stefarr

Hi

I will be arriving on monday 6th in nyc with my husband. We r staying at the warwick hotel for 6 days
We come from Malta, a small island in the med....and would be grateful for some tips and are two well travelled people in our mid 40's


we l be arriving at newark airport at 6.30 pm on monday..i ve read a lot about transport but cannot decide the best option...was thinking of goair shuttle..any views about them?

Also, I have booked some of the recommended restaurants through Opentable. I wish to go to Le Grenouille after having read an article on Vanity Fair about it. Their pre theatre menu is around 50 dollars...anyone knows anything about it..looks good. Ive also booked Fig and Olive, Kefi,, Mercat and L artisanel. I booked Nougatine for lunch.

Also is it a good idea to buy the metrocard for a week or to take taxis around town. I intend to walk were possible but to go to dinner I was wondering wether to catch a taxi to and from the hotel..I tried to keep the restaurants close as possible...


MoMa is across d road from hotel, so we intend to go there..any suggestions on other museums? I m interested in Eygptology mostly.

For the rest, we intend to walk around greenwich and Downtown Manhattan as much as possible, would it be a good idea to go to Brooklyn....

I know its a tall order but would appreciate any help as we come from a European country.....but love America and its people.....we have close relatives in America who came over as immigrants in the 50's.......

Thank you

stephanie

ekscrunchy

Metropolitan Museum of Art for Egyptian art.

Nougatine is wonderful; do you know that they also have a well-priced early dinner for, I believe, $35 per person? I just had a wonderful dinner there; I think it is the best choice on your list. It is an easy walk from your hotel.

Mercat is ok, but very loud..I think you might be able to do better for Spanish food.

I have not been to La Grenouille in about 20 years but I do know that the decor is still lovely.
You can take taxis to reach some of the restaurants if you would prefer, but they are all reachable by subway.

ekscrunchy

I should add that, if you want other dining options, perhaps you could give an idea of price range and details about what kind of place, what kind of food, etc.

Above all, I wish you a wonderful time here in New York!!

doug_stallings

There are two excellent collections of Egyptian art in NYC. One is at the Metrpolitan Museum, and the other is at the Brooklyn Museum.

If you like to walk, then I'd recommend a one-week subway/bus pass. Walk when it suits you, but jump on transit otherwise. It's going to be cheaper over a weeklong visit than taxis.

I don't know anything about the "GoAir Shuttle" but you have a couple of options. If your hotel is near MOMA, its not terribly far from Grand Central (less than $7 cab ride). You can take the Olympia Trails bus to Grand Central stop and a taxi from there. However, traffic may be heavy at that time of the night, so the Airtrain to NJ Transit would be much faster; it brings you into Penn Station, where you could take a taxi. If you want to take a taxi all the way, call Dial7 car service (212/777-7777) when you have picked up your luggage; they will have a car ready in about 5 or 10 minutes for about $70 to $75 (including toll and tip, almost triple the cost of the Airtrain or Shuttle).

MOMA is free on Friday evening from 4 to 8 (arrive early and expect to wait in line). Otherwise it's $20. I love The Modern restaurant (the bar room), where you can dine on Alsatian-inspired small plates for $50 each including a glass of wine if you order carefully. Reservations are a necessity.

Aduchamp1

First, public transportation from Newark is inconvenient. I do not know goair, however. The taxis are well regulated and you pay a fixed fee depending on what area of Manhattan you are going to.

The Metropolitan Museum has an excellent Egyptology collection including the Temple of Dendur

http://www.metmuseum.org/works_of_ar...collID=10&vw=0

Brooklyn Museum may have the best Egyptology collection in the United States.

http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/egypt_reborn/

Of all the restaurants you mentioned Nougatine for lunch is one NYC best food values.

I would purchase one metrocard for $20 with which you get a bonus amount and share it, since you will be walking and taking cabs.

We have never visited Malta but we had a friend who was from there and your history is deep and complicated for island the size of Manhattan. Don't you also have an internaionally used film studio?

Aduchamp1

It sounds like we wrote our answers by looking over one another's shoulders.

Songdoc

Can't comment on the food ... other than to say that I'd suggest trying Carnegie Deli for a taste of something that is so uniquely NY. If you have any interest in immigration (and it seems you do) I highly recommend a visit to the museum at Ellis Island. It's an exceptionally good museum that brought tears to my eyes. There's so much to see and do in Manhatten -- I don't see any need to add Brooklyn.

Aduchamp1

Please note it is spelled Manhattan.

Katie_H

Hi Stephanie---you should get plenty of great advice here.

One part of your post caught my attention-- Egyptology. The Brooklyn Art Museum has a significant Egypt collection as I recall. The MET does as well: http://www.metmuseum.org/Works_of_Art/egyptian_art

Your hotel is located near 4 subway stops--I think you'd want to take the subway for trips to lower Manhattan, the West Village, or Brooklyn. You could also consider buying one pass with multiple rides on it that you and your husband could share. This might be more economical depending on how often you ride.

You could walk to both Nougatine and Le Grenouille from your hotel I would think if you wanted. Nougatine is probably a 10-15 minute walk; Le Grenouille 5-10.

Katie_H

I had my response window open too long I see (I know I repeated many of the posts above). You all are quick!

nytraveler

Grenouille is an excelent traditional French restaurant - but understand there's no way you'll get out for $50 each. That may be the price of the pre-theater dinner, but once you add in a drink or a bottle of wine, tax (8.25%) and tip (20%) - for the two of you the price wil be closer to $175.

Have never heard of that shuttle. If you don;t mind dealing with your luggage on public transit (up and donw stairways etc) you can take the Air Train to New Jersey Transit to NYC Penn Station and then the subway from there. Personally, I'm allergic to luggage on public transit, esp at rush hour when there's no room for people let alone bags - and always take a cab or car service. Coming from EWR a car service is better, since the price is fixed. I fyuo go to Dial 7 or Carmel web site it will give you prices for the airport run and sometimes there are discout coupons. But figure at lest $60 plus toll and tip (20% but of fare without the toll).

bspielman

From a New Yorker's perspective, public transit--AirTrain (free and connecting directly to) NJTransit ($15 one-way to Penn Station every ten minutes or less)--may seem inconvenient. But, if you want inconvenience, try using public transportation from JFK to Manhattan.

Then again, EWR is in the "wilds of New Jersey," so ....

stefarr

Hi
Thanks everyone...what a quick response...seems everyone's on the same wavelength...

Aduchamp 1...how lovely that you know about us..for an island Manhattan's size..Yes we have a rich complicated history, and our little island is steeped in culture..in fact we are the result of several occupations.. Norman, Roman, French, Italian and lastly English....now intensely independent with our own language and holding our own even though fully integrated in the EU for the past 4 years..If any of you ever wish to visit us..just let me know..we are now a visiting port of nearly all US cruiseships..HAL; RCC;Oceania ..etc

Anyway back to New York, I have a budget of around 150 dollars daily for dinners..and we love all good food and wine.. all your suggestions are more than welcome.

So now I m down to taxi or train for airport transport..leaning towards a cab....Thanks for the tip about eygptology museums ..i so admired the one in Berlin..must try to fit in Brooklyn museum.

Will take the ferry and see Ellis Island..maybe find time to see the Immigration museum..see where my relatives got their first glimpse of the land they would so lovingly make their home

Walk along Battery Park..looks nice..we dont have many open spaces here ,Central Park, of course..and with two teenagers waiting at home..loads of 'stuff' as they call it..lol

Any stores we may visit to appease their material needs would also be appreciated..I have a 19 yr old girl and 17 yr old boy!!!

We r trying to get tickets for the Met Opera because an up and coming young tenor, Maltese, will be performing the Rigoletto there, but there are few left and seats dont seem so good.

Will also try to see Exit the King or God of Carnage..both had good reviews on the NY times.

Trying to find tickets for West side story as well..so it looks like our evenings are taken care of.

May I take this opportunity to thank you all for your generous help..I have about three different guide books but I feel I got the most useful feedback in this forum

Anything more you might have to add would be most welcome..


Stephanie

Oh and one last thing pls..the weather..?? here we have warm low 20 C

ekscrunchy

I believe there are quite a few Maltese living here in NYC-for years I went to a Maltese hairdresser on St. Mark's Place in the East Village.

Just one more comment--you do not want to take a taxi from Newark to MAnhattan. You must take a car service; see these:

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...ark-to-nyc.cfm

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...-manhattan.cfm

sf7307

stefarr, the reason ekscrunchy suggests a car service is that the price is fixed, whereas a taxicab will be metered (so you don't know the exact amount of the fare until you arrive at your destination).

Also, be aware that Ellis Island closed in 1954, so depending on when your relatives arrived in the US, they may or may not have gone through EI.

Aduchamp1

I apologize, I did not know they changed the taxi fares from zone to metered.

Bspeil writes:
But, if you want inconvenience, try using public transportation from JFK to Manhattan

I have done this many times and I save $50 each way.

bspielman

OK, Adu, point taken, but cabs aren't what most people think of as public transit.

bspielman

Stefarr, try for the Met anyway. Go to www.metopera.org; you can buy online.

On April 9, in addition to Joseph Calleja from Malta as the Duke, you'll be hearing Diana Damrau, a spectacular soprano, as Gilda.

As I write this, there are two single seats not far from each other in the Met's Dress Circle, the third of five tiers. One seat is in the first row center at $150 and the other is in the fourth row center at $100. There's also a pair of singles in the Grand Tier, the second balcony, house left, at $175. All of these are excellent seats.

bspielman

Oh, and the weather:

The long-term forecast for the 6th through the 11th (as far as it goes) is for highs around 12 deg C to 13 and lows from 4 to 7, except for Monday night through Wednesday, when the highs will be 6 to 9 and the lows, 2 to 3. There's a 20-40% probability of precipitation during the period.

Don't let the inclement weather affect you; enjoy the City (and the Met, I hope!).

rncheryl

Steffar: So glad to see you are going to check out Ellis Island, as the arrival place of your ancestors? It is an amazing sight for an American, and think it will be for you as well. Take time to see the displays of immigrants and their possessions.

Hope you love NYC as much as we do!