NYC Stole my heart...........

Friday 30th August - Monday 2nd September 2013

'Start spreading the news, I'm leaving today......'

Hi Beauts.

Friday 30th August

Getting up at 4:30 am is never fun. Especially when you've spent the previous night chasing a very fast, jumpy, and HUGE spider around the living room with Tupperware. Anyway, this 4:30 am wake up call was welcomed with open arms - it was finally time to head to NYC!!

Coffee downed, make up slapped on and we were airport bound. After beeping through security (I was the lucky one to be chosen for a search at random - joy) a quick breakfast of jam on toast we were ready to board our small flight from Newcastle to London and then our seemingly longer flight from London to New York. I'm about to completely big up British airways right now. The crew were so friendly and helpful and they made sure we were stuffed to the brim with food and drinks, thanks for fattening me up BA ;)

Landing at JFK has to be one of the best and most exciting things I've ever done, we were finally on U.S soil after months of squealing and planning...and more squealing. We jumped in a yellow cab and headed for our hotel which was just outside of Manhattan. Bags literally chucked in our room we headed down the street for the subway, which I have to say was a little scary. However, after riding on the subway for a weekend I love it! We finally got into the city (Hello 5th Avenue!) after a few stops and were completely in awe. Walking down the street we could see the Empire State building peeping over the tops of the buildings. That first (late) afternoon we pretty much walked down 5th Avenue in a daze, squealing at every building and practically catching flies when we stumbled across Times Square. It was getting pretty late by this time so we headed back to the hotel for a shower and bed, recharging our batteries for the next day

Saturday 31st August

We rose from our pits at 7 am ready to face the busy day we had ahead of us. We had pre-booked a TV and movie set tour before we got to New York and were getting picked up at Ellen's diner at 11 am so figured we'd stop off for pancakes first - one word YUMMY!! Ellen's diner is definitely one that needs to be experienced if you ever go to New York, other than it having the best buttermilk pancakes ever, all of the waiting staff sing and perform too!
11 am soon rolled around and we were sat on the coach ready for the tour to begin. We drove trough so many busy streets passing buildings and statues that had appeared in so many shows and films such as Friends, Spiderman, Hitch, M.I.B and Hitch to name a few. The great thing about the tour was that not only were we seeing these amazing 'sets' we were also seeing a lot of the city too. Three hours later the tour was over and we headed to Central Park (my cousin is a huge Beatles fan and wanted to see the Imagine memorial and the Dakota Building) Then it was time to shop till we dropped....literally!

Sunday 1st September 

Sunday was another early morning and hectic day - just the way we like it. Whilst on the TV and movie set tour we spotted a few shops that we wanted to head back to, mainly in SoHo. However we stopped off for breakfast first at a diner near Lexington called 'Johnny Rockets' where we stuffed our faces before heading off in the direction of SoHo to spend spend spend. 

Our last port of call was The Rockefeller Center: another trip we booked before we left the UK. If you only book one trip when you visit NYC this is the one to go for. Stepping out onto the top deck was absolutely breathtaking! I still get goosebumps when I think about it now. The city is SO much bigger than you'd think and the Statue of Liberty looks teeny from such a height. I fell in love with New York.

(zoomed in)

Monday 2nd September

Our last day *insert MAHOOSIVE sad face* We wanted to go for one last breakfast at Johnny Rockets diner, our farewell breakie :( Before doing some sightseeing for the final time. We were wandering the the streets like lost souls........OK a little over dramatic, we were more than likely lost to be honest when we spotted Grand Central Station so we had to go in and have a spy, it was on our 'must see' list. I have to say it wasn't as big as I thought it would be (that's what she said) but it was still amazing nonetheless (she so didn't say that though)
One last thing we had to do before we headed back home to the rain and cold was hop on a ferry across to Ellis Island where Lady Liberty stands. Come on, there ain't NO way you can go to the big apple and not go see the Statue of liberty right? She is in fact as big as I thought she would be, maybe even bigger if I'm honest and again the goosebumps appear.

Well, farewell New York City....you stole my heart <3

Places to visit/things to do/places to eat:

Rockefeller Center
The Statue of Liberty ($17 if you pay on the day - bargain)
Central park
Ellen's stardust diner (Broadway)
Johnny Rockets Diner (3rd Ave)
A week metro pass for the subway is $31 or $2.50 for a single journey

I'll be back ;)

Stacey x