Lifestyle & Travel Writer
Ah I posted this video on YouTube last Tuesday, but I am just getting to sharing it on here now! I have been super slack on blogging since being in New York, but I just got back into Halifax last night and am getting back into things.
I’m loving making these videos, so I’m going to keep making them I think 
I’ll have one up next week to talk about life back in Halifax.
Omg week two in New York was intense!! So much happened, and in today’s video (well actually I filmed it yesterday), I’m talking about the Hay House Writer’s Workshop that I attended, my experience on Tinder in NYC (remember last time I went on Tinder?), and why I’m coming back to Canada early. Thank you for watching!! 😄 xoxo
Hope you are having an awesome week! I will be back with a new video next Wednesday. 💕
Yesterday I celebrated my 28th birthday, and I had so much fun. It’s crazy to me to think that this time last year, I was mid way through my 10 day Vipassana silent retreat. That is SO not something I would even consider doing now, and I just feel like such a different, and happier, person now. This last year was so amazing, and I feel like I changed so much, and I am very grateful for that!
I spent my birthday with my friend who lives in the city, and we had so much fun just walking around, going to yoga, eating a TON of food, going for a drink at this cool rooftop bar (The Standard in the meat packing district) and best of all- watching the Modern Family season premier :p
On Tuesday I made a short video about my first week in New York, and I thought it might be kind of fun to make a video every week, just kind of sharing my experiences and feelings, etc.
If you’re interested, you can check it out here 💕
Last week I wrote about my upcoming 2 month trip to New York, but it was pretty brief, so I though I’d make a video to share more about my plans
I hadn’t made a video in awhile and I forgot how much I liked doing them! Is there anything you’d like to see a video on? Let me know. I think I might start getting into Periscope too. I haven’t made any videos yet, but I have an account, so if you’re on there you should follow me I’m @spiritualroadtrip, and I think you can search it under my name as well, Kate Horodyski.
Eating is obviously one of the best parts of travelling, and for a health lover like me, my idea of a good time is trying and discovering new and delicious healthy places to eat while I’m on vacation!
So today I’m sharing all of the delicious healthy restaurants and meals I had in New York. Consider this your (mostly) Healthy Food Guide to NYC! And in case you missed is, check out My Spiritual Guide to NYC, where I shared my favourite yoga studios, meditation classes, and spiritual hot spots
Alright, let’s talk food!
Smoothie Bars
So not sure if you’ve heard, but I’m kind of obsessed with smoothies :p SO I of course had to check out all of the smoothie places in the city that I always hear about on Instagram! The following places all have locations all over the city.
Juice Press: Yum!!! I went to this place repeatedly! Their smoothies are delish, and they have samples in the fridge section for you to try (they say limit yourself to 1, but please. I sampled everything I could get my hands on). The Almond Butter Cup is beyond.
Juice Generation: I only went here once, but their Peanut Butter Split was so good!
Liquitaria: This place tied is tied with Juice Press as my fave 
The Blue Velvet (I ordered it without protein powder) is amaze.
The Juice Shoppe NY: This one was probably my least favourite just because the smoothie I got had that starchy taste like they used green bananas, which is the worst! But I’m sure it’s not always like this.
Restaurants
Hu Kitchen: Omg this place is the bomb.com. It’s located on 5th Ave., just a short walk from Washington Square Park, which was one of my fave places to hang out, so I loved grabbing some food from Hu, and heading over to the park. Yum! Paleo peeps will be in heaven, but there is really something for everyone (I’m not even close to being Paleo, and I loved it). It’s cafeteria style, and then there’s a bunch of seating down and upstairs.
Try their Iced coffee and Iced tea (in the fridge section), their smoothies, and any and all of their buffet food.
78 5th Ave.
Dimes: This place is cool, and it knows it (and I don’t mean that in a bad way!). I had a delicious acai bowl and an amazing iced tea latte, but really everything on the menu looked healthy, fresh, and delicious.
49 Canal St., Lower East Side
Joe’s Shanghai Restaurant: I wouldn’t call this place healthy, but it is delicious! My friend took me here, and we had the best soup dumplings and fried rice and something else that I’m blanking on. There are a few locations, but we went to the one in Chinatown, which is apparently the best, and there’s usually a long wait but we managed to walk right in. Check it out!
9 Pell St., Chinatown
Jivamukti Cafe: Yum, this delicious and healthy cafe is located right in the Jivamukti Yoga Studio. It’s brightly coloured, has an awesome (though busy!) atmosphere and has a huge menu full of nourishing foods- perfect for following up with after an awesome yoga class. I got the kitchari and green salad.
841 Broadway, 2nd fl.
Gingersnap’s Organic: I originally went to Gingersnap’s for their Wednesday night Miracles Nights (a discussion of A Course in Miracles led by Bridget Trama), but I went back the next day to eat. I decided to get a smoothie, but they also have a menu full of delicious looking vegan and raw meals! It has such an awesome vibe, and they have a spiritual library that you can browse while you eat. This is definitely somewhere I’d be hanging out at if I lived in the city.
113 W 10th St.
Whole Foods: Whole Foods is my mecca. I’ve been to one in Toronto, and it seemed more like an over priced grocery store, but the ones in the States are fabulous. And while some things seem overpriced, the majority are totally reasonable and the same or less than you’d pay in a grocery store here. I’d get meals and groceries here and go sit in a park and eat (there’s one right next to Central Park in Columbus Circle). Their quinoa sushi is amazing and their pay-per-weight buffet selection is as well (I’m running out of adjectives to describe food! Awesome, delish, amazing- you get the point, it was all good!).
Snacks and Cafes
Momofuko Milk Truffles: These are not healthy in any way shape or form, but they are unbelievably good, so they are making the list! Momofuko is a noodle bar, which I didn’t go to, but they also have a stand in Madison Square Park where they sell dessert. Birthday Cake Truffles = Sugar hangover inducing but life changing!!! There are also lots of other delicious looking food stands in the Madison Square Park Eatery!
Madison Square Park Eatery
Chelsea Market: Chelsea Market is a beautiful food market in the Meatpacking District. I’m not talking farmers market, but more like lots of little cafes and mini restaurants and shops. It’s a really great atmosphere (but I bet it’s wildly busy during weekends and tourist season), and has something for everyone. It’s right next to the High Line (an old railroad track which has been converted into a beautiful park).
75 9th Ave., Meatpacking District.
Chinatown: Chinatown sells every fruit you could ever dream of, which for me pretty much means it’s heaven. I actually bought Jackfruit and Durian, which I never thought I’d be able to get outside of the tropics! So cool
Durian!
Maman NYC: The prettiest cafe ever! I discovered it on my last day after an awesome Kundalini class at Golden Bridge Yoga. Delicious Iced Coffees.
239 Centre St., Little Italy
Laduree: Not healthy, but totally worth it! There are a couple of locations in the city, and we went to the one in the Upper East Side. It’s a little store/cafe that sells macarons that are actually flown in from Paris daily! Does it get any fancier than that? I think not.
864 Madison Ave., Upper East Side (even the address sounds super classy!)
Omg that list is longer than I thought! Turns out I ate a lot of food on my trip haha. I also got groceries (from Whole Foods and the fruit carts on the side of the street), and made most of my breakfasts and dinners at my friend’s apartment where I was staying, so now idea how I fit all of this in, but where there’s a will there’s a way am I right? :p
For Next Time
I still missed quite a few places, which I will be getting to next time, including…
ABC Carpet & Home: The most beautiful home decor store ever also has a gorgeous restaurant. I looked in while I was there but didn’t go in to eat. Next time for sure!
888 Broadway
One Lucky Duck: Raw Food and Smoothies, located in Chelsea Market.
Souen: Macrobiotic restaurant with locations in Soho, Union Square, and the East Village.
El Rey: This place comes highly recommended- based on the menu and website it looks like it has a healthy delicious hipster vibe.
So there you have it! My NYC Healthy Food Guide What are your favourite places?
I swear I did more than just eat on my trip :p Check out My Spiritual Guide to NYC for a list of my favourite places and activities!
So on my recent trip to New York, I didn’t do any of the typical touristy things- no Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Broadway show or any museums. It’s not that I think there’s anything wrong with these things, it’s just not what I was there for! My week in New York was all about smoothies, meditating, yoga, and walking through the many amazing Manhattan neighbourhoods. I had the most amazing time, and now I am so excited to share with you My Spiritual Guide to New York City.
The following are all of the spiritually centred places and spaces that I visited in NYC.
Strala Yoga: Yoga superstar Tara Stiles’ studio is everything I imagined a New York studio would look like: bright, high ceilings, zen, and so cool. Tara teaches tons of classes, so you should have no trouble making it to one of hers, but the other instructors are amazing as well (I went to three classes while I was in the city). I got to chat with Tara after one of her classes, and she was so sweet and friendly and easy to talk to. Get a 1 week pass for only $20!
Jivamukti Yoga and Cafe: I love Jivamukti Yoga, and so I was so excited to check out its birthplace at the Jivamukti Studio in NYC. Spotty for a class or workshop before heading over to their cafe for a delicious healthy post yoga meal or smoothie!
Golden Bridge Yoga: I have to say this was my favourite studio in the city. I love Kundalini yoga, and this is Gurmukhi’s New York studio. Check it out for powerful Kundalini classes and amazing workshops. I did 2 classes there and they were so awesome. As soon as I got back to Halifax, I signed up for their Online Studio. It doesn’t say on their website, but you can get a 2 week pass for $30.
The Path: I don’t know if it was a coincidence or not, but my favourite and most peaceful day in New York was the one that I started with The Path’s morning meditation. The Path leads 40 minute meditations a few times a week, and each meditation incorporates a few different techniques (in the one I went to, we did Kundalini Kriyas, Body Awareness, and Focused Breathing techniques). Sessions are $20 and details are available on their site.
ABC Carpet & Home: Not only is this a home decor wonderland, it also hosts tons of spiritual events and lectures. There were none going on when I was there, but check out their event listings. I went anyway because it’s an amazing place to see (6 floors of beautiful home decor and accessories),and they have a gorgeous restaurant. Teachers like Deepak Chopra and Gabrielle Bernstein hold events here, and Elena Bower holds weekly Saturday yoga classes here!
Miracles Night at Gingersnap’s Organic: On Wednesday evenings from 8-9, Gingersnaps Organic hosts Miracles Night, a lively and down to earth discussion of the teachings of A Course In Miracles, led by Bridget Trama. I’d been casually studying The Course for a year and a half, but I’d never gone to a group discussion on the material, so I really enjoyed this! It’s a pretty young crown, which is fun, but all ages are welcome! There’s a suggested donation of $10, and it fills up quick so you need to email in advance to secure your spot!
Oh and don’t forget to go back during the day to grab a smoothie and peruse their spiritual library
Parks: There are so many beautiful parks in the city, and I went to one almost every day to do some Earthing (so important in a hectic city like New York!) and to read the spiritual books I’d brought with me (True Prosperity and Brida). My favourites were Bryant Park, Washington Square Park, and of course Central Park).
5 Rhythms: I went to a 5 Rhythms class, but to be honest I only stayed for half an our of the 2 hours. It’s a free flowing guided dance class, so they offer guidance but really you’re dancing however you please. I’d taken classes like this before and they’re kind of cool, but I get a bit bored. But if it interests you, check it out!
Healthy Food: I went to a lot of delicious and healthy restaurants and smoothies in NYC- check out my full guide here!
Things for next time,
I didn’t make it to all of the things on my list, so next time I think I’ll check out…
S-Factor: These pole dancing classes, created by Sheila Kelly, are famous! You can get a coupon code on their website.
Maha Rose Centre for Healing: This Brooklyn based healing centre looks so cool! Unfortunately I didn’t make it over to Brooklyn at all (well other than the two times I accidentally took the Subway the wrong direction). I’ll definitely be checking it out next time I’m in the city.
Bhakti Centre: My friend said that they hold great kirtans on Thursday nights!
Equinox: This one isn’t necessarily ‘spiritual,’ but I’d love to see if you can get a day pass to the famous gym chain because I think fancy gyms are cool!
I know I haven’t even scratched the surface of amazing spiritual destinations in the city, but I think this was a really great starting off point I can’t wait to go back and find more spiritual gems.
What are your favourite spiritual destinations in NYC? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.
Follow me and my spiritual journey on Instagram at @myspiritualroadtrip and share yours with us using #myspiritualroadtrip
Have a wonderful day, and if you’re planning a trip, enjoy New York! It is an incredible city, and you will love it!
xoxo
Hey Everyone! I hope you’re enjoying the long weekend
I just got back from my week in NYC and Philly, and I think it’s safe to say that it was one of the best weeks of my life.
To be honest, it’s not even like anything exceptional happened (I didn’t run into T Swift, like I’d planned :p ), but I just had so much fun and loved every moment of being there.
New York is an amazing city- there is an never ending amount of things to do and see, and at the same time I felt really relaxed and peaceful the whole time I was there. I saw tons and missed tons, but I’ll get to those in my future visits.
In New York, I stayed with my friend Chelsea, whom I went to high school with. I had so much fun hanging out with her. We actually weren’t that close in school, and so I feel like I not only had an awesome trip but I also made an awesome friendship <3
By a super awesome coincidence (majorly overusing the word awesome but can’t think of a suitable alternative), my friend Wes happened to be visiting NYC while I was there! Wes and I both lived in Halifax together, but he recently moved to Toronto, so I don’t get to see him nearly enough anymore. p.s. everytime a picture of us goes up on Facebook I get messages from people asking about my new boyfriend :p We are not dating, but I think he is pretty awesome <3
I’m not really a fan of tourist attractions, so I didn’t do any while I was there- no Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, Top of The Rock, Broadway, or anything. Instead, I spent my days walking for hours, going to parks, eating really good food, doing yoga, and just enjoying the city. I’m going to do some future posts about Where I Ate in NYC and My Spiritual Guide to NYC.
I also went to Philly for a day to see an Abraham Hicks event, which I’ll also be writing about. Philly was so beautiful, but I was basically in and out because I wanted to get back to New York!
I was so sad to leave New York- it just didn’t seem right! But I know I’ll be back.
Have you been to New York? Share your favourite things with me- I’m already compiling a list for what to do on my next trip