Hey loves!
There’s something magical about New York City in the spring, especially when you get to explore iconic neighborhoods like the Upper East Side. If you follow me on Instagram (@flopereira), you know how much I adore this city, and I’ve been promising to take you all on more neighborhood explorations through my YouTube channel. Well, today’s the day!
Morning Coffee at Ralph’s
My day began with a mission to beat the crowds at one of NYC’s most Instagram-worthy coffee spots: Ralph’s Coffee inside the Ralph Lauren store on the Upper East Side. This place has absolutely exploded in popularity over the past few months—if you caught my vlogmas back in December, you might remember the insane lines I showed you!
Pro tip: If you want to experience Ralph’s without the chaos, weekday mornings are your best bet. The weekend crowds can be overwhelming, and honestly, the experience is so much more enjoyable when you can actually find a seat and savor your coffee in peace.
The Upper East Side has this perfect blend of old-world charm and modern luxury. Walking these streets, you can’t help but feel like you’re strolling through a scene from «Gossip Girl» or «Breakfast at Tiffany’s.» There’s something timeless about this neighborhood that keeps drawing me back.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art: A Must-Visit
After fueling up with caffeine, I headed to what I consider the crown jewel of NYC museums: The Metropolitan Museum of Art (or as we all call it, The MET). If you’re visiting New York for the first time or have limited time in the city, this would be my number one museum recommendation.
Why? It’s not just about the incredible collections—though those are reason enough—it’s also about the building itself, perched majestically at the edge of Central Park. You get art, architecture, and one of the world’s most famous parks all in one visit. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve visited the MET, which says a lot considering how many amazing museums we have in this city!
The «Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion» Exhibition
The main event of my visit was checking out the newly opened Costume Institute exhibition, «Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion,» which debuted right after this year’s MET Gala. As a fashion lover, I knew this was something I had to see and share with all of you!
Planning Your Visit: What You Need to Know
Let me save you some potential frustration with a few crucial tips:
- Join the virtual queue immediately: As soon as you enter the museum, scan the QR code to join the virtual line for the exhibition. When I visited around lunchtime, the wait was about an hour.
- Use your wait time wisely: This hour-long wait is actually a blessing in disguise! It gives you time to explore other parts of the museum. My personal favorites are the Temple of Dendur, the American Wing with its beautiful courtyard, and the European sculpture galleries.
- Expect crowds: I tried my best to film without showing the crowds in my YouTube video, but I won’t sugarcoat it—this exhibition is PACKED. The hallways are narrow, and sometimes you’ll be shoulder-to-shoulder with other visitors. Patience is key here!
The Exhibition: A Multi-Sensory Experience
«Sleeping Beauties» explores three fascinating themes that I think perfectly capture the intersection of fashion, art, and history:
1. Fashion as Art
The exhibition beautifully illustrates how garments transform from wearable items to preserved works of art once they enter the Costume Institute. Some pieces are so delicate and fragile that they can’t even be displayed on mannequins—instead, they’re laid flat in «sleeping» positions (hence the exhibition name). These centuries-old pieces can never be worn again without risking destruction, which gives them this hauntingly beautiful quality.
2. Technology & Fashion
The curators did an incredible job showcasing the evolution of fashion technology. You’ll see garments from the 1700s alongside pieces with 3D-printed elements, highlighting how craftsmanship has evolved yet remained true to its artistic roots.
What truly blew me away was how they used modern technology to bring these «sleeping» garments to life—3D animations show how these dresses would have moved when worn. Even more fascinating? They’ve created installations that let you experience how certain garments would have smelled in their time! It’s fashion history engaging all your senses.
3. Nature’s Influence
The exhibition beautifully demonstrates how the natural world has inspired fashion throughout history. From butterfly motifs to bird-inspired headpieces (some with actual preserved birds from previous centuries—which honestly made me a bit uncomfortable), to ocean-inspired blue hues and floral embroidery that mirrored garden designs.
You’ll recognize some contemporary pieces too—like a dress from «The Hunger Games» and red carpet gowns alongside historical treasures from centuries past.
When to Visit
If you’re planning to check out «Sleeping Beauties,» timing is everything. Based on my experience, here’s what I’d suggest:
- Most crowded: May and early June (right after opening) and late August/early September (before closing)
- Potentially less crowded: July and mid-August
- Time of day: I thought lunchtime would be quieter, but apparently everyone had the same idea! If you’ve visited at a time that wasn’t overcrowded, please share your experience in the comments!
Final Thoughts
Taking these solo adventures around NYC to share with all of you has become one of my favorite parts of content creation. While my Instagram has always featured New York City heavily, I’ve been wanting to bring more in-depth explorations to my YouTube channel for over a year now.
There’s something so fulfilling about taking myself on these little dates around the city—grabbing coffee, visiting museums, walking through iconic neighborhoods, and documenting it all to share with you. Even if these videos might not always be my most-watched content, they’re among my most cherished to create because they capture my genuine love for this incredible city.
Have you visited the MET or the Upper East Side? Do you have any favorite spots in the neighborhood that I should check out next time? Let me know in the comments!
Until next time,
Flor – @flopereira
Find me on: Instagram
