So much to love about New York
Jul 3 2009 By Rebekah Oruye
New York lives up to the high hopes of first-time visitor Rebekah Oruye, who views it by air, land and river.
Waking up on the morning of my trip to New York, the thought of arriving in the brightest, liveliest, action-packed city in the world had my head spinning with anticipation.
And boy, did the Big Apple meet, and then totally exceed my super-high expectations.
All the members of the group I travelled with were first- timers to NYC, therefore we spent most of the seven-hour flight chattering about what advice we’d received from other people, about where to go and what to do. The usual shopping venues, bars and celeb haunts were in the back of my mind but I’d also decided to try to explore parts of New York that aren’t well-documented tourist hot spots.
I think a quick mention about the flight itself is in order, as it’s not every day I get to travel Business First Class. The Continental Airlines flight from Birmingham International Airport felt like a holiday in itself, with spacious legroom, designated steward services and a sumptuous four-course menu – just some of the many perks on offer to us on board.
On arrival at Newark Airport, the hub of Continental Airlines, we were transported to the luxurious 200-roomed Hotel Beacon in the wealthy Upper West Side of Manhattan – home to A-list stars and the location for dozens of movies and TV programmes.
Luckily, throughout our five-day holiday the temperature was unusually warm for springtime, so we wasted no time donning our sunglasses before heading out to explore the sights of Broadway.
We browsed around a few shops, but we soon learned the real bargains were to be had away from tourist areas.
Our first night’s meal was at the well-known 21 Club. We were treated to a behind-the-scenes tour of the cellar – situated behind a fake wall – and filled with dusty wine bottles, many belonging to celebs, including Sammy Davis Jnr.
The restaurant was used as a speakeasy during prohibition years. Even President Nixon was alleged to have enjoyed a sneaky tipple in the vault.
Our hearty three-course meal, added to the day’s travelling, left most of the party feeling the strain. But another member of the group and I opted to find out what happens after hours in the city that never sleeps. We jumped on a subway train and headed down to Times Square. The first thing you notice is the sheer size – giant billboards lit up in every hue possible, blaring out into the night.
Hundreds of tourists paraded the streets, trying to avoid the hawkers selling dodgy watches and handbags.
One helpful tip when going out to bars and clubs is to carry ID, as Americans are strict on checking age. Some people might object but we took requests for our ID as a compliment to our youthful looks.
Drinks are by no means cheap in Times Square, so be prepared to part with a few dollars to sample the range of cocktails and beers available.
For a credit crunch-friendly night out, I was told to try the downtown areas of Meatpacking or SoHo. As in any large city, alcohol and food prices and quality vary across the districts. One bus-tour-guide-come-TV-director (everybody has a day job in NYC) warned us not to eat hot dogs from street vendors. Instead, a few shops dedicated to selling hot dogs proved tastier and better value for money, according to the meat eaters in the group.
New Yorkers are famed for their love of food. I could barely finish meals and was grateful for all the walking we did to burn off unwanted calories.
A helicopter tour of the city was the only element of the holiday that filled me with apprehension. Thankfully it lasted only eight minutes and the breathtaking views had me peeping out from behind my handbag in no time.
The route follows the Hudson River, downtown towards Brooklyn and then in a circular direction over the Statue of Liberty and north towards Harlem. From the sky, we could appreciate the magnitude of the skyscrapers that dominate midtown Manhattan.
