Vicki

We currently have tickets to LesMis. We plan on booking one more, either Chicago, Caberet or Rent. I also heard off broadway, Blue Man Tube (I can't remember the exact name(?) was good. Any suggestions for keeping two teenagers entertained would be greatly appreciated. We have a suite at the San Carlos on E. 50th Street. Any restaurants close to there worth visiting? Are the Grayline or Double decker tour buses worth it?

Donna

Good websites for what's going on in NYC are www.metrobeat.com; www.newyork.sidewalk.com; and www.playbill.com. I, personally, would not recommend Rent, Cabaret, or Chicago for teenagers. The bus/trolley tours are excellent. Passes are good for two days and you can hop on and off in any neighborhood which you find interesting. Good for shopping and dining are SoHo and Greenwich Village. It's also fun to take a bus up Madison Avenue and walk back. The Christmas decorations will be beautiful everywhere. We loved the tour of Radio City Music Hall. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is fabulous. Also fun for all of you would be to visit any of the cosmetics counters in the department stores for "makeovers". Be sure to bring warm clothing for the frigid winter weather so you will be comfortable when out and about.

Allyson

Hi Vicki,
Christmas in NYC is amazing. You will have plenty to do to keep you busy while you are in town. For the quintessential Christmas in New York experience, take a stroll down Fifth Avenue. You could go ice skating at Wolhman Rink in Central Park if you wish. Then visit The Plaza, FAO Schwarz, Tiffany's, Trump Plaza, Bergdoff's, Bendel's (the makeup counters there are a lot of fun; loud and chic), St. Patrick's Cathedral, the Xmas Window decorations at Saks, Rockefeller Plaza, and everthing in between. You can go ice skating at Rockefeller Plaza if you prefer. Blue Man Group(Tubes)is a terrific show. Weird, loud performance art that is truly hilarious. It plays in the Central Village. There are a number of restaurants in that area that you might enjoy. Time Cafe is down the street (Lafayette and Great Jones)and has a fun menu. Il Buco is an antique-store/restaurant(Bond and Lafayette)that serves delicious, but somewhat pricey Italian/Mediteranean food. Or you could go to Two Boots for the best pizza! It is literally a hole in the wall with about six seats, but the pizza is so good. I would also recommend spending some time in Soho. It has tons of shopping, great people watching, and a lot of good restaurants. Zoe's is perfect for a "Ladies Lunch". Cupping Room, Barolo, Cub Room Cafe, and Kelly & Ping are among the many eateries you could check out. Both the East and West Village have a number of funky shops and there are always a million teenagers hanging out there. Sidewalk.com is an excellent website that will provide you with a ton of info. I hope that some of this information is helpful. Please feel free to email me if you have any other questions. Have a fabulous trip! Allyson

Allyson

Hi Vicki,
Christmas in NYC is amazing. You will have plenty to do to keep you busy while you are in town. For the quintessential Christmas in New York experience, take a stroll down Fifth Avenue. You could go ice skating at Wolhman Rink in Central Park if you wish. Then visit The Plaza, FAO Schwarz, Tiffany's, Trump Plaza, Bergdoff's, Bendel's (the makeup counters there are a lot of fun; loud and chic), St. Patrick's Cathedral, the Xmas Window decorations at Saks, Rockefeller Plaza, and everthing in between. You can go ice skating at Rockefeller Plaza if you prefer. Blue Man Group(Tubes)is a terrific show. Weird, loud performance art that is truly hilarious. It plays in the Central Village. There are a number of restaurants in that area that you might enjoy. Time Cafe is down the street (Lafayette and Great Jones)and has a fun menu. Il Buco is an antique-store/restaurant(Bond and Lafayette)that serves delicious, but somewhat pricey Italian/Mediteranean food. Or you could go to Two Boots for the best pizza! It is literally a hole in the wall with about six seats, but the pizza is so good. I would also recommend spending some time in Soho. It has tons of shopping, great people watching, and a lot of good restaurants. Zoe's is perfect for a "Ladies Lunch". Cupping Room, Barolo, Cub Room Cafe, and Kelly & Ping are among the many eateries you could check out. Both the East and West Village have a number of funky shops and there are always a million teenagers hanging out there. Sidewalk.com is an excellent website that will provide you with a ton of info. I hope that some of this information is helpful. Please feel free to email me if you have any other questions. Have a fabulous trip! Allyson

Paul Rabe

Suggestions:

Metropolitan Museum of Art
Staten Island Ferry (for a four day tour, do NOT travel to Liberty Island)
Museum of Natural History
World Trade Towers (*IF* the weather is clear)
N.Y. Stock Exchange (blatant propoganda, but interesting to see the economic center of the world)

Lauryn

Great suggestions. You can also try seeing "Communicating Doors" off broadway. Heard it was a show teens would enjoy (thriller-type).

ilisa

Regarding shows, I do recommend Cabaret or Chicago (haven't seen Rent), even for teenagers. Cabaret holds a special place in my heart since I once performed in it (when I was a teenager!) Chicago is fabulous. The dancing is absolutely wonderful. Yes, the shows are risque, but I'm sure the kids you are with can handle it if you discuss it beforehand and perhaps some of the underlying messages (for example, Nazi Germany in the 1930's and Cabaret). Rent the movie if you have to. NY is an amazing city; whatever you choose to do, you are bound to have a great time.

Marcia

All great suggestions. And I would and did take my 17 year old to see Rent. Great show. If the issues in it - AIDS, homelessness, drugs, poverty, joblessness - all treated nicely and with good music and great choreography are bothersome, then they are great things to discuss. It's an energized and energizing musical. We all loved it. A couple of the tunes have been coming back into my brain for months.

Have a great time

Kelly

Hi Vicki! Hope I'm not posting this too late for you to make some reservations. I heard that Communicating Doors is a good off Broadway show to see. Also Blue Man is a funky wierd show your teens will enjoy. I don't think there's much difference in the Grayline and the Double Decker tour, so choose whatever one is close to your hotel. Probably Double Decker. Also I think above all else your teens will enjoy shopping, shopping and more shopping. (If they are anything like mine). and you are coming at a good time for after Christmas sales. Bloomies, Saks, Macys

susan

Vicki, Sound like you received lots of great suggestions. I have a few to add. Chinatown in New York is about as foreign a destination as I've found in the US. It is an exciting and vibrant cultural experience. My daughter and I absolutely LOVED Stomp. It was the most inovative production I've seen. It is off off Broadway and the ticket are about half of what a Broadway musical will be. I highly recommend it. Have a great visit.

Lori

lucky you - you're in NY for the after-Christmas sales. All great suggestions, I also recommend Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk. Savion Glover will be back from 12/8 - 1/10. Chicago was great, you will most likely have to go through a broker for tickets for the 3 shows you mentioned. Also, try the TKTS booth at 47th and Bway - you never know what may be posted, but Christmas week is a busy week. Don't miss the Met, otherwise, all of the above are great suggestions. Enjoy

Diane

My daughter and I had a fabulous bonding trip in NYC. You don't say if
your teenagers are guys or girls tho -
If the weather is good (and it has been for some time) don't miss the going to the top of the World Trade Center. There is nothing more amazing than looking DOWN on the Traffic-copters!
Little Italy is fun to see -- the restaurants are located one after another and each one tries to top the other. There are some neat Brazilian restaurants not far either (I'm thinking East 56th?) It is a great city.

edward

You must see a show, but forget Rent or Les Mis, Rent's a clinker and Les Mis just doesn't have the same vitality it had when it opened. Ragtime is spectacular, highly recommended. Scarlet Pimpernel is a light, frothy, and very amusing. Titanic is surprisningly fantastic, (the reviews weren't too hot, but it swept the Tonys the year it premiered). I've seen just about every musical on B'way for the past three seasons and these are the top picks. Oh, and the perenial favorite, Phantom of the Opera is still wonderful, if you haven't seen it yet, I recommend it. If you've got any questions feel free to e-mail me.

Audrey

I second the recommendation to see "Bring in da Noise, bring in da Funk." Carmine's (restaurant)in the theatre district is a good choice if you have teenagers (especially boys!); the food is good and the servings are huge. Another restaurant my kids and I like is Sofia's Fabulous Pizza on 79th and Madison (I think). I would see the Radio City Music Hall Christmas show if you can, and especially if you never have.

Margaret

You have already received several good responses and it may be too late to help, but...
We are not from NY but make an annual trip mid-Dec. My husband and I saw Blue Man Group last year and are taking our 3 kids (11, 13 & 16) to see it this year. Recommended by everyone I know. Highly colorful & entertaining. My 16 yr old daughter's all time favorite play - RENT. As mentioned by previous entry, it is very contemporary and deals with some harsh life issues, but the music is memorable. It is a personal decision and not for everyone. Get the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly for current show info. (Dec. 5)
We are also taking them to Communicating Doors and my girls and I are seeing Titanic. My NYC friends tell me that the current version of Swan Lake is wonderful (all male cast). Have a great time

carolek

My husband and I just came back from Thanksgiving spent at the Waldorf (great) and did something you might want to consider. We took the subway to Brooklyn and walked across the Brooklyn Bridge back into Manhattan. The vieews were spectacular and we wound up very near the South street Seaport which is always kind of fun to see. You could do this after a lunch in Little Italy.

Lu B.

Go to Rockefeller Center and watch the Today Show live. You can also take a tour of NBC Studios which the kids (young and old!) will enjoy. See St. Patrick's Cathedral. Have a great meal at Trattoria del Arte 57th and 7th. Great food, excellent service, good people watching, even some celebs.

Vicki

Thank you all for your suggestions and comments. We just returned from our trip and it was fabulous. We caught the snow and cold weather, though. My teenagers both enjoyed Motown Cafe, even though we stood in line outside freezing for 45 mins. It was a hoot! They also loved LesMis and Communicating Doors.