New York, New York. So good they named it twice!

Yay!! We finally arrived in the Big Apple! Where we will be staying with Liesl’s brother Michael, his wife, Stephanie, and their little boy Ozzie.

Ozzie

Michael and Ozzie

Stephanie and Ozzie

Liesl and Ozzie

The view of Manhattan from 48th Ave, LIC

New York is one of my favourite places. I simply love it here. For some reason, I feel quite at home in the hustle and bustle of this hectic city. The people, the lights, the sights, the subway, EVERYTHING just makes me feel alive. It’s such an amazing place – not to mention the home of The Big White Way – Broadway Baby!!




There is so much to see and do here, that I can't include it all in one post... so I'll split up the photos into a couple (or more) posts.

The first few days we were there, we walked around to familiarize ourselves with the area – and the subway.

Us on the subway

Swiping my "Weekly Unlimited Metro Card"

First stop. Grand Central Station, where our #7 train drops us off in Manhattan.

 

 

 We went to Ground Zero, and the site of the new Freedom Tower.

The site of the former North and South Towers is now a serene waterfall

The New Tower

Liesl and the Tree of Survival (yes, it's the only tree that survived the 9/11 attacks)

The waterfalls are lined with plaques which are engraved with the names of people who lost their lives in the attacks.

Then we took a walk down Wall Street and onto Battery Park.

 

 

This globe used to stand in the lobby of the World Trade Centre

 

  The squirrels in Battery Park really took an instant liking to Liesl, probably because she lured them with the promise of food. TheY actually ran up to her when she called them (in her weirdo squirrel-clicking-voice).

 

This little guy actually got so excited that he jumped onto the back of Liesl's leg!

Liesl and her little furry friend

View of Miss Liberty from Battery Park

We went for a quick squizz into New York Library

The famous Library Lions

Then to my favourite - Rockefeller Centre...

... and Radio City Music Hall just next door...

Then a little looksee in the Plaza Hotel - but we were slightly under-dressed...

 Followed by a dirty martini at the Russian Tea Room.

The Russian Tea Room

I also went to my first basketball game! The New York Knicks vs Orlando Magic at Madison Square Garden.

It was a totally awesome experience. We got hot dogs and sponge fingers. We cheered when the Knicks got a basket, and booed when the Magics did. We sang and danced along with the cheerleaders; and dived for the t-shirts they shot up into the crowd. Luckily, we won!

 

My Sponge Finger!

Once again, we ended up at our favourite restaurant in Long Island City - Testicles (I can't remember the actual name....)

Well, that's it for now.

Central Park, our City Tour, Broadway, MERYL and more still to come!

xxx