1. See a Show - For me, this meant Broadway, but of course, there are many great off-Broadway, and off-off-Broadway shows to see. Our choices were Legally Blonde (for her) and A Bronx Tale (for me.) Even for people who ordinarily wouldn't countenance a visit to the theatre I would heartily recommend taking in a show when visiting the city. On Broadway, the production values are so high and the performances so accomplished that there is something for everyone to enjoy.
2. Go to a Comedy Club - This was something that I had been looking forward to and, looking back on my trip, I would say was one of the highlights. I visited The Comedy Cellar in Greenwich Village. The comics were uniformly excellent and the atmosphere was great. The only thing missing from my mental image of this sort of club, garnered from years of television and movie watching, was a smoky haze lingering over the low-lit tables, but I can't say I was overly disappointed about that. One thing worth mentioning is that any shy and retiring types who are thinking about visiting should opt for a table at the back, or risk becoming part of the show as I did!
3. Go Really Really High! - That is, visit either the Empire State Building (ESB) or the Top of the Rock (TOTR) at the Rockefeller centre. I went up both buildings and wouldn't like to say which I preferred. I can certainly see why many people have expressed a preference for TOTR, given the overall more visitor friendly experience that it offers, from the interesting documentaries showing as you make your way to the top, to the Perspex barriers that offer unobstructed views of the city, as opposed to the wrought iron barriers at the ESB. Of course, you also get to view the bigger building from afar which is also a thrill, and the views of Central Park are breathtaking. However, the ESB is taller and that will be enough for many people. Whichever you choose to visit though it really is a thrill being so high, especially if you hail, as I do, from somewhere where the tallest buildings are no more than a few hundred feet in height. Ideally, if your budget allows, I would recommend visiting one in daylight and one at night time, to get the best of both worlds.
4. Take a Walk in the Park - Central Park is a gorgeous leafy idyll in the middle of the concrete jungle that is Manhattan, and as such, is something you should explore as fully as possible. I saw too little of it really, and should I go back to New York, as I sincerely hope to, I shall try and see more. You can take a romantic (if short and expensive) horse and carriage ride in the park if you so wish, ice-skate (in winter), or simply take a walk and enjoy the views. The snow that fell whilst I was there, made for some truly memorable views of the park, and it was really all quite magical, seeing a landscape you have seen on celluloid dozens of times blanketed in a pure, white veneer of snow. (Though we did get rather cold after a while!) So if possible, go when it snows!
5. Walk the Bridge - A lot of the things that I did in NYC cost a pretty penny, despite often being well worth it, but they say the best things in life are free, and walking the Brooklyn bridge, like the park, is a must-do, and best of all won't cost you a thing. The views looking back towards Manhattan island are breathtaking and make for some great photographs, especially if you do it on a cloudless day as we did. I only wish we had skipped breakfast though, so as to grab a pizza at Grimaldi's across the water. Reports from a couple of close friends suggest this alone is worth the walk.
6. Grand Central Terminal - A handsome building from the outside, with nothing short of a breathtaking interior. The main concourse, with it's 150ft high vaulted ceiling, is decorated with a representation of the stars of the night sky. For me, always associated as being the scene of the frantic dénouement of Carlito's Way, and doubtless featured in dozens of other films, this cavernous room is awe-inspiring. See if you can spot the one darkened patch in the ceiling left after the restoration to remind the public how dirty it once was. Also, visit the "whispering wall" where you can stand in opposite corners and hold a conversation in no more than a whisper thanks to an acoustic anomaly with the buildings vaulted walls. Aside from the concourse there are numerous shops and restaurants to visit, including the famous Oyster bar which I wanted to check out but again, my appetite failed me. Oh, I almost forgot, Grand Central is also a functioning train station!
7. Visit Lady Liberty and follow in the footsteps of millions of immigrants - Although an obvious choice, I thoroughly enjoyed taking the ferry out to Liberty Island to see "Liberty Enlightening the World." It's very interesting to see something in the flesh, so to speak, that you have seen a million times in books and on television etc. The museum is well thought out and the views from the pedestal great, though it's a shame you can no longer access the statue itself. The immigration centre at Ellis Island is thought-provoking and has some very interesting exhibits, notably actual belongings that early immigrants brought with them on their long journey to their new lives. Through the museum, you get a real sense of what it would have been like to be an immigrant coming to New York, one hundred years ago. I particularly admire the way the main registry room, on the second floor has been left bare, leaving you to imagine the hustle and bustle that would surely have taken place there all those years ago. We took the first ferry of the day and would advise anyone else to do the same, to avoid the longest queues. If you are on a tight budget and are giving the islands a miss, I would definitely recommend the Staten Island ferry which is free and offers comparable views of Manhattan. Plus, you get to tick another of the five boroughs off your list!
8. Times Square Baby! - Now, here's an attraction that a lot of people tend to get a little sniffy about but which your average tourist will love. I grant you that you will not want to spend too much time here and those who live in the city or have visited many times before may avoid it altogether. However, if you have seen the neon 100ft signs of Times Square immortalised on celluloid your entire life then it is somewhere you will definitely want to see. It certainly is not a disappointment as regards the size and buzz of the place; it really is as vibrant as it seems on screen, and for the first few hours many will be as bewildered as I was. The fact is you simply cannot stop looking up and around you. Yes, it's a tourist trap, and the shops, bars and restaurants are so themed but hey, what a tourist trap?! When you have grown up with the ubiquitous image of Times Square as New York then you have to allow yourself a little time to indulge in some crass commercialism; buy the I love NY tees, grab some Hershey bars, go nuts for M&Ms (ha-ha.) Don't however, eat at the Hard Rock Café or Appleby's, you can do better than this.
9. Eat, drink and be merry - One of the things I was most looking forward to about New York was the wealth of dining options. I made some reservations before I arrived and had some terrific meals, most notably at The Red Cat and Maze by Gordon Ramsay at the London. It wasn't just fine dining however that I relished but just the whole New York vibe, again, dare I say, influenced by movies, of being able to decide at any time of the day to have, say, Polish food and being able to find it. I ate eggs over easy with home fries in a diner, then hotdogs from street vendors and huge porterhouse steaks from upmarket steakhouses. And I loved it. It was everything I had imagined and more. Little things like having a beer in a small bar like Jimmy's Corner and then midnight club sandwiches in a diner made me really very happy. Call me easy to please but these were the things that I envisaged doing when I visited NYC and I was happy that it was as I imagined.
10. Shop till you Drop! - When asked whether I was going to do a lot of shopping in New York, I tended to answer in the negative, reasoning that I could shop anywhere and that I had more important things to see and do than walk round shops all day. Then I got there. Boy, can you shop in the Big Apple. To come from the UK, where prices for most consumer items are considerably more, we would have been crazy not to splash out; especially given the great exchange rate us Brits are receiving currently against the dollar. We bought mainly clothes and gifts for friends and family, as well as tourist tat like the aforementioned I Heart NY t-shirts and a huge Hershey's mug that I couldn't resist despite not liking the peanut butter filled chocolate cups that it was filled with. In short, NYC is a shopper's dream, from the boutiques of Greenwich Village to the world's largest department store (Macy's).

Phew! So that's my list of my favourite things to do in New York. All Manhattan I'm afraid, but I will be sure to get into the other boroughs on my return. But wait there's more; a couple of things that I was disappointed with and would thus not recommend to other people:

1. New York Cheesecake - Sure to be a controversial choice and it may be a cultural thing but, hailing from England, I say, “Sponge base on cheesecake?!!” Not for me I'm afraid
2. Chinatown - I wanted: a vibrant local ethnic community with great restaurants and Chinese food stores. I got: street hawkers selling every counterfeit item under the sun.
3. The Museum of Natural History - We had time for one museum and my other half enjoys natural history museums. How I wish we had gone to the Met. Uninspiring and, frankly, dull.

Malaysia

Like other parts of the world, Malaysia too, celebrates the New Year's Day with great excitement and joyful. Malaysians prefer to celebrate New Year's Eve with much merry-making at public squares like Dataran Merdeka, hotels and restaurants. Though Malaysia is a multi-racial country with races includes Malays, Chinese, Indians, Sikhs, Eurasians, Portuguese, indigenous people and other minority races, we are here celebrated the New Year's celebration in harmonious and tranquility, regardless of religions, customs, languages and races. This unity spirit marks the strong unity among the citizens of Malaysians without bios and racism, which highlights the beauty of Malaysia.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Malaysians gather one hour earlier at the Dataran Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur. Dataran Merdeka is just like the Times Square of New York. Almost all the restaurants and shops have their premises decorated with colorful bulbs, balloons and steamers. The Malaysian flag or “Jalur Gemilang” and the state's flags are swinging gracefully on top of the premises. People prefer to come out in the streets and stay until daybreak to cheer for the arrival of New Year rather than sit in front of the television, as they want to capture the full excitement moment in the mood of New Year's celebration. People will gather at stadiums, coffee shops, café, restaurants, KLCC, Genting Highlands and all parts of states in Malaysia shouting Happy New Year or “Selamat Tahun Baru” to each other when the clock strikes 12 at midnight.

The unique of Malaysians here are unity and family oriented. A day before the New Year in Malaysia, all family members from far of places return to their hometowns for the reunion dinners. We are proud to be Malaysians!

China

In the early morning on January 1, 2008, the Beijing Tiananmen held a grand flag-raising ceremony.

Flag-raising ceremony in China

People from all parts of China gathered here to watch the ceremony while greeting the arrival of 2008.

A child was sitting on the adult's shoulder while watching the flag-raising ceremony.

Japan

Every year on 1 January, Japanese celebrate their New Year or also known as Oshiogatsu or shogatsu. In general, the New Year in Japan commences on 31 December and lasts until 3 January. On every 31 December at the midnight, Buddhist temples ring their bells for 108 times on the last night of the passing year all over Japan. This event is also another major attraction called The Watched night bell held every year in Tokyo during the New Year's Day. The night bell is stricken 108 times symbolizes the 108 human sins in Buddhist belief and get rid of the 108 worldly desires regarding sense and feeling in every Japanese nation. Japanese believe that the tolling of the bells can get rid off their sins of the previous year.

Dezomenshiki in Japan

In Tokyo, the capital of Japan, people bid farewell to the past year and welcome the New Year by undertaking some activities such as Dezomeshiki (New Year's parade of firefighters. Traditional acrobatic stunts are performed by the firefighters of Tokyo in the parade during the New Year's Day in Tokyo) and Special Opening of the Imperial Palace Grounds.

Tokyo, Japan

Japanese eat Herring roe or fish egg (symbolizing fertility), black beans (symbolizing health), dried chestnuts (symbolizing success) and prawns as omens (symbolizing happiness) on the mood of celebrating the arrival of New Year. They also have their traditional mouthwatering delicacies called mochi or white rice cake breakfast called zouni.

Before the New Year's day, they sent cards to their relatives and friends but the postmen will keep them and only deliver the New Year's greeting cards or nengajo at one time on 1 January. All Japanese put on beautiful and finely knitted Japanese traditional costumes to greet their guests. Females will wear Kimono or Yugata on this day.

Japanese children play karuta or a card game, some play hanetsuki or a badminton type of game, and some have takoage or kite flying during New Year's Day. Parents give their children money or otoshidama on New Year's Day. In Japan, Japanese will do hatsu-mode by paying holly visits to Shinto temples and shrines to pray for a healthy and Happy New Year. They put decorations outside their house with pine and bamboo or Kado-matsu to celebrate New Year. They display a large steamed rice cake or Kagami-mochi in a place of importance in the house until 11 January.

South Korea

On 1 January, Korean people rush to sunrise sites in the eastern Gangwon Province and Southern city of Busan (the largest port city in the South Korea) to see the first sunrise of the New Year. Some gather at the east coast cities of Gangneung and Donghae to make wishes as the sun rose on the New Year. Korean Folk Village features at hosting some traditional games and events all over the Korea on New Year's Day. The festival mood of New Year's Eve Celebration includes a series of Korean cultural performances in central Seoul.

Watching sunrise in South Korea

Seoul, South Korea

On New Year's Eve, more than 150-thousand Korean people gather in Jongno district to witness the striking of an old temple bell at the Bosingak (Bonshingak, made in 1468,is the largest pavilion among the Korea's national treasures) pavilion. The bell rings 33 times to greet the coming of New Year. As the festive mood in Korea mounted, Korean people attend a variety of ceremonies and events, including parades, fireworks and traditional cultural performances till the end of the New Year's Day on 1 January every year.

United States of America

One of the unique and unusual New Year's celebrations in United States is the Mummer's Parade (This custom is brought to Philadephia by European settlers and dates back to medieval England, where troupes of costumed performers went house from house presenting a folk drama or Mummer's play at Christmas time. “Mummer” in German refers to a mask. The earliest known Mummer's club was formed in the 1840s and the first official "Mummer's Parade" was held in Philadelphia in 1901) held in Philadelphia on 1 January every year. This parade features at elaborating costumes with ornate costumes that rival those in Mardi Gras parades, comedy and string bands of accordions, saxes, drums, violins, banjos, bass fiddles, glockenspiels, and clarinets. A slide show of the parade is available from Mummer's museum while its photographs are available from Mummer's Picture Gallery.

New York Times Square, U.S.A

The New Year's celebration at Time Square, New York was the ball drop, and its streaming video clips are available at EarthCam.com. The first Ball lowering celebration held on headquarters in Times Square, New York on December 31, 1907 and has proceeded for the past 100 years.

The Waterford Ball is a geodesic sphere with six feet in diameter, and weighing approximately 1,070 pounds. During the New Year at Time Square, New York every year, people there lower the ball. There are 504 Waterford crystal triangles engraved with the names of those lost in the World Trade Center on the ball, with the decoration of 696 multicolored light bulbs, 96 high-density strobe lights and 90 rotating pyramid mirrors.

In celebrating the arrival of 2008, the Bow Tie of Time Square (42nd to 47th Sts. between Broadway and 7th Ave.) was unavailable to traffic. After lighting the New Year's Eve ball, city officials and guests at the Countdown Stage in the center of Times Square will ring a commemorative bell. By pushing the Waterford crystal button, it marked the final sixty-second countdown prior to the Ball Lowering. The numerals of the New Year “2008” shone high above Times Square, with the light bulbs on the New Year's Eve Ball turned off. A two-minute pyrotechnic display illuminated and glistered with the bursts of custom-mixed colors in the sky above One Times Square accompanying with special effects of computer. The release of the world-famous New Year's Eve confetti from the rooftops of buildings throughout Times Square marking the start of New Year and the people cheered happily and contentedly in the mood of New Year's celebration.

United Kingdom, U.K.

New Year in Britain is a time to drink, eat and dance either at homes or with friends in a club or pub when clock strikes 12 at midnight. Different countries and cities in Britain have their own unique ways to welcome the New Year but the spirit to celebrate the New Year in each person's heart is the same all over the Britain.

The other main feature of New Year in Britain is the tradition custom of “First Footers”, which believes that the first person over the threshold on the New Year's Day will dictate the luck to bring to the particular house on 1 January. Scotland and Northern Ireland had followed this tradition with the first footers bringing in a piece of coal, bread and whisky while crossing the threshold.

London, England

Chinese New Year's Day Parade, London

London's New Year's Day Parade, also known as Hogmanay is famous all over the world. Over thousands of people, more than 10,000 musicians, dancers, clowns and acrobats gather and feast at Trafalgar Square while waiting eagerly for the arrival of New Year. London is by far the best city to be on the New Year's Eve for some of its excellent bars and clubs. Last but not the least, is the traditional dragon dancing, music and entertainment at London's Chinatown.

Scotland

People celebrate Hogmanay (Hogmanay's culture roots back to the pagan practice of sun and fire worship in the deep mid-winter. This fire symbolizes how the light of the knowledge to be handed over from one year to the next, which carries forward the light of hope to a better world) or Scottish New Year on 31 December every year. It has become a great festive season at the large city of Glasgow and Edinburgh. To view “1000 pipers” gathered at Edinburg castle and piping their way down to Holyrood palace, go to Homnanay.com and click some of the video clips.

Fireworks display, Hogmanay's Street Party, Dornoch, Scotland

When the bells of Big Ben chimed at the midnight, everyone sang Auld Lang Syne with lots of kisses. The words to this song are as follows:

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup o'kindness yet
For auld lang syne!

Scotland “Firstfooting,” (Each year, groups of friends or families do a tour to each others' houses and each family takes turn to provide the meal for the group) and Ceilidhs (Scottish dances) took place in the most remote parts of Scotland. The children in Scotland went from house to house collecting oatcakes. Grand parties were held everywhere at this night, and people celebrated the arrival of New Year with Scottish dances or Ceilidhs.

Spain

Eating 12 grapes is a custom that makes New Year celebrations in Spain unique and New Year in Spain is worth visiting for his nightlife. The night view during the New Year's celebration is amazing, so make sure to be a part of the New Year in Madrid. Spanish people keep 12 grapes ready at the beginning of the New Year and eat one with each chime of the clock symbolizing the 12 months of the year. The grape eating custom dates back to the King of Spain, who gave grapes to everybody to eat on the New Year's Eve with jest and enthusiasm.

As soon as the clock strikes 12, people gather at the Puerta del Sol Square in Madrid cheered happily for the entry of the New Year. New Year in Spain indeed enchants the visitors with the atmosphere dipped in true festive mood, atmosphere and decorations all over the Spain.

In Barcelona, people also participate in 12 grapes eating tradition when clock strikes at 12 midnight. People here are having party, dance, music, drinking and feasting with great enjoyment, enlightening the New Year's atmosphere. Visitors may come to experience countless surprises while having rock band performances to salsa, and from ballroom dance to gourmet delights. Another feature of New Year celebrations include the arrival of Magos who distribute candies and lollipops to all in The Procession of the Three Kings, bottle rockets and other aerial fireworks are being shot off all over the city particularly in Barcelona, furnishing Spain with an aura of jollity and festive atmosphere.

Spanish people celebrated the arrival of the New Year or Año nuevo

A buffoon shakes his hands during a New Year's celebration in Spain's Madrid on December 31, 2007

Germany

In German language, “Silvester” refers to New Year's Eve as the name suggests that a pope who lived in the fourth century has his feast day of Saint Sylvester on 31 December. People here celebrate New Year by dancing, singing, drinking and getting merry. Many Germans prefer playing games to foretell the future of the arrival of the New Year. Dropping molten lead into cold water is one of the famous games that predicting the future according to the shapes it takes in the cold water. Some prefer to share this special moment with their friends and loved ones.

When the clock strikes at 12 midnight, Germans hug and wish each other Happy New Year. To celebrate New Year's Eve, Germans usually splash a bottle of fine champagne, burn eye-catching fireworks and party hard.

Germany Brandenburg Gate

In Frankfurt, a city rich in culture and tradition, the sky is dazzling with brilliant firework display. On the New Year's Eve, in almost all the pubs and clubs in Frankfurt, one cannot stop from munching the delicious almond cookies called Brenten, Bethmännchen and drinks like Kinderpunch and Apfelwein. On every 1 January, the traditional New Year's concert is held annually at Alte Oper with performances include Maurice Ravel's Alborada del Cracioso, Klavierkonzert G-Dur, Boris Blacher's Orchestervariationen über ein Thema von Paganini and Mazeppa. Meanwhile in Hamburg, as soon as the clock strikes 12 at midnight, the church bells toll and ships sound their horns, which marks the merriment of the New Year. New Year is a gala event where dance, party and usher in the New Year bidding adieu to the old in the stylist city of Germany has become an important festival in Hamburg, Germany.

France

The French celebrate New Year on 1 January by exchanging gifts, cards and goodies as if Americans celebrate Christmas. Initially, people celebrated the New Year's Day known as “La Saint Sylyestre” in France since 1582.

Paris, France

During the French New Year's Eve, people celebrate with grand pomp and show. Various cultural programs too, take place during the New Year's Day. French make every moment approaching New Year by partying hard with family and dear ones, and bid a joyful farewell to the past year while welcoming the New Year with sparkling success, glorious and excitement. The New Year's holidays in France ends on 6 January with a tradition of cutting cake and types of cakes are in varieties depends on the place where you are in France.

Australia

During New Year in Australia, the Sydney Harbor Bridge is dazzling with more than 80,000 fireworks lit at the Circular Quay in vicinity to the Sydney Opera House. During the New Year's Eve, from a 16km radius around Sydney, one can see the fireworks sparkling with glorious, joyful, and more than 300,000 tourists from all over the world who want to capture the glimpse of the famous fireworks set their legs in Sydney. Everyone set eyes on the clock waiting eagerly for the arrival of the New Year.

Sydney, Australia

Australians prefer to go on picnics, outing and camping on beaches as ways to bid farewell to the past year and at the same time welcoming the arrival of the New Year. Meanwhile, people enjoy themselves by having New Year Party, camping and enjoying bonfires in Sydney. As soon as the clock strikes at sharp 12 at midnight, they ring the Church bells with excitement. People there make loud noises, blow car horns, whistles and shouting Happy New Year to each other. The spirit to celebrate the New Year is the same no matter whether they are at the seaside, in a dance club, at home, in the shopping complex, in a hotel and any other places all over the Australia.

In celebrating the arrival of 2008, people have party along with their beloved family, relatives and friends in Melbourne accompanying with the hottest rock bands performing on Melbourne beaches. For the community of Chinese-Australia, spectacular Great Dragon appears in the streets of Melbourne, marking the arrival of the New Year.

Good-bye 2007, welcome 2008!