Fall trip to New York

New York. A city I've visited more times than I can count, and a destination that is good that they named it twice. This trip really didn't feel like a vacation (even though it was,) and I guess I've got to the point where I know it so well that visiting the city now feels like catching up with an old friend!

In town for a mix of business and pleasure, the temperatures were in the high twenties (the eighties for my lovely American readers,) when I arrived, but slowly, and wonderfully dipped to a more acceptable fall climate.

On the first full day, we woke up early and headed to the National September 11 Memorial and Museum for an early access tour. Visiting the Museum and paying my respects has been something that I have wanted to do for a long time, and seeing the new World Trade Center complex was a restorative experience. Booking a place on the early access tour is something I would highly recommend. You start your tour at 815am, an hour before the Museum is open to the general public which allows you to see artefacts and experience the exhibitions before it gets busy. Our guide Victor was exceptional, and made the tour even more poignant and powerful.

The tour and the Museum is moving and emotional, and powerfully transports you back to the events of that awful day in September. Only 12 at the time, this experience made me realize that I am likely one of the few youngest of generations who will truly remember the events of 9/11. This makes the Museum and Memorial even more important to honour the victims, heroes, first responders, families and friends.

We didn't visit the observatory of One World Trade Center, and I think that I will be unlikely to in the future. The new tower is awesome in its size and presence, the design echoing elements of the original towers and rising to new heights. It's a beautiful building to look at and I imagine being inside looking out at New York and further afield would also be a special experience.

The rest of my trip was filled with meetings (including a trip to Tory Burch HQ!) and catching up with friends. But I also made time to revisit some of my favourite New York sites including Rockefeller Center, Grand Central Station, Central Park, the Met (the Psycho house roof installation was awesome,) Flatiron and Brooklyn. A bracing walk across Brooklyn Bridge was the main part of our final day in the city - and braving the cold was well worth it!

Take a taxi or a ride on the Subway to Brooklyn Heights (getting off at City Hall or Borough Market) and walk along Brooklyn Heights to take in the magnificent skyline of Lower Manhattan. Soak up the walk back into Manhattan over the Bridge, it truly is a special view.

Along with stock up stops at my favourite shops (J.Crew, Ann Taylor, LOFT, Banana Republic, Target and CVS!) it was nice to spend some R&R time in New York. I'll be back next year!

Check out some more of my photos from my New York trip here.   

New York City

Some readers may be aware that I've just returned from a short vacation to New York City. Five days of fun in the Big Apple was just what I needed!

I went with one of my closest friends who has never visited the United States before, and who was quite possibly feeling like a kid at Christmas when he stepped off the plane. It was fun to watch his facial expressions as the taxi made its journey into the city, and I'm quite sure he looked like I did when I went to NYC for the first time aged eleven.

We stayed at the amazing Waldorf Astoria on Park Avenue, the pillar of luxury hotels in the city. It was my first time at the WA, and I would definitely stay there again. The luxury surroundings, sense of history and comfortable room really made our trip extra special. The location is excellent, and simply perfect for seeing the sights and shopping at all your favorite stores.

As it was my friend's first trip to the city, we indulged in many of the tourist attractions. On our first night we headed to the Top of the Rock which was fantastic. Considerably cheaper than the Empire State Building, I would very much recommend heading to the TOTR in the evening. We got to the top just as dusk was turning into night, resulting in some spectacular shaded skyline views. This was really one of the highlights. We visited the Empire State Building on our last night in the city, and despite being a scaredy-cat when it comes to heights, I felt calm and composed. Pay the extra $17 to head to the 102nd Floor, and beat the inevitable queues of tourists.

We also walked across the Brooklyn Bridge and visited Wall Street (for my accountant friend he was like a kid in a candy store!) Perhaps the most poignant part of the visit was paying our respects at the 9/11 Memorial. As someone who visited the World Trade Center before that awful day, I was glad to return to the sacred ground to see the two memorial pools. The visit was peaceful, the only sound the calming echoes of water from the fountains.

We also lunched at Serendipity (essential!) and I indulged in an awful lot of shopping (hello sales at J Crew, Kate Spade and Ann Taylor!)

The best way, as always, to see the city is to walk. Yes your feet may be wrecked by the end of your visit, but you will have had the whole NYC experience (and let's face it, who enjoys being stuck on the Subway?!)

Author's Own

To check out my photos from my visit click here.