Welcome to New York, it’s been waiting for you.
In my dreams, I like to think that Taylor Swift and I have a lot in common. One particular passion is a shared love for all things New York City. Taylor was right when she sung all about New York in the song from her 1989 album – yes, you guessed it- Welcome to New York: ‘The lights are so bright, but they never blind me’.
Did you know she even has her own apartment there (where none other than Sir Ian McKellen previously lived)? She was even made Tourism Ambassador for the city. Can I say that one of the reasons I love New York City is my shared bond with Taylor Swift? That might be a step too far, but here are a whole lot of other reasons why I love the city so much…
1) Broadway
Anyone who knows me, knows I love a good musical. From Les Misérables to Hamilton, there are a host of big name Broadway shows being performed in the city. Fancy something a bit alternative? Why not try off-Broadway? These theatres feature many well-established actors from America, England and the rest of the world alike and is definitely not something to be missed.
2) Friends
I’m a lifelong fan of Friends, the comedy show that I was brought up on In hindsight, I was probably a bit too young to start watching the programme, but that’s just one of the reasons why I love it so much. Whilst the actual scenes were filmed in L.A., there are of course some fan favourite hotspots to visit in the Big Apple. These include the Friends apartment block and, of course, the infamous Central Perk cafe…
3) Food, especially pizza and bagels
Don’t get me wrong, pizza and bagels are still a staple in of my diet in soggy old England, but in New York City they seem to be amplified in a big way. Pizza slices are the size of full pizzas, and there is every filling you can possibly imagine for bagels. Who needs a fancy restaurant when you have all of this delicious looking street food?
4) The New York Public Library
This might sound like a boring one to those of you who have yet to be acquainted with a good book. However, the book-lover inside of me just has to visit the most prominent bookshops or libraries of any city I find myself in, and this is no exception. They even do FREE private tours — sign me up!
Of course, these are just some of the things I love most about New York. There are many other places to see and many other things to do, however, and it’s definitely a city worth putting on the bucket-list.
Edited by Tia Ralhan
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