New York City
The Big Apple as New York is known, is the world's most
intriguing city and certainly one of the world's best
holidays. The famous sights of New York, including Times Square,
Broadway and the Statue of Liberty are just great to be
part of. And the shopping is superb, from the ritzy
Fifth Avenue designer stores through to the affordable
Greenwich Village.
Since the 9/11 attack a decade
ago, New Yorkers are friendlier and more thoughtful.
Everywhere these days, you'll find people genuinely
interested in helping you have a great holiday in the
city that never sleeps. The New York mayor's crackdown
on crime has resulted in a safe city where you can walk
most places.
This American city of 8 million on
Manhattan Island runs from Harlem at the top, past the
famous Central Park down through Times Square, through
Soho to Wall Street.
Just past the financial district, you can take a
ferry to see the Statue of Liberty on nearby Staten
Island. Since there are several
cruises from New York, many visitors make visiting
New York part of their vacation.
We found the Jumeirah Essex House
Hotel to be the best value in New York City for location
and luxury at a reasonable price. Right outside are
horse-drawn carriages past Central Park, and inside,
understated luxury in an historic hotel.
So where do you start in New York City? Allow yourself at least three days to even scratch the surface of this complex city that offers so much.
It's only a 5 minute walk from
Central Park down to Times Square and Broadway, where
seeing a play featuring famous actors is a must.
For a great deal, go on performance day to a
ticket booth for a last minute bargain.
Make sure you see Times Square at night, packed
with people admiring the neon high rise all around them.
You can sit and have an al fresco meal or go
inside one of New York's many famous diners for a
uniquely New York experience.
You'll also find the famous Empire State Building nearby, with its rooftop viewing platform for a bird's eye view of this seductive city.
And New York boasts many of the world's finest restaurants. One of the best is on Madison Avenue called Eleven Madison Park, a Relais and Chateaux property with a Michelin-starred chef. More on that later.
WHAT TO DO IN NEW YORK
To get your bearings in New York,
take an open double decker bus tour past the famous
New York landmarks.
The Classic New York Tour on the Gray line big red bus allows you to hop on and hop off and takes at least 2 hours, $83 for adults and $60 for children. You can take the downtown loop from 7th Avenue to see Greenwich Village, Times Square, the Empire State Building, the cobblestone streets of Soho, Chinatown, Little Italy and more. The uptown loop from 8th Avenue includes Central Park, Fifth Avenue's famous shops and the Apollo Theatre.
St Patrick's Cathedral among Fifth Avenue shops
Walking around New York City is fun.
Take a walk through Central Park to see the
peaceful lakes, bridges and even playgrounds in the
middle of this high-rise metropolis.
Or get driven around Central Park in an
inexpensive horse drawn carriage or rickshaw-style bike
tour.
Famous department stores including
Bloomingdales and Barney's are at the bottom right hand
corner of Central Park, near the always-packed Apple
computer store. Across the road, take a look inside the
expensive Plaza Hotel with its beautiful interior and
plush new food hall.
From there you can head straight down
Fifth Avenue past famous names like Tiffany's to
Broadway and Times Square.
Nearby is Saks department store,
while the famous Macy's is just below Times Square on
Broadway. If you go to New York at the height of the
summer heat on July 4th, you'll see the famous fireworks
display, while Macy's also hosts the popular
Thanskgiving Day street parade which started in New York
back in 1924.
You'll find many electronics stores
below Central Park too, but it's cheaper to go go
downtown around Greenwich Village for bargains.
Near Greenwich Village you'll also find Canal
Street for cheap shopping bargains, but beware the
quality at some places.
And the 9/11 Ground Zero site
downtown is a must to remember how fragile life can be.
It's remarkable to see how big an area around the
demolished World Trade Centre has been affected.
It's a big building site at present, with moving
memorials on the outskirts but still sealed off in the
middle.
Ground Zero in New York City
NEW YORK ACCOMMODATION
The southern end of Central Park is a
great place to base yourself as you head out into the
adventure of New York City. Essex House is a landmark in
New York, established in 1931 as a luxury hotel.
In recent times it has been modernised by the
Jumeirah Group which has a fine reputation for five star
luxury including the Burj al Arab and Jumeirah Beach
hotels in Dubai, and the Lowndes Hotel in London.
Jumeirah Essex House is nestled between the beauty of Central Park and the buzz of Broadway. It's also a New York landmark because of the famous Essex House sign on top, which can be seen from Central Park and beyond. This Manhattan landmark has just had $90 million spent on modernisation to pay homage to its classic Art Deco heritage. The classic interior features marble foyers and crystal chandeliers.
Five star dog-friendly hotel accommodation near New York's CBD
When you step into one of the gilded elevators and see
the historic EH engraving on the floor, you know you're
in classic company.
The views over Central Park from the
rooms at Jumeirah Essex House are outstanding as you
look at the peaceful green rectangle framed by high-rise
hustle and bustle.
Room size is spacious, sometimes hard to find in New York. The beds are orthopaedic pillowtops for a heavenly night's sleep, while bedheads feature the latest fibre optics that change colour as you reach for the Bose entertainment system or watch the latest big flat-screen TVs.
Even the lights are programmed to turn off when they detect no movement. And it's always a pleasure to find fine toiletries; the marble bathrooms here feature Cornelia signature toiletries from Fifth Avenue.
Jumeirah Essex House recently won two
awards at the World Travel Awards, as North America's
leading business Hotel and the United States' leading
business hotel, but its beauty lies in its ability to
transform a good vacation into a great vacation.
NEW YORK RESTAURANTS
Start at the South Gate restaurant
overlooking Central Park, featuring celebrated chef
Kerry Heffernan's Modern American cuisine.
The dining room at South Gate offers
distinctive dishes sourced from local organic farms,
fishermen and shellfish harvesters to ensure the finest
and freshest ingredients for the ever-evolving menu.
Head from Central Park down 7th
Avenue towards Times Square and stop at one of the many
traditional New York diners with the world-weary waiters
who almost have you believing you're in a New York
movie. The
famous Carnegie Deli is here, adorned with framed and
signed photos of famous actors and world figures who've
flocked there.
You must try a New York pastrami sandwich here -
two people will have great difficulty finishing one of
them.
New York's famous Carnegie Deli
For fine dining, head down to Madison
Avenue to the famous 11 Madison Park, the Relais and
Chateaux property featuring Michelin-starred chef Daniel
Humm, named New York City's best chef in 2010.
For an appetiser, try the superb
carrot marshmallow dusted with vinegar powder and
ginger. It's accompanied by a crisp of black pepper
sable, topped by foie gras torchon and a strawberry
gelee, garnished with wild strawberry.
Fine dining at 11 Madison Park restaurant
For a memorable main, try the Nova
Scotia lobster lasagna with lemon verbena and heirloom
squash. And you'll never forget the roasted organic
chicken with farro, flavoured with cockscomb and sweet corn.
For the perfect white wine pairing, try the Andre
Perret 2008 from France, a blend of 85% Marsanne and 15%
Rousanne.
In true French style, there's a serious Champagne trolley here, reminiscent of the world's best experience at Chateau les Crayeres in France's Champagne region.
Italians are well represented. For a good Italian
restaurant in New York, go to Lattanzi Ristorante
on West 46th Street.
This is in a nice neighbourhood with a cheerful
Italian interior.
They even serve meals to cater for Jewish
Italians. Tipping
is a big part of the New York culture, so watch for the
20% they add to the bill for foreign tourists.
If you want a real Italian adventure,
go over the bridge into the Bronx to Dominick's on
Arthur Ave.
This is a seriously Italian restaurant with no menus and
no prices.
Order whatever you want, and they can make it.
If you're a nice person and you're not
ostentatious, there's a good chance the bill will be
cheaper than if you make a show.
NEW YORK
TRAVEL SUMMARY
New York is certainly one of the
world's best holidays because of its atmosphere, its
landmarks, its shopping and its people. And the food is
fresh, fun and filling.
Come here in summer to enjoy outdoor living at
its best.
Take a wander through Central Park or just walk down the
famous streets including Fifth Avenue to experience New
York's finest.
