Hello. We are visiting NYC the weekend of September 17th. We want to take the subway from Times Square up to Sylvia's in Harlem on Saturday afternoon. The issue: both of us are fairly wary of rats, and I just read about the rat biting the woman at the Brooklyn Bridge terminal. How likely are we to be around rats if we take the subway up to Sylvia's? Also, what routes would we take from around 42d street up to 125th street via the bus system instead of the subway? Thank you very much in advance.

I saw that story too this morning. It only made the news because it's so rare. I've lived here all my life, and this is the first time I heard about a rat biting someone in a subway station. It's very rare to even see them on the platform.

By direct bus, you can either walk east to Madison Ave. and get the Uptown M1 or M2 to 125th St. (The M2 Limited is the fastest.), or walk over to Sixth Ave. and get the Uptown M7.

Really, though, the subway is the best and quickest way up to Sylvia's. From Times Square, take the Uptown 2 or 3 to 125th St.

(Sylvia's fried chicken is amazing!)