By Fashion Assistant Jemma Tibbals
The Big Apple equals big opportunities for fun seeking, food eating, shop trawling and much, much more.
Where to stay
The Alex Hotel on 45th street in Midtown is welcoming and luxurious, offering you a relaxing respite from the busy city in its modernly furnished lobby. The staff are really helpful and attentive; when asked what a first time visitor should do in New York they were full of insider ideas.
Where to shop?
This is of course currently a big draw to the US for us poor old Brits. With our pound currently being worth two US dollars it's hard not to go beserk in a shopping frenzy.
First stop is Century 21, not everyone's cup of tea but great if you like to riffle through bargain basement designer goods with reductions of up to 75% off regular retail prices. This store is particularly good for shoe lovers.
Continuing the designer theme, a trip to Marc Jacobs was a must for me. Bleeker Street in Greenwich Village is the destination and once you arrive you'll be confronted with not one but two MJ shops - ahh bliss.
Classic Kicks is a trainer store I stumbled on that holds limited editions and equally good trainers for both girls and boys.
Patricia Field, stylist on Sex And The City and The Devil Wears Prada, has a shop on Bowery Street which has an eclectic offering of labels to deck you out in unique NYC clobber.
I can't tell you the number of times I have longed to go to US-based store Target, similar to H&M in the sense that it does great collaborations with designers, a stand out example has to be Proenza Schouler for Target. However on doing some research I found that the nearest Target to Manhatten was infact in Brooklyn (Gateway Drive) so I am yet to visit... oh well, there's always next time.
What to do
In true tourist style, my first outing included going up a very tall building to check out the city's breathtaking views from above. In avoidance of becoming a complete cliché I didn't venture up the Empire State Building but rather the Rockefeller Centre. This is tipped as the smarter move as you can actually see the Empire State from the Rockefeller, maximising photo opportunities. Plus this grand building offers you a fantastic view of Central Park, the Chrysler Building and Brooklyn Bridge. I particularly rate taking in the sites at sunset.
Eating, drinking and going out
Sampling the eats and drinks a big city has to offer is always a thrilling part of your trip. So where to eat? If you fancy dining out and really experiencing a piece of ‘old' New York, 21 Club is steeped in history and even gets a mention in Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window as the ‘it' restaurant of the time. The food is great and reasonably priced, just make sure you leave your sneakers at the door,; it's smart attire only.
A little less strict on the dress code is gastropub The Spotted Pig. However, it is no less ‘it', attracting everyone from Liv Tyler and Kate Hudson to Beyonce and Bill Clinton. This pub does a mean Sunday roast and warrants its Michelin star status with some more fancy foods on the menu.
Finally on the food front, a must visit for me was the Magnolia Bakery. Not only are the cakes unimaginably pretty to look at they are exquisitely delish too. For those of you who recognise the name, the Magnolia Bakery was featured in Sex And The City.
Getting there
American Airlines flies from London Stansted (only a 45 minute train ride from central London) to JFK, twice a day with the departing flights leaving at the highly sociable hours of late morning and afternoon. Flights start from as little as £248 return from Stansted to JFK. To book visit www.americanairlines.co.uk or call 020 7365 0777.
See the rest of our 12 hot holiday ideas
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