NYC Bloggers’ Weekend: Part 1 Day 1

A couple of weeks ago, myself and five other NYC bloggers got together and had an incredible staycation in the city (all thanks to our sponsors who totally spoiled us)! A huge part of why I love blogging so much is networking and new friendships; meeting other girls with similar passions and interests is amazing. It truly makes me so happy that there are so many encouraging and sweet bloggers out there! I spent the day with Azadeh (huge shoutout to this awesome #bossbabe who organized everything), Megan, Savannah, Tarah, and Alyssa. They all have super unique styles and all are super fun to hangout with – check out their blogs for more 🙂

We started the day off at the adorable Little Cupcake Bakeshop, meeting all the girls and talking about the fun day ahead! We opened up our gifted bags that were filled with amazing little goodies from all the brands who sponsored us (It felt like Christmas!). Here are a couple photos for a little tease/sneak peak…but stay tuned for my next post coming soon that will go into more detail on these fab gifts!

First stop…a Credo beauty private shopping event in Nolita! Credo Beauty is a beauty brand that focuses on eco-friendly/cruelty free/organic cosmetics and skincare products. Their motto is ‘Totally clean. Super good. Absolutely beautiful.’ – and I can definitely vouch for that! The girls & I spent a couple of hours looking around their beautiful store, sampling some amazing products, and getting the 411 on the best makeup/skincare routines. I left with two of their products that have been so helpful in keeping my skin looking healthy and smooth.

#1 - Juara Miracle Tea Complete Eye Creme – focuses on firming, brightening, and minimizing fine lines & puffiness. I have pretty dark circles and this is really helping me look less tired/feel refreshed. I use it right before bed and in the morning before I start putting on my makeup. It’s good for all skin types – I definitely recommend!

#2 – Josh Rosebrook Active Enzyme Exfoliator – I asked both the employees which product was their absolute FAVORITE in the entire store, and both showed me this one! Y’all, this one is a game changer and total MUST-HAVE. I’ve tried dozens of face masks, but I swear this one is the absolute best. This product contains fruit and herbal enzymes that get rid of dead skin cells while finely ground walnut shells mechanically reveal new skin. You can leave it on for 10 min – 1 hour (I left it on for an hour, heh!) and when you take it off, your face literally feels as soft as a baby’s bottom.

Next up, brunch at Oficina 1M – YUM! I’m obsessed with this Italian restaurant now – I’m a lover of brunch and I just can’t believe I’ve lived in NYC for almost 2 years and have never been. This chic, intimate spot is literally the cutest – just look at the gorgeous silverware, teacups and plates! The elegant decor inside is also to die for – it’s every bloggers’ instaworthy dream. Let’s not forget about the food ….UH-MAZING! Oficina 1M totally spoiled us and kept coming out with more food for us to try – we really couldn’t have been more satisfied. The presentation of the food was super impressive as well. My favorites were the Truffle Frittata and the desserts with NUTELLA. 🙂 Cheers, ladies!

The fun doesn’t stop there…Bloomingdales in Soho here we come! A company called Last First hosted a styling event for us in the store. Last First is a legit matchmaking club that has a mission to send each client on his or her last first date (how cute is that?!) based on targeted networking, high quality exclusiveness, and customized preferences. I’m not personally into blind dating, but I haven’t had the best luck in the guy department so maybe I need to just get over my hesitancy and sign up :p

Julie from Last First told us to break off into teams and put together a perfect head-to-toe look for a first date, and she would be the judge based on her expertise! Alyssa and I were partners and put together a feminine light pink/gray/floral/leather ensemble (just the right amount of girly + edgy vibes 😉 ). And we WON! Julie said our outfit would likely be most attractive for men on the first date and would give just the right impression. I guess that means I know what to wear on a first date…maybe it’s my talking or personality that needs some help?! HAHA. Anyways, the challenge was super fun and any single peeps out there should check out their site!

(from my face here you can clearly see that I take dating advice very seriously…LOL)

It wouldn’t be the perfect day without some FITNESS involved, right?! Let’s get ready to RUMBLE…time for a boxing class! Now, I am totally a fitness class type of person…but moreso Zumba, dance cardio, or barre. I think I’ve only taken one kickboxing class in my life and that was a long time ago! This class was super INTENSE (in a great way) and such a workout. We would switch back and forth from doing boxing (how cool are the gloves?!) to doing rounds of full body strength training and conditioning. The loud, high adrenaline hip hop music mash-ups + dark lighting was an experience! The instructors were really encouraging and super helpful. I did realize after taking this class that my punches are super weak and I don’t think I’d last long in a physical fight (haha, I need to go to more of these classes for sure)! Also embarrassing side note…I was super sore and could barely walk for days (that’s when you know it was a good workout, right?). Sign up for a class if you’re looking to get that summer bod going!

After a long day of fun-ness, it was time to put our bodies into Zen mode and go for some Pure Yoga – a premier Yoga studio in NYC. This studio is literally the nicest yoga studio I’ve ever seen in my life. It’s enormous, everything smells amazing, and there are lounging couches everywhere! The girls and I got our sweat on in the hot yoga class, and I definitely left feeling at peace. I have to admit I’m not a regular yogi so I was following along the best I could, but I did really enjoy this class and I definitely recommend this studio to all my yogi pals.

We took a little break (and I took a short little nap!), and then met back up for dinner in West Village at Cafe Clover. Such a charming spot for a date night or girls night out! The dishes were super healthy and super delicious, known for their pure ingredients. My favorites were the Burrata Biscuit (especially if you like something sweet!), the Teff Pappardelle (BEST chicken bolognese EVER) and the Olive Oil Potato Puree (this one is to die for – mashed potato lovers, I’m looking at you!). Unfortunately we weren’t able to get too many photos because of the dim romantic lighting, so you’ll just have to visit and experience the amazing-ness yourself!

To cap off the night, the girls and I headed for drinks at the Jimmy at the James rooftop. I’ve never been to this rooftop before (not sure how, I’m starting to think I’m like sheltered or something? LOL), and it’s now one of my favorite rooftops in the city. I’m always looking for new rooftops to explore and to share with my many visitors that come to NYC! This one is incredible – the views are completely breathtaking and the photos/videos just don’t do it justice. They have a ‘LOVE’ light up sign on the roof right now, and it makes for the perfect Instagram pic 🙂 I was also digging the vibe of the bar and the DJ was playing the best tunes to dance to!

Lastly, I wanted to share my daytime outfit deets. This nude velvet top is actually a bodysuit from Zaful, and it also comes in a gorgeous wine red color. I paired it with nude designer dupe studded from Zaful – these are for sure the best dupes I’ve come across, and such a great price (under $35!). They are actually really comfy to walk in – I walked the entire day in them! Lastly, since it’s Spring, of course I had to rock my floral Kate Spade .

Velvet Bodysuit: c/o | Jeans: | Bag: (similar) | Heels: c/o | Photos by Dan |

Part 1 Day 1 of my Bloggers’ weekend is over, but stay tuned for Part 2 Day 2 recap coming up next!

A huge thanks to all of our sponsors and Style Collective for making this possible. As always, all opinions are my own.