New York State of Mind
New York comprises of five boroughs’, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and The Bronx. With over 8.5 million people living in New York, over 800 languages are spoken and it’s home to some of the most iconic buildings in the world.
After an enjoyable flight with Virgin Atlantic, we arrived at JFK. No queues and an easy transfer to our hotel, The Lexington Hotel, situated in midtown within easy walking distance of Times Square, Grand Central, 5th Avenue and Central Park. A historical hotel dating back to 1929 which has seen its fair share of famous people staying there including Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe who lived in a suite during the 50’s. This is depicted amongst the Art Deco features of the hotel including a wonderful lobby and bar area decorated with contemporary art and the lucid sounds of jazz.
Luck was on our side with regards to the weather, sunny days in the mid 80’s; it made perfect sense to head up to Central Park on our first full day. Walking via 5th Avenue taking in sights such as St Patrick’s Cathedral, Trump Tower and of course a quick peak inside the Plaza Hotel. Wow, Central Park is amazing in the winter but in the summer, its outstanding beauty shines through with those incredible tall buildings hovering in the background. After a lovely walk embracing the views, it was time for Sunday brunch at the Boathouse. What could be better than sunshine, jazz and a New York Burger!?
After the girls enjoyed an hour on the boat lake, we headed up to the Metropolitan Museum of Art or more commonly known as “The Met”. Don’t forget there are amazing views from the rooftop terrace, open from May through to the Autumn. After perusing the art galleries and amazing fashion exhibition and purchasing gifts from the shop; it was onward to the Guggenheim. Again, another great museum. We completed the perfect day with dinner at dazzling Times Square with its neon lights. Lots of photo opportunities today especially for scenes from Gossip Girl, ticks off the girls lists!
Day two was all about lower Manhattan. Taking the subway, we headed down to Battery Park to take the complimentary Staten Island Ferry, followed by a trip to Liberty Island. We then ventured to the most prominent area of lower Manhattan, the 9/11 North and South Memorial Pools and One World Trade Center. Such a poignant and tranquil area, a place of remembrance which holds a special place in all our hearts. My only regret is that we didn’t visit the museum. The Oculus station building protrudes from this restful area, an imposing piece of modern architecture. It is the state-of-the-art World Trade Centre Transportation hub which also offers shopping and dining.
A trip to lower Manhattan isn’t complete without a trip to Wall St, just as the 5pm siren sounded for close of business and 100’s of city workers exited the NYC Stock Exchange. Later, a meal in China Town and walk through Little Italy would end our second day.
A quieter day for day three, a chance to explore Grand Central and then the Sky Line which is an elevated walk built on a historic freight rail track which offers a laid-back green space in which to take in views of the Hudson and gives a different perspective of New York. A chance to also take in some alternative architecture and impressive photo opportunities. Look out for The Vessel and Hudson Yards, a promising piece of stunning architecture which opens in 2019, it will house the highest outdoor observation deck in the western hemisphere.
Did I say quieter day on day three, I take that back! It was the hottest day and possibly record breaking in terms of temperature for June in the Big Apple. Time for lunch in the calmness of Greenwich Village and then the subway to York St on the opposite side of the river for the views of Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges with breath-taking views of the New York Skyline.
After all that walking, it was time for New York Cheesecake at Juniors with monstrous portions but tasted delicious. We then head to the Top of the Rock Observation Deck for sunset. A 360-degree view of the Manhattan skyline. I would recommend booking in advance, we only booked 24hrs before, but it was worth paying a little extra to see the collaboration of the sunset and spellbinding night skyline in one viewing.
Our fourth day was all about re-visiting what we loved most, so with lots of shopping on 5th and the girls buying up Sephora, it was back to Central Park and those views. You can’t beat cycling in Central Park, with the wind blowing through your hair, beats any film!
Unfortunately, after four fun filled days, our adventure came to an end. We decided to take to take public transport back to Newark via a taxi and train from Penn Street all the way to the terminal. An easy transition! As Kylie sang, “I just can’t get you out of my head” so New York, I will be back.
Overview and recommendations:
Eating out in New York, where do you start? From pizza to pretzel and steak to cheesecake, there are loads of fancy restaurants to choose from but for this trip, it was all about eating local and enjoying the ambience and culture of the original New York diner. Chinatown is interesting but for me Little Italy certainly has the edge on a beautiful balmy evening.
Never travel anywhere without doing your research. New York is easy to navigate so plan your itinerary ahead, so you don’t waste a minute. Book main attractions, in advance. Walk everywhere that you can, it’s worth going that extra mile. Enjoy local food and embrace the culture.
Last word from Ellie…….
My favourite part about New York had to be Central Park. One thing that surprised me about it was its size! The vast number of trees carried on for miles, luckily for us it became a shelter from the hot American sun. The contrast between the sky-high buildings and the dense nature the park had to offer amazed me as it showed just how diverse and unique New York really is. Rowing across the lake was a fun yet peaceful activity. I especially enjoyed cycling through the park too and not forgetting the amazing food!