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Don't come to NYC without 7 essential items 🧳
+ The cheesiest week of the year & the Vessel's inaugural lighting ceremony
Ashley & Devin from Better Together Here
November 12th, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes
Hello,
Happy (late) Veterans Day. We appreciate the service of all military veterans. 🙏
In this week’s newsletter:
🎫 Events We Love This Week: November 12-19 - Cheese & Wine Week & the first Vessel lighting ceremony (free)
🎱 You’ll Have to Check It Out - Living-room-vibes bar near MSG with games & plenty of drink options
🧳 NYC Packing List - Including a tough lesson from my first NYC vacation..
And a helpful New York Know-How to save you money on bag storage! Let’s do it. 👇
Note: As always, this email was written by an actual human who lives in NYC, not artificial intelligence. 🥸
Events We Love This Week: November 12-19, 2025
In the city this week? Here are some fun events we’re keeping an eye on.
Cheese and Wine Week - Now Until November 23rd
Originally started in Paris, the Cheese and Wine Week in NYC highlights and collaborates with local businesses to showcase the city's finest cheese dishes. 🧀
You gouda check out the specials at dozens of restaurants around the city. ⤵️
Inaugural Vessel Lighting Ceremony - November 17th from 6-7pm
Hudson Yards’ public square and gardens will play host to the first-ever Vessel Lighting Ceremony on November 17 from 6-7pm. Celebrate the start of the holiday season with performances by:
Kelsie Watts, recording artist and Broadway lead in SIX The Musical
Sing Harlem Choir
Orchestra of St. Luke’s & more
There will also be giveaways from 106.7 Lite FM & iHeart Media.
New York Know-How: Hotel Bag Storage
You don't need to haul your luggage around the city if you can’t snag an early check-in or late check-out.
Nearly all hotels offer complimentary bag check before and after your stay.
Just talk to your front desk. No need to pay for luggage storage. 🤝
You’ll Have to Check It Out - Pioneers Bar
We first visited Pioneers Bar for a friend’s birthday party, and it didn’t disappoint.
Not only do they have an extensive beer list, but they also offer a variety of activities and TV viewing options.
Some of the activities at Pioneers Bar NYC include:
Giant Jenga
Basketball hoop/shooting game
Billiards
Pinball
Punching power game
Connect four
And other board games
They also have a fantastic sports viewing area at the bar and near the back there are comfy couches and a giant projector.
Oh, and the music selection is usually top-notch! 👌
Typical Age Group: You’ll see a lot of Knicks and Rangers fans here, often in the post-college age group; it varies widely.
Cost: Most of their beers are priced between $8 and $12, and other drinks are similarly priced.
New York CityPass - Save Up to 41%
If you’re planning on seeing a handful of attractions and museums during your NYC trip, CityPass will likely save you money!
With access to the Empire State Building Observatory & the American Museum of Natural History, plus 3 additional attractions, you’ll check so much off your NYC bucket list with one simple pass.
Essential NYC Packing List
I made some serious packing mistakes the first time I traveled to New York City.
Despite living in a cold climate, I didn’t quite understand how much time I’d be in the elements compared to at home in the suburbs.
Day 1 was uncharacteristically warm, and we were strolling through Central Park in t-shirts..
The next morning, we woke up to almost a foot of snow! ❄️
And boy was I not prepared for that. I ended up needing to buy gloves, quality walking shoes for the snow, and a few other items.
If only I had been prepared by reading this packing list first. 😉
Happy Wednesday,
Ashley & Devin from Better Together Here 🧳
Weekly Dog Tax
Throwback to Central Park walks with 3 pups 😅