New York

A journey through the Big Apple using Hipstamatic on an iPhone 6

Good Night
Day 1

What a great feeling when you finally land in New York City. It then takes another hour to get to the city. The fastest and cheapest way to get there is by taking the train or the subway. If you take a cab, it'll cost you around 55$, tip included. On my recent trip I stayed in the Boro Hotel in Long Island Queens. It's very close to a subway station and within 15 minutes you reach Times Square. The rooms are extremely clean, modern and a great alternative to those pricey hotels over in Manhattan.
The hotel also offers overwhelming views over Manhattan. This picture was taken on its rooftop. Can you see the Empire State Building?

Welcome to New York!



Brooklyn - the new hip place in town
Day 2

After having spent a whole day in Manhattan, I decided to go to Brooklyn for the evening. I heart great things about that borough and it definitely didn't disappoint.

The walk along the east river is beautiful. Children were cooling themselves off after another hot day in New York.



Coney Island
Day 3

Sandy beaches and the atlantic ocean - I guess those things don't really come up when you think of a city like New York in the first place but Coney Island offers an amazing beach. There also is a huge luna park and jep, you should try those famous Hot Dogs from Nathan's. But try to get there early to avoid long lines.

You reach Coney Island with the subway lines N and Q within 50 minutes from Midtown.



Chinatown
Day 4

I wouldn't put a visit to Chinatown on the top of a NY-must-visit list. But if you have a spare day in NY, I know that's quite rare, Chinatown offers authentic food and a very special atmosphere.

I enjoyed the supermarkets the most. You can buy lots of Chinese food, fresh fish, teacups and get a glimpse of the Chinese culture.








Just Chinatown things:
You see food, souvenirs and hear instruments you haven't seen or heart before.




Taking the ferry
Day 5

There are thousands of sights in New York City. It can be quite tough to chose just a handful of activities to do during your stay. But a trip on a ferry is an absolut no-brainer.

I recommend to take the Staten Island ferry, which brings you from Manhattan to Staten Island within 25 minutes. You will get gorgeous views of the skyline and pass the Statue Of Liberty. It's the perfect opportunity to make those great selfies for your Instagram account. =)
If you take the subway line 1 downtown, you want to get off at South Ferry, which is very close to the terminal.

And jep there is even more: the Staten Island ferry doesn't cost you anything.





Gorgeous!

On the Staten Island ferry you get amazing views of the Statue Of Liberty. As you see you don't have to stand in line for tickets to get to the statue itself.


Brooklyn Nr. 2
Day 6

This is what I love about NY in general: you get off the subway and never know what surprise is waiting for you around the corner. In this case I got to listen to some amazing blues played by this guy here:





PS: Never heart of Smorgasburg?
What if I told you that there is a place in Brooklyn where 50 vendors are selling tasty food from all over the world. Combine that with an amazing atmosphere and awesome views of the Empire State Building and you might get an idea of what Smorgasburg has to offer. You can always chose between small and big snacks, so you can try lots of food.

Take the L-Line from Manhattan to Bedford Avenue to get to Smorgasburg by subway. Smorgasburg is open during the summer months on Saturday in Williamsburg and Sunday at the Prospect Park.


Shopping
Day 7

It gets uncomfortably hot on some days in New York City. Therefore a rainy day is welcomed once in a while.
It's the perfect opportunity to do some shopping. New York offers plenty of great spots to do that.
For sure, you shouldn't miss the 5th Avenue shopping street to see the big brands. But the coolest place for shopping is undoubtedly in SoHo.

SoHo stands for South Of Houston Street. The whole area is very beautiful. Besides amazing shops you will also find the restaurant 'Sweetgreen'. You should definitely stop by to treat yourself to a tasty salad.
If you are more into pizza, a short walk will bring you to the first pizzeria of the United States, Lombardis. The pizza is good but not a game changer.





Movie Night!
Day 8

This has to be the highlight of the trip. During the summer months you can enjoy free movies in the middle of Central Park. I went to watch 'Stuart Little'. But the real highlight was the appearance of the man whose voice you hear daily in the subway. I just say: "Stand clear of the closing doors please".



Raining Cats and Dogs!
Day 9

How can you tell in the subway, if it's raining in the city? It's actually quite easy as the New Yorkers just wait in the subway station for the thunderstorm to pass over the buildings. There isn't much small talk going on as everyone is busy checking their twitter inboxes. But you can always make friends if you start talking about last night's sports game of the Giants or Yankees. But on that day I went to see the Rangers. Nothing comes close to a New York Rangers Hockey game.
We beat the New Jersey Devils 3:1 on that night. Derek Stephan scored three goals for the blueshirts.




Up in The Sky
Day 10

Sure you should visit Top of the Rock on your trip but I have something unique to show you. This is the view over the Upper East Side and it is one of a kind. A close friend of my cousin works in the tall building you always see on the TV-Show How I Met Your Mother. She offered a quick tour through her office and that picture my friends isn't from the fancy company cafeteria, it's the view from her office. Working overtime today? No problem with such views, I guess.



Bye
Day 11

Before heading back to the airport make sure that you have already visited the Freedom Tower and the breathtaking 9/11 museum. Also make sure that you have tried the burgers from Shake Shack at least once during your stay.

Good Byes are always hard. But I always leave the City with the words: "NY, don't worry, I'll be back soon."