New York New York!

One of my favourite cities in the world. I was lucky enough to visit this city and it has rapidly become one of my top ten destinations.
There is so much to do from sights to shopping, to working out how to use the subway, to deciding what to eat from the many top class restaurants in New York.

I also had the chance to visit a Gospel church which I can highly recommend in Harlem. This was a totally new experience for me and one I will never forget.

On arrival at New York - From Newark airport I took the local super shuttle bus to my hotel in Times Square and the buzz there was truly amazing. It was getting dark but with all the lights it felt like mid morning. Remember though in the rush hour the journey from Newark into central Manhattan can take over an hour so be warned if you are catching a flight.

The streets here can be confusing so here is my top tip for getting around with street names: All roads going across Manhattan east to west are streets, and all roads going north to south are avenues!

Whilst I was there I took the ferry across to Staten Island, this is free and is a great way to see the Statue of Liberty. Central Park is amazing for an afternoon stroll and the greatest sight of all has to be the Empire State Building.
Grand Central Station is good for a snack, there is a huge food court here and an amazing food market below.
New York is renowned for shopping and Macys is my favourite department store - remember how good the exchange rate is... not that you need an excuse to shop of course. Another attraction is Greenwich Village for those unusual vintage shops and an alternative view of the city.

Restaurants are in abundance in the city and we had to visit to the world famous Nobu on Hudson St ( if you cant get in try Nobu Next door which is more reasonably priced). For a romantic setting the Boathouse in Central Park followed by a Broadway show is perfect. Or for the best Mexican I would recommend you try Mama Mexico on East 49th Street - the guacamole is home made in front of you and is delicious.
Of course we had to sample an American dinner for a true breakfast experience!

Just remember also to pace yourself, New York is a huge city with lots to do..... but then again you can always return another time!