I think I am literally the living, breathing version of the famous ‘I love New York’ campaign, made most famous by the I Heart NY logo. There is no place I’ve visited that I love more. Not even Disneyworld, which is the obvious choice if you know me. I first visited NY in October 2000 with my school’s Art trip. My first flight ever was 3 hours delayed, but eventually we got there and to our room at about midnight (so 5am UK time!!), after some sleep, I woke up and fell in love. This trip was amazing, and I must have gone on and on about how wonderful it was, as my mum and I visited very soon after in February 2001. While October was warm enough to just wear a Jumper, February was cold, and on the last full day there it started snowing, which was simply a magical end to the trip.

After that, other than planning dream vacations online, flying first class and staying at The Plaza, I didn’t visit New York again (which I realise I am incredibly lucky to have been there multiple times) till February 2010 with my Fiancé, Simon. It was our first holiday outside of Europe, and I couldn’t have been more excited to show him my favourite place on earth. We got the train into Manhattan, and threw our bags in the hotel room, barely stepping foot in it, so we could get the most of our time there. We visited all the landmarks, wandered around central Park in the sunny but chilly weather, with small patches of snow around us. It was just perfect, Simon even let me go to the Engagement Ring floor in Tiffany’s and naturally I zoned onto the only pink diamond in the room. Bit out of our budget at $400,000 (excluding tax), but can you blame me for dreaming ;). On the last day we visited the Museum of Modern Art and saw an exhibit from Tim Burton, featuring models from Nightmare before Christmas, Concept artwork, even a picture book he wrote as a child, it was fascinating!

    

2013 was an unexpected trip to New York. A school friend of Simon’s who now lives in America was getting married and we were invited to the ceremony in Amherst, Massachusetts which is a couple of hours drive away from NY, so Simon and I decided to stay in NY for 3 days, drive to Amherst for the wedding and celebrations then head back to NY to catch our flight. Quickly arranged but even though we didn’t get to do much compared to the previous trips, this might just be my favourite one. I FINALLY got to go up the Empire State Building at night (something we planned to do in 2010 but never managed it – long story). We were a little tipsy after an amazing meal at our favourite steakhouse (evidence provided with the photos below) and it was an unplanned trip up there, so I didn’t have my camera, but, actually, I wouldn’t change it for the world, blurry iPhone photos and all. Simon and I have such fond memories of this trip. I could go on for days about it.

     

New York is just beyond special. Central Park is beautiful, and beyond the trees, you can see the city that lays past its boundaries, it would be the perfect place to just sit and read all day in the summer. The shopping is obviously fantastic, but I just love wandering down the avenues and streets and looking at the architecture. I love the bustling and the busyness that embodies New York. Every time I visit places I’ve visited before while there, there is always something new that I notice. It’s just perfection for me, and given a choice, there is no place on Earth I would rather be and there will be more to look forward to, as Simon proposed to me recently, and what better place to get married than New York?

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