I'm no Alan Whicker, but I've been to a fair few places around the world - and few have left such an impression as New York. From the minute you step off the plane at Newark and look through the Arrivals area window across at that famous skyline, you're hooked. It's a city we're all so familiar with, even if you've never been. Who doesn't recognise the Empire State, Statue of Liberty and Chrysler Building? Thanks to the likes of Friends, Sex and the City and a myriad of films (Ghostbusters, When Harry Met Sally, Spider-Man, most Woody Allen movies), the streets and skyscrapers have become one big set (go to www.newyorkinthemovies.com for more places to seek out while you're there). All this means when you do arrive, there's none of that usual wandering around looking lost - you instantly feel at home. And with the US street grid system so straightforward, getting around is a doddle. For the first timer, walking is one of the best ways to see the place - the Subway is quite complicated and not as nice as the London Tube, and if the weather's decent it seems a shame to be stuck underground. Taxis are ubiquitous and cheap (especially with the dollar so weak), whilst the Gray Line sightseeing bus tours are a great way to spend a couple of hours and get a snapshot overview of the place. Catch the Uptown bus from near the Port Authority Bus Terminal, and over 90 minutes or so you'll circle Central Park, go through Harlem and come down the section of Fifth Avenue known as Museum Mile, home to the Guggenheim, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Jewish Museum etc. It's a hop on, hop off service, so you can easily turn the tour into a full day with a few stop-offs. We flew to New York with Continental Airlines; not only does this mean going direct from Birmingham International Airport (saving time and money), but the flight times are really convenient. The daily service leaves at 9am, arriving in Newark around lunchtime local time, whilst going home you fly at 7.30pm, arriving around 7.30am the following morning - meaning a good sleep on the flight is highly likely. Service was excellent too. Accommodation is plentiful in New York, but it can also be a bit of a minefield - you can be spoilt for choice. We were lucky enough to stay at the Roosevelt Hotel, situated in midtown on Madison Avenue, well-placed for plenty of attractions (Empire State and Rockefeller Center are both close by) as well as Grand Central Station, which is just around the corner. It's the biggest train/subway terminal in the city, ideal for getting to pretty much anywhere. It's also another classic movie location - North By Northwest, Carlito's Way and Madagascar have all featured the station. Built in 1924, the Roosevelt boasts 1014 rooms, a stunning lobby (as seen in Maid In Manhattan) and a great bar, the Madison Lounge, perfect for relaxing after a hard day's sightseeing/shopping. Ah, yes, the shopping. With the exchange rate around the £ = $1.95 mark, retail therapy Big Apple style hasn't been this attractive for about 15 years. When it comes to the shops themselves, you're spoilt for choice; Macy's and Bloomingdale's are world-famous names - the former downtown, the latter up near Central Park. Both well worth a look, as are Saks on Fifth Avenue and the nearby Tiffany's the jewellers (made famous by the Truman Capote story and Audrey Hepburn film), where you'll get some good deals on rings, necklaces, bracelets etc - though the ground floor is reserved for the wealthier shoppers - no price tags - if you have to ask 'how much', you can't afford it. Another destination worth checking out is toy store FAO Schwarz (also on Fifth Avenue) - an Aladdin's Cave for kids big and little - check out the piano shows as seen in the Tom Hanks film Big. Next door is the new Apple store; on street level a glass cube, downstairs below the sidewalk
and it's an iPod and Apple Mac heaven. Prices are good here, even better in discount electric stores around town, but it's horses for courses. Another great way of seeking out the bargains is with one of Sarah Gardner's Fashion Update shopping tours. From $75 per person, Sarah, who edits her magazine of the same name and is a frequent expert on local TV (and, she will tell you at least once, once worked with 'Jeffrey Banks of the Clothes Show'), will take your group on a whistle stop tour of a handful of sample sales around the city hunting down some great bargains. It's a little hit and miss what sales will be running and whether you'll find anything, but she's an entertaining character and one of our group did manage to get a Prada handbag normally retailing at $1200 for just $310. Now that's a bargain! In between all that retail therapy, you'll want to get in some sightseeing. The Empire State building, now (after 9/11) back as NYC's tallest structure, is a must; night and day visits both hold their own charm - expect a queue, though. Buy a CityPass for $53 and get entry to Empire State plus Frank Lloyd Wright's fabulous Guggenheim Museum (the building more of a draw than the artwork inside), the Museum of Modern Art, American Museum of Natural History and Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises. A great value book of tickets. Go to www.citypass.com for more. Another brilliant way of seeing the city - especially if you're pressed for time - is a helicopter tour. For just under £60 you can enjoy a 12 minute trip around Liberty Island, skirt Manhattan and see the Empire State, Central Park etc from a different angle. You also get a great sense of where everything is, if you're going to explore more at ground level. Of course, like any short break to a big city, you can't cram everything in; this is never truer than with New York. That said, a trip to Madison Square Garden has to be up on there on the wish list. The legendary midtown venue (which also hosts countless big concerts) is home to the New York Knicks; there are plenty of home games during the regular season (October to June) - and with the likes of Spike Lee, Woody Allen and Paul Simon as Knicks fans, you may even end up sitting next to a celebrity. But then, in a city like New York, there's every chance you'll bump into one on the street. We did... even if it was only Les Dennis. New York Factfile Birmingham International Airport - Country's fifth largest (second only to London Heathrow for business traffic), the airport has great transport links (direct trains to Birmingham New Street and Coventry, just off the A45 and M42). Direct flights to Newark through Continental Airlines (see below). www.bhx.co.uk
Continental Airlines - Continental operates a direct daily service to Newark New York from Birmingham International Airport.Their service from here has been unbroken since its inception in July 1997, so next year they will celebrate their 10th anniversary.The flight CO27 departs Birmingham daily at 09.00, arriving at New York/Newark 11.45.The return flight, CO26, departs New York/Newark daily at 19.30 arriving at Birmingham International Airport 07.25am the following day. From Newark Liberty International Airport, its New York area gateway, Continental Airlines flies on 230 destinations across the Americas, including Boston, Cleveland, Detroit, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Miami, Orlando, San Fransisco,Tampa,Toronto, Washington D.C. and many more. Continental Airlines' BusinessFirst has won this coveted airline industry award for the fourth year in a row. Continental Airlines was also voted OAG 'Airline of the Year' in both 2004 and 2005.
21 Club - 21 West 52nd Street, New York Former speakeasy now one of the Big Apple's favourite celeb hang-outs; the Bar Room's eclectic atmosphere (senior citizen waiting staff, toys hanging from the rafters) and great menu makes for a memorable night out. www.21club.com
Fashion Update - Former New York Post columnist Sarah Gardner's tours ($75-$300) will take you on a whistle-stop trip of sample sales and designer showrooms, with potential discounts of 75% off retail prices. www.fashionupdate.com
Helicopter tour - The Big Apple Helicopter Tour - £57 per person: Enjoy a unique bird's-eye view of New York City with a helicopter flight over the Statue of Liberty, Ellis and Governor Islands, Manhattan's famous skyscrapers including the Empire State Building, the George Washington Bridge and Central Park.The tour lasts 12 minutes. www.dosomethingdifferent.com
New York Knicks - The world-famous Madison Square Garden (or 'the Garden' to locals) hosts the Knicks' home games - season runs October-June. www.nba.com/knicks
Roosevelt Hotel - Madison at 45th, New York Located in the heart of midtown New York City, The Roosevelt is where the business district meets the Theatre and Fifth Avenue shopping districts, a short walk to the Rockefeller Center, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and scores of other famous NYC attractions. www.theroosevelthotel.com
Uncle Jack's Steakhouse - 440 9th Avenue, New York Boasts world famous Kobe beef steaks and prime cuts, alongside fabulous seafood. Great atmosphere. www.unclejacks.com
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