Hi:

I have not been back to NYC in over 20 years and am taking my 15 yr old daughter, mother and aunt. They have always wanted to "do" NYC. I am looking for fun, unique ideas to do with them. We arrive on a Sunday, later this month and leave Thursday. I was planning on hitting China Town and Canal Street on Sunday afternoon. We will hit Ellis Island but want some recs from you all for great neighborhoods to check out etc.

Looking for funky unique shops/neighborhoods, great places to eat that won't break the bank (its all my treat!) and a list of "must do's" if you never return back to NYC!

Thanks!!

Here is a map to get you started Mama Rogers. [gostreetmaps.com]

SoHo will be fun and you can do it in the morning or afternoon. It's very near Canal St., so you might want to fit it in then. 5 minutes on Canal is more than enough for me though. I am not into brands.

Top of The Rock for sure. You can see the Empire State Building from it, and there are not the huge lines like at ESB.

There is book that is a short easy read that takes place in NY. It's called Time and Again by Jack Finney. It's about time travel from period to another in NY. The portal is one of NY's famous buildings The Dakota [en.wikipedia.org] It's just a few steps from Central Parks Strawberry Fields tribute to John Lennen. [www.centralpark2000.com] Anyway, Time and Again would be fun for you all to read and I guarantee you will have a special place in your heart for NY. Oracle here on the forum recommended it to me after she learned we stayed at The Gramercy Hotel. The neighborhood of Gramercy Park also figures big in the book. [en.wikipedia.org]

LOL... Great book! Salsa, I strolled around Gramercy Park the other evening, and pointed out "our" houses on the east side of the park to my friend.

Mamarogers, my suggestion is that if you are planing to see a Broadway show, you're better off buying discount tickets in advance. Discount codes are offered through broadwaybox.com (which also offers premium seating, so be careful to find the link for discounts). You can order and have your tickets held at the box office, you just pick them up on your way into the show. Otherwise you can wait on line for the same-day, cash-only TKTS discount tickets, but they're not likely to be very good seats, even if you do find four seats together. I also recommend that you phone the ticket agent instead of buying online. It's just easier when you've got a live person. Have the discount codes ready.

If you're looking for bargains, skip Chinatown (which is awful!) and head for Central Park. Grab a couple of towels from your hotel, pick up goodies at any one of a zillion great food stores, and enjoy a picnic. Depending on where your hotel is, my favorite food shops are Zabar's, Fairway, Whole Foods, Grace's Marketplace, Dean & Delucca, Citarella.

Have a great time!

Here are two unique shops
The Thrift and New Shop on 602 9th Ave Corner of 43rd street definitely funky specializing in old vases.... Another is on 64 MacDougal Street the studio of Koho Yamaamoto. She's a chain smoking petite woman who teaches Japanese brush painting classes.
[www.koho-schoolofsumi-e.com]



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/14/2008 08:06AM by askanewyorker.

Ask a New York Stylist

Whether you’re looking to clean out your closet or fill it with new fashion finds without spending a fortune, a thrift store can be a fantastic way to go. New York City boasts charity shops benefiting a range of causes, including disease treatment and prevention, community services, arts organizations, and more. And since many thrift stores receive regular donations from wealthy New Yorkers, these shops are often ideal for picking up gently used designer duds at a fraction of their original price. Oh, and if you’re donating, don’t forget to ask for a receipt or donation form. Come tax time, your donation is fully deductible!


[askanewyorker.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/25/2012 07:35AM by askanewyorker.