Following an opening beset by problems, the musical ‘Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark’ has now created history by making nearly $3million at the box office across just nine performances.

Two years ago the expensive $75million musical was given a big “thumbs down” by the critics, while the production was also delayed. That is not to mention the unfortunate injuries to actors performing in the show.

The festive period has really proved to be bountiful, beating ‘Wicked’ to the top spot with regards to the show with the largest gross takings within the space of a week.

The Broadway musical starring Reeve Carney may be taken on the road in the future, due to the success in New York.

Whenever I got to New York I always use the website menupages.com as it provides an excellent guide to the many eateries in Manhattan and New York City’s outer boroughs.

If, for instance, you were looking for a place near to your hotel to get a belly-busting American diner breakfast, by using this website you could find exactly what you are looking for, comparing prices between establishments as well as the quality of food.

One of my all-time favourite places to grab a great tasting milkshake and delicious burger is Shake Shack in the Upper West Side (close to Central Park).

But there are so many opportunities in the city to grab Mexican food, sushi, kebabs and of course pizza!

I have been to New York now too many times to mention. I’m not sure exactly what keeps drawing me back to this overcrowded and hectic city, but maybe it is a fascination with the lifestyle of its inhabitants.

If you go to stay in Manhattan during the cold winter months you will get quite a surprise. Yes, it is great for Christmas shopping and the fairytale image as seen in the movies is still certainly true, however it is bitterly cold and can get very windy around the shoreline of the Hudson River.

Like this time, I prefer to go at the end of the summer season, at the start of September. It won’t be as hot and humid as the sticky summer months but should still be warm enough to do plenty of outside activities and find things to do.

As I’m travelling with friends who have never been to the city before, it should be a really good trip and a bit different (I’ve still never done some of the more touristy things like go up the Empire State Building).

I have been waiting till my trip to New York in September, so won’t have to worry about the weather there too much – although the heat in a towering city like the Big Apple can drive you out to Brooklyn or New Jersey to one of the many man-made beaches where you can sip on a beer or two in the sun!

Most people like to brave the cold winters there and do some Christmas shopping, but if you go towards the end of the summer (when the heat is not so overbearing), you have cooler breezes and sunny days where you can walk around everywhere, visiting the many beautiful parks dotted around the city. Add to that all the shopping pleasures of the city and you have the perfect balance for your holiday!

There are an abundance of flight and holiday deals available at the moment. I am looking to go to the United States or Canada over the next few months. If you are flexible with your travel dates, there are loads of deals to be found out there.

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I have been thinking about New York a lot recently, as I’m planning on going back there later this year. Plus, my friend asked my advice on places to stay, just the other day. While looking at New York-related news I found an interesting article that had been posted on the Daily Telegraph website earlier in the week.

Strange as it seems, New Yorkers are now be able to enjoy yet another area of greenery set amongst the sprawl of the busy city – however this park is elevated well above ground level!

The High Line Park is set on an abandoned elevated railway track above the Meatpacking District. The first half-mile section of the park was unveiled on Monday and has been open to the public since Tuesday.

I’m sure next time I do get to visit the Big Apple this intriguing park will be high on my list of places to visit.

I enjoyed the many interactive elements at Epcot including the “Honey I Shrunk The Audience” 3D experience based on the 80s movie “Honey I Shrunk The Kids”. There was also a chance to get behind the wheel of a go-kart when driving on the Test Track.

The kids I was with certainly loved the Imagination Institute ride with the dragon, Figment leading through various labs testing sight, sound and smell. The Mission: Space simulation blasts you off into space.

I did encounter a strange, but welcome surprise one evening while walking around the various “countries” at Epcot with my family. The Beach Boy’s music I could hear playing by a live band was actually being played by the legendary 60s band, themselves! I stayed to listen to some of their classics like ‘Fun, Fun, Fun’, ‘Good Vibrations’ and ‘I Get Around’.

In the last blog post, I was explaining how it can get extremely hot in Manhattan, New York during the summer months – this may be obvious but it is one thing to anticipate it and another to actually experience it, especially when you are surrounded by high rise buildings and sweaty underground subway systems with (sometimes faltering) air conditioning systems on the trains.

I have also visited New York during October through to January and have to admit, if you thought the summer was difficult to acclimatise to, then the winter is equally extreme. The winter in New York has been glamorised and romanticised in many films. I must say, it is incredible to visit the ice rink in the Rockefeller center and to get caught up in the festivities and really captures the spirit of Christmas, however it is very, very cold.

If you decide to visit the city during these months I would recommend taking extra layers of clothing and a hat – the wind can be bitterly cold and can snap at your ears. There are many shops of course to buy these items if you so wish. It is great to do your Christmas shopping at this time and it would be good for a romantic break.

To summarise, New York is a great all-year round place to visit – as long as you don’t mind the weather extremities – there is of course lots to do, see and things to buy. I would recommend Menu Pages (www.menupages.com) to find the best restaurants to eat at.

After a while, you get used to the fast pace New Yorker way of life. There is no place like it on earth.

I have been to New York on a number of occasions now, as it is my favourite city to visit in the world. It does have its quirks and is not to everyone’s tastes but if you go with the flow in the fast paced way of life over there then you’ll fit in just fine. I have been there during all months of the year at some point, but I’ll start with early summer for those thinking of taking a holiday to New York.

A couple of years ago I lived in Manhattan while undertaking a film course at the New York Film Academy. I lived near Union Square in the East Village and was there between the months of May and July. It can get extremely hot during this time and it is hard to stay cool amongst all the buildings generating heat. If you can get away to one of the surrounding boroughs such as Brooklyn, possibly to a park or open space occasionally during this time then it will provide a welcome relief. Still, New York during the summer is great, with lots of deals on food and drink in the many restaurants and bars.

If you live in Manhattan during the summer, air conditioning is a must! If you are staying in one of the many hotels then you’ll be just fine, but if renting then you must check that this is included in the price.

It is great though to sit outside having a meal in the sun, but be careful – when it rains: it rains. The downpours during the summer can soak you through in a matter of minutes.

Next, I will look at New York during the winter.

During the summer of 2007 I was between jobs and so decided that it would be the ideal time to take a sabbatical and do some travelling. However, the notion of randomly backpacking had never appealed to me and I wanted to go to the United States. I have always had an interest in film and writing a script in particular. Like most things people procrastinate about, I never got round to actually starting it so I looked into enrolling on a film course in New York. I found an interesting screenwriting workshop at the New York Film Academy - School of Film and Acting .

The course was very involving and hands-on. Our tutor, who has worked in the industry for many years, wanted the class to develop their writing skills through trial and error. We each had to present our work-in-progress scripts at least once a week for a read-through, with character roles were cast to each member.

I set aside the recommended three hours of writing time each day (including research) and by the end of the course I had written just under fifty pages of my script. I would certainly recommend the course to anyone considering a course at the NYFA. The experience of living in New York for the duration of the course and for some time beyond was certainly a contributing factor. No wonder many movie scripts and TV shows have been written by screenwriters based in New York. The place just oozes creativity, is captivating and a great place to finally get that script written.