Best First Thing to Do in Manhattan - & Advice re Itinerary!
Jun 17th, 2012, 06:15 PM
#121
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The girl is 14, but Coney Island is not on the list? Shame on you! Put on your flame proof jacket, cuz I iz bouts to flame u like a steak on a grill.
Take the subway (F or Q) to W8 st. Dont get off on Stillwell as it's a mad house. Walk across bridge to the boardwalk. Check out the park, the pier, rides, etc.
Then, if you really want to see how the rich folks in Brooklyn live, go to W36st. to check out SeaGate.
Take the B36 bus back to civilization, and go check out Brighton Beach. Then take the B1 to Emmons ave. or walk to Manhattan beach... no, dont even ask, it's not in Manhattan.
Take the subway (F or Q) to W8 st. Dont get off on Stillwell as it's a mad house. Walk across bridge to the boardwalk. Check out the park, the pier, rides, etc.
Then, if you really want to see how the rich folks in Brooklyn live, go to W36st. to check out SeaGate.
Take the B36 bus back to civilization, and go check out Brighton Beach. Then take the B1 to Emmons ave. or walk to Manhattan beach... no, dont even ask, it's not in Manhattan.
Jun 17th, 2012, 06:31 PM
#122
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BTW, why would a 14 year old be interested in the Tenement museum?
NYC's only Aquarium is on W8st. America's 1st Nathan's, and the Coney Island museum is fun. Also, on the wall behind the baseball park is a mural to those who died on 9/11.
Why not even 6 Flags in NJ?
NYC's only Aquarium is on W8st. America's 1st Nathan's, and the Coney Island museum is fun. Also, on the wall behind the baseball park is a mural to those who died on 9/11.
Why not even 6 Flags in NJ?
Jun 17th, 2012, 06:40 PM
#123
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The rich do not live in Seagate. The average home price is less than $600,000 which could not get you a bugalow in Manhattan Beach or in the now super hip Park Slope.
Seagate is a gated community, which is rare with NYC, but MOST houses are smallish and it is an enclave of middle class families. Now inhabited by many from former Soviet bloc countries.
And whenever there is a storm up the East Coast, Seagate often gets battered.
http://www.trulia.com/real_estate/Se...Brooklyn/5229/
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/05/re...pagewanted=all
____
There used to be three race tracks where Sheephead Bay and Manhattan Beach are today. And there was a spur of the Long Island Railroad which took people who wanted to get away from the City and people like Diamond Jim Brady had his own railcar.
Seagate is a gated community, which is rare with NYC, but MOST houses are smallish and it is an enclave of middle class families. Now inhabited by many from former Soviet bloc countries.
And whenever there is a storm up the East Coast, Seagate often gets battered.
http://www.trulia.com/real_estate/Se...Brooklyn/5229/
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/05/re...pagewanted=all
____
There used to be three race tracks where Sheephead Bay and Manhattan Beach are today. And there was a spur of the Long Island Railroad which took people who wanted to get away from the City and people like Diamond Jim Brady had his own railcar.
Jun 18th, 2012, 01:48 AM
#124
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POMAH - I didn't even think of Coney Island - but don't have a flame proof jacket, so put the grill on low!
"Why would a 14 yr old be interested in the Tenement museum?" - because it's supposed to be extremely interesting, well-done, interactive, and original. My dd loves museums, all kinds - art, history, science - actually, she's been dragging me to museums since she was small. She's interested in all kinds of things and loves learning and asking questions. By the same token, she'd be just as happy shopping, going on rides - the scarier the better - bakery hopping and food exploring, walking the streets, seeing amazing buildings, going to the Apple store, bike-riding, going to the theatre or to a concert, whatever. She's a varied kind of kid.
apropos above- vaca247- wow. This would be right up her alley. Did you do this with your daughter or do you know teens who have done it?
"Why would a 14 yr old be interested in the Tenement museum?" - because it's supposed to be extremely interesting, well-done, interactive, and original. My dd loves museums, all kinds - art, history, science - actually, she's been dragging me to museums since she was small. She's interested in all kinds of things and loves learning and asking questions. By the same token, she'd be just as happy shopping, going on rides - the scarier the better - bakery hopping and food exploring, walking the streets, seeing amazing buildings, going to the Apple store, bike-riding, going to the theatre or to a concert, whatever. She's a varied kind of kid.
apropos above- vaca247- wow. This would be right up her alley. Did you do this with your daughter or do you know teens who have done it?
Jun 18th, 2012, 11:18 AM
#125
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Bowsprit - somehow I missed your post re Milk and Cookies Bakery and smallest house - they both sound amazing - especially the milk and cookies!! DD will LOVE that. Are you familiar with any good shopping for teens in that area?
Aduchamp1- thanks for the many suggestions. Raffetto's sounds great - DD actually is taking a cooking course and that would be so much fun to do. Is it actually a sit-down restaurant?
Aduchamp1- thanks for the many suggestions. Raffetto's sounds great - DD actually is taking a cooking course and that would be so much fun to do. Is it actually a sit-down restaurant?
Jun 18th, 2012, 11:37 AM
#126
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No Raffetto's just sells storemade pasta.
For some excellent restaurant with store made pasta try Cacio e Pepe, it is Romano style and the signature dish Cacio e Pepe which is pasta turned in a hollowed out wheel of pecorino cheese with pepper. It is a strong taste but addictive.
http://www.cacioepepe.com/menu
If she is intersted in cooking Raffetto's will be of interest. Here are some other Italian provision stores that she will probably like. Print out the list and if you pass one stop in.
Bakeries
DeRobertis (Established 1904)
176 First Avenue
It has the original tin ceiling and tiled walls and floors. Be selective in what you order, order nothing chocolate but the lobster tails, cannoli, and pignoli cookies are good and they are known for their lemon and orange things. (I am sure it has a real name) They hollow out the fruit, then fill it with a sorbet and freeze the whole thing including a peel lid.
*Sullivan Street Bakery
533 W 47th Street
You have probably eaten there breads many times and didn’t know it. It is offered in scores of restaurants and markets. You can identify many of the breads by sight. They are brown and crusty will the inside is light and airy. A paradigm for carbs.
*Veniero’s
342 East 11th Street
Established in 1894 some of those people are still waiting on line. I love this place, the best inexpensive tiramisu, addictive ricotta cheesecake, moist pignoli cookies, there are scores of offerings and no losers. The take out staff is never the same and the lines are long for the café. For Thanksgiving and Christmas, the café is turned to a waiting room for take out. They use an old fashioned machine to wrap the string around the box, while quaint, adds to the interminable line. You can also call in an order.
Cheese
Alleva Diary (Established 1892)
188 Grand Street
Not as good as its neighbor DiPalo but extremely offers a fine selection of Italian cheeses.
*DiPalo Dairy (Established 1925)
200 Grand Street
One of NY’s great stores. Not only are the cheeses spectacular but sell perfect prosciutto. Their selections are impeccable. If at all possible avoid the weekend crowds, even though they have adults behind the counter. Expansion is made things easier.
*Formaggio Essex
Essex Market on Essex Steet.
That should be enough Essexes. This is a tiny outlet from a Boston company. The cheeses are excellent but they have to vats where you take a bottle and fill it with a vinegar sherry or olive oil and both are redolent and extremely flavorful. There is some rules about deposits but I am not good at rules. The Essex market is a poured concrete structure with many stalls selling veggies and Hispanic staples with a barber shop in the back. Do not be deterred that it looks like pig farm from the outside.
*Joe’s Dairy (Established 1925)
156 Sullivan Street.
If you do not like Joe’s you do not like New York. They have been making mozzarella for over 80 years and the smoked version is addictive. The store is tiny, tiny, tiny and the staff is family and know their stuff and the neighborhood. One time I bought my mother-in-law a smoked mozzarella here. The next time I saw her she said she cut off the outside because she thought the outside was burned.
*Murray’s Cheeese
254 Bleecker Street and another in Grand Central
Best in show. They carefully choose only the finest quality of every variety. The staff is cheesemongers, one is even a gossip monger. The ricotta cheese cake is worth going to jail. This is a must visit for anyone who has the slightest interest in cheese.
*Russo’s Mozzarella (Established 1908)
344 East 11th Street
Cleverly they make fresh and smoked mozzarella which are excellent but they also make pastas, sauces, and there own olive varieties. Cramped but the guys know what they are doing.
Gelati
*Il Laboratorio de Gelato
188 Ludlow
95 Orchard Street
Everybody claims their gelati is the same as in Italy, blah, blah, blah. Their gelati is like Italy. It is the type you eat four times a day as you walk around Rome or Florence before you realize you have ruined your appetite for dinner. Expensive and cash only. (They just re-opened their old location next to the Tenement Museum besides the cavernous space across the street from Katz’s.)
Grom
Various locations
Expensive Italian chain now available here.
Food Markets
Unless otherwise noted these places are expensive or very expensive.
Agatha and Valentina
A large department features hard-core Italian cold cuts like soppressata and hot or sweet cappicola, while the cheese department sports a huge number of offerings and loads of free samples. The prepared foods section also has a thick Italian accent and is among the more interesting in the city. The just opened one on University Place.
*Citarella
Various Locations
One of the best spots for fish from standard stuff with gills to razor clams. Knowledgeable fishmongers. Same is true for meats. Their prepared foods are universally good with outstanding soups. The collect bread and cakes from various but good places.
Grace’s Marketplace
She is the daughter of old man Balducci, who was such a difficult character, she opened her own place. Physically it resembles the long gone Balducci’s on 6th Ave, but retained the good qualities such as the prepared meats and excellent meat, fish, and produce selections.
Eataly
Mario Batali’s theme food park. Mixed results with a frenetic atmosphere and high prices.
Meat
*Faicco’s (Established 1900)
260 Bleecker Street
They make their flavorful sausage, rice balls, sauces. You get the old schmooze from the guys behind the counter as well. If you like old fashioned Italian butchers who know what they are doing, this is the joint.
Pasta
*Raffetto’s (Established 1906)
144 W. Houston Street
They cut fresh pasta from sheets to your specification in front of you on a machine that looked obsolete 50 years ago. Not a gimmick just the freshest, tastiest pasta yet. They have many types including saffron. Cash only.
For some excellent restaurant with store made pasta try Cacio e Pepe, it is Romano style and the signature dish Cacio e Pepe which is pasta turned in a hollowed out wheel of pecorino cheese with pepper. It is a strong taste but addictive.
http://www.cacioepepe.com/menu
If she is intersted in cooking Raffetto's will be of interest. Here are some other Italian provision stores that she will probably like. Print out the list and if you pass one stop in.
Bakeries
DeRobertis (Established 1904)
176 First Avenue
It has the original tin ceiling and tiled walls and floors. Be selective in what you order, order nothing chocolate but the lobster tails, cannoli, and pignoli cookies are good and they are known for their lemon and orange things. (I am sure it has a real name) They hollow out the fruit, then fill it with a sorbet and freeze the whole thing including a peel lid.
*Sullivan Street Bakery
533 W 47th Street
You have probably eaten there breads many times and didn’t know it. It is offered in scores of restaurants and markets. You can identify many of the breads by sight. They are brown and crusty will the inside is light and airy. A paradigm for carbs.
*Veniero’s
342 East 11th Street
Established in 1894 some of those people are still waiting on line. I love this place, the best inexpensive tiramisu, addictive ricotta cheesecake, moist pignoli cookies, there are scores of offerings and no losers. The take out staff is never the same and the lines are long for the café. For Thanksgiving and Christmas, the café is turned to a waiting room for take out. They use an old fashioned machine to wrap the string around the box, while quaint, adds to the interminable line. You can also call in an order.
Cheese
Alleva Diary (Established 1892)
188 Grand Street
Not as good as its neighbor DiPalo but extremely offers a fine selection of Italian cheeses.
*DiPalo Dairy (Established 1925)
200 Grand Street
One of NY’s great stores. Not only are the cheeses spectacular but sell perfect prosciutto. Their selections are impeccable. If at all possible avoid the weekend crowds, even though they have adults behind the counter. Expansion is made things easier.
*Formaggio Essex
Essex Market on Essex Steet.
That should be enough Essexes. This is a tiny outlet from a Boston company. The cheeses are excellent but they have to vats where you take a bottle and fill it with a vinegar sherry or olive oil and both are redolent and extremely flavorful. There is some rules about deposits but I am not good at rules. The Essex market is a poured concrete structure with many stalls selling veggies and Hispanic staples with a barber shop in the back. Do not be deterred that it looks like pig farm from the outside.
*Joe’s Dairy (Established 1925)
156 Sullivan Street.
If you do not like Joe’s you do not like New York. They have been making mozzarella for over 80 years and the smoked version is addictive. The store is tiny, tiny, tiny and the staff is family and know their stuff and the neighborhood. One time I bought my mother-in-law a smoked mozzarella here. The next time I saw her she said she cut off the outside because she thought the outside was burned.
*Murray’s Cheeese
254 Bleecker Street and another in Grand Central
Best in show. They carefully choose only the finest quality of every variety. The staff is cheesemongers, one is even a gossip monger. The ricotta cheese cake is worth going to jail. This is a must visit for anyone who has the slightest interest in cheese.
*Russo’s Mozzarella (Established 1908)
344 East 11th Street
Cleverly they make fresh and smoked mozzarella which are excellent but they also make pastas, sauces, and there own olive varieties. Cramped but the guys know what they are doing.
Gelati
*Il Laboratorio de Gelato
188 Ludlow
95 Orchard Street
Everybody claims their gelati is the same as in Italy, blah, blah, blah. Their gelati is like Italy. It is the type you eat four times a day as you walk around Rome or Florence before you realize you have ruined your appetite for dinner. Expensive and cash only. (They just re-opened their old location next to the Tenement Museum besides the cavernous space across the street from Katz’s.)
Grom
Various locations
Expensive Italian chain now available here.
Food Markets
Unless otherwise noted these places are expensive or very expensive.
Agatha and Valentina
A large department features hard-core Italian cold cuts like soppressata and hot or sweet cappicola, while the cheese department sports a huge number of offerings and loads of free samples. The prepared foods section also has a thick Italian accent and is among the more interesting in the city. The just opened one on University Place.
*Citarella
Various Locations
One of the best spots for fish from standard stuff with gills to razor clams. Knowledgeable fishmongers. Same is true for meats. Their prepared foods are universally good with outstanding soups. The collect bread and cakes from various but good places.
Grace’s Marketplace
She is the daughter of old man Balducci, who was such a difficult character, she opened her own place. Physically it resembles the long gone Balducci’s on 6th Ave, but retained the good qualities such as the prepared meats and excellent meat, fish, and produce selections.
Eataly
Mario Batali’s theme food park. Mixed results with a frenetic atmosphere and high prices.
Meat
*Faicco’s (Established 1900)
260 Bleecker Street
They make their flavorful sausage, rice balls, sauces. You get the old schmooze from the guys behind the counter as well. If you like old fashioned Italian butchers who know what they are doing, this is the joint.
Pasta
*Raffetto’s (Established 1906)
144 W. Houston Street
They cut fresh pasta from sheets to your specification in front of you on a machine that looked obsolete 50 years ago. Not a gimmick just the freshest, tastiest pasta yet. They have many types including saffron. Cash only.
Jun 18th, 2012, 11:48 AM
#127
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Both the smallest house and Milk & Cookies bakery were included in our Foods of NY/Greenwich Village tour. Also Faicco's, Murray's Cheese and Joe's Pizza (all mentioned in this thread)in addition to other stops. While the tour filled three hours, we did not walk a great distance at a time.
Jun 18th, 2012, 12:19 PM
#128
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unbelievable Aduchamp1- what a list. Thank you.
And musicfan - thanks for adding.
I don't know how I'm going to fit in all the wonderful suggestions that have been made here - I keep vacillating between excitement about the trip and worry that I'm not going to fit in everything I want to do...!
And musicfan - thanks for adding.
I don't know how I'm going to fit in all the wonderful suggestions that have been made here - I keep vacillating between excitement about the trip and worry that I'm not going to fit in everything I want to do...!
Jun 19th, 2012, 01:40 AM
#131
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Sorry Ncountry I do not have lists for other cities. The entire list I have for NYC is much longer but I lived here all my life. And in order to have a list of the good places. you must also eat in a lot of bad places.
But what we do in cities like Paris and Rome is as we walk around a city buy chocolate, bread, wine, cheese, meat maybe, and pastries and throw them in our backpacks and have a feast for dinner in the hotel room. I love that meal and call it my Continental Dinner, which can easily be done in NYC. It is a wonderful way to sample what a city has to offer at a relatively cheap price.
If you check in your bags pack knives, forks, spoons, and a corkscrew. If you take carry-ons steal or ask for plastic utnesils and buy a cheap corkscrew.
But what we do in cities like Paris and Rome is as we walk around a city buy chocolate, bread, wine, cheese, meat maybe, and pastries and throw them in our backpacks and have a feast for dinner in the hotel room. I love that meal and call it my Continental Dinner, which can easily be done in NYC. It is a wonderful way to sample what a city has to offer at a relatively cheap price.
If you check in your bags pack knives, forks, spoons, and a corkscrew. If you take carry-ons steal or ask for plastic utnesils and buy a cheap corkscrew.
Jun 19th, 2012, 06:23 AM
#132
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Now that I realize that you will have a 14 year old girl with you, I suggest that you make an attempt to visit and eat at 'Alice's Teacup' (somewhere around Amsterdam and 73rd) - great lunch stop especially for a young-girl thematic eatery
Jun 19th, 2012, 09:47 AM
#133
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ThomasSchwarzmann - thank you very much for letting me know about this place. I hadn't heard about it in all my reading. My daughter will love it - everything sounds delicious and the reviews were great (of course, I'll have to go when there aren't any screaming kids...). It sounds as though you're experienced - any other ideas for must-sees with a 14 year old girl?
Jun 19th, 2012, 11:24 AM
#134
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My 11 year old granddaughter used to love Alice's Teacup. Now that she's 13 she prefers going to the Plaza for tea in the afternoon. Also highly recommended. Nothing like the Palm Court at the Plaza. And they love kids there. Of all ages.
Jun 19th, 2012, 11:33 AM
#136
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Bowsprit, you're a grandmother?!!?!! You sound so young and hip and energetic! You're probably the coolest grandmother ever!
The Plaza for tea....sounds dreamy. How are the desserts?
The Plaza for tea....sounds dreamy. How are the desserts?
Jun 19th, 2012, 11:38 AM
#137
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Adu: You and Mrs. Adu should run tours. They'd be wonderful, I'm sure.
____
Thanks. I have an English friend who said I should specialize with the British because I have the same sense of humor as them.
But it sounds like work.
____
Thanks. I have an English friend who said I should specialize with the British because I have the same sense of humor as them.
But it sounds like work.
