Welcome to my first-ever blog post! I’m so happy to see you here. My name is Christian – I’m a 24y old guy from the western part of Denmark and I’m currently studying abroad at FIT – Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, US.
If you want to read more about me and my background, you can visit this page.
This post is gonna focus on the fact about New York that has amazed me the most – Being able to explore so many different spots while staying in the same city.
New York City is easily one of the most exciting cities in the world with events and happenings around every corner.
Through my time here, I’ve tried quite a few spots with the financial aspect in mind. I normally post the spots and foods that I try on my Instagram stories – Follow me on Instagram to check it out!
FOOD SPOTS
Bolivian Llama Party
44-14 48th Ave, Queens, NY 11377
Bolivian Llama Party has definitely been one of my favorite food spots here in NYC. It’s well hidden in the Sunnyside area and known for its Saltenas – A baked bread with soup inside. The place is also known for its chicken sandwich and The New York Times even wrote an article about them.
Birria Landia
7491 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211
Birria Landia is an amazing place in Brooklyn that will never disappoint. The cool thing about this place is that it’s a food truck with no actual restaurant. Other than that, they only serve four different options – Tacos, Tostadas, Mulitas, and the thing that makes Birria tacos special – a soup stew called “consume”, which is basically the sauce that the meat for the other food items has been prepared in. Their prices are unbeatable too.
This spot is loved by many New Yorkers and even thought to be one of the best places in the world to get Birria Tacos.
Elsa La Reina Del Chicharron
Chicharron is a Dominican speciality that consists of fried pork belly. It is essentially pieces of chopped up fried pork that can be eaten with sides – often Tostones or rice.
I came by this spot in Bronx and had a whole dish of only Chicharron. It was really tender and juicy meat with a crispy outside.
I really enjoyed it and will definitely recommend people to give this a try.
DRINKING SPOTS
Alligator lounge
600 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211
Alligator lounge is a cozy little spot offering weekly open mics, karaoke nights and games. The biggest gamechanger about this place though is that you get a free pizza with every drink you buy. I’m not talking about a lousy slice – a thin, fresh whole small pizza.
Rudy’s Bar & Grill
627 9th Ave, Manhattan, NY 10036
Rudy’s does the same trick as above with free offerings. However, this time we’re talking hotdogs. Every time you buy a drink you have the chance to get a free hotdog, not gourmet hotdogs, but they do the job.
This one is just next to Times Square, and even though it can be touristy, the vibe there is great and the beers at Rudy’s are very affordable. They also have a giant screen in the back room where they broadcast live sports events.
SHOPPING SPOTS
LIDL
Being a Scandinavian, I’ve known Lidl for many years and when I moved to Copenhagen to study, it became one of my favorite shopping spots. The reason is their big variety of foods and items that always follows a great price range. Other than that, they always try to bring in different food items from different cultures, countries, and cuisines. When I found out that Harlem got their first, anticipated Lidl this February I got excited and had to go. My experience was very good, a smaller crowd than other supermarkets, great deals, and a very clean store.
Trader Joe’s
Even though Trader Joe’s is a bit more expensive than Lidl, that I just mentioned – Trader Joe’s has still been one of my favorite places to shop groceries here.
PROTIP: Go in the morning, as early as possible to avoid the big lines. My roommate and I have made it a weekly tradition to go every Tuesday at 9 am. and it’s become a very cozy activity.
PUBLIC PLACES
Central Park
My all-time favorite public place in New York has got to be Central Park. Other than just being the biggest source of nature in a big, fast-paced city, it’s also a very nice place to come to relax, people watch, or what I’ve been using it for the most – go on regular runs. The terrain in the park is great with different paths and the possibility of both great ascend and descends.
It’s also a perfect place to go for a walk, lay in the sun, row in the boats, or even do sledding in the winter, as we did.
Bryant Park
Another great park in the city is Bryant Park, which almost has a brand on its own. They have their chairs, tables, and parasols with their name on them and people gather here all day long to chit-chat, read a book, or just sit in the sun. The park is also very close to the
There are also different food spots attached to the park and what I think is special about this park, is that it’s able to be a very commercialized space, without being too much. People can simply do what they wish here.
