In this week’s Travel Tuesday Interview, I chat with NYC native Jennifer O’Brien, who runs the TheTravelWomen.com, a community of women travelers! I met Jennifer when she was working at Budget Travel magazine a few years ago, and she’s my go-to NYC expert! She shares her favorite restaurants, budget tips and favorite secret spots in the city!
Name: Jennifer O’Brien
Age: 26
Hometown: New York City
Countries: 23
Website: TheTravelWomen.com
Instagram: @JennifersCamera & @TheTravelWomen
1. How did you start traveling?
My first time on an airplane was when I was only one-year-old, and my parents brought me to San Diego. A few family trips later, I studied abroad in Parma, Italy for a semester, which allowed me to visit ten more countries. The travel bug bit me hard, and I found every opportunity and holiday to take vacations and travel more. I founded The Travel Women, which is a community for women by women to empower women to get out of their comfort zone and travel more! I am excited to share that I am now dedicating myself full time to my passion of traveling with The Travel Women!
2. Why do you like living in NYC?
NYC is huge and small at the same time. I love how it constantly surprises me, just when I think I figure out a neighborhood or the best pizza, I move and discover a new side of NYC! I have now lived in five different neighborhoods and love Williamsburg the most!
3. What are your three favorite places to eat in the city?
It is so hard to only pick three favorite spots, but here are my current favorites in Williamsburg:
- Mesa Coyoacan: This one-of-a-kind Mexican spot is my favorite Mexican food outside of Mexico—YES, it is THAT good. From the flavorful chicken in the tortilla soup to the fried grasshoppers that come with a shot of mezcal, which surprisingly taste a lot like salted sunflower seeds.
- Carmine’s Pizza: I cannot get enough of Carmine’s pizza right now. It’s one of the best places that offers pizza by the slice and even gluten free pizza! The ricotta and Kalamata olives slice is my current obsession.
- Loosie Rouge: This is a little interior design heaven with grass on the door, hammocks and colorful walls made for Instagram. The food is also pretty amazing, too! They have salmon or bacon with their eggs benedicts that come on waffles, which is the best combo of salty and sweet! The “Matcha Patcha” drink is amazing featuring matcha tea, shochu, elderflower, lime and spring flora.
4. Share some tips for traveling on a budget in NYC.
- Getting a CityPASS can help you see multiple attractions for less. For example, you can save more with the pass for six attractions ($122 USD), but their C3 pass for three attractions could be perfect for people only in NYC for a few days.
- Research museums that offer “recommended” rates so you can pay what you want especially if you’re going to a lot of museums.
- Take a ride on the Staten Island Ferry for some of the best views of Manhattan.
5. What are some great off-the-beaten path places to visit in the city?
One of my favorite parks is Elizabeth Street Garden, a small little European style garden full of statues. Another lesser known spot is the Queens Museum, where you can see the 1985 Panorama, a miniature metropolis of New York City. Queens Museum is in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, which also includes two remnants of the World’s Fair including a giant globe.
6. What is the biggest myth about NYC?
The biggest myth is definitely that all New Yorkers are rude. Yes, some of them can be but I’ve also met some wonderful and friendly people.
7. Share one of your favorite adventures in the city.
One day I was walking past Gramercy Park, the only private park left in NYC, and I saw a group of people my age with a key and started a conversation with them. They mentioned it wasn’t their key and asked if I wanted to come in, and I naturally said yes. I was so excited to explore this private green oasis during the golden hour on a day [when] I had my camera on me. The funniest part of the adventure though was just after sunset I realized that I was one of the last people in the park and that apparently you needed a key to exit the park. I almost got locked in and was so happy I realized just in time to casually follow a local out with their key!
8. What advice would you have for aspiring travelers? Any tips for overcoming fear?
Do what you love and it won’t seem as scary! If you’ve always been dreaming about a certain place or experience, go do it and the obstacles you thought would stand in your way won’t really be obstacles at all! If you’re afraid of traveling solo, start small by traveling in your own backyard to a local museum or park by yourself and overcome your fears slowly to realize that it’s not that bad. It can be more fun to travel solo!
9. Name three things you always pack for a trip.
The first thing I pack is definitely my camera gear including charger, extra batteries and extra memory cards. Second, it always helps to have tweezers around for everything from keeping your eyebrows nice to getting rid of a splinter. The third thing I love to have are snacks. Depending on where you’re going or how long the transportation takes, having a few different flavored granola bars goes a long way!
10. What is your next adventure?
I am currently packing for a trip to Panama with another blogger, where we will cover all the best spots from the Panama Canal through to Starfish Beach.
For more about Jennifer, follow her on Instagram, Twitter and at TheTravelWomen.com!
