Tag: New York

A Review of Global Airlines A380 Economy Inaugural Flight GLA – JFK
When I first came across James Asquith on social media, he was necking a champagne slammer and sticking it to the man. Well, as the years have passed, his disruptive spirit has shifted into the business side of travel, and now he is the owner of both Holiday Swap and new British airline, Global Airlines. Their first commercial flight took off from Glasgow on 15th May 2025, and we were lucky enough to join this inaugural flight to JFK. Read on for our full review of Global Airlines A380 economy service.

Alternatively, check out our YouTube video about the trip here.

This post may contain sponsored content or affiliate links that help support the blog. All opinions are our own.

A Little Bit About Global Airlines

If you haven’t heard of Global Airlines, you are not alone. Global is an airline, founded in 2021, which has currently run just two return flights to JFK, one from Glasgow and one from Manchester. The plan of CEO James Asquith is to purchase a whole load of Airbus A380 aircraft and use them to recreate the golden age of air travel, I’m not entirely convinced a high capacity plane is capable of feeling swish (in economy at least) but they are going to give it a darn good go!

Currently, in May 2025, Global owns two planes and is still in process of attaining (we think) an Air Operator’s Certificate and UK Foreign Carrier Permit. To run these tester flights(?), they have enlisted the Maltese arm of Hi Fly, a Portuguese charter airline. The livery and crew uniforms are Global but the staff are all Hi Fly. I believe they called this “a damp lease”.

Read all our flight reviews including British Airways, EasyJet and Turkish Airlines

Airport Experience

Check In

We were greeted with a lovely bit of hype upon arrival at Glasgow International Airport. A balloon arch, signs for Global Airlines and a photo wall adorned the check-in area. There were cupcakes on offer and friendly staff from Glasgow Airport tagging hand luggage with lots of excited chit chat.

Check-in seemed to go quite slowly, and we queued for about thirty minutes, but when we reached the desk we saw that the staff were dealing with an admin nightmare. They had a printed spreadsheet that they had to cross-reference with every check in. Half of the economy passengers were being upgraded, whilst all of the others had new seats. The couple next to us were popped into business class. Sadly, we were not. However, it turned out that we had all been moved to the upper deck, presumably for either weight and balance or ease of service.

Airside

Glasgow Airport is a little on the wee side. It reminds me strongly of London Stansted, but they have lovely modern security systems, making getting screened a breeze. Once through the main duty-free shop, there is a surprisingly large selection of eateries, but we stuck with old faithful and grabbed something from Pret. Filling our water bottles, we head down in the direction of the Emirates lounge, gambling on the premise that this was where they park their A380, so it may well be the location of ours. Well, there it was, waiting for us.

Glasgow Airport is pretty ill-equipped for such large planes, and the corridor by the boarding doors got pretty busy, even with just the hundred or so passengers waiting to board. I have no idea how they cope with a full A380. A domestic flight had also arrived, and the incoming passengers all squeezed past us, so for about five minutes, it was carnage.

Boarding went reasonably smoothly. Interestingly, business was boarded first, followed by First Class and then Economy. Again, I don’t know how they would cope with just one jetty if the flight was full. I suppose other arrangements would be made.

We’ve flown on the giant Airbus A380 twice before this; once on Singapore Airlines, and we wrote a full reivew of when we flew with Emirates from London to Dubai.

Onboard Global Airlines A380

The Seats

The seats, upholstered in a light biscuit colour and highlighted in red, reminded me a little of Emirates’ uniform colours. They look great, but I do wonder how the lighter fabric will fare over time. The economy seats have a decent pitch at 32 inches and a width of 17.2 inches which is plenty. You will also get a recline which works to both tip the chair back a little (not enough to enrage the person behind you) and to slide the seat forward a little. At least, most do. My particular seat wouldn’t stay reclined. Luckily, the seat next to me was free, so I could move over.

The seat in front has a wide but thin tray table which extends towards you for meal times. Each has a handy little drinks holder too.

The Headrests

The headrests are a menace! They have nice adjustable flaps on either side, and in theory, can be slid up and down for height. However, there are no catches on the attaching bracket, so anyone trying to push them up pops them clean off! I did it, along with five or six other people in the cabin. I was mortified. They might need to look at this for the future.

Our Seats

We had seats upstairs in the small section of economy at the back of the plane. Originally on 37 H and K (a window and aisle with a seat between us), we ended up in 79 F and G (an aisle and middle seat on the back row). This was a real shame as I was excited for the view and there was no tail cam to watch. Not good for boredom alleviation or for content creation. I asked the cabin crew if I could go downstairs to take a few photos out of the window and of the seats, but it was off limits.

Honestly, our seats were rather unfortunate. Not only were we in the middle, but the bathroom right behind us was broken somehow. There was a rushing air sound, as if it was flushing permanently. It was so loud! I would have killed someone if I were trying to sleep.

Storage

The Airbus A380 has tons of room for bags in its delightfully sizable lockers. Upstairs, the window seats also have a handy locker to your side, between the seat and the window. This is absolutely perfect for shorties like me. It also gives you a handy shelf to sleep on.

The seatback pockets were the width of the seat, so you could stash loads in there if required. Do remember that they can end up quite dirty, as it is nearly impossible to clean them properly and don’t stick anything in there that is going in your mouth.

Entertainment

This is where things went a bit wonky for me. I had seen a cabin walkthrough before we departed and noticed that the in-flight entertainment systems hadn’t been changed from the old China Southern units. Obviously, screen technology has come on somewhat in the last twelve years, but as long as the offering of entertainment options is decent, I can handle a clunky system. However, the night before we departed, we received an email to let us know that:
- A – The original entertainment system was not going to be operational.
- B – There would be no in-seat power in economy, so we should make sure we have a full charge and power banks.
- C – The WiFi wouldn’t be up and running.
- D – They have installed an entertainment offering that can be streamed to our own devices.
Now, in normal circumstances, I wouldn’t be mad at it. However, lots of people (including us) were already in Glasgow or en route, so it was a bit late to prepare. I only had my small phone to watch the films or TV shows on, and being visually impaired, this is less than ideal. I also happened to have a power bank with me as I am paranoid, but I bet there were plenty of people who didn’t. An earlier heads-up would have been good. As you might expect, there were lots of people with laptops in tow, hoping to get their reviews done on board, and this clearly had them concerned.

The actual selection of films, TV shows, music and games was pretty good, with films from a few months ago like Conclave and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. I decided not to watch anything to ensure I didn’t give myself eye strain. Mr Fluskey was happy to see that there was a Skymap but it was very, very basic.

Amenities

In the Seat

When we boarded, we found some bits and bobs waiting for us. First was a nice, soft fleece blanket and a small pillow. These were both good quality for an economy offering. We also had a nice commemorative note or certificate to celebrate the flight. Finally, there was a rather fancy amenity kit.

The Global Airlines Amenity Kit

In a world where it is rare to get any kind of amenity kit in economy, Global Airlines has gone all out!
- Eye mask
- Ear plugs
- Socks
- Shoe horn
- Mirror
- Comb
- Refreshing wipe
- Body lotion
- Pulse point oil
- Eau de toilette
- Lip balm
- Dental kit
- Pen
I’m 80% sure this wasn’t meant to be for economy passengers as it was giving major business class vibes but I forgot to ask Mr Asquith.

The Bathrooms

The bathrooms by us were small, but I think this is due to them being the upstairs ones and not the main ones in economy. Interestingly, only one of the two had the nice Margaret Dabb hand cream. Mr Fluskey made the right choice when it was time to pop to the loo, while I picked the more basic of the two and left without moisturised hands.

Check out Plane Etiquette – 10 Ways to Avoid Being “THAT Passenger“

Food and Beverage

The Drinks

One of the big promises made about Global Airlines is that every passenger, regardless of cabin, would get a glass of champagne. No doubt, those in Business and First class would have more than one, but it was still a very welcome treat for us plebs. We were served Laurent Perrier champagne. There was no champagne, prosecco or cava on the official wine list, but I asked and they poured me another glass of champagne to enjoy with lunch too. There is a pretty full bar offering, so I would imagine that too many people would miss it.

Speaking of drinks, somewhere is the world’s first Skypub, but as it resides between Business and First class, it was not for the likes of us.

We got two full meal services, which was unexpected. The drinks were served at the same time. As mentioned, we had a second round of champagne with lunch. Mr Fluskey also asked for a rum and Coke. They poured the Coke but said that to add the rum would make it “a cocktail” and they would have to ask at the front to get it. This seemed a little odd to me, considering it was all listed in the menu. What will they do if the whole cabin asks for different drinks? I think they either need to reduce what is offered in the menu or do a full bar cart service before the food is brought out.

The Food

Meal One

Everyone in economy had a three course meal tray provided, with the choice of three different main courses. Wine was offered at the same time.

The starter was a neat little caprese salad with fresh tomato, mini mozzarella balls and a fresh basil leaf. It was really good but could have done with a little touch of salt. I don’t know if you can pre-salt a salad but I feel like probably not…?

I opted for the chicken with spring vegetables and potatoes. The chicken was lukewarm and hugely dry so I didn’t have much of it at all. A chicken ballotine has zero fat so keeping it moist is tricky even when it’s freshly cooked in small quantities. Cooked en masse, they didn’t stand a chance. The potatoes were fab and the veggies cooked well so overall, not a bad dish.

Mr Fluskey chose the sea bass. We were both very impressed with the cooking of the fish, which was excellent. The additions of dill-scented potatoes, fennel, along with charred onion were definitely a cut above your standard plane food. This all felt much more like premium economy than economy. There wasn’t as much veloute as he would have liked but I think any more might have made the whole thing feel sloppy. I think the general consensus was that his dish was best.

For dessert, there was a mini lemon tart with lavender meringue and lemon curd. This was by far the most delicate and delightful dessert I’ve ever had in economy.

Snacks

A tray of full size snacks was offered and Mr Fluskey availed himself of a bag of popcorn and a big packet of pretzels. Obviously he couldn’t actually eat then and there so we had the, on the road to Maryland a couple of days later.

Meal Two

I was still too full to indulge in the second meal service, let alone the snacks. Mr Fluskey, however, bravely stepped up to ensure we had a full and comprehensive review.

This time, the starter salad was a superfood salad which had all kinds of fun vegetables in including edamame beans which he adores. it was all crisp and very interesting to eat.

He originally requested the butternut squash pasta as his main dish that was accidentally given beef. The crew said they could swap it but unfortunately they had actually run out of the past so he ended up with beef after all. He isn’t much of a fan of beef usually but said that it was actually very tender and well seasoned which, from him, is high praise for red meat.

The dessert was once again, far and away the most deluxe economy dessert we have had. It consisted of delicate chocolate shards, surrounding a chocolate cremeux and it was all jazzed up by a little pot of honeycomb pieces. I wonder if they’ll have the choice just to eat dessert in the future because they were both absolutely brilliant.

Info

If you are planning on flying economy on Global Airlines, here are some things you might like to know.
- Buying Tickets – At the moment, you can’t! After the return from Glasgow to New York and the return from Manchester to New York, Global Airlines have no more flights scheduled. Presumably this will change, but the best thing to do is to keep an eye on their social media for more info in the future.
- Luggage Allowance – Economy passengers are entitled to one case at 23kg. You can also bring on international size carry on and a personal item with you.
- Check In – There is no facility to check in online at present, so passengers must check in at a desk. This is fine if you have luggage, but always a touch frustrating for the hand luggage only crowd.
Final Thoughts on Our Review of Global Airlines A380 Economy Inaugural to JFK

This is a tricky one. I left the flight feeling a little hard done by. I hated losing our window seats to be relegated to a middle row at the back, especially knowing that there was an entire floor of economy window seats that we weren’t allowed to use during the flight. It left me in a mood for the rest of the flight. The crew were lovely and I thought the service was fantastic.

I see the potential in what Global Airlines has to offer. Any competition is good for consumers, and the busy transatlantic market always has space for another player.

Rosie xx
26/05/2025
We Tried a Private Airport Lounge! – A Minute Suites JFK Review
If you are looking for somewhere quiet to hide from the masses at JFK then an airport lounge could be a very good plan. Maybe your airline status or business class seat lets you into a lounge. If so, enjoy the food and drink and skip this review. The rooms may be more private but you can have a nice enough time in a regular lounge not to warrant the extra cost. However, if you are a mere mortal like me then read on for my full Minute Suites JFK review.

If you are booking before 12th March 2025, use code FLYING for 20% off!

This post may contain sponsored content or affiliate links that help support the blog. All opinions are our own.

Click here to watch the YouTube video of our latest stay at Minute Suites JFK

Why Choose a Stay at Minute Suites?

Sleeping, relaxing and working in airports can all be tricky. Bright lighting, noisy gate announcements and people tripping over your feet are constant bothers. Enthusiastic air con can make even the comfiest of spots unpleasant to be in and you never know who is going to sit near you and start scrolling socials without headphones. Even normal airport lounges can be just as bad, full of self important business people barking instructions at staff down the phone on loud speaker or demanding coffee after coffee from the overworked servers. Some are so oversubscribed that it’s tough to find a seat.

All that to say, you won’t experience any of that once you’re checked into Minute Suites. The noise from the gates is wiped away and some branches even have white noise machines to help further (not JFK yet though). You control the lighting and the fan so you can have it nice and dark for napping, or nice and cool for working. It is truly a space you relax in as you have it all to yourself. No fighting for a seat because it’s all yours. You can have a shower (not available in all locations), watch TV, nap or plug your laptop in for an important meeting you need to have in a quiet space.

Our Stays at Minutes Suites JFK

We have actually stayed at Minute Suites Express JFK not once, btt twice. That probably gives you an indication that we quite liked it. Our first stopover was between a very late Virgin Atlantic flight and a very Delta one (both of which operate in JFK Terminal 4). Our luggage didn’t arrive on our first flight so we spent about an hour messing about with all that before heading through to the concourse again. We had five hours booked and managed a decent four hours of sleep.

Our second stay was again a Virgin to Delta overnight connection. This time we had much longer and got six decent hours of kip. On both occasions, I was surprisedat how well I slept but I guess a long-haul flight will do that to you.

Our Review of Minute Suites JFK

Check In

Right opposite B24 is something that looks like a just another shop but there is a counter and this is the check in area. Nobody was behind the counter (totally expected at 00:20). We pressed the doorbell and the friendly staff appeared within a few seconds. They let us in and showed us to the room, grabbing an additional set of bedding and showing us how things worked. They mentioned booking a bathroom slot (more on that later) but not that it was chargeable.

The Rooms

The rooms are reasonably small but very clean and simply decked out. Each has:
- A smart TV which you can use to stream lots of different services including Netflix and YouTube.
- Two sets of plugs which have two USA plugs and two USB-A sockets.
- Free Wifi.
- A fan or temperature control.
- A smart speaker or Alexa.
- A couch with a pillow and blanket.
The Couch/Sofa/Bed

The couch/sofa is grey leatherette so it is comfortable enough but I wouldn’t say cozy. I would imagine it’s just so it’s easy to wipe down. The big cushion is firm which suits me for sleeping but might not be everyone’s cup of tea.

We each got a pillow, which was just right and a fluffy blanket for a duvet/comforter. Our room was warm so it was fine but I did bring another blanket to use between myself and the sofa itself.

You can pull out a second bed (a trundle, or truckle bed) from the bottom which is how you get two adults enough space to sleep. Saying that, something Mr Fluskey noticed, is that the bottom bed is shorter. We are both under 5’6” and we only just fit.

The Bathrooms

Located within Minute Suites Express JFK, is a bathroom. In here you will find a toilet and sink. That isn’t why you would book a slot in here however. The thing they are charging for is the shower. It has a fixed shower head and a handheld one, as well as the products you’ll need to get clean; shampoo, conditioner and body wash. Then, you can use the hairdryer and clean towels. This is so handy, meaning you don’t need to carry anything extra to freshen up…but it does come at a price.We really wanted to get as much sleep as possible so we didn’t bother with the shower. It really wakes me up and I didn’t want to rush getting all invigorated! We just showered once we reached our final destination.

If you are not booking a bathroom slot, you need to leave Minute Suites to pee or brush your teeth. Next door you will find the gents and directly opposite from that is the ladies. I brushed my teeth here and it was fine. It was late at night and nobody else was around really. I can see how this would be embarrassing though for some people.

Top Tips for Staying at lMinutes Suites JFK
- PJs – If you are staying, and normally sleep in your birthday suit, remember to bring pyjamas so that you can leave the room to go to the bathroom easily.
- Bedding – You are not provided with a bottom sheet so if you are worried about using the public sofa, bring an additional little throw, sheet or blanket to use as well.
- Security – Security/TSA will not let you through security until 00:01 (!2:01 am) on the day that you are flying. If you are arriving internationally, and planning an overnight stay, don’t forget that you have to wait until midnight to get through. Only then will you be allowed to make your way through TSA screening and to Minute Suites. If you arriving domestically, the plane will disembark directly onto the concourse so you are already there…easy peasy.
- Room Temperature – During our first stay, we have the Times Square room. In here, we had access to the air conditioning. We like it warm so didn’t touch it anyway. On our second stay, we were in Wal Street. In there, we had no controls. We don’t know if this is the passage of time or the different rooms. If you like a chilly sleeping environment, it might be worth contacting Minute Suites JFK to find out either way.
- Plugs – There are USA (type A) plugs and USB-A plugs in the room. Remember this if you are planning to charge anything and are either just transiting the USA or have USB-C charging cables. You need to bring appropriate plugs.
- Pricing – Up to 8 hours If you are staying overnight, the price is much lower for those eight hours.
- Discounts – There are a few ways to get a healthy discount. Military/veterans and airline employees will get money off. You can also have one hour for free with a Priority Pass, and a further discount on any additional hours you book. This covers the cardholder and two additional guests.
- The Shower – Adding shower time costs $30, or $20 if you’re using a discounted rate. You can book just to use the shower. At $30, it is not the cheapest wash you’ve had but if you really need to freshen up then it’s nice to know its there and you can book a slot ahead of time on the website.
- Breastfeeding – Minute Suites has a policy which allows breastfeeding mothers to use a room for 30 minutes for free. I have recently seen a video saying someone said this was no longer the case but it still shows on the website so take a screenshot and use if needs be.
Final Thoughts on Our Minute Suites JFK Review

Mr Fluskey insists that true luxury is exclusivity and privacy. By his standards this is pure luxury. I think if you threw in some snacks and a bottom sheet I might agree a bit more. However, whilst it may not be a luxury, I think Minute Suites is a brilliant idea with excellent execution.

Will we be back? You betcha! Atlanta will be our next long layover so it’ll be rather fun to compare and contrast a night there. Maybe this post will get a little upgrade…stay tuned!

Rosie xx
18/02/2025
25 Tips for Visiting New York City for the First Time

You’ve booked your flight to New York City and you probably have an idea of what you’d like to see, eat and do. To make your trip a little smoother, here are 25 top tips for visiting New York City for the first time (especially if you want to save a little bit of money).
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27/04/2021
My Favourite Bars in New York, USA

After a long day’s sight-seeing in New York, you will need to relax. Your feet will need a rest, your dry throat will need refreshing and your neck will need a break from the constant upwards gazing. If you are over 21, and carrying photo ID, the best way to chill out is to grab a drink at one of these fabulous bars in New York.

Raines Law Room, 48 W 17th St, New York, NY 10011
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05/01/2018
Sweet Treats you Must Try in New York, USA

The best thing about New York, is the walking (stick with me here). Walking from sight to sight, you pound out mile after mile and this means, you can indulge in sweet treats relatively guilt free. (If you don’t have a sweet tooth, check out The Best Savoury Eats in New York). Where should you go for New York’s best sugar-laden goodies? Here are some of our favourites:

Doughnuts, Doughtnut Plant, 89 E 42nd St Grand Central Terminal, New York, NY 10017
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11/11/2017
The Best Savoury Eats in New York, USA

New York is a haven for foodies. In this post I am going to share some of my favourite spots for savoury goodies. Some of these are so good for tingling your umami taste buds, they have named themselves after them! If you have a sweet tooth, check out Sweet Treats you Must Try in New York. Are you ready for the most delicious and the best savoury eats in New York?
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08/11/2017
Riding the Rails – The Joys of Train Travel

Taking to the tracks is such a joy. I know that we are Flying Fluskeys, and flying also makes me a happy girl, but there is something special about a train journey. (I don’t mean my morning commute). People say romantic, honestly, I’m not sure I could call it that, but it is kinda special. Here are some of my absolute favourite train journeys.

The Blue Train in South Africa

Why I Loved Trains Then
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16/05/2017
An Apple A Day – New York, New Travel Buddy and New Horizons

Join us as we explored the city that never sleeps, basing ourself in Times Square.

The Pitch

After working the summer of 2007 as an ice-cream girl at Hamleys toy shop, I needed a holiday. Karl and I had a week booked off but hadn’t decided where we should go. We sat on my bed on the Friday afternoon and worked our way through the last minute deals on all the websites that we could think of. I don’t recall how I found it, but I came across a Virgin Atlantic flight to New York that was just £219 return. I had visited New York three times before and I decided it was high time I went back.

Our Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747 at London Heathrow Airport.

I spent the rest of the day trying to convince Karl that he did, in fact, want to go to New York. Despite his protestations of beaches and heat, we booked and left for the USA on the Monday morning.

The Econolodge

Our first night in New York was spent in the rather uninspiring Econo Lodge in Ozone Park. It was a motel with a reinforced glass shield between the intensely disinterested receptionist and us. The room smelt suspiciously damp and the TV was distinctly 1990s.

Look at that terrible duvet. It was shiny.

At least the pizza place across the road was open, and provided us with an enormous Hawaiian pizza with full pineapple rings on. Delicious!

Delicious!

The next day, we arrived at the nearest Subway stop with no change for the ticket machine. Luckily a nice, but rather rebellious guy, held the gate open for us with a cheery “Welcome to New York!” and we got our first ride for free.

The Sights

We had to hit all the big tourist spots on our trip so we found ourselves running through Times Square, managing to get halfway across a very blustery Brooklyn Bridge and wandering around Central Park. We spent time in a lot of toy shops.

Brooklyn Bridge

Working in Hamleys had obviously rubbed off on me. I wowed the magician who was demonstrating the Marvin’s Magic drawing board and Karl played with Lego for an awkwardly long time (or Legos as they are known Stateside).

Times Square

The Empire State Building

At the Empire State Building, the second lift that takes you up to the observation deck, was broken. We had to puff our way up the last few floors to the 86th and the stunning views.

It wasn’t the wole way up but it was still a good 19 story climb.

We got the audio tour as I’d never had the chance on previous visits. We picked our narrator, I think he was called Tony, who pointed things out in the most wonderful Brooklyn accent. Karl likes to spend rather a long time up tall buildings, which I find a little boring after a while. So at least I had something to listen to.

Ground Zero

We visited Ground Zero, which was an excavated hole in ground. You could see the Subway train tracks running along one wall. It was really interesting to see the changes from the first time I had visited. The area was buzzing once again, but then it was almost exactly six years on.

Nearby, in Battery Park we saw a bronze sculputre, The Sphere, which had been standing in front of the World Trade Center and survived barely damaged. I’m not sure I’ll ever really get to grips with just how huge these towers were.

“The Sphere” bronze sculpture by Fritz Koenig

Touristing

These were the heady days of $2 to £1 and so even though we were poor-ish students, we were living it up. Abercrombie and Fitch polo shirts for £14 a pop, if you insist. A pair of Levis for £20, yes please! A pair of Calvin Klein boxers for £10, you betcha! It also meant we could eat in some wonderfully overpriced tourist hotspots. I particularly enjoyed Bubba Gump Shrimp Co in Times Square. Not for the food mind you, the prawns were greasy and a touch overdone, but for the brilliantly tacky theme. We now have one of these in London but it seemed such a novelty. To get the wait staff’s attention you flip the sign on your table from “Run, Forrest, Run” to “Stop Forrest, Stop”. There was a bench to sit on and take photos and merchandise galore.

Karl was 21 and I was only 20, so when we ordered a couple of cocktails, (and after I did some excellent “Oh no, I left my ID in the hotel safe!” acting) the waitress informed us that unfortunately, she could only bring one cocktail to the table. Karl seemed suitably smug and so I ordered the frozen lemon children’s drink that came in my very own flashing souvenir glass. Suck on that Karl! (hang on, I meant just a sip).

The Hotel

We stayed in the Hilton Garden Inn, Times Square on 8th Avenue. It was clearly a business hotel but the rooms were huge, for New York hotels, and the last minute price we found was excellent. It is very well located, near Time Square and Port Authority.

The hotel has been updated/renovated since and is now much more monochrome and classy.

The bathroom

BROADWAY

I had wanted to stay next to Times Square, partly to be in the centre of action, and partly because I knew it well after having stayed there with college twice. Being so close to all the theatres of Times Square, we managed to see three shows during the week by applying for rush tickets.

So much fun on Broadway!

We got up in the morning, queued for tickets and went for a large, leisurely breakfast in Times Square when we had secured them. We watched Legally Blonde (especially fab as this was the film I’d watched 3 times on the way home from New York on my first visit). On the fourth day, we saw Blue Man Group, and we went to see a show that has become one of our all time favourites, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. It’s a fantastic musical, intimate, intricate and very funny. We sat on school benches on the front row and I gazed up at the performers completely enthralled. I bought the music book, which I still have, and got the cast to sign it. I was in musical geek heaven.

The Rodent

The evidence

During our last night, we woke up to a strange noise. A rusting was coming from somewhere in our room. Karl quickly deducted that it must be a rodent. We were staying next to a laundry room and there is the old adage about never being more than this or that many meters from a rat in most big cities. In a state of undress we jumped about, trying to flush it out. We thought it was running between our shopping bags, but when we got up the courage to move them, the creature was nowhere to be seen. Silence resumed and we got back into bed unnerved but we slept nonetheless.

In the morning, I decided to treat myself to the Gu brownie that I’d saved from the flight over. It had been nibbled, wrapper and all. We took it downstairs to show the receptionist. He couldn’t understand why we hadn’t come down the night before. “It was 3:00 am and we were naked!” we cried in despair. As a goodwill gesture, they gave us a $40 voucher for the restaurant. There may have been rodents in the laundry room but this was a free meal, and there probably weren’t any in the kitchen, right!? We gratefully accepted. I had a steak and a cheesecake and then it was time to come home.

Somehow that week, we didn’t argue, our first real test as a travelling pair had gone rather well. This one, I decided, may be a keeper.

Rosie xx

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24/12/2016
New York, New York – So Good We Went There Twice

Two years running, my parents were generous enough to let me go to New York with my Performing Arts course. It was my birthday and Christmas present for both years, a great deal I reckon. I appear to have lost most of my photos from these two years and so my memories have now merged into one mega trip, with the odd standout moment.

Read about my first trip New York, New York – The First Bite

Lady Liberty

The Theft

Both years were spent sharing a room with three other girls in the double rooms of the Ameritania, just North of Times Square (double rooms meaning two double beds in the USA). Who knows what the other guests must have thought having forty teenagers tearing round the corridors. The first year started rather badly. My money, $200 or so, was stolen from my rucksack before we left JFK airport. I found myself watching everyone merrily splashing the cash while I bumbled through on a very tight budget. The college lent me some cash but I wasn’t able to purchase my fair share of I <3 NY t-shirts or Lady Liberty hats. A blessing in disguise perhaps?

In college I wasn’t old enough to drink alcohol, but we made up for it on other trips! Read My Favourite Bars in New York

The Theatres

This being a Performing Arts trip, we got to attend some amazing shows. Phantom of the Opera on Broadway was predictably stunning but being stuck up the back, I barely saw a thing (I am visually impaired, read about Travelling with a Disability here). We saw Blue Man Group (both years) which I loved (both years). The combination of physical comedy, music and blue face paint is great fun. In the second year, we went to see The Rivals at the Lincoln Centre. The space itself was wonderful but it was a piece of revival theatre and utterly jatlagged, the entire trip was dozing gently by the start of the third scene.

The Lincoln Centre

Lincoln Centre itself was great. We were treated to a tour of many of the buildings on the 10 acre site dedicated to the Arts. Juliard, the Met, the School of American Ballet, the Performing Arts library, the New York Philhamonic and a myriad of theatre spaces surround the fountain from the film Centre Stage (geek moment). We saw the two leads of the New York ballet rehearsing on stage, a rare treat and learnt that the philharmonic audition their applicants from behind a screen so their only consideration is the music. True art.

Radio City Music Hall, home of The Rockettes

Read about my first trip to NYC with Mr Fluskey in 2007 An Apple A Day – New York, New Travel Buddy and New Horizons

De La Guarde

We also went to see a show by Fuerza Bruta, previously known as De La Guarde. It was unlike anything any of us had seen before, a hectic mix of circus, physical theatre and a rave. Let me give you an idea of it.

We were stood in a low ceilinged room, anxious and excited. Glowing dots started to move across the ceiling to the centre where they slowly dropped down. At this point we realised they were polystyrene balls covered in iridescent paint and not a lighting effect. We smeared glow in the dark stripes across our cheeks. Suddenly an upside down figure burst through the roof and ripped a section away. The entire roof was made of paper and with a few more descents it was removed completely and we saw that we were in a huge warehouse space. People flew across the space on harnesses, bounced on bungees, bust out addictive rhythms on drums and then came and danced us into a frenzy. My friend even got a snog from the charismatic front man. Oh how jealous we were!

Their new show, Wayra, which I saw in October 2015, started out promisingly. It began with an excellent sequence on a giant treadmill, and had some set pieces but I think some of it dragged on a little long and it lacked the vitality of the other show. Maybe I’m biased because I loved the first one so much.

The Food

The food we ate went from terrible, cold and under cooked burgers at the Times Square Hard Rock Cafe, to sublime; the diner on the corner that hadn’t changed since the 1970s. We went to that diner several times and I even dragged Karl there for a couple more meals on our first trip to NYC together. When we went back in 2014 I was absolutely heartbroken to discover that it had turned into a Starbucks lookalike with no soul, no lovely waitresses that still called you “Hun” and no free refills.
Our other yummy discovery of the trip was a noodle place called Republic on Union Square. We had a workshop at the nearby New York Film Academy which was fun as I remember it but not overly informative. We were sent out for lunch and we ended up in Republic. The tables were long and sociable, this was before Wagamama was everywhere. We sat next to a couple of New Yorkers who we joyfully eavesdropped upon before interrupting their “private” lunch to quiz them on everything New York. Happily, Republic was still there when I went last year and still making superb bowls of noodles, to a slightly funkier soundtrack and a new industrial, stripped back decor.

Read about The Best Savoury Eats in New York, USA Got more of a sweet tooth? Read Sweet Treats you Must Try in New York, USA

The Cold

The trips took place in January and they were quintessential New York winter breaks, complete with ice skating on Central Park rink (distressingly, we were too young to drink the mulled wine) and a run around the January sales of Fifth Avenue and Bloomingdales. The first year was the coldest winter in fifty years and my thin, pink mac was woefully insufficient. I had been impervious to cold for years, wearing school shirts without a jumper in chilly temperatures at home. However, every time we left the hotel I felt like I was taking a slap to the face. That was followed by a punch to the stomach that winded me. I had never felt cold like it. It was so cold that the water in the Lincoln Centre pool appeared to be steaming. Holy moly!

I haven’t warmed up since.

Rosie xx

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20/12/2016
A Day Trip To Canada
Not content with a week in New York City, my parents and I headed north west to Niagara, Canada to see the mighty Niagara Falls.

(My frustration with having no photographs from this trip continues….)

The Train There

Descending into the dark underbelly of Penn Station and boarding the train for the long journey wasn’t that much of a novelty (I use the train all the time), but it was still very exciting to see the difference in the Amtrak train compared to the carriages I was used to. The seats were deep and wide, they even reclined. You could happily sink into one and doze the journey away, all the way there. However, there is very little chance you would want to.

The train, that eventually ends up in Canada, follows the Hudson Valley up through New York State towards Albany. It then makes a sharp left and passes through Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo. Travelling in October, the leaves on show were bursting into colour. Brown, gold, pink and deep reds spread across the horizon. If you’ve ever wondered how to avoid the leaf-gazing traffic in the “fall” months, get the train. At points, the tracks hug the side of the valley with the river directly beside it, wide and grey. Even Buffalo has a desolate charm when viewed from a train window, maybe because you know the train will leave again, with you on it.

Read more about our love of trains Riding the Rails – The Joys of Train Travel

Niagara Falls, New York, USA

According to the State Park website, it is the oldest state park in the USA, and a year round destination. The waterfall itself may well be, but the town of Niagara wasn’t exactly happening. We arrived and set out to find some dinner. Our B&B had warned us against walking down the road in one direction, lest we be mugged or worse, and so we hurried off in the other direction. The town was in darkness. A huge mall that contained a Hard Rock Cafe and other gastronomic treats was closed for winter.

The Dinner

After what felt like two whole hours, we gave up and walked back to Pizza Hut, the only building with its lights on. We pushed through the door, exhausted, and realised we had entered the land of plastic.
- The plates were plastic
- The glasses were plastic
- The menus were plastic
- The tablecloths were plastic.
Mum perused the menu with a nose that was trying not to wrinkle. At least we were eating the local food. Her mask, so carefully positioned not to offend, slipped when she was politely informed that the restaurant didn’t have a licence to serve alcohol. I was happy enough when I saw the size of my pizza though. I believe it was my breakfast the following day too.

Niagra Falls State Park

The next morning we wandered through the slightly more lively streets to the State Park. With the daylight, we could now see the mist rising in the distance, it definitely felt more like we were in Niagara. The park centre itself was somewhat of a disappointment. It was very factual and rather dull for a teenager. I wanted flashing lights, popcorn and the other garish features that I associated with American tourist attractions. Thinking about it now, it’s nice that these beautiful state parks escape rampant commercialisation, but being unprepared, I felt a little underwhelmed.

We hopped aboard the Niagara Scenic Trolley for a drive towards the falls themselves. The commentary was a lot more interesting, several stories of those who had jumped, fallen and in general, gone over the falls. The river was flowing quickly but seemed incredibly placid until we got closer. Small rapids interrupted the flow and the roar of the falls crescendoed. Approaching the edge, the sound crashed around us and the full force of the falls came into view.

The Falls

Karl and I have a running joke that I love physical geography (rivers, glaciers, volcanoes etc) and he likes human geography (city planning, counting cars, yawn). I love a good waterfall, that’s for sure! We gazed at the Bridal Veil Falls, and slightly less imaginatively named American Falls for as long as we could keep warm. The sun was out in Prospect Point Park but there was a still a nip in the air. I loved the gorge that the retreat of the falls had left in the rock, you could even see where the harder rock had forced it to turn the corner slightly. It was all stuff I had been learning about at school and to see it in such grand reality was rather satisfying.

Check out all our Canada articles

Niagara, Ontario, Canada

Across the Rainbow bridge we went, towards the Skylon Tower and the giant hotel that dominate the Canadian side of the falls. Here at last was the American tat I had been craving…in Canada! We wandered slowly up the road surrounded by “Ripley’s Believe it Or Not and Moving Theatre” (an over the falls simulator), Louis Tussaud’s waxworks, huge theme park-esque frontages, and gift shop after gift shop. I was in heaven. Somehow we were awfully classy, well comparatively classy, and went to a restaurant where I had a delightful bowl of Linguine Vongole.

Behind the Falls

After dinner we did some more touristing. The Canadian side has underground caves where it seems like you are inside the falls. You can see the water thundering past a meter from your face, but stand there for more than a few seconds and you are well and truly soaked. People in plastic ponchos seemed to enjoy the thrill of getting soaked without feeling it, and then brushing up against you so you too got soggy. I remember wandering round the gift shop staring at the many different varieties of maple syrup, maple candy and other maple things. I don’t think we even bought any, but we seemed to be there for an age. Walking back across the bridge to enter the United States, was considerably more nerve-wracking than exiting. What if they didn’t let us back in because my Mum’s face in Pizza Hut had upset them!?

Back in Niagara, New York, USA

Jonathan spent a happy evening watching TV in the front room of the B&B. I can’t remember exactly what it was he was watching, but I feel like it may have been an old cop drama or something. He thoroughly enjoyed himself.

Back in NYC? Check out My Favourite Bars in New York, USA

The Train Back

We were all relieved to be heading back to New York City on the train the next day. The train on the way up had dropped us, seemingly, in the middle of an area of scrub. There was no platform, just some wooden planks laid in the dying grass. Slightly weird for a tourist hub, we thought, but at least we knew where we were going for the way back. Not so, we discovered. The train picked up from a totally different point on the line. Sheer madness.

Read about the rest of our trip in New York, USA – The First Bite

The Cocktail

To unwind, my parents decided a stiff drink was in order. Luckily, the train dining car DID have an alcohol licence. They decided that it would fun to have a Manhatten cocktail. A great discussion ensued where they all tried to remember; Mum, Jonathan and the train catering guy, how to make one. I think it ended up being a cranberry juice and whisky, a new drink, let’s call it an I-just-want-to-get-drunk-tini.
For those that would like an actual Manhattan:
- 2 parts whiskey
- 1 part sweet vermouth
- 2 dashes of Angostura bitters
- Orange peel
- Maraschino cherries
Pour the liquid ingredients into a cocktail shaker with some ice. Shake well. Run the orange around the rim of your serving glass. Strain the drink into your glass. Add a cherry or two. Drink. Repeat.

Rosie xx

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13/12/2016
New York, New York – The First Bite

In 2001, events in New York City shocked the world.

Arriving home from school, it took me a strangely long time for it to sink in. I couldn’t believe the pictures I was seeing on the TV were not just film scenes. My Step-Dad Jonathan’s best friend Colin was living and working in New York at the time. We had planned a trip to visit him in October and so, with our flights already booked, we decided to take the holiday despite the turmoil.

Read about all our travels in the USA here

The Arrival

We arrived in New York City late at night, or what felt like it after the daytime flight. Colin insisted we head out to dine to combat the jet lag. I had never flown further than the Mediterranean and so the power of jet lag was still a mystery. Waiting for our pizzas at Colin’s local Italian a great duvet of fatigue settled across my shoulders and it was a titanic effort to struggle out from underneath its warm, tempting depths. When my order arrived in front of me, instead of diving in, my usual MO, I plummeted in…head first and fast asleep. Jet lag, I had discovered, is real!

Read the very beginnings of our blog with Checking in Online

The Food

The next morning, I awoke at quite an unreasonable hour. New York City is 5 hours behind GMT and I am a morning person, but luckily, so is Jonathan. Feeling restless, we ventured out into Astoria to find some breakfast. At home we lived in a healthy, vegetarian household, and so when we spotted a Dunkin Donuts sign glowing brightly at 06:00, we knew it had to happen. The new world beckoned and it was chocolate glazed. I love eating, so much so, we have a whole section of the blog dedicated to all our amazing foodie experiences!

The junk food didn’t stop there. That same evening we visited the Hard Rock Cafe at Times Square. Having been on a pointless teenage diet, my size six stomach was not prepared for the onslaught. Starters, a full rack of BBQ ribs, a mountain of chips and an ice-cream sundae (complete with souvenir Hurricane Glass) left me clutching my tummy all the way home, praying it would stretch so I could do it all over again the following day.

I worked my way through many new culinary experiences during the week. My first dozen oysters, a dollop of nacho cheese (a foul yellow splodge that ruined my nachos), yet more seafood at a restaurant called Pescatore, and I even tried, in vain, to develop a liking for Hershey’s milk chocolate.

Why not read Sweet Treats you Must Try in New York, USA

Grand Central Station houses the oyster bar. The Chrysler building in the background.

9/11

One sunny morning, we made our way to the Southern end of Manhattan to walk the Brooklyn Bridge. Unwittingly, we emerged from the subway to witness a huge memorial service surrounding the ground zero area. It had only been around 40 days since the towers had come down and the mountains of rubble still stood stories tall, slowly smoking. The whole district was shuttered and deserted with a thick layer of concrete dust coating the shop fronts. It felt like a snowfall had shut the roads, undisturbed but disturbing.

The rest of the city was full of patriotism, flags, cakes and clothing. At first, I had looked at them and thought that this was just the overenthusiastic America of the TV, but that day I realised that it was New York City pulling together and trying their best to celebrate what they were and what they still had.

The Statue of Liberty

The Polar Bear

We popped up to Central Park Zoo, where I was treated to my first New York hotdog, not as good as the one from the school ice cream van I concluded.

Check out The Best Savoury Eats in New York, USA

Jonathan fell deeply in love with the zoo’s resident polar bear who lazily swam from end to end of his glass-sided pool. His giant paws pushing up against the the glass, just in front of your nose, turned out to be wildly hypnotic. We could have stayed all day.

The wind tunnel

I was too young to drink on this trip, but I made up for it another time; check out My Favourite Bars in New York, USA

The Flight Home

On our Virgin Atlantic flight home, there was some trouble with the in flight entertainment (IFE). The video on demand was in its infancy and as such, it was a little temperamental. The crew switched it back to the old system and so the movies were on a loop. Our near empty flight meant we all spread around the seats and Jonathan and I joyfully watched a film that hadn’t been released in the UK yet, Legally Blonde. This film would go on to inspire my teenage life and fashion, with my school wardrobe for the next year consisting of a briefcase-esque bag, a beret and Mary Janes to die for. The only thing that could tear us away was the descent to the airport.

With a westerly wind, we flew into Heathrow airport over central London. This being the Saturday closest to Bonfire Night and roughly 20:00, all the major fireworks displays were at their peak. The Captain dimmed the cabin lights early and we eagerly gazed down at London covered in glitter. I am so glad that my parents took the decision to go to New York City that year. It would have been very easy to make the decision that so many others did, and avoid flying altogether, let alone to New York City itself. My first bite of the Big Apple was sweet enough to go back for more. Read about my next trip to New York City here.

Rosie xx

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08/12/2016