the ultimate CARRIE BRADSHAW-tour IN NEW YORK goes like this.
PART I
My friend and I were somewhere between 5th avenue and Central Park feeling a little uneasy while standing in line behind a group of tourists. We’re doing something that is just not done as wannabe New Yorkers. But as a serious fan of the world famous series about sex and Manhattan I have to let myself off the hook. Oh yeah baby. It’s the Sex and the City tour.
We stood there giggling like school girls at the tour guide, who was fitted the profile of Geordie Shore with her pancake make-up, megaphone voice and pumps from the stone age (not really SATC-proof). But, right then she threw in a couple of Samantha’s and we knew she was the right gal for the job.
After a short introduction and a confusing walk by the guide (she must have been plastered) we hop on the bus. Onwards and upward to where it all took place. We were so excited but I have to say if you live in New York and you happen to be a Carrie & co fan you already know all the hotspots. I have passed them, deliberately or by accident, a thousand times. And I have to say something else: all those SATC hotspots aren’t really that hot anymore. Not surprising with the popularity lifeline of the average bar not surpassing the five months. So with a few exceptions (Buddakan, Magnolia Bakery) we passed places you would no longer like to visit. Superficial (yep, I know) but that’s just the way it is.
It’s fun for people who are not from New York, to see the film set throughout the city. But if you’re looking for cool places to have a Cosmo at the end of the day, this is the wrong tour. Don’t. Just don’t. We missed the Carrie-cool part, the Carrie vibe. So I thought why don’t I turn it around. Why don’t I provide the Carrie-vibe instead of the film set tour? So for today I’m your digital tour bus. We’re going Carrie style anno 2015. So get out your Manolo’s and let’s go!
Wake up in West Village
In SATC Carrie lives somewhere in midtown. But that isn’t really correct. Her apartment, you know the one with the famous stairs, is on 66 Perry Street in west village, one of the best parts of New York. Waking up here is bliss. There aren’t any hotels but there’s a good Airbnb. Or just jump out of bed, grab a cab and start the day with a pic on Carrie’s stairs.
Magnolia Bakery
From the corner of Carrie’s apartment you walk straight into Bleecker Street. The shop Walhalla of the village with uncountable Marc Jacobs stores. MJ is the king of west village. Hop into the Marc bookstore (like Carrie would) and cross the street for a latte takeaway and some mini cupcakes at Magnolia. By the way this is the real Magnolia where Carrie and Miranda have munched on sweets throughout the years.
A Bleecker stroll
With your coffee, some sugar in your tummy and a freshly bought MJ souvenir the tour takes you through the West Village. Bleecker, W4 and W11 are my favorite streets. In spring you walk under a canopy of blossom and in the winter it’s a white wonderland. Get Google maps to take you to the place you have to have breakfast.
Have breakfast here
By which I mean Sant Ambroeus, the place to be. They’re in Soho and West Village. Easy. Besides lunch, brunch and dinner their breakfast is pure heaven. And here it’s all Carrie-hip. I mean Pharrell comes here, so Carrie-wannabees have their breakfast here. It’s that simple.
Art
Museums are nice but not very Carrie. With Charlotte it’s galleries. So after breakfast we hit the road to Chelsea. This is the artist’s quarter of Manhattan. Be sure to visit David Zwirner, my favorite gallery, you will find it on the street where all the other must-be spots are.
Time to eat
I think it’s time for another bite. A little more this time, more Y orkie-style. With that I mean French, the American way. (On the island they are obsessed by everything that has to do with France and Paris. So everything that’s hip is French.) Think French fries, steak tartar and oysters. You must have these uptown at Rue57. It’s above the 34th street border an area avoided by real New Yorkers, but still the SATC ladies like to expand their horizons. And anno 2015 that’s at Rue 57.
Tomorrow part deux. The evening program with all the spots where miss Bradshaw-2015 meets her Mr. Big for a drink, has girl din-dins, goes dancing and goes out with a SATC bang.
