Sex and the City’s guide to New York City: eat cupcakes like And Just Like That’s Carrie and Miranda at Magnolia Bakery, visit Charlotte’s Louis K. Meisel Gallery, and hang at Soho House like Samantha
This year marks the 25th anniversary of Sex and the City, the HBO series that changed TV forever with its unapologetic attitude and unvarnished portrayal of women’s sexuality, values, fashion, friendships and relationships.
To commemorate this special milestone, the franchise has just kicked off its second season of the spin-off series And Just Like That.
Still following the lives of the iconic foursome – Carrie Bradshaw, Charlotte York, Miranda Hobbes, and with a cameo from crowd-favourite Samantha Jones – the new series promises a healthy dose of nostalgia, which got us glancing back the unforgettable scenes and key locations that made the OG series the defining TV moment of a generation.
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Let’s take a look back at the most iconic spots from SATC that you can visit IRL:
1. Loeb Boathouse
Who can forget the season three finale when Carrie fell into the lake after having lunch with Mr Big?
Forever etched in our collective memories, it was a scene for the pop culture history books. Live your own SATC moment by booking a lunch at the Loeb Boathouse where Carrie and Mr Big dined before the water incident.
2. Grab cupcakes at Magnolia Bakery
Initially opening as a small shop in West Village in 1996, Magnolia Bakery has since become a staple on every foodie’s bucket list and has expanded internationally.
Perhaps its success can be thanked in part to SATC’s third season, where Carrie and Miranda are seen sitting on a bench tucking into the baker’s decadent cupcakes. If you do choose to grab one of the sweet treats, go full-on stan and order the commemorative “Carrie” cupcake.
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3. Get your culture fix at Charlotte’s Louis K. Meisel Gallery
The series’ first season introduces viewers to Louis K. Meisel Gallery, where Charlotte works as a gallery manager.
The real-life arts hub has a fascinating history and is well worth a visit. Opened in 1973 at 141 Prince Street in SoHo, the space’s founder is credited with coining the term “photorealism” four years earlier.
4. Visit the iconic Plaza Hotel
The Plaza Hotel has served as a backdrop for many films and TV shows over the years, including Home Alone 2, Bride Wars and The Great Gatsby – and SATC.
In one scene, Carrie stumbles upon Mr Big’s engagement party to Natasha at the luxurious hotel. Whether you choose to stay at the five-star property or simply admire its architectural elegance, The Plaza Hotel has long served as a landmark for the city.
5. Carrie Bradshaw’s Manhattan home
In 2021, Airbnb and Warner Bros. Consumer Products partnered up to host a limited-time opportunity to book and stay in Carrie’s Upper East Side apartment.
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For just US$23 a night, the lucky guests were given the opportunity to stay in the place where Carrie once called home. While this was a one-off thing, stans can still locate the stylish apartment and sit on the steps where many scenes were filmed in the show.
6. Take a stroll in Central Park
It’s simply not a trip to New York without visiting Central Park. Even the show’s fashionably aloof characters found plenty of time to visit the unavoidable landmark.
Why not relive some SATC memories while you’re at it, by heading to the pavillion, walking the dogs like Charlotte, or having a picnic in the sun?
7. Watch a game at Yankee Stadium
Whether you’re a fan of baseball or not, Yankee Stadium is one of the main attractions of being in the Big Apple.
If you’re not into the sport though, as Carrie puts it in season two after her break-up with Mr Big, “I was a huge fan of being anywhere you could smoke and drink at two in the afternoon without judgment.”
8. Try something new with Trapeze School New York
For one of her editorial assignments, Carrie goes trapeze “flying” – and falls in love with it.
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The adventurous activity isn’t for the faint hearted but if you’re looking to try something new – while enjoying incredible views of the city – then you too, can live out your daredevil dreams like Carrie.
9. Knock back the famed house ale at Pete’s Tavern
Pete’s Tavern is currently America’s oldest continuously operating bar and restaurant – according to the business itself, anyway – which is already reason enough to pay a visit.
SATC fans would also know that this establishment, founded in 1864, is also where Miranda asked Steve Brady to marry her.
10. Grab a slice at Two Boots Pizza
New York pizza claims to be the best in the world – and two Boots Pizza might be up there among New York’s finest pizzerias.
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11. Soho House
In season six, Samantha reminded us just how OTT the club life can be sometimes. To get into the pool area, she pretends to be someone else. This episode also features a cameo with Spice Girl Geri Halliwell.
- It’s 25 years since Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon redefined television with their unapologetic depiction of friendship, fashion and dating in HBO’s smash hit
- With the release of spin-off And Just Like That season 2, we look back at the OG series’ most iconic scenes, from Spice Girls’ Geri Halliwell at Soho House to The Plaza Hotel