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There's only two types In people in the world:
Those who love NYC (Type A) and those who don't love NYC (Type B).
I'm type A; I LOVE it.
I was lucky enough to find someone who shares my love for those ~New York vibes~ and I am forever grateful. That might sound a little dramatic, but, if you're dating a type B and you're a type A, you totes catch my drift.
If you read my last blog post about Brian and I, you'll know that we skip out on those once-a-week-local-bar dates so we can save $$$ to do something memorable and have something to look forward to all the time.
For us, New York is where we were born--You know, it's where he asked me to be his "official girlfriend" *swoon* (what a romantic, right ladies?).
And New York is where we feel most alive.
I swear, I wouldn't trade any city taxi ride memory for anything in this world. It's my favorite part. Holding hands in the back of the taxi, watching the buildings pass us by, my head on his shoulder... If I could lock up those memories in a safe and put them on DVDs, I would.
Okay okay enough of me ranting about my relationship. Let's get to the juicy stuff.
Step 1: Plan Ahead
Planning ahead may or may not be difficult depending on how soon you want to go, but it's worth the wait and you could save a buck or two if you book in advance.
Brian usually pays all at once for our hotel room because he's got a big boy job.
BUT when I buy the room (which was like, twice...Hey, I'm trying guys!) this is what I do to spare my wallet:
I book on Expedia and find a hotel that has a pay-upon-arrival option; most hotels do. After selecting that, our room is set! But, not so fast.
From then on, I would call the hotel every week and pay $100 dollars towards the room until it got paid off. That way, I'm not living in debt AND I don't have to have a panic attack wondering if my card will go through upon arrival.
Step 2: White Lies
OK Don't judge us but this is pretty smart, if you ask me.
We coined this idea in Australia when Brian came to visit. I booked us a hotel room in the heart of Sydney and emailed guest relations:
Hi, My boyfriend is coming to visit me here and we haven't seen each other in months! It's our anniversary and I want to make it special, could you suggest anything the hotel does to accommodate this?
We had an awesome experience; I purchased rose petals off their guest specials menu and they threw in a bottle on champagne on the house.
So now, every time we go to a hotel, we email their guest relations/marketing/PR chair and tell them it's our anniversary. Everyone loves love, right?
In most cases, USUALLY (key word) the hotel will respond back what they could do to make it a tad more special. For example, rose petals, wine, champagne, etc. If they ask you to buy something, politely say no if it's not in your budget...They most likely will throw something in there. Public relations, good reviews, and happy customers are what they strive for.
Step 3: Don't Be Shy
I'm always looking for a good "photo-op" in my head wherever we go. There's no photos like city photos! Literally, ask anyone who looks approachable or knows how to press a button and have your own speedy photoshoot! Some of our BEST and coolest photos we have were photographed by strangers in NYC!
All Stranger photos:
Step 4: Don't Set The Bar Too High
NYC can be super expensive. But, keep in mind half the adventure is getting lost and being together! Bring your own alcohol, bring snacks for the room, decide on the key place you would spend money at: Dinner, a show, museum, concert, etc., and let the night take its course. It doesn't have to be extravagant because it'll create this idea that it's unrealistic to go more than once a year, you know? I promise, some of the most fun nights Brian and I had were drinking in the room, watching movies, and spending quality time.
