Friday, 30 July 2010
Girly Guide To Paris
Tuesday, 27 July 2010
Paris, J'taime
Sunday, 25 July 2010
Girly Guide To A Top Shopping Break
1. New York- As I've stressed in previous blogs it's a must do. Enough variety of shops/markets for any budget, taste and age. Good for bags, shoes, make up and jewellry.
2. London- For non-UK visitors Primark is a big enough reason in itself to visit. Visit Harrods, Oxford Street and Camden Market. Again, London can be as budget friendly or budget busting as you want it to be. Good for cheap buys from Primark, amazing jars of sweets from Harrods and the alternative scene in Camden.
3. Paris- Fashion capital of Europe. Visit Champs Elysees for Dior, Disney Store, Louis Vuitton and just about every other stpre you can imagine. Paris isnt so budget friendly but little gift shops and markets sell beautiful compact mirrors, umbrellas and paintings for a reasonable price. Beauvais airport's duty free section sells Dior make-up for a discounted price so it's worth stocking up.
4.Florida- The Prime Outlets and Premium Outlets at either end of International Drive should be your first port of call. Stock up un pyjamas and undies from Victoria's Secret outlet, gymwear from the Nike Outlet, shoes from the Payless oulet, trainers from the Converse outlet and just about everything else from the hundreds of discounted stores. Florida Mall and Festival Bay Mall are also worth visiting.
Top Tips
1.Pack light if you intend to shop so you dont end up over your baggage allowance.
2.Check what size of shoes/clothes you are in the US/Europe/UK before you go.
3.Shop towards the end of your trip if possible as you will have got used to your destination and what to spend and will know how much money you have left over.
4.Try it on because you cant't take it back.
Shopping in New York
1. A Little Brown Bag from Bloomingdales-Once spotted, it's instantly associated with New York. Plus, you have to visit Bloomingdales even if it is just to use the uber-plush bathrooms, so you might as well treat yourself.
Safety Tips When in New York
Sounds obvious but only go in liscenced cabs, keep your baggage with you at all times and always try and at least sound like you know where you're going. This can make a huge difference and drivers are lees likely to rip you off.Have your hotels street address and email them for a rough taxi fare amount and directions before you go to sound clued up.Also, in case your case is lost/stolen or simply doesnt arrive with your flight it's worth packing undies, essential medication,tooth brush etc in hand luggage and when packing your hold luggage pack half in your case and half in your friend/partners and vice versa so that if a case goes missing you at least have some stuff with you.
In the City
If your hotel has an in-room safe then use it for passports, flight tickets and money. Don't carry excessive amounts of cash and use credit/debit cards where possible. Split your money up when you're carrying it so if someone steals your purse you still have some in your inside pocket, UGG boots, bra, wherever. Wear an over body bag if possible as these are harder for a pick pocketer to grab and run off with. Carry a map, plan your journeys and dont be afraid to ask for directions. Arrange somewhere to meet up if you lose your friends. Pick somewhere central and easy to reach such as Empires State Building, your hotel or outside a specific restraunt in Times Square.Avoid quiet side streets unless absolutely necessary and if in doubt, hail a cab.
New York On A Budget
Despite being extremely expensive for a lot of things, New York can be done on a budget. The key is to work out what you want in your itinerary.
When to go
Shopping,sightseeing and most Broadway shows run all year long however, check before you go if you have a specific show in mind or want to shop during sale times.If you aren't too fussed about ice skating in Central Park in December, missing the heat of the summer or skipping the sales go outwith peak season as flight/hotel prices are generally cheaper.
Booking your trip
If you are in the UK, Dialaflight offer great deals on hotels and flights and this can be paid up monthly before you go if you dont have a lump sum to hand but want to do it quicker and cheaper than visiting a high street travel agents
http://www.dialaflight.com/
You can also tailor-make your holiday by booking you're own flights and hotel if you know when you want to go. Continental Airlines, British Airways and Virgin all fly to New York. Going from midweek to weekend can save you money as airlines often assume you are a business traveller if you travel on the monday and return on the friday.
https://www.continental.com/web/en-US/default.aspx?POS=GB&SID=B951510F28C24B40946F45355ACDC7F2
http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/en/gb/index.jsp
http://www.britishairways.com/travel/globalgateway.jsp/global/public/en_
If booking your hotel online make sure you use a reputable website like Trip Advisor to check reviews, ratings and customer photos as all isn't always as it seems on the hotel website. Use sites such as Hotels.com or lastminute.com (links under helpful webpages) or the hotel's own website to book, making sure you search around for the best deal. Where you can, get breakfast at the hotel as this can take up a huge chunk of your spending money when you're there. Hotels for any budget:
Low Budget- Hotel Wolcott, 4 W 31st St Between 5th Ave & Broadway. Budget accomodation with some rooms having a view of the Empire State Building (it's literally across the street). With free muffins and coffee for breakfast, an on-site fitness suite and amazing location it's hard to beat the value for money this hotel offers. Iron, in-room safe, hairdryer and shower/bath all in room and there is a choice between twin, queen, junior suite and triple rooms depending on your needs. It's close to Penn Station and Macy's. We plan on staying here on our return visit.
http://www.wolcott.com/
Middle of the Road Budget-Trump Soho New York, 246 Spring St New York. Featuring a spa, fitness suite and various treatments this is the perfet hotel for a girly trip away. Well located near Greenwich Village, home to several Sex and The City locations and the Friends Apartment. Room include complimentary toiletries, bathrobes, slippers and LCD TV's.
http://www.trumpsohohotel.com/
Blow-Out Budget-The Peninsula New York, 700 5th Ave at 55th St. Close to Central Park, Tiffany & Co and Bloomingdales, the Peninsula is well located and heavily priced. The hotel has a sauna, spa, steam room and beauty services Rooms include designer toiletries, bathrobes, complimetary water, plasma TV's and a games console.
http://www.peninsula.com/Peninsula_Hotels/en/default.aspx
Food & Drink
Eating out can be as cheap or as expensive as you want in New York. Chain restraunts such as Planet Hollywood and Hard Rock Cafe are pricier than in some other locations but worth the visit if you like the experience. Street vendors sell hotdogs starting from $1 for a quick lunch. There are Burger King's and McDonald's everywhere, if budgeting, use them for breakfast. Visit Walgreens or Duane Reade and stock up on water/soft drinks as they can be expensive when at attractions. Eat outwith Times Square to save a bit of money.
Free Attractions
As said in my prevous posts many Sex and the City locations are free to visit such as Carries apartment (66 Perry St), Magnolia Bakery, Brooklyn Bridge and New York Library. You can also visit the Friends apartment for free. Staten Island Ferry is free and gives great views of the Statue of Liberty and Lower Manhattan Skyline. A walk through Central Park, Times Square, China Town and Little Italy are all free. See the Grand Central Station for free.
Travel
Walk wherever you can and where you can't use the subway. Cabs can be really expensive. Have a look at a subway map before you go to familiarise yourslef with it.
http://www.mta.info/nyct/maps/submap.htm
Saturday, 24 July 2010
Girly Guide To New York- Get Yourself Excited
Girly Guide To New York-The Essentials
1.If you use GHD'S (newer ones) they may have a 2 pin US plug inside. Unscrew the plug and there should be a 2 pin plug insde, saving you the use of a travel adaptor.
2.Bring a travel adaptor anyway for your mobile/ipod charger, iron etc. Email your hotel before you go if their website does not state whether or not they have a hairdryer/iron in-room.
3.Taxi's can be expensive in New York. Familiarise yourself with the subway system using an online map before you go. The subway is cheap, quick and stations are plentiful around the city.
4.Check where you are flying to and see what is the quickest and/or most cost effective way to reach your hotel. Newark Airport is in New Jersey, not Manhattan, making it more expensive to arrive by taxi than if you land in JFK.
5.Look up the prices of any sights you want to visit, things you plan to buy before you go and work out how much money you need. New York is expensive but can be done within most budgets if well-planned. I'll put up budget tips later on.
6.Pack for the weather. Use a website such as Accu Weather a few days before you go and get a 10 day forecast. Plan what you pack around this. Essentials in any weather are a map, alcohol gel for hands (while using subway,out sightseeing ,if you plan on eating on the go), photocopies of your passport, camera and enough money to keep you going but not so much that you will be left with nothing if you get robbed/pickpocketed (although this is unlikely).
7.You now need to complete an ESTA form (part of your visa) before you go. This can be done for free online at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/esta.html?_flowExecutionKey=_cDA8B77A1-9572-283F-DC83-B27E434CBC4E_k24C6ED77-ABD6-8E89-AB22-20ED9DA9F150
8.Make sure you have travel insurance before you go to avoid big medical bills hould you fall unwell. Also, pack enough of any medications you are on.
9.Remember hand luggage restrictions. Check with the individual airline/airport before you go. Usually you are only allowed a small amount of make up and toiletries (fluid based) which must be under 100mls each and should be able to fit in the small clear big that you will be issued with at the airport.
10. Take decent walking shoes. You will do a lot of wlaking in New York and a lot of standing in queues if you visit the main attractions and while heels are very flattering and very Carrie Bradshaw, they are also completely impractical. Keep your heels for dinner/a Broadway show.
Girly Guide to New York
Sightseeing In New York
My recommended sights (in no particular order).
1.Empire State Building- Located between 5th avenue and West 54th street, the Empire State Building's 86th and 102nd floor observatories offer panoramic, dizzying views of the city.The Empire State Building is one of New York's most instantly recognisable landmarks. Get there early, book your tickets online and expect queues. Making it even more worthwhile, Macy's is within walking distance so plan your itinerary to incorporate the two :)
http://www.esbnyc.com/tourism/tourism_visitorinfo.cfm?CFID=38986407&CFTOKEN=51390133
2. The Statue of Liberty-One of New York's most iconic sights, the Statue of Liberty should be part of every itinerary when visiting New York. Seeing Lady Liberty in front of me was a "butterflies" experience an honestly left me quite awe struck. It's was one of those moments where you know you're in New York. If you plan to do New York on a budget, and that budget is centered around leaving as much shopping money as possible then take the Staten Island ferry. This is the free way to see the Statue of Liberty and it means no lengthy queues, saving time and money. The Staten Island Ferry offers also offers views of the lower Manhattan skyline.
http://www.siferry.com/
http://www.nps.gov/stli/index.htm
3.Brooklyn Bridge- Connecting Manhattan to Brooklyn, the Brooklyn Bridge is well worth seeing, even if the only thing it represents to you is that Miranda and Steve from Sex and the City got back together there. And you cried at that part of the movie :) We walked the Brooklyn Bridge on a particularly clear, warm day and it was one of my favourte sights. A wonderful spot for picture taking and it gives you a good view of Manhattan and Brooklyn. Walk it! It's free, enviromentally friendly and gives you the chance to burn off some of those $1 hotdogs.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g60827-d102741/Brooklyn:New-York:Brooklyn.Bridge.htmladvisor.com/Travel-g60827-d102741/Brooklyn:New-York:Brooklyn.Bridge.html4.Grandadvisor.com/Travel-g60827-d102741/Brooklyn:New-York:Brooklyn.Bridge.html
4.Grand Central Station- This was a sight I had been desperate to visit since reading Catcher in The Rye. The Grand Central Station is the world's largest train station and is known for it's stunning main concourse with floods light pouring in from the huge arched windows and the famous zodiac mural on the ceiling. Also, be sure to visit the Whispering Gallery, stand at the opposit corner of the gallery from your friend and whisper. The acoustics provided by the ceramics mean you can hear each other perfectly :) There is also an old fashioned shoe shining service inside.This is another free sight that is easily incorporated into your trip if you plan on using the train/subway and it's worth noting that the New York library (Carrie and Big's original wedding venue) is within easy walking distance.
http://grandcentralterminal.com/
5. Central Park- Central Park is picturesque, diverse and huge, taking up 6% of Manhattan. Relax and picnic in the summer or ice skate in the winter, just make sure you visit. Beatles fans can visit the Imagine Mosaic, a tribute to John Lennon. Visit the Carousel, as mentioned in Catcher In The Rye, or the Central Park Zoo. The park is in close proximity to the American Museum of Natural History, Museum of Modern Art and St. Patrick's Cathedral. However, if you're more interested in shopping than visiting the museums Bloomingdales, Tiffany & Co and Abercrombie & Fitch and all nearby.
http://www.centralpark.com/Things to Do
Not exactly sightseeing but fun things to do when in the Big Apple.
1. Visit the Magnolia Bakery- Made famous in Sex and the City, this quirky bakery in Bleecker Street sells New York's cutest and possibly most iconic cupcakes. Prices started from about $2.50 when we visited in 2009. This is a must do for Sex and the City fans as it's a free way to see some of the places the the show put on the map. The tiny bakery offers a huge range of gorgeous cupcakes in little white cake boxes and Sarah Jessica Parker is apparently often spotted at the park nearby. So buy a cupcake and relax in park, however, not before stopping at 66 Perry Street which is just minutes away. This is the home of Carrie Bradshaw and you get a chance to take pictures at her famous steps. This was one of the highlights of my tour and I became ridiculously excited. The apartment from Friends is also nearby, if you're a fan, it's on the corner of Grove and Bedford, Greenwich Village. Print off a map of the area from Google maps before you go to keep you right.
http://www.magnoliabakery.com/
2. Visit Madame Taussauds- Okay, you can do this in a lot of major cites but it's a fun way to kill a few hours if you have time on your hands on a cold/wet/snowy day in New York. Located in Times Square, Madame Taussauds is a display of wonderfully lifelike waxworks of major celebrities and politicians. Pose with Johnny Depp or Brad Pitt and pretend that's who paid for your Tiffany & Co jewellry, it'll ease off that credit card guilt.
http://www.madametussauds.com/NewYork/
3. Visit Times Square-This is possibly the busiest place in Manhattan, with a constant stream of tourists, locals and people trying to sell tickets to comedy shows, Broadways shows etc. Visit Toys R us and see the 60ft ferris wheel. Eat in Planet Hollywood or The Hard Rock Cafe. Stock up on sweets at the Hersheys Store.You will find yourself stopping to look up at the sky scrapers or take a picture, the only thing is, you stop but the rest of Times Square doesnt and you will find yourself being walked into so take advantage of the steps and chairs around the middle of Times Square (near tkts booth) for photos.
4. See a show on Broadway- A visit to New York wouldn't be complete without seeing a Broadway Show.The tkts booth in Times Square offers discounts on tickets for Broadway shows on the day if you're visiting New York on a budget. Be prepared to queue and show up early. It's well worth it to see one of the spectular shows such as Mamma Mia or Wicked. If you want to get your tickets in advance, look up what you want to see in advance and look online for discounts.
http://www.broadwaybox.com/
I'll update asap with more advice,tips and info on New York :) x