A week long bite of the Big Apple

It all started as a just a bit of talk, a many, many years ago. Over lunch at our Bondi pad, a pact was made between four old school friends - no matter where we were living, whatever our circumstances were - that in our 30th year we'd treat ourselves to a New York adventure to celebrate our birthdays.

That time approached much quicker than expected - and there we were in our 30th year ... in the Big Apple in the September warmth, ready to take the city on! It was also, the perfect time to celebrate Shell's Hen's as well.

Kath and I got in first, we went for a wander whilst France and Shell flew in from the West side

Hard to exercise portion control in this country!

Cute little stickers on a subway station wall

Breakfast at Norma's in the Le Parker Meridien - the tag line is 'Breakfast Like Never Before' - hard to disagree.

Our waiter - campest guy ever and the bestest service. Check out his wig.

Making friends with the locals

Joining the hordes of tourists around Wall St

Wall St meets Broadway

A sunny Sunday walk over the Brooklyn Bridge

In Brooklyn

Aimes and France at Shell's birthday treat - Degustation at Nobu

Zabars - foodie heaven

Strawberry Fields forever

Jazz in Central Park

Wandering around West Village

Experimental fusion in the Lower East Side, a bit of name dropping got us some extras :)

Iconic yellow cabs

Jasper Johns

A quick wizz around the Moma - there was way too much to fit into 7 days!

Stocking up on deli goodness at Zabars for our Central Park picnic - this is the longest deli counter I've ever seen!

Grand Central Station - another tourist pit stop

Post-breakfast at Tiffany's

At WD-50

Bracing ourselves on the chilly Staten Island Ferry ride

Mid-afternoon gridlock around the Flatiron Building

Tips

New York City Library - Sex and the City DVD launch was happening there that night

Reading Room

Our neighbours - the Hell's Angels

Getting ready to hit the town

On the subway

Staten Island Ferry and Manhattan backdrop

Times Square

One last shot from our rooftop

Ahhh... and there are so many more great memories - racing around on our last night trying to fufil our matzah ball soup dream, a run-in with the Hell's Angels, the little old lady and the cab, the fainting incident, the brand new coffee machine, jazz in Greenwich Village, mani/pedis, Wholefood delights, Shell's admirers downstairs and the plunger and splashing poo!