I finally did it. I have dreamed about the day I would go to New York; I begged my Mum at the age of 16, 18 and 21 to go, but nothing ever surfaced. I have been obsessed with the New Yorker’s life style ever since I can remember; I think Gossip Girl helped build this New York fantasy in my mind. The shopping, the fashion, the buildings, the food and the people has always been a dream for me. June 2016 was the year that I finally followed my dream…

We stayed at the Citizen M hotel which was in the heart of the city; it was just around the corner from times square. The hotel was amazing, the walls were covered in books, tongue-in-cheek quotes and modern technology. Our whole room was controlled by an iPad from mood lighting, to the blinds and to the TV. Everything about the hotel was fantastic, but my most favourite thing about it was the Sky Bar. A bar on the roof top with amazing views of Manhattan and not to mention the fabulous cocktails – which I had way too many of.

I surprised myself that I didn’t really go shopping in New York, the fashion capital of the world…and I didn’t buy much. What is wrong with me? But the truth is, I just didn’t have time. I was too busy exploring everything the city had to offer. Although, I did make the time on my last full day to pop into Sephora and buy a Too Faced palette that I have been wanting after for a while – don’t worry a full review will be coming very soon. I did also treat myself to a Kanken backpack, which I am 100% totally and utterly in love with.

WHAT I DID:

Day 1 was my favourite day, we ended up walking 30,000 steps, unbelievable I know right? We went to a flea market in the Meat Packing District and I bought a exquisite vintage silver ring. We then went walking on the High Line, which was an old freight track turned into a park. This led us to the 9/11 memorial, which was a very moving  but it is something you just have to experience when in New York. We then continued our day by walking around Wall Street and then we got a ferry to Governor Island.

Not many people know about Governor Island but it was my favourite thing I did in New York. It only cost $2 to get the ferry over and took only 5 minutes to actually get there. Governor Island was an island that the old governors of New York lived at, which then became a base where the army and their families lived. It was then abandoned and sold back to New York for £1. It has been turned into a huge park and art hub. There are no cars on Governor Island, so you can rent a bike for $15, which was really fun. Me and Josh (my boyfriend) spent 4 hours on Governor Island – we rode bikes, sunbathed and took in the amazing views of the Manhattan sky line. It really is a must do in New York!

One of my favourite areas in Manhattan was SoHo, a very quirky and young area full of street food, vintage shops and good people. Eileen’s Special Cheesecake was a must for me to go to, because anyone who knows me knows I am obsessed with cheesecake, and New York you did not disappoint! Another highlight was walking over the Brooklyn bridge: even though I am afraid of heights, it was something I was not going to miss. Brooklyn was a great area, the pizza there was one of the best I have ever had.

I had such a magical and amazing time in New York, I really did not want to leave. It was my all-time favourite holiday and I am glad I got to experience it. See you next time New York!