NYC trip report...part 1 Thanks for all your help in planning
Oct 31st, 2002, 06:22 PM
#1
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NYC trip report...part 1 Thanks for all your help in planning
TRIP TO NYC
Checked into The Warwick Hotel on 54th and 6th at around 6:00 and walked down to Grand Central Station for dinner at the Michael Jordan steak house. Grand Central is so beautiful and sitting in the restaurant, on the second level, we were really able to take it all in. We both had a cocktail and shared a ½ bottle of wine. I had a hamburger (huge) and a Caesar salad for dinner, which was very good.
We then visited the Empire state building and went to the 80th floor-viewing platform. The views were unbelievable. It was a very clear and cold and you could see forever in every direction.
We rented headphones and listened to the narrative that told you what you were looking at.
THURSDAY
Up early and took the subway down to the World Trade Center to pay our respects. It’s a huge hole in the ground made more obvious by all the huge buildings surrounding it. We visited Battery Park to see the Sphere, which was re-located from the WTC site. St. Paul’s Cathedral is surrounded by fence that is covered with tee shirts, banner, flowers, cards etc. that people have left over the past year.
We took the subway over to Brooklyn Grimaldi’s Pizzeria. Great Pizza!!! Walked back across the Brooklyn Bridge. The views from the bridge walking into Manhattan are
Checked into The Warwick Hotel on 54th and 6th at around 6:00 and walked down to Grand Central Station for dinner at the Michael Jordan steak house. Grand Central is so beautiful and sitting in the restaurant, on the second level, we were really able to take it all in. We both had a cocktail and shared a ½ bottle of wine. I had a hamburger (huge) and a Caesar salad for dinner, which was very good.
We then visited the Empire state building and went to the 80th floor-viewing platform. The views were unbelievable. It was a very clear and cold and you could see forever in every direction.
We rented headphones and listened to the narrative that told you what you were looking at.
THURSDAY
Up early and took the subway down to the World Trade Center to pay our respects. It’s a huge hole in the ground made more obvious by all the huge buildings surrounding it. We visited Battery Park to see the Sphere, which was re-located from the WTC site. St. Paul’s Cathedral is surrounded by fence that is covered with tee shirts, banner, flowers, cards etc. that people have left over the past year.
We took the subway over to Brooklyn Grimaldi’s Pizzeria. Great Pizza!!! Walked back across the Brooklyn Bridge. The views from the bridge walking into Manhattan are
Oct 31st, 2002, 06:31 PM
#2
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Message: unequaled. The city is right in front of you….180 degrees of Manhattan. Quite a sight. Then we walked through China Town and Little Italy. Little Italy is shrinking as China Town encroaches. Went back to the hotel and had a little rest before dinner at Becco (Prix fixe pasta and sampler dessert) then went to see Hairspray at the Neil Simon Theater. Lots of fun and our seats which were over to the side were just fine. It’s a rather small theatre so all the seats are pretty good.
FRIDAY
Breakfast at the stage deli. We had a nice waiter from Istanbul who wore dark glasses and had a great sense of humor. Visited the Dakota and Strawberry Fields. I was surprised that the Dakota doesn’t have a formal entry door; you walk through iron gates into a common entryway. What a beautiful building!
We walked across Central Park from West to East and took a look at the Guggenheim. (It needs a coat of paint) and then visited the Metropolitan Museum of art. We took a “1-hour highlights tour” and saw the Richard Avedon exhibit of portrait photography. We had reservations at Le Bernadine for a 2:30 lunch so we had to leave earlier that we would have liked. The restaurant was excellent. Great food…sashimi, bouillabaisse, grouper, sea bass and 4 glasses of wine. The Prix Fixe lunch menu was $47. pp, plus wine and a $10. bottle of water. Pricey, but was worth it, the food was incredible.
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FRIDAY
Breakfast at the stage deli. We had a nice waiter from Istanbul who wore dark glasses and had a great sense of humor. Visited the Dakota and Strawberry Fields. I was surprised that the Dakota doesn’t have a formal entry door; you walk through iron gates into a common entryway. What a beautiful building!
We walked across Central Park from West to East and took a look at the Guggenheim. (It needs a coat of paint) and then visited the Metropolitan Museum of art. We took a “1-hour highlights tour” and saw the Richard Avedon exhibit of portrait photography. We had reservations at Le Bernadine for a 2:30 lunch so we had to leave earlier that we would have liked. The restaurant was excellent. Great food…sashimi, bouillabaisse, grouper, sea bass and 4 glasses of wine. The Prix Fixe lunch menu was $47. pp, plus wine and a $10. bottle of water. Pricey, but was worth it, the food was incredible.
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Oct 31st, 2002, 06:32 PM
#3
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Message: After lunch visited we the FAO Schwartz toy store, The Plaza, Bergdorf Goodman. (They have a great shoe department but the cheapest shoes started at $400. Then back to the hotel for a rest and Cabaret with Molly Ringwald at 8:00 which was fabulous. Studio 54 is kind of seedy but was a perfect venue for the portrayal of the Kit Kat Club. Stopped in a Lindy’s for dessert on the way back to the hotel.
SATURDAY
Met Rebecca our guide for the Food Tour of Greenwich Village at 10:30 that we booked on line. Our first stop was Zitto’s for ham bread, (3 types of ham, 3 types of cheese and a little cayenne YUM!!! then Murray’s Cheese shop (teenie tiny little store with 400+ cheeses) We sampled 3 different types of cheeses and olives, then to Facissos (that’s not the correct name, I can’t remember it) meat market across the street for rice balls, (cooled risotto formed into balls then rolled in parmesan and bread crumbs and fried, another yum!) then to Chumleys (a speakeasy where many famous writers hung out…Faulkner, Kerouac, Hemmingway, Steinbeck etc.) for a pumpkin ale, Li Lac for handmade chocolates, (my favorite was the milk chocolate peanut cluster with golden raisins) then we had a slice of Pizza, Cannoles (?) and a Pita Falafel.. This tour was one of the highlights of our trip!
SATURDAY
Met Rebecca our guide for the Food Tour of Greenwich Village at 10:30 that we booked on line. Our first stop was Zitto’s for ham bread, (3 types of ham, 3 types of cheese and a little cayenne YUM!!! then Murray’s Cheese shop (teenie tiny little store with 400+ cheeses) We sampled 3 different types of cheeses and olives, then to Facissos (that’s not the correct name, I can’t remember it) meat market across the street for rice balls, (cooled risotto formed into balls then rolled in parmesan and bread crumbs and fried, another yum!) then to Chumleys (a speakeasy where many famous writers hung out…Faulkner, Kerouac, Hemmingway, Steinbeck etc.) for a pumpkin ale, Li Lac for handmade chocolates, (my favorite was the milk chocolate peanut cluster with golden raisins) then we had a slice of Pizza, Cannoles (?) and a Pita Falafel.. This tour was one of the highlights of our trip!
Oct 31st, 2002, 06:33 PM
#4
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Message: After the tour we decided to walk over the Kiehls on 3rd and 13th and saw so many things along the way. We walked by several fire stations with fire trucks parked out front with signs “In Memory Of” with a list of the firefighters that had been killed at the WTC. Heart wrenching!
We walked through Washington Park where there are lots of street performers.
Then we took the subway back to the Met to see more treasures (spectacular exhibit of Tiffany stained glass and Egyptian artifacts) and then walked 36 blocks back to our hotel!!!!. My feet have never been so sore!!! We had dinner at Fontani De Trevi. We didn’t have a reservation but they were nice to accommodate us and we had a very nice dinner. The Caesar salad was wonderful. They prepare the salad at your table with fresh garlic, anchovies, Parmesan, Worchester, egg yolks and a taste of lemon then they toss it up. Wonderful!
Then we met Gary Gorman, our retired NYPD tour guide 9:00 for a 5-hour private tour. (We both wondered if we were going to make it as we both as usually in bed by 9:00) We saw lots of things that we would have never had the opportunity to see without a car. We drove to Harlem: saw Clintons office, Cotton Club, Apollo club, WTC, (Gary was very involved with the rescue and said that the bucket brigade that we all saw on t.v. basically just gave the rescuers something to do….nothing could really be done until the metal/steel workers started cutting away the metal) Coney Island, Shea Stadium, UN building, Brooklyn to see where my Grandmothers lived, Rockefeller Center, Tavern on the Green, Site of the Worlds Fair etc. etc. etc. We rolled in at 2:00 in the morning and fell asleep with our shoes on.
SUNDAY
Had a bagel at a deli over by Rockefeller center and then watched the skaters for a while. Then visited St. Patrick’s Cathedral which is the largest Catholic Church in the U.S. It’s spectacular.
We were picked up at our hotel at 11:30 for the ride back to Newark and our plane home.
What a fabulous trip and thanks to all you fodorites who helped us with our planning.
We walked through Washington Park where there are lots of street performers.
Then we took the subway back to the Met to see more treasures (spectacular exhibit of Tiffany stained glass and Egyptian artifacts) and then walked 36 blocks back to our hotel!!!!. My feet have never been so sore!!! We had dinner at Fontani De Trevi. We didn’t have a reservation but they were nice to accommodate us and we had a very nice dinner. The Caesar salad was wonderful. They prepare the salad at your table with fresh garlic, anchovies, Parmesan, Worchester, egg yolks and a taste of lemon then they toss it up. Wonderful!
Then we met Gary Gorman, our retired NYPD tour guide 9:00 for a 5-hour private tour. (We both wondered if we were going to make it as we both as usually in bed by 9:00) We saw lots of things that we would have never had the opportunity to see without a car. We drove to Harlem: saw Clintons office, Cotton Club, Apollo club, WTC, (Gary was very involved with the rescue and said that the bucket brigade that we all saw on t.v. basically just gave the rescuers something to do….nothing could really be done until the metal/steel workers started cutting away the metal) Coney Island, Shea Stadium, UN building, Brooklyn to see where my Grandmothers lived, Rockefeller Center, Tavern on the Green, Site of the Worlds Fair etc. etc. etc. We rolled in at 2:00 in the morning and fell asleep with our shoes on.
SUNDAY
Had a bagel at a deli over by Rockefeller center and then watched the skaters for a while. Then visited St. Patrick’s Cathedral which is the largest Catholic Church in the U.S. It’s spectacular.
We were picked up at our hotel at 11:30 for the ride back to Newark and our plane home.
What a fabulous trip and thanks to all you fodorites who helped us with our planning.
Nov 1st, 2002, 04:29 AM
#7
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Great report! Good for you for renting the headphones at the ESB so you would have a clue about what you were looking at, and more kudos for 2 trips to the Met and for trying some different restaurants! The NYCPD tour must have been very interesting, I'm glad you had the opportunity to go. Thanks for sharing your report, sounds like you had a great time!
Nov 1st, 2002, 09:47 AM
#11
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I booked both of these trips through www.imar.com They have a phone number on there website also if you would like to call direct. I paid on line with a credit card and then printed out the confirmation number.
The Greenwich Village Cultural Eating Tour cost $35. pp and was from 10:30-1:30. As you can see, there was tons of food so that includes lunch :0)
Gary's NYPD tour can be specific to what YOU want to do, thus my Gram's brownstone in Brooklyn. The cost of this 5 hour private tour was $85 pp. (there were two of us) and we booked it from 9 p.m -2 a.m. Some people go even later as you avoid the traffic. To do it in the middle of the day would be impossible.
Gary is very knowledgable and extremely nice.
The Greenwich Village Cultural Eating Tour cost $35. pp and was from 10:30-1:30. As you can see, there was tons of food so that includes lunch :0)
Gary's NYPD tour can be specific to what YOU want to do, thus my Gram's brownstone in Brooklyn. The cost of this 5 hour private tour was $85 pp. (there were two of us) and we booked it from 9 p.m -2 a.m. Some people go even later as you avoid the traffic. To do it in the middle of the day would be impossible.
Gary is very knowledgable and extremely nice.
Nov 1st, 2002, 10:27 AM
#14
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The Warwick is in a great location and the hotel itself is very well maintained. Unfortunately we had a problem with our toilet overflowing the first night but they made good...upgraded us to a huge corner suite with a great view. I'd go back!
Becco is very good...not to, to expensive. Be sure and request a table in the downstairs dining room. Much nicer vibe.
ALSO...very important. Make sure and make a reservation at least 2-3 weeks prior (we made ours 1 month) to going. It's a popular restaurant and books up quickly.
Becco is very good...not to, to expensive. Be sure and request a table in the downstairs dining room. Much nicer vibe.
ALSO...very important. Make sure and make a reservation at least 2-3 weeks prior (we made ours 1 month) to going. It's a popular restaurant and books up quickly.
Nov 1st, 2002, 10:32 AM
#15
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Toni, thanks so much for the report. I never knew about those tours.
Just want to clear a few things up for people. Yes, NYC can be an expensive city, but I don't want people to think that paying almost $20 for a hamburger is the only option. There are plenty of cheap places to eat as well. As with most cities, there are many restaurants catering to a more upmarket crowd. There are so many very good cheap places to eat too ;-)
Just want to clear a few things up for people. Yes, NYC can be an expensive city, but I don't want people to think that paying almost $20 for a hamburger is the only option. There are plenty of cheap places to eat as well. As with most cities, there are many restaurants catering to a more upmarket crowd. There are so many very good cheap places to eat too ;-)
