New York City is world-renowned for its museums, yellow cabbies, pillowy pretzels drenched in salt hanging lazily on street vendor spindles, its nightlife and a certain few avenues with glaring bright bulbous lights jutting from billboards begging you to catch Broadway’s Wicked.
And every time ideas are thrown around with how to jam-pack a gazillion bajillion things to do in a city that many compare to an addictive amphetamine, somebody always wants to visit Carrie Bradshaw’s old haunts. After all, visiting fictionalized, fairy-tale sitcom film-sights in a city that is over-flowing with culture is an educational experience.
But let’s create a Sex and the City crawl that hasn’t already been mapped out yet, for the seventh season we’ve all been pining for!
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Our seventh season of Sex and the City starts with cocktails, brunches, and tea time!
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1. Recap last night’s debauchery with the “Fabulous Foursome” of Sex and the City over a brunch at Isabella’s.
Photo courtesy of Isabella’s
Within a block of Central Park, this Upper West Side Mediterranean-American bistro serves up a Bloody Mary that’s the perfect “hair of the dog” remedy to get you through another night of shenanigans. From the outdoor patio, with the tilt of your head around the bend, you can also say you’ve seen the American Museum of Natural History without even setting foot on the premises.
Isabella´s / 359 Columbus Ave., New York, NY 10024 / (212) 724-2100
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2. If the line is too long, we’ve still got you covered… at Cafe Lalo.
Photo by Shanna Ravindra/NYMag
Sticking with the Upper West Side, just six blocks northeast of Isabella’s, this landmark cafe was also the backdrop to a certain rom-com starring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, the title starts with “you’ve” and ends with “mail.” I’m sure you’ll figure it out. Perfect for foamy cappuccinos, scolding teas, and steamy gossip.
Cafe Lalo / 201 W 83rd St., New York, NY 10024 / (212) 496-6031
3. This next place in Tribeca will make you a cocktail based on your personality. What does tequila say about a Samantha?
Photo courtesy of War III
If after telling the mixologist the spirit you want for the base of your bespoke cocktail, he starts asking intimate questions about your palate and personality, it’s not because he’s hitting on you–well, maybe he is. But more importantly, he’s trying to hand-craft the perfect perscriptive cocktail for whatever ails you. Aren’t you special?
Ward III / 111 Reade St., New York, NY 10013 / (212) 240-9194
4. Pinkies up because it’s tea time, and it’s not quite happy hour… yet.
Picture courtesy of Alice’s Tea Cup
Don’t deny yourself three-tiered trays crowded with tea sandwiches, scones, and other finger-sized treats. At Alice’s Tea Cup on the Upper East Side, you’ll be able to celebrate bridal showers, birthdays, maybe indulge in one of Samantha’s “no-baby showers,” and unbirthdays. “What’s an unbirthday?” you might ask. Well, it’s an official invite to have cake, a spot of tea, and catch up with your besties for absolutely no good reason at all.
Alice’s Tea Cup / 156 E 64th St., Manhattan, NY 10065 / (212) 486-9200
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And now for the cutaway shots of NYC’s enchanting parks, gardens, and waking up in someone’s hotel room.
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5. Jaunt down the High Line, a historic freight rail line that soars above Manhattan’s West Side.
Photo by Kevin Cappis. CC BY
Make a bee-line to the People’s Pops cart and bask in one of New York’s most eclectic parks while lickin’ a freeze pop, all while negotiating your next book deal with your publisher, just like Carrie would. You’ll see many different art forms along the way: videos, murals, glass installations, and much more. Some nights on the High Line lend themselves to free evenings of music and dancing.
High Line Park / 75 9th Ave., New York, NY 10011 / (212) 206-9922
6. And now to Brooklyn for an exercise day-date with that guy from yoga class!
Photo by Dave Curtin Photography. CC BY
The Brooklyn Bridge Park slowly consumed Brooklyn’s waterfront over the years and has grown into an 85-acre expanse. Six piers along the boardwalk offer all sorts of activities, depending on the mood you’re trying to capture for your S&TC experience: for romantic evenings, you’ll be stargazing or attending a Met Opera recital; athletes will find outdoor strength conditioning courses as well as pick-up sports; and for the children at heart, you can ride Jane’s carousel, which is a restored merry-go-round from the ’20s.
Brooklyn Bridge Park / 334 Furman St., Brooklyn, NY 11201 / (718) 222-9939
7. Find you inner chi in NYC’s tranquil outdoor living room and have yourself a self-assertive voiceover about life.
Photo by Reston2020. CC BY
Most New Yorker’s bypass this watering hole and question it’s true existence; they’re usually the ones that can’t find the entrance. But many would trade in several months’ worth of therapy sessions to find this gem enclosure. An open-space with a waterfall, canopy trees shielding you from the skyscrapers, and while you’re grabbing coffee with a friend, I dare you to close your eyes for a split-sec, and try to make out a siren in the distance.
GreenAcre Park / 217 E 51st St. New York, NY 10022 / (212) 838-0528
8. Wake up to a Central Park view from the tallest hotel in the city.
Photo by Mark Lennihan // AP
We won’t allude why someone who already lives in the city is waking up in a hotel room with an aerial view of the Great Lawn from the 67th floor of a sleek 753-foot hotel tower. But maybe Carrie wanted to take a little vacay without a brisk pat-down from a TSA authority.
Marriott Courtyard-Residence Inn Central Park / 1717 Broadway, New York, NY 10019 / (212) 324-3773
9. Okay, this next spot is where the season finale takes place. Here’s why.
Photo by LaTur. CC BY
Next, we’ll do a scene at the Cloisters museum, a branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art that focuses on Medieval Europe. This is one of those places where you’ll go to culture yourself, then when your ADHD gets the better of you, you’ll meander through the gardens with your date, who seems nervous for some reason, although he’s probably just a little under the weather. But when he abruptly grabs your hand, tries to casually get down on one knee as his ankle buckles with tremors, suspicion kicks in. The four-carat diamond ring makes an appearance at this point and he’s got a question he’s been meaning to ask. The proposal! We’ll have to wait until the next season to find out if you said yay or nay…
The Cloisters / 99 Margaret Corbin Dr., New York, NY 10040 / (212) 923-3700