5th Avenue and Central Park
Of course, you can’t miss out on 5
th Avenue and midtown. I suggest you start at Grand Central Station, the big train station in the heart of New York. The grand hall is a beautiful site (for the photographers among us, try experimenting with your shutter time!). If you’re hungry while you’re here, there’s a good Italian restaurant,
Cipriani Dolci, on the balcony of the hall.
Next, visit the Public Library on 5
th Avenue. Don’t forget to walk up the stairs, and see the big reading rooms (you’re free to just walk in). It’s quite impressive. Behind the public library is
Bryant Park, a beautiful green spot surrounded by midtown skyscrapers. Until recently, this was the place where the fashion week tents were set up twice a year but as of September 2010, fashion week will take place at Lincoln Center. In winter, this park transforms into a Christmas village, complete with shops, big Christmas tree and ice-skating. Also an excellent place for a picnic (you’ll find take-out sandwich shops around the park such as Pret-A-Manger and Le Pain Quotidien).
Next, walk further up 5
th Avenue towards Central Park. You will pass the following New York shopping institutions:
Saks Fifth Avenue (the upscale shopping warehouse),
Henri Bendel (smaller fashion warehouse), Trump Tower (some hidden shops but just worth to walk in and see the lobby), Tiffany’s (the famous jewelry shop),
Bergdorg Goodman (very upscale and expensive fashion warehouse),
FAO Schwarz (the toy store heaven for kids) and of course, Apple’s glass cubicle store. Next to these, you will find stores from all major brands, from Gucci to H&M. Don’t hesitate to walk into a store, whether you’re in your most expensive outfit or ripped jeans, each and any store will welcome you with a big smile. A special mention goes to the Armani store, which has a beautiful modern white staircase – a must-see!
For a shopping break, visit the Rockefeller Center. You simply have to see the
Top of the Rock. We prefer the Rockefeller over the Empire State Building (although the Empire State has more old charm), since it gives you a better view of Central Park and - of course - you can see the Empire State Building from up here. Buy the sunrise sunset tickets so you can return after dark!
When you reach Central Park, don’t forget to take a picture of the
Plaza Hotel. Go for a posh afternoon tea at
The Palm Court or drinks and food at
The Oak Room...
If you're not tired yet, you can continue your walk in Central Park (or postpone this to another day). The must-sees in Central Park are (in order of appearance from South to North): The Pond with an amazing overview of the Central Park South skyline, Sheep’s Meadow where midtowners go to sunbathe in summer, The Mall where during nice weather local artists try to make some money, Bethesda Terrace with the beautiful fountain, the Boathouse where you can have a drink or rent a little boat to explore the lake, the Conservatory Water where little kids can rent a little toy boat and have their picture taken with the statue of Alice in Wonderland, the Ramble where you can get lost in Central Park’s little forest, Strawberry Fields with the popular (but little) “Imagine” mosaic (also have a look at John Lennon's Dakota Building), the Belvedere Castle overlooking the Big Lawn and Turtle Pond, the Big Lawn where uptowners go to sunbathe, the Reservoir where uptowners go to jog.
By now, you must be exhausted. If not, you’re superman(woman) and there's no kryptonite in sight. Time for dinner and you’re in luck: you’re close to our neighborhood, the Upper West Side. These are the places we recommend:
Kefi’s, an affordable and delicious – always busy – Greek restaurant;
Isabella’s, a more upscale but still very affordable Italian with outdoor seating;
Shake Shack, a burger joint with one of the best burgers of New York (get take out and eat your burger in Central Park);
B-Café, a Belgian restaurant with excellent fries and "stoverij" for the homesick Belgian tourist;
Ouest, a more expensive Michelin rated American restaurant;
Fred’s, a down to earth American diner serving everything from burgers to pasta;
Five Napkin Burger, one of the better burger places in New York;
Mermaid Inn, a nice seafood restaurant;
Gennaro's, a really good, inexpensive Italian restaurant,... I could keep going like this forever!
As a night cap, go back to the Top of the Rock with your sunset tickets and gawp at the lights of this amazing city!
(click on the maps for a better view)
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