Madolyn Thinks

The Brooklyn Bridge is arguably one of the most iconic sights of New York City. It is high on anyone’s top sights to see, alongside the Statue Of Liberty, Ground Zero, The Empire State Building, Central Park and Top Of The Rock. However, despite it being my third trip to the big apple, this was my first time visiting this popular landmark. 

The weather whilst we were in NYC was super cold, and although it was bright, it got a little cloudy during the evenings. We decided to hold off heading to Brooklyn Bridge until the Sunday, which ended up working out perfectly. We had heard from a number of people that the sunset as you walk back over the Brooklyn Bridge towards Manhattan was definitely a sight to see, and I’m so glad that we held out. 

We decided to walk down from our accommodation in Hell’s Kitchen (read my New York Travel Guide for more inspiration and information) although you can take an uber/bus/subway if you’d prefer. We enjoyed taking in the sights however, and I always feel like I pick up so much more about a city when walking around. We stumbled upon the Italian Quarter as well as SoHo on our walk down, so it felt worth it. 

We walked over the bridge and spent the afternoon in Brooklyn. We found a bench that was a little more sheltered from the wind and we had the most perfect view of the Manhattan skyline, stretching from the Empire State Building on our right, all the way to the Statue of Liberty on our left. 

As the sun started to set we took a slow walk back towards the bridge and the views really were incredible. There is something about the way that the last light of the day hits everything that makes it look so beautiful. It’s a bit like candle light, it is much more flattering and makes everyone look stunning. It was a pretty chilly walk back without the intensity of the sunshine, but the views across the water were well worth it. 

Annnnndddd, here’s another one for you!

I have recently just left the city that never sleeps and thought that I would throw in my two cents about the famous destination. New York is so big and there are so many different things to see and do, to the point that everyone that visits will have a slightly different experience whilst they’re there. 

I have been fortunate to have explored the big apple twice before and so I have already done the main ‘tourist-y’ things (i.e. The Empire State Building, Ellis Island, The Statue Of Liberty, Top of The Rock etc.) As a result, this travel guide is a little more of a relaxed and casual exploration of New York, including things that are a little more off of the beaten track, but a little more interesting and a bit different to your usual New York bucket list.

Big Daddy’s – This cool little diner is located in down-town Manhattan and serves some incredible food as well as some gorgeous shakes. I opted for the Mac n’ Cheese sandwich followed by the best chocolate milkshake of my life! It was super affordable and had a great, old school ‘American Diner’ feel to it. 

Cool Shops – Times Square is arguably one of the top attractions to see in New York and is one of the more popular tourist spots. There is something a bit magical about looking up at all of the lights, it really does feel like something out of a film. What’s more, it is a great way to spend an evening walking through and exploring all of the different shops on display. The Hershey’s and M&Ms store were both really fun, and I couldn’t wait to have a peak in Sephora. However there are some really cool stores a bit further out including the Nintendo Store and quirky little sweet and taxidermy shops. I would recommend having a wonder down some street to find some real gems.  

Pietro Nolita – If you follow any blogger on Instagram and they have been to new York, chances are that they have a picture of this pretty little pink café on their feed. As a cliché, basic blogger babe, I of course wanted to head to this little spot in down-town Manhattan and take a snap outside. Although the outside is cute, the inside was really cramped, super busy and massively overpriced. It was a little deflating as so many people had raved about this coffee stop but I wasn’t overly impressed… I still popped my picture on Insta though!!

Sprinkles Cupcake ATM – This little cupcake spot is another classic ‘blogger in New York’ place of interest, plus the idea behind it seemed so cool! It’s a tiny little shop that sells the nicest cupcakes (I opted for the Vegan Red Velvet option) and they have their very own cupcake ATM machine outside! How millennial…! I’d really recommended heading over if you get the chance through, not only is it a novelty, it’s the perfect girly background for a great insta-shot! 

The USA is such a vast country that the weather can differ greatly state by state. Depending on where you are and the time of year you’re there, your wardrobe may vary quite a lot. 

This can be especially difficult if you are traveling across the US. I know that for me, it was hard to gather together a collection of clothes that would not only be suitable for temperatures of -1, but would also be wearable in temperatures well in the 20s. Oh, and it also all had to fit into a bag that I could carry…! 

It may seem a little anal to some, but I am so glad that I researched the average weather for the last few years in each place we are visiting, and also started planning what I wanted to pack about four weeks in advance… But I’m pretty happy with the collection of clothes that I brought, and although we’re only a week into our six-week venture across America, it has so far served me well. 

You can have a read about my Minimalist’s Guide To Packing For A Six Week Road Trip Around The USA, here.  

This light, drizzle proof, floral, hooded jacket from Zara has been my go-to jacket for the last couple of years. I bought it completely spare of the moment on my lunch break for £13 in the sale and it has become an absolute staple of mine. It sits just below my waist and although it isn’t padded, it is very weather proof and great at protecting me from the elements. As we are heading to warmer places once we leave Chicago, I didn’t want to be carrying around a bulky coat for the rest of our trip, and this will serve as a great evening jacket in the sunnier states. 

As my jacket is fairly thin, I have also brought with me, my huge orange blanket scarf that was a mere £4 from Primark! This has kept me warm in the windy city, and has also been the perfect blanket when traveling on the Greyhound. I have also packed my beautiful Goggles 4U sunglasses that I have worn every day of our trip so far. Although it was pretty chilly in New York and very windy in Chicago, the sun has been amazingly bright! Shoes wise, I have brought with me my trusty, pale grey vans. I bought these the last time I was in the states and I can honestly say that they are the comfiest shoes I have ever owned. They have been great so far to explore the concrete jungles in, and they will be perfect when walking around New Orleans and Joshua Tree. 

There is obviously no right or wrong way of packing for a trip as everyone’s preferences and routes are different. We knew from the get-go that we didn’t want to pack much, and we are staying in Air BnBs whilst in America so we can wash our clothes on the go.

One thing I would recommend before de-cluttering any items is to gather them all into one area so that you know what you’re working with. I would then recommend pulling out any and all of the products that are unwanted. I find that this is the easiest way to start the process as it is quick and simple but it gets the ball rolling and builds momentum. So throw away those eye shadows that you never wear, those lipsticks that you don’t like, and any products that are old, out of date or have been open past the recommended time. 

This also allows you to pave the way for new pieces. For example, I completely cleared out my false eyelash collection, getting rid of any old or unwanted lashes and glue. This then allowed room in my makeup collection for a pair of gorgeous, high quality false lashes from Esquido. I picked out the Lashlorette* design that has a collection of criss-cross and straight strands to create a full, yet natural look. The lash glue that comes with them is a fantastic size with easy-to-use application, which meant that I could throw away any old, leaky or sticky tubes of glue that I still had in my collection.

Once I had majorly reduced my make up collection, I then looked at how many products I had left. I would recommend having a think about your current makeup routine. Maybe have a play with your makeup and ask why you use this many products and is there a way that you are able to reduce it. For example, I was rotating between a couple of different concealers rather than picking just one concealer and sticking with that. I managed to massively reduce the amount of products that I used on a daily basis, ultimately streamlining my collection.