Check In | July 31, 2019

SPECIAL ADVERTISEMENT SUPPLEMENT Page 2 DailyMail, Wednesday, July 31, 2019 T IS relatively easy to get around Manhattan. There is little point, however, in asking a taxi driver to take you somewhere from an address alone – with the grid system, you will need the cross street. However, this is usually easy to work out, as street numbers go west or east from 5th Avenue, with numbers from 1 to 100 being the first block, 101 to 200 the second, and so on (plus, even numbers are on the north side, odd on the south). Timing is also simple – with the grid system it takes about one minute to walk a block. One warning: with the recent drop in the value of the pound, New York is no longer as cheap, so be prepared to spend some serious cash. DAY 1 9am Start the day by making your way down to the corner of 14th Street and 6th Avenue and wander down 6th Avenue into the West Village. Make your way west along W 11th Street to Tartine, a small café bakery on the corner of 4th Street (253 W 11th). 10am After breakfast, carry on west until you reach the bustling Meatpacking District. Have a stroll along the High Line, the wonderful linear park created on the old raised New York Central railroad that starts at Gansevoort Street and runs to 34th Street. Double back after half an hour or so to return to Gansevoort Street. 11am Head for the nearby Whitney Museum (99 Gansevoort Street). The collection of 20th- and 21st-century American art moved to this ultra-modern building designed by Renzo Piano (of The Shard fame) in 2015, and contains works by many of the greatest names in modern art. 1pm Have lunch at one of the many great restaurants in the Meatpacking District. All budgets are catered for here, but a particular favourite is Fig & Olive (420 W 13th Street). 2pm Head south down nearby 9th Avenue until you hit Bleecker Street, one of the city’s most attractive shopping streets. It is also home to the original Magnolia Bakery (401 Bleecker Street) and its famous cupcakes – as loved by Carrie Bradshaw in Sex And The City . I Ask the expert Senior Master at P&O Ferries Louise Sara describes her life at sea n What inspired you to become a ship’s captain? I was aged about nine when my father arranged a bridge visit on a Red Funnel ferry to the Isle of Wight. A woman called Wendy Maughan was navigating, and she showed us the bridge and we had a go at steering the ship. After that I was hell-bent on a career at sea. n How does it make you feel to represent women in the maritime? Very proud – but just three per cent of seafarers are women. I was inspired by another woman to go to sea, and if I can be a role model like her, then I feel that I’m achieving something. This is such a great career for women and men alike, and we should be looking for a greater level of gender diversity. n What’s the secret to being a successful maritime expert? Not to allow yourself to believe that you know everything about the job. It is a constant learning curve, and expertise can only be based on experience. Iconic view: Thewhite cliffs of Dover, as seen froma P&O ferry n Are you a woman on a mission – and, if so, what is that mission? I’m extremely driven – not just for myself, but my children, too. I’d like to show the younger generation this is an amazing and varied career, and to support and encourage women to come back into the maritime after starting families. This will help retain highly trained people and give them the opportunity to reach career goals. n What aspects of your job do you most enjoy? I get to drive a ship! I absolutely love ship handling, in particular, when I get to manoeuvre the vessel in challenging weather and tidal conditions. More recently, I’ve been enjoying training younger officers to become future masters and leaders for our ships. That is also very challenging – but extremely rewarding. n What is the secret to providing high-quality service on board? I love working as a team, and having a positive energy on board. If the crew on board are happy and working well together, then this is reflected in the service that is received on board by passengers travelling with us. n Any advice for those thinking of pursuing a career like yours? Do it! Get in contact with organisations that deal with training such as the MNTB (Merchant Navy Training Board) and ask for information, or look on the website, careersatsea.org . 48 hours in 3.30pm Make your way to the subway station on Christopher Street, and catch a train to South Ferry on the southern tip of Manhattan Island. From there take the Staten Island Ferry. This is the best way to catch a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty – and the trip is free. Just turn around and head straight back after you reach Staten Island. 5pm Head to Ground Zero and the haunting memorial to the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. If you have the energy, continue on east to the Brooklyn Bridge. Stroll along to the middle for some of the best views of downtown Manhattan. 7pm It’s time for dinner in Chinatown. The choice of restaurants is extraordinary – a particular favourite is the NomWah Tea Parlor (13 Doyers Street) for delicious all-day dim sum. 9pmonwards If you are still standing and fancy a pre-bed cocktail, head to the Up & Up (116 MacDougal Street), a cool bar in a basement just off Washington Square. NEW YORK Must-see sights, world-class food, amazing shops – NewYork has them all. If time is short, here’s how tomake themost of two days in the BigApple