Yesterday I shared the first few (ok, rather more than a few) photos from my trip to New York City. And now, here are some more!

After doing the major tourist thing in Times Square, we headed over to Chelsea for delicious brunch and cocktails at Cookshop and then a walk along the High Line. The High Line was another New York stalwart that I’d not experienced on other trips, so I was excited to get up there and delighted by just how gorgeous it was. It’s an old railway line that runs the length of the Lower West Side of Manhattan, transformed into a beautiful elevated garden with wonderful views over the city.

We also spent a glorious day cycling around Central Park, which was SUPER fun and VERY tiring! Central Park is hilly! Hiring bikes is a great way to see more of the park, which is actually really huge. We cycled the whole round track then stopped for a break in the sunshine – a lovely way to spend the morning.

On our last full night in New York, we booked tickets for Top of the Rock at sunset. I’ve been up to Top of the Rock before but during the day, so seeing it as the sun went down and the city lit up was a whole new experience.

Many people say the view from the Rockefeller Center is much better than the one from the Empire State Building – I haven’t visited the latter so can’t comment but it is a spectacular sight when you reach the 70th floor… and I suppose it’s the Empire State itself that makes it so magical!

We booked our tickets for 7.30pm earlier in the day and arrived at 7.20pm to beat the queues and get a good spot at the front. We finally relinquished our spot at 8pm, when the sun had slipped below the horizon and the city was ready for the night.

We had such a fantastic time in New York City – I couldn’t recommend it more for your next girls’ trip. Here are our recommendations for Manhattan. And now – go book your own!

Manhattan.

Shop
Fifth Avenue – walk from Central Park down to window shop in the beautiful designer flagships and then treat yourself in J.Crew, Banana Republic or Sephora.
Meatpacking District – we absolutely LOVED this part of Manhattan, over on the west side of the island. Loads of lovely little shops with a super stylish feel.

Eat
Cookshop – this brilliant brunch spot offers great food, great booze and easy access to the Highline when you’re done.
The Standard Grill – we had one of the best lunches of our lives here, sitting out in the sun enjoying fresh seafood, chilled white wine and more fries than you can imagine.

Drink
Dead Rabbit – Leeds bar-owner Nino recommended this place to us and we had a fab time here. It’s a speakeasy-style place with sawdust on the floor and an extensive cocktail menu – head upstairs to the parlour for more glamour, table service and a read of the amazing concept behind the bar.
PDT – this ‘hidden’ bar is a little gimmicky – you enter through a hot dog shop and pick up a pay phone to enter – but once inside, it’s really friendly and the cocktails are excellent.

Do
Explore Chelsea Market – particularly for foodies, this place is a gem.
Walk the High Line – great views of Manhattan and a peaceful, laidback atmosphere.
Ride bikes in Central Park – the perfect way to see the entire park. Just make sure you hire them from one of the official outlets, and ignore the (very persistent) touts!
See a show on Broadway – we watched Matilda and it was beyond fabulous.

I’ve been back from New York for almost a week now, and I still feel a little lost without those skyscraper buildings and twinkling lights to guide me.

I mentioned in my last post that I was heading out to New York for my fourth visit, but would be experiencing the city a little differently this time – with girlfriends. New York is an amazing city to discover with anyone, but the high energy, glamorous backdrop and abundance of shopping make it the perfect place for a girls’ holiday.

We stayed in an adorable apartment in Greenpoint, Brooklyn – a beautiful neighbourhood very close to hipster-centric Williamsburg, but quieter and more peaceful. It was a great spot, with an amazing view across the river to Manhattan and a subway stop on the doorstep.

I fell head-over-heels for Brooklyn – Greenpoint and Williamsburg had such a friendly, community feel with so many independent restaurants, bars and shops to discover. I only spotted one Starbucks while walking around the area, and every street had that slightly gritty look that’s just so New York. An interesting contrast to the sparkling glamour of (some parts of) Manhattan.

When we weren’t wandering down Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg with fresh juices and new purchases from Catbird, we were doing the tourist thing in Manhattan. My friends Lauren and Nic had never been to New York before and no matter how cool you are, first-time visitors HAVE to see the essentials.

We also visited Grand Central Station – I’d never been inside before but was instantly captured by that amazing carved ceiling and the art deco design. We marvelled at the New Yorkers just going about their daily business – catching trains, waiting for friends, generally hanging about – inside this insanely beautiful space. How do commuters get anywhere with such a distraction above their heads?

I have many, many photos to share so I’ll split this post in two and will be back tomorrow with more from our trip. For now, I’ll leave you with some top tips for enjoying Brooklyn with ‘the girls’ and recommend you book your own trip, stat.

Brooklyn.

Shop
Catbird for stacking rings
In God We Trust for seriously cool womenswear

Eat
The Meatball Shop for, well, meatballs. AMAZING meatballs
Fornino for spectacular pizza

Drink
Donna for stronger than strong (and also delicious) cocktails
PT for a cosy, relaxed atmosphere and more strong cocktails

Do
Walk over the Williamsburg Bridge – different to the Brooklyn Bridge, it’s less touristy and more ‘authentic’, with loads of graffiti and an awesome (albeit obstructed by grates) view of both Brooklyn and the Manhattan skyline.
Get a mani/pedi at Primp and Polish – I LOVE NYC’s mani/pedi culture. It’s so cheap, so easy and a great way to take a break from hectic New York life. I had this amazing nail art done in the Bedford Ave salon.