We Survived New York During
Dec 30th, 2007, 06:44 PM
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We Survived New York During
Our family party of 11 left for New York early Christmas morning. We flew from Atlanta on Air Tran for a great group rate ($220 pp) to LaGuardia. No one checked bags and we were picked up by Dial 7 in a large van plus a Town Car. We arrived at the Buckingham Hotel (57th and Sixth Ave) by 11:30 am and to our surprise, the rooms were ready. We unpacked and found the M&W grocery two blocks over, each stocking the fridge with our own drinks and snacks. We convened in the lobby and walked to Puttanesca for Christmas lunch on 56th and 9th Ave. This is a very reasonably priced restaurant that happened to be the only one I could find that would take a reservation for eleven. Although the menupages reviews were somewhat mixed, it was close by and we were pleasantly surprised. Between us we had almost every entrée and they were all good. I had lugged Christmas crackers on the plane and produced them at lunch while we were waiting for our food, and we had a great time at one long table popping them open, reading aloud the jokes and mottoes, and comparing the trinkets. A very robust trading session ensued, ending with my trading a penny whistle for a celluloid fish that told fortunes. Some of us wore the paper crowns after cocktails were served. The cosmopolitans were very generous and cold. I have it on good authority that the margaritas were delicious, and the young 20’s seemed happy with whatever they were drinking as well. We had pinot grigio and a cabernet with our lunch, which took a little longer than 2 hours. Most entrees were between $16 and $20. We ordered six desserts and shared them and the young children had chocolate gelato. Of the flourless chocolate cake, profiteroles, apple pie, cheese cake, pana cotta, and saffron creme brulee, I was least impressed with the pie, but the rest were very good. The coffee was excellent. They were happy to split the bill in half and were gracious in every respect----some reviews notwithstanding.
We had tickets to the Christmas Spectacular show at Radio City at 5:30 pm, so we all headed in different directions for an hour or so. Most of the adults took a nap at the hotel; the college students explored the neighborhood. We walked down to RCMH as a group and took many photos at every opportunity. Our seats, purchased in July, were dead center of the first mezzanine row---the best seats in the house, IMO. We had room to stretch our legs out and lay the coats. This 75th anniversary show was one of the best I’ve seen, although I did miss the red velvet “Santa” costumes the Rockettes usually wear. The moving backdrops/videos of Manhattan were wonderful, and those who had only seen the touring version of this show in Atlanta were amazed and delighted.
Some of us walked up Fifth Avenue to take in the scenery afterwards. We enjoyed being outdoors and later had hot candied nuts and hot dogs on the street for dinner. My SIL and her husband went back to the hotel with the little boys (9 and 6).
Wednesday 12/26 A free morning! DH and I went out early for breakfast to the Green Café, on the same block as our hotel. He had fluffy, delicious French toast and I had a bagel. The coffee was good and it was inexpensive. The others ate in their suites. One group of 6 went off to skate at Rockefeller Center and the rest of went to the Natural History Museum to the planetarium show. We saw the gemstones and the dinosaurs, and the African artifacts before hopping in a cab to make our matinees. Four people saw Spamalot, three saw Legally Blonde, and four saw Mary Poppins. The tickets had been purchased in the late summer (or as soon as they were available for that date) and were all excellent seats. Everyone enjoyed their respective shows. I saw L B with my daughter and mother, and we all agreed that the lead (while completely adorable) had only a B- voice. DD especially enjoyed all the sorority and Greek jokes.
Our family of five plus my mother had dinner at Tavern on the Green. I had been trying to get reservations at a reasonable time and had finally succeeded in making them the day before. (The others stopped for food and took it back to the hotel.) We were ambivalent about going to TOTG, for all the usual reasons (bad food, overpriced, crowded, etc.). However, DH and I had celebrated several anniversaries there (Valentine’s Day) and we had luncheons there after two of our children were baptized in NY, so there was a strong sentimental pull. I had recently read that the new chef had improved the food quality, so in the end we went. Every single one of us had the filet (on the assumption that you really can’t get that wrong). It was flavorful and cooked as ordered. However, the “herb encrusted” was a ridiculous misnomer; there was no crust, just a sad dollop of weird pesto on top. We were puzzled by this and ejected it from an otherwise fine steak. The salads were fresh and crisp, and the cream of mushroom soup with truffle oil was delicious but really too rich. Between the five of us we ordered four desserts: the peanut butter milk chocolate parfait, the pumpkin cheesecake, the plum pudding, and the dark chocolate cake. All were good but nothing to swoon over. The cocktails, however, were absolutely swoon-ful, and I had two of the holiday “berry” cosmopolitans (with Cointreau and something else that gave it a light, berry tingle). Others said their drinks were equally wonderful, and we sat in the same room where we’d all had lunch seven years ago on a previous visit. Some things never change---and we were very glad we’d come.
We went back to the hotel and regrouped; five of us went to Chicago City Limits for the first show. It was good, but frankly not as good as we’d hoped. I’ve seen touring improve groups that were better than these four performers. The cover charge was $15 pp with a 2-drink minimum. One of our group had a tiny plate of nachos, and our total bill for this outing was close to $200. However, DS2 (our actor) loved it, and it was fun to see him suggest things so readily (names of cars, unrelated items, mottoes, etc.) when the actors asked the audience for suggestions.
Thursday 12/27 We left the hotel lobby at 9am for Pier 83 and the two-hour Circle Line tour. Although the day was cloudy we had a good view of the amazing growth on the west side and especially in New Jersey. Our guide was a no-nonsense New Yorker who told people to get off their cell phones when their conversations competed with his narrative. Everyone enjoyed this outing! Afterwards SIL and her group went off to the Carnegie Deli for lunch to meet “our” designer (he did something with all our homes) and the rest of us walked to Junior’s. It was warm, bright and dry, and we only waited about 15 min. for a table. The food was great, and they all told me to thank NeoPatrick for this very good lunch suggestion
. SIL’s group went to the Met after lunch, and my mother cabbed back to the hotel after Junior’s. DH, DS2, DD and I went to the Paley Center for Media (formerly the Museum of Television and Radio). We went to the various screening rooms and saw the famous Superbowl commercials (which I had never seen!), some old programming, and the pilot for The Twilight Zone. Then we walked up to Grand Central to see the model train exhibit and the light show. I bought three New York theme Christmas ornaments from a very friendly woman who (it turned out) was from a town in AL very near DH’s.
We had reservations at Angus McIndoe’s at 6 pm, and DS1 met us there. It was a charming restaurant with delicious “pom-tini’s” made with pomegranate juice. (I had decided I would order the same drink everywhere in order to conduct socially useful research/drink comparisons. Conclusion: they were all good!) We had no appetizers; for entrees we ordered the free-range chicken, the grilled pork chop, the grilled chicken salad, a breakfast, and DS2 ordered two complete hamburgers. They came out one at a time and the first one was very overcooked. The waiter took it back immediately with no fuss, and both subsequent burgers were perfect. DH had the sweet potato succotash that was divine. My chicken salad was good with a very, very good balsamic vinaigrette. DD’s breakfast was just what she wanted; everyone was happy. We had a selection of desserts, the warm banana pecan bread pudding with bourbon crème anglaise being the Top Pick, closely followed by the peanut milk chocolate parfait. (Yes, the same thing we’d had at TOTG, only this one had grape jelly, too. It sounds horrible but the kids loved it.) We were out in good time to go souvenir shopping for the kids’ friends (all wanted teddy bears with NYC shirts) before heading to the Mariott Marquis Theater for The Drowsy Chaperone. This show was a hit with everyone! I had never been in this theater and it was very comfortable. The risqué bits went sailing over the two kids’ heads, and the singing and dancing was fantastic. I especially loved the Adolfo character.
Friday 12/28 Free Day All Day! Our group of 5 went to the Top of the Rock in the morning and were treated to beautiful, clear views of Manhattan. A couple was getting married at the very top. We ate lunch at various places there (soups, Pret a Manger, etc.) and afterwards went to St. Patrick’s Cathedral. It was beautiful and crowded. We took a cab up to our former apartment building on 70th and York Ave. The doorman recognized us immediately---we were shocked! He had been in maintenance when we lived there 15 years ago. He looked exactly the same (and was kind enough to say I did, too ) He gave us a key to the children’s play yard off the lobby and the building playroom, both maintained by the parents’ association. I had been president of this organization for several years and some of the equipment and signs I had had made for these areas were still in use. We took more pictures and went out to look at the neighborhood and New York Hospital, where DH trained. We cabbed up to Caedmon, where DS1 went to nursery school and kindergarten, then over to St. Ignatius Loyola school were he went to first through third grades. We went into the church and admired the renovations that had been done since our last visit, and said a prayer for the school. Of course the school building was locked and empty, but we peered into windows and reminisced anyway We walked to Central Park by 84th St., a route we often took after school. We frequently walked by Jackie Onassis going this way to the playground at this end of the park. She was a beautiful and gracious lady who always smiled at us and occasionally waved back when my daughter (who had no idea who she was) waved at her.
We went on to the Metropolitan Museum to the Temple of Dendur, where the kids loved to pretend and walk like Egyptians when they were little. I left them to see the Greek and Roman statuary while I took a cab to TOTG to find a lost glove (they didn’t have it) and get in line at Mars 2112 for dinner. My mother had got in line at 4pm and she and I waited until we were near the top, then began calling the others to come to the restaurant. We had a party of 12, as SIL and her family had met our designer/friend for the day and gone to Ground Zero and the financial district. The noise was incredible, and I could not for the life of me understand why a Mars-themed restaurant would be playing cheesy Christmas music. McLaurie had warned us about the icky, overpriced food and s/he wasn’t wrong. My chicken pasta was mediocre at best. However, the lucky few who ordered eggplant parmigiana were happy with their entrees. Everyone else’s food was passable, the main attraction being the “aliens” who roamed the restaurant. The drinks were the best part of the meal. My scientific findings at this location were that Cosmopolitans dyed blue are Still Good.
After two blue cosmos, the noise did not bother me a bit. Our tab for 11 (SIL did not feel good and went back to the hotel) was about $500 before the tip. Double ouch.
We walked a few blocks to get on our Party Shuttle Holiday Lights bus tour. As much as we tried to get our dear designer friend to accompany us (to take SIL’s place), he would have none of it, basically telling us he’d rather be dead than go. Not a man to mince words, obviously! We got on a two-hour tour that ended up taking 3 hours, with a tour guide that was just this side of awful. Her commentary was dry and disjointed, and given in a tone of voice that said she really didn’t care to be on that bus with us. We had a very comprehensive night tour of Manhattan from Midtown south, and went over the Manhattan Bridge to Brooklyn and parked near a pier to see the skyline. It was a magnificent sight---too bad the little boys were fast asleep by that time! The tour was longer than we’d wanted, and it was raining when we got back to Seventh Ave. I got a cab for SIL’s husband and the two sleeping boys, and another for DD and SIL’S ADFAPM (adult daughter from a previous marrage ). The rest of us walked home, enjoying the sights even through the drizzle.
Saturday 12/29 We packed, checked out of the hotel, and left our luggage and walked over to Ellen’s Stardust Diner. They wouldn’t seat us until everyone was there, and by that time the only long table was gone---even though we were on time for our 10 a.m. reservation. We were given two adjoining tables for six upstairs. The singing was heavenly, and I had prepared everyone for the long wait for food. We ate about an hour after sitting down, and by that time had had enough coffee to float a tanker. The breakfast was okay although the bagels were not very good. They told DS1 they had a particular item when he ordered it but later (an hour later) told him they did not have it. He was annoyed and left the diner to seek breakfast elsewhere. All told it took close to two hours to be served and eat. During that time we heard music from most of the shows currently on Broadway. My mom especially loved this.
We walked to Central Park and found that the line for carriage rides was not too long, so we waited. I took photos of SIL and her group in a carriage, and my nephews were beside themselves with excitement. Our group (minus DS1) took a carriage also, but we got out early at Wollman rink to watch the skaters. We had a leisurely walk through the park and visited some of our favorite playgrounds and places. Once back at the hotel we visited the lounge, got our luggage and Dial 7 showed up right on time with a car and a van. I went in the car and the young driver text messaged on his phone the entire way to LaGuardia. Even when we came to the huge sign that said, “No hand held cell phones!” he did not stop texting. I am going to report him tomorrow, as he is a menace to his passengers and others on the road. Some of us checked our luggage on the way back, and we mostly slept until our 5:10 pm flight was called. We were back in Atlanta by 7:40pm, and by 9:45 our family was back south in our small town and having dinner in a restaurant. Today we got up and drove to Alabama to see our cousins who haven’t been home in a year, and to celebrate DH’s Jan. 2 birthday with them. We’re finally home now and I plan to crawl into the fetal position for three or four days!
Many thanks to those who suggested restaurants and gave advice. It was all very much appreciated!
We had tickets to the Christmas Spectacular show at Radio City at 5:30 pm, so we all headed in different directions for an hour or so. Most of the adults took a nap at the hotel; the college students explored the neighborhood. We walked down to RCMH as a group and took many photos at every opportunity. Our seats, purchased in July, were dead center of the first mezzanine row---the best seats in the house, IMO. We had room to stretch our legs out and lay the coats. This 75th anniversary show was one of the best I’ve seen, although I did miss the red velvet “Santa” costumes the Rockettes usually wear. The moving backdrops/videos of Manhattan were wonderful, and those who had only seen the touring version of this show in Atlanta were amazed and delighted.
Some of us walked up Fifth Avenue to take in the scenery afterwards. We enjoyed being outdoors and later had hot candied nuts and hot dogs on the street for dinner. My SIL and her husband went back to the hotel with the little boys (9 and 6).
Wednesday 12/26 A free morning! DH and I went out early for breakfast to the Green Café, on the same block as our hotel. He had fluffy, delicious French toast and I had a bagel. The coffee was good and it was inexpensive. The others ate in their suites. One group of 6 went off to skate at Rockefeller Center and the rest of went to the Natural History Museum to the planetarium show. We saw the gemstones and the dinosaurs, and the African artifacts before hopping in a cab to make our matinees. Four people saw Spamalot, three saw Legally Blonde, and four saw Mary Poppins. The tickets had been purchased in the late summer (or as soon as they were available for that date) and were all excellent seats. Everyone enjoyed their respective shows. I saw L B with my daughter and mother, and we all agreed that the lead (while completely adorable) had only a B- voice. DD especially enjoyed all the sorority and Greek jokes.
Our family of five plus my mother had dinner at Tavern on the Green. I had been trying to get reservations at a reasonable time and had finally succeeded in making them the day before. (The others stopped for food and took it back to the hotel.) We were ambivalent about going to TOTG, for all the usual reasons (bad food, overpriced, crowded, etc.). However, DH and I had celebrated several anniversaries there (Valentine’s Day) and we had luncheons there after two of our children were baptized in NY, so there was a strong sentimental pull. I had recently read that the new chef had improved the food quality, so in the end we went. Every single one of us had the filet (on the assumption that you really can’t get that wrong). It was flavorful and cooked as ordered. However, the “herb encrusted” was a ridiculous misnomer; there was no crust, just a sad dollop of weird pesto on top. We were puzzled by this and ejected it from an otherwise fine steak. The salads were fresh and crisp, and the cream of mushroom soup with truffle oil was delicious but really too rich. Between the five of us we ordered four desserts: the peanut butter milk chocolate parfait, the pumpkin cheesecake, the plum pudding, and the dark chocolate cake. All were good but nothing to swoon over. The cocktails, however, were absolutely swoon-ful, and I had two of the holiday “berry” cosmopolitans (with Cointreau and something else that gave it a light, berry tingle). Others said their drinks were equally wonderful, and we sat in the same room where we’d all had lunch seven years ago on a previous visit. Some things never change---and we were very glad we’d come.
We went back to the hotel and regrouped; five of us went to Chicago City Limits for the first show. It was good, but frankly not as good as we’d hoped. I’ve seen touring improve groups that were better than these four performers. The cover charge was $15 pp with a 2-drink minimum. One of our group had a tiny plate of nachos, and our total bill for this outing was close to $200. However, DS2 (our actor) loved it, and it was fun to see him suggest things so readily (names of cars, unrelated items, mottoes, etc.) when the actors asked the audience for suggestions.
Thursday 12/27 We left the hotel lobby at 9am for Pier 83 and the two-hour Circle Line tour. Although the day was cloudy we had a good view of the amazing growth on the west side and especially in New Jersey. Our guide was a no-nonsense New Yorker who told people to get off their cell phones when their conversations competed with his narrative. Everyone enjoyed this outing! Afterwards SIL and her group went off to the Carnegie Deli for lunch to meet “our” designer (he did something with all our homes) and the rest of us walked to Junior’s. It was warm, bright and dry, and we only waited about 15 min. for a table. The food was great, and they all told me to thank NeoPatrick for this very good lunch suggestion
. SIL’s group went to the Met after lunch, and my mother cabbed back to the hotel after Junior’s. DH, DS2, DD and I went to the Paley Center for Media (formerly the Museum of Television and Radio). We went to the various screening rooms and saw the famous Superbowl commercials (which I had never seen!), some old programming, and the pilot for The Twilight Zone. Then we walked up to Grand Central to see the model train exhibit and the light show. I bought three New York theme Christmas ornaments from a very friendly woman who (it turned out) was from a town in AL very near DH’s. We had reservations at Angus McIndoe’s at 6 pm, and DS1 met us there. It was a charming restaurant with delicious “pom-tini’s” made with pomegranate juice. (I had decided I would order the same drink everywhere in order to conduct socially useful research/drink comparisons. Conclusion: they were all good!) We had no appetizers; for entrees we ordered the free-range chicken, the grilled pork chop, the grilled chicken salad, a breakfast, and DS2 ordered two complete hamburgers. They came out one at a time and the first one was very overcooked. The waiter took it back immediately with no fuss, and both subsequent burgers were perfect. DH had the sweet potato succotash that was divine. My chicken salad was good with a very, very good balsamic vinaigrette. DD’s breakfast was just what she wanted; everyone was happy. We had a selection of desserts, the warm banana pecan bread pudding with bourbon crème anglaise being the Top Pick, closely followed by the peanut milk chocolate parfait. (Yes, the same thing we’d had at TOTG, only this one had grape jelly, too. It sounds horrible but the kids loved it.) We were out in good time to go souvenir shopping for the kids’ friends (all wanted teddy bears with NYC shirts) before heading to the Mariott Marquis Theater for The Drowsy Chaperone. This show was a hit with everyone! I had never been in this theater and it was very comfortable. The risqué bits went sailing over the two kids’ heads, and the singing and dancing was fantastic. I especially loved the Adolfo character.
Friday 12/28 Free Day All Day! Our group of 5 went to the Top of the Rock in the morning and were treated to beautiful, clear views of Manhattan. A couple was getting married at the very top. We ate lunch at various places there (soups, Pret a Manger, etc.) and afterwards went to St. Patrick’s Cathedral. It was beautiful and crowded. We took a cab up to our former apartment building on 70th and York Ave. The doorman recognized us immediately---we were shocked! He had been in maintenance when we lived there 15 years ago. He looked exactly the same (and was kind enough to say I did, too ) He gave us a key to the children’s play yard off the lobby and the building playroom, both maintained by the parents’ association. I had been president of this organization for several years and some of the equipment and signs I had had made for these areas were still in use. We took more pictures and went out to look at the neighborhood and New York Hospital, where DH trained. We cabbed up to Caedmon, where DS1 went to nursery school and kindergarten, then over to St. Ignatius Loyola school were he went to first through third grades. We went into the church and admired the renovations that had been done since our last visit, and said a prayer for the school. Of course the school building was locked and empty, but we peered into windows and reminisced anyway We walked to Central Park by 84th St., a route we often took after school. We frequently walked by Jackie Onassis going this way to the playground at this end of the park. She was a beautiful and gracious lady who always smiled at us and occasionally waved back when my daughter (who had no idea who she was) waved at her.
We went on to the Metropolitan Museum to the Temple of Dendur, where the kids loved to pretend and walk like Egyptians when they were little. I left them to see the Greek and Roman statuary while I took a cab to TOTG to find a lost glove (they didn’t have it) and get in line at Mars 2112 for dinner. My mother had got in line at 4pm and she and I waited until we were near the top, then began calling the others to come to the restaurant. We had a party of 12, as SIL and her family had met our designer/friend for the day and gone to Ground Zero and the financial district. The noise was incredible, and I could not for the life of me understand why a Mars-themed restaurant would be playing cheesy Christmas music. McLaurie had warned us about the icky, overpriced food and s/he wasn’t wrong. My chicken pasta was mediocre at best. However, the lucky few who ordered eggplant parmigiana were happy with their entrees. Everyone else’s food was passable, the main attraction being the “aliens” who roamed the restaurant. The drinks were the best part of the meal. My scientific findings at this location were that Cosmopolitans dyed blue are Still Good.
After two blue cosmos, the noise did not bother me a bit. Our tab for 11 (SIL did not feel good and went back to the hotel) was about $500 before the tip. Double ouch.We walked a few blocks to get on our Party Shuttle Holiday Lights bus tour. As much as we tried to get our dear designer friend to accompany us (to take SIL’s place), he would have none of it, basically telling us he’d rather be dead than go. Not a man to mince words, obviously! We got on a two-hour tour that ended up taking 3 hours, with a tour guide that was just this side of awful. Her commentary was dry and disjointed, and given in a tone of voice that said she really didn’t care to be on that bus with us. We had a very comprehensive night tour of Manhattan from Midtown south, and went over the Manhattan Bridge to Brooklyn and parked near a pier to see the skyline. It was a magnificent sight---too bad the little boys were fast asleep by that time! The tour was longer than we’d wanted, and it was raining when we got back to Seventh Ave. I got a cab for SIL’s husband and the two sleeping boys, and another for DD and SIL’S ADFAPM (adult daughter from a previous marrage
). The rest of us walked home, enjoying the sights even through the drizzle.Saturday 12/29 We packed, checked out of the hotel, and left our luggage and walked over to Ellen’s Stardust Diner. They wouldn’t seat us until everyone was there, and by that time the only long table was gone---even though we were on time for our 10 a.m. reservation. We were given two adjoining tables for six upstairs. The singing was heavenly, and I had prepared everyone for the long wait for food. We ate about an hour after sitting down, and by that time had had enough coffee to float a tanker. The breakfast was okay although the bagels were not very good. They told DS1 they had a particular item when he ordered it but later (an hour later) told him they did not have it. He was annoyed and left the diner to seek breakfast elsewhere. All told it took close to two hours to be served and eat. During that time we heard music from most of the shows currently on Broadway. My mom especially loved this.
We walked to Central Park and found that the line for carriage rides was not too long, so we waited. I took photos of SIL and her group in a carriage, and my nephews were beside themselves with excitement. Our group (minus DS1) took a carriage also, but we got out early at Wollman rink to watch the skaters. We had a leisurely walk through the park and visited some of our favorite playgrounds and places. Once back at the hotel we visited the lounge, got our luggage and Dial 7 showed up right on time with a car and a van. I went in the car and the young driver text messaged on his phone the entire way to LaGuardia. Even when we came to the huge sign that said, “No hand held cell phones!” he did not stop texting. I am going to report him tomorrow, as he is a menace to his passengers and others on the road. Some of us checked our luggage on the way back, and we mostly slept until our 5:10 pm flight was called. We were back in Atlanta by 7:40pm, and by 9:45 our family was back south in our small town and having dinner in a restaurant. Today we got up and drove to Alabama to see our cousins who haven’t been home in a year, and to celebrate DH’s Jan. 2 birthday with them. We’re finally home now and I plan to crawl into the fetal position for three or four days!
Many thanks to those who suggested restaurants and gave advice. It was all very much appreciated!
Dec 30th, 2007, 07:19 PM
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A note about the hotel: All three rooms were one-bedroom suites with kitchenettes; this is an apartment building that is being converted, apartment by apartment, into hotel rooms. All had been renovated, and two were typical one-bedroom city apartments with a smallish bath. One suite was much larger (about 800 sq.ft) and more luxurious (a relative term, certainly) with (many)windows on two sides, two large closets, larger bathroom, etc. Lucky mom, DD and I got this by chance. I will post a link to photos of the room tomorrow. Despite the differences in sizes, they were all the same cost (including tax, about $440 per night.)
The location was perfect for our itinerary. There was a great smallish lounge and business center on the second floor, and a wonderful laundry in the basement with ten coin-op washers and dryers, $1.75 each. The dryers ran 60 minutes for that price. Also in the laundry room: two clean folding tables, drink and snack machines, and a small commercial icemaker. The housekeeping office was next door to the laundry.
Although the hotel does not have a coffee shop or room service, the Green Cafe two doors up is everything one could want in a quick deli/diner. Two blocks over, the M&W had a complete selection of hot and cold prepared foods and not a bad beer/wine assortment for a grocery store. A Cafe Europa on the corner was a good place for a glass of wine or late meal.
I would unreservedly recommend this hotel for people traveling with children, and because of the large sizes, for those who would rather have more space than more amenities.
The location was perfect for our itinerary. There was a great smallish lounge and business center on the second floor, and a wonderful laundry in the basement with ten coin-op washers and dryers, $1.75 each. The dryers ran 60 minutes for that price. Also in the laundry room: two clean folding tables, drink and snack machines, and a small commercial icemaker. The housekeeping office was next door to the laundry.
Although the hotel does not have a coffee shop or room service, the Green Cafe two doors up is everything one could want in a quick deli/diner. Two blocks over, the M&W had a complete selection of hot and cold prepared foods and not a bad beer/wine assortment for a grocery store. A Cafe Europa on the corner was a good place for a glass of wine or late meal.
I would unreservedly recommend this hotel for people traveling with children, and because of the large sizes, for those who would rather have more space than more amenities.
Dec 30th, 2007, 07:30 PM
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Hi kswl,
Welcome back! I loved you trip report and I was so envious. The week before Christmas is my all time favourite week in NY. I think it's magic.
I hope we'll be spending at least a week in NY, this time in the spring. I wanted to rent an apartment so we can put together a nice dinner party for several groups of friends who live there but your hotel sounds interesting and it's a great location for us, so I'm going to look into it. I'll note your restaurant recs too!
Happy new year to you!
Welcome back! I loved you trip report and I was so envious. The week before Christmas is my all time favourite week in NY. I think it's magic.
I hope we'll be spending at least a week in NY, this time in the spring. I wanted to rent an apartment so we can put together a nice dinner party for several groups of friends who live there but your hotel sounds interesting and it's a great location for us, so I'm going to look into it. I'll note your restaurant recs too!
Happy new year to you!
Dec 30th, 2007, 07:41 PM
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Happy New Year to you, too, hdm!Your plans (read in the lounge) sound perrrrfect!
You could entertain very easily in this hotel... the "G" suites on each floor seem to be the biggest, so I would try to get one of them. I'll post the photos tomorrow.
You could entertain very easily in this hotel... the "G" suites on each floor seem to be the biggest, so I would try to get one of them. I'll post the photos tomorrow.
Dec 31st, 2007, 04:14 AM
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Very nice report, kswl!
I especially enjoyed reading about the glimpses into your previous life there.
Would have loved seeing the train display at Grand Central--we don't get those in south TX and I miss that at Christmastime.
Sounds as though you and the family enjoyed a successful trip...hope you found use for the other 99 maps.
I especially enjoyed reading about the glimpses into your previous life there.
Would have loved seeing the train display at Grand Central--we don't get those in south TX and I miss that at Christmastime.
Sounds as though you and the family enjoyed a successful trip...hope you found use for the other 99 maps.
Dec 31st, 2007, 04:34 AM
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Terrific report, kswl! I love your "stroll down memory lane", going to the old favorite restaurants, schools, churches, etc. Very charming indeed 
.
What a wonderful treat for your mother. I'm sure this multi-generational trip for her will be a highlight for many years to come.
.What a wonderful treat for your mother. I'm sure this multi-generational trip for her will be a highlight for many years to come.
Dec 31st, 2007, 04:36 AM
#11
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Well, swisshiker, I certainly hope so, because the likelihood of another multigenerational trip is quite slim.
I have two alternate versions of the above report ready for my analyst and best friend next week
I have two alternate versions of the above report ready for my analyst and best friend next week
$500 at Mars 2112? Ouch is right. 
Dec 31st, 2007, 09:16 AM
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Yes, it was fun!
Here are some photos of our trip... I put the hotel photos first so that's all you have to see, lol
http://tinyurl.com/275ajz
Here are some photos of our trip... I put the hotel photos first so that's all you have to see, lol
http://tinyurl.com/275ajz
Dec 31st, 2007, 10:27 AM
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Hello kswl, I so enjoyed your trip report and also your photos!
Your hotel suite was fabulous and how nice to have so much room.
I am glad you "survived", lol! You and your family will have lifetime memories of your Christmas week in NYC I am sure.
My wishes to you and all of your family for a Happy New Year and a wonderful 2008. My life be good to all of you.
Your hotel suite was fabulous and how nice to have so much room.
I am glad you "survived", lol! You and your family will have lifetime memories of your Christmas week in NYC I am sure.
My wishes to you and all of your family for a Happy New Year and a wonderful 2008. My life be good to all of you.
