Oh Brooklyn… I certainly did fall hard for you last weekend and of course returned home and began the search for the perfect apartment in Carroll Gardens. While I don’t think a move is in my imminent future, today’s blog post is so let’s get to it.

Although it is not the largest borough of New York, Brooklyn is the most populated with over 2.5 million people and approximately 136 languages spoken. Walking the streets, you just feel the energy and the culture all around you. This was the first time I really explored Brooklyn. For a girl who loves NYC, I had high expectations for our Brooklyn weekend and nearly every one was blown out of the park. I didn’t want to cross the river to head to Manhattan once.

I have our wonderful hosts, with whom we traveled to The Catskills with, to thank for making sure our weekend was perfect. If you are addicted to Instagram like me, feel free to take a look at our Brooklyn adventure by searching #mrktbkvisit.

Stay

The Wythe Hotel. I stayed here about six months after they first opened back in 2012 and I must say, it is just as good as I remember. K even said this may just be her favorite place we have stayed as so it is safe to say, I don’t think we will ever stay anywhere else in Brooklyn!

I booked the Historic Corner King for our one night stay (as we had saved a little $$ by staying with our friends in their new Prospect Heights apartment on Friday and Saturday night). We made it to the hotel a little before 2 pm, just in time for The Ides, the rooftop bar to open. It was a glorious, sunny day and we enjoyed cocktails and the amazing views of the city skyline. The Hibiscus Cooler was my drink of choice. We also treated ourselves to the cheese plate and dessert around 10 pm at Reynards, located in the hotel lobby. The tile alone is reason enough to go in my book. One new addition to the hotel offerings since my last visit is Marlow Goods. A beautifully curated shop including leather goods, rugs, bath products, clothing {including my favorite Ulla Johnson}, candles and jewelry. The perfect place to pick up a gift for a loved one and yourself.

Eat

As with most weekend getaways, our itinerary revolved around food. A few places not to miss include:

Sisters – On our drive to our friends’ apartment we drove by Sisters and based on the facade along I said “we need to go there.” As luck would have it, Sisters was the site of our first meal in Brooklyn. Saturday brunch. I had the avocado toast {pictured above} while the rest of the table enjoyed the egg sandwich on a biscuit. Light and airy, Sisters is also a great spot for late night.

Poppy’s Pop-up – I’ve been admiring Poppy’s Catering on Instagram for quite some time so was excited to learn that their bi-monthly pop-up was taking place on the Saturday of our visit. Beet cured salmon with cream cheese  on multi-grain toast. Yes, please!

Grand Army – After exploring Carroll Gardens, the Brooklyn Bridge and walking through Dumbo, we needed some hydration. Grand Army is the perfect neighborhood spot to do just that. Their cocktail list is spot on, they do brunch till 4 pm and they have the most delicious ricotta toast with brussels sprouts. A must visit!

Emily – It’s like a thing that you have to eat pizza while in NY and Emily’s pizza did not disappoint. Although the wait for a table was nearly 3 hours, we were able to place a to-go order and enjoy Emily’s from the comforts of the apartment within 30 minutes!

Tilda All Day – Tilda’s could just be my favorite breakfast spot. The soft scrambled egg sandwich is delicious. Even better, they have a to-go case with the most delicious chocolate chip cookies so after brunch, make sure to grab a coffee and cookie to go.

Cafe Mogador – Located just two blocks from The Wythe, K and I had a delicious late lunch/early dinner at this spot. The cucumber/mint yogurt dip is to die for and the chicken salad with rice and salad was simple but perfect. I was licking my plate!

Do

My favorite thing to do in any city is To wander. On our first day we walked nearly 8 miles. Pretty impressive, right? It also offset our weekend food and drink intake 😉

A few not to be missed Brooklyn activities include walking the Brooklyn Bridge, exploring Dumbo and capturing the iconic view of the Manhattan Bridge with the Empire State Building perfectly framed {as pictured above}. I also enjoyed strolling down Atlantic Avenue in Prospect Heights and popping into the shops. My favorites include Steven Alan Home and The Primary Essentials.

We are in talks about our next #MRKT adventure. Berlin, London, and Seattle are just a few places on the table. Do let me know if you have any recommendations!