How does a fashionista celebrate her granddaughter’s 10th birthday? Go to New York City, in style…of course! Actually, her daddy planned her surprise trip and asked me if I would like to join them. Not to sound cliché, but it is hard to believe our little girl is turning 10 in August.
Here’s the deal…the trip was planned by her dad, and since Uncle Chris lives in New York, we put him in charge of coming up with a “stylish” itinerary! So, in honor of Sophie, this week’s article is about how a 10 year old girl makes her debut in the Big Apple! Plus we have tips on what to wear when you travel to the city in the heat of summer….and not look like a tourist!
So, what did I wear? The day I left Fort Worth, the high was 102 degrees, so I decided to wear a summer maxi skirt tied at the hem, a white blouse, blue denim blocked heels, and a large Goyard tote. And just in case it got cold on the plane, I draped a jean jacket over my shoulder. Sophie made her NYC entrance wearing a gray striped mini skirt, pink ruffled t-shirt, complemented with an embroidered denim jacket, and of course she looked absolutely adorable! NYC…ready or not, here she comes!
After meeting Sophie and her daddy at their hotel, our first stop was at Greenacre Park…a beautiful park in midtown at 51st and 3rd with a 25 foot waterfall. Next, we made a quick stop at Uncle Chris’ apartment, and then went to dinner at Angelo’s pizza, followed by a frozen yogurt at Pinkberry. For a fabulous end to Sophie’s first evening in NYC, we took a stroll down 51st to the East River for a beautiful view of the city at night.
On Sophie’s second day, the first 
place we headed to was Eclaire’s…a fabulous bakery in midtown. Next, Chris scheduled a Circle Cruise to the Statue of Liberty. For this adventure, Sophie wore a blue popsicle print skirt, white ruffled t-shirt, white vest, gray sneakers and silver metallic shoulder bag. Holley (aka Lolley to Sophie) wore a yellow midi skirt, off-the shoulder blue chambray top, a gold woven wristlet, and blue denim espadrilles. After the cruise, we headed back to Time Square for lunch at Stardust Diner (where Broadway singers entertain while you dine)! After our fun lunch, we went to tour Rockefeller Center, Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, and the top of 30 Rock! Our last stop was back in midtown to have yogurt at Pinkberry…again! We’re on vacation….right?
After a short rest, we were back out on the town and went out for Chinese food! Sophie changed into an adorable orange and blue floral dress, complemented by her white denim vest, and brown sandals…all from Target. After dinner, she and her daddy went to see “Wicked”….her first Broadway show! Uncle Chris and Lolley skipped the play (we’ve seen it twice), and went to Raines Law Room, a fabulous upscale bar! Lolley wore black culottes from Zara, an off the shoulder white top, black kitten heels, and to give the outfit a pop, she added a red bag.
The next day was jammed packed, but first we started with breakfast at Sarah Beth’s, followed by a carriage ride in Central Park. Sophie wore an adorable tulle skirt with emoji appliques from Target with a cute t-shirt from Justice, and her jean jacket….perfect for a day of touring. Be sure to check out all the cute clothes for girls on our Pinterest board! Lolley wore a floral maxi tied at the hem, a black boat cut top, black sandals, and added a denim jacket since it was cool out that day…a cute look that took her from a lovely restaurant to a day of sightseeing.
That evening Sophie was treated to a birthday surprise dinner at Max Brenner’s, and was presented with a “golden ticket” inviting her to see “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!” The only thing better than our chocolate dessert was the outfit Sophie wore to the show…a blue floral midi dress with her embroidered denim jacket, a cute pair of boho sandals, and a darling mini silver shoulder bag from H&M. Staying with the floral theme, Lolley wore a pair of Clover Canyon floral and striped pants with a black off the shoulder top. Whew…who knew it would be this hard to keep up with a 10 year old fashionista?!?
Though, like all good things, Sophie’s first New York adventure had to come to an end and she, and her daddy headed back to Kansas on Sunday afternoon. And Lolley? Oh, she stayed in the city for a few more days of dining and diversions!!!
Holley Williams is a personal stylist specializing in closet inventory, seasonal shopping, closet organization and wardrobe consultation. Contact Holley at [email protected].
Hospitality is in my DNA. I founded Home with a Twist, a daughter’s twist on her mother’s traditions, in memory of my mother to celebrate her life and the gifts she shared with me. Mother loved to celebrate life’s occasions – big and small.
What a fun birthday trip. Thanks for sharing