Possible NYC Plans....

Old Sep 5th, 2006, 10:47 AM
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Possible NYC Plans....

So far, here is a list of things I want to do when I visit NYC....would gladly welcome any other things I may have forgotten....

I am planning on being in NYC for a full 5 days, not including travel days.....I am hoping to add a couple more, but not yet sure.

1. Museum of Natural History
2. Possibly the MOMA...but I am not a huge Modern Art fan...would the Guggenheim be better for non-modern art pieces?
3. New York Public Library (just want to take pics of the steps)
4. World Trade Center Memorial site ( I have pics of my friend and I with the twin towers in the background taken around 1998 or so---very sad to look at now... )
5. Rice to Riches
6. I Love Peanut Butter
7. Sex and the City Tour
8. Visit the following neighborhoods: Harlem, Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens,
9. Empire State Building
10. Take a ferry..where? I am not sure....

Ok, that is my short list so far....any more suggestions are more than welcomed!

I have already visited the statue of liberty, chinatown, and little italy.


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Old Sep 5th, 2006, 11:10 AM
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I went on an excellent food tour of Greenwich Village and there was a lot of great history and neighborhood trivia too. (www.foodsofny.com) I loved the sunset lower manhatten boat tour too...
 
Old Sep 5th, 2006, 11:13 AM
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Metropolitan Museum of Art

Neighborhoods: Chinatown, Greenwich Village, SOHO.

Central Park.

East Side Tenement Museum.

Broadway shows.

Off-Broadway shows.

Ethnic restaurants! A different ethnicity each meal... Italian, Chinese, Indian, African, Brazilian, Jewish (deli), Korean, Middle Eastern, French, Russian, Cuban, Soul Food, Spanish (Tapas), Greek, etc., etc.
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Old Sep 5th, 2006, 11:23 AM
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I forgot to include central park, and the tenement museum sounds soo interesting!!
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Old Sep 5th, 2006, 03:19 PM
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You really do need to go to the Met-it will surely have something that interests you and is amazing. I've never been to the Guggenheim, but I can't imagine that it compares.
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Old Sep 5th, 2006, 03:33 PM
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Times Square
Rockefeller Center and Fifth Avenue
The MOMA is great even for non modern-art lovers.
Have a look at Wall Street and the Stock Exchange when you go to see the WTC site.
Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge.
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Old Sep 5th, 2006, 03:48 PM
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Look at the Met's website and find a few things in particular that interest you - otherwise, it's easy to get overwhelmed! Or take on of their excellent tours. http://www.metmuseum.org/

If you're not particularly interested in modern art or in architecture, I'd skip the Guggenheim. The Frick may interest you, though. I holds the private collection of a wealthy industrialist in what was his NYC home. It's a wonderful collection. http://www.frick.org/

The Lower East Side Tenement Museum is excellent and really one-of-a-kind. I highly recommend it. http://www.tenement.org/

I love ellabella's suggestion - that sounds like fun!
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Old Sep 5th, 2006, 04:13 PM
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The Metropolitan Museum of Art is the greatest cultural institution in the western hemisphere. Much better than the Guggenheim - and MoMA if you do not care for modern art. It has everyting from Egyptian sarcophagi to a Costume Institute to Arms & Armor section - as well as huge departments of all types of art.

I really reco you go to the web site to see what they have and then pick out 2 or 3 departments you would enjoy (seeing the whole thing would take days). Also, try to do a gallery talk/tour if possible, the schedule is on the web site.

Separately, I like that you're interested in other parts of NYC than just the typical tourist areas. BUT - many people don;t realize how big the city is. The Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens are not separate neighborhoods - like Harlem - but separate boroughs (counties). Other areas in Manhattan you might want to explore: upper west side, lower east side, the Village, SoHo, Nolita etc.

NYC is made up of 5 separate counties - New York County (Manhattan) being where tourists spend most of their time.
Brooklyn (Kings County), for instance has 2.5 million people and is about 100 square miles - almost all of it residential.

So - do explore a specific neighborhood if you want (like Park Slope - which is one of dozens of neighborhoods in Brooklyn) - but really go to Brooklyn, the Bronx or Queens only to see something specific (Yankee Stadium, Zoo or Botanical Gardens). There's no way to see all these areas unless you took weeks - and, as I said, most is residential - with various types of houses, apartment buildings and local services/shops - not what you came to NYC for.
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Old Sep 5th, 2006, 04:53 PM
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I also want to take a picture of a freeway underpass that is often shown in films....the issue is, I am not sure if it really exists. In movies, it has been labeled "Hell's Kitchen", but I am not sure if the scene is filmed there or on a soundstage.....it is shown in films "Carlito's Way" and, I believe, "A bronx tale", but I could be wrong about that.

I will definately visit the Met! woo hoo!

Also, to my list, is a spice store I saw on tv....a store that has nothing but tons and tons of spices....

I wonder what the TSA says about spices???

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Old Sep 5th, 2006, 06:34 PM
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The new MoMA is incredible and should not be missed. Go to the top ... everything you need to see, the incredible permanent collection, is on the 5th & 6th floors. See those floors and move on.

And google Rice to Riches ... funny story ... it was a front for a HUGE illegal gambling ring ...
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Old Sep 6th, 2006, 01:03 PM
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Ok, so my list has definately changed...I wonder, is there a type of ticket I could buy to the musuems that would give me access over the span of a few days?

1. Museum of Natural History
2. Metropolitan Museum of Art
3. Tenement Museum
4. Central Park
5. SATC tour
6. NYC Public Library
7. WTC Site
8. Wall Street
9. The Village
10. Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge
11. The Wardorf Astoria
12. Zoo
13. Rice to Riches
14. Spice Store
15. I Love Peanut Butter
16. Harlem, Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx
17. Have authentic food from the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rican cultures.....we just dont have that where I am from I could really go for some nicely done plantains and roast pork...
18. Maybe see a broadway show, but I am on a tight budget
19. Tavern on the Green...if only for desert and coffee

Yay!! Feel free to add to the list!
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Old Sep 6th, 2006, 02:11 PM
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ilovetotravel29,

My trip report might give you some ideas;

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=34778469

My vote would go to Ellis Island.

Jim
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Old Sep 6th, 2006, 02:24 PM
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The citypass.com includes MOMA, Mus. of Nat. Hist. (basic entry, no special exhibits), the Guggenheim and then a Circle Line tour and ESB. The Met Museum is suggested entry fee (pay what you want).
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Old Sep 6th, 2006, 04:44 PM
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Okay, so given your latest itinerary, here's a stab at organizing it. These are all a fair amount of walking - like a New Yorker! - or you can combine with some type of transportation...

1. Museum of Nat History, walk through Central Park to the Met. Since both are pay what you wish (Nat History for general admission only; everything else has additional cost), you can spend as much/little time as you'd like. The Met is open late on Fri and Sat eves. Or do it in reverse, then head south to Tavern on the Green for a drink.

2. Do you mean the Central Park Zoo? If so: Start at the zoo, then walk to the Waldorf Astoria (past/through FAO Schwartz, Tiffany's, Trump Tower, etc.). You can then stroll down Park Ave to Grand Central (have you seen it since it was renovated??), then over to the Library. Bryant Park behind the library is a lovely place to take a break (good snack kiosks, too).

3. Tenement Museum (highly recommended), then take the F train into Brooklyn and get off at the first stop, York Street. Sample some of Jacques Torres' amazing hot chocolate and other chocolate goodies, then head across the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan. Walk across and down town (Wall Street if you feel like it) to the WTC site.

4. When you go to the Village, make a bit of SoHo - and Rice to Riches - part of the same day.

There's a specialty store I know of called Kalustyan's in "Curry Hill" (Lexington Ave in the 20's) that is jam-packed with spices and asian import food. Is that what you're thinking of?
www.kalustyans.com

There are some things on your list I can't help you with (don't know where I Love PB is, for instance).

Also, is this the trip you mentioned on another post that is in December? That of course will affect how much walking you might do!
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Old Sep 6th, 2006, 08:56 PM
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We are thinking of going to NYC this Nov. Where are you going to stay? We are looking for a good place for 2kids/2adults. Any suggestions???
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Old Sep 7th, 2006, 07:56 AM
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What kind of budget do you have (this is the most expensive time of year).

For a modest place try the applecore group of budget hotels - which get generally good reviews - but make sure they have rooms for 4 available.

For moderate try the affinia group - which is all suite hotels and get mostly excellent reviews.

November is filling up fast so you should reserve something cancellable as soon as possible - then perhaps look further on quikbook to see if you can find any better deals.
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Old Sep 7th, 2006, 09:30 AM
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Hi! Yes, this is the trip for early december...I know there is a big chance it will be cold and rainy...I am hoping it isn't.

Cold, I can deal with, the rain would be a slight bummer and mess up my pics a bit, but, as long as it is a torrent, I can deal with it.
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Old Sep 7th, 2006, 10:55 AM
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I am very interested in your itinerary because my dh and I are going to NYC for the first time in October. I will post my itin. soon.

What is "I love Peanut Butter"?? I am guessing a peanut butter store...lots of varieties?? Where is it??
Thanks for any info.
Shadow
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Old Sep 7th, 2006, 02:07 PM
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Shadow, it's a restaurant called Peanut Butter & Co. but the website is
http://ilovepeanutbutter.com/sandwich_shop.cfm
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Old Sep 7th, 2006, 04:33 PM
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But there's just as likely a chance it will be sunny! Brisk and chilly, but fine if you're okay with the cold, and great for walking.

Since it will be the holiday season, be sure to catch at least some of the windows: Macys, Lord & Taylor, etc. If you work from my rough itinerary #2, you can easily catch the windows at FAO and Saks, plus Cartier done up like a present every year and the tree at Rock Center. Oh, and the doormen at Tiffany's with tiffany-blue scarves holding the doors for customers! (No matter whether or not you celebrate Christmas, these are all such a part of NYC - and usually so extravagant - that it would be a shame to miss them.)

If you do need to get some presents for people, the annual holiday crafts sales in Union Square and Grand Central Terminal are fun and unique... December is a fun time to be in the city!
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