Empire State of Mind

In New York,
Concrete jungle where dreams are made of,
There’s nothing you can’t do,
Now you’re in New York,
these streets will make you feel brand new,
the lights will inspire you,
lets here it for New York, New York, New York
- Jay-Z & Alicia Keys


We've just returned from the most amazing holiday and I am absolutely in love and besotted with New York! I honestly can't put my finger on why it is, but my heart now belongs there, and London. They really are the two greatest cities in the world and I can't wait to go back! I've missed Blogland and I'd love to tell you a bit about our trip.

Please forgive some of the pics, taken with my iPhone! We didn't visit everything on our list or do lots of shopping as we wanted to ensure the little ones had a good time too. There's always next time and we could never holiday without them! Read on if you'd like to hear about it xx

We flew over to New York on the Qantas Airbus. It really is a great plane, I loved the Skycam (a view of the flight from the tail). The little ones were so good on all 5 flights throughout the trip. 10 - 14 hour flights are hard on anyone and they were amazing.

We arrived in New York in the evening after 27 hours of travelling (a bit of a delay in LA). I'll never forget the car door opening and a voice saying "Welcome to The Plaza"! The Plaza is exquisite in every way and walking into the foyer was like walking into one of my dreams, really. Everything is perfect and the rooms are very big. Staying there for the first two nights was very special. The little girls really enjoyed the Eloise Shop and afternoon tea in The Palm Court.

We spent part of the first day on a private walking tour with a New York local (Real New York Tours) taking in Uptown. We walked through Harlem (a real mix of rundown and gentrified), Upper East & West sides and Central Park. We visited the Apollo Theatre, the Dakota Building (where John Lennon was shot), Strawberry Fields, the diner from Seinfeld, the Central Park Zoo, the Cathedral of St John the Divine.

Art Kane's August 1958 photograph of 57 of the most well known

jazz musicians, gathered together in Harlem. The current owner of 

the building is a little tired of people sitting on his steps, hence the gate!

The two sides of Harlem

The very famous Apollo Theatre.. Michael Jackson, James Brown, 

Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington, Sammy Davis Jr, 

Miles Davis, John Coltrane..the list goes on.

 Cathedral Church of Saint John The Divine

Seinfeld

The Dakota Building

Strawberry Fields

Central Park

Two days later we did the Downtown Tour taking in Greenwich Village, Washington Square Park, Soho, Little Italy, West Village, the Friends TV show building, Chinatown, Brooklyn Bridge, St Pauls Chapel. We were very close to Ground Zero but didn't actually visit as I was concerned about the little ones. Our guide Ben was born and raised in Queens and it was fantastic to see New York with someone like that. My stepdaughters also did a Brooklyn tour later in the week with Ben. The little girls completed both tours with little complaint, I was so proud of them as it was a lot of walking and subway rides. Daddy did give them a few shoulder rides here and there!

45 Grove Street in the West Village, where John Wilkes 

Booth plotted the assassination of Lincoln

A rare weatherboard home in the West Village

The 'Friends' Building

An apartment block with a rare private garden.

The narrowest house in the city - nine and a half feet wide; 

Edna St. Vincent Millay lived there (No. 75 1/2)

Two great places to eat in the West Village

Cafe Wha?

Washington Square Park, wearing their Eloise At The Plaza outfits - so cute!

One of the gorgeous iron buildings in Soho

Little Italy

New York Supreme Court

We took a cruise at sunset past the Statue of Liberty and under the Brooklyn Bridge, taking in the Manhattan skyline at night.

We did go to the top of the Empire State Building but it was not a clear day at all. Maybe next time!

We managed a little bit of shopping. I bought some gorgeous Ralph Lauren outfits for a fraction of the price I would pay here. Everything certainly is a lot cheaper! The girls got lots of clothes and toys and my stepdaughters spent most of their time shopping I think! They had their own room and lots of freedom which was wonderful for them. (They are 14 & 20) It made me happy to see them feeling confident and independent. They are now experts on the New York Subway system!

Central Park is beautiful and enormous. We enjoyed the Carousel, the playgrounds, Belvedere Castle (meaning beautiful view) and managed to get lost for an hour or so in 'The Ramble'!

The Natural History Museum, well worth a visit.

Our new friend Freedom, on duty with his friend Brooklyn.

They were guarding Obama, who happened to be in town.

Drawing at FAO Schwarz

The little girls with their look alike dolls at 

American Girl - 3 floors of doll heaven! Thanks for the tip Jane!

A very cool store - Evolution.

My husband bought a replica 'Lucy' skull!

Pizza & beer on Carmine Street in the West Village.

London next...xx