NYC Trip Report - Second Visit
Jun 4th, 2007 | 10:45 PM
#1
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NYC Trip Report - Second Visit
My husband, 14-yr.-old daughter and I spent four nights in NYC, and have just returned. This was our second trip. We had a wonderful time and I’d like to thank you for helping me (directly and indirectly) plan our trip. We arrived at the Hotel Benjamin early and since our room was ready, the staff was so kind as to let us move in immediately, so that we were able to unpack right away. It’s very nice to have the unpacking done when you set out for a day of sightseeing.
The Benjamin is a boutique hotel and was built in 1927. It has lovely architectural details such as ornate columns, wrought iron railing, a sculptured ceiling, etc. It is elegant with up-to-date amenities. Our suite was very bright with many windows, and we had a lovely cityscape view from the 20th floor on the corner of Lex and 50th. My favorite part of the suite was the private balcony. Each night we relaxed and enjoyed the view. The hotel is centrally located in east Manhattan close to sights, shopping, and the subway. We had breakfast at the Benjamin, and the banana pancakes (with sausage) were very good, although pricey. I would be remiss not to mention the very friendly and helpful staff. The link: http://www.thebenjamin.com/
Wednesday
We took the subway to the Museum of Jewish Heritage. My daughter is fascinated with the Holocaust since she has been studying it in depth this year in school. I think at her age she can’t quite grasp the shocking tragedy and inhuman cruelty. The museum tells the story of Jewish history. It includes chronologically Jewish traditions and culture in “Jewish Life A Century Ago,” then “The War against the Jews,” and the “Jewish Renewal.” It’s a very interesting museum and they have done a very nice job organizing it so that young people can easily follow and appreciate their story. I found it dramatic. The museum is located on the harbor, a beautiful and serene setting. The link: http://www.mjhnyc.org/museum_.htm
We had dinner at the very charming Maria Pia. We started with Portobello e Gorgonzola. We had the Scaloppine Piccata and Rigatoni alla Butera, salads, and desserts. It was all delicious. Link: http://www.mariapianyc.com/media/websitemari.html
We walked to the Gershwin Theatre to see Wicked and loved it. Wicked has a pretty sophisticated plot. Elphaba is a perfect heroine.
We walked back to the hotel and sat on the patio for about an hour before bed.
Thursday
DD and I slept late and woke to yogurt and pastry from a corner diner compliments of DH. We took the subway to the Frick Collection. I think I’ve heard it called a “gem” of a museum and it is. We loved the mix of genres: painting, sculpture, furniture, porcelain, etc. The home setting is a lovely way to display the art. Link: http://www.frick.org/information/hours.htm
DD and I did a little shopping at Juicy Couture, since it was right down the street. Link: http://www.juicycouture.com/. We walked back to the hotel to get ready for dinner.
We walked to a Spanish restaurant near our hotel - Solera. DH and I split Paella marinara - Paella with lobster, shrimp, calamares, scallops, clams and mussels. The Paella, salads, desserts were very good. My husband drank far too much Sangria. The food was very good and the décor lovely. Link: http://www.solerany.com/ny/index.htm
I (remember DH and the Sangria) attempted to hail a cab unsuccessfully. A bike taxi driver encouraged us to accept a ride, even though it appeared the seating was for two. We were running late so we jumped in. DD had barely a spot to sit on, but I held onto her for dear life. I must hand it to our driver (especially considering his size) for managing all three of us, getting us there in one piece, and on time to boot. Further, he made jokes throughout the ride as though part of his job was to entertain us. The ride from Lex to T Square was exciting, if not frightening. It was $30 plus tip. He did deserve it.
We made it to the Hirschfeld Theatre just in time for Curtains. DH fell asleep as it started. I poked him (lovingly?), and he did wake up. We all enjoyed the play. I thought it was funny and I didn’t think the jokes were corny, although many agree that they are. What did you think of the who and the motive of the murderer?
Friday
We slept in. DH brought us breakfast again. We took a taxi to Foods of NY, Central Village/Soho Tour. Link: http://www.foodsofny.com/village-soho.php. The tour was a lot of fun and interesting since we had barely been out of Manhattan in our two trips to NY. The guides were very entertaining and informative about the neighborhood, and the food tastings were varied and yummy. It was fun to see a different part of NY where we will spend time on our next visit. It was very hot Friday, oppressively so, so we did wear out early, and were happy when it was finished. DH, DD, and I raced back to Peanut Butter & Co. and we all had peanut butter milkshakes and sodas. We grabbed a cab back to the hotel.
Exhaustion from the heat got the better of us, so we hung around the hotel until dinner. We took DD to Serendipity. Link: http://www.serendipity3.com/.
I had a wonderful Shrimp-Stuffed Avocado salad, which was quite delicious. Sundaes all around for dessert.
My husband was studying our map at dinner and found that there was a tram that ran from 2nd Ave. to Roosevelt Island. It crosses the East River and offers some lovely cityscapes ($2 each way on your metro card). Afterwards, we walked back to our hotel, and sat out on the terrace until bedtime.
Saturday
We woke up and went straight to the American Museum of Natural History. Link: http://www.amnh.org/. We had breakfast in the cafeteria. We spent the day exploring the museum. We especially enjoyed “Cosmic Collisions” at the planetarium. My daughter loved it, and we enjoyed it as well.
We walked to Central Park (across the street). Link: http://www.centralparknyc.org/. We went to Strawberry Fields since we had missed it last trip. There were all sorts of people there, from a wedding party passing through to people dancing and singing, even sharing a bottle, and paying tribute.
We then took a taxi to Le Madeline, another charming restaurant. Link: http://www.lemadeleine.com/about.htm. We had a lovely dinner. I had the Goat Cheese Pasta. My DH had Grilled Marinated Quail, Spice Crusted Duck Breast, and DD had Grilled Atlantic Salmon. I had lemon custard for dessert, which was very good. DH and DD had ice cream. We then walked back to the hotel through Times Square and a street festival on Lex Ave. We went out on the balcony and watched as the festival was cleaned up. There were trucks that vacuumed up the trash on the street, like magic.
Sunday
DH and DD went out to breakfast at the diner while I showered and packed. We went shopping at H&M and Banana Republic. We stowed our luggage and went to Altar Boyz which was a big hit w/DD. It was very cute.
Although rain was threatening, we took the subway to Grimaldi’s for lunch, and the plan was to then walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. The rain started while we were in line at Grimaldi’s. Once inside, the daily oven cleaning was occurring. That meant an hour’s wait and that we wouldn’t have time to cross the bridge. (Next time.) The pizza was the best I’ve ever eaten, seriously, and well worth the wait. We were suddenly out of time and needed to head back to the hotel and on to the airport. I felt lucky to find a taxi immediately and right in front of Grimaldi’s. He drove us to the hotel and then to the airport.
We had a wonderful visit. This was our second trip, and again, thank you for your assistance. My DD now wants to move to NYC. I can imagine it. There’s always something going on and excitement in the air.
The Benjamin is a boutique hotel and was built in 1927. It has lovely architectural details such as ornate columns, wrought iron railing, a sculptured ceiling, etc. It is elegant with up-to-date amenities. Our suite was very bright with many windows, and we had a lovely cityscape view from the 20th floor on the corner of Lex and 50th. My favorite part of the suite was the private balcony. Each night we relaxed and enjoyed the view. The hotel is centrally located in east Manhattan close to sights, shopping, and the subway. We had breakfast at the Benjamin, and the banana pancakes (with sausage) were very good, although pricey. I would be remiss not to mention the very friendly and helpful staff. The link: http://www.thebenjamin.com/
Wednesday
We took the subway to the Museum of Jewish Heritage. My daughter is fascinated with the Holocaust since she has been studying it in depth this year in school. I think at her age she can’t quite grasp the shocking tragedy and inhuman cruelty. The museum tells the story of Jewish history. It includes chronologically Jewish traditions and culture in “Jewish Life A Century Ago,” then “The War against the Jews,” and the “Jewish Renewal.” It’s a very interesting museum and they have done a very nice job organizing it so that young people can easily follow and appreciate their story. I found it dramatic. The museum is located on the harbor, a beautiful and serene setting. The link: http://www.mjhnyc.org/museum_.htm
We had dinner at the very charming Maria Pia. We started with Portobello e Gorgonzola. We had the Scaloppine Piccata and Rigatoni alla Butera, salads, and desserts. It was all delicious. Link: http://www.mariapianyc.com/media/websitemari.html
We walked to the Gershwin Theatre to see Wicked and loved it. Wicked has a pretty sophisticated plot. Elphaba is a perfect heroine.
We walked back to the hotel and sat on the patio for about an hour before bed.
Thursday
DD and I slept late and woke to yogurt and pastry from a corner diner compliments of DH. We took the subway to the Frick Collection. I think I’ve heard it called a “gem” of a museum and it is. We loved the mix of genres: painting, sculpture, furniture, porcelain, etc. The home setting is a lovely way to display the art. Link: http://www.frick.org/information/hours.htm
DD and I did a little shopping at Juicy Couture, since it was right down the street. Link: http://www.juicycouture.com/. We walked back to the hotel to get ready for dinner.
We walked to a Spanish restaurant near our hotel - Solera. DH and I split Paella marinara - Paella with lobster, shrimp, calamares, scallops, clams and mussels. The Paella, salads, desserts were very good. My husband drank far too much Sangria. The food was very good and the décor lovely. Link: http://www.solerany.com/ny/index.htm
I (remember DH and the Sangria) attempted to hail a cab unsuccessfully. A bike taxi driver encouraged us to accept a ride, even though it appeared the seating was for two. We were running late so we jumped in. DD had barely a spot to sit on, but I held onto her for dear life. I must hand it to our driver (especially considering his size) for managing all three of us, getting us there in one piece, and on time to boot. Further, he made jokes throughout the ride as though part of his job was to entertain us. The ride from Lex to T Square was exciting, if not frightening. It was $30 plus tip. He did deserve it.
We made it to the Hirschfeld Theatre just in time for Curtains. DH fell asleep as it started. I poked him (lovingly?), and he did wake up. We all enjoyed the play. I thought it was funny and I didn’t think the jokes were corny, although many agree that they are. What did you think of the who and the motive of the murderer?
Friday
We slept in. DH brought us breakfast again. We took a taxi to Foods of NY, Central Village/Soho Tour. Link: http://www.foodsofny.com/village-soho.php. The tour was a lot of fun and interesting since we had barely been out of Manhattan in our two trips to NY. The guides were very entertaining and informative about the neighborhood, and the food tastings were varied and yummy. It was fun to see a different part of NY where we will spend time on our next visit. It was very hot Friday, oppressively so, so we did wear out early, and were happy when it was finished. DH, DD, and I raced back to Peanut Butter & Co. and we all had peanut butter milkshakes and sodas. We grabbed a cab back to the hotel.
Exhaustion from the heat got the better of us, so we hung around the hotel until dinner. We took DD to Serendipity. Link: http://www.serendipity3.com/.
I had a wonderful Shrimp-Stuffed Avocado salad, which was quite delicious. Sundaes all around for dessert.
My husband was studying our map at dinner and found that there was a tram that ran from 2nd Ave. to Roosevelt Island. It crosses the East River and offers some lovely cityscapes ($2 each way on your metro card). Afterwards, we walked back to our hotel, and sat out on the terrace until bedtime.
Saturday
We woke up and went straight to the American Museum of Natural History. Link: http://www.amnh.org/. We had breakfast in the cafeteria. We spent the day exploring the museum. We especially enjoyed “Cosmic Collisions” at the planetarium. My daughter loved it, and we enjoyed it as well.
We walked to Central Park (across the street). Link: http://www.centralparknyc.org/. We went to Strawberry Fields since we had missed it last trip. There were all sorts of people there, from a wedding party passing through to people dancing and singing, even sharing a bottle, and paying tribute.
We then took a taxi to Le Madeline, another charming restaurant. Link: http://www.lemadeleine.com/about.htm. We had a lovely dinner. I had the Goat Cheese Pasta. My DH had Grilled Marinated Quail, Spice Crusted Duck Breast, and DD had Grilled Atlantic Salmon. I had lemon custard for dessert, which was very good. DH and DD had ice cream. We then walked back to the hotel through Times Square and a street festival on Lex Ave. We went out on the balcony and watched as the festival was cleaned up. There were trucks that vacuumed up the trash on the street, like magic.
Sunday
DH and DD went out to breakfast at the diner while I showered and packed. We went shopping at H&M and Banana Republic. We stowed our luggage and went to Altar Boyz which was a big hit w/DD. It was very cute.
Although rain was threatening, we took the subway to Grimaldi’s for lunch, and the plan was to then walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. The rain started while we were in line at Grimaldi’s. Once inside, the daily oven cleaning was occurring. That meant an hour’s wait and that we wouldn’t have time to cross the bridge. (Next time.) The pizza was the best I’ve ever eaten, seriously, and well worth the wait. We were suddenly out of time and needed to head back to the hotel and on to the airport. I felt lucky to find a taxi immediately and right in front of Grimaldi’s. He drove us to the hotel and then to the airport.
We had a wonderful visit. This was our second trip, and again, thank you for your assistance. My DD now wants to move to NYC. I can imagine it. There’s always something going on and excitement in the air.
Jun 5th, 2007 | 04:56 AM
#2
Joined: Jan 2003
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Great report Claire bluesky. I'd like to hear more about that balcony you had. Did you specifically request it? I remember someone was looking for a room with one and can't remember if it was you. Since this is a request that comes up pretty often, would love to hear more about it--size, privacy, anything above you?, furniture etc.
I'm sure when you said "we had barely been out of Manhattan in our two trips to NY" you meant midtown?
I'm sure when you said "we had barely been out of Manhattan in our two trips to NY" you meant midtown?
Jun 5th, 2007 | 07:10 AM
#3
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Hi mclaurie. Yes, good memory. I did especially pick the Benjamin (vs. Le Parker Meridien) because it had a balcony. One-bedroom deluxe suites include balconies. I was very surprised at how big it was. On one side of the sitting area there was a door that opened to a small covered balcony/alcove w/one chair. On the other side of the sitting room was a door that opened to another small covered alcove and an L-shaped balcony which was approx. 4 ft. x 20 ft. It had a table, three chairs and a smaller table (that I used for a stool). There was a balcony below us but I only noticed leaning over the side of ours. I don't know if there was a balcony above us because it's hard to tell. The view, especially down Lexington Avenue was fabulous. The balcony really was a highlight on the trip.
(Yes, I meant midtown.)
(Yes, I meant midtown.)
Jun 5th, 2007 | 07:30 AM
#5
Joined: Jun 2006
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Thanks for the report. I enjoyed reading it. I was just thinking about college for your DD, too. I have two nieces going to school in NYC right - one is a senior at the New School and the other is a freshman at Fordham. They both love going to school in NY.
You paint a very appealing picture of The Benjamin. It sounds like a great place to stay. Do you prefer it over the Le Parker Meriden?
You paint a very appealing picture of The Benjamin. It sounds like a great place to stay. Do you prefer it over the Le Parker Meriden?
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Jun 5th, 2007 | 08:07 AM
#8
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Devon, I did like the Benjamin better than LPM. We only used the pool at LPM once or maybe twice, but we used the balcony every night.
My daughter would love to go to school in NY and wouldn't it be fun to visit her.
livitup, the tram was right down the street from Serendipity 3 at 70th and 2nd Ave. It's purpose is to transport people to Roosevelt Island - no stops.
My daughter would love to go to school in NY and wouldn't it be fun to visit her.
livitup, the tram was right down the street from Serendipity 3 at 70th and 2nd Ave. It's purpose is to transport people to Roosevelt Island - no stops.
Jun 5th, 2007 | 08:12 AM
#9
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The tram is actually at 59-60 st & 2nd ave. and goes to Roosevelt Island.
http://www.ny.com/transportation/ri_tramway.html
http://www.ny.com/transportation/ri_tramway.html
Jun 6th, 2007 | 12:07 PM
#11
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If you are planning a trip, and like me, are not very familiar with NYC, I’ll add this and hope it is helpful. Set priorities for what you really want to see or do. This trip, I made a lot of dinner reservations and bought theatre and tour tickets in advance. The dinners took a lot of time, going by the hotel to change, and getting there, etc. If I had it to do over, I probably wouldn’t have made so many reservations in advance. I enjoyed every bit of our trip, but we didn’t have time to see a many of the landmarks/museums that were on our itinerary.
Also, I have a question. We used the subway a lot the first trip (Oct.) and I’m not sure why but the subway was much more crowded on this trip. We didn’t always make it onto the first subway that came through because of crowds (didn’t happen on first trip). We didn’t have seats except one time. We ended up taking taxis to save time. We were there the same days of the week - Wed. thru Sun. Just luck or are there more tourists in May?
Also, I have a question. We used the subway a lot the first trip (Oct.) and I’m not sure why but the subway was much more crowded on this trip. We didn’t always make it onto the first subway that came through because of crowds (didn’t happen on first trip). We didn’t have seats except one time. We ended up taking taxis to save time. We were there the same days of the week - Wed. thru Sun. Just luck or are there more tourists in May?
Jul 5th, 2007 | 04:37 PM
#12
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mclaurie, I was posting a few photos for another post about photography and added a few of The Benjamin balcony photos: Link: http://s189.photobucket.com/albums/z176/clairebluesky/
I post my trip photos on a .mac subscription web site that is family shared, so I don't link to it, but I thought the balcony was so nice during our visit that I remembered your asking about it and thought to show you the pictures since you are the NYC expert!
I post my trip photos on a .mac subscription web site that is family shared, so I don't link to it, but I thought the balcony was so nice during our visit that I remembered your asking about it and thought to show you the pictures since you are the NYC expert!
Jul 5th, 2007 | 05:03 PM
#13
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Hi Claire,
Great Trip Report!
I stayed at the Benjamin in late March and had a wonderful one bedroom suite with kitchen and dining room but no balcony..
Loved the Benjamin..the staff was wonderful..
Did you use the Pillow Concierge?
Location was perfect for us.
I am so happy you had a balcony..I didn't know they had them or I would of requested one.
Thanks again for your report!
Great Trip Report!
I stayed at the Benjamin in late March and had a wonderful one bedroom suite with kitchen and dining room but no balcony..
Loved the Benjamin..the staff was wonderful..
Did you use the Pillow Concierge?
Location was perfect for us.
I am so happy you had a balcony..I didn't know they had them or I would of requested one.
Thanks again for your report!
Jul 5th, 2007 | 05:56 PM
#14
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TahitiTams, I used the Swedish memory pillow, which was wonderful, since that is what I normally use at home. Of course, it's too much trouble to bring along. The balcony was very nice. That's where we'd have coffee in a.m., and just hang out from exhaustion at night. It was also nice to have the kitchenette.
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