a mini nyc-based guide your inner child would love
trading our metro cards for arcade tokens :)
Hi friend,
I recently shared a whimsy New York guide filled with all the things I love right now. That one was 100% curated for who we are today, which is cool! But it got me thinking. I want to build a guide specifically for our inner child.
There is no right or wrong way to explore, we’re in NYC after all, but lately I’ve wanted to make exploring the city feel like childlike fun again.
That’s what led me to Barcade recently, which is exactly what it sounds like: part arcade, part bar. It was so much fun, and it got me thinking about how arcades were the original “third space” before that was even a phrase. In the ’90s, they were the ultimate social hub because arcade machines had better graphics than anything you could get at home.
Sometimes, I think it’s worth slowing down and centering ourselves around the things that remind us of who we were before the algorithms, the notifications and the endless scrolling.
Not to live in the past, just to remember it, and maybe borrow a little bit of that nostalgic, childhood feeling for the present.
The city is basically one giant playground if you let it be. There’s always something new to try and always a modern version of anything that makes you feel like a kid again.
Here are a few spots that might be perfect for it:
things to do
Barcade - part arcade, part bar (love it)
Dave & Buster’s - another fun, gaming hangout spot
Chelsea Piers - an entire sports campus
Roller Skating Rinks - because they’re so nostalgic :)
Build-A-Bear Workshop - yes, you’re allowed to go as an adult (i always wanted one when i was a kid)
Nintendo NY in Rockefeller Center - peak childhood gaming
Color Factory - playful, and made for photo ops.
food & treats
Anime cafes - for the cartoon-obsessed kid in you
we can try One Piece Cafe, Naruto Ramen, Goku Kitchen & Ramen Goku
Economy Candy - a candy playground
tiny joys
Photobooths - Old Friend or Autophoto Photobooth Museum
Vintage shopping - I’ve been to Beacon’s Closet in Williamsburg and found some cool pieces
The Strand’s $3 - $7 stands - flipping through old books
If you get the chance to try any of these, I'd love to hear about it.
And I think it's worth remembering: just because we grow up doesn't mean we have to stop being kids <3
The best version of adulthood is the one that still leaves room for our younger selves.