Playtimes HK Magazine September 2018 Issue | Page 58

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lake, see the turtles in turtle pond, jog
around the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
Reservoir or rent a bike to take it all in –
the park, at 843 acres, is a huge oasis
and the ‘lungs of the city’.
The Empire State Building is another
must-see sight, but here you have the
choice of climbing the building itself
(and braving the hoardes of people) or
climbing to the top of another well-
known tower that affords great views
of the Empire State Building. We opted
for the latter, heading to the 70th floor
of the Rockefeller Center, also known
as ‘Top of the Rock’. Tickets cost
US$30 and buying them online makes
it faster. Sunset tends to be popular,
for obvious reasons.
Dining in New York is another
highlight, be it breakfast, lunch or
dinner. Breakfasts are large; even the
kids couldn’t eat all the pancakes
(we liked The Smith). For lunch how
can you resist a typical New York
bagel, and the dinner options will
leave you spoilt for choice. Some of
our favourites were Locanda Verde
in Tribeca. Part of Robert DeNiro’s
restaurant empire, it serves delicious
and comforting Italian food amidst
a buzzing atmosphere. We went for
Sunday dinner and ‘My Grandmother’s
Ravioli’ was a big hit with the children.
The Grand Central Oyster Bar was
more for our benefit than the children’s,
but as my son likes train stations it wasn’t
too hard a sell. It’s a fantastic restaurant
located within the bustling, fabulous
Grand Central Station and oozes charm
of a bygone era. The seafood on offer will
blow your mind. Oysters with perfectly
paired wine; yes, please.
One of the children’s favourite
restaurants came within the ‘novelty’
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category: Ninja New York. Located in
Tribeca, this Japanese restaurant serves
fairly decent, if overpriced, food. The
poke was very good, but the main draw
is the décor and the ninjas who serve
the food. Essentially they make you
jump, lots, and charge for the pleasure.
The kids loved it though. (Did I mention
that at this point Daddy was at the Foo
Fighters concert in Madison Square
Gardens? Apparently if there is a good
concert on while you’re visiting New
York you should definitely go, especially
if it’s a legendary rock band!).
For a special meal sans kids, we
went to Daniel. A French restaurant
in the heart of Manhattan, this
one definitely comes under the
‘extravagant’ category and has a
dress code specifying that men wear a
jacket. Tables are not easy to come by
so it’s worth booking in advance. If you
can stretch to a set menu with wine
pairing you won’t be disappointed. We
organised a childminder for the evening
through Sitters Studio; “A unique arts-
based agency that provides families
with artistic caregivers and creative
childcare solutions”. It was a shame the
children were asleep for most of the
time as it sounded fun. Full details of
the sitter were sent in advance and it
was a very professional service.
To work off some of that fantastic
food we walked across the Brooklyn
Bridge, New York’s most iconic
suspension bridge. It takes around
30 minutes and offers incredible
downtown views en route, especially
if you time it with sunset. Down Under
the Manhattan Bridge Overpass, or
Dumbo, as the area is known, is the
area between the Brooklyn Bridge and
the Manhattan Bridge, consisting of
outdoor parks, bars and restaurants,
and even an old-fashioned carousel.
Be sure to visit the Brooklyn Ice Cream
Factory if it’s a hot day.
Museums are another attraction that
New York excels at and it’s undoubtedly
home to some of the best museums
in the world. There’s the Museum of
Modern Art, the Guggenheim Museum,
and the Metropolitan Museum of Art,