| My Trip to NYC | Site Seeing | Shopping | Restaurants | Top Tips |

Hey guys!

Happy New Year! Hope you all had an amazing Christmas J

So I’m finally back with the first of my travel blogs. Apologies for the delay in getting this up but as a lot of you may know I have been up the walls moving house for the past month. Who knew moving house was so stressful! You actually don’t realise the amount of stuff/crap you accumulate in a home until you have to pack it all up lol. The only good thing is it’s a great opportunity to de-clutter and get rid of stuff you don’t need, use or want anymore. Anyway, we’re all moved in now (besides the endless unpacking) so I’ve finally got around to finishing my NYC blogpost. YAY! Better late than never right? J

We travelled to New York back in November and I fell absolutely head over heels in love with the city I honestly did not want to leave. I’ve dreamed of visiting New York since I was child and so in January of last year I decided I would surprise my boyfriend Shane with flights for his Birthday in March (double whammy lol) and it was literally a dream come true to able to finally go. J Below I have detailed what we got up to each day we were there and added some of my top tips at the end. Hope you all enjoy J

| Day 1 Shopping & Exploring |

So after arriving to our hotel the night before, we were tired after all the travelling so we got an early night and got up at the crack of dawn the next day. We had decided that on our first day we would hit the shops first and get the shopping done before we had a chance to spend all our dollars and I wanted to get the bulk of my Christmas shopping done while I was there. The hustle and bustle of the city in the morning was my absolute favourite. The weather was so sunny and mild while we were there too so it was perfect for wandering the streets. We walked from our hotel into Times Square and got breakfast at ‘The Brooklyn Diner’ where I got the most delicious American pancakes topped with crispy bacon and maple syrup. They were to die for!

After breakfast our first stop was Sephora (obviously) lol. I have written a blogpost about all the beauty bits I picked up which you can read here. I had a list as long as my arm of all the things I wanted to get and when I got to the till to pay I was having heart palpitations haha Shane was in absolute shock and I realised then I had gone a bit overboard so I actually ended up putting a few things back haha.

Our next stop was Macy’s Department Store. We spent about 3 hours in there looking around the place is humongous and we actually ended up getting lost a few times lol. You could easily give the day in there shopping! Macy’s give a 10% discount on certain brands to international tourists so if you’re going then don’t forget to ask at the till and show them your passport. I picked up a couple of pairs of Levis Jeans and Shane bought a beautiful Ralph Lauren jacket which had 60% off the original price!

From Macy’s then we headed downtown to Century 21 Department Store. Here you will find all the big designer brands at majorly discounted prices! Everything from Louis Vuitton to Valentino, Calvin Klein, Guess, you name it! I picked up a gorgeous Calvin Klein tote bag that had been reduced to half the original price and I couldn’t resist! While I was in there I also bumped into one of my favourite snap chatters TAR MAR. Tara is originally from cork but is living and working in New York and I was thrilled to meet and chat with her. I was actually saying to Shane before we went imagine if I was bump to either herself or another of my favourite Irish bloggers ‘Retroflame’ aka Erika Fox who I’m sure a lot you will know! I couldn’t believe it then when I bumped into Tarmar! Their New York lifestyles are so dreamy! Tara was so sweet and gave us all her top tips of must-go places in NY. It was so lovely to bump into her and it made my day J 
Tara's Insta: @tarmarz | Snapchat: Tar Mar

So after a busy day of shopping we headed back to the hotel to relax and freshen up and then headed out for dinner and drinks in Times Square. We went to this really nice Italian restaurant called ‘Tony DiNapoli’s‘ which served the food in humongous portions. Each dish was made to feed x2 people so you order 1 dish and share - it was delicious. 

Afterwards, on a recommendation from a friend living in New York we headed to ‘The Mean Fiddler’ which is highly rated as one of the best Irish late bars in NYC. It was also by absolute coincidence that on the very same night the Dublin GAA football team were there with the Sam Maguire Cup and alongside them ex-Champion Irish Boxer Bernard Dunne! Myself and Shane partied the night away with them and had such a good night! We couldn’t have wished for a better Day 1 in NYC!

| Day 2 Central Park & The Empire State Building |

The next day I had the hangover from hell!! No joke. Absolutely dying. They don’t measure drinks at all in NYC. The fear was very real and I ended being so sick but there was no way we could let the day go to waste so to clear the hangovers, Shane thought it would be a great idea to go cycling around Central Park. On our way there we passed Trump Tower and the commotion outside it with television cameras, protesters and spectators was crazy! We didn’t stick around for too long and just kept going lol. 

Central Park was amazingly beautiful and so big! We were happy we got the bikes as we were able to cycle around the whole park in a few hours as well as stopping to take photos etc. There is an amazing view of the NY skyline from the park and we took the GoPro with us too and got some really good footage. Be aware though that you can only cycle on designated cycle paths so if you want to get a better look at the park then I reckon your better off walking around but if you are cycling then you can just park up the bikes and go for a stroll too. That’s what we did.

It was after 5pm when we left the park and we were starving so we decided to hunt down a restaurant not too far from where we were called ‘Benihana’s’ which had been another recommendation from a friend. This place is a Japanese Steak and Sushi house where the chefs are assigned to each table and cook the food in front of you whilst entertaining you with their culinary tricks. When we got there it was quite busy and there was a waiting list for a table so we sat in the bar and had the yummiest cocktails while we waited to be seated.  When we were called we were sat in with another couple and a small family and we had the best laugh! It was such a good experience and the food was so delicious we really enjoyed it. Price-wise it was very reasonable too. They actually have a Benihana’s in London too which I didn’t know until after so I’ll definitely being going there soon!

After dinner we decided we might as well stay out because we had got up quite late in the day so we headed to the 86^th Floor Observatory in the Empire State Building. The view is something else up there!  I would highly recommend going up there at night when all the city lights are on. It’s unreal to see it lit up. Its open from 8am until 2am in the morning so you can go any time really and get your tickets there. I think it was around 8/9pm when we went up and there were hardly any queues whatsoever. The tickets cost us $34 each.

 

We wandered the streets then for another little while after. The thing about NYC is that there is just so much to see you could literally just wander streets for the whole entire time and still have an amazing time! We walked back through the Rockefeller Centre where they were getting the Christmas decorations and lights set up. We were unlucky that we didn’t get to see the tree lit up as the lighting ceremony wasn’t due to take place until 30^th November but it was still lovely to see.

| Day 3 Liberty Cruise, Little Italy, Chinatown & Top of the Strand |

On Day 3 we booked to go on the liberty cruise. Feeling recovered from our hangover we were up bright and early and caught the hop on hop off bus tour that took us through midtown Manhattan all the way downtown where we got our transfer to the dock. The open top bus is the best thing ever for getting the best views of the city and it takes you around all the key locations. We always go on these bus tours in every place city we visit and I would highly recommend getting tickets for one of these bus tours while you’re there (I’ll go through it in more detail at the end). 

We couldn’t have picked a better day for the cruise either as the weather was so beautiful. Our cruise boat also had an open top deck and we grabbed really good seats at the front. The boat took us all the way down the Hudson River under both the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges and we had a tour guide talking us through the whole way. We then circled Staten Island where the Statue of Liberty stands and the boat stopped so we could all get photos and a proper look. Unfortunately, we couldn’t go onto the island that day but we didn’t really mind as we wouldn’t have got as good a view. The whole cruise took approx. 1 hour and a half. This tour was one of the highlights of our trip. We absolutely loved it.

When we were dropped back at the dock we decided to ditch the bus and go do a bit more wandering. I could literally wander for days through New York there’s just so much to see! We stumbled upon Chinatown during our wander and stopped in Little Italy for one of New York’s famous Pizza’s in a restaurant called ‘Sal’s’. 

It was still early enough after we finished our food and we were both in the mood for a few drinks so we then decided to try out an Irish Bar called 'The Dead Rabbit' which I believe has been voted one of the best Irish pubs in the world. We tried to navigate there ourselves but gave up and jumped in a taxi lol. When we arrived the place was packed. It was also a lot smaller than we had anticipated it to be so there was hardly room to stand. It’s apparently very popular for food although we didn’t eat but the food did look really good. I wasn’t a fan of the cocktails they were just a bit too strong for me! We got talking to a really nice couple from San Francisco so we stayed for a few hours and drank and chatted.

That night we had dinner reservations at a really popular restaurant called ‘The Beauty & Essex’ but we got back late and couldn’t make it which I was gutted about. I had actually made the reservation a couple of months prior back in London on bookatable.com just to make sure we got the time and night we wanted as it’s a place that is always booked so we were unlucky that we couldn’t get another availability. So after missing our reservation we headed out again to look for someplace to eat. We strolled down 5^th Avenue before we ended up skipping dinner and heading up to a rooftop bar called ‘Top of the Strand’ where they had some amazing views of the city and the Empire State. Afterwards we were ravaged with the hunger and went for a huge feed at TGI Fridays which was unreal! So much better than the TGi’s in London which I don’t like if I’m honest but it was delicious in NY and there was way more choice.

| Day 4 | More Sightseeing & Shopping |

Day 4 was our last full day in NYC so we were up extra early again and headed out on the hunt for pancakes! Shane had a found a highly rated little restaurant on trip advisor called Penelope’s that apparently did the best pancakes in New York but when we arrived there the queue was down the street, literally! We were starving with the hunger and not wanting to wait for 2 hours in the queue we found another place called ‘Big Daddy’s Diner’ where we got the biggest yummiest pancakes ever J It was a real American Diner experience.

Afterwards we got one the subway downtown to the World Trade Centre to see Ground Zero. This was our first time using the subway since arriving because there’s nothing to see while travelling underground! The Metro works differently to the tube here in London whereby you pay for each ride so no matter where you’re going or how far it is, the cost is one ride. For that reason, myself and Shane we were able to work off the one metro card.

The experience at Ground Zero is quite sobering but spectacular to see. There were long queues for the museum so we didn’t end up going in but we spent some time at the memorial reading all the names and paying our respects. It’s something you have to see while you are there. 

Before leaving downtown we ventured into Century 21 one last time and picked up some more bits (that place has some seriously good deals!). We headed back to the hotel early that afternoon as we had plans to meet a friend of ours Chris & his GF who are both living in NYC for food and drinks. He took us to a really cool bar called ‘Hair of the Dog’ and then onto another which no one can remember the name of but it had a huge swing over the bar which we had loads of fun on lol. It was a super fun night J

| Day 5 | Our Last Day|

Our last day L Our flight wasn’t until 10pm in the evening but we wanted to leave a bit early just in case we got caught in mad traffic. Better safe than sorry! We had planned to go and meet our friends in Brooklyn and walk the Brooklyn bridge but one of our friends were called into work so it didn’t work out unfortunately L. However, we still had a few bits of Christmas shopping/gifts to pick up anyway so we hit the shops again for some last minute shopping. We ended up going back to Macys again lol (I love that shop!) and also picked up a few bits in the NBA merchandise store. We also strolled through Byrant Park Christmas Market which was so lovely. There were loads of cute little Christmas boutique style pop up shops and a big Christmas Tree and Ice Rink which was something similar to the Rockefeller Centre. I tried to get Shane onto the ice but he wasn’t having any of it haha (he hates ice skating but that’s only because he’s a bambi on ice and cannot keep his arse off the floor lol). 

We also stopped for lunch at a Mexican Grill called ‘Chipotle’ which we had been dying to try since getting there and it didn’t disappoint! It’s a chained Mexican grill and you will find one literally on every corner in New York. They do the most delicious burritos you will ever try. After eating we headed straight back to the hotel and got ready to leave for the airport, WAH L

| The Flights & Hotel |

I booked the flights back in January and surprised my boyfriend with the tickets in March for his birthday. I booked for 5 days/6 nights and flew with Norwegian Air on their new 787 dreamliner airplanes. I got a really good deal on the flights too (at least I think I did but this may have been because I booked 11 months in advance). I got our return flights from London Gatwick to JFK for £600 but later paid extra for our inflight meals and checked luggage for the way back. I had never heard of Norwegian before but the flight was as pleasant as economy can get. We had a touchscreen entertainment system each with a good choice of movies and programmes and an inflight meal service which wasn’t bad at all.  The flight time going took approx. 8 hours 20mins but only 6 hours on the return which was brilliant.

Regards the hotel, we chose to stay in ‘The Roosevelt Hotel’ which is ideally located at Madison Avenue and 45^th St in Midtown Manhattan and within short walking distance to Times Square and a stone’s throw from Grand Central Terminal and 5^th Avenue. The hotel has a very old/classic theme and as you walk into the hotel, the lobby and reception area is beautiful. However, it wasn’t as pleasant as we had hoped.  Our room was very small, tired and dated. There was no kettle or tea/coffee provided which I would have said is a standard amenity in a hotel room, the wall paper was stripping from the ceiling and we had no hot water when we arrived. On our first night the toilet blocked up and overflowed into the bedroom which soaked into the carpets and couldn’t be fixed until the following day and stank for the remainder of our stay. I don’t like to be negative but I want to give you guys an honest review. If you do plan on staying here then please be aware of the hidden charges! On the morning of checking-out we were charged a resort fee of $20 per night for the use of the fitness centre and WIFI which we didn’t use either  as we were led to believe at check-in that this charge only applied if we used the facilities. Lesson: Always read the small print.

| My Top Tips |

·        Outside our hotel we met one of the New York bus representatives who gave us a great deal on a 4 day pass for the open top ‘hop on hop off’ bus tours that go around the city. There are a few of these bus companies that operate in the city but the one we went with was the ‘New York Tours’ i.e green bus. For $52 each we got the 4 day pass as well as the statue of liberty cruise, 2 hour bike rental around central park and entry into The Museum of NYC. Your given a little map with all the bus stops on it so you can hop on/off whenever you like. Highly recommend getting this. We used the open top bus every day and is the brilliant for getting the best views.

·        Rockefellar Vs Empire State – If you’re only going to be in New York for a couple of days then it’s highly unlikely that you will do both. There are pros and cons of both and it comes down to personal preference really. The Empire State Observatory is iconic and has a 360 view of the entire city it’s amazing! However, the view from the Rockefeller (top of the rock) is supposed to be equally as nice and you get to see the Empire State up there as well. Whichever you do end up choosing I highly recommend going up at either dusk in the evening or dawn early in the morning . The view at night when it’s all lit up is out of this world and if you catch it just before the sun comes up or goes down then you’re getting the best of both.

·        New York Pass – I had a few mails from people asking me about the New York pass. My advice would be don’t bother! At the moment on the website a pass for one person for 3 days costs $200. A pass will give you free entry into over 80 New York attractions, including the hop off hop on bus and fast track entry. But to be honest in the 5 days we were there the only attraction we paid for was the Empire State. The hop off hop on bus passes we bought on day 1 cost us a quarter of the price and lasted us for 4 days + the liberty cruise and cental park bike rentals. Now saying that if you do plan on doing lots of attractions then it would definitely be worth your while purchasing a pass.

·        Walk! The best way to see the city is just by walking! We didn’t use the metro until the very last day. Granted it’s a faster and easy way of getting around but you get to see nothing underground! If you do use the metro remember you can work off the one metrocard.

·        Tip! Guys and gals you have to tip. Most restaurants will give you a rough guide on your receipt of what to tip if you’re not sure. If your drinking in bar the best thing to do is open a tab and pay at the end – saves you having to tip after each round of drinks.

·        If you plan on doing a lot of shopping out there like us, then you’re more than likely going to need some extra suitcase space on the way home. Instead of hauling an empty case from London we used our haggling skills and bought one while we were there for $25. Just an option.

·        Shopping – If you’re looking to pick some designer gear for big discounts then Century 21 downtown is brilliant as is Macy’s. But the best place for this type of stuff is in Woodberry Commons which had been recommended to us by so many people before we went. We didn’t end up going purely because it would have taken a whole day out of our stay and we weren’t too pushed. It takes well over an hour to get there by coach but if you don’t mind this then it is 100% worth it.

Hope you enjoyed this blog guys. NYC Vlog coming soon!

Big Love

Aileen
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