Thanks for taking us along on your NY trip.
Looking forward to more.

TDudette -- the last NYC automat closed in 1991 but there is a young entrepreneur who is hoping to bring back the automat in Philly soon. I will alert you if I see that one is opening!

Seeing the automat in the old movies makes me more nostalgic. Thanks, Vttraveler.

Same breakfast on Thursday. After a little walk around the hood, I decided to save my feet and knees and not go to Ellen's. Spent the afternoon organizing and packing.

The Redeye Grill is near and online the menu looks fine:
https://www.redeyegrill.com/
There are two inviting fish dishes on the menu. Waiter and I settle on salmon instead of branzino only because the latter is an entire fish.

As you can see, the asparagus was thinner! Salmon delish. That white puddle is a cauliflower mixture that got an A.
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e34c4d0f44.jpg

I forgot to note that last night's resto was dark and club like; Redeye is more modern but still warm with leather banquette seating.
Poor shot of wall with sushi bar, and a bar bar that stretches along one wall. I'll look for a better picture.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...313c82db12.jpg

On to Carnegie Hall again!
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Here's a link for good pix: redeye grill photos

I forgot to write that on the way to Mood, passing the theatre showing the Clooney opening gave me pause. Could I get a ticket?? Instead, I went to CH box office where I snagged an open spot for Ann-Sophie Mutter recital that night, then went to the Greek restaurant that is right next door to the hotel.

This evening's performance is in the Stern Auditorium. The piano looked much lonelier on this larger stage than on the Weill Recital Hall one. Indeed, an extra (?) microphone hangs on the stage. Both Ms. Mutter and her long-time pianist, Lambert Orkis, were superb. Ms. Mutter commissioned and presented "Likoo" a piece about loss by Aftab Darvishi. Its melancholy was touching.

As I returned to the hotel, I thought about the history of CH...how it could have been demolished. If you are interested:
​​​​​​https://www.carnegiehall.org/Explore...-Carnegie-Hall

And so for bed!
*******

The next morning I grabbed a cap and pain chocolate, and said farewell to the hotel. An easy one minute walk to 7th Ave. and a bank of cabs and I'm homeward bound.

Be Sure To Say Amtrak!

Amtrak Moynihan Hall is new and nice. Worker says built within the last four years. Taxi driver, King Ken per his card, left me at 33rd St, turning left off 8th Ave.

Nice station! There are signs for a lower level Food Hall and shopping. Electronic arrival/departure signs abound.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7117f10387.jpg

A ticketed waiting area occupies a good portion of one wall. Lots of charging stations and banquette seats that look uncomfortable but I think there are charging outlets beneath. Anyone know? Nice restrooms attached to ticketed waiting area would keep others out?

Per cab driver, upper level is the remaining post office that previously occupied the site. In my shot you can see the Food Hall sign.

Also Note Long Island Rail Road Sign!

I didn't think of it at the time but am not sure of the logistics of getting to Penn Station proper from this new station.

Huge line for the train home. I entered the first car after business class, and it turned out to be Quiet Car. My slow walk and obvious age caused no stir when I sat in a handicapped seat. The conductor didn't query so I didn't have to show my collection of asthma artillery. Amtrak has wi-fi....new?

Next and finally, I'll add up expenses so you can decide if it was worth the splurge to go to Carnegie Hall.




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There is a fair amount of artwork by noted artists in Moynihan Hall. It is easy to get to the LIRR as you just follow the signs. Same with the new Grand Central Madison station.

Wifi on Amtrak not new, has been around for several years.

Moynihan hall is a nice upgrade from what was the previous Amtrak waiting area, but there are basically no seating unless you have an amtrak ticket, I suppose to keep unhoused people away. There is not enough seating in the ticketed area however, esp on holiday weekends. Or if there is a delayed train, then you have additional passengers waiting in that small space. and yes, I think there are plenty of electical outlets in the seating area, but there are also outlets on the train.

Am glad you had a nice time at Carnegie Hall. I finally realized you had just missed my favorite group, the Danish String Quartet, by one day. They had their concert at CH on Friday evening.

Thanks about the art, Madam397; here's a link:
https://moynihantrainhall.nyc/discover/art/
LIRR looked quite direct, but can one get to Penn Station directly?

Interesting about weekend/holiday overcrowding, yk. I didn't see any seating outside that ticketed waiting area on that level...people on the floor.

Thanks for the report, TDudette. I am glad that you had a good trip.
I have fond memories of going to Carnagie Hall many years ago for concerts of the New York Choral Society. We had great seats because our friend, Robert DeCormier, was the director.

Lovely report. Whatever the cost, it was worth it I'm sure.

Have to agree with TDudette that the asparagus was chunky. Growing up we had family with an asparagus farm--the only way to eat green asparagus is pencil-thin.

Have to disagree with TDudette on the whole Branzino. Loved, loved, loved when I would find whole Zander (Trout) on Austrian menus.

DD and I saw Anne-Sophie Mutter at the Kennedy Center. Just fabulous.

Thank you for the great report. It sounds like you had fun and I took notes for our upcoming trip.

I agree with you and fourfortravel - thin asparagus is by far the best asparagus!

Tdudette,

Great trip report (and great photos too). Sounds like you had a fun time.

I want to address a comment you made - "I didn't think of it at the time but am not sure of the logistics of getting to Penn Station proper from this new station."

When you are in Moynihan and facing the 8th Av side, there is an escalator just before the 8th Av & 33rd St exit (there is also an elevator somewhere near there). You take the escalator down to the lower mezzanine then go to the left (and around all the wide support pillars), you will then see a ramp going downward. Take that ramp, walk past the turnstiles for the A train and then go up the ramp on the other side. You will then be in Penn Station proper on the LIRR level (with more places to eat). You you continue walking toward 7th Av you will see the LIRR ticket window area (there is also one in Moynihan). If you want go up to the upper mezzanine an the old Amtrak waiting area, when you go up the ramp into Penn there is a staircase on the right a short distance from the top of the ramp. To the left of those stairs is the "Exit" Corridor, if you walk along that corridor you'll find escalators around mid-way along the length of that corridor. The first will be coming down from the upper level, a bit further is the escalator going up to the upper level (this will leave you in the old Amtrak/NJ Transit waiting area which many people still prefer to use). Also in this corridor by track 7 there is an elevator which will go down to track level or UP to the upper level.

There is also another set of escalators to the upper level at the far right of the new long escalators to the street at the 7th Av side.

Of curse the other option is to go outside, cross 8th Av to the other side (by Madison Square Garden) and then enter Penn Station.

If you are on a platform, look for the signs showing "to 7th Av" (or some terminology to that effect). Platform stairs/escalators located around the middle and toward 7th Av end of the platform will go up to Penn Station. Stairs at the 8th Av end of the platform will go up into Moynihan.

Sorry it took so long to do a recap, but I had some sewing to do!

Here is a cost breakdown:

• Train ticket 281.00
• Meals before tip 228.16
• Carnegie Hall tickets. 156.00
• Carnegie Hotel 1353.43
• Total 2018.59

Rereading, I didn't thank schmerl (and others?) nor answer dfrostnh's query. So thanks to All, and here's the finished tablecloth and napkin:
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fda34608e8.jpg
Thanks for coming along.

And OMGosh, thanks for Amtrak station info. 44Trav, I just didn't have the time to wait for the branzino, or it would have been my choice. 🍷

What a lovely table! I love the fabric. I would have been so overwhelmed by the number of options I might have left with nothing. Thank you for your report. It sounds like a great trip.

Thanks, gomiki. There were many very helpful staff at Mood. One took my sample and returned with bolts. You definitely need muscles for this work.

In retrospect, that three-night trip cost more than Rhody and I typically spent on two weeks in Italy.

i finally got back. What a wonderful choice of fabric. It mist have been hard to choose from what looked like an immense selection.
youre a travel warrior queen.

Bless you, dfrosty! There were two levels of fabrics. Mood also has an active online presence.

More people are sewing, but Joann fabrics couldn't make it in time to take advantage.