pdx

Thanks, Bowsprit.

monpetit

Years ago, a nice book from Joe Friedmann, Inside New York("classic NY interiors") does a panorama of old and less old "typical interior", some vanished since(Barber shop in Upper west Side on Broadway, which has been part of an expo at the museum of the city of NY) or no more open(Cafe des artistes, but I've heard it will reopen).
They were several chapters(banks,hotels, restaurants-cafe des artistes, Mc sorley old ale house, Exspo's,Empire Diner,PJ Clarke's.., public buildings-ladies restrooms at Radio City Music Hall,...).
They give some nice ideas like the elevator's doors at the Chrysler Building,...
It's no more in new edition but you can find it on Amazon as second hand...
A nice idea is also to walk in Rockfeller center searching for all the public fountain-some easy to find on the 6th avenue, some hidden...The public passage from street to street in those blocks are also nice to walk...
And we discover this year the walk on Manhattan Bridge. A "loop" can be Manhattan City hall/Brooklyn Bridge/Brooklyn Heights/Lunch/Dumbo/Manhattan Bridge/Chinatown.
Erik

cjap

Wave Hill in the Riverdale area of the Bronx.
Washington Heights area of Manhattan for history (Jumel Mansion) and great Dominican/Puerto Rican food. Salsa music blasting from the storefronts. Friendly people. Dyckman House is also in the area. Then walk over the George Washington Bridge to Fort Lee (NJ) Historic Park for spectacular views of the city. Also in Washington Heights area is Fort Tryon Park and the Cloisters Museum.
The Italian population in the Little Italy area of the Bronx has shrunk considerably, but there are still some good Italian restaurants and pastry shops owned by the original owners. It has become a very diverse neighborhood with the influx of Albanians and Mexicans so there are other dining options as well.
I think a visit to Harlem (if you haven't already done so) is a worthwhile trip just to look at all the brownstones and churches. The Red Rooster Restaurant owned by celeb chef Marcus Samuellson is a great place for brunch on the weekend.

monpetit

In Harlem, just next to Jummel mansion and terrace, there is every sunday a jazz session in appartment, Parlor Entertainment, by Marjorie.
www.harlemonestop.com/organization.php?id=84
If you are here on a sunday, worth+++ the visit.
Day can be : St John the divine(or a Gospel office in Harlem)/125th street/ lunch at Sylvia's or elsewhere in the neigborough/Jummel / Parlor Entertainment and back on Upper West side.
Erik

adriang177

for jroth.....how long a subway ride from Penn station to flushing and how much time should i allot for the visit. thanks

Bowsprit

adriang177: I'm sure you'll get an answer about the subway ride but you can also check googlemaps.com or hopstop.com for this information. I often check either of these on my blackberry while traveling to get that sort of information.

isabel

Roosevelt Island (great views of Manhattan)

Trinity Cemetery (155th street)

Prospect Park, Brooklyn

Little Red Lighthouse (under the GW Bridge)

By no means a hidden treasure, but my favorite walk: City Hall Park over to the Hudson (North Cove) along the river, through Battery Park, up along the East River past Brooklyn Bridge and back to City Hall Park.

pdx

monpetit - your recommendation to search for the fountains at Rockefeller Center sent me to the Rockefeller website. There are so many beautiful sculptures, reliefs and murals that I would love to see. I'm hoping to add it to our itinerary. It will be a nice indoor/outdoor option for a cold February day. Should we eat at a restaurant there or can someone recommend a restaurant nearby?

doug_stallings

You can't get to Flushing directly from Penn Station. Take the 1/2/3 to 42nd/Times Square. Transfer to the 7. Take it to Flushing (last stop), which takes about 45 total (perhaps less if you luck into an express train). Spend as much time as you want there, or just walk around for 30 minutes, eat, and come back. I don't know if there are any organized food tours of the area, but that might be worth looking into.

starrs

If I were going in December, I'd take this tour -
http://www.asliceofbrooklyn.com/christmas.html

I took their regular Slice of Brooklyn pizza tour and enjoyed it. They were just starting the Christmas Light tour and I put it on my To Do list for when I return during the holidays. The tour leaves from Manhattan (near Union Square). The pizza tour was a very enjoyable tour of Brooklyn with two stops for great pizza. Check out the lights tour info.

ellenem

Sorry Doug--You CAN go to Flushing directly from Penn Station if you take the Long Island Railroad. Doug has described correctly the way to go from Penn Station to Flushing by subway.

Roonn

Off-off Broadway!

tuckerdc

http://www.hospitalityholdings.com/

for a rest-your-feet, evening cocktail in luxury, try The Campbell Apartment at Grand Central, or one of their other offerings.

MFNYC

There's a hidden subway station at City Hall which can be viewed by staying on the 6 train when it turns around at the Brooklyn Bridge stop.
http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/stations?5:979

adriang177

what is fishs eddy?

starrs

Fishs Eddy is my favorite store in NYC

It started selling vintage dishes and they've added new lines and some other products...but mostly it's a funky dish store

My favorite umbrella =
http://www.fishseddy.com/browse.cfm/2,57.html

A great gift for people who love NYC. A little bit different and easy to find in a sea of black umbrellas

DebitNM

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...-you-dosee.cfm

starrs

Here are some more ideas from a variety of posters -

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...tes-please.cfm

stokebailey

Excellent. We're going early January, probably too late for decorations etc darn it, but good deals on hotels.