New York via Tokyo with ANA highly recommended.

For the second year in a row we took ANA business class and very pleased we did.  I would say it is closer to first class and on the northern leg the cabin is virtually first class and is called 'the room' by the crits.  I cannot fathom how they can charge less than half the  regular business class fare offered by Qantas via Auckland, making it way out of our range.  

New York City is different in some ways in the new Trump days yet essentially it is still the Big Apple, as ever, and as described by my grandfather Harry Gracie in his letters from 1924 (Harry's Letters - Chicago, Detroit, Niagara, New York Part 1).  

Central Park has been smartened up, renovations are happening, people seem to stick to themselves and get on with the job.  Spring is a lovely time to visit.  The Frick Collection has reopened after 4 years of restorations, definitely worth a visit if just for their four Vermeers.  

The Frick reopening day 17th April.  

More elsewhere about the new Aida at the Metropolitan Opera ... Magic Flute ... concerts at Julliard, Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully and Geffen Hall.