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Shopping in the Big ApplePut Your Fears Aside and return to the City That Never Sleeps. NYC is Still the Place to Shop Till You Dropby Rowena Carr-AllinsonThe tragic events of September 11th have touched us all but most affected is the city of New York, Manhattan and its citizens especially. The attacks on the World Trade Center have changed all our lives forever and our concept of safety. The terrorists achieved the worst possible aim - to make each and everyone of us feel vulnerable and taken away a trust we had all taken for granted. Having booked a trip to New York City before the attacks, I stood my ground and with a feeling of defiance, took that plane to NYC. Arriving in NYC
When you arrive in Manhattan, don't forget to lie your head on the parcel shelf and look out of the rear window to get a good idea of the buildings and their incredible proportions. Best ShoppingWhen looking for bargains, the best place to visit is Soho, a thriving, busy and buzzing area home to lots of discount jeans and designer shops including the Canal Street Jeans Company at 504 Broadway. The store, originally located on Canal Street, offers 150square feet of top brand names at knock down prices. Bargains to be had this winter include everything from jeans, sexy lingerie for a few dollars or a traditional Peacoat by Schott for just $149. Other bargain stores include TJ Maxx the warehouse type shop with hundreds of rails of clothing where you can find some excellent bargains if you have the time, energy and inclination to trawl through the huge amounts of stuff. The best TJ Maxx in town is just off Union Square above Bed, Bath and Beyond.
Bloomie's is on the eastside at 1000 Third Avenue at 59th Street level. Both stores have a helpful Visitor Center which will provide all the necessary information including maps! For fresh produce, head for the farmers' market on Union Square. The vast array of fruit, veg, herbs and so on is an amazing sight in such a bustling city. The market can provide you with fresh food, 'homemade' ciders or honey and other interesting goods such as leather and arts and crafts. Taking a Break.If you're feeling a little peckish, the Union Square area has a lot to offer. Further on the university quarter is home to hundreds of small, budget eateries, from Mexican to Chinese... Also near Union Square is the patriotically named America Restaurant. A huge lofty space which serves traditional American meals, in traditionally large portions! You can eat very well for $15 a head and still have more than enough for the 'doggy bag'. The only criticism is the temperature, the over zealous air conditioning fans make eating there a rather draughty experience.
For later drinks, if you like to see and be seen, drop into Aleutia, on Park Avenue close and 18th street. Cosy and dimly lit, the bar is teeming with New York's beautiful people...and they do all drink Cosmopolitans! For a view with your cocktail, try the Rainbow Room in the Rockefeller center, but be warned, a jacket is required to gain access to this particular swish drinking hole. Where to StayA perfect night sleeping in the city, that famously doesn't, is hard to find...but possible. If you fancy a designer hotel to go with your newly acquired designer garb you can spend the night at one of the Ian Schrager hotels, very chic establishments decorated in designer style. The Hudson is one of many Schrager hotels, and although beautiful, the rooms can be on the small side. The Hilton chain has a hotel on Times Square which is situated on top of a shopping and entertainment complex. The rooms are all on the 23-44th floors and offer great views of the city. The Hilton hotels also own the famous Waldorf Astoria. The restaurant and all catering at the Times Square Hilton is run by top chef Larry Forgione who also runs the restaurant at the Benjamin.
On arrival guests are welcomed by the friendly staff and offered the 'Pillow Menu', a choice of 11 pillows ranging from the Jelly neckroll, a five-foot body cushion or the romantically named, Swedish Dreams. As well as the extensive choice in 'headgear' the hotel is equipped with custom made mattresses! The beds are so good that even the staff have bought them to take home for that top quality sleep. In fact, the hotel is so sure of its ideal sleeping conditions, that if a guest hasn't had a satisfactory night sleep the night is refunded. The Benjamin is a family run business which prides itself in giving its guests a unique and personal experience and the staff live up to expectations, by ensuring your stay is just perfect! The hotel is ideally located for avid shoppers, just a short walk away from Fifth Avenue. For travellers who need to attend to business, the hotel provides high speed internet access in all the rooms as well as loaning laptops/faxes etc... And for those who just want to relax, the bathroom's complimentary lavender aromatherapy products should help, and the spa should definitely do the trick. But What's it Really Like Now in NYC?Asked what the atmosphere was like, the answer had to be: upbeat. The welcome was warm and friendly and the feeling one of total solidarity and of a nation bound together in patriotism and gaining strength from the tragedy. The pre-Thanksgiving weekend was the first state of 'Gridlock' in the city since the events of September 11th. A good sign for the mayor and a city that has so far been abandoned and avoided by people still living in fear with the attack fresh in memories. People are returning to the Big Apple, and so they should. We can never forget what happened and the lives we lost, everyone was affected and all our lives have changed forever but the best way to fight back is to be there and carry on, and spend, spend spend. The absolute must-have accessory this season, has to be a New York City fireman. Every girl's dream. The city's firemen have been elevated to hero status, finally getting some of the credit they are due, following their huge losses. To pick up a hunky fireman, stop by the W bar on Lexington where you might be lucky enough to find a group of smiling firemen from the engine located across the street, relaxing off duty! Photographs by Mowgli Frere and Rowena Carr-Allinson. ShoppingTJ Maxx Bed, Bath and Beyond Barney's Macy's Bloomingdale's Saks Fifth Avenue Tiffany and Co. Donations for September 11th September 11th Victims' Relief Fund Red Cross Relief Hotels, Bars and RestaurantsIan Schrager Hotels The Hilton Times Square The Benjamin Hotel Aleutia America Restaurant Whiskey Blue at the W Hotel, |
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Arriving in NYC is always
a magic experience. For Europeans in particular, the sheer size and
magnitude of the city and its skyscrapers can not fail to impress, even on
your tenth visit!
Newark airport unlike JFK
is logical and easy to navigate . It's always a good idea to hurry out if
you plan to catch a yellow cab as the queues can get very long. As far as
cabs are concerned you can believe all you see in the movies. Don' t
expect a gentle ride into the city, but a roller-coaster ride driven by a
nifty, crafty and usually adventurous driver.
On the other end of the scale is
Fifth Avenue and its array of designer stores and big department stores
displaying the world's best merchandise, like Saks. Saks, especially in the run up to Thanksgiving and Xmas, what's
generally known as 'the holiday' by locals, is worth a visit. The
decorations give Saks Fifth Avenue a fairytale look achieved in the best
possible taste! 
Fifth Avenue, known as the
miracle mile of window designs is also home to Cartier, Gant,
Kenneth Cole and Bergdorf Goodman. While strolling along
Fifth Avenue pop by the Rockefeller center home to the largest Christmas
tree in the city. This year the tree was hidden by the American flag to
allow the decoration process to happen in private! Patriotic flags have
invaded the rest of the city too, including shop windows, cars, bars and
restaurants.
A trip wouldn't be complete without seeing the other
large department stores such as the legendary Barney's, Macy's
and Bloomingdale's. Barney's, the sophisticated
socialites' stomping ground is found on Madison Avenue and 61st Street.
Macy's main NYC store is located on Herald Square, at the intersection of
Broadway and Sixth Avenue at 34th Street, with 10 floors and half a
million goodies on sale. The building was originally home to Saks, back in
1902 before Andrew Saks moved to the new premises on Fifth Avenue in 1924.
For a quick snack, bagels
are ideal. For the real taste and a genuine New York experience, pay a
visit to Ess-a-B
Fussy sleepers and
qualified sloths alike can find their heart's desire at T