JFK

New York City has lots of things to do: Takashimaya New York, Ground Zero Viewing Platform, Statue of Liberty, Museum of Natural History, Times Square, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Tenement Museum, Empire State Building Observatory, Grand Central Terminal, Intrepid Sea Air Space Museum, Marvelous Manhattan Tours, Museum of Sex, Rockefeller Center, NASDAQ Market Site, New York Aquarium, New York Philharmonic, New York Skyride, Open House New York Inc, Pieter Claesen Wyckoff House Museum, Queens Botanical Garden, Queens County Farm Museum, Sony Wonder Technology Lab, Tribute: A Celebration of New York City, World Financial Center, United Nations, World Yacht Dining Cruises, Bloomingdale's, South Street Seaport Museum, Union Square, Greenwich Village, CANstruction, International Center of Photography, Museum of Arts & Design, New York Transit Museum, Lucky Chengs, Hit Show Club, Gotham Comedy Club, Eatery, Stand-Up New York, and The Water Club.

On this particular visit to New York, I spent most of my time in the suburbs. It's a slower pace and quite pleasant, as long as I didn't have to drive. I spent one afternoon with my friend's father, who's 79 years old and still active, going around town and doing repairs and maintenance. He's a character, like a lot of the people I got exposed to.

The owner of Oceanside Meats is a character of a different era, when people didn't lock their doors. After 50 years in business, he's still active in his store. It's wonderful seeing these people doing their work and enjoying it. It's a different era my generation lives in--high tech, high crime.

Spending even a little bit of time getting to know them is a bit like stepping back in time a little to get to know their background and hear them talk of their pasts. The time of innocence, respect for one another, honesty, and morals was different.

We want our privacy and individuality; we isolate ourselves instead of relating to each other, knowing each other, and being neighborly, perhaps even being friends.

This most recent visit has been a good one, visiting my friend for just a few days. It's relating to people one at a time that's missing in our individual society. It's nice to be able to relate one on one in an otherwise isolating society, with its technology, television, and Internet.

Takashimaya, New York, is the last word on department stores.

Quick Tips:

Get a map of the New York city subway from a station agent and learn how to get around by it. A good time to visit is from late March to early April, with New York's cool climate before the summer heat. NY Times restaurant & bar guide, CityPass

Best Way To Get Around:

Flying into JFK, train service from the airport, the NYC subway, and inter-urban trains will get you to where you need to go most of the time. There are city buses. It is best to have a friend with a car to ride in.

Hosteling International New York is a Victorian, Gothic-style building located on Upper West Side near Central Park, St. John the Divine Cathedral, Columbia University, General Grant’s Tomb, Museum of Natural History, Museum Mile, Tom’s Restaurant, the Fireman’s Memorial.

Safe, clean, spacious, affordable air-conditioned/heated 624 rooms. Private rooms are available, sleeps 4 with a queen bed a set of bunk beds, some come with a private bath. Amenities include a games room with Play Station 2, high speed Internet, laundry room, community kitchen, TV lounge, cafe, large outdoor garden with patio, gift shop, concierge desk to assist with your travel needs. Minors must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Membership not required, however a small fee will be charged for non-members. Rates start at $29/day; private rooms are $120 or $140/day.

Subway 1, 9.

It was an eye-catching Oceanside storefront, driving by Long Beach Road, now closed. We went to try their food. I ordered the original Philly Cheesesteak, but I should have ordered their Philly Cheesesteak Supreme, which, besides white American cheese, as the original offers, has grilled onions, peppers, and mushrooms.

It also came with perhaps two cups of french fries, enough to feed a family of four. I told the person behind the counter that they serve way too much french fries, and that a quarter of the amount served would have been enough. He said that he had recently cut the serving amount in half.

The place is relatively small, with several tables near the counter for ordering.

Monday-Thursday 11am-11pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-open late, Sunday 12pm-11pm.

A Valley Stream neighborhood pizza and catering, selling pizza by the slice or whole pies. Nothing fancy about this place, but it feels like it's been around for years. My friend tells me that this is where he had pizza when he was growing up. We go up to the counter and see what pizza is available, tell them what we want, take our drinks, and have a seat at a table while they take our slices to reheat in the pizza oven. They also offer soups, salads, heroes, and pasta dinners, but no dessert.

In a few minutes, you get your food from the counter and go back to your table to eat. Afterwards, go back up to the counter, tell them what you had, and pay.

Monday-Saturday 11am-11pm, Sunday 12pm-11pm.

Katsuhama specializes in cutlets. This place is very popular, particularly with Japanese customers. I ordered a sampler katsu that included shrimp, pork, and chicken. We were presented a bowl with roasted sesame seeds at the bottom to grind up ourselves. After grinding the seeds, add katsu sauce into the bowl. The meat is tender, juicy, and tasty. There were people waiting to be seated when we left.

Monday-Thursday 11:30am-3pm and 5pm-10:30pm, Friday 11:30am-10:30pm, Saturday-Sunday 11:30am-9:30pm.

Ben's serves Kosher deli food in Valley Stream. It's a fast-paced environment for the workers. There's a deli counter for take-out or dine-in seating in Carle Place.

I ordered a half-corned beef, half-pastrami, extra-lean sandwich. Pickles were provided, as well as small bowls of ketchup and deli mustard. The sandwich came piled high with thinly sliced meat on rye bread. They tasted good and very flavorful without the extra fat.

Sunday-Thursday, 11am-9pm; Friday-Saturday, 11am-10pm.

This Valley Stream establishment has been here a long time, at least one generation, since the father and son work here. Besides ice cream, they serve breakfast, which was what I came for. I ordered their standard breakfast: two eggs, Canadian bacon, and home fries. They brought out regular bacon instead on my order. I informed the waitress and was brought an empty plate to discard the unwanted bacon. A side order of Canadian bacon was brought out. Their regular bacon was very salty. The home fries were pretty poor, soggy-looking, and poor-tasting. Toast was provided, but no jam or jelly until asked, and then there was only grape or orange marmalade. I couldn't recommend this place for breakfast. I don't know about their ice cream, since I didn't try it.

Monday-Thursday, 8am-11pm; Friday, 8am-11:30pm; Saturday, 9am-11:30pm; Sunday, 8:30am-11:30pm.

Steinberg's Bake Shop in Oceanside offers baked goods; I saw their refrigerated goods and saw a strawberry shortcake which looked good, afterwards cutting it up and tasting it. It was good but not necessarily worth buying again.

Telephone: (516) 763-0063

Registered with hospitals, the owner, Daniel, has been in business for over fifty years, selling meats and open-range chickens, free of antibiotics. He is an interesting character if you take the time to get to know him, provided he's not busy. The meat he sells is more expensive, but after tasting food made with his meat, you may decide it's worth paying the higher prices.

Spend a few minutes to chat with Daniel and get to share his past, when there were no locks on the doors and - in a time of innocence for the US - when cooling off meant sleeping on the rooftop because there was no air-conditioning.

Telephone: (516) 766-5252.

Art deco Rockefeller Center is a popular sight, with lots of people milling around. People are ice skating, and plenty of shops abound. There are lots of vendors on the sidewalk.

Takashimaya New York is a small-scale version of a very large department store in Japan transplanted into New York. Its website is in Japanese. It's a very chic and trendy place.

The first floor has a miniature botanical garden. Each floor has a different theme, selling cosmetics, flowers and garden, gifts and gadgets, kitchenware and tableware, tea and supplies. There's a beautiful antique cabinet for $45,000.

There's a spa on the sixth floor offering a popular Sea Creation facial for $250 that lasts 80 minutes.

I bought a beautiful tin of Cigare Au Thé milk-tea-flavored rolled cookies and something completely frivolous, a decision maker. The tins that enclose these cookies are indeed quite beautiful and the designs are changed every year. My friend buys them as gifts for others.

I felt completely out of place in that department store, but the nicely designed cookie tin is affordable and in the basement floor where the Tea Box Café is located. The tins are quite attractive enough to buy as gifts or to treat yourself with; they are in the mid-$20 range.

They were giving away taste samples of their cake going for $35. You really have to have quite a bit of disposable income to live in or visit NYC, and particularly to shop at this place.

Toll-free: (888) NYC-BLOO, Phone: (212) 350-0100, florist: (212) 350-0111, fax: (212) 587-5729, and the Tea Box Café: (212) 350-0179

Monday to Saturday 10am to 7pm, Sunday noon to 5pm
Subway Stops: E, F, N, R to 5th Ave; 6 to 51st St.

This movie theatre seems to go by two names. Monsieur Ibrahim was the movie playing at this two-screen theatre. They accept credit card self transactions just inside the lobby, while cash transactions are done outside in the conventional manner. Seating was fine, no complaints.

The movie shows a relationship developing between a young Jewish teenage with an old Muslim shop owner. Restrooms downstairs.

Phone: (212) 759-1411

Trader Joe's is a national chain specialty grocery store that my friend shops at (but not at this location). I picked up an apple pie that tasted pretty good. The store isn't huge at this location. Prices are fair.

I noticed someone going down the aisles as they were talking with someone else on their mobile phone to consult about what was on the shelves and what they should be buying.

Daily 9am-9pm. Phone: (516) 536-9163.

Statue of Liberty, a symbol of freedom and democracy, was a centennial gift from the people of France for as a symbol of friend ship towards the US. Sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi was commissioned for the statue.

There are ferry departures from Battery Park; New York; or Liberty State Park, New Jersey.

Access to the crown and torch are no longer accessible. A guided time pass is now required.

Take the New York subway to Battery Park: no. 1 or 9 trains to the South Ferry station, no. 4 or 5 trains to the Bowling Green station, or the N/R train to the Whitehall Street station.

Take the New Jersey bus to Liberty State Park: Central Avenue bus from platform A3 at the Journal Square Terminal in Jersey City to Liberty State Park.

Hours: 8:30am to 5pm

There is a limited number of tickets available daily from either the New York or New Jersey ferry ticket office (adult $10). Or book advance tickets with a $1.75 handling fee per ticket.

Reservations: Call (866) 782-8834 or (212) 269-5755 or visit
Statue Reservations

Pale Male has generated interest in the media, with PBS producing a documentary where a lot of locals have gotten a keen interest in watching the hawks with high-powered telescopes, occupying a habitat of an Upper East Side building facing Central Park.

There's genuine community concern over the health and welfare of these birds, as the co-op board of the building attempted to evict these birds by removing their nest and generating a community uproar of protest.

Pale Male and Lola are back.

Subway Green Lines 4, 5, 6
Manhatten Bus 1, 2, 3, 4, 30, 72

Theatre Development Fund offers TKTS for same-day performances at half-price at two locations. The other location is in Lower Manhattan.

Monday-Saturday for 8pm performance, 3pm-8pm
Wednesdays and Saturdays for 2pm matinee, 10am-2pm
Sunday for matinee, 10am-3pm
Sunday for evening performance, 3pm-closing

Phone:(212) 221-0013

The Theatre Development Fund offers tickets for same-day performances at half-price at two locations. This location is at the corner of Front and John sts. at the rear of the Resnick/Prudential Building at 199 Water St. The other location is in Times Square.

Monday to Friday 11am to 6pm, Wednesday matinees are available on Tuesday ONLY.

Saturday 11am to 7pm, Saturday matinees are available on Friday and not on Saturday.

All Sunday performances are sold on Saturday.

Phone: (212) 221-0013

Subway: J, M, Z, 2, 3, 4, 5 to Fulton Street or the A, C to Broadway-Nassau
Bus: M15 travels down Second Avenue to the Seaport

JFK - John F. Kennedy International Airport has nine terminals and covers 5000 acres. Fifteen miles southeast of Manhattan, JFK is one of the nation's top airports. Go to the terminal serving your airline. Restaurants and shops are available at every terminal.

ATMs in all terminals except Terminal 6. Ground transportation includes taxis, buses, shuttles, limousines, and trains.

I wasn't able to meet with my friend right away for pickup, as I was confused by all the work construction outside and a stranger, I think, was trying to pick me up while I was waiting for my friend. I ignored him. A few limo drivers also looked at me as they drove to see if I was their passenger.

EWR - Newark Liberty International Airport has three terminals: Terminal A, with gates 10-39, Terminal B, with gates 40-68, and Terminal C, with gates 70-130. There is an AirTrain linking the three terminals.

Ground transportation includes train, shuttle, bus and taxi. NJ Transit, PATH, and Amtrak are resource links.

Airport information: (973) 961-6000

Police/Medical Emergencies/Lost and Found: (973) 961-6230

Medical Services: (973) 643-8383

The MTA (Metropolitan Transportation Authority) is New York's public transit system. Purchase a MetroCard for use on the subway system. Purchase a one-day fun pass for $7 at MetroCard vending machines and neighorhood stores (not available at station booths); a 7-day pass for $21 (reduced is $10.50); a 30-day for $70 (reduced is $35); a 7-day Express-plus MetroCard for $33; or a JFK AirTrain pass for $40 for unlimited use to JFK until midnight from the first day of use. Reduced fares are available for those 65 or older or with a disability.

There is 24-hour bus and subway service throughout the five boroughs.

Explore Chinatown, Chinatown Info, which is made up of Canal Street, Mott Street, Grand Street, Bowery, and East Broadway, for its food (like dim sum), teas, bakeries, shopping, cultural attractions, art exhibits, health and fitness facilities, and the Museum of Chinese in the Americas (located on Mulberry Street and Bayard Street). The Statue of Confucius is located at Division Street and Bowery.

Chinatown is accessible by many subway lines: 6, J, M, N, Q, R, W, and Z to the Canal St station; the B to D to the Grand St. station; or F to the East Broadway station.