Let's Hear it for NEW YOOORK

NYC - You concrete jungle where dreams are made of. There’s just nothing you can’t do.

Back in my singing days *flicks hair* I sang Alicia Keys’ NY anthem with a twinkle in my eye and longing in my heart. I’d only been dreaming of New York since THE BEGINNING OF TIME ITSELF, lusting after the dazzling city lights, the glitz of Broadway, the glamour of Manhattan, and eccentricity of its inhabitants.

Let me just start by saying, I don’t think I learnt the true meaning of the word “city” until I went to New York. This place is just absolutely cranking 24/7 – believe what they say about New York never sleeping. It’s just constant – blink for a single second and you’re guaranteed to miss something. There are endless things to do, infinite things to see, and best of all, the most fascinating and entertaining people-watching opportunities in all the world.

The strangest part of visiting New York was how normal it felt. You’d think a place so out-of-this-world would slap you in the face with a serious dose of culture shock, but it was in fact quite the opposite. You see, I’d already walked down Fifth Avenue a hundred times with Carrie Bradshaw, I’d fed pigeons with Kevin McCallister in Central Park, I’d shared coffee with Monica, Rachel and the rest of the gang in Greenwich Village – and don’t get me started on the time Will Ferrel and I ate chewing gum off the subway rails. So, despite the chaos of NY, I felt weirdly familiar with its madness.

My visit to NY (almost exactly a year ago today) teamed itself up with a very eventful fortnight in the US. I stood at the top of Rockefeller Center looking over the red-and-blue lit Manhattan as the result of the Presidential Election was announced. The days that followed were spent dodging Trump Towers (all 29483 of them – seriously, that guy owns nearly every skyscraper in Manhattan) to avoid being swallowed by crowds of protestors, and the evenings were spent huddled around the TV with my Airbnb hosts who were in absolute disarray. I’d never felt luckier to be Australian.

Despite the doom and gloom that followed the results, the spirit of New York was flying as strongly as ever. The protests were uplifting, the passion was infectious, and I think seeing people coming together actually made me fall even harder for NY and everyone in it.

I’m happy to report that the New York shaped hole in my heart is well and truly filled. This city – perhaps the only place in the world deserving of that word – has something for everyone. Those streets? They’ll make you feel brand new. Big lights? They’ll inspire you.

So, let’s hear it...

For New York.