Everything & Anything New York City

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terriandaaron wrote: »

I meant nearby as being two single girls in NY, somewhere easier to get to/safe to travel to, I don't mind somewhere on the subway just not a long long way to travel home at night.


Were looking for normal kind of dining steak/seafood/chicken etc , love a nice steak nothing too posh although could do Chinese or Italian or similar, somewhere we can have a few drinks or cocktails to, our usual sort of places here are mainly chains TGIS Jamie Italian, Beefeater, although we do frequent a lovely local French and steak place sometimes, and enjoy trying little independents, some breakfast suggestions would be good too.

I think although after maybe getting our bearings well be happy to try public transport on the return journey to the station id like something easier more direct for drop off, my last memory of new York is as a teenager, and although we travel often to the states haven't been to NY other than stopovers.

Ive emailed carmel as I couldn't seem to find my hotel on there list, as a ballpark how much would this be?

Hi

Try Virgils off Times Square I also like Hard Rock Cafe - Great cocktails in both places.

I recommend the Murray Hill Diner for breakfast.

gregg1

vanilla8 wrote: »

I am going to be staying at jolly madison in Jan so will be keen for you to let us know how it was.
In response to your questions, i have stayed in that area before -Murray hill area, and there are a few places to get a breakfast close by - American bacon is thin and normally friend to a crisp. The sausages are different - sometimes come like a square patty - like you would get in a mcdonalds breakfast over here. Eggs can be done how you like them. Usually comes with 'hash browns' or pancakes if you wish

I have seen Jersey boys in London, and it was great so would say you would make a good choice if you went for that.

Ideas for a meal may be the view restaurant, think a few people have this booked for thanksgiving - see previous posts, so you could tentatively book that and wait for some reviews?

I second the View, it is a lovely restaurant and every time we have been the food has been amazing (we eat out a lot at good restaurants and are pretty fussy about our food and in my opinion the food at this restaurant is certainly not mediocre, but obviously that is just my opinion).

It is also in the theatre district and they do pre show sittings.

josie

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

Obviously you know your wife better than I do, and I don't know how old your children are, and maybe I'm a control freak, but ...

I'm really not sure I'd appreciate being whisked away without knowing. Does she not even know you're going away?

You see, when the boys were home, there was always a multitude of things in my head which needed doing, which were only in my head. And if I hadn't been allowed to write my list down I'd have spent the whole time panicking that some of them wouldn't get done. I know some of them don't matter, but others actually do ...

I agree - she may like surprises, but I'd absolutely hate not knowing that I was going or where. You need things like your most comfortable shoes and the right coat and bag and all little things in your hand luggage you may not have considered.

I booked a surprise skiing trip for DH for his 50th and we went out for a special meal here a couple of weeks before and I put the tickets (well made some) into an envelope to be delivered with dessert and he loved it. Plus some of the fun is the anticipation that she's not going to have...

I may be wrong, but I would give her a bit of notice.

josie

gregg1 wrote: »

I second the View, it is a lovely restaurant and every time we have been the food has been amazing (we eat out a lot at good restaurants and are pretty fussy about our food and in my opinion the food at this restaurant is certainly not mediocre, but obviously that is just my opinion).

It is also in the theatre district and they do pre show sittings.

And yet when we went the food was exactly that - mediocre and a bun fight of a buffet. Took DH last time and we just had a glass of fizz each, which was long enough to do one revolution and see the view, so I'd recommend it for the view but not the food.

M4RKM

terriandaaron wrote: »

I meant nearby as being two single girls in NY, somewhere easier to get to/safe to travel to, I don't mind somewhere on the subway just not a long long way to travel home at night.

Were looking for normal kind of dining steak/seafood/chicken etc , love a nice steak nothing too posh although could do Chinese or Italian or similar, somewhere we can have a few drinks or cocktails to, our usual sort of places here are mainly chains TGIS Jamie Italian, Beefeater, although we do frequent a lovely local French and steak place sometimes, and enjoy trying little independents, some breakfast suggestions would be good too.

I think although after maybe getting our bearings well be happy to try public transport on the return journey to the station id like something easier more direct for drop off, my last memory of new York is as a teenager, and although we travel often to the states haven't been to NY other than stopovers.

Ive emailed carmel as I couldn't seem to find my hotel on there list, as a ballpark how much would this be?

What hotel is it? Carmel is normally $44 plus toll and tip ($5 toll ish, and $8.80 tip, round up to $58 will do the trick).

As for you being 2 girls in NYC means that not many people will bat an eyelid. At night the subway is busy until the early hours, 2am is considered to be late, and the trains will still be busy, and occasionally standing room only too!

Steak is expensive, with sides and wine, you could be looking over $50 per person.. Have you checked MenuPages? check ny.eater.com for loads of recommendations and also the heat map which shows what's hot right now. I'd much rather go to somewhere unique to NYC, there are over 20,000 restaurants, rather than a chain restaurant such as TGI's.

M

catmonkey85

LONG POST WARNING!

madcal87 wrote: »

Sorry peeps, i am sure this has been asked 100 times before but couldn't find it....

Whats the deal with the attraction passes? What website gets you discount, and is it really worth it?

The main attractions I want to do is TOTR, and the boat around statue of liberty (or maybe the statue cruise itself)

Hi madcal87 - I've just got back from a 4 night stay in NY and we got the New York Pass. For us it was great, but as others have said, you need to look at the attractions available and see if you think that it's worth it for you.

We got the 2 day pass & 2 day bus tour (which can be used on separate days - ie we did the pass Thurs/Fri & the bus Fri/Sat). It worked out at just under £100 each with the exchange rate we got at the time. The pass is valid up to a year in advance - so if the rate goes particularly high you could buy it well in advance.

Here's what we managed to fit in (NYP denotes entry with pass):

Wednesday:
2pm Arrived JFK & got taxi to The Hudson
Checked into hotel and had a quick change
went for a walk around Times Square, food, drinks and early night (11pm)

Thursday:
Got the 10am NY Water Taxi down to the financial district NYP
Short walk to World Trade Centre (pay your donation online in advance to skip the queue - not part of the pass)
Went to 9/11 Tribute Centre (IMO a must do - very emotional with stories of the people who were victims and survivors of the attacks) NYP
Went to Century 21 as in the area for some shopping
Got the water taxi round the Statue of Liberty and stayed on all the way around to our original starting point NYP
Went to the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum NYP
Back to the hotel to drop off shopping, quick change and back out
Madame Tussauds NYP
10pm Empire State Building NYP
Dinner, drinks & bed

Friday
Top of the Rock NYP
Got the open top bus (great little snippits of info from the tour guide about buildings/film locations etc) NYP
Off the bus at Natural History Museum NYP
Back on the bus to do the full loop (around 90 mins in total) NYP
Back to the hotel to change and then have dinner before watching Matilda (such fun!)

Saturday
Got on the other bus route down to the financial district NYP
Off the bus to wander around Greenwich & Soho
Walked along the High Line
Bus back to the hotel to change NYP
Subway to Brooklyn to watch the Nets
Back to local bar near hotel for food & drinks before bed

Sunday
Central Park from 10am - 1.30pm before flight to Vegas

We had an absolutely fantastic time! As others have suggested, you end up going to attractions that you may not have bothered with, just so you get your money's worth. For us this was Madame Tussauds, 9/11 Tribute Cebtre & Intrepid. That said, we really enjoyed them all (more so than the Natural History Museum which we would have paid for). Before we went, we only planned to do the bus, TOTR, Nat His Museum, Empire State & Water Taxi - we worked out that this meant we just about broke even. However it was very convenient, easier than paying for things on the day and had a couple of queue jumps so we were happy to break even. As it was we did more.

You have to plan for what is in the area & what times they are open until. Had we not been going to watch Matilda, we would have also gone to the exhibition at the Discovery Centre and potentially been able to fit in MOMA or Guggenheim. We would not have paid for both TOTR and Empire so was glad we were able to do both. Having the water Taxi & Bus included meant that we only had to get the subway to the Nets game., and got to see more as overland.

All that said, we only had quick food or found ourselves eating at 1am rather than having a 3 course meal at a sensible time. We have said that if we went back, we would want to spend time living as a new Yorker - just relaxing and eating great food. However, we don't know if we will ever get the chance to go back and so wanted to do as much as possible! The pace was fast and our feet ached - but this is how we do every city that we go to, so was not a problem to us!

I hope my long post has helped someone - feel free to ask any questions!

gregg1

josie wrote: »

And yet when we went the food was exactly that - mediocre and a bun fight of a buffet. Took DH last time and we just had a glass of fizz each, which was long enough to do one revolution and see the view, so I'd recommend it for the view but not the food.

I have never had the buffet so cannot comment but the A la Carte/fixed price menu has always been excellent.

poormaria

If my other half booked me a surprise trip to NYC I would be ecstatic!!! Good on you

poormaria

ANOTHER HOTEL QUESTION:

I've got until 31st Oct to cancel my hotel and rebook so keep checking.

I can now get the One UN New york (near murray hill?) for the same price as Cosmopolitan Tribeca..... should I stick or change?

Cheers in advance!!

poormaria

I could also get the MaVe for just slightly more or I could get Tribeca Blu for quite a lot cheaper

I am happy with Cosmopolitan but just want to double check