As our second home, New York is a place we have explored and know like the back of our hands. In these posts we’ll share the expected, but also the unexpected things this crazy town has to offer.
North Fork, Long Island, is New York’s little slice of Provence or Napa Valley, situated on the Long Island Sound within a few hours from Manhattan. North Fork Long Island is 30 miles of Long Island land that is closer in character to France than New York, with its wineries, apple orchards, lavender fields, chateau-like mansions, trawler-fresh seafood, and couture...
The former Shinn Estate Vineyards offer an upmarket farm stay experience within 2.5 hours of NYC. The Shinn Estate Vineyards are now the Rose Hill estate, a Bed & Breakfast, and winery in the North Fork area of Mattituck situated on 22 acres of premier wine growing land. The historic Shinn Estate Vineyards farmhouse has been renovated and renamed the Rose Hill...
Ignore the recommendations from friends, the Top of the Rock is the view of New York City The Empire State Building will never be able to deliver. Welcome to 30 Rock, home of the Top of the Rock As its name would suggest, the Top of the Rock can be found at the top of 30 Rock (30 Rockefeller Plaza) between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. Rockefeller Plaza is a series of...
Bright lights, sand, cold beers, hot dogs, and classic amusement park rides, the Coney Island boardwalk was high on our list of things to see in New York City. Growing up in Australia, it sounded like an amazing place, mentioned in Saturday morning cartoons like a mecca for kids. Sadly it’s not as pristine or exciting as an adult, but gladly not as seedy as ten years...
Beacon NY is an upstate escape that offers a relaxing respite from the bright lights and buzz of Manhattan. Taking a weekend break or even a day trip to Beacon NY is easy and rewarding, being just two hours from NYC. It’s a small town in Duchess County, on the MTA Metro-North line that is home to the DIA contemporary art museum. It’s kind of small-town that’s large...
Barclay Center Brooklyn (Barclays Center) is an arena that is home to the Brooklyn Nets, New York Liberty, and live wrestling, music, and events. Barclay Center Brooklyn is New York’s other main arena for live sports, music, and events, second only to Madison Square Garden in midtown Manhattan. For years, MSG was the go-to destination for big-ticket shows, but once...
Brandy Library NYC is a New York City Bar for alcohol connoisseurs who like their atmosphere highbrow and their liquor served in a low ball. The Brandy Library NYC is in trendy TriBeCa, a neighborhood of cobblestone streets and renovated warehouses and lofts. So, it’s well within the realms of reality that you’d expect to find old, haunted dive bars (like Ear Inn)...
New things to do in New York City in 2021 as it welcomes back visitors, for better or worse. Firstly, Post-COVID isn’t really true, as the world is still very much under the influence of the worst global pandemic in a century, but throwing caution to the wind, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has loosened requirements for masking for those with vaccinations, and...
See the best live music at the Jones Beach shows at the Northwell Theater at Jones Beach. Some of Long Island’s best beaches and a 15,000-seat arena make Jones Beach worthy of at least one summer trip a year. Surf’s Up! There are two main aspects of Jones Beach for a visitor: the beach and the venue. The beach is at a point on the island devoid of local shops...
If you’re a fan of fresh seafood, the Mermaid Inn NYC Oyster Bar really delivers. One of the earliest sites of the Mermaid Inn NYC was in Greenwich Village. It is now only open in Chelsea and the Upper West Side. Mermaid Inn NYC is a refreshing take on seafood. Coming from Australia’s east coast, we were brought up on prawns and tropical and reef fish. Lobsters and...
