NYC in March

[spacemonkey]

My dp is taking me to new york for a long weekend in march (hurray!) and i wondered if any of you had any tips for good things to do, places to eat etc as well as anywhere to be avoided! I've been before but it was nearly 20 years ago so anything I remember from that trip is surely out of date.

On my list at the moment is the empire state, a boat trip round the island, a helicopter ride, a broadway show, a drag show and SHOPPING!!!

Any advice would be much appreciated x

When I went to NYC at the end of March a few years ago, we did the helicopter ride in brilliant sunshine, shirt sleeves etc and the next day we were snowed in for three days!!

Hope you have a great time, you must do a deli for lunch, their sandwiches are to die for and one can feed 6!!

Spacemonkey about 5 yrs ago before children my dh took me to NY for St Patricks weekend being Irish are you going to be there around the 17th if so prepare to drink lots and paint green shamrocks on your faces....It will probably be freezing cold so wrap up but have a fab time it really is an awesome place.

Make sure you bring lots of empty suitcases with you (check on the max amount of baggage you airline will let you carry) as you will certainly find everything sooo much cheaper and will want to stock up on everything from shampoo to sheets.

Ohh, spacemonkey, I can't believe I've seen all this! I placed a request about a month ago for info on NYC, as I was going out there last Thursday (30th) to join hubby for w/end. Due to the sum total of one inch of snow at LHW, I sat incarcerated on a plane at the airport between 7.30 thursday night (original flight due to leave at 1.30 thursday afternoon) until 3.30 on Friday morning. Spent all friday at Terminal 4, and gave up on Friday afternoon and came home. Spent all w/end feeling very sorry for myself, and have no idea as to the whereabouts of my bag either.
Suggest you try and book a visit with the Big Apple Greeters - they have a website, and they're free. You get allocated a local person to take you round whatever you want to see.
I'll be interested to hear what shops you think are good. I'd lined up a whole raft of them to visit on Friday.... SOB

Spacemonkey, wouldn't you rather go shopping there with your very best friend (ahem!)?!

spacemonkey:

I'm a New Yorkeror was, before I moved here, but feel like I still am in spiritand go several times a year to visit family & friends. I just returned today from a month there. Here are some suggestions.

It will be hard to get tickets, but the best thing on Broadway at the moment is The Producers. A good restaurant right near there in the theater district, is Jezebel, modeled after a New Orleans brothel and specializing in southern U.S. specialities like ribs, fried chicken, spicy mashed potatoes and collard greens etc. It's not cheap, but I would say moderately priced by NYC standards. If this concerns you, ask about prices before you make a booking.

A great place for lunch is an odd little Kosher deli/restaurant on W 72nd St. a little east of Broadway. It's a throw-back to the 1950's, but very "New York," and not touristy at all. You can get all those wonderful things like pastrami sandwiches there. Quite inexpensive, and a lot of food.

For a trendy dinner scene, go to Sala, a tapas restaurant on Bowery and Great Jones. It's a fun place in the East Village, where a lot of artists live. They have the best tapas I've ever had outside of Spain.

I don't know about drag shows.

The shopping possibilities are endless--don't know where to begin there. I would suggest you just use a book for that and see what looks interesting.

Ive heard breakfast at Tiffanys is worth the visit.

If you've an eye for bargains, rather than the designer stuff on 5th avenue, try Century 21 right next to the Ground Zero site. It's a huge department store full of knock-down, last-season designer stuff. When I went in Sept, I bought some brill shoes, handbags and a real cashmere scarf for my mum-in-law down from $99 to $25.
For night time entertainment, try the Cafe Wah! which I think is in or near Soho (I think they've got a website). You have to book, but there's a comedian and a brilliant house band on every night 11pm to 5am. Fantastic night out.

hi spacemonkey

used to live in ny and have made fairly regular visits back since. just a few comments.

empire state - excellent idea, think about going after dark (the night time views are my favourites)
boat trip round the island - these trips can be expensive, you could try taking the staten island ferry and/or walking across brooklyn bridge and back instead, i would recommend these anyway.
helicopter ride - yes, yes do it! again think about a night time trip.
broadway show - cut price broadway tickets at the "TKTS" booth in times square, they usually have a good range of shows.
drag show - er, pass!
shopping - soho, many designers but now largely taken over by the chains. designer boutiques on the lower east side and in tribeca. department stores - macys, bloomingdales, and a whole gamut of big stores on 5th ave between 42nd and 59th (barneys, tiffanys, etc, etc)

other things:

ellis island - if it's open.
metropolitan museum of art - it's fantastic
guggenheim museum
museum of modern art
walking tours by the big onion (they are all graduate students from columbia, the quality is extremely high), walks cover all areas of manhattan and are listed in Time Out New York - see below
exploring the village
having a (very expensive) drink at the rainbow room (top of the rockefeller centre)
walking around the reservoir in central park
gospel brunch in harlem
having a drink in one of the really, really hip hotel bars, e.g. The Mercer.

Two great resources, used by the locals (you will find restaurants, bars, shopping, theatre etc etc - and yes probably drag shows!)

CitySearch NY , and TimeOut New York - suggest you pick up a copy of this as soon as you arrive.

hth, have a wonderful time - i'm jealous!

forgot to mention the frick collection - the collection is exquisite if you're really pushed and don't have much time - do this one art museum it's tiny but every piece is a gem.

Thanks for all the tips, I'm printing them off as I type!

bossykate, thanks for the links, v useful, found what looks like a cool walking tour of TV and film locations in NY. Can't BELIEVE the price of broadway tickets though, not much under $200! We will try the TKTS booth and see what the price is like. The Producers looks good but i can't help but be tempted by Urinetown, The Musical about a future world where private toilets are banned ...

We are staying at The Kitano Hotel, Midtown East - don't suppose anyone's stayed there? It looks wonderful on the website anyway although it's so posh I will have to buy something decent to wear before I go!

Ellis Island was facinating, part of the statue of Liberty trip - get your tickets in the fort in Battery Park. I was told not to bother going up the Statue, so didn't. Apparently Sunday brunch at the Waldorf Astoria is fab - we stayed there (on a cheap deal) but had to get an early morning flight and missed it .Near the Intrepid aircarft carrier there's a wonderful restaurant/bar that is sometimes used in Spin City. It was very quiet when we went, the food was to die for!! The Intrepid itself is worth a visit if you're into that sort of thing - I'm from Pompey and my DH dragged me round it, so it was a bit like coals to Newcastle! I flew all that way to look at something I can see any day of the week!! The subway was a great way of getting around, but not after 8pm - get a cab. Walking is OK too on the main drags - Central Park is also somewhere to be wary of very early or very late. during the day it's OK if you stay where there are people. Go to The Inn on the Park ( I think that's what it's called), the one that has all the trees lit up outside, South end of the park. The Tiffany panels inside are beautiful, and the best loo around!!

I'm assuming this with without little ones. If with the little ones, try the carousel in Central Park (southern end) and then over to FAO Schwartz for a real toy shoppping adventure.

Without kids -- have a great time!

I would recommend...

for drag go to Lucky Cheng's Restaurant in the East Village (all the waitresses are in drag) and they may do a show now (24 1st Avenue, New York, NY 10009 tel 212.473.0516)
www.luckychengs.net/menu.html

definitely a trip to the Frick Collection is worth it

my top tip if the weather is okay is to go down to the Brooklyn Bridge and walk across it into Brooklyn Heights you won't believe the views and the feeling! There is a strip of lots of cute restaurants on the Brooklyn side not too far from the bridge -- you'll have to ask when you get there to get the directions. you can take a tube or taxi back.

for a great gospel brunch if you don't fancy going to Harlem, try Lola's 30 West 22nd Street (between 5th & 6th Avenues)

The Guggenheim, MOMA and the Met are all great museums.

Any diner on any corner for good breakfasts top tip for saving a few bucks don't eat breakfast in your hotel -- find a little diner or a bagel shop with tables and breakfast like the locals

You're gonna' love it!

The carousel is brilliant, even without little ones. As are the swings in the park (a girlfriend and I had a great time re-living our childhood)

This should clarify the legal position. I think it's incredible this lack of law has been overlooked really.

oops sorry wrong post!!!!

spacemonkey - not sure if anyone has mentioned the 'Tenement Museum' on the Lower East Side - can only see the Guggenheim etc mentioned. Whilst I did enjoy these, I'm a bit of a realist, and enjoy grittty social history, so tenement museum right up my street! Walked down there from somewhere near the top of fifth avenue (long trek!), but enjoyed the sights en route. Well worth the journey - the tour shows you what it was like for all the immigrants when they crowded over - their dwellings recreated as they would have been for Irish, Mexican, Spanish families etc. This coupled with the trip to Ellis island gave us a real insight to the real 'NY'

Definitely Sylvia's restauarant in Harlem for brunch on Sunday. Bossykate - do you know it? and could pass on the address?
Great soul food, gospel band singing, brilliant atmosphere. Get there when it opens!

Sylvia's
328 Lenox Ave (between 126th & 127th Sts)
Tel (212) 996 0660

hth.

Oo you lucky girl spacemonkey. Someone has offered to take me to NYC and I really want to go but am worried about the flying. Not cos I'm going to NY but cos I hate it anyway. And reading all this now I REALLY want to go. What did they used togive Mr T before he flew on the A Team -I need some!! What a wimp.

This is a great thread. DH has just announced that he has booked a weekend in NYC in March for me too for my 40th. He tried to keep it a secret but failed miserably(which is a good thing really cos who knows what he would have packed for me to wear!). Havent been to NY for seven years so am going to be printing all these great ideas out.

hehe thumper it was the same here, dp was like a little boy, so excited he was nearly bursting, so it didn't take much to weedle it out of him. I'm glad I know so I can enjoy looking forward to it and plan for places to go!

We were looking at helicopter transfers to manhattan from JFK but it costs $850 ARGH! So that's out the window then!

only one slight problem with going to NYC - i am an inveterate smoker and as far as i can find out you can hardly smoke ANYWHERE grrr - so i'll be packing nicotine patches aplenty!

The two best memories I have from NYC last august are:
Tapioca Tea
Tiffany's

Have a fantastic time.