"I envy you those beeyooteefull Corgis."

Since we got them, the Corgis have wanted equal time to the cats, so they are excited they have been "discovered" in their first trip report.

((H))

Finally catching up with the final installments of your wonderful trip report. NYC is a great walking city, isn't it? I once walked from the Guggenheim to Grand Central to Times Square to my hotel on the UWS. Exhausting but so much fun.

I've also been on that tour at the Tenement Museum - I took my then 18 year old nephew there with me in 2010. He was very quiet throughout the entire tour and for some time afterward. Sometimes it's hard to tell if teens are getting anything out of an experience, but I found out later when his mother told me she overheard him telling his friends all about it: the dark, tiny rooms, the terrible sanitation, how hard the lives of the immigrants were. That makes it sound a lot more depressing than it is, but the Tenement Museum would make my Top 15 list too.

Thanks for another great trip report, Tom!

Hi there, I have just come across this great read during my research for our own visit next year.

I love the look of the Chelsea Pines, just the sort of place we love. Could you please let me know what type of room you booked? Was it a standard?

Your top 15 lists are really interesting and helping me narrow down my huge list, I think I can relate to Kim's list!

Very, very enjoyable, thanks for taking the time to post.

Thank you for yet again sharing your wonderful stories. I was in NYC last October & we visited many of the same spots - it was fun to hear your take on them. We stopped by the rooftop bar at Hotel Gansevoort late one afternoon & loved it -- we had the gorgeous views all to ourselves! So glad you're feeling better & back to traveling.

So glad yo had such a great time in my city.

BTW - Don't worry about missing The Shake Shack. Why anyone would wait on line for 45 minutes for a hamburger or milk shake is beyond me. I see tourists lined up at lunch time and think - there are other places to go.

And, just to speak out for the rest of NYC - running around Manhattan doesn't constitute seeing NYC. You're seeing Manhattan, only. But I understand that that's the center the of "my" city and so that's where tourists go.

Great report.

Days 3 and 4 are now up with photos for anyone who wants to visit NYC without spending any money. Photos from our SOL climb, Brooklyn Bridge walk and also Tracy "cheating" on me with another guy in our room are included in Days 3 and 4.

((H))

Yes, a link would help. Click and go to "New York City 2011."

http://travelswithmaitaitom.com/

Checked out your link.

You're really a talented writer and the whole blog project is wonderful.

Loved "Charlie Chaplin" the cat. (I'm a cat lover.)

I am enjoying your blog so much, lots of great ideas for our holiday next year. Love all the photo's too, nice to see it in the flesh, so to speak. Lucky Tracy having a furry visitor, just the thing when you are missing your own cat. I can relate to this!

Trip report with photos is finally finished, and there is also an NYC slide show if you need a New York fix. Click on the link below and go to "New York City 2011" for the trip report or "NYC Photos" for the slide show. Still trying to get funding for the major motion picture.

http://travelswithmaitaitom.com/

((H))

Your trip reports are awesome and the slide show is just as impressive. I can't wait to go to some of the places you have been. Thanks!!

Maitaitom, when I first joined Fodor's before a trip to Italy, your account "uncensored we didn't drink all the vino" was (and remains) one of the funniest things I've ever read on the web. It also was, in an odd way, reassuring that yes, we could take our clan to Italy.

I did start to plan a trip to New York a couple of years ago and did know that you were ill--I didn't realize then how much so. So glad you have pulled through.

I think we are finally going through with the NY/DC trip, with teens now. Love your report and thanks to Tracy for letting you post all the wonderful and embarrassing details that make us all travel vicariously with you. Also appreciate your honesty about the Ellis Island tour. I am now rethinking that piece.

Five Alive

"So glad you have pulled through."

Me too! I came to the realization that if I died it would seriously put a damper on many of our travel plans. We loved both NYC and DC. Have a blast.

((H))

Nice to see this one again. Hope all is well with the maitai's.

5alive, maitaitom and I agree completely about the Frick (specially) and everything else, but I was moved to tears at Ellis. I was amazed and appalled at what the early immigrants went through. DH and I ran out of time for Tenement Museum and many have said it brings home what life was like then. Tom, did you have a tour at Ellis? We did and he was good-made a difference. Hub and I really talked about what we would take of our belongings if we were moving for good and could only take a certain number of items. Anyway, to each his own. And please write a trip report!

We did not take a tour, but did have the audio tour. I certainly would not tell anyone not to go to Ellis Island, and I agree that the four of us are probably in the minority where we rank it on a trip to NYC. I can't say why it did not not "move" us the way it does others, but I had to be honest in sharing our opinions. It's not that I am completely without sentiment. I cry at the Sound Of Music every time Julie Andrews returns from the convent. And td, the maitais are doing fine and hope you are well, too.

((H))

Great report and thanks for the restaurant list...we head to NYC (for the first time in 7 years) in May.

The Fodor's site is filled with mixed reactions so not to worry, tom!

DH and I returned to places that moved us unitially, only to be unmoved. Ya never know. All is fine here, thanks.

You know, many are looking forward to another enjoyable TR from maitaitom!

TDudette, what was your Ellis Island tour? Did you pre-arrange it? Sorry to derail the topic a bit...I wish these boards had private messaging...

thanks
Five Alive

It has been a few years but I know we didn't pre-arrange. Must have been one getting ready to start when we arrived? Just googling quickly, I'm only seeing audio tours. Can anyone help?