I visited New York City in April of 1967, the year I was about to graduate from high school and have not been back since. We stayed at a place called the Picadilly. The days I spent there were magical, seeing the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, and spending an afternoon seeing the rockettes and going to my first gogo place, I think was the Cheetah Lounge, was for teens that could not consume adult beverages and had tremendous sound systems and dancing with my high school sweetheart who I haven%26#39;t seen in almost 40 years.....but I digress.
My wife and I are going Jan 4-8, staying at the Michelangelo in one of there ';superior'; rooms, which is the least expensive rooms they have, and we have reservations at the Ruth Chris Restauraunt next to the Michaelangelo for our 1st night. I have reservations for the View on Friday night Jan 6).
We will spend most of Thursday in the diamond district. I have read all of the precautions from all of you wonderful contributors, but my wife has seen empirical evidence (from co-workers at Wachovia Bank who purchased diamonds there) that the diamond district is THE place to go to find wonderful diamonds and settings at a knock-down price. and our visit is for our 10th anniversary, so the best I can do is study the diamonds and hope I do not screw up the purchase.
My question is for a nice lunch place near the Diamond District for Thursday and secondly, if someone were to offer you a free dinner at any restaurant in the area, which would you select. I have Thursday and Saturday night to arrange.
Any good ideas??
Sorta new to New york...and thanks
If you are wine drinkers, there is a restaurant right by your hotel, its on 51st between 6th and 7th called Cite. They have a wine dinner. You pay one price and you get a wonderful three course meal and all kinds of wines. Its all you can drink wine, so you don%26#39;t have very far to walk afterwords!
Sorta new to New york...and thanks
Hi Afred, Whilst in NY I managed to get to Charascurria Plataforma (I think thats how its spelt) which is just off Times Square. It was just a really amazing, cool NY experience and the food was lovely. This would be my %26#39;must return to%26#39; restaurant out of everything I did, whether it was free or not!!!
Cath xxx
I think if you are interested in jewelry, you should at least take a look at Tiffany%26#39;s (57th %26amp; Fifth Ave) and Harry Winston (across the street).
Not knowing what you like to eat, please take a look at menupages.com and pick midtown east / west area and filter for what you like.
Cath Col: I am trying to find the restaurant you recommend and cannot find on line. Could you check the spelling and thanks for the response
Iddev: Thanks for the tip on menupages....lots to look at
Here%26#39;s the website:
http://www.churrascariaplataforma.com/
Don%26#39;t forget to eat some roughage with all that meat, if you know what I mean....
Afred:
If you offerred me a free dinner near the diamond district, I%26#39;d stroll to 51st between Eighth and Ninth Avenues.
VICE VERSA.....upscale Italian food in a lovely New York setting.
Good food/good wine.
Good luck,
Joe in NYC
Well, things have changed slightly since your last trip. ;o)
I hope you get outside the Diamond District! Since you%26#39;ve revealed that you were in high school in the 60s, I%26#39;d suggest the following for dinner if money was no object:
Bayard%26#39;s
Bouley
City Hall
Tribeca Grill
Here%26#39;s a humongous list of websites that I love to use myself, and I%26#39;m from here.
Maps are essential for planning your itinerary. Many folks here recommend the DK Eyewitness guides. Personally, I like the Not for Tourist maps. I%26#39;d invest in one. They are small ';little black books'; that have a low ';goofy tourist'; factor. Very thorough, and all are printable from the website:
www.notfortourists.com/newyork.aspx
There are also maps on Trip Advisor. Click on ';New York City Maps'; on the left of this webpage.
To sightsee, group things by locaiton/neighborhood. I%26#39;m sure you already know that the majority of attractions are in Manhattan and easily accessible by subway.
For example, in lower Manhattan you can do these within a 1 mile radius: Staten Island Ferry, Battery Park, Wall Street, Trinity Church, Subtreasurey Building, Museum of Finance, Ground Zero, Century 21, St. Paul%26#39;s Chapel, Fulton Street, South Street Seaport.
It sounds like you already know a few things you want to see.
However, if you would like some more advice on the %26#39;must-see'; attractions, see these previous posts:
tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g60763-i5-k324430-鈥?/a>
tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g60763-i5-k305465-鈥?/a>
tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g60763-i5-k304679-鈥?/a>
tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g60763-i5-k276373-鈥?/a>
For basics about NYC tourism, check:
www.newyorkled.com (has great Xmas and New Year listings)
www.theinsider.com/newyork
www.nycvisit.com
www.nyc.gov (click on ';visitors'; in the blue band)
www.mustseenewyork.com/
The subway and tourism:
www.mta.info/metrocard/tourism/index.html
How to ride the subway:
http://www.mta.info/nyct/subway/howto_sub.htm
The subway runs 24-7-365 and is very safe. Of course, one should use common sense and always keep a good handle on personal belongings, money, cameras, etc. Don%26#39;t keep your wallet in your back pants pocket, etc.
You can use Hop-Stop to find subway and bus directions:
http://www.hopstop.com/
For nightlife, comedy shows, live music, strange off-beat performances, etc.:
www.newyork.citysearch.com
www.thelmagazine.com (free magazine in orange street-corner boxes, too.)
www.timeoutny.com (hard copy magazine is better.)
http://nyc.flavorpill.net/index.jsp
http://in-nyc.com/
For restaurants:
www.menupages.com
www.newyork.citysearch.com
For things on the cheap:
www.cheapotravel.com/newyork
www.nymetro.com/cheap
newyorkmetro.com/urban/鈥ndex.htm
Bundle up, since the weather will be cold, and wear comfortable walking shoes.
Here%26#39;s a website for the weather:
www.wunderground.com
(I hope this doesn%26#39;t post twice...I%26#39;ve just gotten an error message on the first try.)
A block from the Michelangelo is arguably the finest restaurant in New York -- Le Bernardin. Exquisite seafood. Expensive but worth it. Your concierge might be able to get you a reservation. This would be my choice if offered a free meal.
I dined last week at a newish restaurant on 53rd between 5th-Madison, Alto -- I%26#39;d call it Italian haute cuisine. Absolutely divine! Very sleek-but-warm, comfy seating. Each course was extraordinary and the service was perfect, not rushed. Also expensive.
A couple of blocks closer to the diamond district, on 49th %26amp; Sixth, is Joseph Citarella, a very good seafooder. Diagonally across the street from there is the excellent steakhouse, Del Frisco%26#39;s.
Good luck with the diamonds!
Afred, welcome back! We missed you. Wow, the Cheetah was so emblematic of 1967 New York.
The Piccadilly was a sweet old hotel that was one of the martyrs that fell to make way for the monstrosity that is the Marriot Marquis. I held my first ';adult'; party there - an Oscar-watching soire in 1978.
As for restaurants in the Diamond area, Bettina is spot on regarding Le Bernardin, It%26#39;s not only the best seafood restaurant in New York, many people would say it%26#39;s the best in the country. But it ain%26#39;t cheap. (But if you have the cash, it%26#39;s defintely worth it.)
Bobby Flay%26#39;s Bar Americain is a terrific, relatively new place. It%26#39;s very close to your hotel -- 53nd Street between 6th and 7th Avenues. Boisterous and fun.
Speaking of boisterous, I love the Redeye Grill, at 56th and 7th Avenue. Great raw bar, salads, steaks and fish. Uniquely New York.
And there%26#39;s my favorite Italian in the city, Orso on Restaurant Row, 46th Street between 8th and 9th.
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