There are good cities and there are great cities. But the best city of all in my opinion is the one and only New York City. The Grande Dame of metropolises, I have had the pleasure of making her acquaintance on several occasions and each time I crave more. More buildings, more shopping, more museums, more food, more everything. For people that enjoy city life, it is the city. The moment you land at JFK or LGA (or dare I say Newark) you realize you are someplace special. Like, Paris and London, it is one of those cities that transcends even itself. It is so frequently the setting of movies and books that you feel like you know it even when you have never been. But make no mistake, YOU MUST GO! Walking through Central Park on a beautiful day before eating the crab cake sandwich at Sarabeth's is worth the price of the flight alone.
There are a million and one things to do in the city but if you've never been before do all the touristy things first. Because, unlike a lot of other cities, the touristy crap is actually really great. C'mon people, it is THE Statue of Liberty, THE Empire State Building, THE Met, THE Radio City Music Hall, THE Plaza. Don't pretend that stuff isn't pretty fucking awesome.
One of the best ways to figure out what is going on in the city is picking up a copy of New York magazine or looking on their website at nymag.com. I spend an inordinate amount of time on that website even when I am not planning a trip. The content is hilarious and reflective of all the things I like about New Yorkers - smart, informed, and at times unabashedly shallow. Their approval matrix is a highlight of my week.
Three of my favourite things about NY, NY:
1. The three B's: Bergdorfs, Bendels, and Barneys.
2. The music scene: It's unreal. Every artist from everywhere plays NYC, often for multiple nights and on multiple occasions.
3. The New York Times is the local paper. THE LOCAL PAPER!
In the words of Ferris Bueller... it is so choice....
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