Everything & Anything New York City

Nobjocki

KK22 wrote: »

I am looking forward to trying out a couple of the bars on both of the pub crawls listed here.

Nobjocki, i think that would be a good idea. As much as i like exploring different areas of new york city, i do also like being able to grab a quick drink before/after dinner, or on the way back to the hotel. I usually stay in the Midtown area, so if people have suggestions of good bars in this area, it would be much appreciated.

Which bars did you have in mind ?
They're all interesting in different ways but if I had to choose one it would be the Ear Inn which is steeped in history but not at all touristy.
It's a little off the beaten track but not much, being on the edge of Soho.
You might like to combine it with dinner and some music in this place

www.citywinery.com

- the last time I was there we saw a fantastic performance from old British rocker Nick Lowe.

There are also some great restaurants and bars on nearby Spring Street.

I've also previously recommended this as a really great night out that's not at all expensive - the feller has just done the music for and appeared in Boardwalk Empire.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/28/nyregion/28metjournal.html?_r=1&scp=7&sq=Jazz&st=cse
http://www.myspace.com/vincegiordanothenighthawks


If you need any more info perhaps you might want to PM me - unlike some on here I don't get proprietorial about being the greatest expert on New York.

Ladyshopper

I need flights for May 2012, as booked a cruise out of New York. I know they're not on sale yet, but can anyone suggest when would be the best time to start looking, and also when there may be sales etc?

M4RKM

Ladyshopper wrote: »

I need flights for May 2012, as booked a cruise out of New York. I know they're not on sale yet, but can anyone suggest when would be the best time to start looking, and also when there may be sales etc?

The window that will get you the cheapest flights will be somewhere between November 2011 and February 2010. Flights go on sale 330 days in advance, so the earliest you'll see them on sale is June/July however, doubtful they'll be discounted that much at that point. Set a price alert on Kayak if you want, then you get an e-mail when they drop below a certain price level. I have mine set for September 2011 and aim to book in June or July time. I know my target price, and the alerts are set for under that.

You don't state what airport you want to fly from, so May, it's a good time of year for weather, so flight prices won't be at their cheapest, nor their most expensive, so if you see a price from LHR under £400, and MAN (or other large regional airport) around £450, then I'd buy my flights at that price (these prices are for direct flights though)

Flight Sales however, IMO are just a marketing ploy by BA/Virgin, I've never found their flight sale prices cheaper than standard prices from the likes of KLM / AirFrance / Delta (all of which who codeshare).

M

Ladyshopper

Thank you. Will explore the Kayak website and look at how to do that.

There are prices this May for much cheaper than £400, but obviously its close to the event now. With my cruise booking I have up to 75 days before I sail to get all my money back if I cancel (which I obviously don't want to!), so its that risk of leaving it and hoping for a bargain.

From what I've seen this year I was hoping for prices of £350 each max, but maybe thats unrealistic?

First choice would be out of London for flights, but would go to Manchester or elsewhere within reason if cheaper. The cruise is 25th May, so would probably fly out day before, then tag a couple of days on at the end of cruise to do some sightseeing, so coming back around 4th June.

gregg1

sitting here with a cuppa and a magnolia bakery cupcake which my daughter has just arrived home with after managing to transport six of em from NY on a 7 hour flight (God only knows how she managed to get them home undamaged). I know some people think they are over-rated BUT I LOVE EM !!!! Got a big bag of tootsie rolls and saltwater taffy to start on next - what a bloater!!

PS - if you saw the amount of shopping bags she came home with you would understand what a real feat it was. £1,500 worth of shopping meant she went well over her luggage allowance but the very nice chap at check-in stuck an upper class tag on hers and her friends bag and let them off with paying extra (at least their luggage went upper class even if they didn't!!).

jammin_2

Quick question for those who have flown in to JFK before:

Delta flight 123 is scheduled to arrive at 13:15 from SNN, so presumably Terminal 3 and immigration already cleared in Shannon.

What time do you think we might arrive at the Millennium Hilton if travelling by taxi?

M4RKM

Ladyshopper wrote: »

From what I've seen this year I was hoping for prices of £350 each max, but maybe thats unrealistic?

First choice would be out of London for flights, but would go to Manchester or elsewhere within reason if cheaper. The cruise is 25th May, so would probably fly out day before, then tag a couple of days on at the end of cruise to do some sightseeing, so coming back around 4th June.

Where exactly are you looking for flights that come up much cheaper than £400? I've just selected the same week for this year, as you are going next year, the cheapest is £395 with decent flight times, is with Virgin. £347 with alitalia, but there is 1 stop involved...

London is always the cheapest, followed by Manchester (as it has a few direct flights), so if London is your first choice, then you'll be fine.

Is £350 unrealistic? well it's a target price to try and hit, but don't be penny wise and pound foolish, and get flights at bad times, just to save a few quid.

M

M4RKM

jammin wrote: »

Quick question for those who have flown in to JFK before:

Delta flight 123 is scheduled to arrive at 13:15 from SNN, so presumably Terminal 3 and immigration already cleared in Shannon.

What time do you think we might arrive at the Millennium Hilton if travelling by taxi?

Depends how long the luggage takes to get off the plane. I had to clear immigration at JFK at around 1pm, and was still out, and sitting on the airtrain (a longer walk than to get a taxi too), in less than 45 minutes. So if you use that as a timescale to get into a taxi, and you're looking at 45 minutes to get to the hotel. I say that, as you're not going to tackle midtown traffic, and if you direct the taxi driver over the Brooklyn Bridge.

So, you'll be at your hotel, by 3pm at the latest. I've done public transport a few times into Brooklyn and Manhattan, and after getting off a plane at around 1pm, always get through to my hotel by 3pm. No one way is faster than others, so if you want to save a few quid, I'd get airtrain / subway.

M

Ladyshopper

I looked on the airmiles website a couple of days ago (not that I have enough airmiles and no chance of earning them by then which is a shame!). There was a definitely a virgin flight that came up at £330, although when I look now that isn't there, so I either put in a different return date by a day (possible), or its gone up since I looked (also possible!).

I will look at flight times as well as cost, really don't want anything that sets off in the small hours of the morning. Think I'll suffer with jetlag whatever though, we went to LA this year in Feb and it took me a week afterwards to get back into regular sleeping times!

jammin_2

Thanks Mark. That's a huge help. Thing is you see, I'm booking a massage for my wife (already bought the Groupon) and the latest appointment they have is 3pm on the day we arrive! Talk about cutting it fine..