Take a bite (out of your credit cards)
Reluctant shopper Richard Gilbert heads to the vast shopping city that is New York - and recovers on top of the world...
Macy's - the biggest department store in the world
New York, the most dynamic city in the world, is back in business and today it can now claim to be the safest large city in America.
The Big Apple is the ideal holiday destination with its high-octane energy and unforgettable skylines, its hospitable residents and its mega-stores and museums.
Even on a short break you can enjoy plenty of New York's top attractions. Shop in Madison Avenue, stroll through Central Park, gaze at the endless skyscrapers, browse among the two million priceless objects in the Metropolitan Museum, drop into a lively bar in Greenwich Village or the East Village - you are spoilt for choice.
There are very few places that can match New York's mix of culture, shopping, nightlife and historic sites.
My first glimpse of the Manhattan skylines always thrills me. From a distance those skyscrapers look like mountain ranges covered with steel and glass.
I am no shopaholic but, with the pound still strong against the dollar, shopping in New York turned out to be an unexpected pleasure.
I was worried when my wife gave me a daunting hit list of purchases to bring back. Fortunately the mix of vast department stores with discount outlets and small boutiques made my task easy.
The smartest shopping area is between 59th and 72nd Streets on Fifth and Madison Avenues. Conveniently close to each other are Tiffany, Nike, Saks, Gucci, Cartier, Armani, Barneys and Ralph Lauren. Macy's, the largest store in the world, runs along the entire block of 34th Street. Make sure you ask for Macy's International Savings Card to get 11 per cent off most purchases.
If you are hunting for bargains don't miss Century 21 in Cortlandt Street, opposite Ground Zero.
This massive discount store is packed with cut-price designer labels and kitchenware. You need stamina to shop there but it's worthwhile if you fancy 40 to 70 per cent discounts.
J&R Computer & Music World nearby on Park Row is the best store for all electronic goods, cameras, techno toys and computer software.
The new Time Warner Center at Columbus Circus overlooking Central Park is the latest mega-shopping area. The 80-storey building has more than 50 fashionable stores and seven restaurants.
As a jazz fan I was keen to see the fifth floor where Jazz at Lincoln Center has two superb concert halls and Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola where I heard some terrific music until the wee small hours. This is the first arts centre in the world designed especially for jazz.
There have been plenty of changes in some of the neighbourhoods since my last visit, particularly in Harlem in Upper Manhattan and SoHo downtown. SoHo's 19th-century warehouses and garment factories have been turned into chic bars, restaurants, boutiques, galleries and loft apartments.
In Harlem, many homes have been renovated and businesses have moved there. In fact, Bill Clinton now has his offices on 125th Street in the heart of Harlem.
I found the area very friendly when I went to two terrific Harlem jazz clubs one night. Harlem, Your Way runs the best tours in the neighbourhood and they cover gospel music, history, jazz, the Apollo Theater, restaurants and key landmarks.
The number of must-see attractions in New York is changing all the time. Naturally, most visitors want to see the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty, but the exciting new star is the Top of the Rock Observation Deck on the summit of the Rockefeller Center.
You get to the top in a sky-shuttle elevator that transports you to the 67th floor. Here you reach the large viewing areas where you can see the whole of Manhattan and - on a clear day - 80 miles. Ignoring the biting wind I climbed a few steps higher to the open-air top level where I gaped at the magnificent, 360-degree views of the whole city.
Even in a city like New York, where you think you've seen it all and experienced all it has to offer, it still manages to surprise even the most regular guest, sneaking a trump card from its sleeve.
Richard Gilbert stayed at Hotel Affinia 50 on the East Side of Manhattan in Midtown. It is a classic New York hotel where the laidback doormen welcome you with a tip of their black Sinatra hats. The hotel is close to Central Park and Fifth Avenue. Rooms start from £100.
Affinia: 50 155 East 50th Street 212-751-5710; www.affinia.com.
The Gracie Inn on the Upper East Side has only 12 rooms and looks like the private house it was once. Rooms start from only £50. This little hotel is just a brisk walk from Museum Mile on Fifth Avenue where you can take your pick from a dozen museums, including the Met.
502 East 81st Street 212-628-1700; www.gracieinn.com.
If you fancy a historic hotel with 1,000 guest rooms head to The Roosevelt, known as the Grand Dame of Madison Avenue. This elegant hotel covers a whole city block and the massive lobby is filled with gilded ornaments and marble. Rooms start at about £150.
Madison Avenue at 45th Street 212-661-9600; www.theroosevelthotel.com
* For more information about New York call the NYC & Company Visitor Information Line on 020 7202 6368.
* Continental Airlines fly twice daily from Birmingham International to Newark. Return fares from £396. For details call 0845 60 767 60.
* EOS, the new luxury airline, flies daily to JFK from Stansted with 48 seats in a configured Boeing 757. This is an all-business class flight with a first-class service including 78" flat beds, gourmet meals with real china and personal DVDs. Return fares start from £1,900 for advance booking. Contact: 0800 019 6468.
* Harlem Your Ways Tours, tel: 212-690-1687; www.harlemyourwaytours.com.
* Top of the Rock Observation Deck on the summit of the Rockefeller Center is open from 8.30am to midnight. Tel: 212-698-2000; www.topoftherocknyc.com.
* The best way to get around New York is by the subway and most routes run 24 hours a day. The single fare is $2 no matter how far you go. For only $7 you can buy a one-day FunPass for unlimited travel all day.
