Happy Monday, folks!
If you've been following us on Instagram, you'll know that I found myself taking in life in the big apple back in February.  I spent about four days in New York, New York visiting luxury boutiques, exploring the city, hopping from train to train and more! During my time there, I patronized restaurants, did a bit of shopping, and had a blast!

More from my journey before I dive into the sneak action: 

1. Eats

We all know New York has some pretty amazing dining options.  But, I have to say my experience at Havana Central in Time Square was too good for words.  While Cuban cuisine wasn't my first choice, my meal at this bustling NYC restaurant pretty much made it a certainty that Havana Central will be seeing me on my next NYC trek.  Everything that touched my table (Homemade Empanadas to start with Pollo Al Ajillo x a side of Moro) was amazing, including the house margaritas. Si, me veran de nuevo.

2. Sleep

No matter what anyone says, where you stay in New York definitely dictates a number of things with regards to your experience. As I was traveling solo dolo, I wanted to make sure I picked a spot close to the subway and close enough to LGA that I wouldn't end up spending half of my paycheck getting to and from the airport.  The Club Quarters Hotel in the heart of Midtown Manhattan was perfect.  

With awesome rooms (tiny, but this is NYC, remember?), yummy options for dining in, and a very cosmopolitan outdoor living area and walkout terrace, this hotel was a lucky catch.  Just blocks away from Grand Central Station and Times Square, the CQ Grand Central kicked my trip off to an awesome start.  

3. Shop

I originally had planned to make NYC a work-only trip, but when interview cancellations met me at every turn, I opted for the next best thing: shop.  My visit to Ronnie Fieg's KITH Women store was the highlight of my trek to Bleeker Street, so much that I probably spent a solid 2 hours in the mini space. With everything from Ronnie's limited edition collabs to female friendly Nikes, adidas Consortium offerings, and even a fab dose of Stella (as in, the adidas x Stella McCartney collection), KITH women is a sneaker girl's dream. 

I definitely walked away with a pair of Pumas that came in handy for my dinner date that evening.

Now, onto the good stuff!  Throughout my trip, I pretty much alternated between two pairs of sneakers.  Personally, while I love me some Carrie Bradshaw and her SATC heel glam, I have absolutely no desire to run around New York City (or any city, for that matter) in 4-inch heels.

I opted for a casual rotation between two classics.  The Reebok Classic Nylon in White/Sand and the Converse Chuck II in Optic White. 

When I go out of town, I typically like to spend a majority of my time in relax mode, but because I was all over the place, comfortable sneaker options were a must.  I spent most of my time on the move and walking, walking, WALKING.  Since I was in the heart of Midtown, I didn't take a cab or Uber once.  I was all about walking the two blocks to GCS and hopping on the 6 train OR exploring the area around my hotel.  Unfortunately for me, I got a tad bit lost in Hell's Kitchen (definitely walked around aimlessly for about an hour) so, I was pretty pleased that my Converse II's and my Reebok Classics seemed to battle the concrete jungle brilliantly.

Both pairs of sneakers work beautifully with long trenches and and skinnies.  For a walk around Chinatown, I personally opted to showcase my Converse II's in a semi-casual look, pairing my unbelievably warm Michael Kors wool coat (see similar) with grey H&M slim fit jeans.

For a Sunday brunch in SoHo, I thought ditching the coat and grabbing a light trench would work out lovely with my Reebok Classics.  I stayed warm, though, with the NW long-sleeve bodysuit courtesy of Naked Wardrobe, the same H&M jeans, and a blush NW trench also by Naked Wardrobe.

Pretty sure you're wondering how (and if) I kept these sneaks clean while wearing my way through NYC in them.  I walked pretty carefully and definitely side-stepped any puddles, but I also swear by these Jason Markk Quick Wipes for a quick, but effective, sneaker cleaning.

Anyway, I definitely had an AMAZING time in the Big Apple and (hopefully) I'll be back pounding the pavement soon! Do you have any favorite walk-friendly sneaks? Let us know in the comments below!

Style Shots: Josh @ Paid In Gold NYC.

You May Also Like...