My tips for Brooklyn, New York
Oh Brooklyn. How madly did I fell in love with you. I somehow always knew that Brooklyn would be that 'my place' in New York City – and oh boy was I right. Brooklyn is so close to the madness of Manhattan, which I also love, but if I lived here I think I would definitely want to live somewhere in Brooklyn. Brooklyn is a kind of haven for a cafe hipster such as myself, and what's more, it's home to perhaps the world's cutest dogs – and well, men too. Just look at Instagram and #dogsofbrooklyn. Seriously, do it now. Go on. You know you want to.
1.Brooklyn Bridge & Dumbo
Walking across Brooklyn Bridge was one of the most unforgettable experiences on my first trip to New York. The bridge is best experienced walking from Brooklyn to Manhattan - because hello there skyline. Start your day from Dumbo (a neighbourhood in Brooklyn) by getting a fresh bagel in the morning from La Bagel Delight & a latte from Starbucks near the bridge.
And yes, do start your walk in the morning when most of New York City is still asleep so you have a better chance at snapping some great photos of the bridge while you're there. And also, not many better ways for having breakfast than a good friend, a fresh bagel, sunshine & a hot latte cup anyway.
2. Smorgasburg & Brooklyn Flea
To top up your hipster game before feeling right at home in Brooklyn, start your weekend with a little shopping spree at Smorgasburg. Smorgasburg will be held in Williamsburg on Saturdays and in Prospect Park on Sundays during summer. During our trip in a more of a wintery time, we went to Brooklyn Flea in 1 Hanson Place – and I found a nice vintage hat, yay!
Smorgasburg & Brooklyn Flea aren't only for shopping though, they are also the best places for foodies to explore food trends. I ended up enjoying perhaps the world's greatest donut, but would have also loved to try some of the waffles and pho bowls. Yum-o.
3. The trendy cafes of Williamsburg
Brooklyn is perfect for cafe hipsters like myself. Brooklyn itself even smells of coffee beans – especially Williamsburg. Some cafes & breakfast spots I recommend to try are Toby's Estate Coffee, Sweatshop, Woops! and Butler.
5. Brooklyn Unplugged Tours
Brooklyn is best experiences with a walking tour of the neighbourhoods. Brooklyn Unplugged Tours offer a lot of different kind of walking tours with specific themes, such as a general Best of Brooklyn tour, Graffiti & Street Art tour & Brooklyn Heights + Dumbo. We did a walking tour around Brooklyn Heights and Dumbo during our trip, which was a great way to get more insights to life in Brooklyn. Walking tours are great for seeing new cities, though I just wish there would be more time for photos – but I guess that comes with blogger life!
6. Rainbow bagels at The Bagel Store
Speaking of bagels, last but not least – let me introduce you to the rainbow bagel! The Bagel Store has actually gone viral lately in the wonderful world of social media, for a reason that is. Rainbow bagels are so popular they usually run out early in the morning already. To get your hands on these babies, do Uber your way early in the morning to The Bagel Store to ensure you don't miss out on this magical treat.
*My trip to New York was a sponsored by Icelandair & NYC Go, but the opinions are always my own!