New York - So good they named it twice!

One of the must-do things in New York is to take a boat ride, either the Staten Island ferry (which is free) or the Ellis/Liberty Island boat tours. Either way you get great views of the city and the Statue of Liberty. Plus standing on the Staten island ferry looking out over the City is what reminds me of Melanie Griffth in Working Girl, which is reminiscent of the whole city...so many films and shows have been filmed there you can't help but me constantly reminded of some famous scene from a movie. Whether it's when Harry meets Sally (again!) in the Shakespeare and Co. bookstore or the Diner on the Upper West Side better known as the Seinfeld hangout, this city is a must for film and tv buffs. But that's not to say NYC isn't diverse, there are a million and one reasons to love this city and my second reason is the food. From the chains to the individual restaurants, New york has it all...try Buddy's, Houlihans and Virgil's in particular and if your British then just go to a Pizza Hut, too, and order breadsticks with cheese (it's a crime that they don't do them over here!!).

Quick Tips:

If you do the Staten island Ferry, once you get to the other side do not get off...me and my friend decided to visit a mall somewhere on the island and after managing to find the bus to the mall we spent what felt like forever getting there all the time going through strange neighbourhoods and getting suspicious looks from the other passengers...or maybe that was just paranoia. Anyway the mall wasn't worth it and neither was the ride back. Another tip is not to bother with the Statue of Liberty, go past it on the boat, maybe even get off and look close up but don't bother trying to climb it, a friend of mine described it as 'long, tiring and ultimately pointless' and if you change your mind half way up, when it's busy, there is no turning back.

Best Way To Get Around:

The best way to get around is by foot and by tube (the taxis are kinda scary).

If you're like me and would rather stay in a hotel room than a hostel dorm, the Hotel Newton is a good option. It's relatively cheap. My friend and I paid $110 dollars for a twin room, and we booked late, so if you book early you could get cheaper as room rates start at $85 for a double. However there are AAA discounts available and special internet offers-try www.newyorkhotel.com

In addition to a good rate, the hotel has the added bonus of being nice and is AAA approved. The furnishings are modern and the rooms are clean if small and our ensuite bathroom was tiny, but then we didn't spend much time in there!! It is also handy for the tube, just a block away from the station which will then take you into the heart of Manhatten with no changes. The staff were also friendly and there was room service till late provided by a local diner. There were also quite a few eating places around the hotel open late, if you fancy eating out but don't want to go too far afield-but there is one across and just down the road which offers nice milkshakes but the food isn't very good...if only I could remember the name??

A large, nicely furnished hotel with pleasant staff and the added bonus of an indoor pool on the top floor with deck chairs, but it's opened limited hours. The rooms were large and well-maintained with ensuite bathrooms (also good-sized), all have televisions and ours had a fridge.

Although the rack rates for the Skyline are expensive, they often have special deals on their website at www.skylinehotelny.com and can go as low as $109 a night, if not lower.

And if you do stay there be prepared for the person at reception to swipe your card and check to see if it will pay for your stay and every added extra in case you use them. They don't charge you at that stage but they do check-- something neither my friend nor I had come across before. At 12 o'clock at night, after an 8 hour journey, it's something of a shock when the receptionist tells you a much higher price than they first quoted (I think it was something along the lines of $1000 and I started to think we'd spend the night looking for another hotel!) However, we didn't take advantage of any of the extras, which meant we paid the pre-arranged price at the end of the stay!

One last thing is the position of the hotel; it's situated within what used to be called 'Hell's Kitchen',(think Brad Pitt's 'Sleepers' and also where Alicia Keys was born.). The area has a bad reputation but has recently gone through a redevelopment phase and was a safe and pretty place to stay. The only problem is that the hotel is some distance from the nearest tube station and after the first day we found it a tiring walk back to the hotel each night after an already long day of sight seeing. For those driving into the city there is also the added perk of free storage parking

When you first enter this restaurant, you are escorted by the drunken lady of the mansion (cocktail in hand!) into the lamp lit mansion-style main room with its traditonal furnishings that look as if it once housed the Munsters or the Addams family.

The main restaurant area is full of characters, from the people like Count Vladimir, who walk round to talk to you, to the interactive characters on the walls and various others who appear from dark places throughout the evening. This is an excellent and entertaining place for kids.

And the food isn't bad either -- my favourite are the boneless buffalo wings, but here are lots to choose from and of you wish to check out the menu before you visit you can go to their website, which also has information about booking children's parties, etc. There is also a more pub-like location at 91 7th Ave. South in Greenwich Village (tel: 212/989-7701).

What started as a pie company was on Thanksgiving Day, 1990 opened as a restaurant by its owners Rob Crimson and Seth Price. Meant as an alternative to the avant garde cuisine that was filling Manhattan restaurants at the time, Crimson and Price wanted to offer food that harked back to the cooking of their grandmothers in a restaurant that encapsulated the homeliness of a family kitchen. What resulted was one of the most popular eateries in New York and serves over 400,000 people annually at it's quaint TriBeCa location.

We visited for brunch and were treated to a gorgeous meal that was the best I've had in New York. The waiting staff were friendly and helpful (as being British, we weren't sure what some of the menu items were, but if you're unsure, just ask and the staff will be happy to help). The feel of the place is simple and homely, with wood decor and benches instead of chairs, you feel like you're sitting in someone's kitchen rather than a busy New York restaurant.

The atmosphere is relaxed and when we visited at around 11am they weren't too busy. But with so many visitors a year, it's hard to believe it's like that for long, and as we were finishing the restaurant was starting to fill up quickly. However, despite this and being slightly full, I couldn't leave without a try of what Bubby's is famous for -- its pies! There are various choices, from chocolate, pumpkin and the traditional apple and all are baked fresh daily and come served with delicious fresh cream.

To sum it all up the meals are good, the staff helpful, prices fair and the atmosphere pleasant, but what do I love most about Bubby's? Banana Cream Pie, yum.

On our last trip to NY we discovered Virgil's a southern/barbecue restaurant with a homey atmosphere and extremely good food. The menu offers BBQ style food with all the additions such as buttermilk biscuits and mustard slaw, so if you want to try some real American food and none of that commercial chain 'American' food, this is the place to go. On our first visit we were seated upstairs in the corner, with the large windows offering good views over the streets below and a glimpse of Times Square.

As I said, though, this is not your dumbed down 'American-style' menu, so if you're picky about your food, take a good look at the menu first before deciding to dine there and be sure there's something you like to eat. As for desserts, they are rich and not unlike what you would find in most restaurants - filling, luxuriant and fattening! Plus if your friends ask, they'll stick some candles in it and sing happy birthday to you-very embarassing!.

Two shopping emporiums that you are almost required to visit when in NYC are Macy's and Bloomingdale's. The first of the two is conveniently situated on Herald Square. This ten-storey giant dwarfs its retail counterpart Bloomingdale's. Selling everything you might need, it has various smaller departments within it from make-up and perfume to cafes and the Metropolitan Museum Gift Shop. This is the place to visit even if you just want to get a few souvenirs of your time in New York. On first entering the store, you are greeted by a display of various bags, vanity cases, and other knickk=knacks that are fairly priced and work as handy gifts for friends and family, all proudly showing off the Macy's name. And even if you don't want to travel into the maze of counters too far, it's worth popping in to pick up a Macy's bag or other accessory.

But if you really want to show off, then head to Bloomingdale's, a little further away from the centre as it's situated at 1000 £rd Avenue (Lexington at 59th Street). With affordable prices (more so than Saks), Bloomingdale's is the place to go to pick up one of those cool small, medium, or big brown bags so often sported on Friends. Although the store as a whole impressed me less than Macy's, the layout is less accessible and it was harder to find. But if you're a shopaholic or just after a 'brown bag', this is definitely worth a visit.

The star of some great romantic movies including An Affair To Remember and Sleepless In Seattle, the best time to visit is at night when the stars are out, the city lights are on and the crowds are starting to thin out, as the view is truly spectacular and more romantic than during the day when the crowds are in full force and the city has not yet gained it's night time sparkle.

Built in 1931 and standing 102 stories (1454ft) high, the Empire State has been dwarfed by many buildings, (including the World Trade Centre in the 1970s), but you cannot beat looking out across New York from this bright art deco tower that stands out amongst its dirtier, plainer neighbours.

There are two vantage points to look out from, the 86th floor, which is open air, spacious and has a large gift shop or there is the 102nd floor observatory which is enclosed and apparently quite cramped. I would recommend the lower viewpoint as it allows for a magnificent panoramic view of the city, where you can look through coin-operated viewers and take in the atmosphere better.

Tickets are $6 for adults, $3 for seniors, and kids under 12 years can go free. It's open from 9.30am to midnight.