3 weekend trips to take without leaving the city

Debunking the fear of "being stuck in the city" this summer

Ah, the summer social media rush of everyone who “could never be caught dead” in the city is in full swing, so… you could consider this post a direct response to anyone and everyone who has ever uttered a phrase like that into existence. I remember my first New York summer as this thing I had anticipated my whole life to quickly understanding it was not something to be excited about from the eyes of most people who actually lived there.

Yes, to some degree- it’s hot, the air is soupy, and tourists are more numbered than cooler months, but the ease and calm of New York that can’t be achieved any other time than a ‘hot summer night, mid July,’ is sometimes a reason to stay.

I’ll also say this- if I was blessed with a summer house in the Hamptons, Nantucket, etc etc, I’d also be there the majority of my summer. Am I saying some of this out of envy for those who have access to those things? Maybe, (and those with actual houses out there usually aren’t the ones creating Instagram story aura farms)- but this is my gentle reminder that for those of us who don’t have a dedicated escape, don’t let images and rhetoric on social media or amongst those who WANT people to experience fomo…even as adults…taint all of the magic of New York in the summer.

I went up to the Bronx last weekend because I realized I had maybe been to the Bronx about 2 times in 4 years living here and felt like that was quite lame for someone who claims they love to explore other boroughs. Truthfully, I thought the images I had seen of the Charlotte Bronte villa in the Bronx were satire- a meme if you will of a place on the Italian Riviera that people were pretending to be the Bronx. Sure enough, I turned a corner from the usual bodega landscape to see a sprawling manor, sliced right in half by what felt like water more clear and Mediterranean than any water I’ve seen in the continental United States.

The Bronx- Bronte Villa

Every neighborhood and corner is a new world here. I’d feel so anxious if I was missing all that was offered here in these boroughs trying to escape every weekend. Maybe there will be a point in my life where I feel like I’ve covered enough physical New York City territory, but for now, I’ll spend my summer days getting off at new stops.

Trips right outside of your neighborhood

1. Brighton Beach

Pack your little tote because we’re heading to the end of the Q line to the brilliantly brutalist neighborhood of Brighton Beach, Brooklyn. Perched under the rattling of the subway are businesses lit up by the red letters of the Cyrillic alphabet serving sour cherry veriniki, Uzbek manti, and compote in little plastic cups. I happen to be dating a Russian speaker, which does make this beach town especially fun, but somewhere everyone living in the city needs to visit to try authentic Eurasian/Central Asian cuisine.

Mermaid Spa

You’ll start your day at Mermaid Spa, a bathhouse (banya) baking in steamy Russian and Turkish saunas. Unlike other bathhouses in the city (East Village I’m looking at you), spending a half-day here for $50 gets you access to multiple saunas, steam rooms, cold plunges, and jacuzzis that you can actually spread out in. Once you’re in need of a break from the arid heat, start with chilled plate of fruit with pumpernickel bread and jam that tastes extra good while sitting in a freshly cleaned towel. You’ll then order the potato and onion pelmeni (or pelmeni soup if you’ve been cold plunging) on your next break.

Tashkent Market/Saint-Petersburg Bookstore

Ok here’s where the beach part comes in- you’ll walk out of mermaid spa with a new glow and soak in all of the sea air at the very end of the boardwalk. Hop on a bike or embark on a 30 minute walk, right in the thick of Coney Island, right into the heart of Brighton Beach. If you aren’t hungry yet, pop in and out of the bookstores and grocery stores (the original Tashkent market is here) up and down Sheepshead Ave and flip through some vintage children’s books written in Russian- the Cheburashka series is my most favorite (and the dolls are so much cuter than Labubu).

Lunch at Cafe Eurasia

Late lunch will be at Cafe Eurasia with its lengthy laminated menu to include staples from Ukraine, Uzbekistan, and Georgia as they self describe as a place who “marries flavors from Eastern Europe and the Middle East”. Favorites include Tashkent salad, Manti, Samsa, Pilaff, and Shashlik. You’ll sit and slurp your Manti on a silver plastic tablecloth with foil swirls and flowers from 1950 with informercials playing on tiny televisions in muffled Russian.

Sheepshead Bay (Dinner at Sweetspot Cafe)

If you got an early start and still want to explore around into the evening, (or decided to skip the half day at the sauna), I couldn’t recommend a visit to the next neighborhood over, Sheepshead Bay, more. The water in the bay itself is an escape from anything and everything concrete, boats sail and fisherman bake in the sun to enjoy a slow Sunday. If you’re still full, take a few laps around the outside of the bay or stroll into neighborhoods that have sprawling mansions protected by hedges so sharp they could kill.

Have dinner at Sweetspot, the crown jewel of Eastern European spots in South Brooklyn, or as my boyfriend would say, “the place your Eastern European grandparents always pick for their birthday”. This is all true stuff- I’ve never not seen a large family celebration happening a few tables away. You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu, but the pelmeni, octopus, lamp chops, and ponchiki for dessert would be my line up. Ponchiki are basically Russian donuts covered in a salty-sweet caramel and fresh fruit and are something I haven’t been able to find anywhere else.

2. Rockaway Beach

How lucky am I to have a Rockaway Beach expert, Lindsay Paulen, as a friend to show me the best city beach escape ever? The magic of the Rockaways really clicked as we made it to the S train leg of the trip and went right over the channel. We were greeted by squawking egrets and waves practically crashing into the subway tracks before getting off and heading straight to the bakery for morning beach fuel with our towels and bikinis under our sundresses.

Rockaway Beach Bakery

There is something incredibly nostalgic about a beach bakery. When I was a teen, I spent my summer mornings biking to the local bakery in the Outer Banks and picking up biscuits and donuts for everyone to eat- crumbs would simply get everywhere, but it never mattered because you were surrounded by sand. The BEC biscuits and croissant loaf slices at Rockaway Beach Bakery are the perfect goodies to be washed down with a dip in the Atlantic. The simplicity of the bakery’s ticking clock and open kitchen made for a well oiled machine of no fuss and lots of “oh my god this absolutely hits” after a few bites. The best place to enter the beach is if you map to the boardwalk near Rippers, which apparently has a damn good burger and classic beach-y cocktails, which I must try on my next adventure.

Connolly’s Beach Bar

It’s now reached 3pm, the end of your commitment to doing one last dip in the ocean and air drying is now complete, and my god is it time for a Pina Colada. The walk up the beach on a hot day simply can’t be done without a reward. It’s a trudge. A painful process of sandy toes and rigid denim shorts over slightly damp bathing suits. Luckily, Connolly’s, in its form of a little white dollhouse, is only a few blocks away to seek refuge. You’ll bust down the doors into frosty air conditioning to get one $10 pina colada and one $10 strawberry lemonade and share once you’ve cooled down enough to go sit on their patio in the front yard amongst locals and their surfboards.

Tacoway Beach

Ok at this point you’re tipsy and feeling the sunburn come to fruition and a fish taco with a huge side of guac is the only thing that makes sense. You’ll skip on over to Tacoway Beach, which is painted like a candyland themed Sublime festival, and bask in shade and Tajin covered cucumbers. I’m not claiming anything to be overly authentic, but Tacoway has some solid Mexican which some may say is hard to find in NYC (I’m sure we all just don’t know where to look), and I’m not sure if the ambiance adds flavor, but I can’t stop thinking about the fish tacos.

3. Red Hook

Red Hook has become super popular amongst the social media crowd, so I’m not going to pretend that anything I’m saying here is unclassified information, but I promise this specific itinerary makes for a day that feels like you’ve landed in a coastal town. It’s honestly mandatory to take the silly ferry for a few reasons- one being it is gorgeous, and two being the fact that the murray hill fraternity crowd heavily takes advantage of pregaming with the alcoholic beverages sold ON the ferry, and it’s a sight to see.

Lunch at Redhook Tavern

Ahhhh [I feel the eyerolls as all of you read this]! I told you nothing I’m saying is new information! But it is really that good! Redhook Tavern is worth your time when you can leisurely get there at 12 when they open, sit at the bar, have a spritz, wedge salad, and perfectly charred cheeseburger with a little rainbow cookie to nibble on as you head into the rest of your adventure, slightly more giggly than you came. I actually do think the food is good enough to play the Resy game, some may disagree, but you’ll be just fine arriving upon opening for lunch. Red Hook Lobster Pound and Hometown BBQ are always on-par options if you’re turned away that I always consider having a second lunch at, anyways.

Driiiiiiiinks

Ok this is where the REAL giggles will start, because it’s time for a beach bar that isn’t at the beach to make drinking alcohol in the hot sun at 2pm moderately acceptable. Your options? Strong Rope Brewery, Brooklyn Crab, or Red Hook Winery all feel quite coastal to emulate the sweaty shore bar experience to create a sunburned buzz. The best of the bunch is certainly Strong Rope due to the scenery, but Brooklyn Crab could easily be factored into the plans for the classic colada in a plastic cup with a cherry on top.

Steves Key Lime

Some steps, shopping, and chocolate covered key lime pies are essential to round out the afternoon in Red Hook. Walk through the Chelsea Garden Center if it’s the one non-food-activity (this should be coined as a category of NYC past time) that you do. It’s just up the street from some vintage shops and will be spotted from down the block due to lush blooms forming an archway that’s impossible not to walk through. The last flavor you’ll taste in Red Hook is Steves Key Lime Pie as you’ll stand in line for about 20 minutes to get a frosty-shelled chocolate key lime on a small stick. I don’t even like key lime pie, it’s usually the last dessert I’ll take a piece from on the table, but the lime is so fresh and so not icky artificial that it’s infinitely different than any other florescent version I’ve had.

I don’t recommend ending with dinner in Red Hook after a packed day, although (there are tons of options like Pitt’s and Cafe Kestrel that I’d recommend), but this is about the time of day where the mid-day spritz wears off and it’s the perfect nap time.

Other neighborhoods for a day of exploring:

1. Staten Island- No slander here! Staten Island has some incredible restaurants like Angelina’s, Royal Crown, Lee’s Tavern, and a bit of a magical air to it with some stunning homes and a very quintessential ferry ride.

2. Jackson Heights- Explore the area and visit Mariscos El Submarino, Angel, Phayul, and Lhasa Fast Food

3. Astoria- Incredible food around here, favorites are Hamido, Abuqir, and Al Asqa Bakery

4. Sunnyside- For the famous Kora Donuts and Bolivian Llama Party

5. The Bronx- Visit Charlotte Bronte Villa