New York, New York
The energy, creativity, and neighborhoods that keep pulling me back.
There is no city in the U.S. quite like New York.
I go for the energy, excitement, and incredible diversity. I love the Upper East Side and will never tire of Central Park, but the New York that really feeds my creative soul is downtown.
Give me SoHo, the Village and Tribeca—cobblestone streets, little restaurants, galleries and boutiques. I can wander for hours with nowhere particularly important to be.
That's my New York.
Walk & Wander
One of my favorite ways to experience New York is simply to walk. I would say after London and Paris this is my next favorite walking city.
Early mornings along the Hudson River are particularly special. The city is quieter, the light is beautiful, and Manhattan feels completely different before the day gets going.
SoHo, the Village, and Tribeca are where I naturally gravitate. Browse the shops, pop into a gallery, walk through Washington Square Park, and stop somewhere that catches your eye.
And when I'm uptown, nothing beats a walk through Central Park.
Central Park
Stay
Crosby Street Hotel is exactly my kind of New York hotel—fun, whimsical, bright and cheerful, with a fabulous SoHo location.
I love the interiors, but I especially love the bar - such a fun place to start or end an evening.
Crosby Hotel
Eat & Drink
New York is a city where I'm equally happy with a fabulous dinner or a great slice of pizza.
At Fish Cheeks, I go for the steamed fish. In Tribeca, The Odeon is a New York institution worth knowing, and Via Carota fits perfectly into an afternoon wandering the West Village.
For something completely different, The Bar at the Baccarat Hotel is my dose of New York glamour.
That's what I love about this city. Pizza and Baccarat can absolutely belong in the same day.
Baccarat Hotel
Fish Cheeks
Pizza by the slice
Art & Shopping
Art is always part of New York for me, but I don't need a museum marathon.
Check what's on at the Whitney, wander the Chelsea galleries, then keep walking. The High Line and Hudson are right there too.
For shopping, I prefer browsing SoHo without a plan and seeing what catches my eye. Uptown, Bergdorf Goodman is always worth a stop.
MBellished Tips
Stay downtown if SoHo, the Village and Tribeca are where you want to be.
Walk the Hudson early. It's worth getting up for.
Check what's showing rather than trying to visit every museum.
Leave time to wander. New York rewards spontaneity.
Mix high and low. Pizza and Baccarat. That's New York.
What I Brought Home
Creative energy.
New York always sends me home inspired—by the art, fashion, interiors, food and people.
And inevitably, there is probably a shopping bag involved too.
MBellished Passport
Stay: Crosby Street Hotel
Wander: SoHo · West Village · Tribeca
Walk: Hudson River · Central Park
Art: Whitney · Chelsea galleries
Eat: Fish Cheeks · NYC pizza · Magnolia Bakery
Drink: The Bar at Baccarat
Shop: SoHo · Bergdorf Goodman
Ideal Stay: 3–4 nights
MBellished Mood: Energetic · Creative · Diverse
My NYC Rule:Walk slowly. Look around. Let the city surprise you.
New York can be loud, chaotic, and exhausting—but that's part of why I love it.
It wakes me up creatively.
And no other city in America gives me quite the same feeling.