I’m feeling a little sentimental today. About a week ago, I was vacationing in one of my favorite cities with one of my favorite people. I was in New York City with my dad for our annual father/daughter trip.

Our New York outings started a few years ago. I had never been there and my dad had spent very little time in the city. So, we booked a flight and the rest is history.  No one else gets to go. It’s a rule that, surprisingly, everyone in the family has been okay with. I think they know how crazy we are. We fit about a week’s worth of activity in a long weekend.  People are always amazed at what we accomplish. They are also very intrigued. So, I have decided to give you a small list of some of my favorite things about New York City.

Hands down the people are best part about New York.  Everyone has always been so welcoming and so incredibly friendly. A perfect example is our friend, Susan Miller. She’s an incredibly talented business woman who became our local tour guide this last trip. She filled us in on all the hot spots. Case in point, my new favorite restaurant called The Union Square Café.

General Manager, Christopher Russell, also hooked us up with a fun list of places to check out. The problem was we didn’t get to too many of them because we couldn’t leave his restaurant! The staff, setting and the food in this place is impeccable.  It’s well worth the visit. I’m not even a foodie and I can’t stop talking about my meal. I had the Berkshire Pork Lasagna with Ricotta and English Pea Pesto sauce. My dad feels the same way about the seared tuna. And don’t get me started on the dessert!  I’m still craving the Kalamansi Lime and Coconut Cream Tart with fresh passion fruit! If you’re ever in NYC, this place is well worth the visit. Until then, check out their website at http://www.unionsquarecafe.com.

Central Park is always a great place to visit. It doesn’t matter how many times you’ve been there. There’s just something about this place that makes you fall in love with it more and more each time. The park is massive. So, we tend to go to Omar for a little break from walking. He’s our favorite pedi cab driver in NYC. I’m not kidding.

We met him the first time we went to New York. Every trip since, we call him when we’re in town to see how he’s doing. He even calls me his sister. He’s a good sport. He’s always more than willing to put up with our bad jokes and goofy sense of humor.  His rides are fun, too. He’ll be the first to admit he’s not a stickler for details, but he’ll give you the gist of what you need and want to know about the park.

If you go to NYC in the spring and summer, check out all the outdoor festivals and markets. You can’t miss them. They’re all over the place and you’ll find some amazing bargains on food, jewelry and art work.

You can’t go to New York without going to a show. I had to talk my dad in to going to a Broadway show the first time. Now, he’s hooked. The talent is amazing and you’ll find just about everything you can imagine.

You’ll never be able to do everything in New York, but it is a lot of fun trying.
Don’t be afraid to be a tourist, but don’t forget about the things locals do either. That’s the best part. You’ll really get a true sense of how wonderful NYC is when you go to the neighborhood restaurants and bars or when you ride the subway. If you aren’t sure where you should go, just ask. You’d be amazed at how a small conversation on the street can lead to a friendship with a New Yorker. Trust me.

I’m not sure how long our father/daughter trips will last, but the memories I have of our quality time together is priceless. It really isn’t just about the trip. My dad and I could hang out anywhere and still enjoy each other’s company. It just happens to be a little more fun when you do it in one of the greatest cities in the world.