Leslie

I'll be in NYC for 3.5 days over Columbus Day weekend. Definitely going to Ellis Island. Want to go to a couple of different museums on this trip -- not the MOMA, Guggenheim or Museum of Natural History.

Any comments about the Tenement Museum on the Lower East Side and the Museum of New York City? Also, how much time should I allow for each of these museums? Is it possible to go to both Ellis Island and the Tenement Museum in one day -- they would seem to complement each other.

Any other ideas would be appreciated, as I'm looking to do some things out of the ordinary. Thanks.

Kelly

Tenement Museum was VERY interesting--
well worth going to--howeveryou need to check on the hours they are open--somewhat limited.??? holiday weekend??
It is fairly close to the Seaport and not far from the boat to Ellis Island. If you got a really early start you could do in one day.

good Luck

mike

That will work as the Tenement Museum is on the Lower Eastside. Great, informative museum / tour. See attached website.

www.tenement.org/

There is lots to see in that neighborhood. Go to Katz's Deli and have the best lunch. Check out Yonah Schimmels Knishes, Russ & Daughters....fancy candy. Pickle Guys on Essex...I believe.

Monica

I really liked the Tenement Museum. If you're interested in old architecture and everyday lives of people in the past it's fascinating.

Leslie

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. Mike, you are bringing back some memories. I actually had planned to go to Katz's for lunch. And, I want to buy some bialis and onion boards too.

Is Schmolke Bernstein's Kosher Chinese Restaurant still in business? Years ago, when it was just a deli, they catered my parents wedding -- almost 50 years ago.

steve

Alas, Shmulke Bernsteins has been out of business for around 10 years. The best pastrami is now probably at 2nd Avenue Deli. Guys Pickles is on Essex, just south of Grand. The Museum of the City of New York is in a nice old mansion. You will probably find one or two interesting exhibits there. But across the street in Central Park there are some beautiful gardens up there.

Philip

The Tenement Museum is a guided tour and takes probably about 45 minutes to an hour. In the gift shop, they also have a film and a few items that you can see at your leisure. It is definitely worth a visit. Combining it with a trip to Katz Deli is a great idea because the people that originally lived in the Tenement may have eaten at or worked in Katz.

jamie

The best pastrami is at Katz's. Avoid the 2nd Ave. Deli, unless you need Kosher.

Jen

I enjoyed both museums, but thought that the Museum of NYC was a bit light on the exhibits, given their lovely space.

nyer

No more Shmulke Bernsteins, alas. If you're looking for a non-kosher version of their pastrami, the recipe was actually bought at auction, by the Artie's Deli restaurant on the upper West Side. The Bernstein family continued in the restaurant business for a while with another deli type place on Grand Street, a couple of blocks east of Essex. Can't remember the name or if it's still around. If it is, it's kind of "off the radar".Second Avenue Deli is my choice for a still authentic (though really cleaned and spiffed up" deli experience

Susan

Hi Leslie, I haven't been to the Tenement Museum (yet! - hopefully next visit) but I did enjoy the Museum of the City of New York and felt it was "worth" the time etc. very interesting exhibits and a wonderful building. Also, if you are looking for a different type of museum, check out the Frick Collection or the JP Morgan Library, both are wonderful.

Leslie

Thanks for all the input. I'm definitely a Katz's type-gal. I remember my Dad taking me there many times when I was a child.

Here are my plans sofar:

Arrive Friday afternoon about 4pm, and check into the Intercontinental Barclay.

No clue for Friday night yet.

Saturday:

Grab a bagel somewhere -- is there an H&H on the way to where I need to catch the ferry to Ellis Island?

9am - Ellis Island (allow 3-4 hours)

2pm - Tenement Museum

3:30pm - Katz's

4:30pm - South Street Seaport Historic District.

What do I do for the evening? Was thinking I should buy a full price ticket for a show -- would I be able to pull off getting to TKTS in time to buy a ticket for an evening performance?

Sunday:

Decent breakfast somewhere -- looking for recommendations. I'm staying at the Intercontinental Barclay.

Two museums: The Museum of the City of New York and the Jewish Museum.

Walk and enjoy the rest of the day.

Monday - need to do something up until 12pm, as I have to catch the bus back to Boston at 1pm at the Port Authority.

Also, if someone can give me great directions from the Intercontinental Barclay to the ferry, I'd be grateful. Either cab or subway will do.

KT

It sounds like you'll like the Museum of the City of New York, especially since you have those New York family connections. I went there once with some European friends, and they enjoyed it too, because they're interested in history, even though I had to explain things like exactly where the Bronx is!
It's hard to say how long you'll need there -- it's not that big, but you might get caught up in looking at each little thing if there's an exhibition that grabs you. Their website describes all the current exhibitions.

You had to mention onion board, didn't you? I would kill for some.

Leslie

My Mother grew up in the Bronx and my Dad grew up in Manhattan off Amsterdam Avenue.

I was talking about onion boards in my office today (in Boston). Promised to bring some back, and also at least a dozen bialis.

Right now all I can do is think of having a knish, and I'm not sure if I want a potato or a kasha one. All I know is that a week from Saturday, I will be eating a pastrami sandwich with deli style mustard, with a knish, and half sours, and drinking a cream soda. All, I have to do is take along a bottle of antacid.

I had a smoked meat sandwich in Montreal a few weeks ago, and although good, it just doesn't cut the mustard when I think of my memories of eating at Katz's.

Now on another note, I would like to see "Urinetown" and "Burn This". Tickets are available on the www.broadway.com site for the nights/days I will be in NYC -- both shows seem to go for $110 with the service charges. Is this the way to go, or would it be better to contact the theatres directly or else take my chances at the TKTS booth?

Philip

From the Intercontinental you can walk down to Grand Central Station and catch a 4 or 5 Downtown train. Get off at the Bowling Green stop and the ferry to Ellis Island will be a short walk in a southwest direction.

If you want to know what is showing up regularly on TKTS, check out the following website

http://newyork.citysearch.com/feature/34843/

Leslie

Philip, thank you very much.

tweedy

Sounds like you are going to have a wonderful time. And so far it looks like the weather is going to co-operate.
I just heard tomorrow we may hit 90 tomorrow, so we are getting a bit of summer again. The colors have started to change just a tiny bit I noticed yesterday.

From the Intercontinental it is an easy trip to downtown, but I would get off the train at Wall St. and walk down broadway and you might stop in Battery Park to see the new memorial up for 9/11. I have not seen it yet and planning on it this weekend.

YOu also mentioned you wanted to see different museums, there is one, in the Wall St. area, not very well known to the Holocaust, which is worth a trip, and you might try Fraunces Travern for lunch, since you are going to be in the area.

Also there is a new TKTS booth at the South St. Seaport, to replace the one at the World Trade Center. Not sure what shows are up, but sure worth a look see.

Have a great time while you are here.

tweedy

judd

I hate these hour-by-hour posts of tourists schedules. Does the word 'flexible' mean anything? It is okay to have a schedule but hour-by-hour, minute-by-minute is ridiculous. What if you are not feeling well, the weather is lousy, you get lost or stuck in the subway. Relax folks, you are on vacation. Slow down!

Jane Anne

Oh, darn, Judd. I guess this means that Leslie won't be able to ask you to go along. That is why you're concerned, isn't it?

Leslie

My apologies for putting in the hours, but the first ferry to Ellis Island is at 9am, and I've been advised that 4 hours is about the amount of time needed to see Ellis Island. Had to make a reservation for a tour of the Tenement Museum, so I set it for 2pm -- that tour only lasts 45 minutes and then there's a video to see, which is how I came up with the times, and an approximate time to have a late lunch.

I shouldn't be apologizing, just giving my rationale. By the way, I'm really not locked into anything except for the tour to the Tenement Museum -- website says that they only take 15 people per tour.

And Josh, although I respect your comments. I think I only need one subway to the ferry, and the rest of the time until I return to the hotel, I will be on foot.