Weekends in NY City - Shopping and Eating

My daughter moved to New York City in 2005 so whenever I can, I take the train to NY to visit her for the weekend. We like to shop and to try out small local restaurants. We are also on a budget. When people think of NY City they often think of Times Square. New York offers many unique neighborhoods that should not be missed. My daughter and I have spent a lot of time in the Upper West Side of Manhattan with a few diversions to sites in other areas. If you've seen the big sites, get to know one of the neighborhoods. Many offer more than you'll find in a medium size city. The upper west side is one such area.

Quick Tips:

There are lots of things in the Upper West Side. Walking down Broadway you will find lots of small one of a kind boutiques. There are also a variety of interesting restaurants that will appeal to any taste. Things in the area besides shopping are Central Park, The Museum of Natural History, Lincoln Center, and Riverside Park.

Best Way To Get Around:

If you're staying in Manhattan, try the subway. The system is a little overwhelming at first but if you are mostly staying in a neighborhood, study the subway and buses for that area. Many areas are large enough that you won't want to walk everywhere. Get a copy of "NFT - Not for Tourists Guide to NY City 2006 by Jane Pirone. It has great public transportation maps, is organized by neighborhood and has suggestions for things to do in each neighborhood. Go to any subway station and purchase an unlimited subway/bus pass ( for one day or for 7 days), otherwise trips are each. If you use cash for the bus, you will need in change, Taxis are OK in a pinch but the cost can add up.

Located at the corner of W. 91st Street and Broadway, Carmine's is a very welcoming restaurant but very busy. We were seated in a small dining room with wood paneling and old family photos on the wall. Most of the tables in this room seated 2 to 4 people. It looked like there was a very large dining room in the back of the restaurant. Meals are served family style and a dish can easily server 3 to 4 people. The food is excellent. Two of us shared one salad (the Caesar has lots of anchovies) and a special combo platter that had a selection of Carmine's favorite pasta dishes. The food is traditional southern Italian and the portions are huge. There were 2 days of leftovers from our meal. Our waiter was delightful. We got there on Sunday about 4 pm without a reservation and were seated at one of the last tables. When we left the bar was full of people waiting for a table. Go with a big appetite and take the kids.

Walk down the aisles you saw Meg Ryan walk down in "You've Got Mail" and pick up some specialty cheese, baked goods, coffee or imported delight to take home or back to your hotel for a snack. The meat and cheese counters often give samples - we had some great imported smoked salmon. Head upstairs to an extensive house ware shop that will impress any kitchen gadget enthusiast. When you’re done, stop in the coffee shop where you'll get great coffee and pastries and pay lots less than you would at Starbuck's. Zabar's is a great place to people-watch, lots of locals shop there. It is located on Broadway at W 80th Street.