NEW YORK | JUNE 2018
It's been a few weeks since my last post, but my life's been so busy since then! I've left both my jobs, been to New York with Will and moved to France too! Yep, it's been a busy one so I'm happy to be typing this whilst the memories of New York are still fresh in my mind. We had an amazing time and took the biggest bite of the Big Apple that we could have possibly taken.
It was then another Subway journey to the Oculus, One World Trade Center and Ground Zero to pay our respects to the victims, families and public services of New York's worst attack in history, 9/11. It was lovely to take a minute to pay respects and it was a moment I will definitely remember for life. We then grabbed another Starbucks before taking the Staten Island Ferry past the Statue of Liberty, which surprisingly isn't as big as it looks in the films but it really is just as grand.
It was around 2pm by the time we got back to our hotel and we were absolutely shattered from everything we did in the morning so we relaxed for a while before getting ready for the evening.
We then headed to the place we'd actually researched a lot called Royal Palms Shuffleboard Club. It's basically an old warehouse/garage that has been completely transformed into a bar with ten shuffleboard courts. It was only lunchtime but we ordered a couple of cocktails and got stuck in, we both had our wins and losses but it was a great place and I really wish it was in the UK so we could visit regularly!
We found a chain food place called Dino BBQ just down the road and had some lunch there before making our way back to the hotel to rest before getting changed and going over to a rooftop bar, we were only across from PVC so we chose to go there and it was absolutely amazing, the best view of New York and a great view of Broadway! We weren't that hungry after our big lunch so we got some food in McDonalds and picked up a load of sweets and crisps from Walgreens in case we got hungry later on. We ended up filming ourselves trying all of the weird chocolate and it's the funniest video I have!
We started the holiday off with a three hour drive up to Manchester and checked into a hotel in Salford, a part of Manchester twenty minutes away from the airport. It was the first game of the World Cup that night so we headed to a pub to get some food and have a couple of drinks whilst watching the game, it was a great way to round off our last night in England for a week or so.
It was around 5am that we woke up and got our car to the airport parking. Once we hopped on that shuttle to the airport the holiday really began. After passing through security we grabbed some breakfast from Pret and I bought myself a lovely charm for my bracelet in the shape of a suitcase (very fitting). After boarding the plane we were plied with food and didn't have a second to be hungry! I tried to get some sleep on the plane but it just wasn't possible when I was that excited!
It wasn't too long getting through customs on the other side at JFK and we were in the taxi on the way to the hotel not long after. Unlike when we landed in Amsterdam and slept, we decided to get straight out there, buying a hot dog from a hot dog van to take with us while exploring Central Park for a while, we had a few hours before our reservation at the Hard Rock Cafe so we just had a little wander to look at the sights.
After getting ready we headed to the Hard Rock which was in Times Square so we were amazed when we got there and were finally surrounded by the bright lights that we had been so excited for the whole year. We were pulled aside by costumed characters in the middle and they grabbed my phone to take loads of photos of us with them before shoving a card at us that said 'I WORK FOR TIPS' and demanding money. We gave them a few dollars but it was definitely a lesson learned, nothing usually comes for free in New York and we definitely avoided them for the rest of our trip.
Our server was great, our table was directly next to another English couple so it was great to get chatting to them and hear a familiar accent. The starter nachos that we ordered was amazing, it was probably big enough to feed a table of four let alone one person so we were pretty happy we'd only ordered it to share! Our other food was amazing and we left with a cool pint glass to take home with us.
Leaving Hard Rock Cafe, I clocked that Sephora was only across the road and got so excited, I'm pretty sure every girl from the UK (where we don't even have Sephora) has been excited to visit one if they're into their make up. I was in my element in there and picked up the Fenty Beauty Foundation, Laura Mercier translucent powder and some Anastasia Beverly Hills brow pomade so it's safe to say I left there pretty happy. We checked out M&M World and the Hersheys building before popping into the Walgreens in Times Square to grab some essentials we'd forgotten.
We contemplated heading to a bar and getting some drinks but after a long day of traveling we were pretty exhausted so decided to go back to the hotel and go to bed to get up for a busy day the next day.
It was around 5am when we woke up the next day and after multiple attempts from each of us to get back to sleep it was evident that it was a losing battle so we called into the Starbucks across the road to get some coffees whilst we got ready for the day.
Our first stop of the day was to Applebees where we ordered some breakfast and had more coffee (this turned out to be a recurrence on our trip) and afterwards we visited the Rockefeller and Grand Central Station to see the famous film setting for many romantic scenes, it was everything we imagined and we got so many pictures of the clock in the middle and the massively overlooked cool ceiling! We had to get on the Subway afterwards but we managed to buy an unlimited week's Metro card for only $32.00 each which wasn't too bad. It wasn't too many stops until our next destination, Greenwich Village where we knew we could see some cool residential houses and walk the High Line, an abandoned train track that was transformed into a public park area whilst keeping the original train tracks, the views were great and there were loungers/benches to relax and enjoy the views.
It was then another Subway journey to the Oculus, One World Trade Center and Ground Zero to pay our respects to the victims, families and public services of New York's worst attack in history, 9/11. It was lovely to take a minute to pay respects and it was a moment I will definitely remember for life. We then grabbed another Starbucks before taking the Staten Island Ferry past the Statue of Liberty, which surprisingly isn't as big as it looks in the films but it really is just as grand.
It was around 2pm by the time we got back to our hotel and we were absolutely shattered from everything we did in the morning so we relaxed for a while before getting ready for the evening.
We had a table booked at Cantina Restaurant in the Meatpacking District so we headed out a little earlier so we could have some cocktails at a cocktail rooftop bar called Vida Verde. Our cocktails were very strong but we really enjoyed them!
When we got to Cantina, the doorman sent us upstairs in a lift and we reached the top floor where it opened out onto a rooftop and the views were beautiful! The food was amazing and the Brussels sprouts side which was in a sweet and spicy marinade oil was amazing, so was the Mac and Cheese.
The music and atmosphere was great and they were playing the football which was cool, we really didn't realise how big the World Cup is in America as well as England but we really weren't complaining as it meant we didn't miss as many matches.
We were finished with dinner by around 8:30/9.00 and were absolutely stuffed and tired from the day behind us so decided to hail a taxi back to the hotel again and get an early night.
After another 5am start, we grabbed another coffee from Starbucks to get ready with and headed down to the cafe beneath our hotel to have some breakfast, I couldn't believe it was $6.50 for glass of orange juice! Brooklyn was our plan for the day so we hopped on the Subway over to see Brooklyn Bridge as I'd been told the best spot for photos is Dumbo. After half hour of taking photos we realised it was actually the Manhattan Bridge we'd been admiring and we'd actually walked straight under the Brooklyn Bridge already! We walked up and saw the view from up there for a while before taking the subway again to visit the Brooklyn Museum which was actually amazing, they had a David Bowie exhibition on that day so we got to experience that which was another one I'll have with me forever.
We then headed to the place we'd actually researched a lot called Royal Palms Shuffleboard Club. It's basically an old warehouse/garage that has been completely transformed into a bar with ten shuffleboard courts. It was only lunchtime but we ordered a couple of cocktails and got stuck in, we both had our wins and losses but it was a great place and I really wish it was in the UK so we could visit regularly!
We found a chain food place called Dino BBQ just down the road and had some lunch there before making our way back to the hotel to rest before getting changed and going over to a rooftop bar, we were only across from PVC so we chose to go there and it was absolutely amazing, the best view of New York and a great view of Broadway! We weren't that hungry after our big lunch so we got some food in McDonalds and picked up a load of sweets and crisps from Walgreens in case we got hungry later on. We ended up filming ourselves trying all of the weird chocolate and it's the funniest video I have!
Waking up the next morning was a little fragile so we actually got up a bit later at 7am and got some breakfast from Wendy's before doing a little shopping at TJ Maxx and heading to Central Park. We visited Bethesda Terrace and Fountain which made me so happy as a hardcore Gossip Girl fan and if you know, you know! We also went to sit on the steps and take some pictures of the Metropolitan Museum of Art as the queue was way too big to get in!
Central Park Zoo was our next destination where we saw a grizzly bear, piranhas and an ant farm (Will's favourite insects, he basically pushed a whole school out of the way to get to them haha!), it's way smaller than I expected in there but it was still great to see all of the animals and I couldn't believe that there was this little zoo in a huge park right in the middle of a city, it just felt surreal.
We then went back and got ready to turn up for our reservation at the Armani restaurant on fifth avenue, we'd been buzzing about doing this since we'd booked it about a month or so ahead and decided it would be a real treat for us.
In the end we had around seven courses and I left absolutely stuffed but they treated us like royalty, it was such amazing service and quality food and I was so happy to have experienced it. They even brought me out a candle and happy birthday sign on my dessert which was a lovely touch to the meal. After having another look around thrift shops and Times Square, it was time to grab some dinner and get ready for the ballet, we'd already booked to see Swan Lake ahead and I already had my dress and shoes ready to go!
It was a bloody dream to see it live and hear the accompanying music played by a live orchestra. Champagne was actually $7 cheaper than cocktails so we thought we'd treat ourselves to a few glasses before and at the interval. I felt like a princess the entire night and a couple of people asked to actually take selfies with me whilst we were out to dinner afterwards at P.J Clarke's (I think it was mainly because of the tiara haha!)
We headed home after a long day to rest before our last day and enjoyed a bittersweet last Starbucks the next morning for our last morning in New York before doing a little more shopping.
I found an amazing jacket in Topshop's pride collection but couldn't justify spending $280 on a jacket! I actually found it later in England for $39 with a skirt but it was sold out, I was so upset...
We had some lunch at Five Guys and wandered around to look at the Rockerfeller and Empire State before catching our cab to the airport and flying home.
It was an amazing trip that I will never forget and I cannot WAIT for our next adventure. We're currently in France working and enjoying our free time the best way we can..
Until next time
G x
We then went back and got ready to turn up for our reservation at the Armani restaurant on fifth avenue, we'd been buzzing about doing this since we'd booked it about a month or so ahead and decided it would be a real treat for us.
In the end we had around seven courses and I left absolutely stuffed but they treated us like royalty, it was such amazing service and quality food and I was so happy to have experienced it. They even brought me out a candle and happy birthday sign on my dessert which was a lovely touch to the meal. After having another look around thrift shops and Times Square, it was time to grab some dinner and get ready for the ballet, we'd already booked to see Swan Lake ahead and I already had my dress and shoes ready to go!
It was a bloody dream to see it live and hear the accompanying music played by a live orchestra. Champagne was actually $7 cheaper than cocktails so we thought we'd treat ourselves to a few glasses before and at the interval. I felt like a princess the entire night and a couple of people asked to actually take selfies with me whilst we were out to dinner afterwards at P.J Clarke's (I think it was mainly because of the tiara haha!)
We headed home after a long day to rest before our last day and enjoyed a bittersweet last Starbucks the next morning for our last morning in New York before doing a little more shopping.
I found an amazing jacket in Topshop's pride collection but couldn't justify spending $280 on a jacket! I actually found it later in England for $39 with a skirt but it was sold out, I was so upset...
We had some lunch at Five Guys and wandered around to look at the Rockerfeller and Empire State before catching our cab to the airport and flying home.
It was an amazing trip that I will never forget and I cannot WAIT for our next adventure. We're currently in France working and enjoying our free time the best way we can..
Until next time
G x
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