Coming from Westchester, we will be going to the theater tonight (hopefully, thru tkts) but need somewhere to go that doesn't involve walking between the time we purchase the tickets and the time the theater doors open -- we will have dinner, but also will need to kill some additional time, and my mother in law cannot walk extensively. any suggestions in and around the theater district for before and after dinner, where she can sit from time to time, and we can get out of the cold?

How much time will you have? Traffic is going to be a madhouse this afternoon/early evening, so Times Square will be a zoo. I'd call for a dinner reservation if you don't already have one. Not knowing how much she really can walk, there are plenty of stores in Times Square, or, if she can handle stairs and a few blocks, I would hop on the subway to a museum (Met or Guggenheim) to stay warm. There are plenty of places to sit in museums.

Another possibility---can one person in your party come into TKTS and call the others if they're able to get tickets? I have no idea if this is a busy theater night. The Seaport TKTS booth also frequently has shorter lines.

There are a bunch of restaurants on 46th Street between 8th & 9th Avenue for dinner. I would recommend Becco which is good and features a reasonable all-you-can eat pasta dinner or a la carte.

If you have that much time in-between in the theater district, why not take in a movie before dinner. One of the large theaters would be fun and comfortable and you'll avoid all the rushing crowds.

thanks -- any idea what time the museums are closing today?

any suggestions for reasonably (for NYC) priced restaurant for teens, parents, grandma -- not italian or chinese -- perhaps outside the theater district, to avoid crowds?

Was in the same situation recently when an elderly relative was visiting the city. The Marriott Marquis is very close to TKTS. There's a theatre-theme store at street level, and at the lobby on the 8th floor, there is a gift shop and a couple of other restaurants, restrooms, too. If you really want to splurge, you can go for drinks and/or dinner at the View, the revolving restaurant at the top of the hotel. If you get tickets for "Thoroughly Modern Millie," which is quite enjoyable and is often available on TKTS, you won't even have to leave the building, since the theatre is right there.

I understand the Village Nursing Home has a wonderful canteen. Everything is pureed so grandma won't even have to put in her teeth.

Remember Joe Franklin, the New York area talk show host from the 60s? If you're from the area you might not but chances are grandpa does.

Joe has a restaurant at the corner of 8th and 45th and actually comes in every night around 7 to mingle with the crowd. They have a prix fixe for $20 each and the food is quite good. You might want to keep it in mind since it's right in the theatre district and the clientele are pre-theatre folks like yourselves.

Becco is another fine suggestion, on 46th between 8th & 9th, although the spicy sauce may give grandpa agita.

Good luck with whatever you decide.