Day 01
– Take a yellow cab from JFK, it’s a set fee into the city
– Tell the driver the corner your destination is on, they don’t know hotels nearly as well as street names
– Check-in is at 3pm
– Colder NYC does not slow it down
– Time Square still does my head in
– Starbucks closes earlier on a Sunday, I have not had coffee
– Walking around this city is my favorite thing to do here
– Direction takes some getting used to, everything seems upside down
– There is no ground zero, their floors start at 1
– Still no 13th floor
– The minibar is packed full of treats, but don’t eat them, they’ll probably cost you an arm and a leg
– The kefir is next to the milk in the grocery store fridge
– A 30 day SIM and unlimited data etc costs $65
– It’s Zee not Zed
– You gotta tip, New Yorkers get quite upset if you don’t
– Compared to London, stuff is way cheaper
– The buildings look older than I remembered them looking
– Staying in midtown seems fairly convenient
Day 02
– The New York public library is breathtaking, it’s free, visit it
– NYC feels like home for me already
– While most things are cheaper in NYC, you will be charged city tax, which you cannot claim when you leave
– Saks on 5th Avenue is worth visiting to teach you how people with far too much money over pay for stuff, prefer Selfridges as a department store
– Street hot dogs won’t kill you, try them
– There’s lots of crazies walking around the streets
– No matter what the time or day, NYC is always buzzing, it really is the city that never sleeps
– The Apple store in 5th Avenue is still not done
– Milk Bar was kinda dodge, cereal milk is not what I expected sadly
– Very Fresh Noodles at Chelsea Market are delicious
– It’s getting warmer
Day 03
– So convenient having a Starbucks on just about every street corner
– Coffee at most other places is not an espresso with milk, it’s drip coffee 😞
– The city seems to be getting busier every day
– It’s quite easy to earn your vitality steps, you walk a lot
– Five Guys never disappoints, still my favourite burger
– Soho is the better place to shop, everything is in a very concentrated area
– Blades in Soho is the best skate shop for clothing
– Grand Central Station is quite spectacular
– The Apple Store in Grand Central Station is huge, quite the experience
– Wagamamas is great Asian food, I hadn’t had it since I lived in London 20 years ago
– It’s easy to sleep in the middle of the city, despite all the sirens etc, either it’s the way the windows block out noise or just totally exhausted
– Cherry blossom trees are really beautiful
– It’s getting even warmer
– I ❤️ NY
Day 04
– Its t-shirt weather in NYC
– Most people think of NY, but when you’re in the city, you see a lot more NYC
– Macy’s is the largest department store I’ve been in, I got lost 🙈
– My feet hurt from all the walking
– It’s refreshing to hear stories of honesty, people who leave their purses in taxis, get them back
– Walk over the Brooklyn bridge, you can see the Statue of Liberty
– NY sour cherry pie at Petee’s pie company is the magic
– A hot shave at Rudy’s barbershop is a nice treat
– Jelly is not jam, there’s no flavors, it’s just jelly 🙄
– 10pm feels as lovely as 10am, only the bums are going to sleep, not waking up
Day 05 & 06
– Anejo mexican restaurant in Hell’s Kitchen has great tacos and the best desert I have had while here
– Starbucks has these powermats to wirelessly charge your phone, but doesn’t seem to work on an iPhone unfortunately
– Bluestone lane on 5th across from Central Park makes the best smashed avo on toast
– You cannot drink your morning coffee while racing down Madison Avenue in a cab
– Google maps cannot keep up with the pace of stores popping up and closing down, things might not be where the maps say they will be
– There are plenty of 24 hour pharmacy’s
– Eatalian on 5th is a little chaotic, but has a bunch of Italian stuff, whether you want to sit down and eat, or grab something from their delis
– Cannolis are ok, not good nor bad, just ok
– Most Starbucks are closed by 9pm, but you can find some open later
– Friday’s in midtown are crazy busy with people everywhere, even more than usual
– It’s even hotter, but chilly in the shade
– Seen a lot of school busses this time, they’re everywhere
– There is an incredible amount of news and sports on tv, and lots of Ad breaks in between
– Apple products are so much cheaper here
– There is such a vibe in this city, it’s almost exhausting
*I was in NYC for a conference, which took up most of my time during these two days, so did very little else in the city, so merged the two days
Day 07
– It’s raining in NYC
– It’s not so fun
– Hotels (at least my hotel) gives out umbrellas so you can walk around
– Umbrellas don’t stop you from getting wet
– It’s my last full day, I really don’t want to have to buy a raincoat
– SoHo is crazy busy
– Taxi drivers call you cheap when you only tip 20%
– Concepts on Hudson street is still the most well curated store
– Apple Store payment is just brilliant, love that they ask to email you a receipt
– Vans stock some cool skate gear in their stores
– Cassey Neistats 368 is just off canal street and broadway, I did not spot him
– People were queuing down the block for G Star today
– People still queue for Supreme
– You can get fake supreme gear, Louis Vuitton bags and sunglasses all over SoHo
– Still get offered a lot of drugs on Canal Street
– The view from my hotel is inside looking at other rooms, but I cannot see inside, no nudity, nothing!
– People shop on 5th Ave but there are some great stores with less people on Park and Madison Avenues
– Five Guys, never get tired of eating their burgers and love their strawberry shake – yes you can skip shake shack
– It’s refreshing to see every till in a store manned, queues move fairly quickly
– The hooting can get too much
– Drinking coffee and people watching at Union Square is a beautiful thing
– NY City gift shops are as common as Starbucks
– I have not spent time in Central Park 🙈
– The rain does not slow down the city
Day 08
– It’s raining again in NYC
– What is it with big city’s and bubble gum stains on the pavement?!
– Check out is 12pm, but hotel will keep luggage and arrange a cab for you to JFK
– This rain is stopping no one, babies are in strollers, old farts slowing stuff down with walkers and crazies still screaming
– Starbucks free WiFi is certainly used as people spend large amount of time working there
– There are markets of all kinds all over the city on the weekend
– There are girls doing yoga in the lululemon store windows
– Watch a movie at AMC’s theatres at Lincoln plaza. The seats aren’t as nice as back home, but they give you free 3D glasses and serve hotdogs in the theatre
– Central Park is still full of people enjoying some greenery in the rain
– Last treat in NYC had to be warm apple pie
– ACE hotel does a psychic reading on a Sunday evening, more weirdos in the lobby, hard to get a seat
– Grilled three cheese sandwich is a fitting final meal in America, delicious
– Farewell NYC, see you again soon