As I wrote a couple of weeks ago, this month marked a big birthday for me. And where better to celebrate it than my favourite of cities, New York City? My parents and brother joined me for an action-packed five-day trip to the Big Apple, my 33rd visit to the city since my first in 1995. Each of us was allocated a randomly assigned time slot in which to plan a group activity but there were plenty more celebrations, experiences and wonderful new memories throughout the trip. Read on for a selection of some of my favourites.
2. Day-tripping in the Hudson Valley
My parents and I have wanted to take a day trip from Grand Central Terminal for some years now but never managed to fit it into one of our trips. So, after the footie, we hightailed it over to Grand Central and caught the Metro-North Railroad to Cold Spring, a picturesque small town in the Hudson Valley. The journey took about 90 minutes and on such a crisp but sunny autumnal Saturday the train was absolutely packed — try to arrive early if you can, and sit on the left-hand side as you travel north to get the best views. Round-trip tickets cost $30 and you can buy them and check times using the Metro North app; don’t forget to validate your ticket before starting your journey.
There was plenty to keep us entertained in Cold Spring for a few hours. We strolled along the river, walked up and down main street, admiring the colourful, picturesque buildings and dipping in and out of the independent shops. Some of those that caught my eye included: Old Souls (outdoor goods), Cold Spring General Store (homewares, souvenirs and gourmet food), Wyld Plants, Mundane (candles), Supplies for Creative Living and Cold Spring Apothecary. We also visited a makers’ market and stopped for a gourmet sandwich at Angie’s Bake Shop. I’d love to come back for a longer stay, including some hiking on the many trails that abound in the area. 
3. History and pop culture in the East Village
For my activity in BirthdayFest, I wanted to book a walking tour in the East Village — an area I was keen to explore more — but couldn’t find any at suitable times. Instead, I planned my own tour, taking inspiration from some of the East Village sights featured in other tours and on Atlas Obscura. From the former house of Eliza Hamilton, widow of Alexander, and a 19th century Stuveysant property to sights spotlighting the neighbourhood’s history of protest and provocateurs, we covered a lot of ground. 
I was particularly pleased to find a Wolves connection — Led Zeppelin (whose frontman Robert Plant is VP of Wolves) shot the cover of Physical Graffiti on St Mark’s Place, probably because they’d performed at the nearby and sadly now long-since closed Fillmore East music venue a few years earlier. As I’d got some special ‘I W NY’ tote bags made, I was happy we also got to see the alma mater of graphic designer Milton Glaser, Cooper Union.
Afterwards, we met my dear friend Rachel for a delicious Mexican brunch at Cosme in the Flatiron district with superb Cadillac margaritas, guac to die for, the tastiest corn omelette and lamb barbacoa. We also took part in a Sweet Valley High quiz my dad had prepared, in reference to the many early New York trips we made that involved shopping for missing numbers in Francine Pascal’s never-ending series.
4. A sunny afternoon on The Edge
As someone with a November birthday knows all too well, it’s always a risk booking outdoor activities in Northern Europe / New England in the autumn. But we were blessed with sunshine, blue skies and just enough of an autumn nip in the air for our entire stay, and so my mum’s activity — ascending to the The Edge viewing platform in Hudson Yards — worked out perfectly. In fact, the weather was even better for skyline views than when we went last year in June.
As for the cat I’m holding, that’s Charlotte. I used to take her everywhere with me in the early 1990s, including up the Empire State Building. She has seen better days but my parents brought her along as a little surprise.
5. Cool jazz in the West Village
“That’s the location of Don Draper’s bachelor pad in Mad Men,” I said as we exited the subway at Christopher Street. My dad told me I was repeating myself but said it would be nice to do a TV comedy walking tour one day. “Your wish,” I said, leading us two minutes down the street to our dinner location, a cosy restaurant called Little Owl, which happens to be located on the corner of Bedford and Grove in a building best known for featuring as the exterior of the Friends apartment building (RIP Matthew Perry).
After dinner (delicious meatball sliders, followed by roast chicken and mash, in my case), we headed over to the Mezzrow on West 10th Street for an evening of jazz, courtesy of the Susan Tobocman Quartet. I’m still learning when to clap during jazz performances, but Mezzrow is a very relaxed and welcoming setting.
6. Brooklyn follies with friends
Over the years, I’m lucky to have made some excellent friends in NYC, mainly through my previous job. As well as catching up with Rachel over brunch, I also got to see the lovely Neda at Tsuta, a ramen bar at the foot of Brooklyn Bridge. Our time passed all too quickly but we walked across Brooklyn together to the subway, allowing a little more catch-up time and sharing of book recommendations.
I then travelled to Prospect Park, which was resplendent with autumn hues. I was meeting my great friend Sarah, who also surprised me with two of her beautiful cobalt ceramic pieces as birthday gifts. Check out her Squids Ceramics Instagram for her online shop and details of markets she’ll be selling at. We strolled around the lake together, chatting and watching all the dogs and other wildlife, before heading for a drink at the Nitehawk Cinema. It was a perfect afternoon in Brooklyn!
7. Cocktails in the sky at Overstory
I like to use this blog as a place to record places where I’ve enjoyed eating and drinking on my travels, so I’m also highlighting: The Campbell Apartment (superb cocktails in an elegant bar in Grand Central); pasta molto buona (and an ovine tiramisu) at La Pecora Bianca in NoMad; more delicious Italian fare at Bocca di Bacco in Hell’s Kitchen; and top burgers (from Bash Burger) and pizza (from Roberta’s) at Urbanspace Vanderbilt. And there’s a whole other post rounding up my latest NYC speciality coffee discoveries.
