Spring Break, But Make It Grown-Up: A Quick NYC Getaway

While the kids were off in Japan living their best anime-fueled, cherry-blossom dreams, Todd and I took advantage of the rare empty nest and snuck away to NYC for a few days. It was a quick Saturday-to-Wednesday jaunt, but we packed in just the right mix of chaos, culture, cocktails and consumerism to make it feel like a proper escape.

Where We Stayed: The Dominick Hotel, AKA Our New NYC Homebase

This was our second time staying at The Dominick in Soho, and I think it’s officially the spot for us now. Why? Because in a city where hotel rooms are often the size of an above-average coat closet, The Dominick actually gives you space—plus killer views (I took the photo above from our room!). It’s also conveniently located near some of the best shopping in Soho and about a block from the C & E subway lines, which means you can be just about anywhere in the city in no time.

If you have an American Express card, book through Amex’s travel portal and get all kinds of perks: a free room category upgrade, daily breakfast for two (which, at $115 a day, basically pays for itself), early check-in and late 4pm checkout and a $100 hotel credit. We wisely spent ours on wine, chips and gummy bears—essentials, really.

Another reason this hotel is enthusiastically Todd-approved? All of their in-room bathroom products are Diptyque, the fancy Parisian brand he’s obsessed with. He kept hiding the lotion and body wash so they’d restock it every day and got this close to running to the CVS on the corner to buy travel bottles to pump the shampoo and conditioner into. At Diptyque’s prices, we may have actually made money on this trip.

What We Saw: Culture, Comedy & Celine Dion Delusion

Titanique was so stupid, it was genius. Like, high art levels of stupidity. If you love Celine Dion, you’ll love it. If you hate Celine Dion, you’ll love it even more. The show’s entire premise is that Celine Dion was actually on the Titanic when it sank, and she’s here to set the record straight. The soundtrack is all reworked versions of her songs, including some of her biggest hits and some deep cuts, all hilariously and perfectly woven into the story. Every moment was ridiculous in the best way possible. Todd and I laughed so hard that we considered going back again. And honestly? We still might.

Drag: The Musical was a fabulous fever dream starring some of our favorite RuPaul’s Drag Race legends—Alaska Thunderfuck (who wrote it!), Jujubee and Jan Sport. Campy, chaotic and full of catchy tunes, it was exactly the kind of high-energy, glitter-soaked fun we needed.

We also caught my friend Anne Steele’s cabaret show, which was perfection, as expected. If you ever have a chance to see her live, do it. She’s got the voice of a Broadway star with the personality of your favorite brunch friend who always knows the best gossip.

Where We Ate: A Love Letter to Day Drinking

At some point on this trip, we made a very important lifestyle decision: to start having a glass of wine here and there every day starting at lunchtime. It made shopping so much more fun and also helped justify a few of our more extravagant purchases.

Ladurée remains a favorite and was the perfect start to a day of capitalism. The mushroom and blue cheese quiche was so good it almost made me forget I was supposed to be pacing myself for an entire afternoon of eating and drinking. Almost.

Brunch at Gelso & Grand in Little Italy with Todd’s fabulous college friend Heidi—who, fun fact, I talk to way more often than he does—was a highlight. Great food, even better company, and another solid wine-by-noon situation.

For dinner, we went to Eataly in Soho because nothing says “romantic getaway” like shoving fresh pasta into your mouth while making plans for what shops to hit the next day.

Shopping: The Sport of Kings (and Tipsy Gays)

We shopped until we dropped. And then we crawled. And then we shopped some more. There was absolutely no rhyme or reason to our purchases, but the standout find of the trip was giraffe andirons for our fireplace from the Jonathan Adler flagship store. Yes, giraffes. Yes, andirons. (They’re those things you stack the firewood on in your fireplace.) No, we did not carry them home like two deranged interior design smugglers—we had them shipped because they were very heavy, and we were very lazy.

Other highlights included some absolutely essential skincare items, a few indulgent clothing purchases and, of course, handbags. Todd kept saying, “Are we really going into another purse store?” And I’d kindly reply, “Yes.”

Playing Tourist: Museums, Parks & Hot Runner Sightseeing

Believe it or not, I had never been to The Met before this trip. I know. Shocking. But we finally made it, and I loved it. I also now understand why people “pop in” for just a few exhibits at a time—the place is massive.

We also strolled through Central Park, where the mid-March weather was chef’s kiss—upper 50s to low 60s and sunny. Perfect for pretending we were NYC locals out for a casual, totally unplanned afternoon walk.

And because I am nothing if not a dedicated student of human behavior, we also made time for some people-watching along Hudson River Park. It was teeming with fit, sun-kissed runners enjoying the first warm-ish days of the year. For the sake of journalistic integrity, I can confirm: there were some very attractive individuals jogging along that waterfront.

Final Thoughts: 10/10, Would Sneak Away Again

One final shoutout to the new LaGuardia Airport, which is gorgeous and not at all chaotic. A massive improvement from the previous LaGuardia, where I once had to literally roll my luggage through a stream of water pouring out of the men’s room into the concourse. It was giving disaster relief zone. It’s now actually pleasant.

This trip was just what we needed—fast-paced but not exhausting, indulgent but not too indulgent (OK, maybe a little), and packed with enough laughs and good food to hold us over until our next adventure.

Until next time, NYC. And until next time, kids—please continue taking extravagant school trips so Papa and I can keep doing this.