Simply Abu Dhabi XXVIII

1 8 4 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I WINTERWONDER BOROUGHS Passing through New York City streets in pursuit of the finer things in life By Laura Brown I t’s not a secret that New York City’s boroughs have had a dramatic facelift over the past decade, and with it a reawakening of the structures within. What better time to revisit, then, when the residents are getting ready for their winter hibernation, and hotels are in full festive spirit to beat the snowy cold? We’re in pursuit of festive happiness and will be gathering round the fireplaces of some of the finest hotels in (outer) town. Walking the walk Framed by three bodies of water, Manhattan is the epicentre of the finer things in urban life, with its neighbourhoods such as Chelsea, SoHo and Lower East Side where the old-world charm has not worn off in the midst of new developments. The refined details of modern-day developers have left their quirky and sophisticated marks on the interiors as well as the city streets. Still, the soul of the boroughs has kept its charm. Convivial cafés and elegant boutiques with dazzling couture collections alternated by sturdy industrial builds are bringing an eclectic sphere together on the city’s sidewalks. These sidewalks are New York’s finer USP, where the avenues from north to south create a rhythmic grid of broad lanes and the numbered streets weave themselves through the generous framework from east to west – becoming catwalks during fashion week and fast-paced running tracks on workdays, places to flaunt new purchases and an urban background for many a movie scene or picture frame. And in winter, when cold winds gust by, the beautifully decorated shopfronts create windows of innovative storytelling and jolly scenes. Passing through town, pause to admire outdoor frames of elite retail giants such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman (with its BG Radar