Packing for a trip that covers areas with wildly different climates is never easy, and after the first week in New York we were casting off our coldest winter layers, not expecting to use them again until our return to Heathrow.

Los Angeles was our next stop, or more precisely Claremont where we had the chance to catch up with our travel friends John and Carolyn, who we first met in northern Canada over 13 years ago. I’ll cover one of the exciting places we visited in a later post; it was also good to discover that there is a part of downtown LA where people wander happily by night – another stereotype challenged.

From there it was on to Hawaii where we spent four days, for one reason and one reason only: in 2001 we had stopped here and hiked across the rocks of Kilauea volcano to see molten lava at close hand. We were determined to do it again – little did we know that we would see not only flowing lava (I’d even get to poke a stick in it this time), but also watch in amazement as lava poured into the Pacific Ocean.

For the first time in our lives we flew westwards across the International Date Line to Micronesia. Friday Dec 14th was a forgettable day in every sense. We woke at 2am, got the shuttle to the  airport for a pre-dawn flight and landed a few hours later, soon after sunrise on Saturday.

Downtown Los Angeles (well, the bit where the middle-class folks hang out)

After several failed attempts over the years we finally made it to In-n-Out Burger – they’re pretty good, although you can get much better in London (if you know where to go)

8 out of 10 cats love American fast food

Sunrise just off the LA coast

We were very lucky to spy an Airbus 380 on test flight over Hawaii

Rainbow Falls, Hilo, Hawaii

The garden of our hotel in Volcano, Hawaii

Published Stories

Following our first week in NYC I had the following story published on the National Geographic Traveller blog: Brooklyn’s Christmas Lights – here’s one of Sam’s photos that helps tell the story.

Notes from the road 2: Los Angeles and Hawaii is a post from: 501 Places

For the next few weeks we will be making our way slowly around the world and I’ll be writing for various sites and publications as we go. I’ll be using this site mainly to let my mother know that we’re alive and well and to keep our family and anyone else who cares updated on progress by posting a few photos (isn’t that what travel blogs are for?)

I’ll link to my articles published elsewhere as and when they appear.

For now here are a few photos from our first return to New York since we moved out of our apartment in the city over eight years ago.

Shuttle Enterprise on the Intrepid (sadly closed as Superstorm Sandy caused some damage to the museum on the aircraft carrier)

New York Public Library – one of the city’s most impressive buildings

Lifts in the lobby of the Chrysler Building – I had never appreciated just how much Art Deco there was in New York

We managed a couple of walks in Central Park, including a short stroll in our favourite area above 95th street, far from the crowds in the lower park

After many years of arguments, the 9/11 memorial looks like a sensitive, fitting tribute

Statue of Liberty at sunset

Lower Manhattan skyline at sunset

We visited several of our favourite old haunts. A trip to Junior’s for their New York style cheesecake was the highlight

Notes from the road: New York is a post from: 501 Places

I don’t know what I had expected from Mexico City. It was our final stop on our six week tour of Central America, and as such one of the few immovable objects in our plans. Yet I knew precious little about the place. The most populous city in the western hemisphere (depending on what arbitrary basis you choose to divide our world); a city that lives atop one of our planet’s most unstable fault lines; and yes, a place with a reputation for uncompromisingly mean streets. That was about the full extent of my knowledge. And as Lonely Planet decided that Central America does not extend beyond the southernmost Mexican states my guidebook was by now little more than a brick in the bottom of my rucksack.

We arrived in Mexico travel weary and without the inclination to be blown away by yet another new city, a new set of churches and yet more grand relics of colonial or pre-colonial days. Yet Mexico did manage to impress; in fact, more than that it surprised us to such an extent that it was quickly installed as one of the highlights of our trip.

World Class Architecture

The sheer scale of the architecture on display in Mexico is astounding. The Palace of Bellas Artes (across the road from our hotel) made a striking landmark, more so in the late afternoon when the setting sun cast its orange light on the giant onion dome.

The Torre Latinoamericana, Mexico’s original skyscraper, had clearly seen better days yet even now it dwarfs the surrounding buildings and can be seen from most places in the city. And in a city that has a serious sinking problem that is causing most buildings to lean at Pisa-esque angles it’s one of the few buildings in the city that’s still reassuringly straight. A ride to the restaurant and little museum at the top will cost you 60 pesos ($5).

It’s not only the external street views that are impressive. Perhaps our biggest gasp of admiration came when we entered the main central Post Office (Correo Mayor). To see the ornate stairwells and the grand elevator was to see at first hand the ambition, power and confidence that the powers of Mexico displayed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Around every corner is yet another splendid church, a bohemian square or a dilapidated relic of Mexico’s colourful past. And the museums are by all accounts superb. We were keen to visit the highly rated National Museum of Anthropology. Sadly due to some spectacularly bad planning we’d set aside our only full day in the city as a Monday, when pretty much no museum is open; be warned.

As for the city’s dangerous reputation? In daylight the central of the city is filled with working people mixed in with a few quirky characters; much like any other city in fact. Of course at night things change, and while the main pedestrian thoroughfare (Av. Madero) remains busy until its shops and surrounding restaurants shut their doors, in much of the city the pavements do empty and walking is not recommended.

Our Lady of Guadelupe

While Mexico City is full of grand churches and some of the world’s finest museums there are also many reasons to head out of the centre. Fortunately the excellent public transport system makes this very easy and cheap to do. A trip to the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a short metro ride north of the centre. This is considered by many to be the holiest religious site in the Americas and it was here that a lowly farmer saw an apparition of the Virgin Mary in the 16th century.

There are now several churches and chapels at the site, as well as the original picture to which pilgrims come to pray. You’ll also find a giant bronze statue of Pope John Paul 2 alongside his popemobile. Souvenir shops are everywhere.

Teotihuacan
Teotihuacan is a hugely impressive Aztec site around 50km north of Mexico. Famed for its two giant pyramids, the 3km walk along the Avenue of the Dead that runs through the site is best done away from the midday heat. Be prepared for the persistent attentions of the hawkers as you make your way through the complex of ancient temples and dwellings.

Even after visiting half a dozen Mayan sites before reaching Mexico, Teotihuacan still made a strong impression and is highly recommended. It is a one hour bus ride from the northern bus station.

Coyoacan

On our final day we took the subway south to the leafy suburb of Coyoacan. Its wide open plaza and laid back vibe was reminiscent of a small French provincial town. The houses in the nearby streets were clearly inhabited by the well heeled end of Mexico’s population, with nannies and dog walkers appearing and disappearing from houses while the joggers out in the park rushed past us with the latest i-gadgets, blocking out the sounds of their small green dot in the otherwise endless urban sprawl.

Along with many other tourists we’d come to Coyoacan on the trail of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. Having seen the movie Frida just before we left home (if you’re going to Mexico City, the only piece of advice I’d give is to watch it before you go; seriously) we had already visited the museum housing one of Diego Rivera’s murals the day before. We now came to see Frida’s famous Blue House where she’d spent much of her childhood and where she passed away.

The house is now an excellent museum telling the story of Frida’s life and showing much of her work, and the audio guide on offer is unusually good. It leaves you in no doubt that Ms Kahlo led one of the most troubled lives that you could imagine anyone having the misfortune to experience.

Mexico City: the world’s most under-rated city? is a post from: 501 Places

One of my top places in the world to visit, the west of the United States is rich with natural wonders and well-managed national parks. I have raved on about the American national parks in this area in a recent post so will spare you my words and just share a few of the favourite pictures I’ve taken from our visits to these uniquely beautiful parks.

Morning Glory pool, Yellowstone

Jenny Lake, Grand Tetons

Landscape Arch, Arches NP, Utah

Salt plains well below sea level, Death Valley

Thunderclouds gathering, Zion NP

The hoodoos of Bryce NP

Upper Antelope Canyon, Slot Canyons of Arizona

The Grand Canyon - needs no introduction

Channel Islands NP, California

Sequoia National Park

Joshua Tree at twilight

11 reasons to visit the Western United States is a post from: 501 Places

Channel Islands National Park, CA

Over the years I’ve encountered many Europeans and Antipodeans who have travelled extensively throughout the world, yet they have never been to America. When I ask them why they have neglected this big chunk of the globe the reply is nearly always the same: “we can do America when we’re too old to do the other places”.

For American tourism officials this must surely be their main challenge. How to sell the unparallelled natural adventures on offer in this vast, diverse land, when the global perception of America is that of a country where visitors can do all things without moving far from their vehicles because, quite frankly, that’s the way the locals live. American culture as portrayed in TV and movies perpetuates this stereotype.

Grand Teton National Park, WY

If the US was really about New York, Las Vegas and the Florida theme parks then that would be an understandable perception. Yet in my experience most people who state these opinions are talking about a lazy American vacation while they are trekking in a remote part of the world or heading off to some backwater to see a waterfall or a stunning viewpoint.

I have been to the western US states on several occasions, and when we lived in New York for a year made the most of the opportunity to explore the East Coast. There are natural wonders in the US that can only be fully appreciated by getting out of the car and getting out on the trails; not something you can put off with certainty to your latter years. Here’s a few of the places we have explored on foot that I won’t necessarily be able to do in my 70s:

1. Grand Canyon. Yes, you can stand at the rim, but it’s real beauty is from within. A multi-day hike or even a single day hike can provide a unique perspective on one of the world’s greatest natural wonders.

2. Death Valley. Fantastic hiking country with geology that I haven’t seen elsewhere in the world, but I was glad to put up with those extreme temperatures as a relatively young and fit person.

3. Yellowstone. The best geothermal park in the world. Yes, the NPS have made many of the major sights in the park accessible from nearby parking lots but the stunning beauty of the park is best explored by getting off the beaten track (and you might meet a bear along the way if you’re lucky).

4. Arches National Park. Sandstone arches like nowhere else on Earth. Many of the arches are seen best via lengthy hiking trails; again not for those who are unable to walk long distances.

5. Sequoia National Park. Similarly, we walked around 15 miles through the park and came across so many surprises: many of them marked on the park map, but some of them our own discoveries. If we were restricted in our mobility we would have missed out on the most memorable experiences.

Arches National Park, UT

Even in New York, both as a resident and a tourist our greatest adventures involved walking across the boroughs, covering distances that shocked my work colleagues but that gave us views of city life that we could never have experienced without the ability and willingness to walk all day.

True, the US is well geared up to accommodate the elderly tourist. With an excellent road network and many tourist attractions being designed with the inability or unwillingness to walk as a primary thought, part of it can be experienced without the need to walk very far from a car park. But America is one of the most beautiful, diverse and geologically fascinating places in the world, and I am so glad that I have been able to appreciate the full beauty of its landscapes by getting away from the crowds and losing myself in the richness of its natural wonders; while I still can.

Is visiting America just for old people? is a post from: 501 Places

Upper Antelope Canyon

The Grand Canyon is surely one of the most famous and instantly recognisable natural wonders of the world. Yet surprisingly few people are aware that just over an hour’s drive from the Grand Canyon, not far from the crowds of the South Rim, is a natural wonder that rivals the beauty of the Grand Canyon and is truly unique.

Even in the town of Page the canyons are barely promoted, with the entire marketing effort being directed at the water based activities on Lake Powell.

Lower Antelope Canyon

Perhaps it is because the slot canyons are located on Navajo land and the city has left the Navajo people to conduct their own PR. I just don’t know. But given the impressiveness of the site I am amazed that most Americans are unaware of this place. For goodness sake, even being used as a location for a Britney Spears video has failed to raise the profile of these wonders!

It looks like nothing from ground level. A crack in the desert floor by a desolate car park, with a tatty sign directing from off the highway. You are greeted by the caretakers who will only allow visitors into the canyon if there are no potential risks of flash floods.

Lower Antelope Canyon from ground level

The safety concerns are closely followed ever since a tragedy in Lower Antelope Canyon where 11 tourists drowned in a flash flood when storm water higher up the system came gushing through without warning. There are now sophisticated alert systems in place to avoid a recurrence.

On paying a modest entry fee at Lower Antelope Canyon, you are then left to your own devices to enter and explore. From above there is no clue as to the marvels that lie hidden in the canyon. Only a fissure running through the rocks betrays the presence of something to explore.Yet as soon as you descend down the small staircase, it is as if you have stepped into another world.

Lower Antelope Canyon

The canyons are popular spots for photographers, as the colour of the rocks changes with almost every passing minute as the sun illuminates another section of the canyon. Many parts of the canyons only receive direct sunlight for a few minutes in a day, and at those moments an eerie shaft of light throws a beam onto a rock, temporarily transforming it from a dull pink to a bright and vivid orange colour. The professional cameramen who are semi-resident in the canyons know exactly where and when a sunbeam will appear, so if you are nice to them you will be able to catch the perfect picture.

Upper Antelope Canyon

Getting through Lower Antelope Canyon takes no more than 20 minutes, but you will no doubt choose to linger and admire its beauty. The walk is easy, although we did find a lot of standing water that came up well over the ankles, so a pair of flip-flops can be more advisable than hiking boots.

Lower Antelope Canyon

While you are able to wander through the lower canyon alone, there are restrictions on when and how many can pass through Upper Antelope Canyon. It is a higher system, and while it is a very easy walk through with no scrambling or water, it is a little less exciting to explore, especially as you have to enter with a group at a set time. Upper Antelope Canyon does however have the single best known location in the canyon system, and the tour times are scheduled to catch the light at exactly the right time for “the” picture – the one I managed at the top of the post.

A truly amazing place to visit, these canyons are living proof of the fact that some of the most spectacular natural wonders can still exist in almost complete obscurity.

Slot Canyons of Arizona: the world’s most underrated natural wonder? is a post from: 501 Places

Imagine you are 24 miles through the NY Marathon (for some of us that’s a tough thing to picture). You have ran through the 5 boroughs of the city, and are now stumbling through the final couple of miles on the roads of Central Park. Crowds are cheering you on, and you know there’s probably a little over 15 minutes to go. And yet, out from the crowds comes a woman with a pushchair and a dog, fighting her way through the runners and not giving a damn about the trouble she causes.

That was our experience of the New York Marathon in 2003. We had volunteered as marshalls, and we were given the task of controlling the crowds at the 24 mile marker on the park drive, just next to the Met museum at around 78th street. A memorable expericnce, and one I would recommend to anyone who is staying in the city at marathon time this weekend.

Our spot in Central Park; near the Obelisk

I asked the policeman who had the proper job of controlling the crowds at this point how we could best assist. “Stay out of my way” was his cocky response. Less than 20 minutes later he was asking us for assistance, and later even letting us know what he was doing to make sure we could manage the control of the spectators while he sat around having an extended cigarette break. He had underestimated the help he was going to need, and only later realised that we might be useful to him.

There were two main tasks. One was to ensure that the crowd did not encroach too far onto the road and make the drive so narrow for the runners that they couldn’t pass. This was a constant challenge as the thousands of spectators wanted their photos and would lean further and further into the road to get them. But it was manageable. The second task was far harder.

The point we were patrolling was normally a crossing used by pedestrians to cross the park. With tens of thousands of runners passing through we had to stop people from walking across and encourage them to walk around 30 yards along the sidewalk to the underpass. Hardly a major inconvenience.Yet for some New Yorkers this was too much to bear, and they set off, pushchairs, dogs, children in tow, causing chaos to the runners who by now were not exactly in the best shape.

At first we were shocked that anyone could be so ignorant and selfish and we tried to call them back politely, but as the day wore on and we grew weary and realised that some people were so arrogant and stupid that nothing was going to stop them endangering their own safety and more importantly that of the runners. We shouted at them with ever increasing venom , and the crowd around us were highly amused to witness these two Brits with their funny accents yelling abuse at the stupid people who wouldn’t follow a simple request. Some were cheering us on as much as the runners!

As well as getting a marathon T-shirt (I felt too much of a fraud to be seen wearing it around the city) it was a great introduction to city life, coming as it did around 6 weeks after our arrival in New York. So if you are in the city this weekend and want to do something unusual, have a look on the official New York Marathon website and take on one of the many volunteer roles. It’s a great way to be able to shout at people and get away with it!

New York Marathon and the Central Park nasties with the funny accent is a post from: 501 Places

New York has so much to offer that it’s hard to imagine why you would want to leave it for a weekend. Indeed while living there we spent most of our weekends exploring different neighbourhoods and tasting a world of food in the city’s endless stream of restaurants. There is however much to see away from the city, and on a number of occasions we decided to take a break and explore beyond the five boroughs. Here are a few suggestions of places that can be enjoyed as a day trip or even an overnight break from New York:

1. Princeton – a little over an hour by train from the city, this famous university town is the equivalent of Oxford or Cambridge (without the punts). You will walk through impressive college buildings that feel so familiar (think A Beautiful Mind or Scent of a Woman and you’ll know why you recognise them). There are gift shops catering for the visitors selling treats such as jalapeno fudge (not as good as it sounded) and numerous sweet treats. It is a town that it easily covered in a day trip.

2. East Hampton – the summer retreat of many of the NY’s rich and famous, this is a place where tourists come to spot celebrities unwinding on a weekend or for the summer. It is a couple of hours by bus from the city, and can be visited as a day trip or for a weekend. Beyond the line of bars and restaurants that you find in the centre of town, we took a walk through the suburban streets towards the sea. The houses are typical very large villas, and it is easy to imagine the big parties that are thrown on the lawns and by the pools of these palatial dwellings. The beach itself is a long stretch of golden sand and was deserted when we arrived.

We didn’t stop any celebrities while we there, although ironically on returning to the office on the Monday, one of our clients came in and said “I saw you on Saturday walking through East Hampton”, so I was the one who was spotted! Overall it’s a pleasant place to wander around and enjoy fresh air and sunshine, but to me it lacked any atmosphere that would make it a memorable visit. Judging by the many millionaires that choose to call it home, others are more enamoured with it than me.

3. Lower Hudson Valley. This area offers some fantastic hiking, and all less than an hour by train from the city. Taking the Hudson Valley railway north from NY you can visit the town of Cold Spring, and feel you are a million miles from the city and almost in red-neck country. Even though this is clearly commuting distance from New York it has the sense of a place that doesn’t change much with time. We took the train just beyond Cold Spring to a station by the name of Breakneck Ridge. I use the term station lightly, as in fact the train guard pulled out a set of steps for us to leave the train here. It is a stop purely for the purposes of hikers to start at an adjacent trail head. It is wonderful hiking country, and we enjoyed a full day in the hills and forests of the river valley.

You can also explore some of the historic mansions along the Hudson Valley, and visit the home of Roosevelt and the Vanderbilt Mansion to get a glimpse of the luxuries that the New York elite enjoyed in the 19th and early 20th century. These properties are easy to visit if you have a car (almost impossible if you don’t) and provide a great way to enjoy the river valley if the weather turns nasty.

4. The Catskills. Further upstate you can visit the little town of Woodstock, made famous by the festival that took place over 40 years ago. The festival site is easy to visit although there is nothing to see now. The town itself is a quaint collection of bohemian stores and cafes and provides all that an craft-loving tourist could want. Vegeterian dishes abound in the eating places of the town, and I got the feeling that while it was a nice place to wander through it was trying to cling on to a past that had long gone.

Neighbouring Phoenicia is similar in appearance, and set in the heart of the Catskills and close to dense woodland it is a great base for walking on the many surrounding trails. It is also famous as a place where you can ride the river rapids on a tube – although when we visited in June the river was so cold that we could have been the only people stupid enough to jump in. So we didn’t.

5. Washington D.C. It’s possible to visit DC with an overnight stop, although if driving as we did then you should stay for two nights, as it is a five hour journey each way. The nation’s capital, DC has so much to explore and was one of my favourite places to visit in the US. Walking along the Mall, with the Capitol Building at one end and the Lincoln Monument at the other, much of the city’s attractions are located somewhere in between. The many impressive and poignant war memorials highlights America’s fraught history and it’s worthy tradition of honouring its fallen. Nowhere is this felt more than in Arlington Cemetery, where the nation’s great and good are buried. Along the Mall are many of the best museums in the US – we spent most of our time in the Air and Space Museum, where you could see (and feel) moon rocks, and see many of the early aircraft that were flown and built by the pioneers of flight. We also visited the Smithsonian Museum, although again we didn’t have enough time to do it justice. And of course we peered through the railings at the White House, although George W was not to be seen in the garden that afternoon.

Away from the main area, the suburb of Georgetown is a very nice place to venture and amble between the shops and cafes, admiring some of America’s oldest architecture. This is the liberal heart of America, and the atmosphere is suitably chilled and the cafe scene in full flow.We didn’t get to feel a sense of why DC is one of America’s most violent cities, but then we didn’t venture away from the main tourist areas and these are by all accounts considered very safe.

There are many other options for trips away from the city (please feel free to suggest some here) and I think especially for those living in the city long term, it is healthy for mind and body to get out from time to time and smell the fresh air that’s not far at all from the heart of the city.  

New York weekend getaways: 5 ideas to leave the city is a post from: 501 Places

After a year in New York where my paycheck barely covered my rent, we found many ways to enjoy a day out on a tight budget, and often for free. So much so that our New York native friends would ask us, the legal aliens, to recommend places for them to visit on a weekend.

Here’s just a few of our favourite activities to get started:

1. Hang out in the Waldorf Astoria. I don’t think the management encourage this, but as the Waldorf was around half an hour’s walk from our apartment on our way downtown, we found it the perfect place to stop for a rest, sit on the (very) comfy sofas, and people watch. Probably one of the best people watching places in the city, you can observe the rich and famous come and go through the lobby and imagine the stars, presidents and royalty who have trodden that carpet, all from the comfort of your chair. If you’re really cheeky you can take an elevator ride up to the rooftop ballroom and take a peek inside. In our defence we did actually stay here on our first trip to NYC, courtesy of an exceptional offer. Of course, the savings in our room rate were blown away by a single Sunday brunch, although that meal is possibly the biggest amount of food I have ever eaten in a single sitting.

2. Go to Roosevelt Island – if you’ve seen City Slickers you’ll remember the cable car ride that Billy Crystal would take for his daily commute. Squashed against the backdrop of the 59th Street bridge the “tram” takes you from Manhattan onto Roosevelt Island, where you can wander and enjoy both the village atmosphere of the island and the great views back to Manhattan. The island has fewer than 10,000 residents and is only 2 miles from top to bottom, while a good stone’s throw will reach the river from pretty much any point on the island. We stopped there for a good lunch in the only diner that was open on a weekend. Coming here really impressed our NY friends, none of who had ever been on the island!

3. Explore the wilderness areas of Central Park – did you know Central Park had a waterfall? Not many people do. While the lower part of the park is very busy at weekends, few people venture north of the reservoir, and in the north west corner when you drift away from the traffic noise it is easy to imagine yourself on a rural riverside walk, such is the tranquility and isolation that you will experience. We would venture up here when friends came to stay, and all remarked on how amazing it was that this secluded place is in the centre of one of the biggest cities in the world.

4. Catch one of the many exciting events in Central Park – in our time we went to see the Dalai Lama speak (ok, we stood in a line for three hours and eventually saw him wave as he was driven away), we went skiing courtesy of the Vermont Ski people who set up an artificial slope in the park and laid on food and drink too, and we watched a night-time outdoor screening of the 60s movie Hair, filmed of course in Central Park. There was always something going on, and a walk through the park revealed something new every time.

5. Visit the NY Central Public Library. Even if you’re not in the mood to read, the building interior is worth a visit alone for its incredibly grand hallways and stairways, adorned with chandeliers and ornate ceilings. Again, it is an important movie backdrop for many films; in recent times Spiderman and The Day after Tomorrow are just a couple. You’ll find it very close to the equally impressive Grand Central Station, well worth a visit if you are more familiar with some of Europe’s shabby main stations.

If you live in NYC, I wonder how many of these places you have visited, or what you would add to the list? Suggestions and experiences are welcome as always.

New York City – 5 cheap ideas to enjoy its hidden charms is a post from: 501 Places

We counted over 100 restaurants within 10 minutes walk of our appartment, serving over 20 ethnic types of food. New places would spring up regularly, and it was clear that those who were damned by criticism didn’t survive long. So which were my favourites? We spent a year on the Upper East Side in 2003/04, and took every chance to eat out and experience the types of food we wouldn’t get at home. Here’s a selection of the places I miss, and that I would head back to on a return to NYC.

1. Curry in a Hurry  This was our favourite no-frills Indian. On the lower part of Lexington Ave, we would head down to this Indian restaurant hot-spot and invariably venture into this place. Good, fast service, great meals for under $10, and free unlimited dessert (kir, a type of rice pudding). The food was tasty and we never left hungry.

2. PongSri Thai restaurant. This was probably our absolute best restaurant in the city, and sadly we only discovered it in our final weeks. They have three places in town, and our favourite was certainly the one in Chinatown, although it is the least posh. The fried rice was the best we’ve had, and the quality in general was excellent. Again, a very no-frills place with low prices to match, and I was surprised to see that they now had a website!

3. Junior’s Diner This is something of a New York institution. A decent but unremarkable diner, but you don’t come here for a cooked breakfast. Junior’s is home to arguably the best cheesecakes in the world, and the trek to the original location in Brooklyn is worth doing for several reasons. If you are heading back to Manhattan after gorging on a giant slice of cheesecake, you will enjoy the view of the city as you walk over the Brooklyn Bridge. More importantly it will give you the chance to work off one or two of the many calories you’ve just taken in!

4. Dominick’s This was a unique eating experience. In the middle of Arthur Avenue in the Bronx, this is smaller than Manhattan’s Little Italy but a lot more interesting. We were recommended Dominick’s by someone at work, and they suggested that as a white boy I should not take a walk down the street on a March evening. I grudgingly took the local advice, and we were dropped at the door by cab. Inside, the meal was fabulous. No menus – you just sit on long benches and shout out what you fancy. If it’s pizza, pasta or meat, they’ll make it. And the lack of paper extended to the bill. The waiter came up at the end and told me verbally how much, and as I had expected it was less than comparable meals in the city.
They also shared my work colleagues’ fear for our safety and had us sit inside the restaurant until the cab arrived and then had the driver escort us out. It felt like overkill, but then I can’t claim to know the area as they do. In any case, a great meal!

5. Little Poland In need of Polish food, I stumbled across this place early on on the lower East side and enjoyed the massive platters on offer, with no-nonsense home cooked food that left us bursting at the seams. The place had the feel of a workers’ cafe, and the staff were polite but stern. If you want high carbs quickly in Manhattan, come here!

6. Christina’s In the Polish enclave of Greenpoint in Brooklyn, this was everything that Little Poland wasn’t. Modern, well-lit, full of families and service from young smartly dressed waitresses, with equally good food. the added benefit for me was the chance to wander through the local shops and buy a range of Polish ingredients that were unavailable to us even in the UK.

7. L’Ecole This French culinary school served gourmet meals at a fraction of the prices you would normally pay. Cooked for and waited upon by students of the school, the quality for us was better than many restaurants we have enjoyed where we have paid four times as much. The food tastes sweeter when you have a bargain!

8. Le Pain Quotidien We have found this chain spring up all over London too, but our first venture here was on the Upper East Side. Seated on long benches, the rustic setting was enhanced by the gorgeous bread that was served, along with a chocolate nut spread that left me grinning for the rest of the day! It’s like Nutella but a whole load tastier. A great venture out for a leisurely weekend brunch.

I’ll round off with our two favourite take-outs from around the block.

9. Go Sushi At a time when sushi was rare in the UK, outside of London at least, this was our first exposure to regular Japanese food, and we couldn’t get enough. Fast service, good prices and delicious rolls made this place a big hit with us. Waiting here for food was also a great chance to see how weird our neighbours were. I sat in there once when a girl brought her giant rabbit in and casually chatted to him/her while waiting for her food.

10. Lili’s Last but not least. This noodle bar would serve us so much noodles for under $10 that the two of us would be able to eat till we were full and have lots left for lunch the next day. Sadly looking at the review it seems that people are falling out of love with Lili’s, but our memories of it were happy ones, of large bowls of hot noodles on a cold winter’s day.

I read somewhere that if you ate in a different place in New York every day, it would take around 45 years to get to every eating place in the city. We didn’t have that long, but there is no doubt you are spoilt for choice as to where to dine. I’m sure other people have hundreds of other favourites, but these are some of the places we suggest to our friends if they are visiting NY. Bon appetit!

New York City – a world of food: My favourite eating spots in NYC is a post from: 501 Places