New York, New York

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

So much for naming it twice, I had to visit twice to fall in love! My first visit to the Big Apple was to embark upon Anthem of the Seas, a Quantum Class ship by Royal Caribbean Cruises (I’ll talk about Cruising and choosing the right ship in another article, fair to say though Anthem is one of my favs in the Royal fleet). As for NYC, I had 24 hours to cram in as much as possible.

The weather was atrocious, but in true British style, I donned a bright yellow pack-a-mac and rode the upstairs of an open-top bus tour. It was great even though it was raining cats & dogs, all key sights/buildings were seen in passing, and what seemed to be an endless array of Victoria‘s Secret stores. I was surprised by how compact the city was in comparison to London.

The evening was spent in Bubba Shrimp on Broadway; this was fun, even with food being served in a basket. The shrimp was delicious and the cocktails even more so, a really good vibe, even if a magnet for tourists.

I won’t mention where I stayed as I didn’t like it, so no way would I recommend it. Three things affected my first impression of New York: the weather (the day I left, the sun shone, typical!), the short amount of time there and the hotel I stayed in. That said, the highlight had to be cruising from New York and seeing the Lady Liberty in all her green glory. I’ve obviously watched too many movies to think she’d be pristine white (and yes, I know she never was)!

New York deserved another trip, so this time no charter flight, BA Premium Economy and 5 nights at the 5* Knickerbocker off Times Square. The location of the hotel was fabulous, plus I stayed in a Junior Corner Suite. It was early December, so Christmas in all its glory was on show.

Crisp, dry and cold, perfect for winter warming clothing and of course a visit to the Rockefeller Centre Christmas Tree and Ice Rink. I did the tour and took copious amounts of pictures and selfies overlooking Manhattan. A fabulous place to grab a bag of hot chestnuts and simply people-watch whilst enjoying the ice skating.

I also went to see Grand Central Station; the Beaux Arts architecture of the main concourse was a sight to behold. People were on their daily commute, oblivious to the beauty of the surroundings; much like m,e when I used to commute into London, rarely did I look up at Paddington or Waterloo to appreciate Brunel’s genius in the 19th century.

A trip to NYC would not be without shopping. A trip to Macey’s, as of course, a must, I’ve never seen so many ‘Sale’ signs in one store ever. As a fan of Selfridges, Bloomingdale's was divine, very pretty and totally classy. I did make a stop at one of the larger Victoria's Secret stores and of course purchased the obligatory Christmas PJs for my daughters and niece, along with copious amounts of body mist sprays for tree presents.

A few years prior, a friend had bought me a hug mug from a place called Max Brenner’s. A chocolatier with a restaurant in Union Square and a takeout in Times Square. Needless to say, I'd broken my hug mug, so I needed to go on a mission to obtain a new one. Union Square, it was for a breakfast of chocolate chip pancakes with a huge mug and d copious amount of chocolate to take home.

I’ve never been a massive theatre goer, but felt compelled to see Phantom on Broadway before it closed. I was not disappointed; it was glorious and so worthy of a long-standing ovation. The show is going back to the US on tour from November; hopefully, they get to take it back to Broadway next year.

I did make it to a café in Hell’s Kitchen for breakfast. It was chaotic, fun, hot, and everyone had plates filled high with cooked breakfasts, a real New York experience for sure. My last evening, as I planned, took me to Pier 81 to travel on a luxury yacht with an a la carte menu, all whilst sailing the Hudson and seeing the New York skyline. After dinner, there was time to experience a DJ set on the lower deck with a fully stocked bar.

Only it was not my last night, the following morning I was advised that Gatwick was closed and that I could either return to an alternative airport or spend an extra night, although the Knickerbocker didn’t have any rooms. Not a problem, I was offered the Intercontinental off Times Square. A car was sent to pick me up, and off I went to the fabulous Intercontinental. It’s at this moment you are so grateful for booking a packaged holiday, as I didn’t incur any extra costs.

The last day was simply divine, a mixture of meandering, visiting Irish Pubs where you could sit at the bar with a Guinness and a plate of sliders, talking to locals. On this trip, whilst my disability meant I couldn’t walk far, Uber was the go-to app. Yellow cabs are an experience, but NYC is so busy that they are the taxis.

In summary, New York must be experienced; don’t cut your time short, as there is so much to see and do. Make sure you time your trip right to get the best from it, whether that’s seeing an Autumnal Central Park, Summer in the City or as I did, the build up to Christmas. And don’t forget to book with a reputable travel agent like m,e who will ensure you are looked after even when things go off plan.