Years before I moved to New York, I lived vicariously through the fabulous foursome: Carrie Bradshaw, Samantha Jones, Charlotte York, and Miranda Hobbes from Sex and the City. I fancied myself a perfect blend of Carrie and Charlotte, and counted down the years until I would graduate college, get offered my dream job in NYC, spend every Sunday morning downing mimosas and gossiping with my 3 besties at “our spot”, until eventually finding my own perfect blend of Mr. Big and Harry Goldenblatt and live happily ever after in our West Village brownstone.
Well.
My fantasy is what I like to call a “work in progress”, but years later, there is still no re-run that gives me the same hopeful delight as SATC. That’s why, when realizing I’d spent time at the MET, Top of the Rock, and a million other touristy spots around the city, I was shocked that I had not made a point to experience this tour. That clearly had to change, pronto.
I contacted On Location Tours, made a reservation for two, and hopped aboard the charter bus parked by The Plaza (i.e. the location of Mr. Big’s engagement party not to Carrie…ouch.) Our tour guide, Staci Jacobs, was hysterical (she considers herself a combo of Samantha’s sass and Miranda’s sarcasm), and had me in stitches the entire time.
We watched favorite clips from the series on the bus, while driving by popular spots from the show: Bergdorf Goodman’s, the Coffee Shop, The New York Public Library, and Equinox, the gym where Charlotte went to pick up smoothies and hotties. We made pit stops at a few favorite spots like the Pleasure Chest where Charlotte found her rabbit,
Buddakan where Carrie and Big had their engagement party,
and Onieal’s Speakeasy, which served as Aidan and Steve’s bar, Scout. We stopped in Onieal’s for, what else? Cosmos all around! I chatted with a lovely couple visiting from London, a true Charlotte who had clearly found her Harry. (I’ll take this moment to applaud the handful of men who were dragged along on the tour…including my own Big/Harry…thanks for being such fabulous troopers!)
Back on the bus, we had a fabulous array of sprinkled cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery to nosh on, the girls’ faves. As Carrie would say, “Every once in awhile, a girl has to indulge herself.” That, Ms. Bradshaw, is so true.
Jessica Tiare Bowen lives in the juicy Big Apple with her adorable pink-nosed chihuahua, Gillman. He’s the inspiration for her first published children’s book, “Park Avenue Pound Puppy.” The book is the combined result of her two greatest passions: pooches and penning stories.
Her passions include art, urban hikes through Manhattan, drinking coffee with 3 creams and 6 sugars, making extremely detailed itineraries and traveling to far away places, singing along to Broadway shows, Netflix movie nights, discovering incredible treasures at Goodwill and thrift stores, and listening to stories from little people under 7 and big people over 70.
She started her career as New York City Teaching Fellow, teaching elementary school and theater arts at a special education school in the South Bronx for 6 years. She is now a Special Education School Improvement Specialist working in public schools throughout New York City. She is the Editor-In-Chief of the online New York City travel magazine, Used York City. The magazine focuses on finding the best of New York…as used by New Yorkers. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and an ASPCA Ambassador.
