On a cold late January, I headed to New York City to cover the New York Times Travel Show for the blog and connect with other travel bloggers and industry. Although it’s been a rough winter in NYC, I am always up for a trip to the city. The trip got better when I partnered up with The London NYC for a weekend stay and took over their Instagram account for the weekend. I had been to the hotel before for cocktails and was immediately taken by the vibe of the place. The sleek décor of the lobby, fresh flowers lining the fireplace, dapper gentlemen and stylish ladies at the front desk, and modern design was enough to make me want to stay beyond a cocktail.


or visit INK361 The view: The hotel is one of the tallest in NYC, thus it has some gorgeous views of Central Park. That day was extremely cold, however, the sun was shining, giving the perfect light for the photo.
What to do: New York City is such a big city that I always manage to see something new during my visits. However, there is a sight that new gets old: Times Square. There, you can see the many street performers, the shinning lights, and the mesmerized tourists. The hotel asked me to capture things to do nearby and felt this was perfect to shoot, especially a night.
Décor: I love staying at design focused hotels because of the unique décor. I always come back home with inspiration for my own place.  I love the little details in a hotel which makes it unique such as fresh flowers, the furniture upholstery, and the silk map of New York in the lobby. I wanted to capture those details in my Instagram Takeover. I am a big fan of lighting and I am still dreaming of having an chandelier like this in my home. Simply stunning.
Food: No trip would be complete with sharing the food! The London Bar at the Maze Restaurant by Gordon Ramsay where they make perfectly crafted cocktails. I had a chance to preview the new spring bar menu and the highlight was the lobster filled deviled eggs topped with caviar. The most luxurious bar snack I’ve ever had.  Hotel restaurants get a bad reputation but lately there have been so many properties upgrading their dining choices, even locals want to sample the goods.
An Instagram Takeover for a brand is fun but it is a lot of responsibility as you are representing a brand, no just your own views.  Tip: ask the management specifics of what they want you to cover and how they want you to interact with their followers. It was great to capture the hotel experience through my eyes and also engage with their followers. Would love to do it again!
* Disclaimer: The London NYC comped my stay in return for my photography services. 

It comes to no surprise that New York City is one of the most filmed cities in the world.  From old classics such as "Breakfast at Tiffany's" to modern ones as "Sex and the City", New York always inspires. I've been a frequent traveler to NYC since I was a high school student tagging along with my sister to her buying trips for her boutique and twenty years later, I still see and experience something new every time.

On the Bus of On Location Tours

There is something unique about a hotel bar. Depending on where you are, it's a crossroads between travelers and locals, a place where deals are made, or rare encounters between two strangers. During our last trip to New York City, we had the opportunity to experience the bar at The London Bar, the bar of  The Hotel London NYC and the Maze Restaurant of Gordon Ramsay.  Here's our experience.

The Red Carpet at The London Bar NYC

The atmosphere: Contrary to many hotel bars, The London Bar is tucked into the Maze Restaurant. I enjoyed the intimate feel of it contrary to some hotel bars that are exposed at the lobby. We arrived on a late afternoon at 5:30pm; perfect time to have a post shopping cocktail (located in midtown west close to the 5th Ave shopping) or pre-dinner cocktail (we went on a Chinatown eating spree). The bar has limited bar seating but there are bar tables as well if you want a more intimate experience. I've always been fascinated by proper mixology therefore took a front row seat to see Jean Carlos, The London Bar head mixologist in action.

Jean Carlos, the Mixologist at The London Bar

The drinks:  I began my cocktail hour with a drink called The Red Carpet. The cocktail brought together vodka, freshly muddled raspberries, lime, topped with a chili infused olive oil.  You can taste the tartness of the freshly muddled raspberry which I really liked. I wasn't a huge fan of the olive oil on top as you taste most of it at the end of the drink. I can see how this can appeal to a certain palate but I was too focused on the raspberries. I followed with a traditional pisco sour which was perfectly made with the egg white foam topped with angostura. The Dutchman, in his fondness for all things English, decided for the London Bloom. The drink was our favorite of the offerings, it was a great alternative to the traditional gin and tonic with St Germain, muddled cucumbers, basil, and ginger. The flavors went very well together and the ginger gave it that unique touch. Lastly, I had the chance to sample the Seasonal Cider from the holiday menu. The taste transported me back to wintertime in Europe with the perfect mix for cognac, apple cider and spices such as star anise, cinnamon, cloves, and juniper berries.

Caviar Topped Deviled Eggs from Maze

The Food: Although we were invited by The London Bar to experience the cocktail menu, we decided to order appetizers to hold us over for dinner (excuse: never a good idea to drink on an empty stomach).  At the recommendation of the bar staff, we ordered the caviar deviled eggs and the seared scallops. Both were exceptional but our favorite were the deviled eggs. The caviar melted perfectly in my mouths, a lovely treat.


Experts at the Craft at The London Bar

 The Experience:  If you want a perfectly crafted drink by skilled mixologists, this is the place for you. It is on the expensive side but it is the perfect way to treat yourself after a long day of meetings, sightseeing, or shopping. What we liked the most: the quality of the mixologists. There are not college kids or wannabe models trying to mix drinks. We had the wannabe model/bartender experience in another hotel bar in the city and it was awful.  These gentlemen know their spirits and ingredients to deliver a quality product. You are certainly getting what you paid for.
Tip: If you're a cocktail enthusiast, go early to be able to interact with the staff. 

*Disclaimer: The drinks were provided by The London Bar NYC and we purchased the food. Again, I only share experiences I love and am objective in my reviews

One of the things I love to do during my visits to New York City is go to Chinatown. My best friend loves to share her Chinese roots and this has been a go to place for her since she was a little girl. During my trips home from college with her until now, I let her be my personal guide as I wander through the restaurants as Jaime speaks Cantonese to the servers and we get items off the menu. This last trip to New York City, she gave me a personal tour of her Chinatown, eating at the places she loves. Having spent some two years working and traveling throughout Asia, I love how Chinatown transports me to that part of the world with its energy, neon lights, people, and most importantly food, lots of it!

My BFF/Chinatown Expert, Jaime

My Chinatown weekend food extravaganza all started with a snack. By snack I mean pork buns. I love the sweet exterior, soft center, and the savory pork on the inside. Aside from visiting my best friend, this is my second highlight of traveling to Chinatown! This time, she took me to one of her favorite places for chinese style buns, Mei Li Wah. You can also get dim sum and rolls there but the most popular item among the locals are the baked buns. My favorite: the steam roast pork bun. Tip: for the freshest buns, make sure to go early in the morning (they go fast as people buy them by the dozens).

Mango Mango Slush-O & Pork Baked Bun

We washed the buns down across the street with a Mango Slush-O at Mango Mango. Mango Mango is a Hong Kong inspired dessert shop, where it has found a cult following. Now it's in NYC in the heart of Chinatown where it offers fruit based desserts with its star being Mango (hence the name). The Slush-O is a smoothie of fresh mango topped with chunks of freshly chopped fruit. Love that the chunks of mangoes had the perfect sweetness.

Shrimp Shumai at Nom Wah

The following day, we went for dim sum. As Jaime explained, dim sum is a daytime activity where families get together and share food, but we were thrilled that Nom Wah serves dim sum in the evening as well. Nom Wah is an institution, one of the oldest dim sum parlors in Chinatown. The space is small and unpretentious and like some NYC institutions, you can see the framed and autographed head shots of celebrities on its walls (hello, Connie Chung). This is my third time at Nom Wah and I can't get enough of their dim sum. My favorite is the shrimp shumai. Tip: After dinner, head over to Apotheke Bar, an intimate bar tucked into Chinatown. The carefully concocted drinks make the perfect after dinner drink.



Soy Sauce Pan Fried Noodles at Xo Kitchen

After our post dinner drink we decided there was still room for a some noodles. We headed to Xo Kitchen to satisfy the craving. Warning: the menu is huge! Jaime & Mike (my Chinatown friends/guides) love this place particularly for its noodle dishes. We shared some chicken noodle soup and  soy sauce pan fried noodles (these noodles are not typically served with meat, but the Dutchman wanted chicken and they hooked him up).  The service was fast and the noodles satisfied the craving with the perfectly seasoned broth and generous serving of meat. Tip: bring cash, many Chinatown restaurants are cash only.

Mantou (Chinese Doughnuts with Condensed Milk) at Xo Kitchen

Happy Ending: After a full belly, we resisted the temptation to go back to our hotel, Dream Downtown and pass out with a food coma. Rather, the four of us went for a foot massage at 11:30pm on a Saturday night at Renew Day Spa. The foot massages are amazingly cheap ($15 for 30 minutes) and the best way to unwind after such gluttony. If you love food, Chinatown is a must go place in NYC to visit. Not only is it a cultural and culinary experience, but very budget friendly compared to other culinary offerings in the city.

Last year, one of my best friends had her 35th birthday celebration at Dream Downtown, a hotel located in the Meat Packing District. She rented a suite and invited her friends to come over for a night of cocktails and dancing. I recall checking in and casually mentioning to the staff that it was her birthday. A few hours later, there was a beautiful platter of mini cupcakes and a birthday card from the staff. I didn't mention the blog nor does she work for media. Just a kind and simple gesture from the staff. 

Dream Downtown, Street View

 That is the part where Dream Downtown surprises you. Although it is known for its celebrity sightings and its parties, it's really like staying with a really cool relative.  This experience made me choose it for a fall trip to NYC. This is my story....

The rooms: Like most hotels in NYC, the rooms are smaller than average but if you go to NYC to hang out in your room, you might want to rethink your priorities.  The rooms are comfortable and surprisingly quiet given that 16th Street is quite busy with the club crowd until late. The bed was nice and plush, perfect for late mornings after late nights. 

Room at Dream Downtown

The ambiance: If you want to channel your inner rockstar, this is the place to go. The home screen of the room welcomes you with a montage of the celebrity sightings at the hotel. The PH-D lounge has one of the best views of NYC.  We went there for a pre-dinner cocktail on a warm early fall evening and took in the gorgeous view. Not to miss: The Electric Room. This intimate space is tricky as it requires you to enter through the loading dock of the hotel and pass a strict doorman code. We waited around twenty minutes to get in (we're not the rockstars that we used to be) but the people watching was fun. The service: All in the details.  As on the first time I went to the hotel and now I really felt at home. I arrived early in the morning and my room was not ready (check-in is at 3pm) but I got a phone call as soon as my room was ready. I didn't get cupcakes this time but overall we got great personalized service. 

The view form PH-D Lounge

The location:  If you like to eat and shop, this place is for you. I have been coming to NYC for years since most of my college friends live there so I didn't have the need to go to Times Square or all the other traditional tourist attractions. I enjoyed that the hotel is tucked into a residential street and walking distance to great shopping. Highlight: The DVF flagship store at the Meat Packing district. If you are a foodie like me, you will love the food selections at the Chelsea Market.

Snapshot of the Pool Patio

The verdict: If you feel overwhelmed with the hotels of Time Square, this place is for you. It gives you the local vibe from walking around the surrounding streets, having brunch at a local spot (we loved the Hartwood), going for a run along the Hudson, or simply indulging at Chelsea Market.