BREATHING in the crisp mountain air atop the Shawangunk Ridge, it was difficult to believe that less than two hours before I had been engulfed in mid-town Manhattan.

The history of New York is both vibrant and violent.

WITH the dollar falling to new lows against the pound, anyone can scoop up a bargain in the Big Apple this Christmas – but if you know where to look, the savings can be huge.

Like most of my Baby Boomer generation, I got to know modern America through Frank Sinatra.

The bright lights of Manhattan and the laid-back paradise of Bermuda prove the perfect combination for TESSA EVANS.