The Best NYC Hang-Out Spots, According To A New York Teen
Plus: A cozy fall-ish playlist (because it’s still *technically* fall) 🍁
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Bloomer in the Spotlight 🌼
Meet Juliette, a born-and-bred New Yorker who loves music and can play multiple instruments (viola! French horn! Ukulele!) like it’s nbd.
Juliette is a high school sophomore who’s lived in the Big Apple her whole life. Below, we chat about her favorite hang-out spots, what it’s like sharing an apartment with her family during a pandemic, and more.
Late Bloomer: What’s it like growing up in New York City?
Juliette: I think living here gives me a lot more freedom than living in the suburbs. In the suburbs, you need to get everywhere in the car and you need to get your parents to drive you around. For me, I get out of school and I can hang out with my friends. I can go to the park, I can go get some food. We can do that on our own.
LB: During quarantine, did you ever feel like you wished you were somewhere else?
Juliette: Literally every single day. I share a room with my brother and we all had to Zoom from home [for school]. My dad works from home––he sells books. My mom went to graduate school and became a speech therapist and she works at a school, so she had to work from home. I ended up in my parents’ bedroom. My brother ended up in the middle of the living room and my mom ended up in my room. It was a hassle; we could always hear each other through the walls [laughs]. My apartment is so small so it was really hard.
LB: What’s it like sharing a room with your brother?
Juliette: My brother’s 18 and he’s in college. He would be living in a dorm if he wasn’t going to college in the city. He’s never really in the room. He’s mostly in the living room and then he sleeps in here. That’s basically it.
LB: So he’s like a good roommate.
Juliette: He’s pretty good. He snores, but he’s pretty good [laughs].
LB: How would your friends describe you as a person?
Juliette: Probably very extroverted. And bubbly.
LB: As an extrovert, was it tough for you when everyone was in lockdown at the beginning of the pandemic?
Juliette: Definitely. One of my best friends since kindergarten moved away to North Carolina in 2021 so when we went back to school [in-person], she wasn’t there. So it was hard for me to make new friends. I didn’t really know that many people going into my high school. And it was hard during quarantine not being able to see her or my other close friends. I was just bored all day.
LB: How did you stay connected? Did you have an ongoing group chat?
Juliette: This is gonna sound really bad, but during school we’d text. It would just be small things but we’d get distracted super easily.
LB: I mean, anyone who was remote working was texting and they’re lying if they say they weren’t! Are you involved in any extracurriculars?
Juliette: I’m really into music. I actually had music club today. I’m in this thing called Hawk Street Band and it’s really cool because it’s more advanced kids that play music––most of them are seniors. We pretty much learn new music every day. I also do a lot of choir things. I’m in an a capella group that hasn’t started up yet. I was part of the musical last year.
LB: Who are some of your favorite musical artists?
Juliette: I like Oasis and Weezer.
LB: Walk me through a typical day in the life of Juliette.
Juliette: So in the morning I wake up and I basically have no time because I wanna get as much sleep as possible. It depends on the day. If I go to sleep late because of homework, then I wake up later because I have two alarms. Usually, I wake up at 6 a.m. and the other days I wake up at 6:15 a.m. But anyway, I shower and get dressed. Sometimes I have time for breakfast. I’ve started to realize that when I have breakfast in the morning it makes me feel less tired. Most of the time [laughs]. But it has to be really quick because I have to leave by 7 a.m. I drink coffee, but not in the mornings. I don’t feel like it’s helpful for me. I just drink it ‘cause it tastes good.
I have to wear a uniform, so it’s kind of easier because I obviously don’t have to pick out my clothes every day. But they’re really strict about it. Like, you have to wear all-black shoes and if there’s a smidge of any other color, they send you home. And you can’t wear anything that doesn’t say my school’s name on it.
LB: Have you ever gotten sent home?
Juliette: No, my mom would kill me [laughs].
My school’s 20 minutes away on the train, so I get on the 6 train and it’s right there on 33rd Street. After school, I pretty much go out every day with my friends. Sometimes we go to Macy’s [laughs]. It’s really random but we go to Macy’s and just hang out and walk around the mall area ‘cause in New York City you just can’t walk around the streets without bothering a bunch of people. We figure that’s easier.
After that, I get home and usually procrastinate with my homework, eat dinner, and talk with my friends a little bit.
LB: Do you hang out with your friends on the weekends?
Juliette: Sometimes we go to the movies or shopping at Hudson Yards. It’s huge and it’s cool to just chill there. That’s been our main chill spot on weekends.
I love shopping. I like Target because that’s my go-to for everything. I go to H&M a lot. I like to go to Sephora because, you know, the makeup. I love testing out the little samples.
LB: I’m all about the samples. What are the kinds of conversations you and your friends are having right now?
Juliette: We talk about college a lot because my school’s really strict on college applications and stuff. I already have to write some essays for teacher recommendations and I’m only a sophomore. We also just talk about grades in general because my school’s pretty overwhelming for most of the students. That’s the main topic of conversation even for people I don’t really know that well––like, how stressed out we are from all the work.
LB: Would you want to leave New York for college?
Juliette: I know I want to leave the city because I want to experience something else. I was thinking of USC because my friend went there. She’s a theater major and that’s something I really want to do. But if not that, I kind of want to go to Tulane because I love New Orleans. It’s really cool there.
LB: What’s something that’s bringing you joy right now?
Juliette: I’ve been playing the saxophone for a year and I just learned how to play the French horn today. I just picked it up because of the music teacher and that’s so exciting for me. I don’t know why, but I just like how to play new instruments. It was really easy for me to grasp.
I can sight read piano and I used to play the viola for seven years. I also play the ukulele.
LB: As a native New Yorker, what are your top recommendations for people who have never visited before?
Juliette: I would definitely say Soho. I live by Soho and love it so much. It never gets old. There’s so many stores and there’s the Museum of Ice Cream, which I’ve never been to but really want to go.
LB: I agree. It’s also great for people-watching.
Juliette: And Times Square. I mean, it’s definitely not overrated or underrated. It’s just Times Square [laughs]. You can’t miss it. Also, the West Village is probably one of the best places, specifically between W. 4th and 9th St. I love that area.
A few of Juliette’s favorite things:
Fall: Even though most of the time I don’t end up doing them, I always have the biggest plans for fall. Hay rides, pumpkin picking, haunted houses, and apple cider. I just love the feeling of fall and the spirit it brings to NYC.
Lavender: The smell of lavender simply changes my mood. Whenever I buy a candle, which I don’t normally, lavender is always my go-to scent.
Brandy Melville sweatpants: I could not live without sweatpants. Sunday mornings, going to the store in my sweatpants is my favorite thing to do, even if I get weird looks for it.
The West Village: If you don’t know, the West Village is in lower Manhattan and it is arguably the most peaceful part of New York City. This area has every restaurant you could imagine and it has the nicest vibes. If you’re ever in NYC, check it out!
Pasta: As an Italian, I could not live without pasta. My favorite pasta dish is baked ziti. It’s pretty basic but my dad makes it perfectly.
tysm, Juliette! 🌼
Beyond the Algorithm 🔮
Yes, we are officially in December but mentally, my brain is still in September which means continuing to listen to songs that feel like oversized sweaters, pumpkin-scented products, and all-things cozy. Here’s a sampling of what you’ve been enjoying on these crisp autumnal days:
1. “Forgiveness” by Rina Sawayama
“I would say any song from Rina Sawayama’s new album. ‘Forgiveness’ is somber and upbeat at the same time. Rina really has a way with her lyrics.” ––Raine, 15
2. “Step” by Vampire Weekend
––Ella, 17
3. “Bad Habit” by Steve Lacy
“He's one of my favorite artists and I think this song really defines his newer sound.” ––Sophia, 17
4. “What Would I Do?” by Strawberry Guy
5. "Lily (My One And Only)" by The Smashing Pumpkins
“This song just feels like a walk in a garden with autumn trees around and leaves scattered by your feet. (The fact that the band name has "pumpkins" in it might make me think of fall without realizing it too, lol :)” ––Anjali, 18
6. “You Are a Light” by Pavement
“This whole album is so fall to me. This song though just reminds me of all my friends and being back at college and feeling really lucky. And also, Pavement is fantastic.” ––Margot, 19
7. “There’s Your Trouble” by The Chicks
“CRIMINALLY good. Country music reminds me of fall so much and even if you’re not a country fan, this song is just SO catchy and plucky and awesome.”
8. “Autumn Sweater” by Yo La Tengo
“It’s autumn! No explanation needed!”
ICYMI 🗞
In the meantime… ✨
I cannot stop thinking about this fan who was (consensually) smooched by The 1975 frontman Matty Healy at a Vegas concert. Twenty-four-year-old Isabella gave SYSCA the exclusive on all the details.
And here’s a song to get ya through the week:
P.S. We wanna hear from you! 🐌
Want to nominate a friend (or yourself!) for “Bloomer in the Spotlight”? Got a burning question for “Plz Advise”? A brilliant recommendation for “Beyond the Algorithm” or an idea for something else?
Get in touch at latebloomernewsletter@gmail.com 💘