Our Brooklyn Anniversary Staycation
One of the great things about holidays in NYC is that they tend to be pretty quiet. I actually love staying home for the holidays because the stores are less crowded, the sidewalks are less noisy and everything seems so peaceful. The same kind of peaceful that overcomes the city on the night of the first snow.
Labor Day weekend is also me and Z’s anniversary. We talked about going to the Hamptons or Poconos… but we realized that’s where everyone will be! So we planned a Brooklyn staycation at a hotel I had always admired from afar. And it’s main draw was the POOL! A pool is a rare gem to come by on a hot day in NYC. Only a few hotels have outdoor pools and their day passes cost more than my monthly student loan payment. Public pools are okay, but not exactly a peaceful escape from the noise of the city. If I want to cool off, I usually find myself at one of the many NYC beaches. But since I much prefer a pool to the ocean, we chose to celebrate our one year anniversary at The William Vale.
Our three day weekend was full of relaxation, food, drinks, and reminders of how lucky we are to have each other and live in the greatest city in the world. Technically, we live in Greenpoint, which is an old school Polish neighborhood in northern Brooklyn. We are surrounded by the East River, giving us crazy good views of the Manhattan skyline, Long Island City Queens to the North, and Williamsburg Brooklyn. We spend most of our time in these neighborhoods because they have most everything we need! And, its a very easy commute to Manhattan for Z. I put together a Brooklyn staycation itinerary for anyone interested in full relaxation in Williamsburg.
SATURDAY
It was payday, so I did what I always do on pay day and I got a mani and pedi! Every other week for at least the last five years i’ve been getting my nails done at Lux Girl in Greenpoint and I am very loyal to their shop because the prices are great and the women who own and work there are the best. After my mani pedi, I went shopping on Bedford Avenue with my pup Ponyboy. There’s a few reasons Bedford Ave is my go to for shopping; mostly i enjoy all of the food and drink options and i don’t have to get on the subway. The walk to Bedford Ave is through McCarren Park which means prime people and dog watching! The first store I stop in is always Pema because it has a little bit of everything and the kindest staff.
Z and I decided to eat dinner at Anella, a neighborhood spot with a charming backyard garden. While the streets during holidays are quiet, the restaurants and bars remain busy! I guess that’s just where everyone is hiding. Z and I couldn’t stop reminiscing about what we were doing a year ago, and where we were with our friends and family getting ready to be married. We talked about our nerves and our favorite memories. The wildest part of dining in NYC is that you can have these very intimate and personal moments all while a stranger is sitting incredibly close as you dine, but everyone in that tiny restaurant will fade away as you fall into deep conversation. We went home early because I had big plans of getting to the pool Sunday morning for all day relaxing and I was not going to miss out on claiming a lounge chair!
SUNDAY
On our sleepy 8 AM trek to The William Vale Pool, we stopped for bagels and coffee at Baker’s Dozen. If you want a good seat at the pool, you gotta get there early! The bar and food service started at 11 and we celebrated and ate and drink til about 2 PM. It was one of the most relaxing days of my life. After drinking like six margaritas I took a power nap in our hotel room and we were up in time for a late night dinner at Peter Luger. It’s an old steak house that still feels like an old time steak house and Z likes to go here with his friends. I’ve always felt a little left out that I had never gone and was so excited to finally go to this mystery cash only restaurant! It was everything I expected it to be. After dinner we shared a bottle of Bedell sparking rose with some friends. We sat on the balcony and talked for awhile and looked at the empty streets of Williamsburg below us.
MONDAY
Monday ended up being rainy and gloomy. Luckily we had reservations at Sunday in Brooklyn. It was our first time there and it was worth the wait! (We had tried to brunch there before but the wait was too long. Thank goodness for Resy!) I had the loveliest cocktail and perfect biscuits and gravy, unlike anything I expected! People even dined in the rain under the sidewalk awning. It felt very Parisian. We took a cab home and I curled up in my own bed and slept the rest of the day away.
I had no idea how much one night at a neighborhood hotel could make me feel like I went away on vacation. It was a million times worth it just for the pool alone, and even more for the amazing design and location. One year down and forever to go and it gets better every single day! Every. Single. Day.
shop my look
black tank: Final Touch
rainbow pants: Lucy Paris
black heeled sandals: Sam Edelman (similar pair)
bathing suit: Noelle by Noelle
