Friends Fitness: Making Movement a Part of Your Social Scene
Belvedere Castle - one of my most favorite NYC landmarks and a place I always incorporate into my social scene with friends :)
Does your social life consist of picking a new brunch/dinner place on the weekend and sitting for hours? Sure, it’s fun to try new food places and socialize with friends, but did you ever consider making your social scene more active?
This is something I discuss with my clients all the time - instead of sitting and doing something sedentary with friends, why not take it outdoors and make it into an adventure?
Most report back saying, “Why didn’t I think of this sooner?” Not only do they have fun exploring new places, but they sample fun treats along the way - many walking miles in the process! Now that’s what I call a fun way to spend a weekend with friends!
Here’s my ultimate day out in NYC with friends. It’s catered towards the Upper West Side of NYC - my current home and the one I have thoroughly enjoyed exploring. With Central Park a few blocks east and Riverside Park a few blocks west with loads of delectable foodie dream spots throughout, you and your friends will love exploring my neighborhood.
Why not plan a trip to the UWS with your friends this weekend OR plan a fun weekend getaway if you’re from out of town :)
You can’t come to NYC and NOT have a bagel! For my gluten free alternative folks, this is probably the BEST gluten free bagel you’ll ever come across. They also do amazing loaves - my favorite is the chocolate zucchini bread :)
After you’ve grabbed your bagel or bread, head over to the Museum of Natural History. This is one of the most iconic museums - have you seen “Night at the Museum” which takes place at this beloved museum. Use all that carb energy from your bagel to walk up each floor of the museum and explore! Head to the dinosaurs, visit the gems, and see my personal favorite - the hall of biodiversity, and enjoy all of the beautiful history!
After working up your appetite at the museum, head over to another one of my favorite alternative restaurants - Peacefood Cafe - serving up some awesome vegan dishes and to die for vegan cheesecake! Grab a wrap or slice of cheesecake to go and head over to Central Park!
Since my outing mainly focuses on the Upper West Side, a nice loop would be to start at the Great Lawn - a massive open piece of grass with baseball fields, it’s wonderful for a picnic. After sitting with your vegan treats on the lawn, head towards the stunning Belvedere Castle where you can climb to the top and take in the NYC views (it never gets old). Take a stroll over iconic Bow Bridge, any Beatles fans will love walking through Strawberry fields, and ending off at Bethesda terrace.
Believe it or not, after seeing all of these sights, you have only scratched the surface of the massive Central Park! Maybe you’ll make another future outing exploring a different section of the park?
Time for another treat! If it’s a warmer day, grab a scoop over at Van Leeuwen ice cream where they scoop up both artisanal dairy ice cream and out of this world vegan scoops. Still a little too chilly for ice cream? Go grab a delicious cream puff at my favorite French bakery, Barachou.
End off the day by heading towards Riverside Park for a stroll along the water. This is another one of my favorite parks, especially closer to summertime when you get a nice cool breeze from the water.
If you’re not close to NYC, you can plan a similar outing with friends in a city close by to where you live. Your friends will be asking to keep it active for every social outing you all do after you see how much fun (and how much mileage) you put in. Plus you’ll feel great after!
Leave a comment letting me know about your fun social outing :)
