New York, New York!
Start spreading the news...I'm leaving today. Paris may be the most romantic, Rome may have the biggest reputation, Venice might be the most magical, but for all their love stories, it is New York that I have fallen head over heels in love with.
New York was actually a stop on the way to Miami, but I actually wished afterwards for this to be the longer part of the trip. I never really understood the appeal of city life before. I love heat, palm trees blowing in the gentle, tropical breeze, and even though I was born and raised in London, a built-up city did not offer much intrigue. Then, about fifteen minutes before we landed into Newark airport, as we emerged out of the cloud bank, was a bird's eye view of the iconic Manhattan skyline. I got it then. New York, New York fever hit me.
Some things to note before we start. One, NYC is huge and you won't do it all in circa 60 hours, and two; there is of course more to NYC than Manhattan, but it's a good place to start.
Manhattan
For many women reading this, maybe you fell in love with Manhattan through Sex and the City. For me, it was Gossip Girl. So when I saw The Empire Hotel on booking.com and waited in the hotel lobby to check in as if I was waiting for Chuck Bass... you can imagine my joy.
If it’s your first time in the city, you want to stay in Manhattan to be in the midst of things. Do expect it to be pricier. The outer-boroughs have slightly more affordable accommodation, but nowadays, the difference is marginal.
Times Square and Broadway
Times Square is the heart of the city that never sleeps, because it is quite literally lit up 24/7. The iconic square is luminescent with billboards of the world's biggest brands, and most celebrated supermodels. Filled with theatres, music halls and hotels, you can pick up tickets to a show on Broadway, or eat at The View restaurant. I wouldn't recommend choosing to eat near here as your first choice, as it will inevitably be expensive. I also want to say it will never be packed, but it's not true.
oh hi jimmy
Empire State Building
New York is best viewed from above. I wanted to go up the Rockerfeller Centre, but time was constrained so, of course, a visit to the Empire State Building is a must. As one of the tallest buildings in the world, the only better view of New York would be from a helicopter!
Take the free Staten Island Ferry for some incredible views of Manhattan’s financial district.
Brooklyn Bridge
This is definitely a whistle-stop tour of NY. I so wanted to go into Brooklyn fully, but on a short trip, you can only really tap the surface of the city. So I went to Dumbo, to get incredible views of Manhattan Bridge, and of course walked back to Manhattan over the iconic Brooklyn Bridge. Going first thing in the morning is advisable, and also late at night with a great night-time camera!
Food and Drink
It is almost tradition to eat a New York bagel for breakfast! We did that twice, and obviously they are American sized. We also ate at Pio Pio, a Peruvian rotisserie on Tenth Avenue, which I would highly recommend.
Pio Pio
For something sweet, I went to Momofuku Milk Bar in East Village for malt ice cream with crunch!
milk
Finally, head up to 230 FIFTH rooftop bar on 5th Avenue for cocktails (pricey) but obstruction-free view of the Empire State Building!
So, a short stop-off in one of my favourite places ever!
Rose x