYC hotel. It’s super boutiquey — only 44 rooms — which means it’s blissfully quiet (a rare find in Manhattan).
The location is perfect: it’s close to three subway stops, so getting around was a breeze. It’s also walkable to Fifth Avenue and Times Square — you know, for those moments when you feel like joining the tourist chaos.
But the real perks?
✅ 24-hour coffee and hot chocolate bar on one floor.
✅ A Nespresso machine in the room (yes, please).
✅ Both a bathtub AND a walk-in shower — because why settle for one when you can have both?
✅ Did I mention how quiet it was? I could actually sleep through the night — in New York City. Miracles do happen.
We had brunch at the hotel’s on-site restaurant, Bonsai, which was fabulous. Highly recommend the tapas-inspired dishes — it’s an elegant but low-key vibe.
Broadway Magic: &Juliet and Moulin Rouge
No NYC trip is complete without Broadway, and we saw two incredible shows:
🎭 &Juliet — Joey Fatone (yes, that Joey Fatone from NSYNC) was in it, and he was surprisingly hilarious. The whole show is a fun, modern twist on Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet, set to pop music. It’s exactly as ridiculous and fabulous as it sounds.
🎭 Moulin Rouge — If you haven’t seen it yet, RUN. It’s over-the-top in the best way possible — glitter, feathers, and some serious vocal talent. One thing that surprised me was the music. I thought the show would have a lot more french music. Instead it’s current popular music.
Museum Hopping: The Morgan Library, MoMA, and the Guggenheim
We spent some time pretending to be cultured and hit up some of NYC’s best museums:
🖼️ The Morgan Library – Think of it as the ultimate personal library (if your personal library happens to look like something straight out of Beauty and the Beast). It’s absolutely stunning and feels super intimate. No one family should be allowed to have some of the things we saw. They have not one but three Gutenberg Bibles printed by Johannes Gutenberg in 1455.
🖼️ MoMA – Modern art at its finest. Pro tip: they offer a student discount — Eden was thrilled about that one. (Most museums in the city offer a student discount.) I’m not super into modern art but was pleasantly surprised how many Picasos they had.
🖼️ Guggenheim – The building alone is a work of art. We wandered through the spiral, taking in modern masterpieces. Definitely worth the visit.
Sky-High Adventure at The Edge
If you want views that’ll make your stomach drop (literally), head to The Edge. It’s a triangular platform that juts out over the city, with glass floors that let you see all the way down. You know, if you’re brave enough to step on them (I was not).
But the view? Insane. You get a full panoramic shot of the city, the river, and beyond. We even played curling while we were there had cocktails and chicken and waffles. Because why not? Book tickets in advance.
Brooklyn Adventures: Bridges, Thrift Shops, and Yemeni Coffee
We ventured over to Brooklyn because Eden, being the journalist that she is, wanted to get some epic city shots. She had heard that she could get great photos here.
📸 Brooklyn Bridge Park – Hands down, some of the best city views I’ve ever seen. You can walk right under the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges, which makes for some killer photos.
👉 Pro tip: Take the subway to Brooklyn — it’s faster and cheaper than an Uber.
After freezing our faces off near the water, we popped into a massive food hall to warm up and grab coffee. You can find pretty much anything there, from dumplings to tacos.
Next stop: Williamsburg — which honestly reminds me of Portland, Oregon, with all its independent shops and cool coffee spots. We hit up a couple of thrift shops because apparently, it’s all about vintage right now:
🛍️ Monk Thrift Shop – Huge and multi-level, with tons of options.
🛍️ L Train Vintage – Also fantastic, and with multiple locations if you can’t make it to Williamsburg.
And because we needed more caffeine, we tried Qawah Yemeni Coffee Shop — which was an experience. They brew the coffee over a stove in these little pots, add cardamom and spices, and you can order by the pot size. We got a medium, which was a mistake because I was vibrating by 4 p.m.
Where We Ate (and Loved)
🍳 Bonsai – Brunch at Concorde’s on-site restaurant was fantastic. You can’t beat convenience and good coffee. I have the avocado toast and Eden at hash brown sandwich.
🍳 The Horny Ram – Such a cute, cozy brunch spot with great food. Definitely felt like a neighborhood place. Eden had the buffalo chicken nachoes with eggs and I had the huevos rancheros. They were both equally good and perfect for sharing.
🍕 Rosemary’s – We stopped in for an early dinner and it was adorable. We shared a pasta and a pizza — both were fantastic. The vibe was casual but chic — exactly what you want after a day of walking around the city.
🥙 Au Zatar – If you like Mediterranean food, this place is a must. Their shawarma is perfect for feeding 4 – 5. It comes out on a big skewer on top of a bed of french fries, and they carve it for you. Whatever yet get because sure to get the hummus it is next level.
Final Thoughts
This was one of those rare trips where everything just clicked — from the shows to the views to the food. If you’re heading to NYC, definitely check out the Concorde Hotel — it’s the perfect mix of quiet and convenience. And don’t sleep on Brooklyn for photos or vintage shopping — even if it means accepting that your kids now dress like extras from a ‘90s music video.
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