The US Open

Back in January, when I first learned that I would be moving to New York in the last week of August, one of the first things I did was look into the possibility of getting hold of tickets to the US Open. After all, I wasn't sure if I'd ever find myself in NYC at this time of year again.

Having been to Wimbledon already this summer, I thought I might know what to expect when arriving at Flushing Meadows. Obviously I was aware of Wimbledon's unique qualities, but part of me wondered just how different two Grand Slam tournaments could be when the game, players and schedule went virtually untouched.

But as we entered the grounds via Queens' famous Unisphere, subtle differences between The All England Club and Flushing Meadows became immediately apparent. Although both championships proudly celebrate their respective histories, your eyes at the US Open are drawn to sponsors rather than statues as you walk through the gates.

There are plaques listing previous winners, but you're soon distracted by the Heineken logos that dominate eye-level. More commercialization than commemoration.

That said, the imposing exterior of the Arthur Ashe stadium soon grabs the attention. Like at Wimbledon, you walk past a couple of outer courts before reaching the show courts and although there is no ivy climbing up the walls and no golden clocks giving it added glamour, the view of the US Open's centre-piece still carries the same authority as Wimbledon's Centre Court.

The Arthur Ashe Stadium's exterior - and a bearded bloke

We had arrived at the gates for entry to the evening session - itself an alien concept to me. Presumably it's another shameless method of increasing turnover at the turnstiles, but I wasn't complaining when the schedule drew up Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova on the same night. To see two former champions for around £50 didn't seem too bad, considering the tickets I inherited at Centre Court in the summer cost more than twice that amount.

If Madison Square Garden attempted to find a balance between size and intimacy, the Arthur Ashe Stadium made no such effort. They say everything is bigger in the United States and this stadium is testament to that - and it has to be, considering the US Open is the busiest tennis tournament in the world. The 'nosebleeds' (as our taxi driver condescendingly called our seats) offered panoramic views of the city, giving an idea of the sheer size of the arena.

The stadium is bigger, and so is the show. At Wimbledon the atmosphere is famously polite, a word you wouldn't necessarily associate with Flushing Meadows, or indeed New York as a whole. Five-time champion Federer was introduced amid a crescendo of rock music - a gimmick I can't see the All England Club adopting any time soon.

The same can be said for the way the marketing that was plentiful outside the stadium had managed to worm its way into the Arthur Ashe. Wimbledon has not been immune to the necessary evil that is commercialism in sport (even its strawberries and cream are sponsored by HSBC) but I can't imagine a break in play on Centre Court being filled by Tina Fey appearing on screen to try and sell the crowd bracelets.

The typically understated Federer provided a stark contrast to his loud surroundings as he disposed of the unseeded Australian Sam Groth in straight sets. However, my view of the opening exchanges were constantly interrupted by the mass of people trying to find their seat. At Flushing Meadows, movement around the stadium is not restricted whilst the players are in action.

This was a by-product of the far 'messier' nature of the tournament compared to Wimbledon. From the bustling crowds outside the venue to the way the ball-boys would throw the ball the length of the court rather than roll them about in a more organised fashion, the whole event seemed decidedly and unsurprisingly less regimented than Wimbledon.

Crowds outside the Arthur Ashe Stadium, with the Unisphere in the background

Whilst this was not how I was used to watching tennis, it created a refreshingly relaxed atmosphere that was more suited to the busy city that is New York. With the advertising, colossal arena and show-like atmosphere, it was a lesson in the fact that - contrary to popular belief over here - bigger doesn't always mean better. It just means different.

In the same way that Britain likes to think that Wimbledon reflects the country as a whole, the US Open had America written all over it - it even came complete with a nerveless twelve-year-old's rendition of 'America the Beautiful'. And like everything else at Flushing Meadows, it was impressive.

Madison Square Garden

As mentioned yesterday, the purpose of our journey into Manhattan was to visit Madison Square Garden. The option of visiting Times Square instead was offered too, but the opportunity to have a guided tour of what they unashamedly call the 'World's Most Famous Arena' was too good to miss.

It's a bold tagline to attach to a venue, but by the end of the two hours it was clear that it wasn't a statement without justification. Anyone with a passing interest in sport or music has heard of 'The Garden', but I'll admit that I expected nothing more than something along the lines of Wembley Arena with a little added sport. This was a preconception reinforced by the building's modest exterior but completely shattered once we got inside.

We were led by a chap who, despite having led this tour countless times, was still clearly in awe of the place. He may have simply been good at his job, but he'd have had to have been an incredible actor to fake that kind of enthusiasm.

He took us on what he called a 'New York walk' around the arena, beginning with the food and drink stalls that surround any large venue. These echoed the kind you'd find at Wembley Stadium - overpriced and heavily sponsored, but what caught the eye was what hung above each one.

Running the long length of the stalls was a picture accompanied by a date from a particular year, going all the way from January 1st to December 31st. An event from music, sport or politics for every single day of the year. I struggle to believe that the same could be done even if Wembley Stadium and Arena were combined.

Also adorning the outer parts of the stadium were displays paying tribute to key moments in the Garden's history. As a New York Rangers fan, the one that caught my eye was a case dedicated to Wayne Gretzky's final game in the NHL. It included his famous number 99 jersey, a number they retired across the entire NHL at the end of his career.

Translating that into English terms, it's very hard indeed to imagine Manchester City and Liverpool agreeing to retire their number 11 shirts when Ryan Giggs retired at the end of last season.

Even the most casual hockey fan would have heard of Wayne Gretzky and his appeal was evident in the photo that sat next to his shirt. I can't remember seeing too many hockey players tuck their jerseys in completely, and when the guide referred to him as 'a gentleman' I was reminded of images of Bobby Moore wiping his hands on his shorts before shaking the Queen's hand in 1966.

There were also tributes to the concerts MSG had hosted, including gigs that had raised millions after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and Hurricane Sandy seven years later (for which Simon and Garfunkel came out of retirement). It was also interesting to hear the way the tour guide spoke of Elton John, who holds the record for the most shows played at the Garden - strange to hear how someone who grew up just a few miles from St. Albans is such a big part of this huge city's history.

Our first sight of the arena itself came via an exclusive lounge from which the view of MSG needs to be seen to be believed. I thought the lounge I worked in at Leicester Tigers was nice but the view from here was something else.

The strange thing about the Garden is the way it feels intimate yet enormous at the same time. The roof moves convexly from the top of the steep seating, down towards the GardenVision at the arena's centre, thus combining the Colosseum effect of a huge outdoor arena with the almost claustrophobic nature of an intimate theatre.

We were taken up onto the Bridge - seating that hung from the roof, suspended above what would be the court or rink. Once you'd gotten over the vertigo, the views were unique in that you were almost looking directly down upon the arena's focal point. It was just one of the technological miracles MSG had to offer, as the guide explained how the ice was created and then protected using fibre-glass to allow a basketball court or stage to be built on top of it.

Although the views were spectacular (even better than those you'd find at Clarence Park), it was the history of the place that provided the goosebumps. Banners hung from the ceiling commemorating Stanley Cup winning teams and musical records that had been broken at the Garden. The likes of Billy Joel, Michael Jordan and John F. Kennedy had all been the centre of attention at this famous arena.

Yet the tour guide spoke with most emotion as he described one particular New York Rangers game in October 2001, the first game at the Garden since the terrorist attacks of September 11th. As he described how Rangers captain Mark Messier donned the hat of fallen Fire Chief Ray Downey, you got the sense that this was not just the history of a sporting arena or musical venue, but the history of an entire city.

What $2.50 can get you...

Although it's been nearly four days since I arrived in New York City, it didn't seem right to bother writing anything until I'd made the trip under the East River into Manhattan.

It's been a busy few days but as incredible as it was to be re-united with Lucky Charms and to discover that Japanese money has holes in it, I'm not sure that's enough to write home about.

A personal highlight of days 1-3

I'd had glimpses of the skyline from the plane window, from campus and on the way to Target (basically Homebase, Wilkinsons and ASDA rolled into one) but it wasn't until Wednesday that we took the subway into 'the city'.

I thought I'd heard wrong when the tour advisors informed us that it cost just $2.50 to get into Manhattan from our campus in Queens. The subway ride took about half an hour - a twenty minute train ride from St. Albans to St. Pancras costs more than ten times that amount. Ridiculous.

Even though I'm staying for a year, I doubt I'll ever stop feeling like a tourist here. All the cliches you hear about NYC - the constant looking up, the questionable characters and incredible pace of the place - were confirmed within about a minute of stepping out of the subway.

We only spent an hour wandering the streets of Manhattan's midtown but still managed to take in Times Square and Broadway (was disappointed that Rent hadn't made a comeback), as well as catching glimpses of the World Trade Centre, Chrysler building and MetLife building from our base in Bryant Park - all of which I hope to get a closer look at over the coming months.

It was an odd feeling to be sat on the grass in a park with skyscrapers creating shade rather than trees. I'm not sure how many places there are in the world that can offer that.

Fittingly, there was an opportunity to pay tribute to the late, great Richard Attenborough at Macy's, the setting of the classic Miracle on 34th Street. But, as I'm quickly learning, there was only time to take a second before it was time to get going. Such is life here.

The Bank of America Tower as seen from Bryant Park

I wish I had stayed because before I knew it I was eating a 'chilli dog' (I still don't know what it is and it's sitting in my stomach) that was so soft I'm pretty sure I could have drunk it.

The purpose of our trip, however, was a guided tour of Madison Square Garden, but it wouldn't do justice to the history of the place to mention it without elaboration so that will have to be done at a later date.

Don't want to sign off on a negative note but I was a little disappointed not to have run into Harvey Specter somewhere in Manhattan. Not letting the fact that Suits is filmed in Toronto get in the way of that dream. Or the fact that he's fictional...