It’s up to you, New York, New York

It’s a city I haven’t been to yet. It’s been on my list for a while now. With a big birthday in June, it felt a good time to book flights to New York and visit the US of A and leave the continent of Europe for the first time in my life.
Having watched Don Draper and Doris Day on my TV screen acting their way around what is now vintage Manhattan, I feel it’s somewhere I have been. I know my Central Park from my Central Perk thanks to Channel 4 and Friends.
I’ve seen Audrey Hepburn enjoy a coffee and a croissant outside Tiffany’s, bizarrely at a time when no one else was on the famous Fifth Avenue in the city that never sleeps.
I’ve seen the Madison Avenue billboards. The Times Square lights. I’ve watched Broadway musicals on DVD. Don’t ask me how many times I’ve watched The Devil wears Prada. (More on that here).
I’m a farmer’s daughter from a wee town in County Down. What will I make of the big Smoke? The big Apple?

As I prepare to go, I Google the places I want to visit with my sister. I’m delighted when I find a travel guide complete with map for a pound in a bookshop and I look at the neat streets all numbered. Speaking of bookshops, I must add Barnes & Noble to the list.

When I start to put together my clothes and see what else I need to get for late summer city heat of one of the world’s most famous cities, I am somewhat taken aback by what I need to pack. I’ve been to London and Paris before, it never occurred to me then to make a distinct wardrobe choice. Maybe it was watching the documentary on street photographer Bill Cunningham who was famous for taking street fashion pictures on his Nikon whilst whizzing around the city on his push bike.

New York fashion seems streamlined, I can’t imagine wearing my favourite flower prints there. I think black and grey and layers of fabric, like DKNY and Calvin Klein. I imagine comfy shoes to walk around and yet part of me is also pulled to bring high heels and a stand out dress for all my watching of Carrie Bradshaw on SATC.

I picture the noise of the streets. I wonder if people will push past me as I look up and see the height of the sky scrapers.

I can smell the hot dogs of the street vendors and hear the honks of the yellow cabs. I can do all this because I think I know what NYC is like.

Time will tell if my expectations are met, exceeded or dashed! Come back later to find out how I get on!