Turning 30 is a birthday worth celebrating big, and my mom decided to make it extra special by planning a surprise quick trip to New York City. With Broadway shows and a dreamy Breakfast at Tiffany’s experience on the agenda, it was bound to be an unforgettable trip.

Day 1: Double Dose of Broadway

We kicked off our NYC adventure with an early morning landing, (Thanks, Jet Blue!) and wasted no time. Trying to score rush matinee tickets, we found ourselves with the dilemma of choosing between shows. Opting for spontaneity over waiting for rush tickets, we snagged floor seats to Funny Girl, where getting to witness Lea Michele’s stellar performance was a dream.

With hearts still aflutter from the matinee, we dined at the Marriott Marquis, fueling up for our evening show, “Once Upon a One More Time.” While non-traditional for Broadway, (and polar opposite of the traditional Funny Girl) the allure of the Marquis Theatre’s latest offering left us thoroughly entertained.

Day 2: Birthday Bliss at Tiffany’s

July 10th, my 30th birthday. Since this day only happens every 364 days, I had to snag a birthday bagel from Liberty Bagels. (The rainbow bagel is free on your birthday)

But the pièce de résistance awaited at Tiffany & Co.’s coveted Blue Box Cafe at the flagship store on 5th Ave—a lifelong dream come true. Immersed in the iconic cafe, we savored every moment of our “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” experience. Tiffany & Co is actually one of the main reasons I got into marketing, the blue boxes are just so incredibly iconic. My mom is a rockstar and got us the reservations, which I am still shocked we had. (I will have to write another blog to showcase this experience because it was just magical).

After Tiffany’s, we did a little shopping and walked back to the hotel for an outfit change. We had to do some birthday shopping. We hopped in a cab and went over to the Polène store, they make beautiful leather bags and something pretty cool about the NYC store, a machine where you can customize your own wallet or keychain. After that we went to channel our inner Swifties to walk Cornelia Street. As the evening came to an end, we toasted to my milestone birthday at the Starbucks Reserve, for dinner and some drinks.

Day 3: Farewell, NYC

On day 3 we bid adieu to NYC since it was just a little trip. Something I had always wanted to do (even though it’s touristy) was go to Ellen’s diner. While it’s not fine dining by any means, it was so fun watching the staff perform and I highly recommend doing it. We walked Time Square for a bit, stopped by Bryant Park, got some coffee and headed to LGA (which got a major upgrade since I had last seen it)

A Birthday to Remember

In the whirlwind of lights and laughter, my 30th birthday in NYC was filled with cherished moments with my mom. From Broadway spectacles to Tiffany’s dreams come true, every experience etched itself into my memory, in the city that never sleeps. Cheers to another decade of adventures and unforgettable moments!