Once American Airlines finally got us to NYC, I mistakenly grabbed someone elses suitecase and headed for the hotel at 9 PM. We dropped our bags and ran into the "Burger Joint" inside of LPM for a quick dinner. We orderd, ate and prayed that we would all survive the meal and to our surprise, we did. After dinner we went back to our room to get ready for bed. One of the kids noticed that the third suitecase I grabbed had a different name on the luggage tag. I called Amer. Air immediately to report that I had taken the wrong bag and thus we were missing our bag with liquid cancer meds inside! American had officially lost our bag but sent a courier by(two days later)to collect the bag I had taken by mistake. Before leaving home, we decided not to bring pooch with us to NYC so our neighbor was taking care of him. While she was walking through my kitchen to let pooch out, she heard a man leaving a message on my home phone saying that he had accidentally taken our bag and he left a number. She called me in NYC, I called the man and he and his aunt deliverd the bag to our hotel the next morning. Besides the cancer medication, the bag was packed with a brand new Ralph Lauen winter wardrobe that I had bought for my DH. Everything was still there.

Hotel - We loved Le Parker Meridien. Location, location, location. Next to Carnegie Hall and The Russian Tea Room it was close to all of our "must see" sites and always easy to find. Suite with city view was very clean and well kept. housekeeping was perfection.

Statue of Liberty and Ellis island. Tickets to go inside of Lady Liberty were sold out by 7Am but we enjoyed it anyway and spent three hours at Ellis island. Could have spent more, but had to go all the way back to hotel due to poor planning to get tickets for Phantom. Phantom was awesome and I especially loved the fact that I got the tickets for a song at one of the sites suggested by Fodorites! We had a terrific dinner at Ruby Foos in Time Square afterwards. The kids loved it.

We walked from 57th to Rockefeller Center. It was really beautiful. The tree was up and ice skaters were skating. The best meal deal in NYC that I found was in the commissary at Cucina & Co. We (4 ppl) had a great hot lunch there. Roasted chicken, mac & cheese, green beans, quiche, one sandwich, coffee, sodas, water and one cupcake for $45. Therefore we were not yet prepared for what food REALLY costs in NYC. After lunch we walked to the Empire State building. I did it for the kids, but normally I would never pay $50 to go to the top of a building and I will never do it again! That night we went to The Carnegie Deli for pastrami sandwiches! Worth the trip!

Thanksgiving Day we stood in the rain and watched some of the parade. The concierge recommended Shelly's steak house for Thanksgiving dinner. The menu sounded great. The food was soupy, cold and rubbery. $200. If it had not been raining - we all joked that we could have gone for more Carnegie Deli!

We went to the American Museum of Natural History, Central Park and Tavern on the Green one day and to MoMA on another. MoMA was one of the most outstanding museums I have ever ever been to! Five hours was not enough for me, but the family felt differently.

Little Italy was a gigantic disappointment but later we met up with old friends from Italy at their loft in Soho. They had a riviting 9/11 experience which they shared with us. Being invited into their home was a highlite for sure. We gained a little insite into what life in the big city costs and how people live and raise a child in the city. I have a new appreciation for my situation.

Other restaurants we went to were Rue 57 near the hotel. The best Valhorn Chocolate souffle of my life!!! Sarafina's the worst food for the most $$$. Tao - (the next night) great atmosphere, excellent sea bass & peking duck. For breakfasts we mostly did Cafe Europa or a smaller backery nearby. We walked to Serendipity on our last night, but I did not know that a reservation was in order. The wait was 2 hours so we skipped it and had sub par ice cream at Dannys Candy something on the corner.

What we loved most of all about NYC was the people. Great eye contact, helpful, kind, enthusiastic! The greatest!!!!!! The energy of the city was as wonderful as its people. We have been home for almost a week and we are all fours still just in awe of that amazing city!!! Can't wait to go back!

Calamari, Thanks for the lovely trip report. Since you may have forgotten from earlier posts, my family and I were visiting NYC in October and stayed in LPM. It sounds like you had a wonderful trip overall. I too had an annoying travel experience, but I've completely compartmentalized it, and now I only think of the fabulous time we had. I'm already planning another trip in the Spring. I fell in love with New York!

(We enjoyed LPM so much that we think we may stay there again, and I've already found a lower rate.)

HI CB! Yes, I do recall your trip. I too would love to go to NYC in the spring. As much as I loved LPM, I think that next time we might stay in a more residential area like Murry Hill. I liked the feel of Lexington and 3rd. Felt like I might run into Carrie Bradshaw any minute. Have fun planning your trip and keep us "posted". Cheers - C

Murray Hill is about the last place you'd ever run into Carrie Bradshaw! Maybe a pack of Syracuse frat boys on their way to Jaeger bombs at a sports bar...

Great trip report! I'm glad you had such a great time in NYC. You certainly saw a lot of the city, and it sounds like you made the most of your trip.

Lizzi - So where did Carrie Bradshaw "live"? I wanted to take the tour but had to consider that the kids and DH would not like it. We saw even more than I wrote about, but I thought the report was a snooze bomb.

In the show, she "lived" on the UES, but the actual exteriors of her building were shot in the W. Village on Perry Street. That's also where Sarah Jessica Parker lives in real life, as do many other celebrities.

Murray Hill is ground zero for early 20-somethings fresh out of school. There are a few nice townhouse blocks in the thirties, but mostly tall, dormintory-style highrises predominate.

Calamari, I think LPM's location is so good. It's not exactly residential, true, but it is quiet compared with many places (like Times Square). If you can't walk to your destination, the subway is right there. If it is more residential, perhaps it wouldn't be so convenient. Also, the jr. suites are a nice size, 500 sq ft. The bathroom was very nice with the huge shower and counter. Then, Norma's is right there. I definitely wouldn't pay the amt. of money I paid last time, but I'd definitely go for the deal you got.

I like that part of town. I've been looking at other places in the not-to-exceed $500 range (pre-tax), and so far I don't feel like I could do better. I am only looking at suites since we really want the bit of separation a suite provides for us and our daughter. I guess much of it is a matter of taste.

Some places I checked are already booked. Well, I'm glad you had a good time.

lizzie - i live in murray hill, and have for 16 years. I can assure you that while the bar scene on 3rd avenue has definitely had an influence on the neighborhood, it is not dominated by dormatory style apartments. there are still 96 townhouses in murray hill that are landmarked. many of the inhabitants of the area are of the medical profession as nyu medical center and its multiple outposts are dotted throughout the area. there are several rental buildings on 3rd avenue and along 34th street that are popular with young people, but no more so than the upper east side.

Sorry! Didn't mean to generalize, and you are absolutely right about the character of some blocks in the area. I was trying to be flip, and I hope I didn't offend you!

Great trip report. And, another story that should convince everyone that they should never check needed medications!

How did you like the Burger Joint? Do you remember how much it cost for 4 people?

We like Norma's for Sunday brunch, but it is definitely a treat.

Sad to hear you did not like Sarafina's.Last year it was so good we went back twice. Maybe it has gone downhill in one year.Our family of 4 will be in NYC and I am looking for a place to eat xmas eve. Shelley's was one of the places on my list but now for that price(200.00) for rubbery food, I don't want to go. We are staying across from Carnegie also in the same area.Thanks for the Trip Report!!

nice report.

would you mind sharing the website for discounted theater tickets? i usually go to south street seaport, but it would be nice to order in advance if discounts are available..

Calamari, loved your report - nice that you were able to roll with the punches and have a great time. Thanks for the restaurant reports and I'm glad you included the good, bad & the ugly. You really saw a lot - and you're right the MoMA is amazing!

Lizzie, your remark re: "pack of Syracuse frat boys on their way to Jaeger bombs at a sports bar" is way off the mark as Bugswife stated. Not only that, it sounds like you just lifted that phrase from a recent article written about Dave Gilmartin's book - which, btw has already had several holes shot through it for misqoutes and out of date info. Anyway, I digress and as you said you were trying to be "flip" (but instead flopped).

Calamari, I am so glad that you had a great trip and hope that you will able to return to discover even more wonderful things that the city has to offer.

lincasanova, here are two websites that have discount theater ticket offers:
www.broadwaybox.com
www.playbill.com
The discounts usually run 25% to 33% off full price. TKTS discounts for Broadway shows are usually 50% off plus $3 per ticket.
The advantage of using the discount offers is that you can order them in advance (where you pay an added $5-7 per ticket service charge) or take a copy of the offer to the box office and thus avoid waiting in line.
I'm not sure what the OP considers "for a song" in reference to the price she paid for her Phantom of the Opera tickets.

I don't know who that is - I was quoting from personal experience!

thanks, howard.i had looked at playbill before .. but i guess they didn´t have discounts at that time for what i wanted.

will keep it in mind.

thanks.

Lincasanova -We got our Phantom tickets at Best of Broadway/ www.bestofbroadway.com on one of their sales. The website directed me to Telecharge once I had orderd and they deliverd the tickets to my home a couple of weeks before departure. I paid about $245 for the four of us. We met a family from Long Island who paid almost double and they were sitting next to us.

Travelgirl- Well since you asked what I thought of "the Burger joint" I have to be honest. A big major YUCK. This kids did not seem to mind it though. Best dexcribed as dark, greasy, sticky, smelly and dirty. The burgers were small, chared (which was probably a good thing) and over priced. We never went back but we noticed a line most nights. Go figure. I thought the burger at MOMA was better and I could see what I was eating! As for Norma's - we went there on our last morning. The waiter came by with menus and then we never saw him again. We got up and left after about 20 minutes and went down the street to Cafe Europa. I felt happy not to pay $17 for French toast for a child.

Sarafina's was a rip-off. There were no seductive smells coming from the kitchen and the place was virtually empty on a Friday night. Everyone was trying to get into TAO next door. By the way, that bill was $165.00 - family of four for one antipasto of mosserella/pomodoro sent over by the GM (obviousely NOT complementary) one teeny tiny marinated (sotto aceto) artichoke cut in half sitting on a wilted piece of lettuce (salad?) one pasta al pomodoro, one order of ravioli (good), one pasta of the day with "fresh maine lobster" (but there were no lobster pieces $21) and one puttanesca. Blah. and I almost forgot the one glass of house red. On the positive side - The tap water was nice and the two pieces of bread in the bread basket were good.

So sorry for all of the spelling errors. Must have coffee before posting in the future. Mozzerella!

Burgers at the Burger Joint were about $45. 4 burgers, 3 sodas, two fries.

That happened to us at Norma's last year. A waiter came by gave us menu's and never returned, so we left and went down to a dive diner which had great food!!