A NYC birthday photoshoot at Tiffany’s: the story

First of all - I’d like to note that Breakfast at Tiffany’s is my favorite movie. Many people believe it’s a love story, but I think that’s the secondary aspect of it. The movie depicts the journey of someone learning about the risk of vulnerability, and how a life lived in fear isn’t much of a life at all. By the end of the film Holly Golightly realizes how she has spent much of her life making choices from a place of fear, but is unhappy and knows she needs to do something differently. We also see fear based choices in Paul’s character, a writer no longer writing for fear of further rejection of his work. By the end, he has decided to risk writing once again. Not only that, but rather than further rejection, he experiences acceptance and praise for his work.

Audrey Hepburn has been an inspiration to me in many ways, and if she were still around, I would thank her for choosing to take on this role, and for beautifully portraying the struggle with vulnerability and fear we all experience.

This birthday trip to NYC was a magical one. One day I would LOVE to own a Tiffany bracelet, or a Tiffany necklace, but for now this special experience is enough. Cheers to 31, and continuing to learn to not live and choose from a place of fear, but rather, a place of faith and hope. Cheers to my favorite movie, my favorite actress, and one of my favorite cities!

Want to have a magical Breakfast at Tiffany’s experience of your own? Here are my tips for having Breakfast at Tiffany’s:

Pick out an outfit that has a classic feel to it, but make it YOU! A little black dress is not necessary for your experience. I went with black pants, a black turtleneck, and a long coat with a French beret to feel slightly elevated but yet warm on this chilly November morning.
When picking a day and time, know that weekdays are going to be best to avoid tourists, and you’ll want to plan on arriving at Tiffany & Co. no later than 8:30am if you want to avoid crowds of people.
The flagship store on 5th Avenue in New York City is currently undergoing renovations, so the storefront is currently on E 57th Street (as of November 9th 2022). The Blue Box Cafe is also closed due to this, so you’ll want to bring your own breakfast (in my opinion, this is FAR more fun!). Here’s where to get breakfast…
Pick up a pastry from Pomme Palais - a small cafe in the Lotte New York Palace hotel. It’s a BEAUTIFUL and luxurious hotel! As we were leaving we ran into the Mayor of New York City!
For the ultimate experience, make sure to bring a portable speaker with so that you can play Henry Mancini’s “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” theme while you enjoy your French pastry!

Two other locations from the movie to check out:

The Naumburg Bandshell in Central Park. I highly recommend renting a bike during golden hour to see this spot and ride around the park!
Holly Golightly’s apartment - 169 E 71st St. You can’t go inside, but it’s fun seeing the outside! There have been changes to the building, but the door looks much the same.