Romantic New York
 

I'm taking my wife to NYC for our anniversary and would like to know your ideas of romantic things we must do--places to go, things to see, restaurants.

The classic is a carriage ride in Central Park. Or what aoubt a cuoples massage?

For restaurant - what is your budget - cusines? and style - traditional, trendy etc.

Is there a broadway play she would love that you could surprise her with tickets for?

The carriage ride in Central park is a classic...I am also thinking that the top of the Empire State Building at night would be nice...I will keep thinking on this...When are you all going? I love NYC...you are going to have a blast!

The carriage ride sounds great. As far as restaurants, I'm willing to splurge. We would like almost anything unusual. We would like to eat one of our meals at Mario Batali's restaurant, Babbo.

We are going September 22-25.

There's no particular show she's interested in. We are planning to see what we can get at the TKTS booth.

I think one of the most romantic things to do is walk around Greenwich Village. The area around Grove/Bedford/Barrow is great. Cornelia Street is also amazing and is lined with incredible restaurants. I suggest Le Gigot (18 Cornelia) or Home (20 Cornelia).

Avoid the overpriced and over-rated midtown establishments that cater primarily to expense accounts and tourists. Most of them rest on long-ago laurels, and you can do much better elsewhere.

Walking in Central Park is also a romantic way to spend an afternoon. Walk along the Mall to Bethesda Terrace, then perhaps rent a rowboat at the Loeb Boathouse and have a glass of wine at the same spot.

Other ideas -- a dinner cruise, drinks at the Pentop Bar (Peninsula Hotel), drinks at Rise (Ritz-Carlton Battery Park), dessert on Mulberry Street (Little Italy), a picnic on Central Park's Great Lawn or Sheep Meadow.

Enjoy!

For a very special, romantic meal in NYC (if you're both seafood fans), it's impossible to beat Le Bernardin. Do make reservations well in advance, though.

If you're music lovers, check the schedules for Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center for the evenings you're in Manhattan (if you enjoy classical fare), and do an online search of jazz spots (e.g., Iridium, the Blue Note, Smoke, and many others) if that's your preference. You can also check on Ticketmaster.com for rock concerts.

The Frick Museum, on 5th Avenue in the 60s, is a superb, small museum -- which you can see in 2 hours -- with a jewel of an art collection and take your breath away furniture. On a larger scale, MoMA is not to be missed if you're a fan of modern art, and the Metropolitan Museum (which requires several days to explore in its entirety) is also rewarding.

You didn't say when you're heading to NYC. If the weather is good, a boat ride around Manhattan (which can either be done during the day or with an evening dinner cruise) is lovely and romantic. On a smaller scale, again if the weather is good, renting a rowboat in Central Park makes for a romantic hour or two, and a picnic before or after the boat ride is the epitome of romantic relaxation. (You can ask any hotel concierge to recommend places to pick up your picnic supplies. Two of my suggestions would include Carnegie Deli, for delicatessen fare or Petrossian, for absolutely world-class caviar, foie gras, smoked salmon, and delicious french pastries. Bring your own champagne or wine to make the picnic even more sumptuous.

You don't say if you've ever been to NYC before as a couple or not. I'd pass on the Empire State Building (you can get terrific views from many spots) but would recommend the NY Stock Exchange as one spot to visit if you've never been there; a walk through Chinatown is always interesting and can be a great spot for a very inexpensive lunch (try Joe's Ginger Restaurant, 113 Mott St., for a great meal for 2 for $25 or so total, if you don't mind formica tabletops).

Thanks. Those are great ideas.

bsam-
I just went to a GREAT restaurant in the Village on Friday night. It's called Alta, and it's on 10th Street between 5th and 6th. VERY romantic - the most romantic place I've been to in a long time.

The food is Spanish tapas, so you order 5 or 6 plates and share (about $8-10 a plate). There are some very unusual flavor combinations, and everything we tried was delicious! They also have an extensive wine list and a number of signature cocktails.

Its post-beam ceilings, lighting hidden behind curtains, and candle chandeliers definitely gave the place a romantic feel. I HIGHLY recommend it.

Happy Anniversary!

My husband and I just celebrated our 20th anniversary at One if by Land, Two if By Sea in Greenwich Village. It was wonderful, but be prepared to part with some cash! You can check it out on the web. (If you go, be sure to tell them it's your anniversary - they gave us a great table in the corner with a garden view...) Happy Anniversary!

One if by Land... is generally regarded as the "most romantic" restaurant in NYC. The food is good and the historic building, allegedly haunted, is beautiful.

And it's in a great part of the Village (that I suggested above for a romantic walk).

Yes, it is nice walking. We stayed in midtown and walked back to the hotel straight up Fifth Ave.

We spent a few days in NYC on a brief honeymoon right after our wedding. The carriage ride is a must. I recommend going in the evening so you can cuddle a bit in the cool air. Since it was winter, our hotel looked over the skating rink in Central Park and we enjoyed several strolls through the Park. We splurged at Tavern on the Green for dinner one night. I must admit that it wasn't exactly romantic, but it was memorable since it was just after Christmas all the decorations were still up.

One if By Land, Two if By Sea makes for a very romantic dinner in an elegant setting.

http://oneifbyland.com/

Babbo is a wonderful splurge restaurant (I'm going for my birthday tomorrow night), but it requires reservations one month in advance (that's when they open the book). They do serve food at the bar (no reservations) and hold a handful of tables every night for walk-ins (but there can be a long wait and no guarantees).

In September, a walk through Central Park is always fun;
Visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art;
Go to the TKTS booth in Times Square and get half-priced tickets for a Broadway or Off-Broadway show;
Go to Brooklyn Heights and walk back to Manhattan over the Brooklyn Bridge, then go to Chinatown for something to eat. . .

And whatever you do, enjoy yourselves.

Personally I would avoid One if by Land and try The River Cafe in Brooklyn instead. The food is in another category entirely and the view is astounding with the Manhattan skyline as a backdrop and the Brooklyn Bridge right in front of you. One if By Land and Tavern on the Green are not all that well thought of by those of us who live here, or at least not by me. But the area is charming times two. Walk around the West Village after you get back from The River Cafe!! If you want to stay in Manhattan, have lunch or dinner amidst the flowers at Le Grenouille on 52nd Street. Or try the pool room at the Four Seasons. Far more sophisticated than One if By Land or Tavern.