Instagramming New York

Last updated on January 22, 2024

New York, New York. It was my first time in the city and I spent my time running around, delighting in the fictional familiarity. I was there for the theatrical premiere of Steve’s film Planetary and we travelled with a bunch of friends. It was an exceedingly joyous trip, filled with laughter and fun.

Here’s a selection of Instagram photos from our time there, to give you a sense of this awesome city. We’ve since been there with Otis, so here’s a guide to New York with a baby too.

And if you’re instagramming New York too, have a look at this useful post of top NYC photo spots by Girl with a Passport. And this four-day New York itinerary.

There were five things I really wanted to do in New York: Central Park,

the High Line,

Brooklyn Market,

climbing something high,

and eating lots of excellent (if not exactly healthy) food. (Vegan burger from Blossom du Jour). Although next time, I’d like to see some of these New York hidden gems too.

Doesn’t the city look like the inside of a computer? (Taken on Top of the Rock)

We also fitted in a few other “must sees”: the freedom tower,

the 9/11 memorial,

Chelsea Market,

Washington Square Park,

Greenwich Village,

Chelsea,

the Empire State Building,

Times Square,

Grand Army Plaza, and Prospect Park.

We stayed in and spent a lot of time in Brooklyn,

exploring the street art, drinking in bars with skate ramps or views across the city, and eating veggie chicken and waffles or what is said to be New York’s best pizza.

But most of all, this was a time about friends. We wandered around en masse.

…some of us looking suspicious.

We ate donuts,

lemon pies,

grilled cheese,

coffee and more cake,

birthday cake,

and then it was time to hug a tree.

And then the icing on all those cakes? The theatrical premiere of Planetary – what an amazing reason to visit! If you haven’t seen it yet, you can hire or buy the film on Vimeo. It’s wonderful viewing, and as I’m somewhat biased, read this review instead.

P.s. If you’re not already following us on Instagram, you can find us here (bridgesandballoons).

I’ve also written a post about how visiting New York sometimes felt like stepping into some of my favourite movies, books and TV shows. It was so familiar from the screen that the line between fiction and reality was often blurred – just one of many reasons I loved it so much!

The High Line was one of my favourite landmarks, and the High Line Hotel would be a great place to stay.

And here’s a handy guide to some of the best things to do in New York and my most recent guide to visiting New York with a baby.

What are your favourite must-sees in New York?