Nowhere says Christmas more than New York. So when debating where to go
on holiday this December for a wintery city break, New York was the
first destination to come to mind. And eight hours after jetting off
from Heathrow, we were touching down at JFK for five days of sights,
culture, food, drink and tinsel at surely one of the best holiday
destinations in the World.
We stayed at Hotel 17 – a cheap hotel in Manhattan’s East Village with
shared bathrooms, small but comfortable rooms, and above all an
excellent location just minutes from East Village’s bars, cafes and
restaurants and also really close to New York’s subway system. Our first
stop was Wendy’s burger joint for a taste of NY’s fast food scene. Pulp
Fiction’s Big Kahuna Burger scene sprang to mind. We then proceeded to
hit the East Village bar scene – in our first bar a round of Jaegarbombs
was greeted with an “Oh my God you’re from England” from the barwoman,
and a generous 30% off the tab to ensure we had “the best introduction
to NY possible”. This kind of friendliness was encountered throughout
the trip, dispelling the myth of mardy, arrogant and impatient New
Yorkers (towards British tourists at least). The highlight from the 1st
night was Old McSorley’s Ale House, one of the oldest pubs in New York
boasting some tasty ales. The constant buy one get one free policy and
sawdust on the floors help create a great atmosphere in a historic pub.
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| New York Cab |
Day two saw us travel south on the subways to Wall Street, with a wander
round the financial district in the Southern tip of Manhattan. The
Statue of Liberty is visible from the riverside if you don’t fancy a
ferry over – it’s current renovation works make it visible from the
outside only so no climbing to the top of the head for the time being. A
trip to the sombre Ground Zero site is a must – you need a free ticket
in advance to gain access to the site itself, which is now home to two
huge waterfalls where the Twin Towers once stood. Otherwise the
visitors centre is just off-site which again is an emotional experience.
One World Trade Centre, the new flagship tower in the rebuilding
project, is growing quickly (see below) and is beginning to command the
Downtown skyline.
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| One World Trade Centre |
Our
evening took us north to Broadway, for a stand-up comedy show. We were
sold the tickets at Wall Street, with Chris Rock on the lineup and
plenty of free drinks included in the measly $15 price tag.
Unfortunately, upon arrival we discovered Chris rock was NOT on the
lineup and only one free drink per person was provided. We had fallen
for a classic tourist sales scam. After complaining to the manager we
were given plenty of free drink and had a really good night but it is
something to watch out for, street vendors are everywhere touristy in NY
and many are out to make a quick sale.
Welcome to part 2 of our look at New York City. Day two took us up to
Central Park – a huge 843 acre public park in the heart of Manhattan. It
occupies roughly 60 blocks (streets) in length so to walk the entire
length from top to bottom would take almost an hour. We explored the
southern half of the park, which was a hive of activity. A range of
sports were being played round the park, one of several lakes was
scattered with rowing boats, while kids played on the rock formations
which were originally imported from a tectonic field in Canada.
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| Central Park Boating Lake |
Several pedestrianised roads run through the park which helps it gain
its reputation as one of the roller blading capitals of the world.
Joggers and walkers of all ages also occupy these lanes. There’s also a
range of interesting architecture around the park including Cleopatra’s
Needle, a castle, fountains and such like. The scale meant we didn’t
even see the Zoo or the famous ice rink. One of the highlights was a DJ
playing funky house in a clearing, with dancers of literally all ages
form 4-90 dancing away to the beats. Something we certainly wouldn’t get
here in England.
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| Autumn in Central Park |
Times Square, a few blocks down from the park, was our next stop. A
major intersection in the city, the square boasts enormous neon
advertising boards on all sides, and its aesthetics combined with its
situation in the midst of the theatre district, has helped make it the
worlds most visited tourist attraction with 39 million visitors
annually. It’s scale really helps it s**t on Piccadilly Circus, London’s
only “comparable” neon advertising tourist attraction. There’s hundreds
of theatre/comedy salesmen loitering while there’s a range of shops and
sights that link around the square itself. Its also host to one of the
most famous New Years Eve parties in the world, featuring the Ball Drop
at midnight. One thing to note is many of the bars, clubs and
restaurants nearby are of course tourist traps offering average food or
drink at expensive prices. We avoided the area for our night out and
instead headed back to East Village for some exceptional BBQ ribs and
chicken (with the whole caboodle of classic sides, coleslaw, fries etc)
washed down with some tasty US lager.
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| Times Square, New York |
One thing to note when visiting New York, or most of the US for that
matter, is that tipping is essentially compulsory. Due to low minimum
wage, waitresses are relying on tips to make up the bulk of their
income. 15% is standard anywhere where you are served, including when
buying a beer in a pub. Failure to tip will result in 1)being called a
cheapskate or more likely 2) being thrown out of the establishment and
told never ever to return. Something to note when budgeting for your
trip.
