When I first found out I would be traveling to New York City, one of the first things that popped into my head was, “I have to see Merri!”
Merri and I met in college and have stayed close even though thousands of miles separate us now that she moved to New York City. (Merri was actually the one who made us our surprise wedding video!)
Merri is one of the most positive, bubbly people I know and I could spend hours and hours with her and we’d never shut up. She’s basically the best, so I was really excited to have a whole evening with her last night.
We met up right when I got off the plane. We wanted to grab dinner and keep things casual, so when Merri suggested checking out a local food cart, I was more than game.
Merri never tried the food from The Halal Guys food cart before but heard amazing things. When she looked it up online, it actually had more than 2,500 reviews on Yelp with a 4 1/2 star rating so we were awfully intrigued!
When we walked up, there was a short line and the food smelled unbelievable. We were both quite hungry, so I was excited to see that the portions were nice and big.
I got the rice and pita bread bowl topped with chicken and added BBQ sauce and their white sauce before digging in.
Underneath all that chicken was a hearty layer of yellow rice. Normally I don’t really like yellow rice, but this rice was very good.
Both Merri and I ate almost our entire bowls of food and were absolutely stuffed. The food was so good that even when we both said we knew we were full, we just kept going and going.
With the food sitting like a rock in our stomachs, we welcomed the long walk back to my hotel!
The walk through the city brought out the tourist in me and I literally stopped and stared as we passed by Bryant Park because it looked so beautiful. The little café chairs reminded me a lot of Paris. Doesn’t it look like such a romantic place for a fun date night in the summer?
We made it back to my hotel around 8:30 p.m. and Merri ended up staying until 11 p.m. which was so wonderful. I miss her so much! We used to go on morning walks with Sadie around Lake Eola in Orlando when we both lived there and I miss seeing her all the time.
Sometimes seeing friends I haven’t seen in a while makes it feel even harder when we part because I miss them like crazy all over again. Long distance friendships tug at my heartstrings! Thanks for such a great night, Mer!
This morning I awoke at 5 a.m. to meet up with Ashley to try out a new workout class, but I’ll be back to talk about that soon. I need a shower!
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Awww love meet ups with old friends! you make me watt to visit the city too…the park looked lovely! 🙂
it was seriously so gorgeous! i wanted to have a romantic date with merri there at that very moment. 😀
hahaha next time JB…totally didnt realize that was your thang!!
Sounds like a great time! With some friends, it really is about the quality of time spent versus the quantity :)! Enjoy your stay in NYC!
The best is when you see a friend that you haven’t seen in a long time. It’s like time has never passed. You always pick right up where you left off. That park looks so beautiful! 🙂
that is SO true. it feels like you never even missed a beat.
I love friend dates like that 🙂
Oh that DOES look like such a romantic place to have a little summer date. Gorge!!!
Your food from the food cart looks delicious!! New York is one of my favorite places. There is always something going on and something new to see. A good friend of mine will be at the Meet and Tweet today. She is the director of a radio station app called Fit Radio. She is amazing and so is the company. I wish I could have gone to meet all you fantastic ladies that will be there speaking today 🙂
love the halal guys! SO good! definite guilty pleasure whenever i’m in the city 🙂
Bryant park does look gorgeous! I’ve only been to NY once, on a school trip in High School. I really hope I can go back as a “grown up” to experience it more!
Sounds like such a fun night! My husband and I both want to take a trip to New York. I think it would be a blast.
Aww what a lovely day you guys had! I just got back from a trip to Australia where I was a bridesmaid in a wedding for one of my friends that I haven’t seen in 6 years, and like you and Merri, we picked up right where we left off. I love having friendships like that! I hope you have a great day today Julie!
I’ve never been to NYC, but it’s on my bucket list of places to go. Hope the rest of your trip is just as fun!
How fun!! I’ve never eaten from a food cart but I always am so interested to try…. Your food looks amazing! Have a blast in the city this weekend 🙂
Glad to hear you liked the cart! I live right in northern NJ so NYC is just a short ride away, but I’ve somehow never tried the food from that particular (very popular!) cart. I’ll have to try next time I’m in the city now that it’s passed your test! I feel the same way about my long distance friendships from both college and high school. Leaving them again is the worst, not having definite plans as to when I’m going to see them again. I suppose the feeling of being reunited and knowing nothing at all has changed is what keeps it going.
A trip to NYC and eating from a food truck are on my bucket list! I know it is a crazy place but one I want to experience!!
My best friend of 20 years lives in another state and we usually see each other twice a year….NOT enough!! Thank goodness for daily phone calls and Face Time. I guess for us, it is the norm though. We met our Freshman year of high school and the only year she lived in Texas.
I just spent a long weekend in Chicago with two of my best friends from college and it made me miss living right next door to them. On the topic of Bryant Park and date nights, in the summer they have an outdoor movie series and hundreds of people set out blankets and picnics on the big lawn. Makes for an awesome date or friend-date night.
I was in NYC in March and I think my friend and I passed that same cart – it was memorable because it smelled absolutely amazing!! I visited Bryant park for the first time this spring and loved it, but it looks even prettier in your picture. Can’t wait to hear how SoulCycle went!
Ah I just moved from new York city and my old job right in Bryant park! Brigs back a tinge of homesickness. Have such a great time! If you are in Tim’s square today from 4-6 the lovely trainers from Tone It Up! Are going to be at te Oakley store. You should go and see if they have any great giveaways!
Ahh the famous halal guy! My friends love that stuff, but unfortunately I can’t really stomach it. I miss NYC and all it’s glorious food carts. There’s an awesome app called tweat.it (or just go to that address on the computer) that will tell you where all the food trucks are at the moment. an nyc essential.
have fun with friends and such!
Looks like you’re down the block from my office on 6th Ave? I’m a born and raised New Yorker and have never had “street meat” – except the occasional hot dog or a hot pretzel or knish (which don’t count as meat). Glad you enjoyed!
Oops, sorry – “Avenue of the Americas” 🙂
I’m so glad you enjoyed your evening in the city. 🙂 I have lunch in Bryant Park a lot when the weather’s warm, and I can vouch for its wonderfulness! The best is when the lawn is open on sunny days and people are sunbathing, reading, and sometimes even playing frisbee. 🙂
That park is gorgeous! I wish Orlando was a little more scenic like that.
I love New York! So happy you got to spend time with your friend. I have quite a few girlfriends that I can go years without seeing and when we get together, it’s like we don’t skip a beat! 🙂
I lived in NYC for grad school, and people used to raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaave about that food cart! I mean, the fact that it’s a food cart and actually on Yelp says a lot haha. I never actually tried it, but I was a sucker for the many coffee and bagel carts around. 😉
Yum, that food looks good! I’ve only ever been to New York once on a school trip (even though I only live a few hours away), but I have plans to go sometime in the next few months. I’m also totally with you on long distance friendships (or relationships) – while it’s so great to see them, saying goodbye is also so much harder! My fiance and I have been long distance for most of the 3.5 years we’ve been together, and it definitely never gets easier to say goodbye!
Welcome to NYC! Sometimes food carts are the best and most authentic way to go 🙂
I really want to go to NYC someday. It is on my top list of places to visit. Have a great time!
I tried that same food cart when I was in New York last fall and it was amazing!! Next time I go back I will certainly get it again 🙂
awww so much fun! i’m prob gonna be hitting up the city in a few weeks to catch a show, i’ll need to possibly stop by that delicious food cart 🙂
Last night was SO MUCH FUN!!! Wish it never ended!! LYMY!!! xoxoxoxoxo Have a FANTASTIC time at your Meet and Tweet my little blogger-roo!
One of my best friends and I have a dream to open a food truck. I swear we’re going to do it one day! That looks like a delicious meal 🙂
My dream is to go on a food truck tour of NYC (okay just a food tour in general) but everything looks and sounds so delicious!!
This makes me miss NYC!!!!! Enjoy the rest of your trip!
Sounds fun! I love Bryant Park. It’s a great place to ice skate in the winter!
I used to work right around the corner from Bryant Part. They show outdoor movies there in the summer. And then there is Fashion Week.
The Kidless Kronicles
Gorgeous park!!!
That food sounds amazing!
I get the same way after seeing long distance friends. It makes me miss them that much more!!
That picture makes me want to visit NYC now! I have never been… Portland(just across the river from me) is known for their food carts – I can only imagine what they are like in NY! Reconnecting with your friend = perfect first day!
My boyfriend just began a new career right across the street from Bryant Park! Since I am a teacher and off during the summer we are planning date nights or lunches where I can come meet him there. Glad you had such a great time!
love the pics! bryant park looks like a great place for a date night!
Aw, sounds like a great date night!
I’m too scared to try real food from a cart. (Dessert items are ok for me!) I need to get over that fear, as they always smell so good.
We don’t really have food trucks here. I can think of three, maybe four. But one is incredible with mostly organic, local, fresh, homemade dishes. So good! Their menu rotates weekly and they feature a couple lunch items each day for only $5. And it’s posted online so you can check it the specials and find their location.
Beautiful park photo! I would love to hang out there with on a date.
I have to eat in a food cart soon!
It’s so great to see friends, I totally know how you feel as my best girlfriends are scattered all across the country…it makes it so special when you can get together! Have a fabulous time in NYC! I absolutely love that city, my sister lives there and I’m dying to go back for another visit soon! xoxo
Aww how fun that you were able to meet up with your friend while you were in NYC! I love food trucks and that particular one sounds fantastic! Bryant Park is gorgeous too- I was just there in January and walked through late in the evening when it was still bustling with people, there is def something special about it!
The park looks so beautiful, it actually kind of looks like Paris haha. Random, but it does. I love when I get to see my friends when I haven’t seen them in so long, glad you got to reconnect and enjoy yourself!
It does remind me of Paris! Sooo pretty! I think it’s the lights.
WAHHHH! I miss Merri too 🙁 Glad you girls had fun!
Your picture of the park is great! My sister and I are in NYC for the first time and just ate at Bryant park grill for lunch! You should check it out if you have time! Maybe we are staying at the same place, If so, we will keep an eye out for you at the gym 😉 we both adore your blog!
LOVE Bryant park! I not only had a romantic date night there but I was proposed to there, it was magical!
Oh yeah, the chicken and rice cart! That stuff is GOOD!