I'm going on holiday biaaatches! Today I'm off to the airport to jet off to Gran Canaria. I know I'm a bit late with the holiday theme posts but I suppose that's just the way it goes - Jamie and I have opted to go on holiday in September for the last 2 years. Let me tell you it is SO good seeing everyone else jet off on their holidays all summer knowing yours is still to come! I also managed to cop allll of the summer sale goodies last week just in time for our trip. 

Today I thought I'd share some of my must haves in my hand luggage this year.

A Stay in London with CitizenM

If you've been following me on my instagram you may have seen that last Sunday I took a trip up to London with Jamie for a night stay at CitizenM's Tower of London hotel. I was kindly asked to spend the night at one of their hotels - Tower of London, Shoreditch or Bankside. We opted for the Tower of London, having stayed nearby before and knowing it to be a scenic location. 

NEW YORK DAY FOUR

Day four was techically our last day as we travelled back late evening of day five. I woke up very ill this day but made a speedy recovery and we finished our travels with a trip to the iconic Central Park. We got a horse and carriage ride around which was pretty awesome, it was like in the movies!! After a day of more shopping and wandering we finished with what was the best meal of our time there - West Side Steak House. We all had the most delicious steaks leaving our bellies very happy. We popped back to Times Square to take some final photos, where I also took an awesome time-lapse video which you can see on my instagram!

New York really has been a once in a lifetime trip and I am so grateful to have been able to go. Hopefully I'll be able to visit again soon!

NEW YORK DAY THREE

I didn't lug my camera around on day 3 but for this day we went to see a show on Broadway! My brilliant dad queued from early in the morning at the famous TKTS stairs in Times Square to get some discounted tickets to see Finding Neverland - a show not yet in the UK! I'm always a fan of broadway/west end so this was a real treat. We did the majority of our shopping on this day, going to MACY'S in the evening! 

NEW YORK DAY TWO

Day two was probably the busiest day of the lot, we woke up bright and early and headed down the island using the subway. We managed to hop on a free ferry which went past Staten Island so we could get a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty. Then we walked up to Ground Zero, a really surreal and chilling moment. It's awful to think of that horrible day, but it really is such a beautiful way to commemorate all those lost. I took the image below because my dad, who had visited and gone up the twin towers many years ago, told me you could once look up this gap and see the towers, where now there is a gap.

Next we went to Grand Central, the very famous train station in NY! It's so beautiful inside.
We finished day two eating out at Ellens Stardust Diner - a definite must visit if you ever go to NY. It's a completely different dining experience where you are sung to by the waitors and waitresses, all working there while they wait to try and make it on Broadway. It was so much fun!