Chelsea Market, The High Line and Hudson Yards

Why take a guided tour, especially in your hometown? Well, the reasons are many…great tour guides are storytellers that can take you behind the scenes, off the beaten path and immerse you into the history and culture to deepen your experience. Thanks to www.likealocal.com that’s just what we were treated to on a recent tour in NYC. Best New York City Itineraries: Chelsea Market, The High Line and Hudson Yards.

My daughter and I crossed the river from NJ to spend a day in NYC exploring a few place we’d never experienced. Our day started at the Chelsea Market.

Dubbed as ‘a neighborhood market with a global perspective’, there was so much to learn, see and especially taste here. Our knowledgeable guide took us through the Market’s fascinating history…from the building’s original place in history as the Nabisco factory where the Oreo was invented…to the relationship with the neighboring meat-packing district (taking advantage of the butcher’s lard)…to its current resurgence as a foodie destination dream.

What makes the market so special is the collection of local, independent entrepreneurs that bring their ‘can’t get this anywhere else’ specialties. Here is just a sample of what you can find there:

The tasting started at Fat Witch Bakery, the best brownie in NY and one of Oprah’s favorites. Baked and wrapped right on the spot, a list of ‘witch flavors’  include caramel witch, double-chocolate witch and blonde witch. We couldn’t leave without a delicious bag of ‘brownie ends’, an enchanting idea to package up the crusty edges that usually get tossed!

Our next stop was as much learning as tasting. Seed and Mill is the only store in the USA dedicated solely to sesame seed products. I was delighted to discover Tahini…ground sesame seeds roasted and ground into a buttery paste. From there you can use it in almost anything…such as the beautiful and delicious cakes we sampled in flavors like cinnamon, sea salt dark chocolate and my favorite – ginger.

We learned why Very Fresh Noodle earned its name by watching the noodles snapped and stretched to the chef’s widespread arms right behind the counter and made to order right in front of us. The signature ‘Biang-Biang noodles are pulled, smashed and ripped before becoming the centerpiece of soups and bowls, including Tingly and Spicy Cumin Lamb and Very Spicy Dan Dan Mian.

We discovered the near-hidden seafood Taco stand tucked behind a maze of narrow hallways. Los Mariscos serves up fish and shrimp tacos, ceviche and cocteles (a fish ‘cocktail’ in a zesty mix of tomato and lime juices, spiced up with hot sauce).

Another Chelsea Market original –  traditional square Sicilian pizza from Filaga. One slice each of the Margherita and Bufalina and we were in pizza heaven

We took a walk through seafood heaven at the Lobster Place, featuring a fresh seafood counter, sushi bar and the Cull and Pistol Oyster Bar. Lobster rolls are served up at the Cull and Pistol Gallery, while fresh steamed lobsters right from the Maine Coast are available to stay or go.

Exploring downstairs where we were treated to more delicacies from Spices and Tease.

Sampled the hot sauce tasting bar at the Heatonist Outpost.

Takumi Taco serves up a unique Mexican/Japanese fusion. The Japanese Curry Beef and Braised Shortrib tacos were equally delicious, especially washed down with a sake-sangria!

Leaving the market, we braved the bitter cold to walk the High Line – New York’s most unique park. Once an abandoned overhead freight railway, it has now been transformed into a hybrid public space where visitors experience nature, art, and design.It runs roughly from 15th to 34th Street on the city’s West Side offering both river and city views.

Our final destination was Hudson Yards, NYC’s latest architectural marvel that now dominates midtown’s West side with towering skyscrapers, shops and restaurants. Now the the most expensive real estate in the U.S., apartments start in the neighborhood of a cool $3M. For the rest of us, we get to enjoy the public spaces that provide a truly unique and upscale experience.

Standout architectural features include the areas signature landmark that is known as ‘The Vessel’. Designed by the British designer Thomas Heatherwick, the elaborate honeycomb-like structure rises 16 stories and consists of 154 flights of stairs, 2,500 steps, and 80 landings where you can marvel at the structure itself as well as the expansive views along Manhattan’s West Side. Tickets are free of charge and can be reserved in advance online.

The SHED is an innovative public space dedicated to cultural programming in music, theater, fashion and more. The building itself is actually supported by gigantic wheels that roll back, folding the building itself and opening up a central plaza named The McCourt, for performances, art exhibits and events. Truly amazing.

And opening March 2020 is The Edge – the highest outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere. This sure to dazzle and dizzy experience is suspended in mid-air, and is said to feel like ‘floating in the sky’. Gaze down 100 stories above the city from the thrilling glass floor, lean out over angled glass walls in the sky. Experience views of the Big Apple like never before.

The Shoppes at Hudson Bay is an indoor mall housing some of the world’s upscale retailers and restaurants, punctuated by art installations that add to the visual delight of this building.

Every restaurant is by a notable chef or hospitality group, including Thomas Keller’s TAK Room, David Chang’s Kāwi and José Andrés’ Mercado Little Spain – a bustling collection of restaurants and shops, like a Spanish version of Eataly, serving up a delicious diversity of foods and drinks from all corners of one of the richest culinary countries in the world. Serving up everything from churros to tapas to a full Spanish dinner where one could spend the entire afternoon sipping and tasting.

The collection of unique shops invites hours of exploration. These include NYC’s first and only Neiman Marcus, as well as other luxury retailers like Cartier, Dior, Fendi, Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Rolex. If you can barely afford to window shop at these stores, you’ll also find more accessible options like H&M, Zara, Athleta, Banana Republic, Madewell, Uniqlo and Sephora. We especially loved Muji, a Japanese market that housed a collection of simple, beautifully designed goods from clothing to housewares. We left with some of the coolest yet practical products!

All in all this was a full day experience, made special by the interesting, educational and entertaining narrative provided by likealocal.com. We’re sure to be back to take more of their tours, which include a behind the scenes, deep dive into New York’s Chinatown and a tour of New York’s best Pizza. Although we love to wander and discover on our own, the experience that a knowledgeable tour guide can provide can elevate that experience to be truly memorable. Get out there and experience the city like a local!

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