GETTY
New York City is known as the city that never sleeps.
Perhaps it’s because it’s a city that’s so easy to navigate.
In fact, after landing at JFK it took me no time at all to get to Manhattan’s 34th Street on the subway, and mere hours later I was dressed up and sat comfortably in the stalls at Longacre Theatre, ready to see Broadway’s hit musical A Bronx Tale.
If you’re imagining an average West End musical, then think again – the Americans know how to put on a show! By the interval I was whooping and singing with the rest of the audience.
If you’re a Londoner, like me, there are many aspects of New York that feel familiar – namely the unrelenting crowds – but the pavements (or “sidewalks”, as Americans call them) are so big that you are free to amble at your own pace, without an elbow in your side.
There is also a Starbucks on every street corner and a subway akin to our trusty Underground.
But there are also plenty of reasons why New York is in a league of its own.
I checked into the Moxy Times Square for my first two nights.
The 612-room hotel is located just south of Times Square and well placed for many of the big attractions.
GETTY
The Brooklyn Bridge was built on 3 January 1870.
It has a minimalist and playful feel, with beanbags in the bedroom and tiling in the bathroom modelled on public swimming baths.
Other fun touches include a pre-recorded “bedtime story”, which guests can have read to them by dialling an extension on a retro phone.
There are also free sweets in lobby and the party never stops at Magic Hour – New York’s largest all-season rooftop bar.
Food was a priority during my visit to the city.
GETTY
Times Square takes its name from the New York Times headquarters.
Only in New York can you order a cookie called The Kitchen Sink, comprised of white chocolate, dark chocolate, coconut and pretzel pieces.
You’ll find it at Glaser’s Bake Shop on 1st Avenue.
And if you’re in a rush, just keep your eyes peeled for a 24/7 cupcake ATM.
Yes, they really do exist.
Secret New York
Tue, May 5, 2015
Photographer Will Ellis has snapped a series of haunting images from some of New York’s most secret locations. Despite New York being the most photographed city in the world these offer a unique and haunting take on the Big Apple.
The Freedom Tunnel under Riverside Park once held a vast homeless encampment known as the mole people
Don’t expect to eat your five a day while you’re here.
The giant pancakes at Junior’s must be consumed without guilt.
If you fancy something green, there are plenty of salad shops and independent cafés serving smoothies galore.
But don’t miss a delicious slice of margherita at 99 Cent Pizza on Broadway.
By day, I hit the tourist hotspots with my trusty CityPASS, giving me access and a handy queue jump to the Empire State Building, 9/11 Memorial Museum and more.
At night, I ventured to New York’s famous Comedy Cellar in Greenwich Village.
My final three nights were spent at the five-star Viceroy Central Park.
The 29-story Midtown hotel has a modern, luxurious feel, with lots of marble and sleek brass and cherry-wood furnishings in its 240 rooms.
GETTY
The Empire State Building took only one year and 45 days to build.
The receptionist offered me the Penthouse Suite for an additional $ 5,000 dollars per night, but I had to politely decline.
(I wouldn’t have minded a little peek inside, though.)
The hotel’s fabulous rooftop bar and terrace has become a destination in its own right, and is the place to snap a few shots of the city after dark with a cocktail in hand.
I spent my final day walking the length and breadth of Central Park, before a quick hop and skip across the East River to Brooklyn. Ice cream in hand on the riverbank, I took in the most extraordinary view of my new favourite city.
Sorry London, I want to be a New Yorker.
