J'adore: New York

A non-exhaustive, completely subjective list of familiar favorites for where to eat, play, unwind, and more in The Big Apple.

New York is home. At least, it has been for the last year and will remain so for a bit since I recently relocated to a temporary sublet in Brooklyn. It’s also home because it’s where I was born and lived the most years of my life thus far, which explains why my yellow stars are quite literally all over Google Maps, forming a messy constellation of favorites from the Upper East to the Seaport and now creeping into Kings County. Still, a lot has changed since I lived here full-time in the early to mid-aughts and many of them have come and gone.

In celebration of one whole year back in the Big Apple and my recent move to the boroughs, I bring you a non-exhaustive list of some of my favorite “stars,” ranging from restaurants to entertainment and wellness. To keep things streamlined, I decided to focus solely on spots I return to (or would), whether they’ve been there forever or are new to this born-again New Yorker. There’s a heavy focus on food, naturally, and almost all are in the “$50 and Under” category as I am still on the hunt for a more secure job that may issue me a corporate card. :) New York, New York. It’s a helluva town!