It's kind of a long walk from the Waldorf to the Museum of Natural History (like 2 1/2 miles) - esp give the walking inside the Museum. You're probably better off taking a bus up Madison to 79th and then walk through the Park to the west side.

Ok, I see there is a MNH subway stop. It actually would be 2.5 miles going up Park Ave and then across, a bit under 2 mi. on the diagonal assuming I didn't get lost in the park.

nytraveler, I was impressed by your response to an old Belmont post, where the poster asked about clubhouse seats at the top of the stretch (they would be grandstand seats, of course).

The points are like a discount. The W-A stay will get one more night at Hilton Hanoi Opera. I see there is a Japanese restaurant on 49th near the W-A called Inagiku. But I really should find a Chinese restaurant in NY.

Well - you can;t just walk across the Park in a diagonal - the pedestrian paths are quite winding - and might end up being longer than going around. And in many areas you do need to stay on the paths - either because there is something (like the zoo or a lake) preventing you from doing a diagonal - or areas that are too heavily wooded to walk through.

Sure, I pretty much assumed I would get lost in the park. I will take your advice on the bus.

Any idea on a spot to meet at Penn Station? Neither of us have been there before.

Penn Station has several different sections. If you're meeting to take the LIRR to the Belmont - just meet at the info booth in the LIRR section (separate from Amtrak or NJ Transit). Just watch for signs for LIRR.

<b>JAZIL</b> wins!!!

We met by the info booth next to the ticket windows. There were two ticket lines that sold Belmont train tix only.

Friday night they had the track bugler do the national anthem at the Yankees games. He used a trumpet. Gary Stevens threw out the first pitch, a one hopper. Stevens is a hall of famer retired jockey. It was hilarious when he walked out on the mound and stood next to the pitcher, Randy Johnson, who up around 7' tall.

Might have been better if Stevens had pitched. Yankees were down 6-1 after 7.5 and there was a long rain delay, maybe 90 minutes. On the second pitch after the delay a Yankee hit a 3-run homer. Then a guy got on and there was a triple, so 6-5. Then Bernie struck out. Finished with no more scoring. Jam packed on the subways

Waldorf=Astoria is fabulous. Was a crazy idea to consider the airport hotel.

I picked 5 winners yesterday: Safsoof, Anew, Gorella, Cacique, and Jazil. Very good exciting racing.

Glad you had a nice time, and won too...

Thanks to all for the advice, esp. the comment about the airport hotel being depressing. When I took the skytrain past it I realized what a bad idea it was to stay there, considering that I could stay in Manhattan.

On Sunday, I was supposed to meet my friend and his sister and go to the MNH, but I slept until 10AM. I slept till 10 but actually got up early because I was on California time. After breakfast in the restaurant I lazed about until checking out after 1PM. Planned to go outside but got only as far as the Park Ave lobby of the hotel. Enjoyed seeing the chandelier, the Cole Porter piano, and the general elegance, and loved the Wheel of Life mosaic on the floor. In the elevator lobby there was a large vase with a bouquet that was a dome about 5 feet across and 3 feet high, there were hundreds, maybe thousands of flowers. Have never seen anything like it.

Left the hotel at 2:10, got the E train to the skytrain, and checked in at the jetBlue kiosk by 3:30PM, an hour before the flight.

It was a great weekend at the Waldorf. I want to go back.