Home Again

Thanks, everyone, for your help planning our weekend. Thought I'd follow up with a quick report!
Taking the train from NJ into the city was a breeze. Cost about $15 one way (had a ride back) and took almost an hour. Had to separate a family of four, due to crowds, but had a lovely local seatmate that gave me some good last minute tips!
Exited Penn Station on Eighth Street and took a taxi to the Met Museum of Art. Only took about 10-12 minutes and cost about $9 plus tip. My seat mate suggested the "west" route and crossing through Central Park to get there with ease. She also reminded me that we didn't have to pay the requested amount for admission, especially since we were only staying about an hour and would probably spend money in the cafe and gift shop!
The museum was great! There were arms and armor for the men, antique ball gowns for the women, and an incredible atrium/courtyard with tons of St. Gaudens sculptures, fountains, and Tiffany glass and mosaic tilework. Plus a huge Egyptian gallery with this amazing ancient temple brought over from Egypt and reconstructed brick by brick inside the museum. They even faced it south, as it originally was, and surrounded it by canals/bridges! (Don't mind me going on and on - I just never knew all this was there!) Followed advice here and skipped the previously considered carriage ride.
We then took a taxi back to Madison and 57th. Had pizza at Ray Bari's and although delicious, still weren't sure if it's the real New Yorker! The shop was very clean and efficient.
In the afternoon, the ladies went window shopping while the guys spent a couple hours in the Sony Wonder Tech Lab. Son loved it, Dad said there wasn't too much there. Didn't find a thing for my daughter and H&M, and got sticker shock at the others! LOVED Fachon gourmet shop.
In the evening, another cab ride over to SOHO. Took about 15 minutes and about $10 plus tip. Window shopped some more (kids got a kick out of the FCUK store - "delightful") and ate at the Cub Room. Very cozy atmosphere, and you can people watch to the sidewalk. Creative and standard options on the menu; fairly expensive but not outrageous; Food a B+; Service a C.
Had a wonderful day in the city! THanks for all your help!

Fran

I'm so glad you posted your report! I had followed you original query and wondered how you did. Sounds like you really made the most of your time (thanks to your pre-planning) and I'm so glad you got to spend a little time at the Met! You covered a lot of ground in one day and really got to see a lot, and had something to interest everyone good for you! Thanks again for posting.

Ruth

We're hoping to visit New York in the spring and I wonder if the Sony Tech Lab will be good for a 6-year-old? Also, did you need to book for this?

Home Again

Son thought fine for six year old; Husband thought that would be a minimum. He'll definitely need some guidance with the activities. No charge, but you do need to make advance reservations.

Howard

I don't look favorably upon comments, such as "She [her traveling companion] also reminded me that we didn't have to pay the requested amount of admission especially since we were only staying about an hour and would probably spend money in the cafe and gift shop," especially when you follow up with your awestruck remarks about all the wonderful things you saw!
If everyone felt the same as you about your donation/admission fee, the museum would probably have to cut back on its exhibits and other services.
Isn't it ironic that you didn't mind probably spending more on a cab than your admission to one of the world's great museums.

xxx

Tacky. Why don't you just pay the requested amount and let the people who truly cannot afford it pay less?

H.A.

Well, Howard, I'm sure everybody has been wondering if you looked favorably upon my post. Just for the record, I didn't actually state what I paid for my admission. I did want to reiterate what the local-in-the-know told me, in case some person "who truly could not afford it," or just someone who felt like being tacky, was reading my report. Thanks for your interest.

gee

Nice, come visit our city, ooh and aaah and tell everyone how you got out of paying the price of admission to our museum.

Cheap

Thank goodness not everyone feels as you do and tries to pay less than the requested amount. By the way, you don't have to be an 'in the know' New Yorker to understand it is a requested amount. It is written over the ticket window.

Cheep

I only have one good eye, can I pay half the requested amount?

anon

Why is everyone so judgemental? I think you're all one and the same person trying to start a brawl here. Use your imagingation. Perhaps the author couldn't afford it? This all took place in a day - perhaps they were staying with family? They had a ride home after dinner - perhaps someone else paid? They only window shopped, and had sticker shock. Need I say more?
Or maybe I am totally wrong. Perhaps they not only paid the regular admission, but were so impressed, they became members before they left.
You just never really know, now, do you?

Katie

Well, isn't it nice that someone can take the time to write an extensive and detailed trip report and only to have 85% of the people pick one tiny aspect of it apart?

HomeAgain, Thank you for posting. I'm glad that you enjoyed the Met, hopefully when you return you will be able to visit it again and spend a little more time there; my first visit was also overwhelming as yours was, I had no idea how extensive the collections were!

Isn't Fauchon wonderful? - fabulous candies and gourmet goodies! Next time you go, check out the French bath & body shop L'Occitane on Madison, great soaps, bath salts, etc. I think there might be 2 locations . .

Glad you had fun and thanks for posting!

Formerregular

Hey, way to go in encouraging trip reports! Once again, the nasties come out and cast judgement.

And then people wonder why no one posts a trip report.

Homeagain, Thanks for the report, some of us appreciate it.

topping

TTT

Howard

I can only chuckle at some of the reactions to my comment critical of one of the poster's comments, like they were saying in different words,
"How dare you criticize a report!"
I can't agree with the position a person giving a report is "allowed" to criticize but not any of the respondants! If I feel information is wrong or misguided, I'll speak up. And, in this case, I felt the comment about paying less than the suggested amount at the museum was misguided at the very least.
To respond to your sarcasm, HA, I can assure that I have no delusions of grandeur that "everyone has been wondering if [I] looked favorably upon [your] post." (I might add as sidebar that if you check back to you original posting before your trip, I believe I responded with a suggestion or two!)
To anon, I can assure than none of the other posts since my earlier one were made by me. (I don't post anomymously!) As for the rest of your post, anon: You've got to be kidding!
Anyway, HA, I'm glad you enjoy your stay in our fair city. Come back again!

Ellen

I know I will get blasted for this, as I did on another post, but I think $12 is too high for admission to a museum, suggested or otherwise. If you want to encourage people to go and to bring their families, it has to be affordable. If it is the only activity you are doing for the day, okay. But I know how I feel when I travel and I am reaching into my pocket every 10 minutes. It must be very hard for a family on a budget to fork over $40 for a family of 5 to see the museum. Especially if you are with children who only have tolerence for a few hours at best, and then have to be fed! I am not saying I don't think the museum is worth $12, of course it is, but I also think it is one of those things that we should make sure everyone can enjoy. Charge more for the extras - souveniers, coat check, films. Just my opinion. I love it when I go to DC and the museums are free!

Howard

Ellen, I think $12 is not an outrageous price to pay to experience the "sights" in one of the world's great museums. I know you are theater affectionado, so I add that it's still a helluva lot cheaper than the theater...about 1/8 the cost!

Ellen

I agree that in the whole scheme of things, $12 may not seem like a lot. Yes, theater is expensive. I pay it, but I don't necessarily agree with it! But, I can do my part to save money by joining theater groups and taking subscriptions and getting cheaper seats. I also frequent off-off and off Broadway where ticket prices range from $12 to $45. And for the museums, I become a member. However, this does not help the visitor who cannot have a subscription or a membership. That is where I think we need to step up and take care of our tourists & have city passes, museum passes, and a better TKTS system. Never have I in any of my travels paid even close to $12 to get into a museum. Not once.

Howard

Ellen, you've made some interesting points, but I'm not sure if agree with your theory that tourists should get a better deal than locals (at least, I think that's what mean). I don't just mean that about New York.
PS: I'm curious: How would you like to see the TKTS system change?

xxx

In a city where hotels average over $200 bucks a night, $12 is quite the bargain considering you can spend days in the Met. Your admission also covers admission to the Cloisters. Two for One! Pretty thrifty huh?

Expensive is all of those schmucks that pay $50 to get into Disney Theme Parks.