Carmela

My husband and I (we're 40-ish) are heading for a long weekend in New York (Fri-Sun)in early Spring. No tourist spots on the agenda -- this is a walk-and-wander trip, soak up atmosphere, enjoy local eateries, shops, views, people-watching. I'm sorting out our plans for Friday but have two big questions about the weekend: (1) Sunday will probably be a Central Park/Upper West Side/green fleamarket (77th and Columbus) type of day before our train leaves at 3:00. Though this site recommends Sunday as a day to visit the Met (early) and then wander through the Village/Soho, can Saturday be just as good for that plan? (2) We're not going to a show, not dancing, and not bar-hopping in the evenings, though we will stop in for a drink and dessert at some place with a view -- got good ideas from this site. But which neighborhood/area is good for a nighttime ramble -- where there are things to see and soak up, population, atmosphere, but SAFE? Not Times Square, please. And we're not in our 20's -- so we don't want to feel like rejects in an especially hip area ... do you get my drift, and what would you suggest? I hate to think about after dark being HBO in our hotel room.

xx

Consider a walk on the Upper West Side.
Start at Lincoln Center and walk up Columbus to around 79th Street. Go west two blocks (long ones) to Broadway and start walking south. Total distance back to Lincoln Center is a bit more than 1
1/2 miles. If you want to extend the walk go up to 86th before heading down Broadway. Will add another mile to the walk. You won't encounter many visitors to the city but the avenues will be crowded with locals strolling - perfectly safe to walk.

Carmela

Sounds good for one night. How about another suggestion for my other New York evening?

lisa

Saturday is a fine day to go to the Met and wander through the Village. But I would personally flip your plans and wander the Village in the a.m. and end up at the Met late in the day for the simple reason that on Friday and Saturday evenings they have a quintet that plays on the mezzanine level. There are tables and a bar and you can sit, sip wine and soak up the atmosphere. Afterwards, I'd head for dinner at one of the neighborhood restaurants -- Cafe Grazie on 84th (or 85th) just off Madison is a perennial favorite.

Carmela

Wow! Great idea! Love this forum. Plus I want to see that evening view from the sculpture garden.

Rachele

Another nice little area for a stroll is around Gramercy Park (18th St. to 20th St. East of Park Avenue South). It's a beautiful private park and the whole square is very 19th century and very safe. If you want to get a nice drink, there are nice bar/restaurants all along Park Avenue South in the teens. The bar at Gramercy Tavern is very nice (and age appropriate). Park Avenue South goes down to Union Square which has some interesting stuff, although I would spend more time by Gramercy Park.

Lynda

There's also a great greenmarket at Union Square on Saturdays. From there you cound continue downtown towards the village -- always a great place to wander around. Or try a walking tour -- they usually last about 2 hours. Big Onion is one of the companies that has them. Enjoy!

xx

The Gramercy Park area is nice but the park is private and you won't be allowed in so what is the point in spending more time near the park. Irving Place is an interesting street (restaurants, bars) but it only runs 5 blocks, 19th to 14th Street on the south side of the park - you can walk it in less than 10 minutes. For a pleasant evening do the Met. For a NY experience do the Columbus/Broadway walk suggested in another note.

c

We go to the Metropolitan Museum often on Friday afternoons/evenings.Much less crowded, and then on to dinner afterwards. Columbus flea market is a good idea, then a walk down to Lincoln Center,maybe a good foreign movie at the Lincoln Center Cinemas? Also-Sunday would be perfect for spending in Soho, lunch at Balthazar, the Cub Room,or Zoe? then shop,go to the new Prada store!corner of Prince and Broadway. Go from there to Canal and get some bargains.Another lovely resto in the area is Provence, good food-good service.Great for a romantic dinner or lunch.
Have a great time~

Janie

Carmela,I believe that the Met's sculpture garden is closed during the winter, so you won't have the view you're looking for. Still, Friday or Saturday evening is the time for us grown-ups to go to the museum without the crowds. Also open late Friday and Saturday are the Museum of Natural History and the Guggenheim (and probably a couple others--many museums are switching their one late evening, which used to be Tuesday, to Fri and/or Sat)

As far as going to walk around the village/Soho in the a.m on Saturday, it'll be pretty dead. Stores, galleries don't usually open till noon or later (but stay open very late), plus, Saturday afternoon is when all the suburban teenagers roam around the area.
Try to go as late in the day as your schedule will allow.

Also, as far as upper west side walks, don't discount Amsterdam avenue which also has many restaurants. I would even skip Broadway from about 75th street to 86th and do Amsterdam instead.

Carmela

Thanks for all the "insider" advice. Most helpful!!

rqf

All you will find on Amsterdam, from 75th to 86th are restaurants and some retail shops and you can't browse in restaurants.. On the other hand on Broadway from 75th to 86th are some NYC institutions - Fairway between 74th and 75th, Zabars at 80th, H&H Bagel on 80th. There is a huge Barnes and Noble, open late at 82nd and it has a small cafe. Also every block, on both sides of the street, with one or two exceptions, houses retail stores engaged in all kinds of business.

Howard

I would strongly recommend a walk in Soho on Saturday afternoon. Not only are the shops interesting, but people watching is also great.

xxx

rqf-carmela doesn't need to come to NYC to see a Barnes and Noble store.

BeNice

xxx-if you knew that Barnes and Noble, you would know that it is a good spot to stop and have a coffee and rest while people watching, leafing through magazines, maybe buy some music to listen to at home. The reply was being helpful-what was yours being?

rqf

xx following is what I wrote "There is a huge Barnes and Noble, open late at 82nd and it has a small cafe". Read for understanding before making comments.
Operative words were "open late" and "cafe". Carmela in her original note stated she was interested in a nighttime ramble, wanted to people watch and have dessert someplace with a view. Barnes and Noble is open until 11pm or 12am, has a cafe where you can get dessert (but not with a view) and is a great place to people watch.

Carmela

Play nice. You are both right -- I live 2 miles from a Barnes and Noble, BUT it's nice to know there's one open till midnight a half mile from my hotel where we could get a late night coffee and see the neighborhood. So thanks to both of you for looking out for me!