We are in New York Now!

[Barbara L]

Well, we are now at the most expensive hotel we have ever stayed at, and I love it! We are at the "Marriott, New York at the Brooklyn Bridge." Over $300 a night (not sure of the exact amount, but we thought it might be more), and room service (2 medium pizzas, 2 cheesecakes, vanilla ice cream, 4 Diet Pepsi's, hot tea) came to $105. The pizza is slightly better than some frozen pizzas, not as good as some (James said it was the "best crappy pizza I've ever had." lol He likes it thin so he liked it better than I did). We asked for one chocolate cake with peanut butter icing and butter pecan ice cream, and one cheesecake with cherries and vanilla ice cream. We ended up each getting chocolate cheesecake (chocolate crust, regular cheesecake, then chocolate cake as the top layer) and one vanilla ice cream. It was very good, but they didn't pay much attention! We were the last order of the night. Oh yeah, we also asked for iced tea, with no lemon. We got hot tea with lemon (fortunately on the side). Fortunately, I like hot tea (but could have fixed it in our room anyway). This is our first hotel that has a bellhop and a concierge. The drinks in the Pepsi machine cost $2.75. We also have to pay $12.95 a day for Internet. However, it is a great room in a really beautiful hotel, with a very comfortable bed and a pretty big screen HD TV (but no Nick!). It is something we have only dreamed of (last night we stayed in a $45 Motel 6 with beer caps on the floor and no shampoo--mostly though we have stayed in fairly nice hotels with pretty reasonable prices). Everyone we have met (guys at the curb, bellhop, room service guy) has been SO nice. The bellhop was 19 and the sweetest guy!

Driving through Manhattan was a little scary, but not as bad as it could have been. I wouldn't want to do it during rush hour! We will take a cab to get around.

Other things we have only dreamed of--we drove through the Lincoln Tunnel, across the Brooklyn Bridge, we drove on Broadway, 5th Avenue, through Times Square. James didn't get to see much, as driving through there was pretty hairy.

We hope to see the Statue of Liberty and some other things. We plan to do the "tourist thing," for sure!

There will be some major penny pinching when we get home!

Barbara
P.S. LOL--James is watching "Escape from New York" on TV!

 

[sichuan dingdong]

there and loved it

i was in new york city in 2003. do you have any natives of NY that you are meeting up with? if not just get on the street and find good food and fun for yourself. manhatten is a great place to start and keep going from there. it can get rough but you most likely will be warned by the locals if your off track. it is easy to get lost in the wrong way, just keep your wits about you and don't act too impressed by anything you find. and oh yeah have a great vacation.

SD

 

[Barbara L]

Well, we have been keeping it under our hats, so to speak, but yes we are planning to meet someone here. Then we will do the tourist thing and probably gawk like idiots! LOL Actually we will probably play it cool, then come back to our room and act like silly school kids because we got to see such neat things!

Barbara

 

[sichuan dingdong]

fun fun fun

please post back when you can. i was lucky and found amazing conacts when in the city. food, new friends and just more than i expected. the sea of people moving in the streets was something i had never seen. the advice i posted earlier is no knock on the city. just a tip for those not used to it, like myself.

SD

 

[jkath]

Barb, I hope you two have the best days you've had so far!
What a wonderful opportunity to do this!

 

[Barbara L]

Thanks! It is totally a dream come true, from all the people we are meeting, to the things we are getting to do, and even just lying around doing absolutely nothing with no guilt! We are building a lifetime of memories!

Barbara
P.S. Jkath, I was in the middle of writing a really long PM in response to yours, and poof, it disappeared! If I don't get it done tonight, I will write tomorrow.

 

[expatgirl]

sometimes you have to throw caution to the wind and run thru the wildflowers and never mind the cost.......if you have been watching expenses up til now then NYC is the place to have fun......our trip to Turkey was ruined by a stay in a horrible hotel.......glad that you found a nice one.........have fun!!!

 

[Barbara L]

Thanks, and I agree! We have spent a lot on this trip, but we have saved on some things too.

LOL--Tonight I had to wash some clothes, and they don't have a guest laundry (there is a laundromat a couple blocks away). We can't afford $10 to wash a shirt, etc. (just a handkerchief costs $5 to wash and press!), so I washed a few things that we need for tomorrow, then we will go to a laundromat to wash the rest, later. I washed them all in the tub (we bought a jug of liquid detergent along the way), and I rinsed them separately in the sink. They are hanging over the tub right now. I will probably have to use the blow dryer on them when I get up, and then I will iron them. I hope something is dry enough to wear it!

A horrible hotel can really ruin your stay, as you said. The place we stayed last night wasn't the worst I have seen, but the blankets were itchy, and just the little things that we got used to (like shampoo, and breakfast) make a real difference. Even a lot of the more inexpensive hotels now have a pretty good breakfast, as well as shampoo, conditioner, refrigerator, microwave, etc., so the one we stayed in last night was a disappointment.

Barbara

 

[expatgirl]

LOL--oh, yeah, pioneers unite.......hairdryers are definitely helpers in the speeding up the drying process......one pair of undies to be laundered in the UK is 4pounds (about $8)....needless to say I have worn many pair washed in shampoo---they come out squeaky clean

 

[Adillo303]

Welcome to NYC. You are in a good place for the sights that you want to see. I do not know how much time you have or your plans, but, here are some suggestions that may help.

Circle Line at the 42nd street pier will fix you up with a boat ride around Manhattan. They will also have a narative that will explain a lot of the history and a lot of info about the city.

Land based, you might like one of the doyble decker bus tours. They offer hop on hop off service. If you see something you like, just hop off? look around, then get back on.

 

[DramaQueen]

I'll be flying back to Vegas next week then 14 of my friends and I will be flying to Boston and New York for 12 days.

Our stops in NY will be Katz's deli and Lombardi's Pizzaria, (the first Pizzaria in America). Notice it's about the food. Anything else we shouldn't miss?

Barbara hope you enjoy your stay. New York is a fabulous city. What is the best you've seen there??

 

[GB]

Make sure to get a pastrami sandwich at Katz's. It will be the best sandwich you ever have.

 

[TATTRAT]

Or Carnegie Deli, right across from Radio City Music Hall

 

[TATTRAT]

I will be in NYC Friday and Saturday, picking up my family that is flying in from the UK

 

[Lynd]

Sounds like great fun!

 

[LadyCook61]

If you have time, and like natural history , Museum of Natural History is nice.

 

[DramaQueen]

Make sure to get a pastrami sandwich at Katz's. It will be the best sandwich you ever have.

Are you kidding me???? The pastrami sandwich is why we're going to Katz's. I was the one that suggested going there since I've heard and read so much about it. I'm salivating already. Matzo ball soup and a pastrami sandwich with cole slaw and Russion dressing on double baked rye. OMG!!
So far the best I've ever had was Nate'n'Al's in Beverly Hills. That was nothing short of awesome!!!

 

[DramaQueen]

If you have time, and like natural history , Museum of Natural History is nice.

How funny is this? I also suggested the Museum since I had already seen it several years ago. I said I would just go alone if no one else wanted to go because of all the things about NY that fascinated us, the Museum of Natural History was the best. So now everyone else wants to go.

 

[Dina]

Is the Museum of Natural History in NY similar to the one in Washington, D.C.? We did almost every museum possible in D.C. and it was fascinating. I'd love to go to the ones in NY one day. Enjoy yourselves James & Barb. We want to see some pics too.

 

[DramaQueen]

BARBARA: Your trip sound great. Please post pictures of the best things you did and saw when you get back. I missed the beginning of your trip, where are you headed or is this just a sight seeing trip?