The plane there
They always say the Plane Journey is the start of the the holiday..well not when you are traveling with Jess…
In all fairness she warned me she was very scared of flying the day we booked the flights.
So on the day, I settled her into the airport and shared a start of holiday bottle to numb her nerves. We were having a great time and felt very relaxed. So relaxed we suddenly realized we had ten minuets to our gate closed.
We thought ah It’s terminal 5, gate 43 it will be close enough. We breezed our way towards the gate picked up 230g of kinder eggs and 32 kinder bars from duty free (only £9..how could you not?)
Little did we know we had to get a bloody tram train thing to get to the gate.
We had 5 minuets to spare..so that pretty much sobered us up. After running through the gate we got to the plane.
This is Jess panicking whilst climbing the plane stairs.. perfect time for a selfie.
two hours later we still hadn’t taken off. We ate most of our mini kinder eggs. jess was sober and freaking out.
Then it was time to go..the plane placed itself on the run way.
Jess starts getting emotional.
the engine starts and the plane builds up speed
Jess’s eyes fill with tears and grips on for dear life.
I broke into R Kelly “i believe I can fly..i believe i can touch the sky..”
Jess laughs and cry at the same time. The french lady next to us starts getting annoyed.
Then we were up in the air.. Manhattan here we come!
I calmed down Jess by drowning her in Gordon’s for the rest of the flight.
The Bars
I have been going to NYC since I was about 6. those were the days that my highlight of my visit was unlimited lucky charms and getting to visit a two story disney store on 5th avenue.
(they are going to kill me…)
When I was in my teens it was all about queuing for Abercrombie & Fitch then posing with empire state building.. as if I was going to break into an Annie song.
Now in my twenties it’s the bars. Here are a few we attended..
- 230 on 5th rooftop bar. where a table name was reserved under the name of “Thunder…” (Photo proof coming soon)
- Hooter’s. A place where Dad’s take their eight year olds to watch the game now apparently…
- The River Cafe. Where we found my Pimm’s! (review below)
On our way back from The River Cafe we drunkly spent $20 on pick and mix and laid on the rock in central park slurring …why can’t we have rocks in hyde park this is so unfair?
- Off The Rails $24 = two hours unlimited Bellini and a proper brunch meal.
Apparently we went to a gay bar.
Jess ended up having a twerk off with this guy there.
And yes we did it all with class and poise.
The Meals
I am so glad I don’t live in America as they gave out more love to the handles then Jack ever did to Rose on the Titanic.
It all tastes so good and puts our Cafe Rouge to shame.. I mean look at this desert…
When I am in the city, I try and visits a couple of my favourite restaurants..
Tao
This is a place you hate to love. It’s dark and loud, the kind of place where Mr Grey would take you but for our first night I went with my Dad, his BAE and Jess.
It is the best crispy duck you will ever have and I save myself for it every year. Typical fashion Dad ordered a load of sharing plates whilst interviewing Jess to see if she is appropriate friend for me. She answered this when announcing to the table the news that crabs are dying out due to the fact we are all shaving our pubic hair.
I gulped down my sake as the table fell silent.
Jess dancing around the tables
Keene’s
This was where we had our “Gala lunch” (last lunch before the end of the holiday) An old steak house off of 6th avenue which has been a family favorite since pre- Bloody Mary days.
If you want steak in Manhattan here is where it’s at – It has the largest collection of churchwarden pipes which are display all along the ceiling and lobsters having their last little dance with each other before being the chosen one in the tank.
I had one of my favourite starters in the world- American shrimp cocktail made with spicy ketchupy sauce. (only place in the UK I can get it so far is JW Steakhouse)
Then we all shared this
Meanwhile Dad and his Bae joked about the mile high club.
I tried to stop the subject by stating I would never do it because I feel at my most ugliest on a plane.
Jess explained thats why you turn around.
I downed my Bloody Mary.
Home Time.
This is what a weekend in Manhatten did to us.
Good news: Jess was too destroyed to think about the flying.
That Bloody Mary 