5 Tips For Navigating the Nightlife in New York City

The Big Apple is known for many things, and because of the sights and sounds of places like Broadway, Times Square, Rockefeller Center, and Chinatown. There is never a shortage of things to do. Choosing New York City as a travel destination will bring you a wealth of choices on what to eat, where to stay, where to shop, what to see, and how to get there. Just when you think you can’t fit any more into your day, you have a whole new set of options for eating and entertainment after dark. Here are five tips for navigating the nightlife in New York City.

1. Choose Your Lodging

If you plan on staying in New York overnight, the best thing to do is find a fabulous place to lay your head once you have exhausted your energy. A word of warning- don’t wait until the last minute to book a room. For places like the Westgate New York Grand Central, the accommodations are both luxurious and in high demand. If you want to end your night in style, be sure to book your accommodations at westgatenyc.com as early as possible. You don’t have to visit to know that a stay here is a true New York attraction. With the ability to look at rooms and accommodations online, you can find enough on their Hotel Info page to book your room with confidence.

2. Choose Your Travel

Navigating around NYC is easy even for a tourist. If you really want the full experience, ride the subway or buses operated by the MTA New York City Transit. With easy to follow colored lines for the different sections of towns, as well as an app that can be downloaded to your smartphone, it is an inexpensive and efficient way to travel around the city. Parking comes at a premium in the bustling big city, so if you choose to skip the MTA, perhaps a brisk walk or a bike ride would be the best way to move between activities.

3. Choose Your Dinner

Going out after dark is one of the highlights of a New York City vacation experience. How else will you get the full and dazzling effect of the lights and signs hanging over Times Square? There is a reason it is called The City That Never Sleeps. If you want to catch an early dinner in order to save some room for some late-night eats and a well-deserved drink, there are plenty of options. If you choose to skip dinner and go straight into endless entertainment, you will always be able to find an authentic pizza joint or sandwich shop ready to fill your belly.

4. Choose Your Experience

There are hundreds of entertainment options out there in the Big City, and your tastes and preferences won’t be too eclectic to be met. Comedy shows, burlesque clubs, Broadway musicals, street performers, jazz clubs, and whatever else you can think of come alive after dusk. You are guaranteed to get your money’s worth when you choose to explore the stage, theatre, or performances that brighten the nightlife of New York City. Depending on the season you choose to visit, Coney Island offers amazing firework displays or you can catch a free movie in the Brooklyn Bridge Park. If your preferences desire something more sophisticated, you can head over to a trivia night at Professors Thom’s down in Manhattan or The Wolfhounds over in Queens. There is no shortage of places to both feed your belly and mind while in NYC.

5. Choose Your Keepsake

No trip or vacation is complete without some sort of memento that tells your friends and family where you had the time of your life. Most notable, Chinatown is a New York City staple when looking for the perfect, although maybe cheesy, gift or souvenir from the city. Part of the thrill is haggling over the price, but for some, the attraction is more with the dozens of shops that carry anything imaginable with a giant New York City logo on it. You can’t go back home empty-handed.

If you are wanting to get the most out of your trip to New York City, don’t just leave the excursion to daytime travel. Get out your dancing shoes, put on a party face, and check out the nightlife the Big Apple has to offer.

5 Places to Meet New Mom Friends in New York City

New York City is one of the most popular places on earth. The hustle and bustle of the Big Apple never stops. Traffic rages, pedestrians travel, and the city lights burn right through the night. Raising a baby in New York City is no easy feat, doing it requires a support group.

Photo by Ralph Chang from Pexels 

Many new people that have relocated to New York City fond it challenging to meet new friends, so finding your new mom squad may be tough. However, if you know your way around and where to go, then there are plenty of places you can visit that will present you with the opportunity to make new mom friends. Here are five ways you can meet new friends in the world’s most famous city.

#1 Parks and Playgrounds
Bridge Park Pier 6 in Brooklyn, Union Square Playground, Bleecker Playground in Manhattan, and Hudson River Park Pier 25 are great places to meet new moms. Remember to keep your eyes on your child at all times but when they are digging in the sandbox or playing on a swing set, take the opportunity to strike up a conversation with a mom nearby. Some of the most fabulous friendships are made in the playground.

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#2 Online Mom Chatrooms
Social media has connected us in a way that gives us instant access to social groups at the click of a mouse. Join up with some local New York City mom’s groups. Astoria parents, UES Mommas, and Madison Square Park Moms are all fantastic Facebook groups filled with hundreds of friendly moms that are always willing to help out. As you get to know people, you will discover moms that live nearby, and you can arrange to meet for coffee and discuss a playdate for your kids.

#3 New Mom Support Groups
There are many pre-birth classes available across the city. Signing up for a course will expose you to new moms that are thrilled to be experiencing the miracle of childbirth as much as you are. You will all have something in common already, and if you make a friend your kids could end up growing up together as best buddies. Check out your local listings online or visit the nearest YMCA for a class schedule.

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#4 Get Social at Playgroups
Getting your kids into playgroups as early as possible will have tremendous benefit for their social development. Children love to watch and learn, so if you get involved at the playgroup chatting with other parents, you are laying the foundation for your child’s personality to be open and friendly.

#5 Make Friends at the Pediatrician’s office
If you’re waiting at the pediatrician’s office for your child’s latest checkup, start a conversation with the moms sitting around you. Before you open your conversation, ensure you read the body language and facial expressions of the parents sitting around you. This brief assessment will give you a good idea of their emotional state; not everyone is at the pediatrician's office with good news.

The Final Tip
It’s important to get out with your child, so if you are struggling to meet your household obligations and spend quality time with your kid, consider hiring a cleaning service to assist you with the housework. Cleaning services are experts at cleaning good for health purposes, giving you more free time to spend with your kids.

Momfiles in NYC for COOL WHIP

Hey guys! I wanted to share some exciting news with you about a fun campaign I was chosen to be a part of representing the COOL WHIP brand. They were looking for busy moms who do the extra special things for their families and they thought I fit the description well. So during the first week of January, I flew into New York City along with 3 lovely ladies to participate in a photo shoot for an upcoming ad that will debut in April in some major magazines for COOL WHIP.  How cool is that?! To say I was excited about getting to go to New York City would be an understatement. Although my trip was short, I enjoyed every minute of my time there. I won't lie; I was a bit afraid of flying by myself. I had not been on a commercial plane since I was a child and I flew on a small plane 18 years ago to go on my honeymoon. I felt like a newbie. The great part is it was not as bad as I was expecting and I am really glad that both flights went smoothly and on time. I was more afraid of the airport than the actual flying, but now I feel like a pro!

I knew I was getting ready to land in New York when I stopped seeing trees! 

The first evening I was there, a few of us went to a nice restaurant called Artisanal. I loved the atmosphere and the food and drinks were amazing! We even got to taste lavender and coffee rubbed cheddar and a few other fancy varieties. It was a great experience.

The next morning we all met up in the hotel lobby. I had already met Emily from @busymomblog. I finally got to meet Jenny from @PickyPalate and Ana from @spanglishbaby. What SWEET ladies! I could not have asked for a better group of moms to participate in this experience with. We hopped into the car that was waiting for us and headed over to the studio. We all enjoyed the sights and sounds of the busy city.

We all were so excited when we walked into the studio and were greeted by a very friendly bunch of beautiful people...producers, project managers, hair and make-up team, fashion stylist, photographer, assistants, food stylists and everyone else that made this project come to life. What a warm welcome we received! From there it was straight to either hair and make-up or wardrobe. To say this was my first time in this type of setting, I felt extremely calm and comfortable. I truly think the wonderful people I worked with had everything to do with it. Oh and the view of the city might have helped a bit too!

Gorgeous view!

The girly girl in me really loved the hair and make-up part. I enjoyed chatting with Anthony and Jane while they did what they do best. I tell you what, I was feeling quite offended at the thought of coming back to South Carolina and having to do my own hair and make-up! What a treat it was to get made up, especially by such talented people who have worked on many celebs! All of the ladies looked absolutely gorgeous! I was second to go get my photos taken by the amazing Martin Schoeller. To be in a photo shoot with an awarding winning photographer who has traveled the world and shot many famous faces was incredible. He was awesome and quite entertaining. He really made any nervous feelings I had disappear immediately. I had so much fun! I am still in awe of everything and it still seems unreal!

Anthony and Jane were amazing! 

Me and Jenny From @PickyPalate

Would you believe that this was our view from the studio? This photograph was so perfect that I did not even have to edit it!

Well I certainly could go on for days about my photo shoot for COOL WHIP but I will stop for now. I'll keep you updated on this campaign as well as share some fun desserts you can make for your family with COOL WHIP.

Be sure to "like" COOL WHIP on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

I am working in partnership with the COOL WHIP brand and I am receiving compensation for my participation in this campaign. All thoughts/opinions are 100% my own.