My Birthday in NYC

My Birthday in NYC

Birthdays make us reflect on the past and present and even more than this they make us evaluate where we’re headed. For this reason birthdays can be a little bit stressful! Another year has gone by and what do we have to show for it?

I love to really go all-out for my birthdays. I find that celebrating with friends and family make the day happy and positive. It’s a great opportunity for others to show you love and for you to receive it without any sense of pressure. Birthdays are also a rare opportunity for all your favorite people to be in the same place at the same time! I love to through my own parties even though it’s a lot of work because the experience is so rare! Even so, you may find yourself asking when the time comes, where can I take my birthday in NYC?

This year I had space constraints and so I decided to throw a larger party on the eve of my birthday at Cucina 812. The staff were very helpful and the space is beautifully designed for taking photos. I got quite a large crowd and even met some new friends!

My look was inspired by summer elegance. I wanted a slight color clash with the red color scheme of the lounge so I chose a floor length maroon dress in a breathable fabric to keep it NYC summer casual. I paired the dress with my gold vintage Stuart Weitzman purse and some comfortable block heels.

Luckily my guests also got the memo! We were a good looking crowd. Cucina 812 is a glamorous setting to take your birthday in NYC; dress to match!

House wine, mini martinis, flatbread, various crostini and potato chips were on the menu! We started during happy hour ($7 wine) and were afforded complimentary hors d’oeuvres for the occasion.

Pro tip: always include a card or write your name on your present so the birthday girl remembers who to thank for her gifts the next day!

A small group of friends continued the evening, eventually sauntering all the way uptown to listen to jazz music at Silvana. The band was so nice, they even played the full birthday song for me!

The next day (my actual birthday) I started off at Great Jones Spa in SoHo. Typically I will spend my birthday with family but this year I was all alone so friends stepped in. We enjoyed the jacuzzi, cold plunge, and sauna. I also snuck in a quick pedicure before dinner! My top bathhouse in the city is still Aire Ancient Baths, but this seemed like a more casual spot for a group. I really enjoyed the prepared healthy snacks, such as walnuts and oranges. This is another great spa option if you’re asking, ‘where can I take my birthday in NYC?’

I rushed to get ready and headed straight to dinner from the spa! My skin looked amazing after the hot and cold plunge treatment.

I wanted to be a little more fun and flirty for the dinner so I wore this blue number with my straw tote bag. I met four close friends and a photographer at the restaurant, 212 Steakhouse.

It was the best birthday dinner I’ve ever had thanks to 212 Steakhouse! What a fun and classy place to take my birthday party in NYC. The restaurant is both intimate and stately, but most importantly the quality of the food is outstanding. 212 Steakhouse is known for both its seafood and for being the only restaurant in NYC to offer authentic Kobe beef.

I’m a pescatarian but my friends’ diets vary from vegetarian to meat-lover. I never want to impose my diet choices on anyone else, but luckily we were all thoroughly satisfied. My favorite dishes of the evening were the lobster dynamite and the oysters Rockefeller. Yummy!!

The sea bass also was delicious, as were all of the sides such as the lobster mac. My meat-eating friends seemed to greatly enjoy their Kobe beef sample platter. The lamb looked remarkably good – even to this pescatarian. We enjoyed a couple bottles of Sauvignon Blanc over the course of the dinner. 212 Steakhouse also offers some delicious wine options. I recommend a low-acid white with the delicate flavors of seafood. The chocolate cake served for dessert was so decedent.

We continued the evening at my friend’s patio close by in Gramercy after rushing through the cake at 212 Steakhouse. Four more friends were waiting to meet us and celebrate! I figure it’s okay to be a little late – but just on your birthday!
I opened the champagne with a knife which is a fun party move I learned recently. The trick is to find the seam of the bottle and run the spine of the knife along it, applying pressure. We also enjoyed more cake! Can you guess what I wished for? 🥂

What a wonderful feeling to have those around you celebrate your existence! This is how you should celebrate your birthday in NYC. A cancer ♋️ gal like me especially appreciates it! Thanks for all the lovely birthday wishes.

Thanks to photographers Adam Z Lein & Bill Chin for capturing the events.

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