Ten Summer Must Haves

Living in Miami, summer is year round but it also happens to be my favorite time of the year. Tan lines, tropical drinks, bikinis and endless Sunday Fundays. As summer comes, so do the new trends. I have listed ten of my 2017 Summer Must haves items, most under $100. 
XO Mimosas and Pumps 

New York, I Love You

New York. Concrete jungle where dreams are made of, the city that never sleeps, the Big Apple, the Fashion Capital or Sex and the City. 13 miles long, two miles wide, five boroughs, and 8.2 million people all diverse are what make up this beautiful straight out of various movies state. From getting lost in the 770 acres of green in Central Park, to visiting the Top of the Rock, New York was where I instantly fell in love and was heartbroken to leave. Growing up every show or movie I was fascinated with was always set in the same city. From Gossip Girl to Maid in Manhattan, New York is full of iconic locations that are visually compelling.

My first trip to the Big Apple was years in planning due to scheduling challenges and many other life complications, but nonetheless it successfully happened. I flew into LaGuardia on a Friday night and though I was extremely exhausted, I had to at least go for a walk around the block to breathe in that Carrie Bradshaw air. The next morning after a horrendous night, we were out for a jammed back day of exploring. First stop was the Top of the Rock. The Top of the Rock Observation Deck is one of New York’s must see and do attraction in the heart of the Rockefeller Center with the most breathtaking (literally) views of New York. There are three levels of observation perfect for photos with the highest being the open-air roof deck on the 70^th floor. 

 

After the Top of the Rock, we headed out to Times Square but not before stopping by the St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Saks off fifth. With time to spend before our One World Trade Center visit, we decided to try our luck on the Subway and venture out to Little Italy. While there, we looked for the most authentic Italian restaurant to have lunch and La Nonna was our spot. Located in a quiet street of Little Italy, La Nonna is an Italian restaurant that serves classic traditional meals on white tablecloths with sidewalk seating. Talk about a great atmosphere, from Tony singing in Italian to the people in apartments peeking out their windows, La Nonna was affordable and as authentic as you can get. After being put in a food coma, we traveled back to the National September 11 Memorial and Museum. 

The memorial is free of charge and honors the lives of those lost on 9/11. The twin reflecting pools features the names of the people killed in the terror attack as well as the six people killed in World Trade Center bombing in 1993 and the Pentagon victims. The pools sit where the Twin Towers once stood with endless water flow. Never in my life had I been rushed with so many emotions while standing in an area, definitely one of those most beautiful yet bittersweet memorials I have ever seen. One interesting part of the memorial that shows how crazy life can be is the Survivor Tree. A Callery pear tree was found at Ground Zero, severely damaged with snapped roots and broken limbs. The tree was removed and placed in the care of New York’s Parks and Recreation and was later returned to the site in 2010. Today not only does the tree still bloom but it is a living reminder of resilience, survival and rebirth.

One World Trade Center Observatory is the rebuilt building of the new World Trade Center and the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere and the sixth tallest in the world. Talk about one of the greatest views I have ever seen in my life. We were so high up that you can see the curves of the actual state. Not only does the building offer a great view but it also has a casual café and a bar to make the visit more enjoyable. After getting enough pictures, we were off to the famous Brooklyn Bridge. The bridge impressively links Manhattan and Brooklyn over the East River, and enables hundreds of commuters a safe and scenic passage. After only getting half way through the bridge, we headed back to the Hudson Hotel to get ready for dinner, which we settled for Flame an Asian hibachi restaurant. After a very fun filled night, we went back to our hotel room to relax and brace ourselves for the next day.

The following day, it was time to visit Central Park. Central Park is the most visited urban park and one of the most famous and filmed locations. First stop, the very famous Minton Tile Ceiling at Bethesda Terrace. Talk about straight out of a movie, as I walked down the stairs that lead to where Chuck and Blair once said I do and I could hear from a distance, a group of singers singing Christina Perri’s “A Thousand Years.” Though I wanted to stay there the entire day, we moved over to the Kerbs Boathouse for mimosas and views of the city. I sat to enjoy some fresh air on the small dock outside the restaurant where Carrie and Mr. Big famously once went swimming and wondered how I was supposed to return back home to Miami. Once the mimosas wore off it was time to head over to the Met Steps for some yogurt (Gossip Girl reference).

Hey Upper East Siders. Gossip Girl here. Where you may ask, on the Met Steps. The Metropolitan Museum of Art represents the best of human creativity from across the globe with collections spanning over 5,000 years of culture. After the Met it was time to head to Grand Central station.  Grand Central is accessible by subway, train, bus, or airport shuttle and has various stores and restaurants.  Not only is it a historic NYC landmark but it is extremely beautiful. From Gossip Girl, to the Avengers to Men in Black, this station can be seen as the backdrop for various famous scenes. Therefore, it was natural for me to recreate the very famous Serena returns to New York scene in season one, episode one. 

“Ever thine, ever mine, ever ours.” If you know me personally you know that I love Carrie and Mr. Big and would love to get proposed to in the New York Public Library amongst all the love letters of great men (cough, cough). The library provides the city with worldwide online tools to help them discover resources and services as well as offers readers with an immense collection of more than seven hundred works of literature. After exploring the library and being captivated with its architecture, it was time to head back to the hotel to get ready for dinner.  

 Originally, a 19^th century stable for the Vanderbilt family and then a movie theater, TAO Uptown was transformed into a majestic Asian temple of holy food goodness. If you are ever in Las Vegas, Los Angeles or New York I highly recommend you get reservations. I first tried their deliciousness in Las Vegas, when I heard there were two in New York I had to get my cravings fulfilled. I have since then started a petition for a restaurant in Miami, just saying.

On the last day of our trip, we decided to head over to Central Park once more to enjoy the views one last time. After checking out, we took a train ride out of New York to New Jersey to head back home. As I sat on the train and stared off into the passing city all I can think of is when I would be back into this city that romanced me like nothing has ever in my life. New York as simple as it is to many for me holds so much more value. Being born in Cuba and moving to the US, I would have never envisioned standing in the exact same spots that I grew up fascinated with. I feel truly blessed to have had the opportunity to have experience New York and I cannot wait to be back and become my very own perfect mix of Blair Waldorf, Carrie Bradshaw, and Olivia Palermo.

XO Mimosas and Pumps