New York City

[aquacharly]

MAMASQUEAK, was there  last week, for just a week.    Weather  was good most days (Thursday, not a good day due to sporadic showers).    The St. Patrick's Day was inconvenient, too many blocked streets.   A lot of people puking on the sidewalk, ugh.

Try BELVEDERE on W 48th between 8th & 9th.   

[kristala]

i'll be returning to NYC end of april..will be staying there for 2 weeks..hopefully this time i get to watch broadway 

[mama squeak!]

^^Thanks for the reco Aquacharly! I like! I'll ask my brother-in-law to check it out.

Another Q please, we will be driving to NYC and I know the traffic can get crazy there. Is it better and cheaper to park our car at the nearest airport park and fly and just take a cab or train into the center?
While we're there we plan to just walk and commute everywhere.

  

[marienmarien]

In Manhattan NY, best place to stay around time square or around that area lang. It's perfectly save to walk around there kasi kahit gabi na ang madami paring tao sa streets. The parking rates at the city is quite expensive pero meron mga garage na mas mura kaya lang parating puno. I don't know the fees in airport cark park but if you decide to park there madali lang mag commute going to the city, especially kung wala naman kayo masyadong dala.  If first time in NY take the cab na lang para mas easy for you and since 3 naman kayo sulit na yon.

[junetwentythree]

^^
Long term airport parking @ JFK http://www.aboutairportparking.com/new-york-jfk-international-airport-parking

How long will you be staying? I would suggest you park in the outer boroughs instead but take note of the alternate side parking signs and other restrictions. Sundays are free everywhere so you're in luck there. Meters are free too after a certain hour.

[bankrun]

just wanna share my experience when i watched west side story in broadway NY. i was alone. the line was too long in the TKTS booth. so i went straight to the theater ticket counter and i asked for discount. the lady (an italian decent i think), said they only issue regular tickets and referred me to tkts. i pouted and i said it was my first time to watch a broadway show and the line was just too long. the ticket lady then leaned forward and whispered... "ok, you are my cousin. i give you 75% off." best part... i got a seat just 3 rows away from the front row and the show was really great. who said new yorkers are not friendly???

[aquacharly]

^^Thanks for the reco Aquacharly! I like! I'll ask my brother-in-law to check it out.

Another Q please, we will be driving to NYC and I know the traffic can get crazy there. Is it better and cheaper to park our car at the nearest airport park and fly and just take a cab or train into the center?
While we're there we plan to just walk and commute everywhere.

  

NYC is best experienced walking and cabbing/riding metro around, like Paris. .

It is so traffic, you will waste  time locating parking.
From JFK to Manhattan standard $50 for all cabs...
Standard tip for cabs within the city is $1; oh yes, that's what most  NYorkers give cab drivers.    But elsewhere ... 15% minimum required.
If you swipe your card in cabs for the fare -- there is a carrying ost of 10-20percent, depends... SO carry small notes.

If you plan to move  during  traffic hours, may be worth your while to call Delancey.  The dispatcher  tells you how much from  pickup point to destination...  Kahit gano ka tagal in traffic -- your fare is fixed.  Nice vehicles too.

BELVEDERE is not a fancy hotel, but clean though old with slow elevators.     A sister of mine won't spend for something fancy -- " tutulugan lang" is how she puts it, the Belvedere is her "secret".    4star na yon daw.

The hotels we are used to in Asia (think The Venetian in Macau,   Langham/Peninsula in HK, Peninula or Shang in Manila) -- if your companions are maarte like my hubby -- pwes think of minimum $600  per night plus  taxes for strictly 2 people  per non-suite  room.  Most hotels in
NYC are old.  (I think the worst  is The Pennsylvania across Madison  Square Garden.  I got to see rooms  there when some relatives booked there, we were all there in NYC for a wedding  2years ago.  Gross.)

Is he maarte?  Bring him for brunch at Norma's. The $1000 omelette should cure him of his kaartehan, lol.

I love NYC.  How long will you be there?

[mama squeak!]

Thanks, marienmarien and junetwentythree! 

Aquacharly, thanks again for the tips! We'll be there just for the weekend then on to Atlantic City 
Yes, I do love walking! I believe that is the best way to "see" and "feel" a place. I'll also take the metro/subway over cabs as I hate traffic so much!

I know what you mean with hotel standards. I'm so spoiled with our 5 star hotels here in Asia and how cheap they are that I sometimes get shocked with the hotels they have there. The ones I can afford there anyway 

Really?! A $1000 omelette?    I was going to bring him to Papaya King! 

[aquacharly]

^ Yup, it's a $1000 caviar omelette.   At Norma's.   Breakfast/brunch is at least  $30 over there,  but it sure tastes good.  I'm a sucker for their Foie Gras Brioche.     

Don't forget Shake Shack.  .

[rics]

^^when you go to atlantic city, that will be a walkathon for sure, or you can ride the pedicabs plying the boardwalk when you get tired.  try the funnel cake in one of those side stores along the boardwalk, sarap.

i love walking too! pero of late, dont like to go to manhattan na with a kid in tow. too many people, hard to navigate around.

[artegirl]

^^oh, I miss Shake Shack!  It's my fave fastfood joint =D

1 tip if you are visiting the museums in NYC - Entrance fee to Natural History and Met are actually donations.  I think the suggested donation amount is $20/person.  Pero you can pay any amount you want.  Kami ni hubby, hindi talaga namin kaya tapusin 1 museum (or even 1/2) in 1 day kaya we just give $5/person.... =D

[mama squeak!]

Our plans have changed! My brother-in-law won't be able to come with us to NY instead he will be meeting us in Atlantic City. So that means sister and I can stay longer in NY! Yay! 

So, here's our tentative plan. Sister and I will be renting an apartment since we will be staying longer and it will also be a cheaper option. Plus we get to feel the place. We still would want to stay in the thick of things so we will be staying in Manhattan. I have been scouting for places to stay but I'm not so much familiar with the areas. Need your feedback please on the following areas if it is safe to walk at night (we will be watching a show or two), accessibility to public transport, etc:

- Penn Station area
- Upper West side towards Riverside
- Chinatown / Koreatown

Would appreciate any feedback or comments please. Thanks! 

[marienmarien]

Sis mama squek, I would skip chinatown/koreatown. There's is nothing much to see there. I would spend time at time square, greenwich village,tribeca, cenral park and alot of shopping around that area. You can also go to St Patrick's cathedral is also around that area. It is very safe to walk in  that area if you plan to wach some shows.

[rics]

NYC's chinatown is the typical small asian town within a big city. lots of food to buy, i also have my hair rebond there, maganda gumupit mga koreans.

[junetwentythree]

mama squeak! I would personally recommend the more off-the-beaten path local locations. If this is your first time in NYC, then by all means go off and do the more touristy things. But if it's not, then hit up the spots that us locals prefer to be in like the Union Square area, the East Village, the LES. I'm from Brooklyn and I can tell you a million places that Brooklyn is awesome for. But if you don't want to venture out of Manhattan, at least walk the Brooklyn Bridge. An amazing feat in itself

[jiffy]

mama squeak, for souvenirs, the best pa din chinatown! i got those cheesy I Love New York stuff for a steal! parang 3 t shirts for $10 lang.. ok for pasalubong

[summer]

Is walking from Central Park South (along 5th Avenue) to Empire State Building doable? Or should we just walk up to a certain point then just cab it after?

[artegirl]

^sis, parang medyo malayo pero doable naman.  Central Park is in upper side of Manhattan (around 50+ street?, while Empire State is in Midtown (around 30+ street?).  ha ha, pero nagawa ko na yun!  and I don't think I want to repeat the experience =D  cab will be a good idea, but subway is cheaper.  If I remember correctly, there's a subway line in 5th ave. so it should not be difficult

[rics]

its nice to walk, if you can. this way you can experience the city on foot and see other things. if you take a cab on a busy day, better kung lumakad ka na lang coz it maybe traffic, mapapamahal ka pa.

[marienmarien]

It's a long walk from central park to emprire state bldg. Just take a bus or subway.