Fall in New York

My husband and I are looking to go New York City in October sometime. As of right now we are looking at the weekend of the 14th or the 28th. Are there any neighborhood festivals those weekends? What is the ';best'; area to stay in that time of year?

We are 29 and have been to NYC once before, Easter weekend and are a little familiar with the city....

We are just dying to get back!!

thanks!

Fall in New York

Around the middle of the month there is the 8th Avenue Autumn Festival and the Avenue of the Americas Family Expo.

The third week or so, there are festivals at Washington Square and Third Avenue.

Close to the end of the month, just before halloween, there is also a festival on Park Avenue South.

For my money, I would try to book something along Park Avenue South to be close to Central Park. If you catch a break the foliage is fantastic.

Fall in New York

Wingman, did you mean to say Central Park South?

Autumn in New York is so pretty, I agree that staying near the park would be fine. I like the upper west side, and would suggest you take a look at these hotels -- Lucerne, Excelsior, Beacon, Belleclaire, Milburn, On the Ave.

Yes I did, Bettina. Good catch.

The calendar on nycvisit.com should tell you. I don%26#39;t think either of those weekends has any special street fairs but there are weekly things like the Union Square market and the Hell%26#39;s Kitchen flea market.

Hotel prices have been astronomical this fall. I%26#39;d pick whichever weekend has the best rates and I%26#39;d stay wherever you can get the best deal. The upper westside is a good idea since it%26#39;s often less than midtown and lots to see and do up there. I%26#39;d also check the Park South Hotel which sometimes has weekend specials. It%26#39;s in a good area for restaurants and getting around. It%26#39;s a very nice hotel although rooms are smallish.

parksouthhotel.com

You might also check travelzoo.com and see if there are any specials (but I doubt it).

If you%26#39;re looking for a bargain, the Cosmopolitan is a newish budget hotel in Tribeca that would be fine for a weekend stay and would put you near the trendier, younger downtown areas.

In about a month, this site should have a foliage alert:

http://iloveny.com/main.asp

Check this site for the foliage report:

www.foliagenetwork.com/reports/northeast_us/

Thanks- this will sure help me get started. My husband loved the Upper West Side so I really like the idea of staying there this time. We stayed in Midtown back in April.

Much love to you all. thanks again.

GL

nail polish

any way other than paying $200 to see Lion King

We just recently heard that Lion King is fantastic. However we are coming to NYC Sun-Tues of next week and the only tickets I see are premium $200 each. Does anyone know of another source for sold-out show tickets?

Color me clueless.

any way other than paying $200 to see Lion King

standing room only

you stand for the entire show

When the show is sold out, standing room tickets are available on the day of the performance at the box office. There is a limit of 1 ticket per person. $20 (orchestra) or $15 (mezzanine)

any way other than paying $200 to see Lion King

Try craig%26#39;s list new york - it appears there are several offers under $200...

http://newyork.craigslist.org/cgi-bin/search?areaID=3%26amp;subAreaID=0%26amp;query=lion+king%26amp;catAbbreviation=tix%26amp;minAsk=min%26amp;maxAsk=max

Dress up like a gazelle and pretend to be an extra?

Though it was a great show, I wouldn%26#39;t pay $200 for the tickets. The $100 per person we paid was too much. Find a different show, maybe. We enjoyed ';Phantom.. '; for much cheaper using discount codes.

Check out theatermania.com - maybe you could find something else?

You could check applause-tickets.com

$200 for good seats at a top show in NYC is a good price. If the price doesn%26#39;t work for you, check out another show. But stick with good seats, unless that part doesn%26#39;t matter to you.

Hi, have you checked out www.ticketmaster.com ? They seem to be offering tickets for next Sunday at $100. Go to the website and once you%26#39;ve searched for Lion King and picked your date and time on the calender, tick the any price box rather than premium rate.

Good Luck.

face twitching

Trip report 3-10th September, very long....

Here’s our trip report, we spent a week in New York, 3rd September to 10th September. It’s quite long but I hope some of it will be of use.

3rd September

Arrived JFK at 12pm. We cleared immigration within 20 minutes even saying “I love Boddingtons” whilst we got our photos taken by the immigration officer. Then we jumped in a yellow cab to Manhattan (45$ plus toll and tip). We arrived at the Inn on 23rd around 2pm and were out walking the streets by 3pm. Since it was labor day weekend we headed up to 5th Avenue to do some tax free clothes shopping. We bought 7 day Metro cards for the subway (24$) which were worth their weight in gold. We headed back via Times Square and had dinner at Virgils Barbecue which was fantastic. Since we’d been up since 4am UK time (22 hours) we had an early night!

4th September

Had a great breakfast at the Inn and then took the subway to Grand Central Station. Took some time to enjoy GCS and then boarded the train to Beacon. We wanted to get out of NYC for a day and a daytrip to this small town had appeared in an internet article. If you go up the Hudson line do as others on here have recommended and sit on the left. The 90 minute journey is awesome! The views of the Hudson river, West point etc are fantastic.

We arrived into Beacon and walked to Main Street which we took a guess at finding as there is no map at the station. First impressions were that it’s a quaint little town. Certainly the first half a mile of shops are art galleries, tea shops, antique shops etc in well renovated buildings. However the town is let down by the centre of Main Street which is run down and dilapidated. Many 1960 flat roofed buildings in need of repair etc. We kept going through this part until we came to the Madame Brett homestead. All the internet info said it was open on the first Sunday of each month, great! Only to find at 12pm it was shut. Nice old building in colonial style though. This end of Main Street was also very pleasant with oldy worldy style shops, art galleries etc. We wandered back along Main Street and had a superb lunch at the Cup and Saucer. Then we headed back to the station and jumped on the train getting back into Manhattan around 3pm.

A bit more shopping on 5th Avenue, back to the Inn on 23rd and straight out for a slap up meal at the Chelsea Brewing Company on Chelsea Piers. A nice warm night had us eating out on the decking over looking the Hudson river right where Titanic would have docked. Try the Checker Cab Blonde Ale – well worth it. Then we boarded a twilight cruise of Manhattan which again was well worth it, got some nice shots of the Statue of Liberty all flood lit. This was up a few piers around 76, just down from Intrepid and run by New York Waterways.

5th September

This was Big Apple Greeter Day. We’d applied about two months before the trip and heard from BAG about 4 days before we left for NYC. Our first choice was Brooklyn and we got it!

We took the subway down to Sheepshead Bay where we met our greeter, Eleanor. She showed us around the area, telling us the history and what has happened to the neighbourhood. We then walked to Brighton Beach (Little Odessa) where we saw how the Russian immigrants had revitalised the area. We did some shopping there in the fruit markets and then we walked along the board walk to Coney Island. There we had a look at the funfair and the general area. Back along to Brighton Beach where we had lunch in a Russian restaurant. Borsht in Brighton Beach.

I cannot recommend our greeter or Big Apple Greeters highly enough. It’s a superb idea and our greeter was very knowledgeable. Instead of the 2 hours allocated we spent six with our greeter. Really, really good.

The area in Brooklyn we’d have never thought of going to and it was great to see something different.

In the evening we headed up the Empire State Building around 1930 to catch the sunset over Manhattan. Unfortunately so did loads of other people and we just caught the end of it! Dinner was a last minute thing so we headed to Don Giovanni’s just off 23rd Street which we’d been to on our last trip.

6th September

We headed uptown towards Grants Tomb. It’s got an interesting exhibition in it and it’s free.

Then we headed towards Riverside Church to try and get up the tower but it was closed.

Next across to Columbia University, if you’ve seen ghostbusters you’ll recognise it. Followed by Morningside Park for a photo opportunity (we live in Morningside in Edinburgh) and then onto Central Park for a wander and some lunch. Had a look around the Conservatory garden which is pleasant and offers lots of shade.

Next stop was the Museum of the City of New York which isn’t really as the title suggests. There is a good 30 minute documentary on the history but that’s it, the other exhibitions are about buildings that have been knocked down and artwork etc etc.

After that we headed to Grand Central Station for cheesecake from Juniors and back to the Inn. Chocolate swirl is well recommended…!

Headed to F%26amp;B’s hotdogs for a snack before picking up the tickets for Chicago. For any male who is grumbling about going to Chicago the fishnet stockings and ample cleavages on display make up for it ;-) Very entertaining, the show I mean ;-). Headed to the Heartland Brewery for some beers and a snack. Subway home.

7th September

The other half wasn’t feeling to good so I did a bit of shopping and postcard writing. B %26amp; H photo is well worth visiting even if you don’t buy anything. I could have bought lots of good gadgets at very good prices.

In the evening we headed up to the house that Ruth built (yankee stadium) for a baseball game. What an experience. Sat with locals eating hotdogs and drinking beer (beer vendors badge said “we ID under 40’s”) and watching NY Yankees play the Tampa Bay Devils. Awesome. Yankees won apparently (hadn’t a clue what was going on). It’s a very social game amongst the spectators and like cricket is generally dull but punctuated with moments of excitement. Saw a home run :) Want to see more :)

Was a bit worried about going up to the Bronx but all fears were unfounded and it was sociable, friendly and safe. Not like a football match back home. Headed back on a 4 subway to Union Square /14th and finished off with a few beers at the Heartland Brewery there.

8th September

Very busy day trying to cram in what we’d missed the previous day. We headed down to Bowling green and had a look around Battery Park. Then up to the US Customs house which is very imposing and then onto Trinity Church which has a very interesting history and is quite a wealthy landowner in Manhattan. Back across the street to Wall Street and then to Ground Zero. There is nothing to see but it’s a sombre moment as you think of what happened and how it has affected people.

Allowed the other half some shopping time in Century 21. Became bag carrier for rest of day. Wandered up Broadway to City Hall and then jumped on the Subway to Katz’s deli.

What an experience, we opted for waiter service and he was taking a while so glanced at him as he passed. In brisk tones he said “I’m busy and I’ll get to you in a moment” the table next to me was up in arms about the delay, but we were in no rush so didn’t make a scene. He got to us and we ordered a Pastrami sandwich and a Corned Beef sandwich. Awesome. I’ve got a photo gallery of those sandwichs. Couldn’t finish them. We had free sides of coleslaw and fries. The atmosphere is good, it’s run down but who cares as the food is great :)

Then we headed to the Lower East Side Tenement Museum. This really is a must. It’s a guided tour around a restored tenement in a predominantly immigrant neighbourhood. Lot’s of real stories and history. Certainly altered my views on immigration. There are different tours available so decide which one you want.

After that we headed to Broadway in Greenwich Village whilst the other half did yet more clothes shopping.

In the evening we met a mate of mine and headed to Johns Pizzeria on Bleeker Street. We had to wait 20 minutes and the atmosphere was good but the pizza didn’t live up to expectations. In fact I didn’t think much of it.

Then it was off to see the band at Café Wha in Greenwich Village, They were really good and provided great entertainment. We were asked if we were old enough to drink. Obviously the answer was “yes” (we are in our 30’s) but a funny ID check all the same. The bill for 9 Heinekens and the cover charge and the gratuity came to 85$ so be warned! However the gratuity (15%) was included in the bill. The waitress was very annoyed when we didn’t leave any more. Did we do something wrong here? It sort of spoiled the night as we understood that 15% was the norm.

9th September

Looked around Washington Square Park then headed to the Stuyvesant monument and St Marks in the Bowery. Headed down to the Merchants Museum to finds it didn’t open till twelve so headed to Battery Park.

Rode the Staten Island Ferry and was going to go to Historic Richmond Town but that didn’t open till 1pm so headed back to Manhatten and the Merchants House Museum and then on the Subway to Brooklyn. We got off and headed straight to Grimaldi’s. Now the boss and I both agree that the pizza there is the best we’ve ever tasted. All fresh with a great taste. Our only regret was sharing a small one.

After that we had some ice cream at the Brooklyn Ice Cream company on the shore just down from Grimaldi’s looking out over the East River.

We walked across the Brooklyn bridge which was fantastic. Lots of photo opportunities with tourists getting run over by cyclists…..

After that we’d been beaten by the sun so retired to the Inn on 23rd. Did a bit of shopping in the local area (Chelsea is great) and then ate out at an Italian just on 7th avenue a short walk from the Inn on 23rd.

10th September

Headed to midtown to post some postcards and just kill time. Visited New York City Library and had lunch at café BR in Bryant Park. Turkey club gets my recommendation.

At 3pm Carmel picked us up and we headed to JFK for the big bird home.

Had a great holiday loved New York (2nd visit) and thought the Inn on 23rd lived up to its reputation for a 2nd time. It really is the greatest city on earth, beats London by a mile.

I’ve been following threads on NYC forum for a while so thanks to all who provided information. I’m a confirmed New York Yankees fan now too. Comparing Flying EDI-LHR-JFK with BA to Continentals EDI-EWR (Newark) I’d have to say if the price was the same I’d go with Continental as the London factor is a hassle despite the lack of entertainment on the 757.

Just waiting on the credit card bill :(

Trip report 3-10th September, very long....

Fab report! I love the %26#39;less touristy%26#39; bits that you did.

The whole time seemed to flow very well - no major problems at all! And aren%26#39;t you brave venturing out to Beacon!

PS. Try not to look too closely at the credit card bill when it comes in..... (we still won%26#39;t!)

Trip report 3-10th September, very long....

Heartland Brewery just called. They miss you!

Glad you had a fun trip.

I knew I was going to like your report when you mentioned saying '; I love Boddingtons'; at immigration! What is The Inn on 23rd like? I%26#39;ve seen the website, and it looks very canny.

Like you, I love going to Yankee Stadium for a game, it%26#39;s such a great experience. You certainly did lots of '; non touristy'; things...and I agree about the London thing as well!!!!

A very well done and amusing report.

Congrats on all you saw and did. Very impressive.

Re cricket: thanks. I thought it was just me....

';Cricket generally dull';? I think there are about 60 million Brits who might just take issue with that statement, GMOWDD!

Would I be right in assuming that you wouldn%26#39;t recommend visiting Beacon? It doesn%26#39;t sound like there%26#39;s much there.

Did you find out why Riverside Church was closed? I believe the view from the top of the tower is awsome but they don%26#39;t seem very good at publishing opening hours. You seem to have been very unlucky with opening times elsewhere - was this because the various sites do not post opening hours or do they not stick to their published times?

You certainly did plenty of things that are not on the accepted tourist lists - would you recommend your schedule to others?

I%26#39;m GM0WDD boss, in response to the query regarding Riverside Church - we had heard the view was fantastic but they are currently doing repairs to the tower and that%26#39;s the reason for not being able to get access. You can get access to the other areas of the church and it%26#39;s still an impressive building even without going to the top of the tower.

As for our timings, that was our mistake with not checking the guides and websites fully.

The Tenement Museum is excellent and they are due to open up a room based around an Irish family in the near future. Have a look at the website first and decide what tour you want to go on and note the times, so you don%26#39;t have to wait for that one. We just turned up and we were lucky we did not have to wait long for a tour and had no preferences but they have specified times for the different ones.

Thanks for that, boss! I hope that they%26#39;ve finished renovating the tower by next summer...

Daisiegee, this was our second stay at the Inn on 23rd. We both think it%26#39;s great. Nice atmosphere, very relaxed and it%26#39;s much better than staying in a hotel such as a Hilton. There are only 13 rooms so it doesn%26#39;t get to crowded.

MaidstoneNic, what I meant about cricket being dull is that it is long periods of inactivity punctuated by moments of excitement. So when the fielders are throwing the ball around between overs and whilst everyone gets ready there%26#39;s time to chat before the action starts. Baseball is the same. I like both but they can%26#39;t be described as all action sports! Not like a rugby match for instance! A very social game.

As for Beacon, well the train ride is certainly worth it, if you%26#39;re into modern art (Dia gallery) and craft shops then it probably is worth it. But I%26#39;m not so it was nice to get out of NYC but with hindsight would rather go to somewhere with museums and revolutionary history.

Bettina, I%26#39;ve a loyalty card coming from Heartland Brewery ;-)

LoisB - get back to work!

Have posted some pictures of our trip, there%26#39;s Beacon, Inn on 23rd pictures and the pastrami gallery!

http://photobucket.com/albums/b335/GM0WDD/

Love the pictures! Crikey I feel hungry now though.

The Inn on 23rd looks great, no wonder you like it. Thanks for posting the link.

Butane Gas Hair Straighteners

Sorry this is such a girlie post, but I really don%26#39;t think I can go 2 weeks with curly hair as per Monica from Friends in Barbados - ring any bells

I have decided not to take my fantastic GHD hair straighteners with me to the States as they are 220V and can%26#39;t be used with a converter plug thingy.

But I would like to take my Braun Independent Butane Gas Straighteners - but want to know if I am allowed to take them on the plane. Some people say yes, others say no.

Thanks

Cathy C

Butane Gas Hair Straighteners

BA says this...

Restricted Articles

The following items may be carried with special precautions (details are available from your local British Airways office):

Sporting guns

Medicines and toilet articles

Matches and lighters

Butane hair stylers

basically...call the airline and ask...you may have to take out the gas of the straightners and only travel with a brand new one etc....double check to be safe!

Butane Gas Hair Straighteners

You are not alone. See this post:

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g60763-i5-k256127-鈥?/a>

Search ';GHD'; in this forum to find your kindred sisterhood.

Horrors on the hair stuff. Don%26#39;t take anything flammable. Have you ever considered that your beautiful curls might be an incredible asset?

I love my curls - took me years to accept them tho! have you tried tigi catwalk curls rock? I get it from the hair dressers and it%26#39;s the only thing that tames mine (or stops it from frizzing up in the rain). Actually can you get that in NY and if so any ideas how much it is - might be an idea to stock up whilst I%26#39;m there!

How do I know what voltage my straightners are?! I have the GHD Classic Iron...

I have read on here that they work for some but not others...

Cheers

I took my GHD straighteners both times I%26#39;ve been to New York and they worked fine. They don%26#39;t get quite as hot as they do at home, but they straightened my hair no problem (and my nicknmae among friends is %26#39;Monica%26#39;. I never find gas straighteners as good, so I wouldn%26#39;t hesitate to take your GHD%26#39;s with you.

I knwo with qantas your are allowed to take one hair straightener gas cylinder on the aircraft, might be the same for BA.

Failing that we could always buy some when we%26#39;re there Cathy, what the name of the Pharmacy opp The Newton?... maybe they%26#39;ll sell them!

So glad I%26#39;ve got a hairdresser booked to do my hair for my wedding!

Thanks for all your responses, think I will take my GHD%26#39;s then, I%26#39;m sure they will be better than most straighteners even when not as hot, and will ring my airline about the butane ones - probably take these as well, I suppose I could always take the cylinder out and buy a new one in NY.

Kerry, my GHD%26#39;s are the classic ones too, if the power goes off in the hotel - I know you%26#39;re straightening your hair! Ha Ha.

Worst comes to worse I%26#39;ll have another holiday with wavy hair, I think I will try some of the Tigi Curly Wurly hair stuff, will stop at Haridressers on way home

But would rather be straight - Hubby called me Monica, when on hols in Barbados - it was quite funny got off the plane with poker straight hair, within a couple of hours I was Monica - (I write lots of lists - not that bossy though!) - It%26#39;s the Humidity!!!

Thanks again

Cathy

Ditto Cathy!

It%26#39;s quite funny coz I really hate my natural curls, (well can%26#39;t really call it curls it%26#39;s more of a bush!) but I like to do barrell curls in my hair with my GHD%26#39;s when I go out, bizarre!

Wedding suit hire (preferably near 95th Broadway)

Hi all

Does anyone know of a good wedding suit hire place preferably near 95th Broadway?

Ry has had a quick scout around the shops with the idea of buying one but what he has found has been quite disappointing so far (doesn%26#39;t help that he%26#39;s still sporting a plaster cast on his left wrist!) We have discussed the possibility of hiring a suit for him for our wedding day as a last resort, any recommendations would be greatly received.

TIA :o)

Wedding suit hire (preferably near 95th Broadway)

Kerry,

It%26#39;s only me - just to let you know that you have posted this on sub forum, I also saw a really good post with and website lots of address in the Upper West Side - I%26#39;ll find it and let you know - you might be able to find something there

Cathy

Wedding suit hire (preferably near 95th Broadway)

Kerry

Me again

Found the website http://www.nysite.com/

it%26#39;s also got cleaners on here too, just incase you spill your dinner on the plane!

Bet it is quite difficult to get a jacket to go over the plaster?

Cathy

Thanks Cathy I%26#39;ll check it out.

Yes it has proved a little difficult, even more reason to wait til we are in NYC and hire a suit as he%26#39;ll be out of his cast then, gets taken off the day before we fly.

Kerry

That%26#39;s good - at least he won%26#39;t be in plaster in your wedding photos, and for your hols, thinking back to Ange%26#39;s post on here didn%26#39;t her hubby hire a suit - or did he buy one and have it altered on the day?

Cathy

Hi Cathy, he bought one, and I believe it was a mission!

Help !!! November 19th to November 24th Hotel nr Times...

Help !!!!!!!!!

We want to stay quite close to Times Square but am at a loose end to find a hotel and it does seem to be quite an expensive time.

I know there are a few locals on the site and wondered if they knew of any decent value hotels around this aread which are a reasonable price $200-$250.

We are travelling on our honeymoon and my brother gave me 拢300 of Marriott vouchers but you are looking at an average of nearly $350 per night !! so it seems a shame to waste them if we can get somewhere a bit cheaper.

Any advice would be great !!!!

Help !!! November 19th to November 24th Hotel nr Times...

Is there any reason you want to stay near times Square? The subway system is fantastic in NY so staying away from the busy areas is not only cheaper but easy to get to and from. The hotel Newton www.hotelnewton.com is showing availability for that period for 178 usd a night ensuite. Nice clean budget hotel. The Salisbury is showing rooms through expedia.co.uk for a total cost of 拢853.15 for the 5 nights - that%26#39;s near times Square and the travel inn has rooms every night but Saturday at 95 gbp a night.

Help !!! November 19th to November 24th Hotel nr Times...

No real reason I guess apart from wanting to be in the heart of the NY !! - we have tickets for U2 in Madison Square Gardens, tickets for New York Giants game and also for the Lion King.

Never been to NY City before so open to suggestions but want somewhere quite nice as we will be on honeymoon !

Thanks !!!!!

We leave in ten days and are staying at The Renaissance Times Square hopefully nice place havn%26#39;t heard much about it but you could try there

Hi trevettg, i am traveling to NYC on Fri 18th November to see the U2 gig on Monday 21st at MSG. I am staying in the Casablanca hotel which is at 147 West 43rd Street (times Square area). I booked this hotel mainly because of the reviews in the hotel section of TripAdvisor. The hotel seems to always be in the top 20 and the price dosn%26#39;t seem that bad to me.

Thanks Nikko !!

Will be there on the 21st for U2 as well !!!

Can%26#39;t wait - will check out the Casablanca - thanks for replying !!

Cheers

G

The Salisbury Hotel while not in Times Square is not far (within a 10 minute walk). It shows a regular standard room for $232/night on quikbook.com If you tell them it%26#39;s your honeymoon they might upgrade you if they have a nicer room.

But I assume you know Marriott owns several hotels in NYC besides the Marriott Marquis. The Courtyard Times Square South and the Courtyard Fifth Ave (at 40th st.) are both good hotels. When I look on marriott.com, the TS South rate for your dates is $199/night except the first night is $399 . This still allows you to use your voucher though. The Fifth Ave. Courtyard is $299 for the first night and then goes down to $219/night for the rest of the stay. I%26#39;d call them and check these out.

The Casablanca is a really nice hotel (although regular rooms are small) and would be a nice place for a honeymoon. They offer lots of freebies like wine and cheese in the afternoons, coffee in the morning etc.

Planning a trip to NY

I will be going on a business trip in November to Maddison, NJ.

I%26#39;ll be flying in to Newark, and after my business, I wanted to stay for the rest of the weekend to see New York since I have never been, and it%26#39;s so close.

Searching on the internet, I%26#39;ve found that hotels are extremely expensive in New York City.

Since I have never been, I am hoping that I could get some advise as to where to stay in a hotel, and travel.

Newark is cheaper on hotels, but I don%26#39;t know the area and I wouldn%26#39;t want to be in a bad part of town.

Also, are their subways that run from Newark to New York? Or Maddison to Newark?

I%26#39;d like to keep away from having to rent a car, since I%26#39;ve heard that NYC traffic, and parking fees are horrible.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Trina

Houston, Tx.

Planning a trip to NY

plugging my website with info that may be helpful

www.broadwayfocus.com/nj_nyc/

if you can swing the cost I highly suggest staying in Manhattan

it is not quite the same when staying in NJ

Planning a trip to NY

You could stay where you will be in Madison. New Jersey Transit has almost hourly service between Madison and NYC%26#39;s PennSation. The trip takes about 1 hour.

I wouln%26#39;t consider Newark if I were you, but if you wanted to get closer to the city and still stay in New Jersey, you might want to check out the Hyatt in Jersy City...

jerseycity.hyatt.com/property/index.jhtml

or

the Sherton on the Hudson.

starwoodhotels.com/sheraton/鈥?/a>

From either of those locations you will have mutiple transportation options including ferry service.

ps

Madison is on the NJ Transit Morristown train line to NYC

www.njtransit.com

since you are traveling on weekend, the train aka Midtown Direct, will end at Penn Station @ 33rd St and 8th Ave in Manhattan

it takes about 1hr10 one way

Newark is fine if that%26#39;s what you want but, there%26#39;s nothing like staying in Manhattan. So my $ .02 is, if at all possible, stay in the city.

Listen to LarryD. Don%26#39;t be a commuter, traveling with the hordes of office workers. It%26#39;s only a weekend, I say go for it!

Cost is of the upmost importance, since my husband and I don%26#39;t really have alot of extra spending money.

The hotels that I have found near or in NYC, are $200/night at the cheapest.

I guess it%26#39;s just the difference in cost of living between TX %26amp; NY, but here a 5 star hotel in the city would be a $200/night maximum.

Cost is of the upmost importance, since my husband and I don%26#39;t really have alot of extra spending money.

The hotels that I have found near or in NYC, are $200/night at the cheapest.

I guess it%26#39;s just the difference in cost of living between TX %26amp; NY, but here a 5 star hotel in the city would be a $200/night maximum.

Newark is a long ways from New York City in many ways. If you can stay in Manhattan, do. Check out The Lucerne on the Upper West Side. Call direct for best price. Skip renting a car, public transport is great if you stay in the city.

Try an apartment rental.

My husband and I almost always use a vacation rental when we travel because they are usually cheaper than a hotel plus they have a kitchen so you can at least do breakfast in to save a little money. We are staying in NYC this week for $120/night.

We like

www.vrbo.com

www.vacationrentals.com

but there are many others.

Check out Craigslist. It is a classfiied ad website, and has a section for short term, temp rentals, sublets, vacation swaps, etc. You can post ads for free.

www.newyork.craigslist.org

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teenagers to have acene

Family-friendly breakfast restaurant in Times Square?

Any recommendations for a good family-friendly restaurant in the Times Square area that serves breakfast and can accomodate large parties?

Family-friendly breakfast restaurant in Times Square?

Art Cafe at Broadway %26amp; 52 st

www.menupages.com/restaurantdetails.asp鈥?/a>

or Evergreen at 47th b/w 6th %26amp; 7th

www.menupages.com/restaurantdetails.asp鈥?/a>

Best Area to Stay? Best Hotel?

Next time I go to NYC I want to see the Empire State Building and the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. I would like to spend under $200 a night on a hotel. What area is the best location for me to visit these 2 places?

Best Area to Stay? Best Hotel?

BostonArt:

Both locations are right along the 2/3 subway line, so anything along 7th Avenue would be great. Honestly, the trains are often only 1 or 2 avenues apart so I wouldn%26#39;t worry about it. If you haven%26#39;t been to the Brooklyn Museum, I recommend it. Have fun!

Ladies - winter clothes

I know what to wear as a tourist in New York is a little controversial but I am coming to New York on 28th December for my honeymoon for 6 nights, as all the winter clothes have started coming out in the UK I have started thinking about what to bring with me.

In general what do New Yorkers wear in the Winter especially in the evenings? I am looking for some nice jeans/trousers for the evening and generally warm clothes for the day.

I certainly don%26#39;t mind looking like a tourist but I want to be able to go to bars etc in the evenings without worrying about what I am wearing etc.

Any suggestions would be greatly received.

Thanks

Ladies - winter clothes

In the winter black really is the color of choice. When you鈥檙e in a bar you really have to be careful about where you put your coat because it seems like everyone has a long, black coat. I know lots of people who have picked up the wrong coat at one point or another 鈥?I think that鈥檚 why you see so many faux flowers and vintage pins on women鈥檚 coats.

When I go out to a bar, or restaurant, during the week chances are I鈥檝e just come from work (as have most people). So you鈥檒l see lots of trousers, skirts, tall boots, sweater-sets and button downs 鈥?just think of what you might wear to an office job and you鈥檝e got it. When I go out on the weekends I鈥檒l wear jeans, or wool trousers, and fitted sweater. A friend in the fashion industry assures me that this winter it鈥檚 all about the trouser-jeans (trousers made of denim). Layering is also important 鈥?sometimes it鈥檚 really hot inside and having on a cute tee under that sweater can be a life saver.

As far as shoes 鈥?make sure they鈥檙e sensible first and cute second. The streets and stairs really are very slick and I鈥檝e seen more then one person take a bad fall. Some nicer bars will only let you in if your shoe will take a polish (meaning no sneakers) but that鈥檚 getting rare.

Check out www.dailycandy.com for info on where to shop and upcoming trends.

Check out www.weather.com for average temps 鈥?but the end of Dec. will probably be cold and wet.

Ladies - winter clothes

Hey, no problem.

I have looked at previous years weather around that time and it looks like it will be roughly between 5 degrees to minus 3 degrees, one day in the last couple of years was about 8 degrees. It is likely to snow and rain but based on previous years not great amounts. I get the impression February is the coldest month.

Everything in the UK is suede and with the snow and rain in mind and all the walking we are likely to do I trying to find some shoes/boots that will work in New York and back in the UK.

Thanks for you reply eastcoastgirl. Its great to get some %26#39;insider knowledge%26#39; on these sort of things!

Thanks for you reply eastcoastgirl. Its great to get some %26#39;insider knowledge%26#39; on these sort of things!

Not a problem. I wouldn鈥檛 stress about this 鈥?I think keeping it simple is the best advice. I鈥檝e been sporting the same old tired wool pants, tweed skirts, and black turtle neck sweaters for years and I feel perfectly at ease no matter where I end up for drinks at the end of the day. Have fun planning your trip 鈥?winter in NYC is really wonderful.

Best to bring some basic neutral pieces that you can mix and match. As eastcoastgirl said, black is THE color in NYC. You can dress things up and down with accessories.

If you were going to buy one good thing, I%26#39;d suggest a good pair of black leather pants. They can be worn for anything from very dressy to very casual, they don%26#39;t get dirty ;) and you don%26#39;t have to iron them.

Keep it simple. Take a three skirts/pants, warm blouses or sweaters, casual and dress boots. Include layers of silk longjohns and tops. Add tights. Long wool outercoat, gloves, hat, scarf and you%26#39;re good to go!

I previously visisted in March %26amp; Dec (both were very cold %26amp; there was snow %26amp; serious windchill in Dec)

When planning what to take start with basic black - some great Trousers for the evening (and possibly day as trousers may well keep you warner than Denim) %26amp; a nice skirt with say knee high boots will take you far.

I generally mixed back trousers / skirts with more colourful tops (in the evening) - Any of the fashion tops now instore would work %26amp; liven up a black outfit.

If you have any - Cashmere is a great choice in the day (M %26amp; S %26amp; George are selling it at a great price) - it keeps you warm without bulking you up under your coat.

You will need a ';proper'; Coat (for evening %26amp; day) - Preferably longer length %26amp; black (wool or similar) as this will see you through day or night. Don%26#39;t forget scarfs %26amp; gloves - I bought a great pair of Cashmere lined leather gloves at C21 - at a fraction of the price they would have cost in UK.

If you are a heels person (I am but in NYC I save them for night) then be sure you can comfortably walk in your heels as a previous poster mentions the streets can be slippy %26amp; If your anything like me you will walk %26amp; walk in NYC - also if there is snow/slush or rain it can damage your shoes/boots (eg water will leave white marks on black suede boots)

I like to travel with lots of shoes but am really ruthless when I go to NYC in winter as you just need a great pair of COMFORTABLE walking shoes/boots (flatter the better - and flat boots are now on trend for A/W 2005), I nice pair of (black?) heels for the evening %26amp; a dressy pair of Knee High boots (that you can wear with skirts or under trousers)would be all you need - and if your anything like me you will probably buy a few pairs whilst you are there!

I love to wear my jeans (but in NYC I wore trousers much more) but be warned if there is wind chill, that Denim can feel unbareably cold against your skin - I am in my 20%26#39;s but would recommend you consider some sort of silk underwear/thin termals to go under your clothes (no kidding I was sooo cold in NYC - and I go skiing in NH/VT every year so I am used to the cold) - M %26amp; S sell some great superthin thermals (some just look like a fashion camisole)

Hope that helps

Great advice listed - remeber to layer, layer, layer! It could be 10 below outside, but 80 degrees in some of the shops / restaurants. Practical footwear, especially in the crappy weather is a must. People are required to clear the sidewalks in Manhattan, but if you venture to parts of Brooklyn, most people only shovel a little walkway. Beware of the puddle situation - most are deeper potholes!

Anyone been to the Children's Museum of Manhattan?

We had been planning to go as there is a Dr Seuss exhibition on at present. A previous poster thought it might be more for preschoolers, any ideas?? My kids are 6 and 8. We will be doing The Met %26amp; MoMA as well...do you think it is still worth a look (1 hour or so)?

Felic

(P.S Thanks to all the replies from my previous post)

Anyone been to the Children's Museum of Manhattan?

A friend and I went a while ago with her two 11-year-olds, and we were all disappointed. It looked to me like it%26#39;d be fun if the kids were with a class or had an instructor leading a program.

Anyone been to the Children's Museum of Manhattan?

Is that the one near Washington Square ?

No, the Children%26#39;s Museum is on W. 83rd ST.

http://cmom.org/

I think you%26#39;re thinking of the Children%26#39;s Museum of the Arts, which was not even on my radar screen! Thanks for motivating me to find it.

http://www.cmany.org/

There%26#39;s a Brooklyn Children%26#39;s Museum, too

http://www.brooklynkids.org

The Manhattan one was boring for my 4 year old. She was entertained for about 15 minutes %26amp; then wanted to leave. Like the previous posted said, it would be fund during a class trip with all other friends. The Brooklyn one was MUCH better.

A real fun thing for the kids would be a trip to NJ to the Liberty Science Center, that had us all entertained for quite a few hours.

I agree - I%26#39;ve taken my (at that time) 3 yr-old grand daughter who was thrilled to run around the exhibits all day. Most are geared to a 2-4 yr-old interest level.

You should consider Toys-R-Us which has a huge indoor Ferris Wheel on Broadway near 44th. Also consider the new Nintendo World at Rockefeller Center. And if you have any girls, American Girl Place 49th and Fifth.

My 8 %26amp; 10 year old girls were bored there EXCEPT for 2 great things -- a class making treasure maps, partly as it was led by hip young NYCers w/cool music on the boom box, and we all had a blast in the basement playing with the blocks and building cities and watching the little kids around us knock them down. An hour sounds great.

Is it worth it to pre-buy the tickets and the audio tour...

Will we still have to wait in line to pick up our audio tour?

Is it worth it to pre-buy the tickets and the audio tour...

You%26#39;ll still have to wait on line to go into the elevators but it saves the ticket buyers line. Only other option is spring for VIP tickets which are around $30/person!

So yes, I%26#39;d say it%26#39;s worth it to buy online. You pay no premium to buy online and don%26#39;t have to specify a date. So why wouldn%26#39;t you do it? Only downside is if you don%26#39;t go at all you%26#39;re out the money.

Is it worth it to pre-buy the tickets and the audio tour...

And don%26#39;t forget that your tickets are valid for any date in the future (according to the ESB website).

We stood in line for our audio tour pack but it was a very short line (it was in February, however - can%26#39;t say what it%26#39;s like at peak times).

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Expert opinion needed my intinerary...

DAY ONE

arrive La Guardia and take airport service bus to Grand Central

after dropping bag at nearby hotel, see St. Patrick%26#39;s %26amp; Rockefellar Center

hopefully pickup a ticket at the TKTS booth in Time%26#39;s Square for a show that night.

supper at ESPN Zone if time, then the show

DAY TWO

11:00-2:00 walking food tour thru foodsofny.org

see FAO Schwartz %26amp; possibly Steinway Hall

up to N. Central park, short walk and over to St. Johns Cathedral

off to Yankees game for the night

DAY THREE

have booked 9:00 am harbor tour to Ellis Island %26amp; Liberty Island

is old Cunard bldg (now USPO) worth seeing?

see St. Paul%26#39;s Chapel %26amp; ground zero

some free time here....suggestions?? Chinatown?

catch another show ticket and see another show for the night

DOABLE? TOO AMBITIOUS? THANKS FOR YOUR INPUT

Expert opinion needed my intinerary...

Hey Stucon:

Your trip sounds like you%26#39;ve left ample time for exploring. I would recommend hitting the TKTS booth earlier rather than later. The lines can be quite long. A ';native'; tip would be to go to the TKTS booth at South Street Seaport. The lines are often not as long, plus you can check out the seaport (shopping, great view of the bridges). That area (downtown / Financial district) would also put you near the WTC site (no one here calles it Ground Zero :) and Century 21, a HUGE designer discount store. If electronics are your bag, you can also walk to J %26amp; R, one of the most reliable (and renowned) electronic shops - they have sales all the time.

As a side note, if you want a really great burger, go to Pop Burger on 14th. It%26#39;s heavenly. For other restaurant recommendations, I often go to newyorkmetro.com. They have wonderful reviews of events and clubs around the city too. Have fun! (I%26#39;m a native of 20 years, I still keep finding new stuff to do).

Expert opinion needed my intinerary...

Unless you want to go to Seaport, you don%26#39;t need to trek down there to buy 1/2 Broadway show ticket.

I prefer either buying tickets online using discount code I get from broadwaybox.com or taking the printout to the box office and buying the tickets in person

Granted, the TKTS tickets are 50% off whereas discount codes are only 35-55% off depending on the show.

Also, it doesn%26#39;t matter that you refer to the former WTC site as ';Ground Zero';. It is understood either way on this message board.

I%26#39;m assuming you mean the Circle Line ferry to SOL/Ellis Island, STUCON? If so, then walk through Battery Park and up Broadway is fabulous if you enjoy the classic architecture of NYC. There%26#39;s the amazing Whitehall Building next door to the Ritz Carlton (amazing because the annexe that they added on to it absolutely dwarfs it!). Then there%26#39;s Cass Gilbert%26#39;s fabulous Customs House, the Standard Oil Building (complete with oil lamp on top). the Charging Bull and then Cunard (not to mention Trinity Church, Wall St and the Woolworth Building up the road). Apparently, the USPO have done very little to the building inside so that all the superb decorations are still on show.

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NYC Thanksgiving Dinner with children

We are traveling to NYC Nov. 22-26th with our two boys (7 %26amp; 10) and staying at the NY Hilton. I would appreciate any advice on where to eat dinner on Thanksgiving day. We%26#39;d like a traditional meal, if possible. We%26#39;ll be going to the parade in the morning and not much else planned the rest of that day.

Thanks for any advice that you can pass along.

NYC Thanksgiving Dinner with children

Keep an eye out on opentable.com. Sometime in October that site will start listing restaurants open for Thanksgiving day, along with their special menues. You can even make a reservation online.

Most restaurants aren%26#39;t accepting reservations right now... it%26#39;s a little early.

A couple faves from last year-- Craft serves a traditional American Thanksgiving dinner and will send you home with the leftovers. Fraunces Tavern serves a traditional dinner also, in a historic, colonial setting. Last year, a poster on here said he enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner at Cornelia Street Cafe.

For more general info on these places, visit menupages.com.

NYC Thanksgiving Dinner with children

I highly recommend going to the Rockefeller Center

There is so much to do ..close to where youa re and also they will have a new attraction that opens its doors next November first

Theya re re-opening an observation deck

www.topoftherocknyc.com

No waiting lines since the system allows you to choose the exact time you want to go up....,and only $14 , and $9 for children

You have ther eas well the Radio city Music HAll and fantastic Rockettes

Plenty of restaurants...and funs things to do like the ice skating ring

The only issue with Rockefeller Plaza on Thanksgiving is it is absolutely jam packed with people because of the parade. Busloads of folks are going to the Radio City Christmas Spectacular that night. The restaurants in that area are crowded and jam-packed then.

The restaurant Friend of a Farmer further downtown in the Gramcery Park area is famous for their Thanksgiving meal but you have to phone exactly on Nov. 1. It%26#39;s small and gets booked up quickly.

The Sea Grill and Rock Ctr. Cafe both have views of the skating rink at Rockefeller Ctr. but they really get crazy on Thanksgiving.

Ye Waverly Inn in the village, Jane and Butter are other options. Look for info on menupages.com

opentable.com is a reservation site that may have many more offerings.

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Discount designer eyeglasses and Sunglases

Advertising is not allowed here but I am interested in your service. Is this an internet only operation or do you have a showroom at the 37th st address?

Transfer from JFK to Hotel near Time Sq

Could anyone tell me how long it would take to get from JFK to Time Sq???? also how much this will roughly cost in a taxi, and are these outside in a que?

Transfer from JFK to Hotel near Time Sq

The time depends on the traffic and time of day. It could take 45 minutes or twice that. The cost to Manhattan is a fixed rate of $45 plus $4.50 toll plus tip. There is a taxi queue outside of each terminal.

Transfer from JFK to Hotel near Time Sq

Bambie,

Do you recommend any Town car companies?? think this might be a good i idea as it is my 21st and my parents have paid for the trip for myself and my boyfriend so would be nice.

The cos. that charge the same as taxis are not necessarily very fancy if that%26#39;s what you had in mind. They are

carmellimo.com

telavivlimo.com

If you want something special, Crown limo charge a bit more and will send a stretch limo if you want

1800mycrown.com

Anyone Use Priceline?

I%26#39;ve been looking around for hotels in the Manhattan area, and I%26#39;ve found some that are under $120/night. The only thing, is that I don%26#39;t know if they are a %26#39;roach%26#39; hotel or not.

I was thinking of trying priceline.com, but without knowing what hotel I%26#39;m bidding on, I guess I%26#39;m kind of scared.

For a 3 star hotel, in the main Manhattan area, bidding would start out around $100. That just doesn%26#39;t seem right. I would hate for them to place me further outside the area.

Has anyone had any experience using priceline.com for NYC hotels?

Thanks!

Trina

Anyone Use Priceline?

First, the way to find out whether a hotel is any good is to read the reviews on this website. They%26#39;re usually very accurate. If you%26#39;re finding places under $120 though, there%26#39;s probably something wrong since prices have gotten very high. It would be unusal to find anything that low that had a private bathroom and was decent right now.

Loads of people use Priceline. Unfortunately as hotel occupancy goes up in NYC it%26#39;s becoming more difficult to ';win'; bids on Priceline in NYC. You should read either biddingfortravel.com or betterbidding.com Both websites have a list of the hotels Priceline uses, show what some people have paid and will even provide bidding assistance.

The only hotels I see being ';won'; occasionally for $120-140 are the Hilton New York or the Hilton Times Square and it%26#39;s often just for 1 night. Both are 4* in the midtown west area. It just depends on the dates you need. I see people paying well over $200 for 3* hotels. Also know if you%26#39;re more than 2 in a room Priceline will not work for you. In NYC they will only guarantee a room with 1 bed for 2 people. Hope this helps.

Anyone Use Priceline?

Like outrageous gasoline prices, NYC hotel prices are about supply and demand. This year hotel prices are very high, so depending on when you are coming will dictate the prices.

For help with pricleline/hotwire bidding check out the New york board on betterbidding.com. It will give you a good idea what things are going for these days. The host on that site has a good feel for the market and if you post your dates of travel he%26#39;ll let you know if your price range is realistic.

Good luck.

I used priceline last year and got a single room at the Waldorf Astoria for $100 a night. I tried this year though and couldn%26#39;t get anything good for a low price. It%26#39;s worth a try. You can specify which area(s) you want to stay in and if you will only accept higher-rated hotels there%26#39;s not much chance of ending up in a flophouse. But with prices as high as they are this year don%26#39;t count on getting any bargains.

I have used PL three times in Manhattan, always far ahead of my needed dates since I go to the city every year between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

I have always gotten the Hyatt at Grand Central and paid 150/nt or under, an absolute bargain. www.biddingfortravel.com is a great resource for the hotels they use.

This year my trip is last minute and even 225 will not get me a 4 star anywhere I want to be.

I use PL in Europe as well and have really never had a bad experience.

vb

Accomodation New York

We are looking to stay in New Jesey because it seems a bit cheaper, is this a good idea, or is it expensive to travel across to New York each day.

How much of a hassle will it be to stay out of new York and get the ferry across?

Accomodation New York

Hi Terry, personally, I would rather skimp on the hotel and stay in NY, but this is a choice you are making. If you don%26#39;t plan on staying out late, then should be okay.

Your commute depends on where you are staying in NJ. A few cities are serviced by the PATH trains, which are the most convenient since they are like subways and run all night. See

http://www.panynj.gov/path/pathmaplinks2.html

This is the other rail / bus option

http://www.njtransit.com/

Note NJ Transit services end roughly midnight or so.

Here is the ferry info

http://www.panynj.gov/ferry/fermain.HTM

Accomodation New York

If you stay in Manhattan, it%26#39;s easy to stop back at the hotel during the day to change, rest, drop off packages, etc.

Personally, I%26#39;d rather stay at the YMCA than commute back and forth.

See this post

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g60763-i5-k263652-鈥?/a>

Search this forum for ';stay in New Jersey'; for more similar posts.

See this one as well:

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g60763-i5-k217507-鈥?/a>

I think you will miss out on the feel of the city if you do not stay in the city. Expense comes in both dollars and time to get back and forth, as well as satisfying the reason you decided to visit New York in the first place.

the skyline hotel is a budget place with not too many poor reviews; you may want to check their prices. i live near there and it seems pretty clean, and i know it is convenient to a lot, easy walking distance to times square if you are young.

www.broadwayfocus.com/nj_nyc/

some say it%26#39;s ';cheaper'; but you miss out on the total NYC experience

before I moved to NJ, I%26#39;d always stay in Manhattan

I would wait til I could afford to stay in the city. NJ is NOT the same experience and the commute is a pain.

The Vanderbilt Y has very decent rooms at great prices in a super location.

Tavern on The Green

Have always wanted to eat here. Is it your typical tourist place?

How expensive is it? are we talking over $50 dollars each for a meal plus drinks.

Tavern on The Green

It is a tourist restaurant, would be over $50 for food and drinks and the food is not that great. Go there for a drink.

Tavern on The Green

I went in march , lovely place to go but actually the meal was not that brill, yes it is expensive

Maybe appetizers and a drink. The location is incredible. Ambience great. Well worth a visit. But the meals seem to be mass produced and aren%26#39;t worth the price.

Last summer my sister and I went for lunch. Luncheon specials were pre made and were around $22.00 per person. I thought the meal was delicious as did my sister. Quantity was quite large and beverage and dessert were also included.

It may not have been a 5 star dining experience but the ambiance was beautiful and I thoght it added a nice touch to a beautiful day in the park.

Hey there -

I%26#39;m not much of an NYC expert, but I%26#39;m getting so much help over on the England forums I figured I%26#39;d see if I could give back over here :-)

I went to Tavern on the Green last summer, with my boyfriend. It%26#39;s not cheap but I wouldn%26#39;t say the prices are in the stratosphere either. We went for the pre-theater menu, so it was a fixed menu but the choices were nice. I had no problem with the food.

The location is excellent -- the restaurant itself is interesting too. They have several different rooms - I don%26#39;t remember exactly which one it is but it was large and white with large windows looking out onto an outdoor eating area. I did feel like the tables were a tad bit jammed in there, but that%26#39;s just my opinion.

If cost is an issue, I agree with the other posters who suggest drinks/appetizer.

Hope that helps!

It%26#39;s not a ';typical'; tourist place. It%26#39;s something special to see, but the food is mediocre, IMO.

If you%26#39;re a foodie, explore other options (with atmospheric rooms.)

Check out www.newyork.citysearch, which lets you search restaurants by neighborhood and feature, or www.menupages, which goes by neighborhood and displays the actual menus on screen.

Also, www.chowhound.com is a message board for real foodie types.

The location (in Central Park is great), but I actually find the decor a bit cheesy. Not my cup of tea. Probably means it is great :)

I had also heard that the food was not that great. Last time I was in Cantral Park my husband and I stopped in for a drink and crab cakes. Pretty good cakes and the pear martini that I had was wonderful. It%26#39;s a must see in Manhattan.

That ';white'; room with windows is called the Crystal room as is the most sought after as the views are great and the room sort of twinkles. It%26#39;s also VERY noisy b/c there%26#39;s nothing to absorb the sound. It%26#39;s all glass windows and crystal chandeliers.

I think if you want to go to this place, doing a lunch or maybe pre theater is a good idea. The Boat House, also in Central Park is less expensive with better (but not outstanding) food.

The one place with the best combination of good food and wonderful views/atmoshpere is the River Cafe. But it is in Brooklyn and not in the middle of town. Worth the trip and the expense in most people%26#39;s opinion. Occasionally there%26#39;s a ';foodie'; who yells fowl, but for most, it%26#39;s excellent.

Hi

Yes its a Tourist place (it is not the place to go for a meal if you are a dedicated foodie are looking for fantastic/innovative food) but in the right cercumstances it is an experience - Just manage your expectations before you go!

I took my mother to TOTG in Dec 2004 (sunday 19th Dec) to celebrate her birthday (TOTG was her choice).

I made the Dinner reservation through their website - it was very easy

I set off with significant concerns (due to the negative reviews here %26amp; elsewhere) She really wanted to go otherwise the reviews would have made me change location , since she liked the look of TOTG I duely made the reservation (the trip was to celebrate her birthday so wherever she wanted to go I was happy to accomodate!)

We arrived not sure what to expect - well we walked there from the Essex house hotel %26amp; it started to snow as we arrived so as you can imagine the twinkling lights made it look magical in the snow - we were seated with little delay in the Crystal room - the decor was OTT %26amp; amazing - the chandilers were great %26amp; there was a large christmas tree - all around us families %26amp; friends were enjoying the season - my mother loved the whole experience.

Being from the Uk there are 2 things to bear in mind -

The strong exchange rate means a meal here is not that expensive - so it can be worth the gamble of going to TOTG also because US portions are large (less so in NYC but still large to those from the UK) we did not order an appetiser - Just a main course %26amp; a few cocktails (we could not manage dessert) this made the bill much lower than I had expected. So hey it may be worth a gamble. - I think that a lot of the negative posts relate to it being perceived as sub par for they money paid so with the good exchange rate this will be far less of an issue for you.

Overall I had expected service to be sub par - but it was fine - not great but not poor. I have no regrets having gone to TOTG - you must be realistic with your expectations - it will not be the most fabulous meal of your life - it will be a fine/ok/good/festive meal in a pretty environment.

If you are keen foodies they I would add a word of caution - make sure you are booked into at least one other %26#39;nice%26#39; restaurant beacuse this will not be a gourmet experience %26amp; if TOTG is your only %26#39;special meal%26#39; out you may feel a bit cheated.

Also if you book via their website you can order a birthday cake when you make the reservation.

- If you have any other questions please let me know

LJN

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Help with itinerary please!

Hi, I%26#39;m planning a trip 3-8 Jan 2006 and have planned our itinerary. I%26#39;d really appreciate anyone%26#39;s comments (I know this is a regular topic but I%26#39;m stuck on what to cut out or whether I should add anything. I%26#39;ve been to NY once before but my husband has never visited)

Here goes:

Tuesday 3rd Jan arrive at JFK at 12.10pm

Check-in Upper West side Wyman House 2/3 ish

Freshen up, change etc

stroll across Central Park taking in the winteriness

Bit of shopping on Upper East side

Buggy ride early evening around Central Park

8pm dinner Tavern on The Green Central Park

Wednesday 4th:

Morning 鈥?walk down through Upper West Side towards Midtown breakfasting and exploring along way

Get to Greenwich for 11am 鈥?3 hour food tour

Afternoon - Midtown

NYC Official visitor Center

Chrysler Building

Times Square 鈥?get show tickets for this evening or book ahead (? Googlewhack / Drumstruck if still playing)

Top of the rock - Rockefeller Ctr

Dinner at Grand Central Terminal

Show Googlewhack / Drumstruck

Thursday:

Early Morning 鈥?nip out to pick up breakfast then

Battery Park 鈥?Circle Line to Statue of Liberty %26amp; Ellis Island - Ground Zero

Lunch at Balthazar

Empire State Building late afternoon 3.15pm ish

Early evening stroll through SoHo/Little Italy/Chinatown eating wherever we fancy

Friday:

Morning

Subway to French Roast 鈥?breakfast

Helicopter ride (not entirely sure about this - any recommendations?)

Subway to Brooklyn

Grimaldis Pizza for Lunch

Botanical Gardens or Zoo good places to visit in mid winter?

(will only have a couple of hours)

walk back over Brooklyn Bridge around 4.30

Dinner somewhere near Broadway

Lion King

Saturday:

Central Park 鈥?scout around a bit more and walk down to

Metropolitan Museum or Guggenheim in the morning

Late afternoon check out Lower East Side / East Village

Dinner 鈥?Cuba on Bleeker

Off Broadway - Slava鈥檚 Snowshow

Sunday 8th:

Another final stroll around Central Park (I love it)

Venture down to MoMA %26amp; back (subway or bus)

pick up luggage from Wyman House 5.30 / 6 pm leave for airport

flight 09.10pm

Many Thanks

Help with itinerary please!

Hi gezash. You%26#39;ll be visiting at a chilly time of year. Bring lots of layers!! It might be too cold for a ';buggy ride.'; Most people are very disappointed with the food at Tavern on the Green. The setting is pretty though. I%26#39;d suggest going for lunch or burnch which is cheaper. ;)

Greenwich Village is all the way downtown. You can certainly walk to mditown from your hotel (if it%26#39;s not freezing) but you%26#39;d still have quite a ways to go to get to the village for the food tour. You should probably just take a subway from the upper west side (where you%26#39;re staying). Some of the best breakfast places are on the Upper westside by the way. Zabar%26#39;s, Fairway (both food stores with cafes), Barney%26#39;s Greengreass., Sarabeth%26#39;s, the Popover Cafe....

As to the show issue, I would check broadwaybox.com closer to the trip date and see if they have a discount code for a show you want to see. Googlewhack is no longer playing in NYC and I don%26#39;t see Drumstick (?). Stomp is now available with a discount though if that%26#39;s the kind of show you%26#39;d like. Go to playbill.com for listings. If you register for free you can see the discounts they have too. You can then either buy the tickets online or by phone or print off the discount and take it straight to the theater. I%26#39;d try to avoid standing online if possible. And pay attention to where the theater is. Not all the off broadway theaters are midtown. (Stomp is downtown)

You%26#39;ve also got yourself going back and forth across town a few times on the Wed. afternoon. The visitor%26#39;s center is on the westside near Times Square, the Chrysler building is on the eastside across from Grand Central Station, Rock Ctr. is inbetween. ;)

On Thurs., the plan looks great except the ESB is midtown and everything else is downtown. Instead of ESB at 3ish, why not wait and head there before going back to the hotel?

The NY Botanical Gardens in the Bronx is worth a visit since they should still have the train exhibit up from Xmas. Last year they also had a Ginger bread exhibit. Check their website for dates. The zoo in Central Park is fun with the polar bears.

Hope this helps.

Help with itinerary please!

The first week in January is great because the holiday decorations are mostly still up. Many are taken down by Friday, so be sure to do your browsing early in the week.

Keep your schedule flexible, as a winter storm will throw things out of whack. If you%26#39;re lucky enough to be here for a snow storm, go to Central Park to enjoy the winter wonderland.

French Roast is a chain of mediocre bistros. In fact, there%26#39;s one on the upper west side as well, on Broadway and 85th St. Whiz%26#39;s suggestions are much better. I also like EJ%26#39;s Luncheonette, which serves excellent diner style food and wonderful breakfasts. They%26#39;re on Amsterdam between 81st-82nd.

And keep in mind that it gets dark around 4:30 in the afternoon.

I%26#39;m getting confused (not difficult, I know). When gezash talks about botanical gardens and the zoo, surely she%26#39;s referring to Brooklyn not the Bronx? She also goes on to say that she only has a couple of hours. May I suggest that a walk to the Promenade on Brooklyn Heights would fit that time frame and give you a view of lower Manhattan that will take your breath away!

Since you love parks...

Re Friday: If you%26#39;re in Brooklyn and want to see the ';better'; park created by Vaux and Olmstead, take the 2,3 train to Grand Army Plaza to Propect Park. V%26amp;O said they improved (corrected?) many of their features in Central Park, and this is their crown jewel. Prospect Park has some of NYC%26#39;s last remaining wild forest. The Long Meadow is the longest uninterrupted lawn in an urban park in the US, and was designed so that you do not see the road circumventing it if you stand in its middle.

nycgovparks.org/sub_your_park/vt_prospect_pa鈥?/a>

www.prospectpark.org/hist/main.cfm鈥?/a>

Two hours will give you a good taste. There are a few subway stops surrounding the park, so you don%26#39;t have to go all the way back to G.A.P. to catch a train back to Manhattan.

Hi

Thanks everyone for taking the trouble to reply.

nywhiz those tips are great, especially re The Tavern on the Green 鈥?maybe we鈥檒l just pop in there for a nightcap after dinner elsewhere. (Drumstruck is playing at Dodger Stages off Broadway.)

And Bettina I will bring plenty of layers, and although I had bargained for very, very cold weather I obviously hadn鈥檛 given too much thought to the possibility of snow-storms interrupting our plans. Contingency is a word that now springs to mind. We鈥檙e looking forward to seeing the Xmas decorations in all their glory though. And we will give French Roast a miss and try some of the suggestions from yourself and nywhiz.

MaidestoneNic you鈥檙e right I am referring to Brooklyn and weather permitting it鈥檚 very likely we may just take up your suggestion.

queensboulevard Prospect Park does sound really lovely 鈥?If it鈥檚 possible we鈥檒l try and squeeze it in (or see it on our next visit - Spring sounds good to me).

Thanks again - your input is really greatly appreciated. I鈥檝e only recently discovered TripAdvisor and plan to make good use of it in the future.

dancing/nightlife

are there any good latin dance clubs 18 and over (my sister is only 20) in or around times square area? actually any recomendation is welcome. Going to be in NYC starting this saturday for 7 nights. please help.

dancing/nightlife

Copacabana is the place you want to be.

http://www.copacabanany.com/java.htm

dancing/nightlife

Check out SOB%26#39;s (Sounds of Brazil) on Varick and W. Houston

It is a great club for live music!!!

(Varick St. is the same as Seventh Ave South below the Village.)

Call for their age policy.

http://www.sobs.com/club_info/club_info.html

sobs.com/latin_alternative/latin_alternative鈥?/a>

When you%26#39;re here, buy a copy of Time Out New York magazine. Has great, specific music listings.

Also, check The L Magazine - freebie in orange streetcorner boxes.

www.thelmagazine.com

Favorite bad NYC trip reports

';I liked my tour of San Quentin better.';

--World Traveller

My reply:

I hear you. I think we met at Devil%26#39;s Island. You had just returned from 21 days touring the Gulag archipelago. Next time you come, visit my friend Lola in the village. Ask her to play the ';Warden and Scrub Search'; game and then tell me about your San Quentin tour.

';i would rather visit a shack in virginia.';

--Andy in Orlando

My reply:

You%26#39;ll appreciate this as someone who lives in Orlando. Some really poor kids showed up in my friend%26#39;s Sunday school class. He asked them to pray for something they really wanted. They asked God to let them see Disneyland. The next week he them to an old burned-out warehouse in the Bronx. ';Oh, no,'; he said. ';Disneyland burned down.'; They cried and cried, but deep down, they thought it was a pretty good joke.

';Got mugged right off the train.';

--loganwx2000

My reply:

A friend of mine was set on fire in a taxi cab but she said she wasn%26#39;t really scared until she saw herself in a mirror.

';Visit another big city. Two of them I suggest is Chicago (The people there are very nice and will help you, just stay out of the east and west side) and Tokyo over in Japan.';

--A user

My reply:

If you care about those who love you, stop using. Second, my grandfather was in Japan in August of 1945. He said he would never go back again.

';Weather stinks everytime I%26#39;m in town, my feet feel like two clubs when I leave because you always have to wear 4-inch heels and walk everywhere.';

--DorothyfromKansas

My reply:

The weather is what it is but Mayor Bloomberg succeeded in having that law changed. Now, 3 1/2-inch heels can be worn if fishnet stockings are worn at the same time.

';I would not recommend relocationg to New York. If you don%26#39;t believe me, just listen to Ja Rule%26#39;s lyrics ';I%26#39;m From New York';.

--Banker boy from Chicago

My reply:

You could have saved yourself a lot of time and aggravation if you just would have read the inscription on the Statue of Liberty a little closer:

It says,

';Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,';

But down a little further in really small print it says,

';Just keep your dumb-a#s, Lake Shore Drive boiler-room scam artists the he!!l out of here.';

Favorite bad NYC trip reports

Keep taking the tablets, wingman. They%26#39;re bound to start working eventually.

Favorite bad NYC trip reports

Thanks, both of you.

chi hair

Shopping for a 13 year old girl

Does anyone have any tips as to where to take my 13 year old daughter shopping in NYC? It%26#39;ll be her first trip. We live in Chicago, so prefer not to go to places we have here, like H%26amp;M. Would be interested in any suggestions forum readers might have in the City, whether the stores are big or small, expensive or inexpensive (although we may only just browse the expensive stores). Thank you!

Shopping for a 13 year old girl

Bleecker Street has some cool places to see and shop. Cynthia Rowley is always fun, as are the quirky handbags at Lulu Guinness. There are also 3 Marc Jacobs boutiques including the lesser price ';Marc'; store, and his and hers Ralph Lauren boutiques. (Start at 8th ave and work your way towards 6th ave.)

Also lower 5th avenue has great shopping for a teenager. I%26#39;d say start at 14th and work your way up to 23rd. There is a large Esprit store, Lucky Brand Denim, Anthropologie, Otto Tootsi Plohound (shoes) and the trendy/pricey Intermix. It also has the usual suspects...Banana Republic, Armani Exchange, Kenneth Cole etc. In that same area there is also a fairly large Diesel store and American Eagle in Union Square. (one block east of 5th ave.)

Shopping for a 13 year old girl

Oh and can%26#39;t forget Soho, the stores there run the gamut from Old Navy to Chanel.

On that show ';What Not To Wear';, they took a teenager to the Anna Sui boutique on Greene St, and she was rather blown away at how unique %26amp; fun the store was. Basically it%26#39;s from Houston To Canal Streets b/n Broadway and 6th. (Emphasis on West Broadway, Prince, Spring, Greene and Wooster streets)

I would suggest 8th Street from West to East - the heart of Greenwich Village and playground of NYU.

You can start at Union Square (14th St and Broadway) and walk south on 4th AVe. or Broadway for interesting stores. Make a left (east) on 8th St.

Or you can start more west on 8th. Start at Sixth AVe and walk east until around Third Ave. Yes, there are some head shops and tattoo parlors, but the main focus of the street is the shoes!! She%26#39;ll LOVE Ricky%26#39;s Cosmetics (multiple locations) - tons of stickers and buttons with smart-aleck ';GRRL'; slogans, make-up, glitter, hair dyes, brushes and combs, scented canldes, etc. Just keep her away from the XXX-rated areas in the back of their stores, and ';usually'; curtained off (sometimes with a highly ineffective beaded curtain, depnding on the store!)

East of Broadway, the street becomes Astor Place and then St. Marks Place - the ';blue mohawk'; street. May be a little too scary and hard-core punk for her....

If you don%26#39;t like St. Marks, double-back to Broadway and walk south. Once you cross Houston St., you%26#39;re automatically in Soho (i.e. ';SOuth of HOuston';). I%26#39;d turn right on Prince St., go to West Broadway, and turn left and go south to Spring, and walk along Spring. Do you two have iPods? There%26#39;s an Apple/Mac store near here.

This is a good walk, so daughter may get tired - especially if you browse the gazillion jewelry street vendors! Luckily, there are plenty of cafes around for a rest!

This is a good interactive map for Soho shopping

http://www.artseensoho.com/map.html

Also, for a different option, go to Little India - Lexington Ave. around 26 Street. Most of the Indian places there have nice shopping for Indian-South East Asian clothes made ';trendy'; by Madonna, Britney, etc. Sandals, gauzy tops and skirts, and beaded slippers are beautiful!

I was there with my 13 year old daughter in March for her first visit. Her favorites were: looking in all the little shops in Chinatown/Canal St. and the souvenier shops in Times Square where she could get the ';I Love NYC'; shirts at 3 for $10.00 for her friends. We also spent a rainy afternoon at Macy%26#39;s which she loved. There were many clothes her size, I let her get a manicure at their ';spa'; while I got a 20 minute chair massage, and we had a snack on the balcony level while watching the shoppers. Although my older daughter loved Soho, my younger one wasn%26#39;t all that interested, lots of stuff too ';old'; or far out for her, I think.

New year's eve

I will stay 5 days to the novotel for the new year%26#39; eve.

I reserved this hotel because it offers a very good view on Times Square, do you think that we can see something from the ball ?

Could we use the underground station closer to the hotel during the december 31 st all day long ?

And someone knows an interesting limo company to come to Newark airport ?

Thanks for your response

Flo

New year's eve

Call or email the hotel IMMEDIATELY and ask about their views from their rooms. You would not want to get your hopes up and then be disappointed!

The streets in the area become very crowded and regulated during New Year%26#39;s Eve. Streets are barricaded, and security is very high. Once you enter the area, it will be difficult to leave. The police don%26#39;t permit re-entry. You can%26#39;t bring bags, purses, food or drink into the area. Bathrooms are scarce. The weather is usually very cold.

Some subway exits at Times Square may be closed off, but the station is usually open.

Have a great time!!!

CBGB's and other questions

1.Is CBGB%26#39;s still open?I read that they were having some troubles. If so, do they have a place to buy t-shirts,etc.

2.What%26#39;s the best time to hit Grimald%26#39;s on a weekday?

3.To avoid long lines( 1hr pluse), what would be a good time to visit the ESB.

4.Would a trip to the Tenement Museum be worth the trip? Is it safe to walk from Little Italy to the museum.

Thanks in advance

CBGB's and other questions

1. No lease, still open, but it%26#39;s just a matter of time ;-(

They have a gift shop as well as their on-line store... http://www.cbgb.com/storepage.htm

Ebay has a cbgb auction also.

2. Try Tuesdays

3. ? someone else will help you on this one

4. Absolutly and yes

CBGB's and other questions

Re #4 - yes it is safe. I would take Grand Street all the way east from Little Italy to the L.E.S. Great street! From Lafayette going east, good stretch for cheap Chinese noodles and bubble tea and Asian snacks, Italian gelato, Kossar%26#39;s bialys.

People who post trip reports about the Tenement Museum always say they are glad they went. What%26#39;s your interest?

Here is a good link for Streetwise Survival Strategies - good for travel anywhere in the world, I%26#39;d say.

www.theinsider.com/nyc/survive/012crim2.htm

On NYC and crime, this is from The NYC Insider website.

www.theinsider.com/nyc/survive/011crime.htm

CBGB%26#39;s T-Shirt shop is open all day, and is great. We ate at Grimaldi%26#39;s last Thursday at around 2 pm (after walking across the bridge) and we were about the only people there . . .

nail polish

$85/day dining budget

My daughter and I have been planning a trip to NY. We did a good job getting our flights, our hotel, and our broadway tickets, but the food thing is really stressfull.

Our breakfast if free at the hotel but we will eat the rest of our meals out. I have budgeted $85 per day for lunch and dinner. Is this budget realistic? We don%26#39;t require anything fancy but we don%26#39;t want to eat hot dogs for four days either. Any suggestions on good ';hole in the wall'; places that concentrate more on food quality than on ';designer'; prices?

We are willing to try any type of cuisine and plan to travel around the city most days so location isn%26#39;t really a factor.

$85/day dining budget

Where are staying, so that we can recommend some places in that area.

This is very doable. There are lots of places to eat that are not expensive, but like anywhere, you have to know where to go.

Do a search on this forum under ';cheap eats'; and you will get lots of choices. Chinatown is great for inexpensive food, same with the East Village. There are tons of places there with great food. Try these sites.

www.newyorkmetro.com/restaurants/cheapeats/

鈥itysearch.com/bestof/winners/cheap_eats

Also, www.menupages.com is a great source, just click on an area and it lists restaurants with menus %26amp; prices. There are also great prix-fixed meals in the theatre district where the food is very good and reasonably priced.

$85/day dining budget

So you see, Befiandt, thanks to NYCGirl, there is no need whatsoever to stress about the food. You and your daughter can dine like royalty in New York for $85 per day in toto. And you will probably have a much better time than royalty as you experience New York%26#39;s attractions.

Agree it%26#39;s very doable, especially if you don%26#39;t drink much. Alcohol (and drinks in general) add a lot to a bill. Since you%26#39;re getting free b/f, pick one big meal a day and a snack for the other and you should be fine. Plenty of places with prix fixe deals for lunch and/or dinner too. Agree you should tell us where you%26#39;re staying or give us an idea of your itinerary so we can suggest nearby places. Silly to travel too far.

We are staying at the Hotel QT on W. 45th Street. We will also be hitting some of the shopping hot spots for my 18yo ';retro'; girl. Century 21 is on the list as well.

Puh-leaze - where does one begin? You will definitely be satsified on that budget! No worries!

Check out Cheapo New York for general money saving tips:

www.cheapotravel.com/ny/

Middle Eastern, Mexican, Thai, Turkish, Chinese and Indian food are what we live on here, while blowing 80% of our paychecks on rent/housing. Vietnamese places are the new ';best kept secret'; for cheap dining. You should not pay more than $15 per dinner entree (if that) for these cuisines. Places that charge $15 and up for Pad Thai should get Dept. of Health citations.

Search any of these places by name at

www.menupages.com

Also, ww.newyork.citysearch.com can let you search by more features (such as ';late night dining';)

Check out Mamoun%26#39;s Falafel or Olive Vine in the Village.

I enjoy El Cantinero for Mexican, 86 University Place, (11/12 streets)

A great Italian palce (with a Japanese-sounding name) is Sapore at 55 Greenwich St. around Charles Street.

There are a bunch of satsifactory budget Italian places on or near East 3rd street (Bona Fides, Cucina di Pesce, Fruti di Mare, etc.)

If you want to ';splurge'; on Italian, check out Le Zie on 7th AVe. and 20th St. Worth it.

Lemongrass Thai has gone downhill, but it%26#39;s cheap. Varied locations. There%26#39;s also good Thai - Pongsri, Wondee or Thai Basil - on 9th Ave in Hell%26#39;s Kitchen area.

Check out the Indian/Southeast Asian choices on Lexington in the high 20s. If you want Indian near 6th Street, go to Haveli.

There%26#39;s also pomme frites stands popping up here and there for snacking.

You can split a sandwich at Katz%26#39;, Junior%26#39;s or 2nd Ave. Deli and be full until breakfast.

Check out the Chelsea Bar and Grill (both in Chelsea or Hell%26#39;s Kitchen) for great pub burgers, etc. Chelsea also has Flight 151 (pub), Mary Ann%26#39;s (Mexican), etc., etc.

And, of course, PIZZA.

When all else fails, go to a 24-hour Korean deli for a salad bar by the pound, prefereably, before 2 pm. Don%26#39;t select hard boiled eggs - very heavy.

Here%26#39;s menupages%26#39; list for the West 40%26#39;s. (I%26#39;ve sorted it by price, low to high)

menupages.com/restaurants.asp鈥?/a>

Forgot: Burritoville is great for Mexican. Blockheads Mexican is overpriced, IMHO.

obviously you already have a lot of terrific suggestions. I%26#39;ve copied this thread to add to my ';library';, and here are a couple of other%26#39;s from my library, sorry if I repeat !!

NYC Dining NYC Bargain Restaurants

My wife and I had a 3 course meal of delicious italian food this weekend; the early bird special (until 6:30). Bread, salad, soup, choice of pasta dishes, chicken dishes or salmon. Also a pretty decent glass of wine was included. The food was excellent, service was great and we sat outside. Are you ready for the final bill including tax?????

$23.50

Frutti di Mari - check it out.

NYC Dining Voy recs budget dining

I%26#39;m a little disappointed in you Alarrick. You read all 16 pages (which is in and of itself impressive) yet you don%26#39;t even mention one place other than Mars 2112 that piques your interest. Surely something else leapt out at you??

You know I am kinda teasin%26#39; you... kinda

That said, here are some ideas. First, two Web sites are your friends, other than this one of course, menupages.com and opentable.com. Menupages will give you menues/prices/locations and you can make reservations at some on opentable.com. Two great resources.

To save a few $$ and dine well:

1. Only have one splurge meal a day. If it%26#39;s going to be luinch or dinner, consider a quick bagel or (gasp) breakfast at Mickey D%26#39;s or Sbarro%26#39;s in Times Square...or whatever, just don%26#39;t make it a full sit-down affair.

2. Make your splurge meal--lunch. Jean Georges and Asiate (french/japanese), two world class restaurants, have prix fix lunches. I have just been informed however, that the $20 prix fixe lunch at Jean Georges is not as good as ordering off the menu for lunch. Apparently you can order plates at $12 app/entree and $8 for dessert (which truly should not be missed). So for $32 per person you can dine like a king at Jean Georges for lunch. Asiate%26#39;s lunch prix fixe is $35 per person...but what a view of Central Park you will have! Dining at lunch at either of these will save you at least one to two hundred dollars per person...no kidding. And think of what you can tell the other teachers back home...

3. Many restaurants in the theater district offer a prix fix pre-theater dinner special from a limited choice menu. Of interest to you may be 21 Club or Le Madeleine. For the quick pre-theater I opt for Le Madeleine, very nicely prepared fresh french food (I dare you to say that 3 times fast) and you will not miss your curtain. Nice folks there. On another pre-theater occasion you might enjoy 21 Club. They will be lovely to your daughter.

4. Dessert and drinks after the theater. The View atop the Marriott Marquis will give you the view. Drinks will be pricey but should be decent.

5. Pizza. John%26#39;s is in the theater district it%26#39;s pretty darn good.

6. Museum of Natural History area for dinner, that area is called the upper west side. A few possibilites might be Ouest, Cafe Luxembourg or Nice Matin. Keep in mind the admission price to Museum is SUGGESTED only. You can pay even one penny apiece and that%26#39;s fine. Really. Trust me.

7. Brunch on Saturday? Nope. It%26#39;s a Sunday thing. When in Soho consider Balthazar which is wonderful and FUN! Reservations highly advised. Another spot in that area that Ruffian recommends is called Le Jardin Bistro. It has an outside garden and sounds very nice also.

8. Chinatown, my chinatown. New Green Bao is good all around, Big Wing Wong for roast duck, ribs, chicken, Jing Fong or Golden Unicorn for Dim Sum, Congee Village is closer to the lower East Side, but it is also good all around, and don%26#39;t forget mango, almond cookie, ginger or green tea ice cream at Chinatown Ice Cream Factory.

Feel free to ask more specifics. Re: mexican....it ain%26#39;t the greatest cusine in NYC, but a joint called Hell%26#39;s Kitchen in (surprise!) the Hell%26#39;s Kitchen area has some good stuff.

For a meal where you can drink nice affordable good quality grape with good food to match-- two ideas... Artisanal and Landmarc.

Bon Appetit.

NYC Dining NYC Cheap Eats $5

Food Writer Robert Sietsema recently recommended his favorite CHEAP EATS places in NYC. Many you can sneak away with $5 per person. Here are some of them. All these are in Manhttan.

Hummus Place, hummus (chick pea dip) 109 St. Mark%26#39;s Place

Taam Tov (diamond District), Uzbek, Israeli, 46th W. 47th

Tulcingo Del Vallee Grocery, poblano moles 665 Tenth Ave

Khushie, Indian, 139 Essex Street

Momofuku, ramen noodles, dumplings, pork buns, 163 First Ave

New Bai Wei Gourmet Food, 5 dishes plus rice is only $2.75, 51 Division Street

Chanoodle, Roast duck, fried rice, fried clams, 79 Mulberry Street

San Francisco De Asis, pippian con polo and moles, 1779 Lexington (East Harlem)

Shake Shack, Burgers, dogs, frozen custrad, 23rd %26amp; Madison Ave

La Marmite, Senagelse cuisine, 2264 Eighth Ave

Danny Ng, Cantonese chinese 34 Pell St.

Overseas Asian Restaurant, 49 Canal St.

Ennju, Japanese 20 E. 17th St.

Carl%26#39;s Steaks, Philly cheesesteak sandwiches 507 Third Ave.

La Taza De Oro, Puerto Rican 96 Eightth Ave

AQ Cafe, Swedish, at Scandinavia House, 58 Park Ave.

Korean Temple Cuisine, Korean, 81 St. Marks Place

Roti Plus, Trinidadian Roti, 235 Eighth Ave.

Larry D:

';Khushie, Indian, 139 Essex Street ';

I find that really amusing, since I never think of the Lower East Side as a place for Indian food. Espec since, FYI, the name of the restaurant sounds a lot like a word for a racial slur in Hebrew.

Hiya Queens,

I shoulda added a disclaimer, its not my list, never been there. I%26#39;m just culling the info !! That one%26#39;s from Robert Sietsema, to which I say, who is Robert Sietsema ??

So, you going to give Khushie%26#39;s a try or not ? Its under $5 you know !

Regards...

Re #7 -- Brunch is a Saturday and Sunday thing.