Monkey Business in the Big Apple

I looked around the lavish setting with big-eyed awe as the barman poured made our cocktails – clear, toffee-colored Manhattans. We had really struggled to find the place. The kind cab driver switched off the meter as he drove us up and down the road until we all simultaneously realized that the unmarked door guarded by heavies was in fact the very place we had been looking for – New York’s iconic Monkey Bar.

Frequented in the forties by the best in business, music and film, falling in and out of disrepair during the following decades and most recently highlighted as the glamorous venue for a date between Carrie and Big in Season Four of Sex and the City; the Monkey Bar has a history to be proud of. This I was well aware of on my maiden trip to New York – a city symbolized by the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Central Park and other impressive landmarks. So trust me to feel like I’ve truly arrived in the city of my dreams only when I’ve had a cocktail in a bar so symbolic of the location. A tad unfortunately, it was too late for there to be many other people around and although we had a good peek, the adjoining restaurant was closed. This all much to my indignation – the city is not supposed to sleep. Ever!

The romance and elegance of a by-gone era is immortalized by jungle jazz murals on the walls, pre-World War II fittings, voluptuous red booths and courtly tuxedoed waiters standing attentively behind the impressive wooden bar. It is a place in which one feels cushioned from the outside world – as if nothing bad could happen and that life really was all about designer ball gowns and sparkly things – and really, why not bring white gloves back?

I have only been to the Monkey Bar once, but I know that I will revisit whenever I return to New York. I will most likely never be a regular in the true, neighborhood sense of the word, yet my visits will be as regular as I can make them. In such a modern, exciting city it is a place that links the present with a more glamorous (and suggestively sordid) time; proof that true style and elegance has never been out of fashion and a testament to the staying power of the art of beautiful cocktails.

On the Rails - The Rocky Mountain Express

As we rattled through the British Columbian countryside, I gazed at the dappled colors of the passing leaves and reflected on our trip. Enjoyable? Immensely. Fun? Of course. Value for money? No way. We were on the Rocky Mountain Express bound for Vancouver, two cold breakfasts and lunches and one night’s stop in Kamloops included, all for $709.00 per person. Traveling economy from Jasper to the coast, our envious glances took in the large dome cars curving on the tracks behind us (filled with starched tablecloths, crystal glasses and hot gourmet meals) until we remembered how much their occupants had to fork out for their tickets - a whopping $1589.00 per person.

Our helpful guide made sure we were all wearing our red maple leaf pins as proudly as we could (as opposed to the shinier gold pins of the domed deluxe class) and from time to time told us about the area through which we were passing while serving us drinks, Bits ‘n Bites and cookies.

Aside from the scenery, which mostly consisted of leaves flashing past, occasional bridges and an awesome view of Mount Robson, it felt quite a lot like being in an airplane with more leg room. As all we could do was let go and relax, we napped, ate all the food that was handed out to us and read books and magazines, exchanging pleasantries with those seated around us.

Getting out in Kamloops was a relief after sitting all day - we explored the town more as a way of stretching our legs than actual sightseeing. Then we readied ourselves and made pretty for the Rocky Mountain Express Dinner Theatre ($80.00 per person, alcoholic drinks not included). Bussed through the town from our hotel, we were pleasantly surprised to be shown to our table in an amphitheater looking over the stage. The food was delicious. Fresh salads, good soup, a fragrant roast and their famed broiled salmon dish meant that the tickets were well worth while before the entertainment even started. That too, was pleasantly surprising. The all British Columbian cast sung along to favorites from the sixties as the lead actor made his way across Canada by, you guessed it, train. The service was amazing and tables cheered as their waitrons appeared for cameo parts onstage.

The next morning was filled with cheery hellos as all the travelers congregated in the hotel lobby for cardboard cups of tepid tea. Boarding the train felt like familiar territory and we settled in for our final day abroad. Cereal or croissants meant that the breakfasts were filling and inoffensive but the uninspiring choice of chilled salmon or chicken at lunch left us, well, cold. By this time the carriage was chatting raucously and sitting in each other’s seats as we dutifully filled out our evaluation forms, feeling like children at the end of a long school trip.

Pulling into Vancouver we waited in sidings for ages as the more important freight trains crawled by. We had enjoyed a great trip with family and had met lovely people. Would I recommend it? Only if you haven’t seen that portion of the Canadian countryside. Oh yes, and if you have the spare cash rattling around. Otherwise save it up for the tropical all-inclusive and get cocktails and a tan as well.

"You're a Million Miles Away and I Miss You So Today"

The old adage proclaims that absence makes the heart fonder, and is often irritatingly true. Like many of the millions of South Africans temporarily or permanently living outside the country, I miss home. A lot. Not just Mrs Ball’s Chutney or NikNaks (both of which I can buy for exorbitant prices from a shrivelled ex-Pretorian). Not just the mountain or the sea or the weather or the food. It’s that and other things too. I miss walking along a road and seeing people of all different shapes, sizes and colours. Or hearing different languages and practicing my faltering isiXhosa with ever-patient tutors. I even miss catcalls, shout-outs and rude gestures on the street – being politely first world is just no fun. In short, I long for the gees, and not only that belonging to the World Cup.

South Africa is cheeky, dangerous and hilariously funny, often because if it wasn’t, it would just be so much more sad. It’s a country with raw emotion, burgeoning creativity, a lack of electricity and bandwith and an overflow of bright, brash colour. So whenever I get overly sentimental (now, you say?) and bored with the bland safety and inane comforts of the first world, I play these songs.

1. Jack Parrow – “Cooler as Ekke”

Crazy guy, crazy song. One that only a true South African would understand. Zef rap is astonishingly comforting from outside the border, although I’m sure that once home it might not be my most often played song.

Best Line: “Jy’s die ou met die new, fresh look, Ek’s die ou met die Pep store broek”

2. Freshly Ground – “Chicken for Change”

Who could be sad or stand still while listening to any of this band’s songs? We started shuffling to Doo Be Doo and carried on from there. This is their new politically charged song, which showcases famous characters and is a Zapiro collaboration.

Best Line: It’s not a line at all, it’s Helen Zille’s dance moves. She’s awesome!

3. Karen Zoid – “Aeroplane Jane”

Gorgeous artist and, in my opinion, her bestest song! It’s so beautiful and evocative that you should listen to it instead of read this. I love the funny lyrics paired with the plaintive melody.

Best Line: “And the strange man next to me, don’t say thank you, don’t say please…he just cut my cheese”

4. Mandoza – “Nkalakatha”

I’m bopping in front of my screen right now (sadly in quite a white way). And although I don’t know what it means, I know all the words. The ultimate party song!

Best Line: “Nkalakatha… … Mandoza”

5. Soweto String Quartet – “Millenia”

This band has such a happy sound, and brings back Kirstenbosch picnics (overcrowded blankets, spilt wine, wind and fun)

Best Line: The looks on these guys’ faces says it all! I love their music videos.

6. Seether – “Careless Whisper”

If this choice is cheating because they are now based in the United States, I don’t care. To take a beautiful melody from whiny to rip-your-clothes-off sexy is quite a feat, and one I’m forever thankful they achieved.

Best Line: “There’s no comfort in the truth, pain is all you’ll find”. And his voice. Mmmm

7. Parletones – “Push Me to the Floor”

How do I choose just one song? I never have favourites and they are beyond a doubt my favourite SA band.

Best Line “Don’t stand next to me, I love the smell of ecstasy, it makes me feel inspired”

8. Gang of Instrumentals – “My Number One”

This song is such a fusion of cultures and music styles and just works. Whoops – I’m bopping again. Great South African band, I could dance (or just shuffle) to this anywhere!

Best Line: It’s pretty much “Mother of my baby, you are my number one”. A lot.

And now I’ve had my SA fix and I’m smiling. Have a great weekend everyone!

Granville Island

For all things Granville, read "Things to do on Granville Island".

Vancouver 2010

Hospitable host of this year’s Winter Olympics, abode of a burgeoning film industry known as the Hollywood North and called hometown by stars such as Ryan Reynolds, Michael J Fox and Joshua Jackson; Vancouver is the epitome of laid-back cool. Quietly having built up its cult following over the last few years, it has suddenly (almost surprisingly) popped up the city to see in 2010. Only a ferry-ride away from Seattle, the city of sea, yoga and bucketing rain is perfect for a weekend getaway or family trip – especially when the sun breaks through.

The great restaurants and world class shopping are major attractions of the seaside metropolis what really differentiates it from other North American cities is the ambience, or as we like to say, the vibe, bru. Vancouver is known throughout the world for its relaxed style, eco-consciousness, tolerance and seemingly collective love of exercise and the outdoors. This list contains the best of the west (coast, that is).

Granville Island

Take a five minute water-taxi to this bustling arts and gourmet destination. While

its main attraction must definitely be the fresh food market housed in rambling warehouses, a short stroll will take you to the boutique shops, theatres for both grownups and kids and even an arts university.

We heart: The postcard shop – full of vintage prints and retro notebooks. Perfect for cheap gifts. Also the Granville Island Tea Company – choose your leaves from hundreds on offer!

Stanley Park

Forming a peninsular of garden and trails on the west of downtown, Stanley Park flows seamlessly into the city and is where locals and tourists alike come to bike, blade, swim or run. Breathtaking views in all weathers mean that the circular trail running along the coast is always humming.

We heart: The people-watching opportunities. Sit on a bench and watch families swimming in the outdoor pool, self-elected mavens of cool blading past and young couples getting all schmoopy.

Sushi

In the city everything is all about the sea, so many of the restaurants are all about the seafood. Salmon abounds galore around Vancouver and the sushi restaurants are manifold and good. If you are a fan, enjoy, if not, try it out – you’ll be a convert in no time.

We heart: The fresh sashimi. And being able to find a sushi restaurant whenever we feel peckish.

Lululemon

Little known outside North America, this luxe yoga & active wear company is a Vancouver native, born in 1998 in a yoga studio and quickly growing to become a Canadian phenomenon. Cheap? No. But worth it – and the healthy-living quotes that make up their logo are always inspiring. The even give free classes and demonstrations from all their retail venues! Call me a fan.

We heart: The hoodies. High necked, distinctive design that comes in all colours of the rainbow. These are no ordinary hoodies.

Gastown

This quaint area stretches only a few streets up and across, but these few streets are a haven of good eating, productive shopping and great photo opportunities. Birthplace of Vancouver in 1867, the area is called after the maverick gold digger and saloon owner, John “Gassy Jack” Deighton.

We heart: Eating gorgeous food at the River Cafe while looking out onto the traditional steam clock. If you manage to take a photo of it without any tourists in your frame then count yourself lucky!

That about sums it up for me. Visit and write your own list, or add to mine on the comments section below!

Have a Look at What is New on "The Soapbox"!

New in this week we have:

- Fascinating opinion piece on the Gulf of Mexico oil spill and climate change from a South African engineer

- Gorgeous self portrait and piercing poem "What it Means to Look White?" by Premilla Murcott

- Several new entries in The Globetrotter column

- Movie review in Life & Culture on "I Love You, Phillip Morris"

- A new column in our fashion & style section, What Kate Did, about the London Fashion Week schedule, Crystle Renn's new job for Gaultier and much more.

Find it all at The Soapbox

Want to Know More about Moving Overseas?

Moving to another country can be both frightening and exciting, with lots of potential rewards.

If you are interested in living abroad either temporarily or permanently, read my article on Suite101 - Living Abroad: How to Move Overseas and please tell me what you think.

A Change of Scenery

Summer is... Tree Planter Season

For the last week, there have been new faces in our rural, industrial town. Tanned faces belonging to bohemian personalities, lithe bodies and cheeky smiles. For us foreigners, tree planting season came as a complete surprise and a welcome diversion from the oil and gas workers we see all year round.

Modern-day hippies, complete with promises of free love and summer fun, the tree planters are young, gorgeous and ever so off-beat. They spend their summers planting seeds for big forestry companies (for what gets cut needs to be reforested), often to pay for university tuition or travel.

According to tree-planter.com, planters need to buy their own gear for the job (such as shovels, cords, tarps and planting bags as well as camping gear, boots and outdoor clothes) which can cost several hundred dollars, meaning that almost all planters work for at least two or three consecutive seasons.

Most companies pay planters per tree (or seed), leading to one of the many industry in jokes, "I bend over for eight cents". Planters only receive money for trees that have been well planted and that adhere to strict quality and density requirements. The going rate is usually between eight and twenty-five cents.

The job has been recorded as one of the most physically challenging occupations in the world, and the bush living conditions are rough - often endured for months at a time. But tree-planting becomes an addiction and the planters a tribe and family.

To read more, visit www.tree-planter.com

What are Your Travel Must-Haves?

We all have a list. Some of ours are short (generally only those of non-metro guys) but most of ours are long and ever-expanding. Your customized and unique travel essentials list is born out of trial and error, learning the hard way and not listening to mom – until you are finally able to remember how horrible plane socks are or how much you craved a Panado last time or that despite being a fashionista you really should have packed a raincoat during monsoon season.

With plumper, uglier assistants pandering to their every desire, first class all-the-way tickets and unlimited LV monogrammed luggage, celebrities have it a tad bit easier than most of us. However, they do have to run the paparazzi gauntlet on the other side, something that most of us are quite happily spared from. How do they manage?

Tim Gunn, Heidi Klum’s right-hand-man in Project Runway and cameo star of How I Met Your Mother and Sex and the City 2 always takes “extra underwear, just in case… I of course travel with all of my skin products, you have to at my age…and I always travel with a good book.”

In her book, That Extra Half an Inch, the ever-so-posh Victoria Beckham writes that she recommend you take the following in your hand luggage: “Johnson’s baby wipes to take your make-up off; a good, heavy moisturizer; eye cream; lip balm; herbal sleeping pills; Chantecaille’s Rose Water or Evian Spritz… some music and a pile of magazines and books you’ve been saving up. That can pretty much get you through any flight.”

Gorgeous super model Chanel Iman told Vogue.com that she doesn’t lock her front door without packing Smith’s Rosebud Salve: “I always have that. It’s good for the lips and nails. I rub it on my cuticles.” She also takes along a brow pencil, saying, “For me, I really like a filled-in eyebrow. I can’t leave the house without my eyebrow brush and pencil,” and mascara, “I always carry around some mascara—the old-fashioned Maybelline,” she says, pulling out the classic pink-and-green Great Lash tube. “It’s better than the expensive stuff.”

Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine from What Not to Wear fame write in their Trinny & Susannah Survival Guide, “With meticulous planning we manage to pack everything we need into a holdall. It hasn’t always been the case. Susannah used to turn up to the airport with only the clothes on her back, while Trinny would arrive for a weekend away lugging the contents of her house in a steamer trunk” proving that it is not only us economy-class travelers who find packing difficult.

Here’s my ultimate (until next trip, anyway) list for carryon luggage – thought I would spare you the actual suitcase part
Camera, Moleskin notebook with pen, paperback books, international fashion magazines, The Economist, face wipes, toothB&B (plane ones are gross), make-up essentials, soft woolly socks, a pashmina & the general handbag essentials (hairbrush, wallet, lip balm etc).

What have I left out that you always take? Any clever tips or travel tricks for the rest of us?

HAVANA - Steamy Nights, Sultry Days

Cuba is a country of contradictions, complications and compromises, where instead of providing answers, visiting only poses more questions and uncertainties about the fascinating mix of people and cultures. To speak about the beauty and generosity of the people, the lushness of the forest, the idyllic turquoise and white beaches and the magnificent patchworks of crumbling colonial buildings seems to denigrate the country into cliched brochure-speak.

But it’s all true. Cuba is not the most comfortable country (far truer for citizens than visitors), where the heat reaches unimaginable humidity levels without breaking, plumbing works only occasionally and even the government-owned hotels and resorts are not exempt from flies, mosquitoes and bed bugs – great levelers in a genuinely unequal system. Yet it is one of the most authentically beautiful; besides its physical aspects the island has an enthralling history, a complex social situation and is one of the only places in the world virtually untouched by contemporary American culture. The fascination and beauty of the location does much to distract from the occasional discomfort (although it is hard to look consistently glamorous in such a sweaty, sticky and yet sexy place).

Culturally, the talent is astounding, and incredibly accessible. The amazing quality of live music at every meal renders one almost inured to it after a few days, yet leaves one surprised at the silence surrounding meals back at home. Cd's from bands we had listened to for hours and paintings from people we met and with whom we had discussed the challenges of Cuban life have become personal souvenirs of the experience, far more treasured than any anonymous mementos would have been.

Few things measure up to walking along a narrow Havanan street in the dark, the interiors of buildings lit up in relief as people eat, play or watch sport on television. Groups of young men kick at soccer balls or smoke on street corners, children run around chasing each other and women chat comfortably through open doors or on the edge of pavements. We undeniably stand out as being foreign but attract no hostility; everyone wants to know where we are from, what languages we speak, how we live and what we think of their country. Many implore us not to believe the international perceptions of Cuba – they are anxious to show us the reality of the country, the citizens, the governmental systems and the pride. Possibly due to half a century of international semi-isolation, Cubans, even dissenters, tend to be intensely nationalistic. And they have reason to be proud. Even engrained poverty is presented with beauty and style, which does not take away from the hardships they face.

The sweat and sweet flower smells of Havana, the open doorways leading to labyrinths of households, the generosity of spirit, earnestness and inherent pride in what is good – these are things which will stay with me forever...or at least until my very next trip.

SNAPSHOT

The pouring rain roars between crashes of lightning and thunder, soaking plants, scaring animals and chasing people indoors. An orange sky reaches out to the horizon where the dying sun peers through breaks in the cloud. My nose is filled with the scent of wet earth, my ears with the lonely cry of the freight train, protesting against the storm as it rumbles through the rural interior. Although the house is still warm, the storm has cracked the heat of the day and the rain pelts cool bullets against my welcoming skin.

Please Vote!

Hi beautiful people -

Please be so kind as to visit www.travelmaharishi.com and click to vote for

1) FIFA World Cup a Bone of Contention for Cubans
2) One of the Many Crumbling Pre-Revolution Facades (left)

Thank you forever!

Yours, Sarah

Fish River Canyon, Namibia

I was 85km weary, had accumulated a five-days-layer of dirt and more than my fair share of bloody blisters after hiking five days through Africa’s largest canyon. And I was smiling. I had been warned that the hike would be arduous and the conditions sub-rustic, but I had not been advised of the stark beauty, ever-changing pastel colours, intense stillness and myriad of stars we were privileged to view in Namibia.

The Fish River Canyon hike entails walking from Hobas down to the river valley and 83 kilometres along the canyon to the oasis of Ai-Ais by using the river and a decidedly inaccurate map as a guide, sleeping under the stars and drinking river water. There are no rest camps or any other facilities along the route and we carried all our food and belongings in straining backpacks. When I was first offered a place on the trip I was most likely decidedly tipsy to take up the challenge, but every moment of discomfort was worth it, even just to prove that city-loving, self-proclaimed princesses can rough it up and enjoy it.

Traveling with my uncle, a cousin and an athletic friend from England, we set out from Cape Town with the nine hour drive to the Namibian border stretching along the unwavering highway before us. The scenery we drove through up the west coast of South Africa was mainly desert – flat sand lands occasionally punctuated by dry thorn trees and dusty succulents. After the draining drive everybody perked up at the shabby yet overly officious border control and before too long we were stamped through to a different country! The sky seemed somehow distilled – bluer and bigger, the desert drier and the horizon stretched even further. It was a relief, a few hours later, to pull up to the entrance of Ai-Ais hot springs hotel and campsite. The recently renovated facilities are clean and comfortable, apparently a marked improvement, and our self-catering cottage was exactly what we needed, especially before heading out to sleep on sand!

Ai-Ais (pronounced “I-ice”) are the local Nama words for “burning hot”. The natural thermal springs serve as an oasis in the arid Karas region and due to the extreme heat of the region both the resort and the hike close during the summer season. Prospective hikers are all required to obtain a recent medical certificate, proving them healthy and fit enough to take on the canyon. We also tentatively signed our lives away on scarily comprehensive indemnity forms.

The night we arrived in Ai-Ais we braaied outside our cottage and discussed our daunting mission. We ate well and slept even better, fully aware that for the next few days we would be eating non-perishables out of our backpacks and sleeping on the ground; an inch-deep foam “mattress” separating our sleeping bags from the sand.

Day one entailed a bustling morning of preparation; painstakingly packing, unpacking and repacking our backpacks, incessantly measuring weight against essentials . Needless to say, changes of clothes did not feature high – we judged food as being essential. My aunt had spent hours before our trip designing meals, buying and allocating food and supplies; life-savers such as mosquito spray, head torches, matches and the countless necessities that I would never, ever have thought to have taken. On a more delicate note, we also had to take along plenty of toilet paper and a shovel... no need for details on that one! We thus divided the loot between ourselves and strapped the bottles of water to the outside of our packs – these we would constantly refill along the way. Dressed not for style but for comfort and with a backpack that I struggled to put on by myself, we set off – to a minivan. From Ai-Ais one needs to drive the forty kilometres to the start of the hike: the intimidating, steep descent into the bottom of the canyon. It officially begins a 10km drive away from Hobas, the rustic campsite and small office officiating the entry of all wannabe hikers. Registering with them is somewhat important – they are next to the only people who know where you are and by what day you should reach your destination!

To read the rest of this article, please visit: http://www.itournow.com/blog/index.php/2010/03/namibia/

FIFA World Cup a Bone of Contention for Cubans

Despite not having a qualifying team competing in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Cuba is a soccer-mad nation (or futbol mad, as it translates in Spanish). This has decidedly brought the travel ban placed on all Cuban citizens to a head.

Seemingly adding insult to injury are the African and South African locals that Cubans see cheering from the stands. These are people who they have always been told are poor, and worse off materially than themselves, yet who are able to watch the soccer live, wear official merchandise and cheer for their country.

Many Cuban people met us, as South Africans, with a mixture of excitement and disapproval. After all, what where we doing in Cuba when the World Cup was on? They had a point. Word travelled around the Havanan grapevine that South Africans were in the streets, and people would yell "Sud Africa, Sud Africa, futbol!" as we passed by. Others would emerge from leafy shadows to express (to their great danger) how much they would have loved to travel to the World Cup, and how much the travel ban affected their lives. Everywhere we went we were followed by the constant drone of vuvuzelas blasting though open doorways and out of shady bars.

Fifty two years after the revolution, Cubans are becoming more and more frustrated by the confines of their borders. One can only wonder what levels the discontent might have risen to had the obedient, generous-spirited nation had a team competing for the cup on South African soil.

Mzansi Madness - Laduuuuuumma!

As one of the many, many South Africans abroad, it has been painful to be absent from the country during the FIFA World Cup 2010. Thanks be to satellite television then, and to the soccer-mad spirit in both Canada and Cuba (neither of which are competing).

Imagine, if you can, how surreal it is (after living in a country where many people did not know that South Africa existed) to walk into a bar of a five star hotel and to see the South African flag on every single table. Or to explore the colourfully tattered streets of Havana while hearing the constant drone of vuvuzelas blasting through doorways and out of bars. Sometimes we have to remind ourselves where we are, such as when walking through downtown Toronto and being stopped in our tracks by a Bafana shirt in a shop window, or catching a fleeting glimpse of a passerby with the telltale six-colour flag on the back of their neck.

It is not only our accents that now betray us (not very well as it turns out, because almost everybody thinks we’re Australian) but the colours we wear, the flag we carry and the anthem we sing. While proudly wearing my new Bafana zip-up top on the plane I was acutely aware that despite being dog-tired and combating the after effects of food poisoning and sinusitis, I had to be friendly and polite to everyone I saw. After all, I had identified myself as South African.

Although we met many lovely people in Cuba, it was with mixed feelings of excitement and disapproval that they learnt we were from South Africa. After all – what were we doing in Havana when the FIFA World Cup was playing in our back yard? They had a point. One day, while walking through shady pre-revolution avenues to reach the Museum of the Revolution itself, different people started approaching us, shouting: “South Africa, South Africa, Futbol!” Yip, word had gone round the Havanan grapevine that South Africans were in the streets. Through the people we met, we learnt that despite not having a competing side, the FIFA World Cup was a major bone of contention within Cuba. Unable to travel abroad, Cubans are becoming more and more frustrated within the confines of their country. To add insult to injury, many Cuban soccer fans could not believe that people in Africa (who they had always been told were poorer and worse off than them) could go and watch the soccer live.

Aside from one negative article in our local town newspaper (which reads as though the journalists only made it up to Grade Two), the international feedback seems incredible. All the games look so professionally produced, the crowds are colourful and full of gees, and South Africa is once more doing itself proud. For this month anyway, the world has gone Mzansi mad. Viva Mzansi – fo ‘sho!

Magical Melting Pot - NYC Part Four of Four

Why is New York so unique? You now know about all the places to go, the things to see and the people to meet. But what is it that makes it such a success of a city, a desirable place to live, and a keeper of dreams? It features as a character, not merely a setting, in many works; known as the fifth character in Sex and the City. Other shows and movies such as The City, How I Met Your Mother, Ugly Betty Spiderman and When Harry Met Sally serve to up the celebrity quotient and glamorous aura and just wouldn’t be the same without the lights of Manhattan. (For a more complete list, click here.)

When the place was first appropriated by the Dutch (they paid for it with 60 guilders and rumored glass beads) and called New Amsterdam, they were attracted to it because of the layout of the land – rivers carrying fresh water, the impenetrable nature of the island and its perfect situation for trading. Little did they imagine that its popularity would grow so incrementally and that it would become the world’s fifth largest city (number one in the USA) and the most linguistically diverse – more than 800 languages are spoken within the metro.

Many of the city’s symbols are recognised around the world – from the welcoming Statue of Liberty who has hailed ship-bound immigrants since 1886, to Times Square, commonly known as the crossroads of the world and host to the most legendary New Year’s Eve parties; and to Wall Street which has had movies made about it and on it, and which has witnessed many recessions since the eponymous Wall Street Crash which lead America into the years of the Great Depression.

Although Manhattan is only one of the city’s five boroughs (the others being Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and The Bronx) it sometimes seems as though the others exist merely to sustain it. Although each borough has its own unique feeling and culture, Manhattan is the centre, not only of the city, but of the country, and for some, the world.

Aside from New York’s incredible density of population, it is its ethnicity that stands out and makes the place so appealing to so many; no surprise then, that it is where the term ‘melting pot’ was first coined (Lower East Side, early 1900s). About 36% of the city’s population was born in other countries, and many of the American born residents come from other states. The city is home to the largest Jewish population outside Israel, a quarter of America’s Asian population, the largest black community in the country and the largest population of Chinese people outside of Asia. Although obscure, the following Wikipedia fact is somewhat fascinating: “The Irish also have a notable presence; one in 50 New Yorkers of European origin carry a distinctive genetic signature on their Y chromosomes inherited from the clan of Niall of the Nine Hostages, an Irish high king of the fifth century A.D.”

With people of all races, colours, religions, sizes and shapes, New York is probably the closest thing to a true meritocracy that we’ve got. People are chiefly judged on their talent, profession, who they know and what they’ve got, and very seldom by who they are or where they come from, which must make it one of the most liberating places in which to live.

Enjoy your trip!

Living like a New Yorker: NYC Part Three

General lifestyle is just one aspect of what makes the Big Apple so appealing. As one of the biggest and most significant cities in the world, anything you could think of is available – only a phone call or taxi ride away. Although often thought of as a concrete jungle, the parks and gardens and water around the city make it pretty balanced and thanks to great public transport and the small size that it inhabits (compared to the large number of people who live there), it’s one of the most environmentally friendly cities in the U.S. Below is my list for living in New York, whether you really do live there or are just visiting and only wish you lived there!

Central Park

This beautiful park was designed in 1859 and completed 14 years later. Stretching 4 kilometres long and just short of a kilometre wide, it has ample space for its annual 25 million visitors and includes a reservoir, several ponds, running and cycling paths, sport fields, zoos and ice-rinks. Home to many migratory birds, it is a popular destination for bird watches and people who are interested in all sporting activities. Families and the young and old come here to enjoy the open spaces and natural beauty it provides.

SoHo, Chelsea and the Villages

These historically unfashionable areas are now the most vibey and buzzing places in Manhattan, full of restaurants, cafes, bars and boutiques. The narrow streets are full of character and are great for people watching – fashionable and eccentrically dressed pedestrians rule the roads.

Chinatown

Home to approximately 100 000 people and many businesses, this is the place to get great food, gifts, groceries and some cultural education. As a previously Jewish and Hispanic area, there is still a small Jewish community living here, where the famous Katz’s Deli and a number of synagogues can be found. Chinatown also offers beautiful photographic opportunities and free walking tours are offered in an effort to promote the economy of the area, which has suffered significantly since the 9/11 attacks.

Walking

Surprisingly, people in the biggest city of the world’s fattest nation tend to be really thin on the whole. Several things contribute to this remarkable phenomenon (although I don’t think anyone can explain why they’re all so damn pretty!). The city is all about image so its inhabitants tend to take good care of themselves, and everyone has to walk kilometres and kilometres to work, to play, everywhere – unless one has a driver like Mr Big or uses taxis all the time. This walking nature of the city is shown by the business people pairing sneakers with their formal outfits and girls carrying high heels in shoe bags for work. My informal observations gathered that the most popular shoes for walking around while maintaining style standards are the Tory Burch ballet flats.

Eating Out

Whatever your budget, this is the city to eat out in. Hot dogs off street carts, fast food and takeaways, restaurants representing every nationality imaginable, the best of fancy establishments, there are so many to choose from. The city’s Department for Health lists over 20 000 registered restaurants, meaning that eating out is essential lifestyle living. Oh well, when in Rome!

New York - the Bucket List (part 2 of 4)

There are things that you have to do at least once in your life, whether you are a visitor or New York native. Here’s my list. If you’re confused as to why there are some obvious gaps (read Central Park) they’ll be included in my do-over-and-over-again as part of a New Yorker lifestyle column next week.

1. Empire State Building

I wasn’t that excited to go up this beautiful building, but went pretty willingly because my husband was so keen on it. Thank goodness. The whole visit was a pleasure – from the organized, swift moving queues to friendly guides, affordable gift shop and of course, the amazing views. Try to visit early in the morning or late at night on a week day for the best views and shortest queuing times.

Insider tip: although the building has 102 floors, the main viewing observatory is on the 86^th. Don’t bother to pay extra to go right to the top: it’s enclosed by scratched glass and the views are no better than outside on the main deck.

2. Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

It feels terribly clichéd and touristy to visit them, but these attractions are a huge part of American history, offer great views of Manhattan from afar and provide fantastic photographic opportunities. Catch the inexpensive ferry from Battery Park on the southernmost tip of Manhattan. If you would like to go up to the statue’s crown, an appointment needs to be made in advance, but like us, most visitors are content with looking up at her (she’s weirdly small in real life). As one of the most important gateways to America, Ellis Island Immigration Museum is fascinating and nostalgic, filled with original artefacts and interesting information.

3. Ground Zero site and museum

Ground Zero is not hard to find. A massive construction site filled with cranes and workers, all looking like ants scurrying around in hard hats. However, locating the museum is a little more complicated. Only temporary while the official monument and memorial centre is built, the museum is housed in a narrow unassuming business centre to the south of the site. A must-see to learn about the attacks and the people involved and pay tribute to the lives lost. The information and artefacts that have been collected are incredible and visitors walk around seemingly in a trance, often fighting back tears.

4. Brooklyn Bridge

Linking the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn, the Brooklyn Bridge was the first steel-wire suspension bridge in the world, built in 1883. Used by cars, pedestrians and cyclists, it makes for a gorgeous 3.6km walk (across and back) on a sunny day. Its history includes jumpers, a shooting, a terrorist plot designed to blow it up and even remnants of a Cold War bunker, discovered in 2006. When walking along the pedestrian path, obey the rules and beware of cyclists

5. The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Over 2 000 000 works of art are housed in this grandiose building backing onto Central Park. Once inside visit the areas that interest you most, and be prepared to get lost – the interior is a maze of hallways and galleries. Highlight tours are offered for those who want a good summary of the collection and to cut out the wandering-aimlessly-while-lost feeling.

6. The Rockefeller Centre

You are sure to have seen this on TV, as it consists of Radio City Music Hall, Winter Ice Rink and Christmas Tree, shopping malls and is home to shows such as 30 Rock which we had the privilege to see being shot live – Tracey Jordan just an arm’s length away!

7. Times Square

Noisy, busy, full of Midwestern tourists and exploitative gimmicks, this is a place that’s largely left to visitors. Although some people love going there on New Year’s Eve, I would give it a very wide berth on the busiest night of the year. You still have to see it, though. Watch out for pickpockets (and more recent car-contained bombs) and ignore the exorbitant tourist prices – there are better places to shop. Great place for discount theatre tickets!