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Daily Mirror
03-06-2025
- Daily Mirror
Top tips for visiting New York City on a budget - from food to sightseeing
Brits looking for how to do New York City on a budget including food, attractions and Broadway shows may want to take note as one writer took on the Big Apple Top of the Rock seemed taller. When I last came to New York in 2009, I took the fast, ear-popping lift at the Rockefeller Center to enjoy those iconic Big Apple skyscraper views. But in 2025 you can journey higher to both the 69th and 70th decks, where you'll find The Beam and Skylift. Opened in February 2024, The Beam (£18) gives visitors the chance to recreate that famous 1932 image of ironworkers happily eating their lunch, sitting on a steel beam, 69 floors high. As someone who's scared of heights, I felt more than apprehensive as I buckled up on the beam, which then rises and turns 180 degrees, giving you the most spectacular/terrifyingly high (delete as applicable) views. Under clear blue skies, I felt exhilarated to see the city like this, then a tiny bit relieved as the beam lowered and I stepped off. Next up was the 70th floor to experience the Skylift (£25). Opened last October, the circular Skylift elevates you to even higher heights and rotates to give you a 360-degree view. Again, the vista is amazing, 30ft above the 872ft building. After seeing the city as usually only the birds do, I was happy to head back down to the Manhattan sidewalks. We were here to explore New York over three days on a budget. Our base for the 72-hour trip was the RIU Plaza New York Times Square. My comfortable room on the 28th floor was light, spacious, clean and quiet. The location also meant we were in the thick of the city so it was easy to walk to many attractions. Shall we start with food? New York is full of delicious options, served in generous portions. On our first evening we visited the Yard House. This friendly and relaxed place offered huge takes on American classics. My choice of Cilantro lime chicken with roasted corn, quinoa and tomatoes (£20) was tender and tasty, while my Moscow Mule cocktail (£9) laden with vodka and refreshing ginger beer hit the spot after a long day travelling. Don't feel the need to book a restaurant. Food on the hoof is a good way to multitask and continue exploring. We took the subway to the East Village to combine sightseeing with eating on The Man and His Sandwich Tour. Our guide, Ben, gave us a down-to-earth, fun and interactive tour that takes you to little-known, small outlets for three delicious bites to eat on your wander around the East Village (£50). From Black Forest ham paninis to smash burgers, you'll be well fed and well informed. In fact, you'll be so well fed you might want to skip a meal and save some money. But one thing you don't want to miss is breakfast at a diner. Ellen's Stardust Diner on Broadway is a popular place to eat with one big difference – you are treated to songs from shows, as the waiting staff deliver belting performances on the stage in the middle of the diner. So there we were, starting our second full day in The Big Apple at 8.50am listening to our waiter singing a duet before he came to take our order. I went for the cinnamon roll pancakes (£12) – and the sugar rush helped kick start our day of exploring The Bronx. We took the short train journey to the Bronx from Grand Central Station with our tour guide Ellen (a Big Apple Greeter volunteer) who was keen to show us Arthur's Avenue AKA Little Italy – a largely Italian haven of foodie outlets. We stopped at Mike's Deli in the Arthur Avenue Retail Market for lunch, where Ellen recommended the eggplant – I'm not usually a fan of aubergine, but went with her recommendation in a simple pasta dish (£8) and she was so right. After lunch, we propped up the bar at the Bronx Beer Hall. Run by two brothers (who were fun, and full of stories about the Bronx) it specialises in craft beer. We sampled a few of their beers (from £3.50 a can) and thoroughly enjoyed our hour or so chatting and laughing with the siblings. But we needed to make tracks as there was one more stop we wanted to make and that was at the Bronx Museum of the Arts. This free arts space was showing an exhibition by pioneering street artist Futura 2000. It was a great example of what this museum is all about. After a wild day in the Bronx, we headed back to Manhattan to The Stand in Union Square (tickets from £18). Here saw performances from seven or eight comedians in quick succession. It was a fast-paced, showcase in this intimate, underground comedy club with Aaron Berg being the stand-out stand-up. If stand-up isn't your thing, Broadway is right on the hotel's doorstep. But if the price of show tickets makes your eyes water, try an Off-Broadway show instead. Off-Broadway is the term for smaller venues (seating fewer than 500), but the calibre of these productions is still impressive and our tickets cost around £25. We went to the venue New World Stages, for Drag: The Musical. Funny and highly entertaining, we had the show's numbers ringing in our ears long after it ended. On my final day in New York, I walked the High Line public park, built on an old railway line, which I picked up in the West Village. This is another free offering, where you will also come across Little Island with its gorgeous views across the water to the Statue of Liberty. Other freebies were Central Park – a giant, beautifully calm space – and Chelsea Market, with its interesting independent traders – although you'll be tempted to part with your cash there to bring something home. And if you're looking for a more cost-effective way of enjoying the New York skyline views, a visit to the Civilian Starchild Rooftop Bar might be the answer. Here, for the price of a £9 cocktail, we got great views of the skyline which we enjoyed at sunset on one of our evenings. If you are planning a trip to New York, has ideas to help you map out an itinerary that suits you. And as a money-saving tip, a City Pass from can help you save around 40% off its most popular attractions. Let's face it, your wallet is never going to sleep on a trip to New York. But keep your eyes open, and you can get the best of the city for less.
Time Out Dubai
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out Dubai
Eid Al Adha dining deals: 7 brilliant places to try during the break
Eid Al Adha celebrations are due to begin next week, meaning we're also about to enjoy a four-day long weekend. With more days away from our desks, there are plenty of cool Dubai restaurants offering great brunches, lunches and dinners. With some fantastic value offers available, it's a good time to get out and about and not worry about cooking at home. All the places to eat over Eid Al Adha in Dubai (and the Eid dining deals to know) Indikaya (Credit: Supplied) Created by chef Hemant Oberoi, the Indian restaurant has released a selection of curated set menus to celebrate Eid Al Adha. Expect to dig into Hyderabadi chicken biryani, mutton galouti and a rarrah methi champ, each of which packs a punch. For all the veggies, you'll be just as pleased with a selection of paneer kebabs and birbali that taste just as good. Finishing with a sweet anjeer shahi tukra and fresh coffee ki phirni, this is definitely a meal for a celebration. Dhs220. Open daily noon-11.30pm. Shangri-La Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road, @indikayadubai (054 279 3647). JW Kitchen (Credit: Supplied) The Oceanic brunch is getting a special public holiday makeover, so expect to spend your Saturday browsing the all-you-can-eat buffet. Expect to pile your plate high with fresh seafood, premium cuts and international favourites, before washing it all down with a free-flowing beverage (or two). Paired with a little live entertainment, a trip to the Dubai Marina restaurant isn't complete without a visit to the dessert stand (trust us). Dhs290 (soft beverages), Dhs390 (house beverages), Dhs490 (bubbly). Sat Jun 7, 1pm-4pm. JW Marriott Hotel Marina, Dubai Marina, (04 436 7777). Koko Bay Head down to Koko Bay for sunset, and enjoy the Sound of Bali dinner experience, complete with three themed courses, free-flowing drinks and live entertainment surrounded by a flame-lit beachfront. Dhs295. Thu 7pm-11pm. West Beach, Palm Jumeirah, (04 572 3444). Mosaico Lobby Lounge (Credit: Supplied) For something a little fancy, swan into the lounge at Palazzo Versace for a special Eid Al Adha high tea. Running from Friday June 6 to Sunday June 8, a live musician will perform each day, from a violinist to a saxophonist. Make your way through the Eid cookies and cake stand, before picking something from the live chebab station. Dhs378 (two people). June 6-8, 10.30am-7pm. Palazzo Versace, Al Jaddaf, (04 556 8888). Mr Toad's Credit: Mr Toad's The gastropub is offering up brunch for four for the price of three on Saturday June 7 at select locations around the city. If you're thinking of brunching in Silicon Oasis, DIP or Al Jaddaf, you can enjoy a sizzling selection of dishes and free flowing drinks for as little as Dhs129. Dhs129 (soft beverages), Dhs249 (house beverages), Dhs299 (premium beverages). Sat Jul 7, 1pm-4pm. Various locations, The Beam Spend the last day of the Eid Al Adha break enjoying a leisurely lunch at The Beam for its Sunday brunch. Dig into sharing starters while live entertainment lifts the room, then it's time for some comforting European mains and of course, free-flowing drinks to pair with it. Dhs295 (soft beverages), Dhs395 (house beverages), Dhs495 (premium sparkling), Dhs145 (kids aged 5-12). Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort and Spa, Dubai Marina, (04 399 5555). Walima (Credit: Supplied) The buffet-style restaurant at the Grand Mercure Dubai City is throwing quite the feast on Friday June 6, where you can fill your plate for only Dhs175. Fill up on fresh seafood, hot and cold mezze, freshly cooked pasta and hot shawarmas cut from the grill in front of you. Dhs175 (adult), Dhs45 (kids aged 6-12). Fri Jun 6, 1.30pm-4.30pm. Grand Mercure Dubai City, grand-mercure-dubai-city (052 267 0398). Eid Al Adha 2025 Eid Al Adha itinerary: All the fun things to do this long weekend Where to go and what to see over the break 20 amazing things to do in Dubai in June This month is going to be a scorcher 51 brilliant family days out in the UAE For you and the little ones
Time Out Dubai
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out Dubai
Eid dining deals: Where to eat over Eid al Adha break
Eid Al Adha celebrations are due to begin next week, meaning we're also about to enjoy a four-day long weekend. With more days away from our desks, there are plenty of cool Dubai restaurants offering great brunches, lunches and dinners. With some fantastic value offers available, it's a good time to get out and about and not worry about cooking at home. All the places to eat over Eid Al Adha in Dubai (and the Eid dining deals to know) Indikaya (Credit: Supplied) Created by chef Hemant Oberoi, the Indian restaurant has released a selection of curated set menus to celebrate Eid Al Adha. Expect to dig into Hyderabadi chicken biryani, mutton galouti and a rarrah methi champ, each of which packs a punch. For all the veggies, you'll be just as pleased with a selection of paneer kebabs and birbali that taste just as good. Finishing with a sweet anjeer shahi tukra and fresh coffee ki phirni, this is definitely a meal for a celebration. Dhs220. Open daily noon-11.30pm. Shangri-La Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road, @indikayadubai (054 279 3647). JW Kitchen (Credit: Supplied) The Oceanic brunch is getting a special public holiday makeover, so expect to spend your Saturday browsing the all-you-can-eat buffet. Expect to pile your plate high with fresh seafood, premium cuts and international favourites, before washing it all down with a free-flowing beverage (or two). Paired with a little live entertainment, a trip to the Dubai Marina restaurant isn't complete without a visit to the dessert stand (trust us). Dhs290 (soft beverages), Dhs390 (house beverages), Dhs490 (bubbly). Sat Jun 7, 1pm-4pm. JW Marriott Hotel Marina, Dubai Marina, (04 436 7777). Koko Bay Head down to Koko Bay for sunset, and enjoy the Sound of Bali dinner experience, complete with three themed courses, free-flowing drinks and live entertainment surrounded by a flame-lit beachfront. Dhs295. Thu 7pm-11pm. West Beach, Palm Jumeirah, (04 572 3444). Mosaico Lobby Lounge (Credit: Supplied) For something a little fancy, swan into the lounge at Palazzo Versace for a special Eid Al Adha high tea. Running from Friday June 6 to Sunday June 8, a live musician will perform each day, from a violinist to a saxophonist. Make your way through the Eid cookies and cake stand, before picking something from the live chebab station. Dhs378 (two people). June 6-8, 10.30am-7pm. Palazzo Versace, Al Jaddaf, (04 556 8888). Mr Toad's Credit: Mr Toad's The gastropub is offering up brunch for four for the price of three on Saturday June 7 at select locations around the city. If you're thinking of brunching in Silicon Oasis, DIP or Al Jaddaf, you can enjoy a sizzling selection of dishes and free flowing drinks for as little as Dhs129. Dhs129 (soft beverages), Dhs249 (house beverages), Dhs299 (premium beverages). Sat Jul 7, 1pm-4pm. Various locations, The Beam Spend the last day of the Eid Al Adha break enjoying a leisurely lunch at The Beam for its Sunday brunch. Dig into sharing starters while live entertainment lifts the room, then it's time for some comforting European mains and of course, free-flowing drinks to pair with it. Dhs295 (soft beverages), Dhs395 (house beverages), Dhs495 (premium sparkling), Dhs145 (kids aged 5-12). Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort and Spa, Dubai Marina, (04 399 5555). Walima (Credit: Supplied) The buffet-style restaurant at the Grand Mercure Dubai City is throwing quite the feast on Friday June 6, where you can fill your plate for only Dhs175. Fill up on fresh seafood, hot and cold mezze, freshly cooked pasta and hot shawarmas cut from the grill in front of you. Dhs175 (adult), Dhs45 (kids aged 6-12). Fri Jun 6, 1.30pm-4.30pm. Grand Mercure Dubai City, grand-mercure-dubai-city (052 267 0398). Eid Al Adha 2025 Eid Al Adha itinerary: All the fun things to do this long weekend Where to go and what to see over the break 20 amazing things to do in Dubai in June This month is going to be a scorcher 51 brilliant family days out in the UAE For you and the little ones
What's On
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- What's On
Review: The Beam Dubai
Thanks to Dubai's ever-increasing traffic, there are a handful of areas I largely chose to avoid during peak hours – Dubai Marina being one of them. So, I'm surprised to find myself heading – albeit glacially – for a 7pm dinner reservation at Le Royal Meridien one mid-week evening. But this is no ordinary dinner reservation. At the helm of newly opened The Beam is Nick Alvis, one of a collective of independent chefs who paved the way for Dubai's homegrown restaurant scene to flourish in the late twenty-teens. After departing his renowned Madinat Jumeirah restaurant folly in 2022 and spending some time consulting, he's back on the pots and pans at The Beam. Taking over what homesick Brits will remember as Geales, The Beam is a bistro-style dining experience set in a corner of the resort's neatly landscaped grounds. An immaculate garden greets guests, a trickling water fountain provides a pretty centrepiece, leading to an indoor-outdoor space, bi-folding doors expanding out fully to let one lead into the other. Tables in the garden and on the covered terrace offer lovely views of Ain Dubai on the skyline, while those seated indoors are enveloped in an unpretentious warmth of neutral interiors and soft lighting. We make a reservation only a week after opening, and the spacious restaurant is already abuzz with guests. While some come from staying in the hotel, many are here for Alvis, who greets each table with warm hospitality and proudly shows them around the restaurant when we arrive. The culinary offering is reflective of a European bistro, elevated with a Dubai touch that's fitting for the city's competitive culinary scene. As well as the a la carte menu, a fresh fish display is adorned with towers of seafood and locally caught fish on ice, further enhancing the menu. For starters, we order the venison tartare (Dhs110), which is prettily plated, tender cubes of venison dressed with smoked egg yolk and root ginger. But it's the flat bread that we dream of long after we've finished the final bite. From the dedicated section of skillet baked flat breads, we opt for the sun-dried tomato and burrata one (Dhs60). The bread is the perfect crispy crust and spongy base, swirls of creamy burrata and crunchy pine nuts add rich flavour and texture. We go to the fresh fish display for mains and order the seabass (market price). It arrives as a whole fish, and despite being a very generous portion, it's cooked perfectly and tastes even better when drizzled with a lemon beurre blanc. The ribeye (Dhs360), a juicy piece of Westholme Australian grass-fed Wagyu, is also excellent. It's simply seasoned and served alongside a portion of piping hot chunky chips and a roasted rib sauce. For a sweet ending, the burnt cream (Dhs55), The Beam's take on a crème brulee, is deliciously velvety, laced with raspberry and topped with a scoop of sorbet to add a light note. Verdict: A great restaurant worth braving the traffic for. The Beam by Nick Alvis, Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort & Spa, Al Mamsha Street, Dubai Marina, 5pm to 11pm Mon to Fri, 1pm to 11pm Sat and Sun. Tel: (0)4 316 5550. > Sign up for FREE to get exclusive updates that you are interested in
FACT
08-04-2025
- Entertainment
- FACT
Nick Alvis is putting cocktails in the spotlight with Blush Wine and Cocktail Bar
The concept in Dubai Marina features a gin tree. It's time to raise a glass to a new bar. Blush Wine and Cocktail Bar has opened at Le Royal Méridien Beach Resort & Spa. Located in Dubai Marina, it has been created by the acclaimed restaurateur and chef, Nick Alvis. Following the success of The Beam, Nick has created Blush Wine and Cocktail Bar. The concept puts cocktails in the spotlight, and is a celebration of mixology. Each drink has been handcrafted, named after a colour, and paired with a custom swatch coaster with its exact hex code. Designed by LW Design, Blush Wine and Cocktail Bar showcases a garden-inspired aesthetic, which blends together indoor and outdoor elements. The circular bar allows you to watch the bartenders in action. Look out for the antique mirror panels, hand-painted floral murals on the bar's ceiling, and bold graphic floors. At the centre of the bar is the Gin Tree, which allows guests to choose their favourite gins from around the globe. In addition to the cocktails, there is a wide range of wines, which include more than 110 wines by the glass. The Coravin preservation system ensures rare and premium wines remain accessible for each guest. Nick explains: 'With Blush, we wanted to create something truly immersive. This is not just a cocktail bar, it's a destination where drinks are an experience. From bold reds to delicate pastels, each cocktail tells a story, offering guests a new way to engage with mixology'. Blush Wine and Cocktail Bar is open daily from 5pm to 1am. Check in with FACT for the best things to do in London. GO: Follow @blushbardubai on Instagram for more information.
