NYC Weekend: Gaga, Broadway, Dumplings & A Surprise Upgrade

Ok little monsters, let’s recap the weekend, shall we?

I’m one of the lucky ones—I have a true sister. Not just by DNA, but by friendship too. We’re genuinely invested in each other’s lives, and we’ve created a little tradition we call Sisters in the City: a weekend escape to NYC packed with concerts, food, culture, and clocking way too many steps on foot.

Over the years, we’ve:

• Seen Ariana Grande twice (blogged about it here and here)

• Taken a class at the Peloton studio

• Kicked off the holidays with the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall

• Met up with our Aunt in NYC for even more girl power

• Eaten our way through every borough we can reach (by subway or by foot)

This time? We packed our bags (the smallest one I could find) and headed to NYC for a weekend of Lady Gaga, Broadway, and all the food. Let’s dive in.

Arrival Day: Dumplings, Dashing Around the City & Gaga Vibes

We met at the train station and headed to the city together. We arrived too early to check in, so we dropped our bags and started exploring. First stop: picking up Wicked tickets from the Gershwin Theatre and dropping off a piece of jewelry for repair. Then: Brooklyn Dumplings.

We ordered a variety to share—gotta taste-test properly, right? My unexpected favorite was the mac 'n' cheese dumpling (don’t knock it 'til you try it). Also loved the cucumber salad and edamame....sneaking in some greens. Proud of me?

Next, we swung by Madison Square Garden to scope out the Lady Gaga merch. Sadly, nothing called to me—her tour’s vibe is very gothic-edgy, and I wasn’t feeling any of the T-shirt options. But we were still buzzing with excitement.

We went back to the hotel to check in and were shook. I had booked a standard room, but somehow… we were upgraded to a corner suite. Like, full-on living room, dining table, faux fireplace, TWO bathrooms, and a whole hallway leading to our beds. Surprise hotel upgrade? YES PLEASE!

I wish I had taken a before-and-after video of our faces when we opened the door. It was the perfect spot to chill before getting Gaga-fied.

Lady Gaga: Mayhem, Magic & Milkshakes

We got dolled up and headed over to MSG. The entire arena was a fashion show—fishnets, faux leather, lace, wigs, and allll the smokiest of eyes. People did not hold back. Honestly, the crowd alone was worth the price of admission. We very much enjoyed the fashion show!

Lady Gaga? A force. She tore through hit after hit, mixing ballads with bangers, and left us in awe for over 2.5 hours. Her vocals, her presence, the visuals—just... wow. I knew it was going to be a production but man did she perform!

Afterward, we walked to TikTok Diner for a late-night bite. We split a turkey club and a quesadilla, and I, of course, had to get a milkshake. Then it was off to bed in our fabulous surprise suite.

Bubble Masks, Broadway & Being Wickedly Close

The next morning was slow and peaceful. We lounged in our living room (lol, still not over that upgrade) and did bubble sheet masks. I had surprised my sister with a little Gaga + Wicked goodie bag, filled with: Gaga sunglasses, light up scrunchies, a Fenty lip gloss, a bubble sheetmask, and Wicked tank top, slipper socks, and a bracelet.

Then it was off to breakfast: poached eggs, sausage, and home fries for me. We strolled through the Broadway district, picked up Läderach chocolate and coffee from Jeffrey’s, and I tried a strawberry hibiscus drink that was way better than I expected.

Wicked: Second Row, Pure Magic

We YOLO’d hard on this one: second-row center seats at Wicked. Being that close to the stage? Unreal. The costumes sparkled, the Emerald City glowed, and the cast was so close we could see every expression and detail. It felt like we were part of the performance.

I’ve never seen Wicked before so it was pure magic. 

Heading Home (with Bagels, obviously)

After the show, we grabbed our bags from the hotel, picked up a few NYC bagels for the train ride (a must), and headed home. Full photo albums. Full stomachs. Full hearts. 

Want More? Hop Over to YouTube!

Since I’m dipping my toes into the YouTube universe, I captured as much of the trip as I could on video. If that’s more your vibe, you can watch the weekend unfold over on my channel: @CompletelyNikki There, I share my weight loss journey, life adventures, and now, a little travel content too.

Thanks for reading! If you have a go-to NYC spot or concert story, tell me in the comments. Or better yet—send me recs for our next NYC trip!