For our anniversary this year,  Tim and I decided to go away without the kids for the first time. Taking a vacation was something kind of new to me when we were just married. I grew up in Michigan and stayed there through college. I always traveled with my family and, mostly, by car. After moving to Chicago post-college for a job in advertising, I worked so much that when I did take time away I loved to bike around town, discovering each of the different Chicago neighborhoods.

Tim is a traveler and always was, so once we got hitched, taking vacations was something he got me to fully embrace. Driving trips to Wisconsin, Michigan and Iowa took up weekends, and flights to long weeks in Hawaii, St. John, London, Spain and Italy were shiny glimpses to look forward to on our calendar. We’re both total planners. But when moving around in vacation mode and in another city, we’d often just arrive and figure it out. Once we had Orlagh and, later, Iris, traveling together and without them became a hazy thought.

This summer, when we talked about our upcoming anniversary, we both kind of looked at each other and said: Let’s go away the two of us. We decided on Manhattan — perfect, especially in the fall, and so close and easy. With the help of our grandparents, we left late Thursday after seeing the girls home from school. Soggy rain filled our first day in New York City, which we spent wandering Brooklyn, but after that it misted off and on and was so nice. A few notable spots:

STAY | The Jade Hotel (Greenwich Village) | Neighborhood vibe with beautiful brownstones. Quiet and a short walk to the subway.

EAT | Sumurai Mama (Williamsburg) | The most amazing udon noodles and sushi. The Plaza Food Hall (Central Park) | Great stop for a quick bite and to warm up on the way to The Met. Mimi Cheng’s (Lower East) | Casual spot for dumplings and a beer.

SHOP | The Frankie Shop (Lower East) Styled, like its sister store, Pixie Market, but slightly more grown up. I picked up a deep red, boxy sweater and a pajama-like striped top for everyday. Check out their insta. Collier West (Boerum Hill) | Great furniture, art and home decor. Twisted Lily and Atelier Cologne (Boerum Hill) | beautiful scents and perfumes.

We strolled The High Line and Central Park and took in an afternoon at The Met, appreciating being tourists and wandering for hours. We’re so looking forward to coming back.

{Photo of Samurai Mama, courtesy of their website.}