Seeing New York like a local

Published Nov 20, 2014

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Boston/New York - Having been to New York two years ago, when I spent more than a week there, I was itching to go back, but wasn’t so keen to do all the tourist attractions again. This time, I wanted to experience New York like a local, starting with a few days in Boston, an easy three-hour train ride away.

The best way to acclimatise yourself to Boston, is to go on a Boston Duck Tour.

The fun starts as soon as you board your “duck”, which is a World War II style amphibious landing vehicle. Over its 300-odd year history, Boston has become known as a city of “firsts’, and for good reason. The tour exposes you to many of these, like Boston Common, the first public park in America and the Boston Public Library, the first publicly supported free municipal library in the world. Boston is also a popular setting for television shows and movies, like Boston Legal. The tour passes by the famous “Cheers” pub (real name Bull & Finch Pub), as well as the area where scenes of The Departed were shot. www.bostonducktours.com

The main area of the city is Back Bay, which is similar to 5th Avenue in New York and is distinguished by quaint shopping streets with high- end boutiques, interspersed with large, leafy parks and brownstone buildings. The city is incredibly clean, with mild weather, even in the summer, so strolling around is a pleasure.

Within walking distance of this area, you’ll find the Revere Hotel, located in the bustling Theatre district. Rooms feature individual balconies, hardwood floors and houndstooth chaise lounges. The hotel’s rooftop bar, Rooftop at Revere, is the place to see and be seen. Think daybeds, waitresses in bikinis and a killer cocktail menu. Make sure to dine at the on site Italian-Mediterranean restaurant, Rustic Kitchen Bistro & Bar, which doubles as the location for an Emmy award winning television programme, The Cooking Show. If you happen to be there on a Friday night, you may just spot the crew filming. Here, I enjoyed the best calamari of my life – crispy fried, with toasted pine nuts, jalepenos and lemon pepper aioli. www.reverehotel.com

The train from Boston to New York arrives at Penn station, in the centre of the city. From the station, it is relatively easy to get to pretty much anywhere in Manhattan. The subway is by far the cheapest and most convenient way to travel, with New York having one of the most expansive subway structures in the world.

When I was a New York first-timer, I opted to stay minutes away from frenetic Times Square, which was great for sightseeing, but also got a bit too hectic at times. Rather, opt to stay a bit further uptown, where you’ll still be within walking distance of the sights, but also will have a chance to breathe when it all gets a bit too much. For an affordable (by New York standards, at least) option, stay at Viceroy hotel. Rooms are packed with added extras, like Neil George spa products, a Beats by Dr Dre sound system, and a high definition flat screen Samsung Smart TV. Make sure to pop upstairs to the slick rooftop bar. While it isn’t the highest in the city, it offers a cozy, comfortable experience, with outdoor and indoor lounges. www.viceroyhotelsandresorts.com

Right next door, you’ll find the Parker Meridien hotel, home to wildly popular brunch spot, Norma’s, which serves breakfast all day and has dozens of sweet and savoury options. Brunch is probably a New Yorker’s favourite meal, especially on weekends, so make sure to book in advance. While other restaurants serve breakfast as an aside, Norma’s is serious about it. Signature dishes include the Waz-Za, a fruity waffle with a crackly brûlée top and Huevos Rancheros. Portions are more than generous, so don’t plan on eating until dinnertime. www.parkermeridien.com

For a splurge, there’s no better option than the Towers at the New York Palace. Rooms only start on the 41st floor, so you’re guaranteed panoramic views of Manhattan. The hotel has recently undergone a $140 million renovation, and now rooms boast ultra high tech features like a single touch screen to control lights, curtains and temperature. Space is a scarcity in Manhattan, but the Palace doesn’t conform to this restriction – its suites come complete with an entrance lobby, lounge area, dressing room and luggage storage cupboard.

 

If you plan to eat at the hotel’s restaurant, Maloney and Porcelli, make sure to arrive starving, as portions are the largest you’ll come across (which is saying a lot in New York), at prices that are relatively easy on the wallet. The menu features dishes like whole lobster, baby back ribs, and prime grade, dry aged steaks. The restaurant is a popular choice among bankers who work in the area, so the bar is usually packed every day. www.newyorkpalace.com

It’s a known fact that to truly see the city, you need to experience it on foot. I did this on a tour with Walks of New York. Guides are all locals, selected for their passion and knowledge of the city, so you’ll be assured an insider’s view of the Big Apple. The Photo Walk of the High Line, a converted railway line that is now a “park in the sky”, is particularly appropriate for avid Instagrammers and amateur photographers alike. The tour begins in the trendy Meatpacking District, home to countless boutiques and restaurants.

A walk along the High Line provides plenty of photo opportunities, from the art installations and gardens within the park, to the sweeping views of the streetscapes and the Hudson River. The tour ends at the photographer’s mecca, B&H SuperStore, where you can shop up a storm at bargain prices. www.walksofnewyork.com

If you enjoy being in photos rather than taking them, I highly recommend Flytographer. This innovative company specialises in 1 hour shoots in hundreds of destinations around the world, so there’s no need to entrust a stranger to take photos of you while on holiday, or even worse, attempt “selfies”.

Pick your favourite part of a city, and let the Flytographer team take it from there. The company is extremely organised, in that a Shoot Concierge will be in touch with you beforehand, to find out the type of shots you want (posed or candid, romantic or not), as well as explain various location options to you. Shoots can be done for couples, families, friends or even just for yourself.

Within five days of the shoot, you’ll be sent an online gallery of the edited photos, where you’ll be able to download high resolution images and print them on your own. www.flytographer.com

l Hasmita Nair was hosted by some of the establishments above for the purposes of this article

Sunday Independent

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