My next weekend getaway is New York City.

Haven't booked a room yet because I'm not sure where to go that would be reasonably priced, yet in a safe part of town. Last time I visited I was a teenager and stayed with a friend in West Point's barracks. Any advice on accomodations?

How about advice on attractions? I've already done the obvious: Statue of Liberty, Central Park. Although we might hit those again since some of my friends haven't been there. Museum of Modern Art maybe. I'd like to find something to visit relating to Sex in the City.

Try www.fodors.com click on TALK than select U.S. and a selection box with states appears and go to New York

Reasonably priced in NYC is usually expensive elsewhere. I haven't been there since 1998 and it was costly back then. Go to the top of the Empire State Building. It used to be open to midnight.

This has recently reopened. It was closed in the mid-80s.
http://www.topoftherocknyc.com/ODTStatic/s...VisitorInfo.htm

The Frick Museum http://www.frick.org/information/admission.htm

Do you mean the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) or the Metropolitan Museum of Art? Folks get them confused.

http://www.metmuseum.org/home.asp

If you don't like crowds try The Brooklyn Museum

http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/

Similar to The Met but not on steroids. Most folks don't remember that Brooklyn was a city before it became part of NYC. I walked across the Brooklyn Bridge and cabbed it to the Museum. It may not be something for only a weekend but it was fun.

As for Sex in the City, you would have to check the Navy timetables. I don't know when the Fleet's In!

http://www.nytours.us/tours/tourDetail.cfm/tid/2656 - Sex Tour

Go see a show or two!

http://www.playbill.com/index.php

http://www.tdf.org/tkts/

have you tried hotels.com?

bring me back a Rolex.....

I found a tour guide!

What I cannot find is the quote from Anthony to Charlotte when the sailors were whistling at her.


No. Haven't tried hotels.com because they don't necessarily let you know how safe the neighborhood is. Someone from our agency recommended The Beacon Hotel but it's Manhattan. I can't afford Manhattan.



Rolex. You got it, Yoss.

Darn Heather,
That is to short of a notice. I have a cousin who is a stage director on broadway.
He`s not easy to get hold of, Boy could i have helped you out. Maby next time.

Where were thinking of staying *other* than Manhattan when visiting NYC?

Is it a car trip and you have to worry about parking?

If a group of 3 or 4 are going, try renting a suite and split it among you. What's the room budget per person per day?

I can't help on hotels; I stayed on Governor's Island. I believe they now give tours since the CG no longer has an active military base. Greenwich Village was fun.

Next time, Mcgee.

Does everyone stay in Manhattan? I don't know?


Car trip, yes.


We're a group, but we've different agendas. Slightly similar. Or...I'm going with an organized group, but they, OR I, have my own plans to do what I want to do and not conform.

Different agendas? Hmm...I was talking about a place to sleep. You know from about 10pm or 11pm to 7am or 8am. That's what the hotel room is for, no?

NYC is expensive. Expect $225 and up for a decent hotel in a decent area. The hotel I stayed at in Times Square (it was a lot like the YWCA- minimal) in 1998 cost around $125 and now I checked and it's over $200, than there's the 13.25 (?) percent room tax and a room fee, etc.

Take a look at

www.quickbook.com

having some flexibility about which weekend might help



Perhaps, you should consider hotels in New Jersey that are near commuter trains into NYC. You will get a better price and probably be able to park the car for less. It's a pain to ride a train for 30 minutes or more but you probably would save a lot on the lodging and spend it on Entertainment.

http://www.njtransit.com/

I believe Fleet Week happens over Memorial Day weekend. I only know this because my daughter is playing a soccer tournament in Virginia Beach, so I thought I would catch up with my cousin who is stationed at Norfolk, but alas, he says he will be gone for Fleet Week.

Eat at Carmine's!!!! Mmmmm...I've eaten at the one off Broadway, but there's another one in town as well. I've also eaten at the one in Atlantic City. Now I need a trip to the Bahama's so I can eat at the one in Atlantis!!!

Staying at the Vincci Avalon for three nights in April. Yay.

Millennium was right. I wound up paying 228 a night, but this hotel is four star so it should be nice. We're supposed to have a sitting room with a pull-out sofa. I booked for 2 people but 4 of us are going. 2 will have to sneak in somehow...yeah, it's ghetto, but it saves a significant amount of money.

Now's the time to send postcards in to talk shows if we want to sit in on a taping. Has anyone ever done this? I'm leaning toward not doing it. I don't like late night talk shows like Letterman / Conan / Leno. I sincerely do not think they are funny. Looked up SNL tix but apparently they are the hardest to get.

Checked into Zumanity tix and they are expensive.

EVERYTHING. EXPENSIVE.

Re-watched a SatC episode and recorded Carrie's address in my mobile. I'm thinking I could save money by researching and recording sightings of SatC for ourselves instead of paying for an official tour. That's how we did it in New Orleans, (pre-disaster).

Originally planned to take a train up and back. To reduce hassle of driving, traffic, worrying about the car, stuffing four people's luggage in, etc. But mainly because most of us have never taken a legit train ride. But one of our women refuses to be jouseled and thrown about on a train. Her delicacy cannot be violated so we've agreed to drive. The train tickets were also more expensive than expected and increased travel time.

I'm excited! Heap some more ideas on me as to what stuff we can get into.

By the way, Millennium's advice to consult with Fodor's forum was great. I eliminated crappy hotels from all the bad reviews on there. My friend wanted to stay right on Time Square and I talked her out of it using the comments on Fodors. Very helpful site. If anyone wants advice on traveling, go to Fodors.

The only talk show I've ever seen live is this lame-ass daytime show called Charles Perez. A bunch of us got stoned/drunk (in college), rented a bus and went there. Talk about the lamest thing ever. The only thrill was seeing my face on TV for 2.5 seconds. LOL

Are you guys going to see a show (as in theater) while you're there?

Driving is definitely the way to go... I have a friend who runs a limo company and makes the drive all the time. It's quicker than the train. But parking is $$$$$$.

If I could go to NY for three days, I would probably spend it shopping.

I am lame.

Heather your hotel looks great!!! Be prepared for very small rooms. Usually at that price they will be. At least it will be a very nice small room!!!

Every time we have been to NY we have taken the train in from Connecticut when we were at my in laws. Trains really arent that bad . You could take Amtrak from here right into Penn Station, which is beautiful!!!! Then we take the subway to wherever we want to go. No worries about parking and driving.

Anyway, you should def. take a ride on the Staten Island Ferry, you will see the Statue of Liberty from it. Go to Chinatown AND Little Italy, which are almost next to each other. Times Square is cool at night, and when its NOT raining. The last time we were there we got some cheap tickets to The Improv, and had a blast!!! Be prepared for some real bad language there!

Central Park will be beautiful in April. Ground zero is under a ton of construction now, but of course alot of people want to go there.

The Empire State building is a cool thing to do also. Even if you heva limo, taking the subway all over is not so bad, and cheap, plus no parking woes.

Hope this helps a little!!

Uh, the roads are probably much worse about jostling than the train!! Potholes from hell on the expressways, but maybe that's just in Jersey, lol!

When we lived in LA, Leno taped around 3pm, so the late night shows may not actually be "late night". I took my mom to The Price is Right when she was visiting us. Since it was early December, we wore Christmas-y clothing....I painted my own shirt that said, "Bob is my Santa!"....omg! Anyway, turned out that the show wasn't going to air until January, so we never had a chance of getting on stage because we were dressed like 'tards. But it was fun, even if we were standing around for ages. So, I say do it, just because it's a stupid thing to do, and you never know when you're going to be given a new car....not that the feather-mobile needs replacing!

Since you aren't going until April, maybe McGee can hook you up with some show tix!

Sounds great, have a blast.

Agree, the subway and trains can be less of a hassel than intially thought. My first NYC subway ride was so long ago. I was very anxious but fell into a groove and went all over with friends. Amazing how expensive rooms can be, ya gotta do what ya gotta do. I rarely visit NYC but love it when I do. Our family loves visiting the sites.

Thanks for all the advice, peeps! Will report back upon my return.

your sure lucky to get to go somwhere like nyc, have fun and let us know all about it, be safe.

Times Square is the center of New York City. This is at 43rd street and Broadway: at this intersection on New Year's Eve there are millions of people the famous ball drop. Right now you are standing in a spot in history.

Walking north on Broadway at 45th street if you look up you will see the MTV studios. On some days there are live broadcasts visible from the open window: who knows what stars you might see.

By walking west on 45th street you are entering what is know as Restaurant Row. This street is home to many different types of restaurants. No what what you type of food you are looking for you will be able to find it here.

We now walk east on 45th street to 8th avenue, where we will get on a subway train. Be sure to buy a fun pass metrocard: for $4.00 you will be able to ride all day on any city subway or bus. We will take the downtown A train to Park Place. Walk south on Broadway to the Wall Street area. As we pass Wall Street we will see the New York Stock Exchange on the left hand side of the street.

As we walk towards the Hudson River we approach Battery Park. Battery Park is where the boats to the Statue of Liberty leave from. Battery Park is also where the famous New York City ticker tape parades start. It also houses the South Ferry Terminal, home of the Staten Island Ferry.

This ferry will take you to Staten Island and will pass by the Statue of Liberty. So ride the Staten Island Ferry for free: you'll pass within a few hundred feet of the Staute of Liberty! Once the ferry reaches Staten Island you will have to exit the Ferry.

While on the island, a short walk away is the site where Madonna filmed one of her videos.

There are many buildings here that can offer historical information. All of these buildings are within a walk of the terminal, or take a look at the New York City skyline from the other side of the river.

When you get ready to leave take the ferry back to Manhattan. For one day this has been a lot, and guess how much money you have saved? Now you have more money to go out and buy gifts for the unlucky friends who couldn't come with you.

For more great travel tips:
http://www.essortment.com/in/Travel.Places...anada/index.htm

We're trying to pick a Broadway show to see. Me and Jen want to see Evil Dead, the musical. Obviously the two princesses going with us do not. They have such horrid taste.

I'm starting to think maybe I shouldn't even see a Broadway show. I have been trying to arrange tickets for us all to see a show, but everything is so expensive, (again), and I don't know what they would want to see. After a few months of picking up this task and putting it down, my voice of reason finally piped up and reminded me that I know nothing about Broadway and I hate musicals, so someone else should probably do this. Of course no one has stepped up to the plate.

Is seeing an actual Broadway show worth all this hassle or do you think we can just skip it? Can I strike if off my "must do" list for NY?

Id cut my hand off, attach a chainsaw to it, grab my boomstick (not the 1 in my pants) and be the first in line to see that! I never knew it was a musical! Does Bruce Campbell star in it or someone else? Thats definitely the next musical we are going to see when we head there again.

[quote name='dirkthedaring'
Id cut my hand off
[/quote]

Every time I read this I think he's saying that Idiot cut his hand off!

Good lord no, Bruce isn't in it. These people are really singing!

"Ready for a bloody good time at the theater? Evil Dead The Musical is on its way! The story is simple: Boy and his friends take a weekend getaway at an abandoned cabin, boy expects to get lucky, boy unleashes ancient evil spirit, friends turn into Candarian Demons and boy fights until dawn to survive, trusty chainsaw in hand. The mayhem escalates in musical numbers like "All the Men in My Life Keep Getting Killed by Candarian Demons," "Look Who's Evil Now" and "Do the Necronomicon.

This hilarious new show combines the fun of the '80s horror films Evil Dead I and Evil Dead 2 to create the craziest theatrical experience to hit New York in a long time. Blood will fly. Limbs will be lost. Demons will tell bad jokes. And everybody will sing and dance. You don't have to be a fan of horror to enjoy the chilling experience of Evil Dead: The Musical—live at off-Broadway's New World Stages."

If theres no song entitled "Ill swallow your soul" then I aint going!

Official Web Site

http://www.tdf.org/

IF you and your friends must see a specific show that is always in demand (i.e. Wicked) than getting tickets in advance is a must. However, if you are open to seeing any show (which seems to be the case since you are even wondering about seeing a show at all) than wait until you get to NYC and the evening you want to go head on over to the TKTS booth and get to see a show for 1/2 price. The website is above. Also some shows who may be having a slow week may offer twofers. Two tickets for the price of one. They have folks handing out coupons around the TKTS booth.

If you click on the list of Musicals at the tdf site you will see that shows like Chicago and Hairspray (shows that your friends might enjoy) sometimes offer discounted tickets.

1/2 price tickets! Sweet! Sounds like a good idea since nobody seems to care what we should see. (If nobody cares, why are we bothering with it then?)

Are you good with over seas travel stuff too, Monk? Because when I get some money saved, I want to plan a trip to Ireland! And London and Italy and Rome. Russia too, if you can believe that. I seem to have an inclination toward dark, dreary, cold, rainy places. What's up with that?

How about Spring Awakening?

I should chuck it all for the tickets I truly want: Zumanity! The sexy Cirque du Soleil!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL_sHYQPWnE&NR

I'm going to be stalking celebs in two weeks, people. Do y'all know where any celebrities live in NYC?

I'm organizing a hit list...

SJP and Matthew Broderick (save your shoe face jokes, Frog! )
Jake Gyllenhaal (he has to come out to walk his dogs :pounce: )
David Bowie and Iman (I heard they live in Little Italy)


I'll come back with restraining orders as souvenirs.

be carefull , you might not come back, they might keep ya.

I wish! I'd have no problem staying there.

I'd get an apartment in Jake's neighborhood. I'd take up jogging and see him in the park with his dogs. I'd twist my ankle and he'd have to carry me.

Ok - daydream over.

I'd love to see the Evil Dead musical! That sounds like way too much fun!

Here's a map of where the stars live! Start hanging out at the coffee shops in their neighborhoods. LOL http://nymag.com/news/people/18842/index4.html

And here's a list of some places celebs have been sighted: http://newyork.citysearch.com/roundup/40923

And don't forget the Gawker Stalker maps! LOL http://www.gawker.com/stalker/

Someone recently spotted Liev Schreiber.... total hottie. And someone also spotted Ryan Reynolds. "Helloooo Sexy!"

Damnit Phrog! Why are you not on the VIP list to NYC with the gals? The hell.

We have a room booked for two under my name, so two have to "sneak" in. The princesses have all confided in me, separately, that they will not be the ones to do the "sneaking." So at the last minute I plan to shoot out of the car and leave them all bitching in the car. Whichever one is quickest will tag along with me to the desk to check in and the rest will be left fuming, tasked with bags and valet. (my money is on Jen)

You'd think that would be right up their alley...trouncing by the front desk with smug faces held high, but no. "But Heather, we'll have to get on an elevator and there will be no mobile reception to find out what room number."

Well hell and tarnation! That would be awful!

Big deal we gotta cheap room in a four star place. Besides, more fun in an adventure. God! Next time someone else put the room on THEIR card and I'd be more than happy to sashay past you at the front desk like I know better than to even speak to you.

I know Phrog would be there with me, tossing the hair as we passed. "Common people have to stop at the front desk first. Pfft."

You're so used to having an all-male posse though, you wouldn't know how to act, Phrog. "I have to share a mirror???"

Don't bitch about working around five guys until you've worked around females. Myself included.

Edit: And it's supposed to rain. AND it's a Friday the 13th. AND I lost all pre-recorded adresses about SatC when my phone died.

Heres the shoes you need for NYC

I actually have a pink, spiked collar that would go nicely with those. I'm a punk wanabe.

Oh and I just got four shirts at BonTon on lunch for NYC! w00t

HAVE FUN IN NYC, FEATHER!

But not too much fun.

Do you really want to go to NYC ---Don Imus lives there

Heather please check a club out for me while your there. It is called *********. I wanna know how the experience was from you.


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mod edited.
Flipper you just don't freakin' learn do you? You know what? You're banned.

Sorry for bringing all the wind and rain back with me.

On Liberty Island, Jen and I had our scarves wrapped around our faces it was so cold. We looked like terrorists. My other friend had a hoodie on and tied it so tight that she looked like Kenny from South Park.



The only celebrities I saw were Michael Musto, (he writes for the Village Voice), and David Alan Grier at Caroline's comedy club.



http://www.carolines.com/

I did the Empire State Building for the second time in my life and will never do it again. All that waiting and standing in line is ridiculous...just to look over the city.

Ate at a french restaurant called Serge and a brewery later on. Took the double decker bus tours. Got our pics taken with the bull statue, (Jen hit her head on the bull's testicle ). We always manage to find ourselves drunk in an irish pub, so there's that again. Ran back to the hotel in the rain for several blocks, some time in the wee hours. We went underground in Chinatown and bought some fake Prada in a locked room. Went to a club in Soho. Shopped. Ate. Took a lot of pics. Spent a small fortune. Good times.

I'm not even going to ask why she had her head near the bull's private parts....

Freaking ISSUES with the pictures people. I swear.

Four of us went = four digital cameras = duplicates. Plus Jen had us all dump our photos on her laptop at the end of each day to make room for more. So when we got home, Jen had all the pictures and she didn't take any time to share them with everyone else. I had to physically go over to her house and commandeer her laptop. Instead of doing it the easy way and burning everyone a copy onto a CD, I wasn't thinking and just started uploading mass quantities of photos onto Photobucket. NOT a good idea.

Not I have photos scattered everywhere. Partially here and there and blah. Anyway here's the ones I have access to right now...

I think this is the Empire State Building.

The view from our room. The street across from us was literally a dump.

This is the building they use to shoot Law and Order! Photo was taken from atop a double decker tour bus. I have a better pic of this somewhere...

This is the picture everyone makes fun of me for taking. I thought the building with the tree in front of it was nice in a drab/pretty kinda way.

Central Park...

Radio City, obviously...

The pics from on top of the Empire State Building never turn out. Someone got a cool artsy shot of the lights being blurred, but I can't find it. They say the lights blur so much because the building is swaying since it's so high up in the air.

This little guy entertained us while we rested on a park bench. He was playing like a pet cat plays...bouncing and running around.

The building in the middle is Trump Tower. The one that looks half black and half silver.

This is a statue of immigrants by the ferry for Liberty Island.

The World Trade Center...the tour bus guides told us not to refer to it as ground zero since the city is trying to move on and rebuild. We didn't stay here long...we started crying.

This is a piece of art that was in the lobby of the WTC. As they found pieces of it they tried to put it back together.

This is when we were trying to find our hotel and accidentally ended up in Brooklyn. "Put your windows up and lock the doors, girls. Don't look at anybody." Me, "that is so mean."


That's all I have for now. Or rather, that's all I can post in keeping with the guidelines.

Guidelines?!? There are guidelines on here? You'd never know it sometimes.