trip report

Old Aug 14th, 2007, 01:32 AM
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trip report

What a trip we had this year. Thanks to you Fodor’s who provided info directly or in response to others gave me ideas for our trip.
We were up at 5.00am to get the 10.15 flight from Manchester to New York. Check in was straightforward but restrictions on hand luggage are ludicrous. Unopened water bottles were too large by 25cc to be taken through security, sun creams within the weight limit were in too large a bottle in the subjective opinion of one indivivdual & had to be dumped – overall some aspects of security was rigid whilst others were lax – my daughter had forgotten to remove scissors from her hand luggage & was allowed through and searches in hand luggage were cursory. Anyway we got on the plane & left on time. There was some trouble with the in flight entertainment unit & I was only able to watch 1 ½ movies. The landing was overlong as the plane drifted around awaiting permission to land – my son was sick as a result from all the turns.
Arrival was not as long as last year through Delta & I was aghast watching customs breaking open expensive suitcases for the flight from an oriental flight & rummaging through belongings – surely the owners could have been asked to open them first & what would they think when they found their luggage all over the conveyor.
The taxi ride into New York was fast – on & off ramps, the roads have not improved from last year. From JFK we passed La Guardia, crossed the Triboro bridge & down to 96th Street, then onto Park Ave to 79th & down Central Parks West side.
We were staying at Radio City Apartments on 49th Street. The apartment was massive & cost $205 per day. 2 room apartment – one room with 2 double beds, tv with a bathroom off it, the other with sink, gas cooker, large fridge freezer, sofa bed, table & 6 chairs & another tv. The living room looked out onto the street & the bedroom looked out onto the passageway to 48th Street – there was a waterfall with a walk through perspex tube and tables & chairs were arranged on the flagged area. We were really impressed.
Once we had briefly organised our things we went out for dinner.
We ended up at the Olympic Diner on 8th Ave between 48th & 49th Street. I had a fantastic buffalo burger. The menu there is massive, the staff very friendly & the cheesecake is excellent. After that we meandered back through Times Square & got to bed at 9.00pm – 20 hours after getting up.
Saturday I was up at 5.00am but we only got out at 8.00. We intended to go to the CBGB shop & walk across to Grenwich village. The shop didn’t open till 11.00 so off we went to the village. My son had a good time pushing the cube at Astor Place. We got warm bananas off a stall that was being set up by Astor Place. We found an incredible grocers shop in University Place that stocked everything. I have never seen so much fresh veg that looked so good anywhere in the UK. We took our lunch into Washington Square Park & sat a while. My son had a few games of chess & then we went off down MacDougal Street and then onto Bleeker. Our Lady of Pompeii looked closed but was open – it is a really nice traditional church. We stopped at Amy’s Bread for a sandwich & crossed the road for gelato. We meandered off Bleeker & I got some coffee at McNultys & then my son got some toys at Gepetto’s – they had recently been flooded & we swapped stories of the UK floods.
We returned to Washington Square Park & sat there listening to musicians & trying to cool down. We carried on down 8th Street – at Gamesworld they had just started a war game at 4.00pm & the shop would not close until victory was won. We had another turn on the cube at Astor Place & whilst my wife was in CBGBs my son dragged me into the comic shop a few doors down. We ate at the bagel shop on the corner & then walked around the street market there before heading back to Times Square & bed at 9.00pm.
Sunday I was up at 6.30 & we got out at 8.30 intending to go to South Street Seaport. At 7th Ave there was a street market so we strolled around for any bargains. Returned to apartment to drop off purchases & at 10.00 got the metro to get the Statten Island ferry. The boat trip took just over an hour and then we walked to the South Street Seaport. It was a relief to get out of the heat. After lunch we set off for the Brooklyn Bridge & walked half way over before the heat got too much. We then went to Grand Central at 6.30 but most of the places were closing or closed. Managed to get a sandwich. Saw the site of the steam pipe explosion & then walked up to St Patrick’s cathedral before returning to the apartment.
Monday up a bit later – 7.30. Took the laundry to the wash & fold & because of the heavy rain got the metro to Times Square for Toys R Us. Metro back to Apartment with bargains & to get changed out of wet clothes. Had dinner at the Healthy & Hearty over the road & got Metro to Museum of Natural History – to see the Mythological creatures show. The show was sold out for the day so we spent the afternoon looking around. Got the Metro to the Rockefeller for tea at Aunty Anns & Starbucks. Rain had finally stopped at 8.00. Saw a film crew setting up outside the apartment but no stars were around.
Tuesday up at 7.30 & went out to pick up the washing. Returned to apartment & after unwrapping found that everything had been shrunk. Returned to the cleaners but got no where with them – not even an apology. We have never had our washing shrink before so they must have boiled the laundry. Because of the heavy rain on Monday I had gone to the nearest cleaners – Yee’s Excellent Cleaners on 49th Street between 8th & 9th Ave. We had no problems with any other wash & fold laundrettes so would urge anyone else to avoid that place. I had no receipt that I could pursue any claim & not knowing what else I could do had to leave it at that.
Got the metro to Canal Street for bargains – from the west side of Canal Street the Chrysler stands tall & proud, from the east side the Empire State stands equally tall & proud – great photos. At Mott Street we entered Little Italy & had dinner at the Palermo – great lunch & even better snicker cake. Carried on up Mott Street to the old St Patrick’s – the outside looks a bit drab & unfinished – places for statues but no statues, inside it was cooler & the stained glass window lovely. We were going to then have tea at Teany’s but I felt very uneasy & the neighbourhood seemed very rough. We got the Metro up to Central Park. Where the carousel is a fairground had been set up sponsored by Mr Trump & we stayed there till it closed at 7.00pm. We got some food at Wholefoods Columbus Circle & returned to the apartment.
More to follow.
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Old Aug 14th, 2007, 02:37 AM
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Great report, john. Love the detail!
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Old Aug 14th, 2007, 03:14 AM
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johngerard:

Interesting report, you are giving a lot of detail.

So sorry to hear that your washing shrunk.

One tiny suggestion, could you please put in a couple of paragraphs, makes it so much easier to read. Looking forward to the rest of your story.

Sandy
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Old Aug 14th, 2007, 05:31 AM
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Wednesday we decided to get the 48 hour bus tour which would give us 2 night tours plus a free trip on the 3rd morning. We got tickets at 10.30 but had to wait till 11.30 due to the queues – as all the buses left without anyone downstairs we asked to go downstairs but this was not allowed.
At Bleeker Street we got off. Went straight to the Pink Teacup – homemade sweet lemonade, proper French fries & grits. Coconut cake is still the best around.
Back on Bleeker I went in a toy shop that was more of a toy museum. 2 oldish men were sitting around whilst the toys were in display cabinets – no prices & the toys were old. I spotted lots of cars & toys from my childhood.
Whilst waiting for the tour bus I went in a phone shop & discovered my mobile worked on the wrong wavelength for use in US.
Back on the tour bus we got off for Bloomingdales. It was odd seeing people walking their dogs in a store. I also overheard a member of staff explaining to another that my daughter was only a tourist & it wasn’t worth her while helping her – I felt like getting my money back on the items we had already bought there.
We looked in on Serendipity but the wait was 1 ½ hours – we took some photos & went off to a nearby restaurant.
Got back on the tour bus at Central Park & was able to get on a nighttime tour. Last year it went over Brooklyn Bridge but now it goes over Manhattan for some reason. By the time it got to Brooklyn it was too dark for photos – still took them in case & set a mental reminder to get an earlier bus the next day. Returning over the Manhattan Bridge the Empire was touching the clouds, lighting them up – really magical.
Managed a piece of cheesecake in Times Square before going back to the apartment.

Thursday took the uptown tour after dropping laundry off at the one we used last year & got it back unshrunk – bus was too full & we ended up downstairs. Got off the bus by Lenox & had lunch. We then went into the park & my son spent an hour on the remote control yachts whilst we listened to some buskers. Had a cool lemonade & headed off to Bethesda terrace & Bow Bridge. Took the tour bus back to Times Square, had a buffalo burger at the Olympic Diner & picked up the laundry from the wash & fold. Dropped it off at the apartment & got back to Times Square for a slightly earlier night tour bus. Still too dark by the time we got to Brooklyn for photos but still one of the best tours they do.

Friday slept in to 8.30 & had to rush to take advantage of the 48 hour ticket. Got to Times Square at 10.00 but the queue was 1 hour long already. Rushed down to the bottom of Times Square to the first scheduled stop & got on downstairs without any problem. Tour guide commentary was atrocious & the bus failed to stop at Union Square – the driver opened the doors at the next set of lights.
My daughter was in heaven – H & M, Zara, Filenes, Strawberry & Shoezone. From Union Square we got the Metro to the Pokemon centre at the Rock & then after a coffee we walked straight into the MOMA free. I dragged my wife away from there back to the apartment to pack.

Saturday. My only complaint about the apartment was that I was kept awake most of the night by a drip hitting the aircon unit outside – the drip was coming from an aircon unit higher up.
Up at 7.30, packed & out to Alamo car hire on west 77th Street. The car we were allocated was given to someone else who was being booked out slightly quicker than us. We ended up with a bigger car – Dodge Charger & only just managed to get our luggage in that. I hired the GPS – I had been unable to find anywhere that sold them at the expected price of around $150 but on my return a week later the shops were full of them. I set the coordinates for Hyannis & off we went for a week on Cape Cod.

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Old Aug 14th, 2007, 08:03 AM
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Wow - you sound like my kind of traveler - GO GO GO! Great report (I'm FROM NY and haven't done half the things you mention). Glad it was a good trip.
 
Old Aug 14th, 2007, 04:22 PM
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jphngerard:

Thanks for the followup on the NYC part of your stay.

How old is your son and daughter? How lucky they are to enjoy such lovely holidays.

Also I'd like to see you start another post on your Cape Cod adventure. May I suggest that you call it "NYC to Cape Cod Adventure" or something similar rather than just "trip report" - all the posts sort to the United States even when you click on a State. Many people are missing your NYC report.

Thanks for taking the time to post.

Sandy
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Old Aug 16th, 2007, 12:49 AM
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My kids are 18 year old daughter & 10 year old son.
To finish off my trip report I have repeated my posting from the Cape Cod section as it leads into the last few days of our trip.

Saturday – was packed & ready to leave Hyannis at 9.00. Waiting on the letting agent to get in touch since Friday on what we had to do. 9.30 she turned up, took the keys & we were off.
The GPS had not been programmed with the new layout at Bourne/Sagamore & sent me down a side road to a diner insisting I was on a roundabout. The Alamo agent said it was a faulty satellite. It added 40 mins to our trip as I had to work out how to get back on the right route.
By 1.30 I was getting tired & with no other info from traffic signs as to how far New York was I decided to stop. I came off at North Saymore I think & couldn’t find the diner that had been signposted. I came across a café that didn’t do coffee after 12.00 as the locals don’t drink it there after that time! Rubbish sandwich, disgusting portaloo toilet.
Back on the road ETA 3.30 but arrived 4.15 – not bad. Traffic was nose to tail out of New York but we had quite a fast trip in – GPS had me off & on 95 avoiding a lot of last years jams. I just did what it told me so don’t ask me where I was. Narrowly missed a crash joining/merging with traffic on Riverside Drive but other than that I was relieved to have got us back in one piece.
I needn’t have worried about the scrape on the car obtained whilst it was parked up; the Alamo driver reversed the car into the brick wall when he was parking it.
Piled our 7 cases (came with 5) into a cab & checked in at the Belvedere at 5.00.
The room was the same as last year but after Radio City it was like being in cramped confinement, 1 room with 2 double beds, bathroom, small fridge & sink and the lighting was 2 table lamps & the ceiling lights were by the bathroom – quite dark in the evening.
We dumped the cases & headed out for tea at the Olympic. We were welcomed by the owner & I had a buffalo burger – are they addictive? Went to Toys R Us again & got back to the room at 10.30. The toilet flooded but that was sorted quickly by the janitor.

Sunday up at 9.00 & out at 10.00. Went to the internet café on the corner of 49th Street & 9th Ave for croissants & bagels. It got quite full that people were unable to get in.
There was a street market on 6th Ave so we strolled around. Tried haggling for fun & got some bargains – large model car $10 bought for $5, 3 baseball caps for $12 (2 for $10).
Had dinner at Grand Central – all the shops were open this time. Went over to the Chrysler which was open (guide book says it is closed), library was closed but there were entertainers on the street. Sat in Bryant Park for a while before heading up Times Square & dropping off the days shopping.
Took the metro to Central Park but weekend repairs meant we had to get off at Columbus Circle. Had a snack in Wholefoods & walked into the Park. My daughter hailed a taxi & we went back to the hotel.

Monday dropped laundry off & took metro to Christopher Street. My wife wanted to exchange a CBGB t shirt which they did. I ended up in the comic shop. Headed down 8th Street & looked in at Jefferson library – could only walk around the outside of the garden there. Ambled through Charles Street & had a good meal on Bleeker at Manatus. Took the metro to Canal Street for more handbags. Son got some pirate DVDs – the Transformer cd was blank, Wonderdog had heads & exit sign of a cinema in it, Harry Potter was ok & Bourne was flickering with the odd head in it.
Metro back to Times Square & got haggling again – 30 pencils for sons school friends for $10, they should have been 20 for $10. Picked up laundry & dumped stuff back in hotel & went to St Patrick’s, had a meal at Rosen’s & then took metro to Grand Central to watch the film in Bryant Park. My wife could not get over the magnificent toilets there.
Walked back via Toys R Us, Virgin & T shirt shop. Must mention the soap/candle shop on 48th Street by the Belvedere as the owner was very nice & polite & gift wrapped everything. Back in the hotel finished packing.

Tuesday – last day. Packed 7 suitcases & 4 hand luggage to the limit – we came with 4 ½ cases (2 empty cases in one of the other cases) – and left it with the hotel. Went to Grand Central & had sandwiches in Bryant Park. Dragged ourselves back through Times Square & picked our luggage up & got taxi to JFK.
Goodbye New York.

There were no signs of building work in the Belvedere hotel but I did hear some drilling one morning at 10.00 on the ground floor. On the corner of 49th & 8th Ave there is a tall building going up & cement lorries were queuing up till 7.00pm delivering their loads – maybe that is what the complaints are about. One morning a truck was parked apparently less than 25ft from a restricted zone & I was amazed to see the driver roll out a tape to park his truck to the required distance.
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