So today, I’m super excited to have on the blog the incredible Claudia Carroll, author of Our Little Secret talking about her favourite city in the whole world.
Claudia’s Words:
So what’s your favourite city in the whole world? Without a doubt, mine is New York City or to be more specific, Manhattan.
I first started going there when I was a teenager with my parents; my Dad used to do the NYC marathon and we’d all loyally troop over to support him. Anyway, New York in the dim, distant late 80’s was a very different place to how it is now. It was pre-Giuliani and crime really was rife. I remember our tour group leader even warning us not to wear rings on the street, as if a mugger targeted you, apparently they’d just chop your finger off to get at the ring. Delightful.
But in spite of the element of danger hanging over the whole city back then, I still fell in love with the place. The energy, the buzz, that feeling of being right in the epicenter of the whole world. Factor in the skyscrapers, the beauty of Central Park and of course the fabulous shopping, and I was a complete goner.
Since then, I’ve been a regular visitor and literally do have the days counted till my next trip. Now I’ve even got two very dear cousins who both live and work there, so it’s wonderful to catch up with family while I’m visiting. Plus, they always seem to have the best insider tips on where to go, what to do and of course – where to shop!
NYC is such a melting pot, you see all human life there, from the more underprivileged areas out in Queens and beyond, to the chi-chi districts like the Meatpackers and then the almost unimaginable wealth you see around the Upper East Side of Park Avenue.
Must do’s for me when I’m there would be spending an entire day in Macy’s on Herald Square, having a bite to eat in the View, (an incredible revolving restaurant overlooking the magic of Times Square,) and of course, seeing a Broadway show. Any show will do, once it’s on the Great White Way, you know it’s gonna be a good one.
Anyway, here’s a few other top places to go to, that I’d highly recommend. Just in case you were thinking of taking a trip Stateside!
First up, Woodbury Common, just a 45 minute bus ride upstate of NYC, but trust me, if you’re a shopper this is NIRVANA. Imagine the biggest outlet mall you’ve ever visited, then multiply it by 10 and that’s Woodbury Common for you. Bliss.
Then there’s the gorgeous Café at the Rockefeller Center on Fifth Avenue., where you can sit, sip on a nice, reviving hot chocolate and look out on the view of ice skaters twirling on the rink beside you, as you recover from a day’s shopping.
Another must-see is the Frick House on East 70th St in Manhattan. Astonishing really, it’s a magnificent stately home which houses the most incredible art collection, spanning everything from Old Masters to the most magnificent sculptures too. Plus there’s a library too, perfect for book lovers anywhere.
And if you fancy a not-too spendy dinner in a fabulously memorable surrounding, then do check out the dining concourse at Grand Central Station. So many gorgeous restaurants to choose from and they all overlook the main concourse three floors below, so you can sit and sip a lovely, refreshing glass of wine while looking down on busy commuters work their way home.
What’s not to love?
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