Restaurants:
Isabella's : 77th and Columbus. Hands down my favorite restaurant for food quality. Excellent, friendly service also. They worked with us when our guest had a peanut allergy-- meticulously. They have an outdoor cafe that is a great place to people watch. Brunch is excellent if packed. Dinner is excellent. Really my favorite place. Entrees average about $20. Love the salmon and their desserts are to die for (about $12). Somewhat costly but worth it.
Josies: Amsterdam and 73rd. All lactose free, decently priced, good organic meals. I love the Shrimp and Brown Rice! Not spectacular atmosphere, but friendly service and a nice place for a dinner with friends.
Sarabeth's: Amsterdam and 80th. Excellent food. Entrees in 13's to 20s. Packed for brunch.
Cafe Fiorello: 64th and Bway. Yummy Italian food, and UWS institution, with a wonderful outdoor cafe with a view of Lincoln Center. A great see and be seen place, lively action day and night if you stay in the outdoor cafe! Also niext door to this is:
Jacobs Pickles: Amsterdam and...85th? I hear the food here is great and the brunch awesome. Beer-centric!
Shake Shack: Columbus and 77th: Delicious fries and burgers, not a restuarant but really take out (tho there are small tables) it is super well know for its yummy if bad-for-you burgers, fries, and frozen custard. Amost always a line--but worth it!
Sugar and Plumm: Amsterdam and 78th. For desserts, ice cream, sweets etc.! Lovely new cafe, though lots of kids on the weekend.
5Napkin Burger: Bway at 84th St. Upscale, nice burger place. Outdoor cafe.
Serafina: Bway and 77th. Can be LOUD and crowded but...yummy Italian. I had the pesto pasta once and it was delicious. Pastas around 20-25. They also serve breakfast.
Coffee Shops:
Utopia Restaurant: Amsterdam bet. 72nd and 73rd. No NYC visit is truly complete without a visit to a real NY coffee shop! My favorite is Utopia, on Amsterdam between 72nd and 73rd--not just for the name--and definitely not for the food, which is acceptable but standard coffee shop fare-- but for the neighborhood experience. Lots of regulars, waiters who've been around forever, and a classic NYC coffee shop decor (Don't miss Christmas!), this is an experience any true--or wannabe-- New Yorker doesn't want to miss!
Cafes and Bake Shops and Misc:
Magnolia Bakery: 69th and Columbus. The famous Magnolia...with the cupcakes made famous on "Sex and the City." Walking in here, the smell is to die for! Awesome cakes by the slice. This place is crazy good. Do NOT miss it!
Crumbs Bake Shop:Amsterdam between 76th and 77th. Delicious amazing cupcakes, lots of great concoctions. I love the Dulce de Leche and Cosmo cupcakes. And plain old vanilla with vanilla frosting. Don't miss the mini -sampler of 12 cupcakes! Yummy!
Le Pain Quotidien: 72nd between Columbus and CPW, also in Central Park above Sheep's Meadow: Wonderful little French cafe with great cafe au laits and pastries and bread...also light salads and sandwiches, reasonably priced, for lunch or early dinner. A great place to just sit and read. Also in Central Par, outdoors--on a nice day, a wonderful place to have breakfast though you may have to wait.
Arte Cafe Around the Corner: Columbus, between 73rd and 74th. Coffee, pastries and light lunch/ dinner...nice place to sit and rest, read, have a coffee. Small outdoor cafe area.
16 Handles: 75th and Amsterdam. YUMMY!!! My favorite indulgence. 16 flavors of frozen yogurt, with additions from Butterfinger bars to rainbow cookies (my personal fave), mini-Reese's pieces...friendly staff, clean and very well run.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Circle Line Boat Tours-A great way to see lower Manhattan and Statue of Liberty
Statue of Liberty tickets are hard to get...and even with tickets you are in for a long wait just to go to the acutal islad, which is really a highly overrated trip, and a waste of time IMHO. It is far easier to see the Statue on a boat tour like the Circle Line boat tours. Even though you do not go to the actual island you are near enough to see the Statue and take photos.
The Circle Line departs from Pier 83 at 42nd Street & 12th ave on the Hudson River., and run from 75 min-3 hours ($24-34), April- Sept their ours are: 75 min tour: Daily: 11:00am; 1:00pm; 3:00pm . 2 hour tour: 11:30am; 3:30pm . 3hour tour: 10:00am; 12:30pm; 2:00pm; 4:30pm . I would recommend these tours (not really necessary to do the whole island--I have done it and it is a bit long).
Semi Circle Cruise- 1.5 hours, does lower Manhattan, you see the Statue of Liberty, etc.
Liberty Cruise: 1 hour: Like the Semi Circle cruise but only the left side of Lower Manhattan.
What is nice about these is you also get a feel for Lower Manhattan, Wall Street, Battery Park, and the area where the WTC is/was, without having to actually go down there. (Though it is a beautiful area, esp. batter Park).
The Circle Line departs from Pier 83 at 42nd Street & 12th ave on the Hudson River., and run from 75 min-3 hours ($24-34), April- Sept their ours are: 75 min tour: Daily: 11:00am; 1:00pm; 3:00pm . 2 hour tour: 11:30am; 3:30pm . 3hour tour: 10:00am; 12:30pm; 2:00pm; 4:30pm . I would recommend these tours (not really necessary to do the whole island--I have done it and it is a bit long).
Semi Circle Cruise- 1.5 hours, does lower Manhattan, you see the Statue of Liberty, etc.
Liberty Cruise: 1 hour: Like the Semi Circle cruise but only the left side of Lower Manhattan.
What is nice about these is you also get a feel for Lower Manhattan, Wall Street, Battery Park, and the area where the WTC is/was, without having to actually go down there. (Though it is a beautiful area, esp. batter Park).
Friday, April 26, 2013
Decent, reasonably-priced hotels near Fifth Ave, Central Park, above 50th St.
The Hudson (chic boutique hotel small rooms) 356 W. 58th St.
The Jewel http://www.thejewelny.com/ 51st and Fifth
Warwick NY 11 West 51st Street, New York, NY, 10017
Helmsley Park Lane 33 Central Park South( CPS)
Parker Meridien
NY Hilton Midtown 54th and 6th
Omni Berkshire Place 52nd and Madison
Waldorf Astoria Park and 49th
Wellington- 7th and 55th
The Jewel http://www.thejewelny.com/ 51st and Fifth
Warwick NY 11 West 51st Street, New York, NY, 10017
Helmsley Park Lane 33 Central Park South( CPS)
Parker Meridien
NY Hilton Midtown 54th and 6th
Omni Berkshire Place 52nd and Madison
Waldorf Astoria Park and 49th
Wellington- 7th and 55th
Luxury hotels near Central Park, Fifth Avenue area (central but away from Times Square madness)
Nice website for higher end hotels: http://www.newyorkcityluxuryhotels.com/
The Plaza (Central Park South --fantastic location)
The Pierre Fifth Ave near 59th
The Penninsula --Fifth and 55th
Ritz Carleton -Central Park South
Trump International Plaza CPW near 59th
Parker Meridien (57th and 6th or so)
The Plaza (Central Park South --fantastic location)
The Pierre Fifth Ave near 59th
The Penninsula --Fifth and 55th
Ritz Carleton -Central Park South
Trump International Plaza CPW near 59th
Parker Meridien (57th and 6th or so)
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Hotels-- upper west side recommendations
Beacon Hotel isn't super fancy but has good rates and the location--on the Upper West Side, between 75th and 76th--is perfect for accessing Central Park, Lincoln Center, etc--and it is far enough away from the hustle and bustle of Times Square to give you a flavor NYC the way its residents --not tours-ist--experience it! Rooms are relatively small as with all NYC room but a room with a small kitchen is a great choice if you can get it. http://www.beaconhotel.com/ Very safe nieghborhood, not touristy at all.
Here is another UWS hotel: On the Ave, around the corner from the Beacon, 76th St off Broadway. TINY rooms in general but...still good for the budget, clean etc. My friend Ronda stayed here with her daughter...the room was large enough for a bed and that was it! But it was clean and new: http://www.ontheave-nyc.com/
Comfort Inn on 71st off Central Park West is another decent budget option: http://www.comfortinn.com/hotel-new_york-new_york-NY209
The Lucerne Hotel: More expensive, very nice, 79th and Amsterdam: http://www.thelucernehotel.com/
If you want to go high end, stay on Central Park South or Central Park West,or in upper midtown 57th St area, not in Times Square.
I
Here is another UWS hotel: On the Ave, around the corner from the Beacon, 76th St off Broadway. TINY rooms in general but...still good for the budget, clean etc. My friend Ronda stayed here with her daughter...the room was large enough for a bed and that was it! But it was clean and new: http://www.ontheave-nyc.com/
Comfort Inn on 71st off Central Park West is another decent budget option: http://www.comfortinn.com/hotel-new_york-new_york-NY209
The Lucerne Hotel: More expensive, very nice, 79th and Amsterdam: http://www.thelucernehotel.com/
If you want to go high end, stay on Central Park South or Central Park West,or in upper midtown 57th St area, not in Times Square.
I
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