Philadelphia is an amazing city in its own right, but I do have to admit one of the perks of living here is the proximity to NYC. We took advantage of this by boarding the Amtrak early one Saturday and heading to New York for the night for one last baby-free trip–just the two of us.
Our first stop was Chinatown for some Dim Sum. It had been a while since we’d had some really good dim sum (visiting Hong Kong spoiled us forever), but we managed to find some in New York!
Nom Wah Tea Parlor – the first Dim Sum in Chinatown!
After some googling, we opted to try Nom Wah Tea Parlor — and I’m so glad we did! It’s no frills with some delicious dim sum, a lot like our favorite spots in Hong Kong. The highlight was the house speciality, a pork bao. And don’t forget to order some Chinese tea (Bo-lay is my preference) to wash it down.
Pork bao. Aka deliciousness.
The pork bao, soup dumplings, and rice flour rolls were all delicious. You can imagine my delight when I found out they also have a Philly location! Score!
Our bellies full, we strolled around Chinatown and took in the ambiance. Our hotel was just a few blocks away…
Once we reached our hotel, we dropped our bags and I took some time to rest. 33 weeks into the pregnancy, I was starting to slow down…just a bit ;). We stayed at a lovely boutique hotel in Soho called Nomo Soho. The location was excellent–close to the food and sights we wanted to see, but a bit away from the main tourist hustle and bustle of Times Square. Perfect for our quick little getaway!
Hotel Entrance
View from our room
View from our room
We didn’t take many pictures of our evening (FAIL) but we did go to a delicious restaurant and then for drinks at our hotel after. The hotel lobby had a club-esque vibe in the evenings. With my big belly and my non-alcoholic beverage, I didn’t feel like I quite hit the level of coolness required to hang out there ;).
The next morning, we attempted to check out Dominique Ansel’s bakery to try a famed Cronut. However, the queue was down the block and this pregnant lady was HUNGRY! We settled for bagels and headed uptown for a stroll through Central Park to visit the Met. I had never been before and was very excited to see one of the best museums in the world!
Excited to be at the Met
33 weeks–Peanut loves museums!
Washington crossing the Delaware
Stunning building, inside and out
After touring the museum, we headed to a jazz brunch at one of John’s favorite jazz institutions: Blue Note. The last time we were here as an engaged couple nearly 10 years ago, while John was interning in New York.
This time, we saw a jazz set put on by student musicians. The food was ok–but the music and ambiance are hard to beat. Side note–Peanut loves jazz music. He kicks as the music plays.
Jazz Brunch at Blue Note
From there, we did a little bit of walking and taking in the city until we ended up in Little Italy. Believe it or not, I was hungry again, so we settled in to a quaint Italian restaurant for a bite.
Little Italy
The restaurant was like something out of a movie. We entered through a bar and walked by several gentlemen who I am sure are regulars and into a connecting building which served as the dining room. There were old fashioned plastic checked table cloths and an old-fashioned menu featuring Italian-American classics. We ordered a sampler meal which came with a massive plate of antipasti (not pictured) and a huge plate of the house speciality pastas. So. Much. Food. But it was delicious!
Italian done the American way 😉
After this meal, it was time to head back to Philly via the Amtrak. It was a quick 36 hours in New York, but it’s always great to get a taste of the Big Apple. See you soon, NYC. Next time, Peanut will help us explore 🙂
Farewell, New York. See you soon!
John and CB's Most Excellent Adventure 