HELLO, NEW YORK

Well, although only just over one month has passed since my magical week in the 'Big Apple', it feels like a distant memory! New York is one of those travel destinations that is likely on your bucket list, as it was mine, and there's nothing more valuable than a fellow traveller's advice on their favourite things to do and see, so I hope this blog helps you in planning your own little visit to one of the most famous cities in the world!

Starting with the practical side of things, our trip was split across two different lots of accommodation:

• The Maxwell Hotel - 541 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10022, USA

• Air Bnb Lower East Side - walking distance to Little Italy, Chinatown, NoHo, West Village, SoHo, Brooklyn Bridge.

Staying in the Air BnB in the last half of our trip gave us a really authentic feel of NYC life as opposed to the touristy vibe that comes with staying at large hotels! 

When you're faced with just one week in New York you will likely only have the opportunity to see the main things that NYC has to offer, but with SO many things to choose from, we were never bored! Below is a list of the main sights that made up our week, all of which I would highly recommend:

One of my favourite things about adventuring through New York, especially the above listed places, is that you feel as though you are graciously moving between the sets of your favourite iconic movies, which is such a surreal feeling. We enjoyed lunch on the Met Steps with Serena & Blair, wandered through Greenwich Village with Carrie Bradshaw and had breakfast at Tiffany's with Audrey Hepburn!

The Brooklyn Bridge at sunrise was a memory we won't be forgetting any time soon! During the day it can be hard to experience its beauty with so many tourists scattered across it, but at sunrise it is truly breathtaking. The soft pastels in the sky are such a perfect contrast to the strong, industrial feel of the bridge itself and the two combined made for the perfect photo opportunity! 

Of course, no trip to NYC would be complete without copious amounts of food and we absolutely indulged! Our top pick for breakfast was Australian owned Bluestone Lane which served up good coffee (hard to come by) and even better food in various locations throughout the city! We enjoyed a drink at The Flower Shop at 107 Eldridge Street and sampled the famous dumplings from Vanessa's Dumpling House on that same street. Both made it high on our list of favourites!

Another stand out was absolutely my visit to the Metropilitan Museum of Art for the Heavenly Bodies exhibition by Anna Wintour. I could have spent an entire day looking at the extravagant details on each of the stunning gowns on display. Although this isn't an ongoing exhibition, the museum itself is well worth a visit and there will no doubt be something of interest showing whenever you are there!

I can say without a doubt that New York is a city that you could spend a lifetime wandering through without seeing half of what it has to offer, so my biggest tip would be to plan your visit well. It is such a huge city with so much to see and it is so easy to waste time wandering around without ticking off your bucket list sights! 

New York, I will be back! x