Evagem94

My husband and I are headed to NYC for a very brief visit 12/2/-12/4. We arrive about 12:30 pm on Thurs and are planning on a cab from LGA to the Waldorf Astoria (hoping to check in to hotel) and so hubby can check in for conference. We are planning on a show that night: currently considering Billy Elliott, Memphis, and Million Dollar Quartet - any recommendations? We have previously seen and loved Wicked. Between checking in and the show, we were thinking of wandering towards Bryant Park to check out sites and sounds in between and then the Christmas Market. We currently have dinner reservations at Lupa (too short notice to get in at Del Posto). On Friday, hubby is in conference and I am planning on wandering around; have not decided on whether to do any kind of tour or just wander. I have a ticket for the 4 pm Radio City show. After hubby is finished with conference, we are headed out for a late meal and to see some of the touristy sites after dark. We are debating between several places for late meal - Fig and Olive, Avra, and Toloache. Will probably do one of the the others for lunch on Sat before heading to airport to go home. On Sat, we are booked to take a NYC tour.

Any opinions on shows / restaurants / itinerary (slim as it is)?

Thanks, Eva

ekscrunchy

I do not understand why you chose those 3 restaurants. Is there a restaurant budget?

Convivio is great and within a walk of the Waldorf. That is just one idea, for starters....

BTW: Del Posto has a good deal for lunch.

lek523

Million Dollar Quartet and Memphis were both outstanding. Loved them! You might want to check out the Plaza - I haven't been yet but plan to go soon to the new "Harrods" like food/shopping court that has been opened there I believe it's supposed to be really nice - might be good to walk i for a quick lunch.

nytraveler

Bag any tour. Just go and see something that you will really love.At that time of year a tour will spend much of the time just sittigin traffic - and to see anything you need to be outside in the cold.

mclaurie

What "NYC tour" are you booked to take on Sat.? Have you been here before?

I like Toloache for Mexican but not sure I understand where you'll be or how you came up with this list of restaurants. I also don't think any of those make sense for lunch on Sat. Your hotel is on the east side and I think all those restaurants are on the west side near the theaters. They'll be busy with people going to Rock Ctr. for the tree and theater matinees. I'd stay on the east side for lunch on Sat. even if you're not in walking distance of the hotel.

suec1

Last year I went with my (adult) daughter for a similar trip. I contacted Big Apple Greeters and spent about 6 hours with a very pleasant NY resident while she was in her conference. You might want to check out that option, either for yourself on the day your husband goes to the conf. or for the both of you the next day. I think dau's conf. was also at the Waldorf - they had a great display of gingerbread houses in a part of their gorgeous lobby. Have a great trip!

Evagem94

Thanks for input so far.

We chose the restaurants because Avra was recommended by close personal friend, Lupa is a Mario Batali restaurant that sounded decent (since we cannot get into Del Posto for lunch or dinner unless there is a last minute cancellation), and Toloache sounded intriguing. We are not set on any of these options - hence posing the question here. Pricing is not a significant issue; we don't want to go crazy but are more concerned with a memorable meal that tastes good than whether we paid $100pp or $30pp. We did not start with months of planning time so many of the other restaurants we might consider don't have seating that will allow us to get to the theatre or are booked for late Friday evening.

The tour is Marvelous Manhattan Tours. This is my first time and we have about 48 hours total so thought this would be a good way to hit the highlights.

mbt127

From a New Yorker... Avra is okay, but I only go there when I need to entertain a client in that neighborhood. I think there are many better restaurants in NYC, especially in that neighborhood. If you want to stay in that neighborhood, you can try Pampano, upscale seafood/mexican around the corner from Smith & Wollensky's (49th between 2/3rd). What type of food do you like and do you have a preference on neighborhood?

Regarding Broadway, I loved Memphis ... Billy Elliott is a must for the dancing, but i found the music/dialogue difficult to enjoy. I enjoyed the Scottsboro Boys, very talented cast.

I hope that some of this helps you...

mclaurie

I think Marvelous Manhattan is a terrific way to get an overview. I've seen Billy Elliot and Memphis and I would recommend "In the Heights" over both of those although I also hear good things about Million Dollar Quartet. All are available on discount from the left column on broadwaybox.com I'd buy the tickets today, on the phone. Whichever you decide (they all have websites where you can watch a scene or two), get a good seating chart of the theater and then phone (or buy online). Toloache is in the theater district and would make sense for pre theater but it's at the north end of the theater district and it's not as close to Billy Elliot as you might like. Ca Va in the new Intercontinental Times Square hotel and the Lamb's Club in the new Chatwal hotel are both getting excellent reviews and would be a bit closer to these shows and perhaps more memorable. Menupages.com is a good website for some restaurant research. I'm a bit confused about when you have the Lupa reservation (Thurs or Fri.) and when you're talking about seeing the show. Lupa is not well located if you want to see a show the same night. If you're taking the tour on Sat. morning, what time does your plane leave?

ekscrunchy

I know you will not believe this, but the current king of Italian cooking in New York is not Mario Batali but Michael White. If you want a great Italian meal, you should try Convivio, Marea or Alto. I had dinner at Marea this week and the four of us agreed that it was the best meal we had had all year. So do not despair about filled tables at Del Posto. Lupa is not on the same tier as any of those I mentioned here.

starrs

It sounds like a great plan and a wonderful trip. I LOVE Wicked too and on my last trip went to see Million Dollar Quartet. It had just opened and I'd not heard a lot of buzz about it (okay, I'd not heard anything about it). I LOVED it. It was my favorite show from that week. It's fun, it moves non-stop and even if you don't think you like "that music" I think most people will be surprised how much they enjoy the (real) story and the resulting show. I don't think you can miss with any of your 3 choices, but I'm a big fan of MDQ.

I love the Christmas market at Bryant Park too. Wish I could be there this year.

For your solo day, you've been given some good suggestions. I'll add one. If you haven't been to the Lower East Side Tenement Museum, GO! IMO there's nothing like it. It's like a guided tour back in time and makes a big impact on almost everyone I know who has gone. There are different themed tours, but they all visit apartments in the same building. There's no walking to speak of, except walking back into another time and place. It's one of my favorite things in NYC -
http://www.tenement.org/

Enjoy your sliver of time on this trip during that magical time of the year. Lucky you!

SueNYC

Head to Bryant Park via Grand Central Terminal - their indoor market is open and the sky show should be happening by then.

Friday night think about the Morgan Library, Rubin Museum of Himalayan and Tibetan Art, MOMA, Folk Art or the Met which are open late (also Asia Society and the Whitney are open late) - all are either pay what you want or free in the evening.

thestarryeye.typepad.com/explorenyc

Evagem94

Thank you all for your replies - especially the explanations on why you would/would not choose restaurants / shows, etc. That is so very helpful. We will take a look at these menus and the times we can get in. Unfortunately, it is such a rushed trip that we have to crowd our main dinner out and the theatre into one night - Thursday. On Friday, my husband has a dinner with the conference but I want to go out after for a nice dinner; he will probably have an appetizer and dessert with me. Our flight home is not until 6:00 pm on Saturday and our tour is supposed to end at 1:00. We thought that this would give us a chance for one last nice lunch.

bspielman

Dinner at Alto his past Wednesday night was extraordinary on all counts. With the three restaurants ekscrunchy mentioned, plus two in New Jersey, Michael White is firing on all cylinders.

ekscrunchy

Good to hear that, B. I want to try his casual place downtown soon, Osteria Morini...

bigbomoho

Marvelus Manhattan is a great tour--we did it this summer--i think Steve is the owner,but see if your guide is Steve,if not try to get on his tour.If youre doing the lower Manhattan tour (1/2day) he'll end at Katz's deli--definutely eat there--theres a protcol for eating there, we wanted to just sit down and order, if that what you want to do, go to your left and sit at a table along the wall.Make sure you get pastrami or corned beef, potatoe pancakes,and a NY Egg Cream for sure.Real fun experience.We walked to the tenement museum from there--very interesting tour of how life was in the 1860s for folks coming to the US.Have fun