Lily

My husband and I will be in New York City Easter Weekend (April 2 to 5th). We are not first time visitors having been several times to New York. We love the city and want to do a few different things which we haven't before. We are early fifties, fit, like to walk, enjoy cultural attractions, eating, and interesting evening events. Please review and feel free to edit the following itinerary:

Friday:Arrive Friday afternoon and check into Empire Hotel (nice price on Priceline).
Chinatown, Lower East side stroll
Dinner at Katz Deli as we are originally from Montreal and love smoked meat
Evening at Comedy Celler in West Village as we thought we could use a good laugh.

Saturday: Breakfast likely coffee and a bun on way to Chelsea
Flea markets and green markets Chelsea area
Greenwich Village Food and Cultural tour wtih Foods of New York 11:30 for three hours
Back to hotel for nap
Metropolitan Opera for La Traviata (would you have a recommendation for a post opera dinner?).

Sunday: Breakfast\Brunch - recommendations for upper west\east side?
Fifth Avenue Easter Parade - could you recommend where best to see the parade - I know it's not really a parade but sounds like fun)
Central Park walk through to Museum Mile
Metropolitan or Frick - have not been to the Frick and it seems quite interesting
Dinner at Jean Georges Nougatine winter promotion

Monday: Breakfast
Considering walk across Brooklyn Bridge then pizza at Grimaldi's - something we have never done or maybe shopping at Daffy's. Other ideas? We have to head for the airport around 4:00.

Thanks so much for your help!

HowardR

Make sure you put a walk along the High Line (West Side in the teens).
Are you sure the museums are open on Easter Sunday?

vjpblovesitaly

http://www.metmuseum.org/visit/general_information/

http://www.frick.org/information/hours.htm

Aduchamp1

The Easter Parade is not that big any more so,it should not be a problem to watch with the possible exception of the area around St Pat's.

Daffy's is a chain that offers inexpensive clothes, there are many alternatives.

Sunday Brunch UWS-Ouest

The crisp fried poached eggs are particularly good.
http://ouestny.com/brunch.html

I would also consider 2nd Ave Deli. The pastrami at Katz's is better but everything else is better at 2nd Ave.

bspielman

La Traviata ends at 11:35 p.m. There are very few places in the Lincoln Center vicinity where you can get a reasonably good dinner at nearly midnight without feeling like the staff is waiting for you to leave so they can close up shop.

Have you thought of dining at The Grand Tier Restaurant in the Opera House before the opera and having dessert at intermission?

The place was an over-priced mediocrity when it was run by Restaurant Associates, but it has improved somewhat now that the Patina Restaurant Group has taken it over. Not really great, but now much more than passable and desultory, as it used to be.

Should you decide to dine before the opera, Picholine, on West 64th Street, would be a good high-line choice. Unfortunately, none of the pre-theater prix-fixes are in effect on Saturdays, but you still might want to try Bar Boulud, or even Cafe Fiorello.

mclaurie

Somehow I don't think of Katz's as a place for dinner. I think it might be dreary. I'd do lunch there if you want to go. Lansky's is a Jewish deli on the upper west side that's not famous but I think pretty darn good for deli meat. There are so many good restaurants on the lower east side & in the village for a cheerier first evening.

If you're heading to the Chelsea Flea market, why not get some coffee "and" down there? Antique Cafe is one idea.

Agree you may not want to eat so late after the opera If you do, Cafe Fiorello across from Lincoln Center is open til 1 but you'd need a reservation. http://www.menupages.com/restaurants/cafe-fiorello/

Brunch here is usually thought of as a meal that includes an alcoholic drink and for that, you need to wait til noon. No liquor served before then on Sunday. For Easter Sunday, some places may have a "special" (read pricier) brunch menu that could well require a reservation. Are you looking for something casual or fancier? If you plan on checking out the Easter Parade, you might want to eat near there in midtown. Also you should make sure Nougatine's special is offered on Sun. night (Easter).

I was recently in the Daffy's on east 57th st. and thought it was mostly "drek." There's a Loehman's in Chelsea on 7th ave & 16th st. I'd check that out while you're down at the flea market.

The new Museum of Art & Design is not far from your hotel and has a restaurant Robert that was supposed to be good. Recent discussion here suggests a change of chef but have changed things. Asiate, the restaurant in the Mandarin Oriental on the 35th floor of the Time Warner building is also near your hotel and has a very good prix fixe lunch for $24 you might consider for Monday. (it's only during the week. Weekend brunch is pricier).

Lily

Thanks for the excellent suggestions and pointers.

I double checked and both the Frick and the Met are open on Easter.

What is the High Line?

Think we'll skip brunch as the Winter Promotion at Jean Georges is at 6:00 so may not want a big meal after 12:00. I will have to double check if they are open Easter Sunday.

We won't need a big meal either for pre opera Saturday night as apparently on the food tour, there is more than plenty of tastings and we can expect to be quite full. And I don't like to sit for three hours with too full a stomach. Maybe we'll just grab something light at one of your suggestions.

Antique Cafe sounds great. Daffy's not so much. Any other suggestions for women's clothing at reasonable prices?

Thanks again for taking the time to provide these great suggestions for my itinerary.

HowardR

Rather than trying to try to describe High Line, I'll pass along its website address: www.highline.org.

mclaurie

All the dept. stores are constantly running sales. You might check Lord & Taylor. What kind of things are you looking for?

For breakfast on Sun. Popover Cafe or Barney's Greengrass would be good and from there you could either walk or take the crosstown bus on 79th st. through the park to the Met. There's a flea market on Sun. morning on Columbus Ave. & 76-77 st. http://www.greenfleamarkets.com/thisweek.html

But the Easter Parade is on Fifth ave. around St. Patrick's cathedral (50th st.) and 11-2 are the key hours. Not sure how you fit that in with the rest of your plans. I think you may have to rejuggle or make some choices.

An alternate idea is to head over the east side first thing for the museums. Have breakfast at Cafe Sabarsky in the Neue Gallery (86th & Fifth) http://www.cafesabarsky.com/ which opens at 9, then do the Met.

Lily

Thanks for these great ideas and for the website on the Highline. I'll have another look at our itinerary for Easter Sunday.

Patti

HI Lily,

I was just in NYC a few weeks ago and walked the length of the Highline and it's the most WONDERFUL park. We got on at Gansevoort Street and walked to the end. The last entrance is at 7:45 pm and it's beautifully lit up at night.

Patti

saige

I love the Cloisters! I'd make that a destination if you haven't been there. http://www.ny.com/museums/cloisters.html

citychicnyc

i love the brooklyn bridge to grimaldi's plan. everyone should do that at least once. it is my favorite bridge!

if not, i second the cloisters idea as well. but be sure to have brunch at new leaf cafe, which is close by, beforehand. they have amazing food!

citychicnyc

oh, if you love jazz, a good alternative to the comedy club on friday night would be to go to a jazz concert @ dizzy's coca cola club [it is part of jazz @ lincoln center]. it is a beautiful venue overlooking columbus circle and central park. here is the link to the website with more info on the events:

http://jalc.org/concerts/byvenue09.asp?venueID=236

Barblab

I would suggest you take the subway to Grimaldi's and walk the bridge back into the city. That way you are looking at the city as you walk, and can easily compare the etchings of years past with the skyline of today.

iluv_food

Calling all food lovers!

I'm an international student here in New York and have yet to experience many of the culinary delights!! Last Saturday i went on a food tour of the east village. Tackled maaaaaanyyyy restaurants with Candy, the guide. An amazing experience, definnnnitely recommended.

www.foodtoursofny.com

on a similar note, Mogador's brunch is a must try the morrocan delight..AMAAAZING!!

Lily

What great ideas! And thanks for the recommendation of the food tour that we have booked.

Echnaton

Hello Lily,

I just read your thread. We will be in New York exactly when you will be there. And guess where we will stay: at the Empire Hotel (we got a nice prica via Hotwire).

We will stay there from Thursday to Monday morning. You will recognize us easily: an eight-person, three-generation family from Germany.

Maybe we will meet in the lobby or at the Easter Parade!

Jenski

Not sure what your tastes/budget is but post opera I'd recommend either Picholine, Telepan or Cesca for dinner. For brunch on the UWS I highly recommend Dovetail or Telepan (I was just there yesterday for the first time for brunch and it was great).
Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge is a great idea. You could go to Bargemusic and/or dinner in Brooklyn Heights.
For great smoked Canadian style deli (better than Katz's) go to Mile End in hip Carrol Gardens, Brooklyn.
I've never been to a Daffy's so can't offer an opinion about that.
Brunch at the restaurant in Bergdorf Goodman is fun-it overlooks Central Park and is right next to the Plaza Hotel & Paris Theater and is fun to see the "ladies who lunch" crowd.
Have fun!

Jenski

A few more comments-I too recommend the cloisters, especially in spring. it's beautiful and serene. Also, one of my favorite jaunts in spring is to hit the Corner Bookstore on 93rd and Madison, get some gelato and Ciao Bella (just off Madison at 92nd) then walk up 5th Avenue to the Conservatory Gardens at 105th/5th Avenue. It's at its best in the spring.