My first trip to New York was with my housemate to go to Governor’s Ball Music Festival – what better reason to make a trip to New York than for a three-day music festival?!
As soon as we landed it was straight for a massive slice of pizza – yum! With our bellies full, we crashed out at our hostel in Brooklyn ready for our big day the next day full of exploring.
We started our adventurous day by walking from Brooklyn (Williamsburg), over Williamsburg Bridge and then mainly up 5th Avenue and Broadway passing all the incredible buildings that I have only seen in movies, and onto Times Square!! Now this was a place of madness. We perched ourselves on a bench overlooking the Square, stuffing out faces with a typical hot dog from the street vendors – spot the tourists!!
From Times Square we wandered to the Rockefeller Center to get to the Top of the Rock – now these views were absolutely mind-blowing! One way towards Central Park and surroundings and the other way we could check out the Empire State Building. It was cold but I could have stayed there for hours just watching everything go by over the incredible city skyline.
Continuing on with our jam-packed ‘tourist’ day we checked out Grand Central Station (all I could picture was Gossip Girl..!) and wandered around the streets before meeting a mate of ours, Mike, who picked us up and took us to one of the best steak joints in New York, Peter Lugar. Now this was a meal and a half, my favorite steak I have ever had by far.! The sides and yes, even dessert, were delicious (wine to go with of course). Back to a little side bar near our hostel for a couple of drinks and crashing out in a massive food coma – such a big day exploring which ended with one of my best meals to date.
Up the next day for a typical cream cheese bagel for brekky and catching the metro to Lower Manhattan where we walked around the World Trade Tower sites and tribute center. This was pretty moving. Up next was a visit the madam herself, the Statue of Liberty (in the drizzling rain) and popping over to Ellis Island. From there it was the metro till we arrive in Randall’s Island for day one of the Governor’s Ball Music Festival.!
Day one of the festy included the likes of Rudimental (the clear fav of the day), Vance Joy, Odesza, Florence & the Machine, Ratatat and Drake headlining for the end of the day.
We woke up and wandered down to Berry Street and Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn for a yummy brekky at a cool café before making our way to Randall’s Island once again.
Day two of the festy consisted of the rather delightful Marina and the Diamonds, Angus & Julia Stone, Little Dragon, Bjork, SBTRKT, the ever famous Flume (so proud that this fellow Aussie had one of the biggest crowds) and Deadmau5 the headliner for day two.
Our final day of the festival was the best day (weather wise) yet. We met up with some friends and went walking around Central Park. From there we walked over to Randall’s Island to check out Hermitude, Tame Impala, A-Trak, The War On Drugs, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Hot Chip, Lana Del Ray and the grand finale – Black Keys! What a way to close one of my favorite music festivals!!
We had one final day of exploring the never-sleeping New York City and we started it off by meeting Mike at one of his favorite diners in Brooklyn for a typical American brekky – yum!
From brekky we caught a taxi into Manhattan and to the High Line in Greenwich Village where we jumped on and walked the entire High Line past the Hudson Yards – now this was a pretty awesome walk. It was a perfect day and we enjoyed all the sites and of course some yummy ice cream to make it really feel like it was the middle of summer.
We continued our walk to Madison Square Gardens to take a couple of quick snaps and jumped in a taxi to take us back to Mike’s apartment for some take away late-lunch on the couch – we were wrecked!
Couple of last stops to Times Square at night before wandering back down Broadway to 230 Fifth Rooftop Bar to meet up with some mates for last drinks.
What a place to end our stay in the city that never sleeps – this place has stunning views of the skyline from the rooftop bar but it got a little chilly so we headed down a level to inside where we sat by the big windows to watch the concrete jungle below us. Amazing.!
Once back on island it was time for another visitor, from Australia…..
