The Brussels Airlines NY connection...

Door Tiany op 05/06/12

I'm a New York junkie, have been one ever since I was 14 and set foot in the wickedest of cities ever... The Big Apple is addictive and even though it can wear you down, NY fills you up with this special vibe and inspires you in many ways. I have no words to describe this addiction, I can only advise you to undergo the Big Apple yourself and that's were the good news comes in as our very own Belgian airlines -aka Brussels Airlines- has initiated it's daily flights to the city that never sleeps.

Yes indeed, I am jumping for joy and squeaking like a 4-year old as I'm delighted with this acquisition, which is totally Belgian, provides you with top notch service and guess what... the crew has been restyled to perfection. A big hurray to the people at Xandres that have provided crew members with fancy red looking new uniforms, details such as cute little plane pins and adorable flight bags included.  

Brussels Airlines crew in funky red...

I dedicated a special chapter in my Kirilove book to New York, the My Little Black Book chapter contains a selection of places to eat, shop and sleep... but just in the case you want to be a bit more mobile and you have plans to hop on the first Brussels Airlines flight to New York, behold some of my favorite hotspots...

MUST EAT

*John Dory Oyster Bar (at the Ace Hotel): a lovely place to be and the food is good to the bone

*La Esquina: Mexican delight, but be sure to get a table in their resto

*Burger Joint @ Le Parker Meridien: oldskool burgers are just the best 

*Colonie: ab fab resto in Downtown Brooklyn with an interesting mix of vintage furniture

*The Waverly Inn: if you wanna bump into the likes of Alexa Chung, Helena Christensen and Naomi Campbell, have a lovely bite and a wicked cocktail at this joint.

*The Standard Grill: a classic and always ok for a quick bite

*Spice Market: a Meatpacking District must-eat-at

MUST SLEEP

*Hotel Americano: New hotspot in town

*Yotel: when the budget is an issue 

*Cooper Square Hotel: from The Standard Hotel breed, but situated in the East Village

*Ace Hotel: when you wish to feel at home in The Big Apple

*Wythe Hotel: a hotspot to sleep in Brooklyn with an amazing view over Manhattan

MUST SHOP

Let's just say that there's just too many ab fab shops you should visit. Besides the big & notorious department stores such as Saks 5th Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman, Barneys New York and Bloomingdales... please be sure to pay a visit to the likes of Opening Ceremony, Jeffrey and Kirna Zabete for some more ab fab designer galore. Also do check Anthropologie and J.Crew, two of my favorite NY shops.

ALSO TOO COOL...

*Sucre: amazing jewels and statement necklaces... be bold or be square

*Kisan: pretty nice things to delight your wardrobe

*Oak: designer basics and brands such as Alexander Wang, ACNE, Rick Owens and more

*Treasure & Bond: the NY version of Merci, filled with lovely goodies

Brand new and comparable to Colette is FivestoryNYC, an ab fab shop with the most mind-boggling creations, mind-boggling prices included :)

When in New York... always go to Brooklyn! It's probably the best place to be as it's cozy and vibrating at the same time, a lot of stuff going on there and it just changes constantly. So rent a bike and ride away. Bedford Avenue has been a travel guide location destination for a while, so if you want to see new stuff then scout the surroundings nearby the river side and don't forget to visit Wythe Avenue. 

Night, Night... and this is what I would look like if I'd be able to fly business to New York... in my dreams that is :)