Travel: Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls, wow what a trip. I loved every second of it.

I chose to travel up to the falls on a guided bus tour from New York. My Dad had previously been on the trip on an occasion he was visiting me in New York and had nothing but good things to say about it, not to mention it is so reasonably priced. I loved travelling up by bus also, as we made little stops along the way and drove through little towns allowing us to see and learn more about upstate New York. We visited places such as Geneva, known as a University town, walked through Watkins Glen State Park and saw vineyards where they produce ice wine, while travelling along Seneca Lake.

We spent the night on the Canadian side of the falls, which meant a cross over the boarder and a new stamp in our passports, not to mention another country I can claim as visited. We got to Canada and saw our first glimpse of the falls around 4:45pm. First impressions were that they were not as big as expected but after staring at the water continuously fall they became more and more mesmerizing.

After checking into our hotel, which is included as part of the tour package, we had our own time to go out for dinner and do what we wish. The main road where all the restaurants and such are located was quite surreal, it is known as a mini Las Vegas as it is all lit up with various games and activities such as a Speedway go-kart track, Dinosaur putt-putt golf and spooky houses. All restaurant's appeared to be more than likely on par with one another quality and taste wise. We chose to eat at Montana's BBQ & Bar which served general American food and a very enthusiastic waitress.

We finished the night off with one last look at the falls, as in the evenings as the sun goes down they illuminate them with colorful lights, as well as a firework display which we were too tired to wait around for.

The next day started bright and early. We cross back over to the American side of the falls and made a few stops at different vantage points to see them from all different angles. We were then first in line to take the first Maid of Mist boat out to get an up close and personal experience. This was by far the highlight. It did start to rain just as we were heading out so we have no idea what got us more wet the rain or the falls. The boat trip took about 20 minutes all up, we first stopped in front of the American and Bridal Veil falls and then proceeded to go right up close to the Canadian/Horse Shoe falls and this was just incredible, I don't know how else to describe it. As the boat turned to head back we were generously sprayed by the water coming off the Canadian/Horse Shoe falls and it gave the illusion of being inside the waterfall!

After the boat trip we had time to look through the souvenir shop which I had no plans on buying anything but had a last minute change of mind and purchased a Niagara Falls branded jumper (sweatshirt) to change into so I could be dry and warm. After this we began the journey back to New York City, with a lunch stop and a stop at the Crossings Premium Outlets. Again, I had no plans to buy anything at the outlets, if it were not part of the tour I would have been happy to by-pass this part but being the shopaholic that I am, I ended up making a few purchases, such as a Tommy Hilfiger tee and jumper (sweatshirt), Calvin Klein tee and I got a Coach coin purse for a steal $17 down from $75. Luckily our time here was limited, otherwise who knows what else I would have bought.

We arrived back in New York City around 7:30pm very tired from a big two days but also on a high from such an amazing experience.

Bus Tour Details:
Viator 2-Day Niagara Falls Tour

NYC: Top 5 (edition 2)

Are you ready for my next top 5 things to do in New York City? We've had a few visitors over the past couple of months which gave us the excuse to play tourists again (because we like to consider ourselves locals now). It also stops us from being lazy and falling into a pattern of not getting out and exploring on the weekends, because as I've previously said - it would take a life time to cover all of New York!

I guess with it being the winter months at the moment we are looking for ways to explore the city that involves less time outdoors in the freezing cold temperatures and occasional snow. But sometimes it is just inevitable as a huge part of visiting and being in New York is all the walking that you've got to do!

Anyway, my top 5 picks for this season are a good mix of places to visit (that are indoors) and delicious foods to eat (to warm you up), so enjoy!

One World Observatory

I don't think anyone visits New York and doesn't stop by to see the 9/11 memorial, however the One World Observatory is often overlooked. With the new One World building now completed, you can catch the lift all the way to the top, which produces spectacular views of Manhattan, Brooklyn and New Jersey. We even managed to spot our apartment whilst up there!

The building is 104 stories high and the tallest of the new WTC complexes. Tickets to go up to the observatory start at $28 and can be purchased on the day (the line moves quickly).

Jimmy's Diner

A visit to a greasy diner is a must when in the States! Whether it is to cure a hangover or to just gain the all-American experience you cannot go wrong with Jimmy's Diner. I felt like this diner belonged on the side of a deserted highway somewhere, like the ones you see in horror movies, rather than on the streets of Williamsburg. It's filled with some quirky characters but does get to be quite the busy little spot.

To get to Jimmy's take the L train to Lorimer Street and it's a short 3 minute walk from there.

Basketball at Madison Square Garden

Madison Square Garden in itself is an iconic place to visit. Every time I go there or walk by I always think of the scene from How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days when they are leaving the basketball after Matthew McConaughey's character gets punched in the face.

And now I'm generally not the biggest fan of sports but a basketball or hockey game goes really fast and it is filled with plenty of action and excitement. And if that doesn't do it for you then the celeb spotting might! We saw BJ Novak, The Fat Jewish and a gazillion baseball players all on celebrity row.

Galli Restaurant

A quaint little Italian restaurant located in the Soho area. Once you step inside it gives off that "oh so New York" vibe. This restaurant also takes bookings which is a bonus as many restaurants in Manhattan generally don't and when you are dining out with a group you can end up waiting for over an hour to get a spot. Anyway enough of that, lets get to the food! When I visited I definitely made the wrong meal choice and ended up with food envy so when visiting Galli Restaurant it is a must you order the meatball parma!

The closest subway is the RW at Prince Street or Canal Street.

Barcode

Are you a gaming nerd? Do you love beer? than Barcade is the place for you! It is simply as its name implies a bar filled with arcade games. Now I'm neither a gaming nerd and I don't like beer but this place was still a pretty cool spot to visit and great starting spot for a night out in Williamsburg.

Again, catch the L train to Lorimer street and Barcade is a short walk from the station.

Now I'm off to discover 5 more great things to do in New York City!

Travel: A Christmas in England

Jane Austen once said "the truth is, that in London it is always a sickly season. Nobody is healthy in London, nobody can be". And while I don't think she is referring to this kind of sick but when I visited for Christmas I was suffering from the "man-flu" but I wouldn't let it defeat me or hold me back from exploring the great city of London.

The weather in England when we arrived was much more mild in comparison to New York so it was a nice change from freezing our butts off. But for all those wanting a white Christmas, you're more than likely to get one in New York rather than in London. What I like about visiting England is that it has a homely feel for me, as it has it's similarities to Australia, so for my first Christmas away from home, it was nice to have some familiarities.

I was excited to have a chance to explore London and get to do all the "touristy" things. My last trip back in July, which also happen to be my first trip to London, I was limited to an afternoon of running around and quickly taking a snap of as many of the main attractions as I could. I've never really researched London and what there is to do there or where the hotspots are because my boyfriend is from there, so you'd think I wouldn't have to right?! Wrong! Luckily I got a few pointers here and there from friends and family.

Here are a few highlights and my must visits from the trip:

Afternoon Tea at Liberty

Afternoon tea at Liberty was such a small part of our trip but was one of my favourite parts. It was all so English with pots of tea, scones and macaroons. Liberty itself is an amazing department store, a little more "urban" and "hip" in comparison to Harrods (not that I didn't love Harrods) with plenty of high end yet affordable labels. In saying that I settled for a 15 pound tea towel as a souvenir.

Winter Wonderland at Hyde Park

This reminded me of the Sydney Royal Easter Show, only Christmas themed. There were plenty of rides to go on (only Ed is too much of a scared-y cat to go on them with me), trinket shops to buy Christmas gifts from and a variety of food and drink. My favourite was the carousel bar, yes you read right a carousel bar. Basically it's a bar with revolving bar tables and it was here where I also got to try mulled wine and mulled cider for the first time.

The Crown Jewels at the Tower of London

It's not a trip to England without visiting a castle right? I'm not a huge fan of museums or widely interested in history, call me un-cultured but I was born in Generation Y after all! But the Tower of London did capture my attention. As the Tower of London is where they keep the Crown Jewels, guarded by armed guards, the ones that wear the fluffy black hats and can't move or blink. I love jewels, I love diamonds, I love sparkles and I loved looking at all the Royals crowns, sceptre's and swords. The castle also produces some amazing views of London city including a great view of the Tower Bridge, the Thames and the Shard.

Sky Garden

I think it's a given that when you holiday in a City that you have to go to one of the touristy vantage points and get a view of the entire city. What's great about the Sky Garden is it's free, however you will have to book in a time slot ahead of your visit. It has a great setup with a cafe for coffee and cake  while looking out over the Thames, The Shard, The Gherkin, Tower Bridge, Wimbledon Stadium and well you get the point and you're surrounded by lots of greenery - hence the name sky garden.

Platform 9 3/4 at Kingscross Station

I had to throw this one in for fun! Ed has been forcing me to read the Harry Potter book series and I've been secretly loving them (ssshhhhhhh). So I pretend to want to do this for his amusement. I really wanted one of those dorky photo's pretending to push the trolley onto platform 9 and 3/4's with the Hogwart's scarf blowing behind me and when I saw the line for it, I thought that's not too bad, it won't take long to get to the front. But as we drew closer we heard the staff say the rest of the line is outside waiting in the cold! Dammit! I had to settle with looking through the gift shop but I didn't want any Harry Potter paraphernalia, I just wanted the dorky photo!

I've also done the sorting hat quiz a couple of times now and I'm ashamed to say it but I get Slytherin every time! Dark Lord funk you up, Dark Lord funk you up.

Until my next travel adventure, cheerio old chaps!

Fitness: Pressed Juicery - One Day Juice Cleanse

Pressed Juicery - One day cleanse pack

I've been wanting to try a juice cleanse for a while now as I have heard a lot about them and how great they can be. It is not something you do to try lose weight, it is something you do when you need to give your body a break from all the "bad stuff". The "bad stuff" being sugar, processed foods and alcohol. The cleanse helps to stop your body from craving all that "bad stuff" and somewhat resets it to crave the "good stuff". The "good stuff" being veges, fruits, nuts and lean meats.

Ever since I moved to the States 8 months ago I just have not been able to get back into my healthy eating routine. My world was tipped upside down and it's taken until now to get settled in. And don't forget to take into account that now I'm living in the States, I'm in the country that loves large portions and lots of fat!

So to help me get on track I'm kicking off my healthy eating routine with a juice cleanse and it's perfect timing, as Pressed Juicery was doing a New Year sale and I picked up their "Cleanse 1: For the First Timer" one day cleanse for a great deal. Here's how the cleanse went:

8:30am Juice 1 - Chocolate Almond (almonds, dates, cacao, sea salt)

This is meant to be the heavier, more filling of all the juices and is thrown into the "Cleanse 1: For the First Timer" to help aid in keeping the hunger pains at bay. It tasted strongly of the dates and at the starting point of the day I felt it would be the easiest to drink, taste wise. Unfortunately, it still just felt like drinking a flavored milk and wasn't too filling. But lets see how the rest of the day goes. . .

10:30am Juice 2 - Greens 3 (kale, spinach, romaine, parsley, cucumber, celery, apple, lemon, ginger)

I don't mind a green juice but generally it has to have mint in it, as the mint flavor commonly dominates but this one does NOT have mint and DOES have a whole heap of ingredients I'm not too fond on, ginger for example. However, I'm committed to this cleanse and I'll suck it up.....literally.

I closed my eyes and scrunched my nose as I took the first sip in preparation for a foul taste but I was pleasantly surprised! I actually really liked this one! It's sweet and tangy, the apple and lemon really stand out and I really enjoyed it.

12:30pm Juice 3 - Roots 2 (carrot, kale, romaine, spinach, parsley, apple, lemon, ginger)

Lunch time and I was starting to feel hungry and after looking at the ingredients for juice number three I was really not looking forward to drinking it, it did not sound appetizing at all!

I could really smell the ginger but it was the carrot that had the most prominent flavor in this juice. I decided I was going to try trick my brain into thinking I'm eating carrot sticks for lunch! On the bright side it didn't taste as bad as I thought it might and I was able to drink it comfortably.

2:30pm Juice 4 - Citrus 2 (pineapple, apple, lemon, mint)

Jackpot! So tropically delicious! At this point I was feeling a little tired and I think I may of even experienced some head spins but having a juice every two hours and being a slow drinker, they come around quickly so I feel like I am constantly putting something into my body.

Mmmmm this one was so deliciously good!

4:30pm Juice 5 - Greens 3 (kale, spinach, romaine, parsley, cucumber, celery, apple, lemon, ginger)

As I edge towards dinner time, I'm starting to think if I have a soup is that cheating?! It's still watery like a juice right?!

6:30pm Juice 6 - Chocolate Almond (almonds, dates, cacao, sea salt)

And juice number six concludes the juice cleanse.

If you feel your body needs a break from all the "bad stuff", especially after the silly season and you're looking to kick start healthier living give Pressed Juicery's juice cleanse a try.

Snap Story:

NYC: Christmas in NYC

Christmas in New York brought on a whole new excitement about the city for me. I've always loved Christmas, it is my favourite time of the year and I was feeling apprehensive about my first Christmas away from home. In fact the start of December I'd just returned to the city from a trip back home and New York's Christmas cheer really helped me overcome the homesickness and tears from saying goodbye.

Everywhere was extra lit up and extra sparkly. There are tree lots on every second corner and decorations hung from anywhere and everywhere possible. So where do you begin if you are visiting at Christmas time? Below are a few of my favourites:

Picking out a Christmas tree

A Christmas tree is a must and I haven't had a real Christmas tree since I was very young, which is slightly disappointing since the smell of a Christmas tree is one of my favourites. And when it comes to living in New York a real tree is really the only way to go! As, where would we keep a fake one all year round when we are not using it?!

All across the city are tree lots everywhere and we were lucky enough to have one right across the road from us. Ed insisted on getting one of the tallest ones, 8 foot to be exact, which also meant it left him with the tough job of lugging it across the road and through the building into our living room. I've been obsessed with it ever since though!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

As an Aussie snow isn't a common sight, the temperature reaching below 10 degrees celsius isn't really a common sight so to experience the snow fall for the first time was such an exciting experience. Exciting enough to forget that I'm freezing my t*ts off and that the temperature is below zero. However, the fun slowly begins to wear off when you are slip and sliding on the ice and the snow begins to melt and you step in a nice big freezing cold puddle!

The Nutcracker

I've never been to the ballet before and what better way to introduce myself to it. I love dances and performances so I had an inkling  I'd really enjoy the ballet, and that I did! The Nutcracker was a very likeable performance, with spectacular costumes and even more spectacular dances. It was filled with familiar music that I grew up hearing and had a very light hearted, easy to follow story line. It's a must see!

Visit NYC Ballet to purchase tickets.

Bryant Park

Bryant Park is transformed into a winter wonderland in the Christmas time, with market stalls scattered all around the park and a big ice skating rink smack bang in the middle. The skating rink is free to skate at but the prices for skate rentals and a locker more than make up for that. It can get busy on the ice but in my opinion is a must do, at least once! There are also plenty of food stalls about with all types of delicious foods and hot choccie to replenish your energy after gliding along the ice.

For more information visit Bank of America Winter Village.

Rockefeller Tree

This would have to be top of the list if you are visiting New York at Christmas time! It gets very busy around the Rockefeller and I have no tips for avoiding the crowds, just to suck it up and endure it. The Rockefeller also has a great big skating rink at the bottom of the tree and you will have to buy tickets for skating entry here, which is good as the rink does not get over crowded but bad as you may have to wait a while before you can get on the ice.

To plan ahead visit The Rink at Rockefeller Centre.

Shop Fronts

Catch the subway to 5 Ave/59 St, first take in the view of Central Park once you emerge from the station, peek into the tree at The Plaza and then take a stroll down 5th avenue peering into all the shop front windows at their Christmas displays. My personal favourite are the windows at Tiffany and Co, just one of the diamond rings they have on display there is breathtaking and probably worth about $50,000US. Now that I think about it, that ring would look great on my finger ;-)

Union Square Holiday Market

Union Square generally have some kind of market going on year round but the Holiday Market is a good spot to pick up some trinket-y style gifts and good stocking fillings. They have everything from New York themed ornaments to prints to handmade jewellery. The unfortunate thing about when I visited is there was a power outage about 5 minutes into looking and the whole market and market alone lost power and business very quickly.

For more information on vendors visit Urbanspace Union Square Holiday Market.

Merry Christmas All! Tis' a wonderful time of year!