Experience NYC with Dash + Lily Series

 I am an absolute sucker for cheesy, corny Christmas rom-coms.  Last year, I watched the Netflix original series “Dash + Lily” and it was one of those cheesy rom-coms. This one stuck out to me and stuck with me. I decided to watch it again this December because ‘tis the season. I quickly realized this series stuck with me because of how much it showcases the beauty of New York City in a very discreet way.  For those of you who haven’t watched yet or don’t plan on watching, this show is about two teenagers who send each other on mini scavenger hunts throughout the city. They have never met, but they use these scavenger hunts and dares to get to know each other better. Adorable, right? “Dash + Lily” created a mini NYC bucket list for me, and I’m here to share it with you in the spirit of the holiday season.  Disclaimer: Since I am talking about the show there are some SPOILERS, so if you haven’t watched the show yet and don’t want to know anything maybe come back to this article after you’ve watched :)  

Episode 1:

This series starts out in The Strand, a classic bookstore with its main location located in Union Square at 828 Broadway at 12th Street. This is where Dash finds the “Do you dare” journal that Lily had planted in the store.  Next up we visit Two Boots Pizza in the East Village, which is where Dash’s best friend, Boomer, works. This becomes a popular meet spot and the journal finds its way to the shelves of the DVD section of this pizzeria.  The final stop in episode one is Macy’s in Herald Square. This is where we see the amazing Christmas display that Macy’s puts on every year. One of Lily’s dares to Dash was to go learn her name from Santa in the Christmas Village. Instead, Dash ends up causing some mayhem and stealing Santa’s hat!  

Episode 2:

Episode two takes us very briefly to Think Coffee. There are a few locations for Think Coffee, but I am pretty positive the location we see if the one from Bleecker Street!  Washington Square Park makes its appearance in a few episodes. This is where you will see Lily singing with all of her caroling friends, and where she has her revelation that she needs to get out of her safety bubble.   

Episode 3:

My favorite dare is one that Dash gave to Lily. He sends her to Grand Central Station early, early in the morning before the first train even arrives. It is incredible to see the stillness of what will soon be filled with noise and commotion from commuters and travelers alike. In Central Park we visit the Bethesda Fountain and then the Alice in Wonderland statue. The Alice statue is one of my personal favorite spots in Central Park, so you could imagine my excitement when I saw it in this mini series.    Next we visit a NYC classic, a pretzel cart. This one is specifically located at 72nd Street and 2nd Avenue. Lily is told to order a “Lot’s Wife”, which is a pretzel with an undesirable amount of salt on it. Not something I’d want to eat without a giant glass of water nearby! The scene in Ferrara Bakery is one of the coolest shots in the show. In this scene, we see Dash and Lily both eating a plate of delicious looking cookies. The scene is shot as if they are sitting across from each other, when in reality it is just them writing to each other in the journal while they sit separately at the restaurant at different times.  I can’t lie, this next place stumped me a bit of what it was. I did a lot of pausing and rewinding to figure it out. I finally realized it was the Yonah Schimmel Knishery. The scene is set in the basement of the Knishery when a Jewish rock band puts on an underground show that Lily must go to for one of her dares.  

Episode 4:

In this episode, Dash and Boomer make a trip to TDF after finding one of Lily’s red boots outside of the Knishery. TDF stands for the Theater Development Fund. Lily’s great-aunt, Mrs. Basil E rented the boots from TDF at one point and then had given them to Lily.  The next scene takes out of Manhattan and brings us into Brooklyn, more specifically into Dyker Heights. Dyker Heights is known for having the best Christmas displays around. The residents go above and beyond to bring the magic to the neighborhood. In this scene we see Dash arrive as soon as a “Believe” sign lights up and brings the magic alive.  

Episode 5:

Lily sends Dash to a mochi making class, which just looks so zen and so fun at the same time. Honestly, I don’t know exactly where this took place BUT the city offers so many cooking classes all throughout, and this just inspired me to take one! Dash then sends Lily to The Break Room, which is a pop-up where you create something and then you smash it to pieces to let out all of your frustrations. Lily decides to just create and leave. She’s way too gentle to rip apart her Dash Muppet! This pop-up doesn’t seem to be around anymore, but I’m sure it’ll make a comeback!  We get a quick view of the dog park at Tompkins Square Park while Lily brings her homemade dog treats to some of her favorite four-legged friends.  

Episode 6:

One of the most intriguing dares takes place at Four and Twenty Blackbirds where Lily has instructed Dash to order a pie with cheese on it. I assume it’s apple pie with cheese, which sounds awful. According to Dash it is pretty good! Maybe something we all should be trying at some point…  In episode six, Dash’s ex-girlfriend, Sofia, takes him to the Morgan Library where they had their first date. They end up sleeping in the museum, which seems SO cool and probably very against the rules. This is where Dash realizes he NEEDS to find Lily and finally meet her, so even though he is with Sofia here, it is an important scene for our two protagonists.   

Episode 7:

 Christmas has arrived and you’ll find Lily at McSorley’s Old Ale House in the East Village with her caroling group. Lily has her first taste of peppermint schnapps and decides this is how she is going to deal with her Christmas sorrows. She drunkenly texts Edgar Thibaud, her date from the night before, and they share their first kiss. As this is happening Dash bursts through the door of the ale house. GASP. DRAMA.  

Episode 8:

In the final episode, we see Lily walking through the park with her brother, Langston. Langston gives Lily a box of dessert from Levain Bakery as a going away present before she moves out of New York City to Fiji with her parents. It’s a quick mention, but Levain Bakery is a NYC staple!Our “final” spot is in Hudson Yards at The Vessel. Boomer is at a New Year’s Eve Jonas Brothers concert with Sofia and their other friends. Dash recruits his friends to help him set up the perfect New Year’s Eve for Lily. This is where they meet the one and only Nick Jonas in his trailer. Only if.  Fun fact: Nick Jonas produced the mini-series “Dash + Lily”!  There are a few other spots throughout the city that are shown in “Dash + Lily”, but these spots aren’t the center of any specific scene. They include: Union SquareRockefeller CenterLincoln CenterRadio City Music Hall& a few incredible skyline views and some scenery from rooftops Have I convinced you to watch “Dash + Lily” yet? OR maybe I’ve convinced you to create a “Dash + Lily” bucket list like I did! This series is super short. There are 8 episodes and they are less than 30 minutes each, so grab your hot cocoa and get bingin’ so you can see all NYC has to offer!