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Monday, 4 January 2016

The Big Apple

With just a week until my first ever trip to The States, I thought it was about time I made a plan of all the things I want to do while I am in New York. I have tried to stray away from sightseeing, because they're just the kind of things you do so you can say that you've done it. Instead I want take in the scenery and explore the markets and food that is on offer in NYC.

Midtown Manhattan:
A friend recommended I do the NBC studios tour; the place where they filmed shows such as Friends, Parks & Rec and The Tonight Show. I've also been told to visit the MoMa, the famous modern art museum. I had also hoped to visit the MoMa PS1 while in Long Island City but it isn't open on the day we planned to travel over there. Of course while I am in midtown I will be checking out all the high end shops on Fifth Avenue! And despite not wanting to do typical touristy things, a quick walk through Times Square wouldn't hurt.




Uptown: 
Uptown Manhattan is home to most of the museums I want to visit such as the Guggenheim, Cooper Hewitt Design Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the New York School of Interior Design exhibitions (expect to see a Gossip Girl inspired photo on the steps of The Met on my Instagram). While I am there, I hope to check out Central Park, possibly hiring a bike to ride the perimeter or waking up early for a jog around one the most filmed locations in the world. I also heard about a bakery called Levain's on the Upper West Side, which supposedly sell some of the best cookies in New York. I'll let you know if it's true.




Downtown/Chelsea/West Village:
I'm really looking forward to checking out this area as there is so much to do! Chelsea is the home to some amazing markets and galleries, I could probably spend an entire day there. There's also the High Line, an old, disused rail road which has now been converted in to a 1.45 mile-long green space above the streets of New York. Moving a little further downtown, there's West Village, a quaint neighbourhood, with picturesque cobbled streets and beautiful buildings. The Spotted Pig, Hamilton's and Corner Bistro are all highly recommend cheap eats in the area. Talking of food, I feel that checking out Little Italy and Chinatown is a must while in New York.

Right at the end of Manhattan Island is Battery Park. This is meant to be a beautiful and less crowded alternative to the tourist-heavy Central Park, and it's also where you can catch a free ferry to Staten Island, taking in the views of the Statue of Liberty along the way, for those not interested in paying to get up close. On our way back up through Manhattan to our hotel, I hope to check out the UCB Theatre. This place is a hot spot for up-and-coming stand-up artists, and one of few places to be open to under 21's.  With the amazing comedy scene in New York, and tickets for just $5, it'd be a shame to miss out on this.




Brooklyn/Williamsburg
We'll definitely need a whole day for this one as I can imagine it will take a while to get to, and the places I want to visit span from Socrates Sculpture Park up in Queens, all the way down to Prospect Park in Brooklyn. Prospect Park is another beautiful green area of New York, with Brooklyn Botanic Garden just next door. It's also a great place to ice skate, as it's much cheaper than Central Park or Rockefeller Center. Being on a student budget, I've heard to head to Brooklyn Heights Promenade for great views of New York's skyline at sunset. It's completely free, and is said to offer views just as breathtaking as found at the top of the Empire State Building.

In terms of places to eat, I read about a place called Berg'n, not far from Prospect Park, which is a cool beer hall that also sells food. I'm just hoping I can get in, being only 20 years old. Just under Brooklyn Bridge are two rival pizzeria's; Grimaldi's and Juliana's. I imagine they're both wonderful; I'll be opting for the cheaper and less crowded one of the two.




If you've visited New York before and have any other recommendations, either places to visit or just tips for surviving the bustling city, then I'd love to hear them! Keep your eye on my blog and Instagram for daily updates on my trip to New York.

Aderyn x
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