Christmas Shopping in the Big Apple
Winter 2009
When the Euro is strong but the Dollar is weak, where better to head for some pre Christmas shopping than the Big Apple.
You can fly to New York during December for a little over £300. Tuesday is generally the quietest day for travel with the lowest fares so why not head off for a five night stay returning on an overnight flight the following Sunday?
Continental offers the best deal at £319 return. Virgin fares start from around £375 and BA prices range from £450. However, if you choose to splash out for some ‘red eye’ comfort BA’s Club World prices start from around £2200, whilst Virgin averages £2500 and Continental’s Business/First is over £3000.
A choice of two fixed fares will whisk you into Manhattan, it just depends on how extravagant you feel; $2 on the subway or $45 by yellow cab. Where you stay when you cross the Hudson River is a more difficult choice. Do you head south to Soho for the nightlife or mid/up town for the shops and sophistication?
One option is to enjoy the best of both spending a few nights in each part of town. The Meatpacking District sits just above Soho on the west side and has great hotels and restaurants including the new Standard Hotel with stunning views across the river and down to the Statue of Liberty. The Meatpacking District is a brisk walk from Soho (nothing to do with London’s Soho, but a description of the area ‘South of Houston St').
You’ll find the best breakfast in New York at ex-pat Keith McNally’s Balthazar close to the downtown Bloomingdales which opens at 10am. Bloomingdales is one of the few major stores in Soho where the shopping largely consists of lots of niche and designer label boutiques. Soho is really about the bars, cafes and music. You can easily spend a whole night or three working your way along Bleecker Street where Bob Dylan and hordes of other music legends began their careers.
Move up town towards the 50s on the street grid and you’re into serious shopping territory, although one place not to miss en route is Barney’s Warehouse at 255 West 17th St. This discount outlet of one of New York’s most famous stores offers huge savings on top designer labels such as Prada, Fendi, Bottega Veneta etc. You name it – They’ve got it.
You may want to fight your way through Abercrombie & Fitch on 5th Avenue where the prices have the same figures as A&F in London but with a $ instead of a £ sign in front of the amount! At 1.65 dollars to the pound that’s a big saving.
Just around the corner from Barney’s Madison Ave, on 62nd Street, is Amaranth, a fabulous small Italian restaurant which is the perfect venue for a lunchtime break from shopping.
When you’ve had enough of shopping, New York offers much more to keep you occupied whether it is ice skating in Central Park or strolling round MOMA, the Museum of Modern Art.
Evenings bring a different New York experience to the bohemian Soho. Venture up to the rooftop bar of The Peninsula hotel for an early evening drink where you will sit on a level with some of the city’s extraordinary skyscraper architecture. The view towards Central Park is stunning. There are many good restaurants to suit all budgets in this part of Manhattan.Town restaurant in the reasonably priced Chamber’s Hotel on W 56th St. is one I’d highly recommend.
With most flights back to London leaving in the evening, it’s worth trying to negotiate a late check out with your hotel. If you book through American Express they can often arrange this, but it’s also worth calling hotels yourself to negotiate deals. New York has been hit hard by recession and local traders will welcome you with open arms.
You can fly to New York during December for a little over £300. Tuesday is generally the quietest day for travel with the lowest fares so why not head off for a five night stay returning on an overnight flight the following Sunday?
Continental offers the best deal at £319 return. Virgin fares start from around £375 and BA prices range from £450. However, if you choose to splash out for some ‘red eye’ comfort BA’s Club World prices start from around £2200, whilst Virgin averages £2500 and Continental’s Business/First is over £3000.
A choice of two fixed fares will whisk you into Manhattan, it just depends on how extravagant you feel; $2 on the subway or $45 by yellow cab. Where you stay when you cross the Hudson River is a more difficult choice. Do you head south to Soho for the nightlife or mid/up town for the shops and sophistication?
One option is to enjoy the best of both spending a few nights in each part of town. The Meatpacking District sits just above Soho on the west side and has great hotels and restaurants including the new Standard Hotel with stunning views across the river and down to the Statue of Liberty. The Meatpacking District is a brisk walk from Soho (nothing to do with London’s Soho, but a description of the area ‘South of Houston St').
You’ll find the best breakfast in New York at ex-pat Keith McNally’s Balthazar close to the downtown Bloomingdales which opens at 10am. Bloomingdales is one of the few major stores in Soho where the shopping largely consists of lots of niche and designer label boutiques. Soho is really about the bars, cafes and music. You can easily spend a whole night or three working your way along Bleecker Street where Bob Dylan and hordes of other music legends began their careers.
Move up town towards the 50s on the street grid and you’re into serious shopping territory, although one place not to miss en route is Barney’s Warehouse at 255 West 17th St. This discount outlet of one of New York’s most famous stores offers huge savings on top designer labels such as Prada, Fendi, Bottega Veneta etc. You name it – They’ve got it.
You may want to fight your way through Abercrombie & Fitch on 5th Avenue where the prices have the same figures as A&F in London but with a $ instead of a £ sign in front of the amount! At 1.65 dollars to the pound that’s a big saving.
Just around the corner from Barney’s Madison Ave, on 62nd Street, is Amaranth, a fabulous small Italian restaurant which is the perfect venue for a lunchtime break from shopping.
When you’ve had enough of shopping, New York offers much more to keep you occupied whether it is ice skating in Central Park or strolling round MOMA, the Museum of Modern Art.
Evenings bring a different New York experience to the bohemian Soho. Venture up to the rooftop bar of The Peninsula hotel for an early evening drink where you will sit on a level with some of the city’s extraordinary skyscraper architecture. The view towards Central Park is stunning. There are many good restaurants to suit all budgets in this part of Manhattan.Town restaurant in the reasonably priced Chamber’s Hotel on W 56th St. is one I’d highly recommend.
With most flights back to London leaving in the evening, it’s worth trying to negotiate a late check out with your hotel. If you book through American Express they can often arrange this, but it’s also worth calling hotels yourself to negotiate deals. New York has been hit hard by recession and local traders will welcome you with open arms.
Be Frank: agree or disagree? What do you think?
