Oh, there's also a Le Pain Quotidien very nearby (across from Bryant Park on 40th Street). It's a chain, but a really good one!

Sorry - The Met is one Museum (more traditional) and Modern Art is another (MoMA) - they are not one. Also really great are the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, Tenement Museum, Frick and ahost ofothers - depending on your interests.

Between MoMA and the Met, which would you choose? Or both, but on different days?

In my Broadway reserach, I am now interested in Billy Elliot, Hair and Fela. Being a woman in her 50's, raised by beatniks who gave my parents a standing ovation in L.A a zillion years ago for bringing their kids to see Hair, it may be interesting. A friend saw Fela and thought it was great. Billy Elliot was the play I chose last year on a NYC trip that had to be canceled....may be too costly though for our dates...I checked. One member of our group has already seen Wicked. What do you think?

MoMa and the Met are two different animals. MoMa is the "Museum of Modern Art". The Met is a world-class "museum of everything there is to see" (more akin to the British Museum, or the Pergamon in Berlin. Personally, I'd pick the Met, but I'd do a little advance research to see what exhibits interest me (Temple of Dendur, American Wing, arms and armor, that kind of thing).

Thanks! Good advice!! sf7307, are you on Tripadvisor too? I'd love to ask you a few things without the forum context. I am seeksocean over there.

I'll send you a message on TA. I'm the same screen name there too.

There are so many museums here that you should base a visit on your interests. Each has a web site and you can check out special (temporary exhibits) as well as the core. Some others to consider: the Whitney, the Guggenheim, Museum of Art and Design, the Morgan, Asia Society, NY Historical Society, and on and on.

South Pacific is a great musical in the classic sense - they don't get much better. (Just saw it for the 2nd time)

A friend of mine who has really good theatrical taste and who is not generally prone to gratutious capitalization or punctuation just posted this on facebook: "Next to Normal: Best. Musical. Ever." She lives in NYC and sees many productions, so I might check it out. I love South Pacific, though, so that's like money in the bank. You could splurge and do two, if you like!
I would also try to spend a little time wandering Central Park. It is a nice foil to all of the hot concrete, and will let you feel like you can breathe. Have fun!

Sounds good. Especially the Central Park on a hot day. Any thoughts or experiences with Walking Tours of NYC with Michelle Nevius? It looks like a great way to spend a day.

The Met is amazing. We'll be there next week for a few days, and will definitely see Moma as well, but the Met is special. More like a museum than an art gallery, great Asian art collection, lots of Greek and Roman, really just lots--it will take most of a day if you have the intestinal fortitude. This time I want to see the Cloisters.

Guggenheim is terrific too if you like very modern art. I will think about the Frick this time too.

Anybody know of any great pubs or restaurants kind of upper mid-town east? We're staying at the FitzPatrick Grand Central.

Michelle of Walking Tours NYC will be out of town when we are there. Any suggestions for a walking tour guide?

don't forget Brooklyn.
The Brooklyn art museum and the Met have complementary fashion exhibits this summer. the New Yorker had a write up recently. The Met's is called something like "The American Woman." I wouldn't miss it, if I were in NYC.
Also the Brooklyn Botanical Garden is just down the street from the Brooklyn Art museum. It's one of the country's great gardens.

How many people can legally fit in a standard NY taxi?

4—3 in the back, 1 in the front with the driver

Thanks! I didn't know if it was okay to let folks sit up front. Good to know.

Target sponsers a free Fri. night at the MOMA from 5-8. It is on the website. It will save you $20.

"Target sponsers a free Fri. night at the MOMA from 5-8. It is on the website. It will save you $20."

And the lines to get in can be horrendous. I'd lower the cost of visiting MoMA by purchasing the $30 combo ticket for MoMA and Top of the Rock and go to MoMA when it won't be so packed.

Ellenem, I think that's a great idea. But, mkeeler, thank you for the info. Keep it all coming! I still would love a great NYC guide referral.

Check out Food Tours of New York. They have several walking tours of different areas of New York. Each lasts about 3 hrs. I've been on two different ones and was not disappointed. The guides were very informative and the food was tasty. We had a great time. We also took the Party Shuttle one time for an overall view of NYC. We enjoyed that too. Both they tours were recommended by people on this site.

If you want an interesting guide you might try to sign up for a New York Greeter. These are private volunteers that will spend several hours showing you a particular part of the city. But do have some ideas of what you want to see - so they can match you with a person that knows that area. Also - apply now - since there are many more requests than there are greeters.