KATIE KENNEDY

NYC Guide: Battery Park City

Dress || Heels || Tote || Earrings || Bracelet || Watch

Because of David’s work and my internship, I’ve been spending a lot of time in Battery Park City, a downtown Manhattan neighborhood. Although we love our park-side apartment in the Upper East Side, this is our second choice. Obviously, it would be super convenient for David’s work, but there’s so much more to it. We love that it’s quiet on the weekends, on the water, and full of young families. It’s also a stone’s throw away from our favorite sports in Tribeca and Chelsea. If you happen to find yourself in Battery Park City, here’s a quick guide for an awesome day.

Where to Stay:

• The Wagner. I can say from personal experience, this hotel is an absolute gem. Located at the very end of Battery Park, where the neighborhood meets FiDi, this hotel is situated on the water and many rooms offer unobstructed views of the State of Liberty.
• Millennium Hilton. Right in the heart of the hustle and bustle, this hotel has another great location. It’s across the street from the 9/11 Memorial, St. Paul’s Chapel, and the Oculus. Their lobby bar is also a hotspot for people watching and good cocktails.

What to Do:

• 9/11 Memorial. Although officially across the street from Battery Park, this site is probably one of the most important in the city. Making the pilgrimage to pay your respects is a must.
• Visit the Statue of Liberty. If you want to make your way to one of the most iconic US landmarks, Battery Park is your starting point. Ferries to both the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island run multiple times a day. Even if you don’t make the voyage over, you can still take in the views from Manhattan.
• Relax at Rockefeller Park. Yes, Central Park is beautiful, but there is something about being on the water that you just can’t beat. Rockefeller Park (not to be confused with the Plaza) runs all along the Hudson River and has several playgrounds and fields to enjoy the day.
• Take a ride on the SeaGlass Carousel. I recently learned that the original New York aquarium was once housed in Battery Park. Although its home is now on Coney Island, this carousel has been built in its honor. Trust me when I say, this is a work of art.

Where to Eat and Drink:

• Blacktail. Voted one of the ‘Best New Bars’ in 2017, this Cuban inspired restaurant exudes a lot of prohibition influences. When you stop by, be prepared to do some reading. Their cocktail menu is over 100 pages long. You can also grab some tasty Cuban bites while you’re there.
• El Vez. Mexican restaurants will always get a star of approval from me. El Vez is located right across the street from Brookfield Place and is a great spot to share a pitcher of margaritas with friends after work.
• Le District. Located inside the Brookfield Place mall, this bistro has more of a French market feel. If you’re tired from a day of sightseeing and just need a quick bite to eat, you will find all kinds of options here.
• Loopy Doopy. This rooftop bar has become a staple for lower Manhattan. Enjoy views of the city with your one-of-a-kind cocktail. Prosecco with a gourmet popsicle sounds like a perfectly refreshing drink for a summer evening.

New York is absolutely filled with unique neighborhoods. Each of them have their own energy and character. I’m just about to reach my first full year as a New Yorker and I can’t wait to keep exploring.

Love from NYC,
Katie

For more on my NYC exploring, be sure to visit my exclusive New York content here.

Boho Style in the UES

Dress || Sandals || Clutch ||Earrings || Watch || Bracelet

I very recently talked about my love for boho style a few weeks ago, here. Normally, I try to add some classic pieces to mix in the inspiration from our Upper East side neighborhood. While a lot of the women in the UES are incredibly stylish, I would never describe their style as free-spirited. I, on the other hand, have no problem with going full bohemian and I never felt that vibe more than with this dress.

This dress, from Amazon, has quickly become one of my absolute favorites. Normally, I don’t do my clothes shopping from Amazon, but I was heavily influenced. Some of my favorite bloggers, especially Grace from The Stripe, has been positively raving about it and I had to see the hype for myself. Let me tell you, I wasn’t disappointed. If you can get past picking one of the 24 patterns, a gorgeous dress will be delivered to your door for under $30. At that price point you can afford to grab two or three if you can’t decide on one.

For the summer time, I kept the outfit extremely relaxed with my brown sandals from Hermes and bamboo clutch from Cult Gaia. I already have big plans for how to transition this dress into the fall. Because most of the color options are full of rich, jewel tones, it’s going to be a piece of cake. I love the idea of adding an oversized faux fur vest and heeled leather boots. Even a felt, wide-brim hat could be an option for good measure. The sky is the limit with long-sleeves.

My favorite element of this dress is how many compliments I received. Yes, I know how shallow that sounds. I even convinced some of my co-workers to order it on the spot. It’s one thing for myself to love a dress, but another to see the love from others. Honestly, there isn’t a better feeling as a style blogger. My husband didn’t love the dress quite as much as I did, but I’m convinced he’ll come around eventually.

When your personal style doesn’t match with what’s around your neighborhood, it can be tough to find that balance. Either way, if you love what you wear and feel confident, you’re going to stand out in the best possible way. That’s even true if you have boho style in the UES.

Love from NYC,
Katie

Gingham Blazer for Work

Blazer (also) || Cami || Pants || Heels || Clutch || Earrings || Bracelet || Watch

So, I think it’s been a little bit since I shared a statement blazer that I absolutely loved. There’s no better time than the present with this sky blue gingham beauty from English Factory. Full disclaimer, David took these pictures under protest. He wasn’t a huge fan of this printed and oversized blazer. I, on the other hand, think it’s absolutely amazing! I know we can prove him wrong by sending this post all of the love.

Let’s give this outfit a little context. I have been a huge admirer of the English Factory brand for a while. I find their pieces to be incredibly unique. Equal parts classic and whimsical, they make quite a statement at a surprisingly affordable price point. Most of their pieces can also transition from the office to a night out, especially in the summer time. Whether you shop the brand at Nordstrom or Shopbop, I know you will find something that you will simply love.

Even though I’m officially off for the summer, I wanted to take one final stab at trying to dress corporate. My summer job had an extremely casual dress code, but I daily walked past career women in the chicest work ensembles. Since nothing I ever do is all the way conventional, I wanted to put a feminine and summery spin on the typical power suit. This outfit is just born to standout, and I still felt so confident and ready to take on the boardroom.

The blazer may be new, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was a perfect match to this pair of light blue chinos from J. Crew Factory that I already had in my closet, originally posted here. It was match made in heaven, but also helps bring the loud, gingham jacket back to reality a little bit. My signature pop of navy comes from my go-to navy cami from J. Crew.

Who says dressing for work has to be boring? It’s good to have a closet full of basics on rotation, but don’t forget one of the best things about life is have fun options when getting dressed each morning. It’s your way of non-verbally telling the world who you are and what you’re all about. What does a light blue gingham blazer say about me? I’m not exactly sure, but I endorse this message.

Love from NYC,
Katie