Sometimes last minute trips are the best ones.

There's no time to have an anxiety attack over the details. Just throw a bunch of stuff in a suitcase (Mostly black, grey, and denim because hey, it's New York and all the natives are rocking dark palettes 24/7.) and go.

So, recently we had the chance to motor to NYC and stay at The Palace, which all my fellow fans of Blair, Dorota, Serena, and Lily know is really the Gossip Girl hotel.  A few snaps of the famous Christmas tree in their courtyard (2nd only to the one at Rockefeller Center in the photo above) are a must, whether you're staying at the hotel or not.

If you didn’t make it to the city for Christmas, no worries because there are plenty of reasons to take a trip for (or after) New Year’s! Here are a few highlights, recommendations, and tips, all inspired by our recent excursion.

1. This wouldn't be a PattyJ post without a coffee mention, and the Gossip Girl tie-in hands down has gotta be Sant Ambroeus on Madison, a brisk walk or short cab ride from our hotel. Kelly Rutherford, aka, Lily Van der Woodsen, has updated via Instagram from there multiple times over. You might also catch a glimpse of Lenny Kravitz (He cited SA as a fav dating back to his childhood in a profile in the NY Post a few years back.) or another equally famous person. While we were there for a late brekkie the other day, we spotted none other than Derek Blasberg and Karlie Kloss.

2. On a much smaller scale, but adorable as heck is Remi Flower & Coffee on 2nd Avenue. Get an oat milk latte or hot chocolate and a muffin and (hopefully) take some fone fotos from this extremely photogenic combination cafe and florist. Still waiting for someone to open something like this in Rhode Island btw. It would be mad popular!

3. After you pick up something Charlotte Tilbury at Bloomies or Sephora (Forget Kylie because Charlotte is literally the hottest makeup line right now.), head down to the Whitney in the Meatpacking District to see the new Warhol exhibit, the most extensive showing of his work in over 30 years. And Andy would have loved the souvenirs for purchase down on level one, everything from pencils and t-shirts emblazoned with his likeness to a photo booth where for a few bucks, you can stage your own Warhol-esque photo shoot.

4. While you’re in the neighborhhood, be sure to also check out the brand new Starbucks Roastery. It was inspired by the cafe lifestyle in Italy where you can enjoy cocktails or wine as well as a cappucino. (They also opened the very first one of these in Milan btw.) So, there’s a beautiful bar on the 2nd level and back on 1st, you’ll find bakery counters where you can buy pastry or bread, a fireplace, special premium coffees for sale, and cozy seating. It’s not like any other Starbucks we’ve ever seen. Probably why there was a line of ppl down the block waiting to get in earlier in the week too.

5. In addition, the Restoration Hardware concept store nearby boasts a rooftop restaurant. You may have already spied it over on Instagram. Even if you’re not in the market for any new furniture, you’ll definitely want to scope out the impressive looking eatery whilst you’re in the vicinity.

6. Shoes you can walk in (again, flat boots or booties and stylish sneakers are always fantastic choices) and the Curb app should be high on your list in terms of packing and quick prep. We were singing the praises of Uber and Lyft - until, that is, we ended up stranded at the Whole Foods near Bryant Park just after lunch. Thankfully we were able to hail a yellow taxi to get back uptown. The Curb app allows you to pay for your taxi rides and tip the driver via your smart phone, all very old school NYC meets digital age.