My Incompleted 2019 NYC Summer Bucket List Review

Summer 2019 was definitely one for the books. I can’t remember a period of my life that has been more of a roller coaster and I was living for every second of it. I traveled to 4 cities and 1 new country, but my favorite part about this summer was how much time I spent exploring my own city. Earlier this summer I memorialized all the things I wanted to do and tried my best to get to them all. I will have to admit, I didn’t hit them all. I honestly didn’t even get that close and I have a whole host of reasons (read excuses) but I also did a bunch of cool things not on the list, so there’s that. Without anymore ramblings here’s my incompleted 2019 NYC summer bucket list review.

11 of 27 is Pretty Terrible, Oops

Things I got around to

Go to a local beach (Probably Rockaway)
Find a pool to Sunbathe At
Enjoy a baseball game - the snacks, the atmosphere & the beer
Stumble upon at least 5 new street murals
Decide on my favorite NYC rooftop bar
Run a 10k/ train for a half marathon
Determine the best oyster HH
Use the Ferry as a real mode of transportation (maybe I'll go to Ikea)
Watch an outdoor movie
Discover the best outdoor drinking spots by drinking at all of them
Spend a Sunday afternoon at Central Park

For Next Summer

Attend the US Open
Eat at all the Smorgsburg locations
BBQ on a rooftop
Make a friend into a model in a photo tour
See Shakespeare in the park
Under-appreciate art in at least 3 museums
Ride the Cyclone at Luna Park & eat a Nathans hotdog
Visit the cloisters/Botanical Gardens
Drink some delicious wine at the "Worlds First Rooftop Vineyard" in BK
Listen to an Outdoor Summer Concert
Stargaze on the Highline
Tour a local brewery that I haven't been to already
Dance away the afternoon at MoMa Ps1
Eat a Mr. Softee's ice cream
Picnic on Governors Island and nap in a hammock
Trek to Queens for the food a the Queens Night Market

The Review

Go to a Local Beach – I’m a Jersey girl through and through so typically I only go down the shore. However, in hopes that I will one day be accepted by native New Yorkers I decided to go to a local NYC beach this summer. Rockaway beach is the most accessible and while it’s not the most exciting beach, it does make for a quieter, more chill beach day. It also makes for a great place to learn (or fail learning) how to surf. I decided to give it a try, and while it definitely doesn’t come naturally to me, it was a really fun experience.

TBH – I only threw this pic ^ in because I was really proud of my summer baby abs. HEH #feelyoself

Find a Pool to Sunbathe at – I don’t know if it’s cheating because this pool was in Jersey, but I did find my way to a pool this summer. I love being able to spend time at the pool and just sit there til I’m crispy and then when I overheat jump right into the water. It’s not something I get to do often because it’s just not readily available in the city so when the opportunity arises, I always take it.

Enjoy a Baseball Game – I pretty much enjoy every sporting event and while baseball isn’t my favorite to follow, the atmosphere always makes for a great experience. I got the the chance to go to both a Mets and a Yankees game for the first time this year and though they both lost when I was there (goddamn new york sports) I had a great time at both. I will have to admit, I do prefer Yankees stadium because it’s more accessible. Either stadium you go to, grab a beer and some friends and it’ll be a great experience.

Stumble Upon at Least 5 New Murals – This one is super easy if you walk around the LES or Brooklyn, so I hit this pretty fast. The key here is to actually be aware when you’re walking around, which most people aren’t. There’s so much art in this world it’s crazy how often we miss what’s right in front of us.

Decide on My Favorite NYC Rooftop – I did go to quite a few rooftops this summer but if I’m being honest, my favorite was my apartments rooftop. I spent a lot of time there this summer, eating with my friends, working on my tan while working from home and just enjoying having a place that wasn’t crowded where I could take in the warmth of the sun. I know this is a bit of a cop out, but I think if you can find rooftops in the city that aren’t commercialized, they’ll probably end up being one of your favorite spots.

Run a 10k/ Train for a Half Marathon – okok, I only did half of this one. At the very beginning of summer I ran a 10k. I know for a lot of people this isn’t a big deal, but for someone who really struggled the last few years to even get to a gym or up a flight of stairs, this was a huge deal for me. I wasn’t the fastest, my ankles felt as brittle as ever and I seriously had thoughts of giving up and taking the train home about halfway through, I but I finished, and that’s the important part.

Determine the Best Oyster HH – I thought my mind would get changed this summer after trying a bunch of oyster happy hours, but in complete confidence, I have to say the mermaid Inn/Oyster Bar spots are my favorite in the city. Maybe it’s cheating to pick to places, but they are sister restaurants. Good $1 oysters are all I need on a summer afternoon and though it gets packed, it’s well worth it.

Use the Ferry as a Real Mode of Transportation – This one was forced upon me. I spent a lot of time in Hoboken this summer with friends and unfortunately for me the WTC Path doesn’t run until 2020 so I took the ferry a few times. To go direct from downtown to Hoboken is $6 which is annoying since the path is only $2.75 but it does provide a very picturesque trip. Do it once, and then don’t waste the money.

Watch an Outdoor Movie – I slipped this one in right as summer was ending. While it wasn’t exactly what I imagined, it did make for a cute date night, and Kubo is a pretty great movie. I am going to try to make it to more outdoor movies next year because I really did enjoy being able to do a typically indoor activity, outdoors.

Discover the Best Outdoor Drinking Spots – I had a lot of outdoor drinks this summer. Sipping on a cold drink on a brutally steaming day has to be one of the best feelings in the world. The most affordable outdoor spots in the city are the parks. Just pack a small cooler bag with drinks and it’s basically a $20 afternoon of sunshine and beer. If you want the instagramable rooftop, Eataly is perfect. If you want to wind down after work outdoors, Clinton Hall is a great place downtown. If you want a dog friendly spot (or just want to play with all the puppers) D.B.A. in East Village is a chill option. If you want to do all the hype spots you can definitely try your best at Mr. Purple, Le Bain, or PHD. None of these are really my scene and are pretty pricey, but they do offer some cool rooftop views.

Spend a Sunday afternoon at Central Park – This was my favorite activity on my bucket list this summer. So much so, I think I did it 5 or 6 times. Central Park with a sheet, my kindle, a speaker, a couple beers and good company is pretty much my perfect day. I love the concrete jungle but a quick little escape into central park gives me so much life. It’s always full of people and life and yet feels so calm and relaxing. It’s really hard to put into words, but it’s the mix of childhood nostalgia, freeing sunshine and busting life that create this vibe like no where else in the world. Currently craving sunny central park Sundays.

What Wasn't on the List but Filled My Summer

Witness a Burlesque Show - Company XIV - google it, you're welcome.
Learn to Surf - learning to fall counts too right?
Karaoke (even if I hate it) - drunk level 10,000 but hey your voices sound better
See Lots of Live Music - Anderson Paak, Chet Faker, Tom Walker - big venue, small venue, see ALLLL the shows
Go off the Grid - Take Care of Me by choosing to disconnect from the world
Insane Amounts of Sugar - Bake your body weight, drink it fruity drinks & always always eat the ice cream
Feel Fancy During Restaurant Week - don't have to be rich to pretend to be bougie week!
Be There for the Important Things - This is by far the most important of anything on this list, be there for the birthdays, the engagements, the weddings, your friends dance recitals, the random family dinners. Just be present and enjoy the love of your friends and family. <3

NYC is amazing and this summer only convinced me that it’s the best place in the world. While I’m sad I didn’t hit everything on my bucket list this year, I know I’ll have so much to explore in 2020. <3

My Incompleted 2019 NYC Summer Bucket List Review