Brooklyn Dendle: Welcome to New York!

I (along with my brother and future sister in law) survived New York City...and some boroughs! #firsttimers

Through this blog post I'll break everything down of our 4 day trip, including pictures, plus my insight if you've never been (very last paragraph)! WARNING: This will be a longggg post, so I don't blame you if you just scroll and look at all the pictures!
Luckily, one of my best friends actually lived in New York for fashion school and she wrote me out a very detailed list of things to do and her pro tips. This was a life saver and def worth following, so check it out! {Shout out to my girl, KK!}

DAY 1

We left San Angelo at midnight, arrived at Dallas Love Field at 4am, and then anxiously waited hoping we could get on the 7am flight to New York. (We flew standby thanks to the greatest Virgin America flight attendant, Madison James. Shes the REAL MVP)...Luckily we made it on... slept about 2.5 hours and woke up at the LaGuardia Airport!

After grabbing our bags, we hopped in a cab that took us to our hotel! We checked in and were STARVING, so the hotel bellhop recommended we walk right around the corner to Angelo's Pizza. It was so good and since we are from San ANGELO, we thought it was kinda cool!

Once we scarfed down a pizza, Brant and Kim decided they needed to nap. I take after my dad in the sense that you go go go at all times... there is no time to waste, especially when traveling. So I started on the trek to Time Square by myself.

Initial thoughts: cab drivers try to hit you when crossing the street, there are tons of people and it kinda stinks everywhere you go.

BUT WHATEVER, I WAS IN TIME SQUARE!

After a while of exploring by myself, writing my new years wish on a piece of confetti that would fall on Time Square during the New Years Ball Drop, and looking in a few stores, I headed back to wake up the crew. Then we all took Time Square again so they could see it!

We then walked to the Radio City Music Hall, Rockefeller Center (JIMMY FALLON WAS IN THERE SOMEWHERE), the Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center (its cooler in person than you see on tv or in pictures), St. Patrick's Cathedral (its famous, look it up), dinner at Shake Shack (YUM!) and all around the area to end the night. #tired

#kimtorresphotography

all the selfies lol

#kimtorresphotography

Day 2

It was raining...eww, but that didn't stop us from walking over 10 miles.

We started out the day going to Grand Central Station and walked all around it. (Its huge and you'll recognize it from lots of Movies or TV shows.)

Please tell me why a train station is this pretty.....

Back out into the rain we saw the Empire State Building , so we had to go (KK is probably right about going to the Top of the Rock being better). We walked in and walked up into the line to get to the 86th floor, the observation deck. After making it through security... the view was pretty cool minus the fog, but made for a legit dreary New York views Instagram post.

Buddy the elf said his dad worked here but we never saw him....

Next was the Madison Square Garden Arena.. I like sports a little too much, so of course I just had to see it, in all its ugliness. Its just a big round dome arena, but I still thought it was cool :)

PS.... it was still raining.

We then took a cab to the financial district with our first stop at the World Trade Centers and Ground Zero. It was surreal and sad. We didn't spend much time there, but got to take in the two memorial pools and stand on the place a terrorist attack happened on U.S. soil.

Next we started the short walk to Wall Street, NYSE, the Charging Bull, and stumbled upon a Trump tower in our excursion. I LOVE the Stock Exchange News Update and watch it everyday, so I felt like a baller. There weren't as many men in suits walking around as I expected, but the restaurants were much nicer since those people with money like that can likely afford those kinds of meal... me not so much. #ballinonabudget

#kimtorresphotography The NYSE Tree is so cool!

did i mention it rained and was windy? because eww!

While it was still raining, I happened to look at my maps and realized we were less than a mile away from the BROOKLYN BRIDGE! We were gonna make a special trip to come back to the bridge the next day since its one of the main reasons I went (you know, since they named it after me and stuff), but I couldn't resist since we were so close. We hopped in a cab with the sketchiest driver of all time and ended up at the bridge. ITS BIGGER, BETTER, and GRANDER than I could have imagined.

I had to hug it....

that sunset though

#kimtorresphotography

Watch this video to see just how excited I was to see Brooklyn and the Brooklyn Bridge.....

We grabbed some dinner, went to Carlo's Bakery to try tons of famous desserts, and headed back to the hotel after that because we were all TIRED!!!!

Had to apologize to my snap chat friends because my story was over 6 minuted long.... #sorryiaintsorry

DAY 3

The day of the park.. Central Park that is. Our hotel was only half a mile from most everything, so again we walked. We found the famous fountain (with no water in it lol), some cool architecture, and then ice skated at Wollman Rink (and by ice skated, I mean i slipped an fell too many times to count to actually consider it ice skating).

Still alive but im barely breathing...after about the 20th fall

After that I drug Kim and Brant into the hood of Brooklyn for some Rainbow Bagels at The Bagel Store. I'd seen them on pinterest and thought they were like the coolest thing ever.... like ever ever. I also had to see Brooklyn, because ya know... #BrooklyntakesBrooklyn16 duh! It was kind of ghetto, but also kind of hipster all at the same time and I dug it... they did not! Also, more selfies because they had my name on the geofilters :)

Although that wasn't really the end of the day, we wrapped up with dinner and packing... and I dont have many pictures from that! So here are a few pictures from the next day of flying home with maybe 2 hours of sleep looked like... on DAY 4

thank the Lord for tray tables that turned into my bed!

Never waking up at 3 AM ever ever ever again

So here are my tips:

1. If its really cold, you will be wearing the same thing everyday unless you have 2 really big coats. I wore 2 pair of layered leggings, a huge sweater, undershirt/ thermal, huge puffy coat, a scarf, beanie, and gloves.... at ALL times. When you walk inside anywhere you sweat to death, but it is so cold!

2. If you pack light, buy clothes while you are there. H&M is cheap or there are different shops on every corner.

3. TENNIS SHOES... dont try looking cute, its not worth it! 10+ miles a day will do you dirty.

4. YELP all the food places around. You can find menus and pricing easily!

5. The Brooklyn Bridge at sunset is the best! You can also see the Statue of Liberty from the bridge

6. If you go to the Empire State Building, get the VIP fast pass or just buy regular tickets online before you get there. Two words: NO LINES!

7. Take a professional photographer (or sister in law) so you come out with some cool pics... #kimtorresphotography (also below are some cool pics of Kim and my brother that I took with her super fancy camera... its harder than it looks)

8. Uber can be cheaper than a cab if you are going farther than just a couple of miles!

9. Keep cash on you. Lots of places only take cash... like the ice skating rink!

10. If you want to ice skate in Rockefeller Center, you have to schedule a time and it's $150/person.... but it'd be totally worth it if you're actually good on the ice because its the coolest rink ever.