I look 52% like Barry Manilow

GIGANTIC PICTURE SPECIAL: New York City

New York, New York. So good they named it twice, and ever since watching taped-off-the-TV Ghostbusters, I've harboured an ambition to go there. Last weekend we finally went - taking a one-hour flight direct from Toronto city centre - and enjoyed the best city break EVER.

Okay, so we didn't get off on the right foot: Tony questioned my research of the route we had to take from Newark Airport to our hotel overlooking Ground Zero and I went a touch acka. A matter of seconds later, we were stood at the platform at Newark Airport Station, awaiting our connecting train. The conductor, however, hung out of the approaching engine and hollered at us to NOT ATTEMPT boarding even though he was coming to a stop and opening the doors. "Go to the other platform and get the next train!" he bellowed. Put me in mind of a certain scene from another New York-based movie...

Nevertheless, we arrived in the Big Apple and proceeded over the course of the next 2.5 days to do absolutely everything we could. Statue of Liberty; Ellis Island; Rockefeller Center; Times Square; Central Park; Lower East Side; Greenwich Village; SoHo; Chelsea Market. Photography was not permitted, unfortunately, at our highlight event: a guided tour of the NBC studios at 30 Rock, where we were taken around the sets of Dr Oz (who?), Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and, best of all, Saturday Night Live.

We also decided to save our pennies by dumping the tour bus in favour of the subway, which turned out to be a good move: with the help of an excellent Trip Advisor app, we made our way around the city with ease and only encountered mentalists on a handful of occasions.

Further hilarious anecdotes will emerge as and when I remember them, but for now - on with the photojournalism! (click to enlarge)

I'm not normally excited by food, but this was the best bagel of all time.

Wall Street, just as two tornadoes touched down nearby (no, really).

"I'll meet you at the corner of PEOPLE WITH AIDS PLAZA and POLIO ROAD."

Dynamic car park! Sadly, we didn't get to see it in action.

Little Italy. We were en route to the excellent Tenement Museum.

The view from the Rockefeller. I think that's the Chrysler Building.

Central Park.

It's a-me, Baldio!

Times Square.

Freedom Tower... or is it OneWTC? Not sure what it's called.

The view from Battery Park.

Don't put too much effort in, Heather...

Luggage at Ellis Island.

On the stairs up, doctors would determine if immigrants needed a medical inspection.

Central Park. Again.

He's about to leap over these tourists!

Ice cream at Chelsea Market.

Walking down Canal Street...

Beer with dinner = clarting around with camera settings.