New York’s Best Rooftops

Is it possible to not fall in love with New York? I don't think so and without exaggerating - I fell in love with EVERYTHING about NY. It's energy, the light, the sunsets, the sounds of sirens, the yellow cabs and the fire escapes.

This is the first part of my up-to-date Travel Guide in New York, hope you love this city as much as I did...

ROOFTOP BARS & RESTAURANTS

Mr Purple

If I lived in New York I would go to this magical Rooftop Bar - Every. Single. Day. We loved this place so much we went here several times during our stay in New York (This is something I rarely do). Best time to go is definitely around the golden hour - 5pm but if you catch the sunset or go here in the middle of the day you will still see one of the most beautiful views of Lower East Side. Their Chips & Guac on Blue Corn Tortilla Chips are to die for!

Catch

Located in The Meatpacking district you’ll find this charming, trendy and buzzing restaurant which is perfect for dinner with friends, some wine on their terrace which is light up by fairy light or a pre-drink on a Friday night. Keep in mind it’s very popular so the waiting time can be up to 2h so booking in advance is highly recommended.

Restoration Hardware RT

This is an extremely cool rooftop restaurant where the name kind of gives away it’s secret... As you enter this hidden treasure you’re first sight is just a really high end restoration store. If you know you know, and you find yourself asking the doorman for the rooftop. This doesn’t say on their website neither our hotel knew this so we were lucky enough to find this Place. Once on the rooftop, the interior is black, green and discrete. The view of the Meatpacking district is fantastic. Highly recommended.

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My Vegetarian Health Changes

I was 20 years old when I became vegetarian. It was actually the climate changes that made me become a vegetarian. At the time, I actually owned a car which I sold purely because of the recent studies how we were destroying the planet with pollution. Another study showed that the meat industry contributes more than twice as much to the climate changes, by transporting the meat from Australia to Europe for example. I had enough and WOW - It's now been 7 years and I could never imagine how much it would impact my health...

• Learning About Nutrition

I used to eat whatever I felt like, whenever I craved something. I could easily go a whole day without even eating half of the protein I needed. When I lost 10kg at the beginning I asked myself "Am I really doing this right?" and short after got a nutrition app when I tracked everything I ate in a day. I realized I wasn't getting half of the amount I needed in carbs, fat and protein.

• A Healthier Relationship to Food

With a history of several eating disorders (mainly Anorexia and Bulimia), I've had a dysfunctional relationship to food from 12 years old to 20 years old. From binge eating to starve myself or eat extremely unhealthy to prove a point that "I can eat whatever I want". This is my favorite on this list because I can honestly say that becoming a vegetarian finally gave me the relationship to food that I always dreamed of.

• Snacks, Snacks and More Snacks

I love clean eating so the perfect food in a day for me would be: a fruit bowl and a cup of tea, a big salad for lunch with vegetables only and a vegetable soup for dinner. I realised that it was impossible to be on my optimal energy level. My two options was to either either eat "less clean" or to eat healthy, small portions of a snack between meals. I always have a banana between breakfast and lunch or a bowl of cottage cheese with berries/nuts between lunch and dinner. If I don't, I either: A. Get extremely hangry or B. Get the energy level needed to be able to feel on top at work or in the yoga class.

• Six Meals A Day

Before my plant-based diet I would have quite a small breakfast, a big lunch and a big dinner. Nowadays I will have big breakfast, snack, big lunch, snack, small dinner and a cup of tea with something on the side before 9pm. I never eat after 9pm so I can get my 8-9 hours of sleep but a cup of tea and some frozen raspberries is always my go to when I crave something after dinner.

• My Natural Weight

Before I became vegetarian I was actually 10kg overweight (as a result from living in Italy where my diet basically was wine, pizza and gelato everyday). So when I became vegetarian I lost over 10kg the first couple of months, and I couldn't believe it. It's not even about the amount of weight that mattered, it was more the fact that my body naturally adjusted to how clean I was eating in comparison to before.

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10 Routines for a Happier Life

🌟Be Thankful and Grateful

Every night before I fall asleep, I think of 3 things that I'm grateful for. Some night it's the greatest things in life - "I'm so grateful for being alive" but sometimes it's simply being grateful for having roof over my head.

🌟Have Something to Look Forward to

After thinking of the 3 things above, I always think of 1 thing that I look forward to tomorrow. This can also be great things like "I'm looking forward to going to New York tomorrow" but it could also be looking forward to what breakfast you will have tomorrow. I always have a holiday or a smaller trip to look forward to, it motivates me to work hard until the travels come.

🌟Manifest

When you want something more than anything - say it like it's already done. Do not spend time thinking about anything opposite to what you want. See it, smell it, feel it, hear it. If it's real in your brain, it will be real in the physical.

🌟Meditate

Find the kind of meditation that works for you and do it on a daily basis. It can be sitting down, laying down, chanting or simply listening to your breath. For 5 minutes, 10 minutes or 1 hour. It can even be walking in the forest in silence, just listening to the birds and feeling the air on your skin. There are no right or wrong type of meditation, find what suits you and your lifestyle.

🌟Yoga

When I started to get serious about my Yoga practise I couldn't really get my head around what it was that made me so content and calm. Recently, I learned that there is eight specific reasons to this: External disciplines and ethical practise, Internal disciplines, Posture for meditation, Breath regulation, Withdrawal for the senses, Concentration, Meditative absorption and Oneness.

🌟Exercise or Workout Of Your Choice

There is no faster way to happiness than exercising - instant endorphins, confidence and the rewards. Improved sleep and energy boosting. When I really don't feel like going on a Yoga class, I just visualise the feeling afterwards - it will all be worth it. Try as many different types of exercises you can and then pick one that you're enjoying so much that time flies. Do that workout from minimum 3 times a week up to everyday.

🌟Prioritise Your Sleep

If you think about how bad you're feeling when you don't get enough sleep, it's easier to picture what 8-9 hours sleep does to you. From easily irritable, stressed, restless or angry - to clear-headed, happy, energised and light-hearted. Did you know that the deep sleep is between 22.00pm-02.00am, so you ideally want to be asleep by 21.30pm.

🌟Schedule Self-Care

This is my favourite one because I used to be so bad at this that I had to book it into my calendar - but at least then I made time for it. Schedule it in your calendar until you do it naturally everyday for yourself. Self-Care can be going for a walk, do a hair mask, write a letter to your future yourself, have a date night with you, compliment yourself, buy yourself something nice, cry, clean and say NO to something you don't want to do.

🌟Do Something for Someone Else

There is nothing as selfish as doing something for someone else. Why? Because there is no quicker, more efficient way to instant happiness. Studies shows that when we help someone or make someone else happy, it instantly releases dopamine and endorphins in our brain which makes us happy and motivated.

🌟Reflect on Your Journey

Write down how far you have come. Where you were and what you have become. How much you have achieved. What you used to dream about and all the things you have now. Read this out load to yourself. Over and over again.

Thank you for reading 🙏🏼