Thank you for your gracious response and the great recommendations, we are really looking forward to this trip!
One final question - best transportation to/from LGA to Upper West Side-Super Shuttle?, taxi?, what?
Merry Christmas, ya'll.

No question on this one - take a taxi
It will cost you $25 including toll and tip. DO NOT, under any circumstances, Take SuperrShuttle!!! They pickup at least 3 onther passengers, without regard were they are in Manhattan. The one and only time I used them, I was sitting in the suttle for over 1 hr driving around Manhattan picking up other passengers. The kicker is that they're not even cheap -

DONT do the shuttle! my friend just missed a flight last week b/c they went all the way from the UWS to the bronx - took about 2 hours! Take a cab. Easy from the upper west - I do it all the time. Around $30. Not bad.

I've taken the New york Airport Service bus to Grand Central & "cabbed" from there, someone posted here with $16 r/t if u make resv. online.

I've also hopped on M60 bus for $1.50 exact change & moved to taxi once in Manhattan. Nice thing about bus is u don't pay more if stopped in traffic. If bus is too full at airport to get luggage on i use other methods.

taxi from the airport(no question about it). enjoy nyc!!