How to approximate a weekend in NYC
 

A cute article on experiencing all things NY in your own town:

http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/09/02...02weekend.html

Very funny. But more than a little silly, including the reference to cockroaches in the pizza box. What was that all about?

I like the part about standing outside your favorite local pancake or omelette place and wait 45 minutes to simulate the wait in New York. Does the writer not know that such waits are common at popular Sunday brunch places all across the country? Does he really think only New York has such waits?

With so many fantastic restaurants in NYC, I think it's somewhat crazy to wait for brunch ... but if you <i>choose</i> to do so, don't complain -- you ignored plenty of other options.

(And the longest I've ever waited for brunch was in San Francisco. I'm sure aficionados &amp; locals know the spot.)

Gekko, I can think of at least two such SF places -- Dottie's True Blue and Mama's at Washington Square Park. Although they also used to line up like that at Sears Fine Food, too.

And I agree, I think the odd part of the whole thing is that in New York you have so many options, why would you wait if you didn't have to? What does waiting in line for brunch have to do with a &quot;true&quot; New York experience.

Well - some of it makes sense - but they have some things absolutely wrong.

Alternate side parking doesn't start that early. And you can;t run out and park your car on the other side of the street - since that is alredy parked solid. Your choice is to drive around to look for a place on the&quot;right&quot; side of the street or double park on the right side (but stay in the car for 1.5 hours while you wait for the street sweeping machine to pass). Then everyone races each other back to the now legal spots.

And if you get a ticket it's $100.

And if the streetsweeper driver is really aggravated he calls for police and a tow truck and it costs $1000 plus ($100 fine, tow truck fee and police impound lot fee) and all day to get your car back.

Oh- and the photo of the subway is from 1977. There's much less graffitti now - and about 100 times as many people unless you're riding at 3 am.

nytraveler. The picture was of Saturday Night Fever, one of the suggested movies to rent and watch to give you a New York feeling. I don't think the year and the graffiti were meant to be an issue.