New York City on the GO!

Thank goodness we didn't get a ride from a psycho cabbie until the ride to the train station! Unbelievably, all I had heard about NYC cabbies, I was prepared to come close to sudden death, several cab rides later we hadn't come across one that didn't speak English, or that hadn't almost killed us. Until the last ride, good thing... my feet would have been killing me had I been sworn off taxis that early in the trip.

The only way to get the most from NYC is to run through it, unless you have a month. I took my best friend, my mom, and my sister-in-law (who also happens to be a dear friend), for their Christmas gift. We took the Amtrak out of Providence (very relaxing alternative to flying), and spent 4 jam packed days in the city. I'm not kidding when I say jam packed. Some of the time, I think they all wanted to kill me for running them so ragged, but in the end they were thankful that they saw and did as much as we could fit into the 4 days.

After we got settled into our hotel, the Sheraton Manhattan, we hit the pavement to find somewhere to have lunch. We ended up at Connelly's Pub. It looked like the building was about to be condemned, but the food was great. Next we headed for MOMA, don't really see the big draw there. The most memorable thing about MOMA was Monet's Water Lilies (I had no idea it was so huge), definitely a must see. But if you're not into crazy weird things that people just say is art, you could probably save yourself a bit of time by checking out Water Lilies and turning around. Anyway, I'm ranting... and running out of words to finish my trip experience... so, you'll have to read my individual reviews of all the places that I visited if you want more!

Quick Tips:

When they say the city that never sleeps... they mean the city that never sleeps. Bring ear plugs if you're a light sleeper. The horns never stop beeping and the sirens never stop (sirening?). The great thing about that, if you can't sleep and want a cup of coffee at 3am, you can pretty much walk about 20 feet in any direction and get one. The hotel rooms are all a bit small around the city unless you plan on spending BIG bucks, so don't be disappointed when you get there, just expect it.

Central Park, of course, is a must do! I spent several hours in the park and only brushed the surface. Plan on Central Park on the same day as the Guggenheim Museum, it's right across the street on the West side of the park. On another day, check out the Natural History Museum with another stretch of the park, it is located across the street on the East side of the Park. Thanks God I planned my trip around what sights were near what, or I really would have seen my fellow travelers dropping like flies.

Tip: the horse drawn carriages are also on the East side of the park, usually in front of the Tavern on the Green restaurant (very nice way to give your feet a bit of a break).

For those of you who have weak bladders like myself, I suggest using the rest room whenever you get a chance to. Store owners are not very good about letting patrons use the facilities. And please, by all means, bring your sneakers or comfortable walking shoes (you don't have to look like Carrie from Sex in the City).

Best Way To Get Around:

I will still suggest getting around with a quick cab ride. After all, I only almost got killed once, the other several cab rides were actually quit enjoyable (we even had a few friendly and talkative cabbies). If you only have a few blocks to go, save some cash and hit the pavement with your walking shoes. NYC is pedestrian friendly, you never have to wait long to cross a street.

Not coming from a big city myself, I was to intimidated to try out the buses. I couldn't get a handle on the bus routes. If you're from a city and are used to public transportation, who knows, that may be the best way for you to get around.
As far as the subways ugh! I thought Boston subways were grungy (and I'm used to the Boston subways, I can get beyond a bit of filth). Don't worry about having trouble finding a cab when you reach the airport or train station, they are everywhere. I'd say there is probably 20 cabs to every vehicle on the streets of NY that isn't a cab... seriously!
Have fun, be careful, and stay with your group!!

My favorite brand of hotels are the Sheratons. I find them to be moderately priced and comparable to the more pricey hotel chains. The room was quite comfortable (on the small side... as all NYC hotel rooms pretty much are). The sweet sleeper beds are all they are cracked up to be. The furnishings are average. The full length mirror in the bedroom was much appreciated with 4 women traveling together… we didn’t have to use the bathroom for every last detail, that was a surprising plus. When I entered the lobby, I found it hard to believe it could fit into the building and allow enough space for guest rooms. Well, now I know why. Not to give the wrong idea, there were 4 of us sharing the room. We were a bit cramped, but, if we had each left one of our bags at home… we would have been just fine. Just off the lobby is a little hotel shop selling items such as: beverages, cigarettes, magazines, and a sampling of souvenirs. The shop is a bit on the pricey side, but worth the convenience if you need something in a pinch.

I have to say, I am a complete geek… one of the things I love most about staying in a hotel nowadays, is pay-per-view movies (I think it’s awesome to see a movie that’s still in theatres). While at the Sheraton… we ordered "Shall we Dance", they were having some technical difficulties and the movie was interrupted a couple of times. The staff were more than willing to credit my account the cost of the movie and they apologized imphatically. They were also great about holding our luggage on the day of check out. Our train wasn’t leaving until late in the evening and check-out was at Noontime. All we had to do… was head back to the hotel, grab our bags and hale a crazy cab.

Everything I wanted to do was pretty much within walking distance... or just a short scary cab ride away. Of course, there is a Dunkin’ Donuts on every corner (I am a coffee addict, so very important to me). I have this unspoken deal with my friend, Sue, when we travel together… she gets me coffee in the morning. You see, she is up at the crack of dawn, and myself… I am a night owl (9am is early for me). I need that caffeine to get me going… about 2 or 3 cups and I can actually get dressed! I paid less than $500 for 3 nights in a downtown Manhattan Hotel... that's pretty good. And it's in the Theatre district, so great if you plan on taking in a show while you're in town.

Sheraton Manhattan: (now called: Sheraton Manhattan at Times Square)
790 7th Avenue at 51st Street, New York, NY
Phone: (212) 581-3300
www.sheraton.com

Cite was our splurge dinner. We ate here after Mamma Mia! The atmosphere was very nice... things were a bit blurry after my first drink however, $15 will buy you one of the largest apple martinis I have ever seen (strong too).

Thankfully, they were out of the scallop dish that I ordered, so the waiter gave us a round of drinks on the house (not bad at $15 x 4). The food was delicious and the wait staff very friendly (my mother was busy getting his life story, and he patiently amused her).

I was on a mission... I was not leaving NYC until I had tried Gray's Papaya. We walked and walked and walked everywhere looking for it. Nobody in the city of New York could give us the proper directions. Finally, we found it. The best dam hot dog and the only papaya drink I've had to date! A couple of dollars buys you an entire meal... well worth the search for it.

Thank you Billy Crystal!

It's a very entertaining place, the waitstaff are also performers. They sing and dance between freshening up your cup of coffee. They are much better performers than waiters or waitresses. Wait time is a bit longer than the usual, but it's worth it, you feel like you're in the midst of a show while you wait for your meal. The food leaves a bit to be desired. I suggest ordering something that is difficult to mess up. I ordered french toast and the egg was still raw. Overall, I'm glad to have gone, even with the food not being fabulous... it was a cheap show to watch.

This was our first meal in NYC, great food, great prices. The building, well that's another story. It was near falling down, and was about 6 feet wide, if that. It isn't showing up on the IgoUgo list. I'm thinking that it may not exist any longer. Well if it is still standing, it's worth the money.

It has a rustic charm about it, as many places in the city... you have to walk up a flight of stairs to get into the dining area (I believe the kitchen is located on the entire first floor). The food was yum yum yummy... I had the reuben sandwich (my favourite in an Irish Pub), it was loaded with corned beef. On the side... a huge portion of fries, they were very flavorful and spicy. I also got the corn chowder, it was not the best I've had, but worthwhile. All of this and an iced tea only ran me about $15 including the tip... not bad for a full meal in the city!

On the third day of the trip we went to see Mama Mia. I had purchased tickets well in advance, so we had fabulous seats (4th row, center). The performance was awesome... never a dull moment, just enough combination of music and dialect. There was a gentlemen in the front row about 65ish that was dancing and singing to all the ABBA songs like it was his last day on earth. I have to say that I found him just as entertaining as the show itself.

Tickets can be purchased at www.broadway.com

The last day of the trip we went on the Circle Line Cruise around the Island of Manhattan. Very reasonably priced... the price for adult admission now is $24. I had purchased the City Pass New York City, which was well worth it. We saved about $50 per person on admission costs for things that we all wanted to do. The Cruise offers a way to get a nice view of the Statue of Liberty up close, which is the next best thing since you can no longer go inside of it.

As I mentioned in my overview, the best part of MoMA is Monet’s Water Lilies. I was shocked at how huge it is! The other Impressionist art is worth while to check out also. I’m not so into the weird crazy looking things that people call art, a lot of the displays looked like they raided the nearest Salvation Army store. My suggestion… seeing Water Lilies is worth the trip to MOMA. If you’re anything like me, see Water Lilies and the other Impressionist’s art and get out!

Thankfully, the MoMA is laid out so that you don’t have to endure anything that you don’t want to. You can truck yourself to the floors that have what you want to see and go. It is a rather large space and takes quit a bit of time if you plan on walking through all of it.

Awesome! My favorite of all the museums that we went to. I loved the set up. The building isn’t overly huge, so you don’t have to walk for hours on end. Daniel Buren had an exhibit called the Eye of the Storm while I was there. Very cool, he incorporated the building and inside structures, windows, etc., into the exhibit. Truly a collection of some of my favorite art… Picasso, Monet and Renoir. A great museum even for those in your party that may not care much for museums. You can do the Guggenheim in a couple of hours… then head to the park.

Central Park was unbelievable. It was much larger than I had imagined. We spent several hours there over a couple of days… and still only scratched the surface. Strawberry fields and the literary walk were, by far, my favorite spots.
The angel fountain was breathtaking. It was kind of weird seeing it in person after seeing it in so many movies and shows. It was a rainy spring day, the day we were at the fountain. It was desolate, like she was waiting for us.

You must have a map of the park on hand, or you won’t have a clue where to go next. Make sure you decide some of the points of interest in the park that you want to see before you get there, so you can plan accordingly. Unless you plan on spending your entire trip in Central Park, you won’t be able to see all of it.

The building of the Museum of Natural History was breathtaking! This place is ginormous! You need your walking shoes on for this museum, that is for sure.

The displays range from animals to rocks, a bit for everyone. If you don’t plan on spending several hours, I suggest you map out what you want to see before you leave the lobby. This is where I killed my best friend, Sue’s, feet… she didn’t let me forget it the rest of the trip. Or even to this day (ha, ha… Sue if you’re reading this, I love you).

The Circle Line cruise was one of my favorite parts of the trip. I suggest a cab ride to get there, it’s a bit off the beaten path. The cruise is about $24 dollars for an adult (I purchased the NYC City Pass which came with admission to the Circle Line - well worth it). It takes you around the entire Island of Manhattan. I especially liked this because we could just catch a glimpse of some of the neighborhoods that we didn’t venture into to.

You get some great views of the Statue of Liberty, which I found to be inviting whereas you can no longer go into the Statue. It can be a bit windy, so wear a light coat if it’s all chilly out.

The Empire State Building observatory has some breathtaking views. My only regret is that I tried to time it for just before sunset, I wanted to be on the observatory for long enough to take some great shots while still light out and some at sunset and after dark. Well, we were up there for quit a while, got the daylight shots and waited and waited… sunset never came.

Everyone was a bit tired and cold, and ready to come down. About 10 minutes after we ventured back into the building… was my sunset! Next time I’m timing it better, I’ll check the weather report and get the exact time for sunset. Yup, that’s what I’m going to do. The admission to the observatory is also included in the New York City Pass (as I said earlier… definitely worth it).