If you're still looking for a nice casual place for beer, here are some recommendations:

Ginger Man
11 E 36th Street
www.gingerman-ny.com
** This is my favorite. Well worth a visit if you're in the neighborhood (Empire State Bldg area)...or even if you're not. My husband and I travel from DC to NYC specifically for beers at Ginger Man.

d.b.a
41 First Avenube (between 2nd and 3rd)
** My second favorite place. Free bagels and lox on Sundays; free artisnal cheese on Mondays

Sorry...meant to give you the website for d.b.a.

www.drinkgoodstuff.com

The Ginger Man website I gave above is pretty bad, but don't let that deter you!

I am also going to be in NY right at that time, and I booked the Warwick Hotel in midtown..I have stayed there before and it was great...very nice room, and great location...a close walk to everything. Booked it through Quickbook and got a great price $245 for three people to share a room.

Sorry it took me so long to come back.
Now I have to confess my mistake....I was wrong we fly into Newark Sorry, for the wrong post. Thank you everyone who corrected me. I really don't want to give anyone the wrong information.

Now on to GMA. You do have to get up really early and stand in line. We went in the summer so it wasn't cold, but a nice summer morning. My daughter was 14 at the time and she felt it was worth it. We had a good time. They didn't take us in and out of the studio. They did have everyone switch; so the people in the back got to be in the front too. Have a great time in NYC, one of my favorite places. That's why we go every summer!

I'm so relieved you were mistaken. I'd rather that, then to think you got ripped off by several taxi drivers from Laguardia.

Aloha!
I just got a hotel in the Chelsea area south of Times Square this morning for about $285 for the first night, $267 for the second. Reservation is for 3 adults in mid May, Hampton Inn Chelsea. Stay includes full breakfast. I've been trying to get a hotel in the $200 range for the last 3 weeks and have resigned myself to paying the NYC rates. Last time my wife was there she stayed at the Paramount which I booked on Priceline for a really good price at the time. I've never stayed at the Hampton in Chelsea and I hope I made the right decision.

I agree that LGA is much better (and cheaper) to fly into rather than JFK. There's so many good restaurants in the City. Talk to the locals or to the hotel staff.

My husband and I were in NYC in January. For Dim Sum I'd check out Madarin Court in Chinatown. It was really good and extremely reasonable. Tons of selection. This is more of a lunch place. I saw you booked your hotel, but just in case you need another option we stayed at the Roosevelt Hotel on Madison and 45th. It was really nice and was $175 a night. Very close walking distance to everything except the downtown (took the subway).