New York TV Guide: Gossip Girl vs Sex and The City (SATC)
It is no longer a surprise or shock or question. I love romantic TV shows and movies; the soppier, the better. I love a good love story, with light drama and a beautiful cast. I am not very picky tbh and I just watch TV for what it is, entertainment.
Two of my favourite TV shows of all time are Sex and The City (popularly known as SATC) and Gossip Girl. I’m actually not sure which one comes first in my heart, as I do love both, equally.
Therefore, on this visit to NY, I decided to do a little tour around the city to see how many SATC and Gossip Girl locations I could find in the time we were there.
Sex and The City
The New York Public Library
Located on 42nd Street and 5th Avenue.
“The Classic New York landmark that housed all the great love stories” – Carrie Bradshaw
Oh the disaster! THE BIG SCREW UP!
Quel horreur!
How can we forget Carrie dressed up in her spectacular wedding dress ready to marry Big at the New York Public Library but he changes his silly, indecisive mind last minute JUST BEFORE THE WEDDING CEREMONY and basically lets her down.
Sigh…… that scene was gut wrenching and even though she smashed her bouquet of flowers on him for what he did, it was not enough for me to forgive him. I don’t think I actually ever got over it.
Then Big is apologising *insert rolling eyes* “Carrie I’m sorry” and trying to catch up with her but then my fave girl, Charlotte screams at him with all the power in her body and venom in her eyes “NO“! Hashtag Girl Power. Thank God for female friendships aka sisterhoods!
66 Perry Street – Carrie Bradshaw’s Front Steps
We loved her cute apartment and often saw her coming out of those big brown doors, skipping down the stairs in her Manolos and heading off to jump into a taxi. For the first few seasons, this front door was a constant on our screens.
It has not changed much and I am very sure the current owners would like to change the colours of the door to discourage SATC fans from visiting but I have a feeling that 66 Perry street is now a national treasure under the protection of the New York city government and therefore, cannot be tampered with.
Hahaha Ok I crack myself up sometimes.
But imagine if the owners changed the colour of the door to white or black?! *shivers* I mean they have a ‘No Trespass’ sign and an ugly chain in front of the stairs to prevent people from climbing them but it is still a cute spot worth going to!
Magnolia Bakery
Just a few streets (or blocks as Americans would say) away from 66 Perry street, is The Magnolia Bakery! Located on the corner of 401 Bleecker street and West 11th Street, this is another very important SATC spot!
Remember Carrie and Miranda discussing Aidan while tucking into some cakes from the Magnolia Bakery? They are perched on a bench in front of the cake shop and Carrie talks excitedly about her developing love life and new crush.
While you are there, don’t just take pictures, try their red velvet cake, Yummy!
Brooklyn Bridge
In the movie, after Steve cheats on Miranda (why can’t these SATC men behave?!), they decide to meet halfway on the Brooklyn bridge if they both decide they want to give their relationship another try. Tbh the scene is quite emotional and I did shed a few tears.
The Brooklyn Bridge is a must visit spot and the fact that it has the SATC reference makes it all the more special!
Yankee Stadium
From my New York City Travel Guide, we have established that baseball is boring right?! Anyway, I was definitely glad to visit as it is such an iconic NY landmark. It also happens to feature in the beginning of the second season. Carrie is fresh off her breakup from Big and in order to cheer her up, the group head to the Yankee stadium.
Carrie does get lucky here as she manages to catch the ball (luck or destiny? You decide) and then gets a date with a Yankee player.
*MAJOR SPOILER ALERT* coming up if you have not seen SATC yet. (but wait, why wouldn’t you have seen it yet?)
Carrie does end up with Big, which a lot of SATC fans were not very happy about as Aidan seemed like the safer choice and probably, better man. But tbh Carrie and Big belonged together. If there was ever such a thing as soul mates, it had to be Carrie Bradshaw and her Mr Big! And no Aidan or Alexsandr Pretrovsky was going to change that!
Gossip Girl
Grand Central Terminal
Who remembers Season 1 Episode 1.
Serena appears on the balcony of Grand Central Terminal looking lost, confused, sad, I-don’t-want-to-be-here and not entirely in the mood? I doooooooooooo and that my friends, is where it all began!
Spotted: Lonely Boy aka Dan Humphrey and his family also arrive. Then, he spots Serena Van der Woodsen who he will later go on to have a relationship with. Of course he knows who she is because she is the most popular girl in school but at this point, she obviously has no clue who he is!
The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met Steps)
Located on 1000 5th Av 82nd Street
“Little J, could you move down a step?”
This one is a special location. My girl, Blair Waldorf aka Miss boujee and I’m-too-perfect often had lunch on the stairs. In the series, the MET steps seemed like it was literally across from their school but in reality, it is actually quite a distance from where the school would have been located.
If Art is your thing, you can enjoy the museum but if you want to live your best Blair Waldorf life, climb up the stairs in your headband and pretend to be a socialite, you’d fit right in!
Unfortunately, I could not sit on the stairs; bummer! We went on the Saturday before the The MET awards (you know, the one where Lady Gaga and the rest wowed? yup, that one). The stairs were cordoned off and being decorated. I managed to sneak a picture by climbing up one of the pillars (the things I do for my readers eh?!) until the security lady screamed at me to get off the ledge. No joke, this woman was charging towards me with a stick LMAO
New York Palace Hotel
aka Lotte New York Palace Hotel.
Chuck’s Dad owned the New York Palace Hotel and Serena with her family lived there. They had the must epic, boujee parties. The Van der Woodsen loft was the scene where a lot of poignant moments were shot and at some point, when Blair was trying to get through her boy drama, she even moved into the apartment as well.
It is located right at the corner of 50th street and Madison Avenue and has a terrace setting in front of the hotel. It is actually a really gorgeous building I must add.
Empire Hotel
Located on 44 West 63rd Street in Upper East Side.
Hey Chuck Bass! Mr Bass was my 2nd favourite character on Gossip Girl. We are introduced to The Empire Hotel when Chuck tells Blair that he has cashed in his shares in the Bass Industries stock and has bought the Empire Hotel.
Its iconic rooftop and sign can be seen all the way from central park and you get the Chuck Bass vibes immediately.
Side bar – SATC also featured The Empire Hotel in its 2nd movie.
The Humphrey Loft | DUMBO, Brooklyn
Dan Humphrey. Dan Humphrey. Dan Humphrey.
Our favourite lonely boy lived far away from Manhattan’s elite in Brooklyn. His quirky loft was supposedly just in one of those brown bricked apartments just under the Manhattan bridge aka DUMBO.
The loft was home to Dan’s dad, Rufus and his sister, Jenny. We also saw Vanessa and Georgina move in at some point too.
Central Park
A lot of Blair-Serena scenes were acted here, Chuck went for runs, Blair fed ducks with Dorota and Serena and Blair rekindled their relationship here. But the most iconic of them all was THE WEDDING!
So by now you have deduced that my favourite characters were Blair Wladorf and Chuck Bass right? It was in Central Park that Blair, in her gorgeous powder blue Elie Saab dress and Chuck pledged their undying love for each other and got married. Yes, my lovebirds ended up married and this made me the happiest girl in the world!
In the final scenes, we find out that Dan Humphrey is Gossip Girl. Then we are transported to 5 years later, it is Dan and Serena wedding’s day, we meet Chuck junior aka Henry Bass, there is a new generation of upper east siders and we all live happily ever after.
You know you loved this post, until next time,
xoxo Gossip Girl
Ok, just kidding!
Still ‘Bugo here xx
8 Comments
Sherika Pokora
I am a mother and this helped me!
Bugo
That’s lovely you Sherika, i’m glad x
Mielle
Like Dooshima said, this is taking one for the team! You did everything and more that took me four years in one week! I enjoyed this post and the pictures! And perfect wearing those hangisis in front of the Carrie apartment. Perfect picture!
Bugo
Thank you so much sis!
You know how it is.
I always find that when you live somewhere, you don’t do as much as you would if you were just visiting the place lol That happens to me with London but now i’m trying to be more intentional about exploring London and loving it so far.
xx
Dooshima
This is definitely taking one for the team 😭😭👏👏👏👏A for effort Bugo…I absolutely enjoyed this!
Bugo
Thank you!!!!!
I enjoyed writing it too (much more than I should have tbh haha)
Ogo
I really enjoyed this one! I’m defo team SATC but the story with the MET gala was an actual LOL. I can soooo imagine that 😂😂. Also I didn’t realise someone lives in Carrie’s flat (so cool).
Excellent photos as always
Bugo
aww thanks sweetie!
I always think i’m team Gossip Girl until I watch re-runs of SATC.
I actually don’t know if anyone lives there. I was trying to peek into the windows (very bad habit lmao) but everything looked still. Also I cannot imagine that whoever lives there goes in through that front door because ppl are always taking pictures of it. Imagine taking your shot and someone opens the door walks out ahahaha