New York Winter Wonderland - Lisa

If I could have chosen to visit anywhere in the world it would have been New York City and in January this year I got the chance. When you have wanted to visit a place for so long there is always a chance it is going to be a huge disappointment however I needn’t have worried. New York was everything I hoped it would be and more!

We stayed at the Wolcott Hotel, a great 3 star located in an ideal position on 31st street just 3 blocks from Macy’s and the Empire State building. The hotel was a great central base for seeing the city with comfortable spacious rooms and a complimentary muffin and coffee for a breakfast snack. One of the things I was most excited about was the shopping!

Each district has a different style of shopping to offer with its own individual atmosphere be it fashionable Greenwich Village, the shopping haven that is 5th Avenue or my particular favourite Soho with its stylish and chic shops. A lot of walking and 3 pairs of shoes later and I was just about satisfied!

One great tip I discovered was to take advantage of the free Staten Island Ferry. Take a ride on the ferry to observe New York in all its glory and see the Statue of Liberty while there. I took the ferry at the end of the day so my 20 minute trip to Staten Island was in the glow of sunset showing me the city in a dusky romantic light. The ferries route takes you right past the Statue of Liberty so this gave me the opportunity to see the famous lady in my jam packed visit.

On the return trip the sun had set and I was given a completely different view of the city, this time the city was lit up in an amazing array of lights and it was magical. Unfortunately there just isn’t time to tell you everything I loved about the city but the fantastic delis, breakfasts and desserts were definitely something I will remember! During my stay I had a variety of dining experiences from a meal at the fantastic Marriot View Rotating Restaurant with a buffet of mini desserts (I tried one of each!) to a quick snack in the mid town delis, to a real American breakfast in Greenwich village (eggs sunny side up!).

My final tip is if you are going in the winter wrap up warm! I was lucky enough to have some light snow that made the city seem even more enchanting and the bars and restaurants even more cosy but I warn you I have never felt cold like it so gloves, hats and scarves are a must have!