Lau On Tour Day 1: New York

Part 1 of my new series, Lau On Tour. Find out what it's all about before you join me in today's destination, New York.

Image: Unsplash

The itinerary

New York is top of my travel bucket list right now - I was hoping to visit this winter with a friend. Coronavirus has put those plans on pause, so I'm beginning my virtual holiday with a day in the Big Apple.

New York's most iconic feature is the Statue of Liberty, but you can see the famous torch and crown from anywhere in the world via the Liberty Ellis Foundation webcams. No-one's allowed to access the torch these days so you won't see much action up there, but the 'Harbor Cam' and 'From Brooklyn' feeds offer live views of the city - time it right and you might see the Staten Island Ferry chugging across in front of Lady Liberty.

Image: Liberty Ellis Foundation webcam

Elsewhere in Manhattan, Times Square - currently spookily empty due to coronavirus - can be seen on its own series of webcams, showing it from several different angles. Now that I know this facility exists, I plan to check back in on it during 'normal' times, to get a feel for the hustle and bustle of the city.

Sightseeing done, I'm moving on to a dose of culture in the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), supplied by the Google Arts & Culture programme. It allows visitors to see some of the highlights of the collection without physically being there. I don't pretend to know much about art, but even I've heard of Van Gogh's Starry Night and Monet's Water Lillies.

View from the High Line: Image: Jose Fontano/Unsplash

Google Arts & Culture has also brought The High Line to the internet, meaning that it's possible to wander the former railway line-turned-park without worrying about the niceties of social distancing. Or getting dressed. Viewing the city at eye level with office blocks and the occasional church stained glass window feels akin to the railway line between London Bridge and Charing Cross back in London.

Next, more outdoor time, on a virtual tour of Central Park. Visit landmarks including the John Lennon mosaic at Strawberry Fields, Bow Bridge and the Alice in Wonderland statue - ideal fodder for trivia geeks, and some excellent views.

Image: Mike Kareh/Unsplash

Finally, I've timed my visit to coincide with Manhattanhenge, the phenomenon where the sunset lines up between New York's skyscrapers, visible from any east-west numbered street in Manhattan. So I'll be finishing my day in the Big Apple watching the sun set.

Where I'm staying

The view from the Ritz Carlton New Central Park. Image: Ritz Carlton

Sure, the cool kids know that the likes of Brooklyn and Williamsburg are where it's happening these days, but I want a hotel right in the centre of the action. With budget being no problem for this virtual tour, the Ritz Carlton New York, with its views over Central Park, seems like an ideal spot for me to lay my head between all the sightseeing.

In pop culture

Where to even begin with portrayals of New York in popular culture? It's probably racked up more screen hours than any other metropolis on Earth, with Manhattan punching well above its weight for an island of its size. Friends, How I Met Your Mother, Sex and the City, Brooklyn Nine Nine and Will & Grace are just some of the best TV shows set in the city in recent years.

As for New York-set films - that could be a whole genre within itself, with subgenres including rom coms, classics (oh hi, Ghostbusters), disaster films (The Day After Tomorrow) and crime movies. Brooklyn is one of my all-time favourites, and my love for romcoms means I've seen plenty of mushy Central Park moments. I'm currently binging Gossip Girl for the first time, so Blake Lively and co's Upper East Side antics could have done the trick, but one New York film which I feel like I should have seen is Breakfast at Tiffany's.

I attempted to watch the Audrey Hepburn classic a few years ago, but as is so often the case with much-hyped films, it just doesn't hit the spot. I'm sorry to say that on this rewatching, it still doesn't grab me - the simpering Holly Golightly is more annoyance than delight.

On the menu

Confession time: I have an interactive Google map dedicated to all of the places I'm going to eat in New York when I finally get there. Top of the list is Ellen's Stardust Diner located just off Broadway, because I'm a sucker for huge doses of Americana, while the sweet section of the map is largely populated by posts from the Eating New York Instagram account.

However, for this challenge, I wanted a dish that's typically from New York, rather than just being available there, and it turns out that one of my favourite meals hails from New York... albeit the State, rather than the city. Buffalo chicken is from the town of the same name, and though it's traditionally served in wings form, I prefer a Buffalo chicken burger, so that's what I made for today's dish. I cheated a bit, using ready made Buffalo sauce, and ready made blue cheese sauce, but the result was spot on, satiating my craving until I can return to MeatLiquor in London and tuck into the real deal.

Souvenir shopping

Picture tourists in New York, and I bet one of the first things you think of is the iconic I Heart NY t-shirt. I'm not too ashamed to admit that I've always wanted one, so I'll take some of my imaginary tourist dollars and add one to my wardrobe.


Follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Bloglovin' to see where I'll be visiting tomorrow.