The Gramercy Park Hotel's Revamped Rooftop Terrace

The Gothamist has got a great report on the newly revamped rooftop terrace of the Gramercy Park Hotel. I am a big fan of the Rose Bar downstairs so I am sure the rooftop will not disappoint. For more details on the food and cocktail menu visit the Gothamist.

For another report on rooftop bars including one of my favourites in Long Island City, click for the previous Australian Abroad post here.

June Events in NYC

NYC Go has a great list of events in NYC during the month of June. My picks are the Summer Stage for live music throughout June and the Museum Mile Festival for some free culture on June 12th. More details can be found on the NYC Go website.

Australian Abroad Question of the Day

What is the best travel insurance company for Australians?

Will retailers still offer discounts to cyclists when CitiBike arrives in NYC?

In July the CitiBike bike share program will roll out over 7000 bikes across NYC. Currently hundreds of shops, cafes and bars are trying to lure cyclists with discounts and other incentives - a trend being driven by the Bloomberg administration's push to make NYC the biking capital of the East Coast. I wonder with the start of the CitiBike program, will retailers still offer the same discounts to cyclists? Will they not give them to people riding the CitiBikes? If this happens the tourists might miss out on the discounts as surely they will be the biggest users of the bike share program.

More information on the the discounts can be found on the amNY website with information on the CitiBike program found on Australian Abroad.

New Photos of Greece and NYC are up!

New photos are up on the top of the Australian Abroad blog and my following websites:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/anaustralianabroad/

http://aus-abroad.tumblr.com/

New Review of a NYC Attraction: The High Line

A new review of mine is up on Tripadvisor. Feel free to take a look.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g60763-d519474-r129494970-High_Line-New_York_City_New_York.html

Australian Abroad Question of the Day

If you could leave work right now and go to any location in the world, where would you go?

Amazing Qantas Sale! $1499 Return from Sydney to NYC

Qantas is having a massive sale with return flights to New York from Sydney going for a crazy $1499! Travel dates are from 3 August to 13 September 2012, 1 to 28 November 2012 and 1 February to 21 March 2013. I called up Qantas and spoke to a representative and even he was surprised how cheap they were. One thing to note however is that there is a $30 charge for paying with credit card.

More details on their current specials can be found here. 

http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/international-flight-specials/from-sydney/economy/global/en

Governors Island Calender for 2012 Summer Season

Governors Island opens up this weekend for the first time for 2012. The ferry across to the Island is free and is a great way to get out on the harbor and see the Manhattan Skyline. Events occur most weekends with a full calender available here.

I was lucky enough to attend the Rock The Bells hip hop festival last year that featured hip hop and RnB acts Black Star, Cypress Hill, Erykah Badu  and Lauren Hill.

The New Beach at Dream Downtown

The very popular Dream Downtown is opening up their new Rooftop Beach with a Mexican inspired food and cocktail  menu. Maybe follow up a visit to the Rooftop with a visit to the Electric Room. If you can get in.....
More details can be found on the Thrillist.

The fall of the Aussie Dollar

Here is a simple read of the assessment of the short term strength of the Aussie Dollar.
http://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-advisor/doc-holiday-reckons-the-aussie-dollars-first-class-all-the-way-journey-may-be-coming-to-an-end/story-e6frfqfr-1226363443259

New Photos of Paris, Edinburgh and London are up!

New photos are up on the top of the Australian Abroad blog and my following websites:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/anaustralianabroad/

http://aus-abroad.tumblr.com/

7 Best Rooftop Bars In NYC

The Gothamist has a good report on some of the best rooftop bars in NYC. My favourite on the list is Le Bain at The Standard in the Meatpacking District. One not mentioned is the Z Roof Rooftop Bar at the Z Hotel in Long Island City. More information on the list and the Z Hotel can be found here:
http://gothamist.com/2012/05/17/rooftop_bars.php#photo-1
http://zhotelny.com/rooftop-lounge

New Review of a NYC Attraction: Top of the Rock Observation Deck

A new review of mine is up on Tripadvisor. Feel free to take a look.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g60763-d587661-r129494521-Top_of_the_Rock_Observation_Deck-New_York_City_New_York.html

Amazing Time Lapse Video of New York City

5 Cocktails To Try This Summer in New York City

The Gothamist has a great story on 5 cocktails to try in New York this summer. My favourite would be the Lobster Bloody Mary from The Lobster Joint in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Enjoy!
http://gothamist.com/2012/05/16/5_drinks_you_need_to_try_this_summe.php

New Photos are up!

New photos are up on the top of the Australian Abroad blog and my following websites:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/anaustralianabroad/
http://aus-abroad.tumblr.com/

Ninth Avenue International Food Festival

This weekend on May 19 and 20, 15-blocks of Ninth Avenue will be shut down for a gastronomic extravaganza featuring cuisine from Poland, Greece, Italy, Spain, Asia and everywhere in between, with music and dancing to match. In years gone by I would always grab a homemade lemonade and some chicken kebabs.

More details can be found here:
http://www.nycgo.com/events/ninth-avenue-international-food-festival

I think the CitiBike share is a great idea!

After using similar bikes in Paris, London and even Washington DC I am glad to hear that New York City will soon be rolling out the first stage of its bike share program sponsored by Citi. The bikes are so convenient for locals and tourists alike in the above mentioned places. They are an affordable and efficient alternative to catching a taxi and even public transport. Not only that but they help you burn off all those calories you over indulge on while on holidays. When I move to Paris I will certainly be purchasing a 1 year pass for the Velib bikes.

For a report on some of the details of the CitiBike please visit:
http://gothamist.com/2012/05/15/facts_and_stats_about_bike_share_in.php

New review from Negril, Jamaica

In the below link is my Tripadvisor review of the Blue Cave Castle Hotel in Negril, Jamaica. Please check out my other reviews as well.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g147313-d148159-r129553035-Blue_Cave_Castle-Negril_Jamaica.html

Groupon Deal of the Week $69 for Three-Course Indian Dinner with Wine for Two at Junoon, a Michelin Star Restaurant - $150 Value

• Two appetizers
• Two entrees
• Two desserts
• Two glasses of wine (a $10 value each)

http://www.groupon.com/new-york/deals/junoon?dl=d47388

Would you Make a Phone Call on a Plane?

Virgin Atlantic is soon to allow passengers on its London to New York route to make phone calls, send and receive text messages, as well as accessing emails and using a basic internet access via GPRS. The system is like having a telecoms base station on the plane relaying the signals to a satellite or land-based system without interfering with the aircraft’s instruments.

The system for O2 and Vodaphone subscribers will only allow 10 users simultaneously and will bill the customers for international roaming charges.

I think I can wait to get back on the ground before I make a call.

More details on the new service can be found here:
http://www.news.com.au/travel/news/ring-ring-welcome-to-the-rude-airways/story-e6frfq80-1226356088594

Where are the world's busiest airline routes?

The Economist has a very interesting article on the world's busiest airline routes. Trips between Jeju and Seoul in South Korea come in at the top spot with 9.9 million passengers per year. Impressively, Melbourne- Sydney comes in 5th with a little over 7 million passengers.

For more results please visit:
http://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2012/05/daily-chart-8

Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic

This years Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic has moved from Governor's Island to Liberty State Park. The Classic is "one of the most highly-anticipated events of the season, the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic attracts a chic, fashionable crowd from around the globe."

Tickets and further details can be found on their website:
http://www.vcpoloclassic.com/

New Review of a NYC Attraction: Central Park

A new review of mine is up on Tripadvisor. Feel free to take a look.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g60763-d105127-r129354454-Central_Park-New_York_City_New_York.html

New Club Alert: Inga NYC

A new club has opened up at 141 Chrystie Street, between Delancey and Broome.  The 3 level club called Inga will also feature a rooftop opening in June. More details can be found below: http://www.thrillist.com/bars/new-york/lower-east-side/inga_bottle-service_champagne_clubs_karaoke_latenight_lounges_private-events-bday-parties

Maifest on the Hudson

Great beer event at Pier 81 on May 21st. More details can be found here:
http://germanyinnyc.org/index.php?section=catevent&cat_evt_id=2188&cat_id=3&utm_source=Gothamist+Daily&utm_campaign=353050afd1-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email

Lower East Side, Manhattan, New York

Gothamist have uploaded some amazing photos from the 1930's and 1940's. One of the great ways to learn more about the Lower East Side is to visit the wonderful Tenement Museum on Orchard St. You can see my review on Tripadvisor here.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g60763-d104369-r129495069-Tenement_Museum-New_York_City_New_York.html

My hotel in Havana, Cuba

I have put up a new review on the Iberostar Parque Central in Havana, Cuba. Let me know if you have any questions on Havana and Cuba. 

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g147271-d151444-r129354896-Iberostar_Parque_Central-Havana_Cuba.html

Marc Jacobs SoHo Store Vandalized.

The terrific Marc Jacobs store on Mercer Street near West Houston has been vandalized with graffiti. This store is one of my favourites in SoHo. It has a great selection of mens and women's clothing. I picked up a pair of black waxed denim jeans for a bargain price of $88US.

To see Marc Jacobs' current range visit:
www.marcjacobs.com

For more details on the vandalism see below.
http://gothamist.com/2012/05/08/marc_jacobs_vandalized_with_art.php

The Met Gala 2012

This would be on the top of my list for parties I would like to get invited to in New York. All the celebrities look amazing in their Tuxedos and gowns. It would be a night of pure decadence. 

http://www.vogue.com/parties/the-metropolitan-museum-of-art-costume-institute-gala-2012/

New Review of a NYC Attraction

A new review of mine is up on Tripadvisor. Feel free to take a look.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g60763-d105125-r129354156-Metropolitan_Museum_of_Art-New_York_City_New_York.html

Travel Question of the Day

What is your favourite Restaurant?
My favourite restaurant is Eleven Madison Park in New York. I was taken there by my Girlfriend Cassie for my birthday. We both ordered the 4 course lunch menu that included lobster, Foie Gras, Roast Duck and a lavender chocolate dessert. I also ordered the Duke's Martini that is made at your table with your choice of garnish.
Further information is found on their website-
http://elevenmadisonpark.com/

And here is a photo of the waiter serving the roast duck at our table.
http://aus-abroad.tumblr.com/post/20791195997/carving-the-roast-duck-at-our-table-at-eleven

Social Media Links

Here is a list of all of my social media accounts. Feel free to follow and like them all. Much appreciated.

https://twitter.com/#!/aus_abroad
http://aus-abroad.tumblr.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Australian-Abroad/246556565366495
http://www.flickr.com/photos/anaustralianabroad/
http://www.tripadvisor.com/members/AustralianAbroad1

Welcome to my travel blog, Australian Abroad. This will be a site for all the travel photos, reviews and tips to give you inspiration to have the best possible holidays. I have travelled all around the world and I hope to share some of the amazing sites I have seen with you all.