J Larsen Posted March 28, 2004 Report Posted March 28, 2004 Whoa, I've never paid anywhere near $80 to/from Newark. It usually comes up to $30 to $40 for me. Quote
7/4 Posted March 28, 2004 Report Posted March 28, 2004 Taking into account that each of us will probably have at least two pieces of luggage, would it be easiest to grab a cab from Newark? Airport Limo? Or is there some efficient form of public transportation that is safe? How much does a cab cost from Newark to Manhattan BTW? Take the Air Train monorail to NJ Transit to NYC Penn Station. I don't remember how much it costs, but it's cheap. I live about 10 miles south of the airport, I've used it the last four times I flew. Quote
7/4 Posted March 28, 2004 Report Posted March 28, 2004 Ground zero if you visit is a big open space now. It is all cleaned up. There is a church that was next to the 2 towers. It’s the oldest church in NY. It didn't suffer any damage, which is amazing once you see the site and the photo hung on the church of the collapse. You can visit it. It has become the living remembrance of 911. Trinity Church? Quote
7/4 Posted March 28, 2004 Report Posted March 28, 2004 The deal with the Statue of Liberty is that you can go to it, but not in it. You're about as well off taking the Staten Island ferry, which is free. It passes right by the statue, and offers great views of Manhattan and Brooklyn. Plus you get to set foot on another borrough. But there's really next to nothing to do on Staten Island. I drove across it one day while helping my friend move. Two observations: it's HUGE, and it's nothing like the rest of New York - lots of strip malls and (mostly) trashy looking houses. It's really a more expensive version of the Midwest, IMO. Staten Island huge? I drove to Brooklyn this afternoon. 12 miles from the Bayone Bridge, down the SI Expressway to the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. It's small island! Maybe you're getting it confused with Long Island? New Jersey? Quote
Free For All Posted March 28, 2004 Report Posted March 28, 2004 (edited) lots of strip malls and (mostly) trashy looking houses. It's really a more expensive version of the Midwest, IMO. From the board of tourism: Come to Kansas City- the Staten Island of the midwest! Trashy houses! Strip malls!! We got it all, just not as nice!!! :rsmile: Edited March 28, 2004 by Free For All Quote
robviti Posted March 28, 2004 Report Posted March 28, 2004 (edited) IMO, the three best cd stores in NYC for jazz are: Jazz Record Center – 236 West 26th Street, between 7th & 8th Ave Academy Records – 12 West 18th Street between 5th & 6th Ave NYCD – 173 West 81st Street between Amsterdam & Columbus Just let me know when you folks are visiting so I can go down there and grab the rare stuff beforehand! I tend to stay in the budget hotels that are favored by foreign tourists. Clean and affordable. Believe it or not, the Super 8 Motel in Times Square is very nice. I just stayed at the Red Roof Inn on 31st Street last weekend, and it was quite good too. Both of these hotels have been voted best in the budget category by Citysearch. Of course, I might choose something more grand if I was going with someone special. I understand the Muse is incredible, but at $300 a night, it should be. As far as jazz goes, the Village Vanguard is a must in my book. It's like a club and a museum rolled into one. The Iridium, Birdland, and the Blue Note are more upscale, but I generally prefer to see jazz at Smoke, the Vanguard, and the Jazz Standard. You might also check out the Upover Jazz Cafe in Brooklyn. It has a small, coffee-house atmosphere, and I've seen some good acts there. Of course, it's the music that's most important, so I suggest you check out who's playing and base your decision on who you most want to see. Make reservations via phone a week or two before. The one-day subway pass for $7 is a great bargain. It's good until 3am, which is good for those of us getting out of those late night jazz sets. As far as restaurants go, I let the natives continue to offer suggestions. BTW, NYCD is only a block or two away from the Natural History Museum, which I think is a great tourist attraction. Edited March 28, 2004 by jazzshrink Quote
rachel Posted March 28, 2004 Report Posted March 28, 2004 lots of strip malls and (mostly) trashy looking houses. It's really a more expensive version of the Midwest, IMO. From the board of tourism: Come to Kansas City- the Staten Island of the midwest! Trashy houses! Strip malls!! We got it all, just not as nice!!! :rsmile: Quote
Dmitry Posted March 28, 2004 Report Posted March 28, 2004 But there's really next to nothing to do on Staten Island. I drove across it one day while helping my friend move. Two observations: it's HUGE, and it's nothing like the rest of New York - lots of strip malls and (mostly) trashy looking houses. It's really a more expensive version of the Midwest, IMO. In short - you are misiniformed ... Longer version would be less civil. Quote
J Larsen Posted March 28, 2004 Report Posted March 28, 2004 (edited) Staten Island huge? I drove to Brooklyn this afternoon. 12 miles from the Bayone Bridge, down the SI Expressway to the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. It's small island! Maybe you're getting it confused with Long Island? New Jersey?   Well, it feels pretty huge when you're driving a large U-Haul from one end to the other. In any event, it's only a little smaller than Brooklyn (60.9 square miles vs. 78.5 square miles). See for yourself: http://hypertextbook.com/facts/2002/JordanLevine1.shtml Look at the table on the bottom of the page. SI is the third largest burrough, and sencond largest in terms of land use. Actually, I just checked wikipedia, and it says that SI is the largest burrough at 102 square miles, compared to 96 for Bkln. This is actually what I thought all along. Not sure why different sources say different things, but wiki quotes the US census bureau. Dmitry, I am not misinformed. I have to go out there rather often, as I have three friends in SI. I've seen plenty of the island with my own eyes. We simply have different taste. No need to even suggest that an "uncivil" response is in order. SI does have a nice botanical garden, I'll give it that. Edited March 28, 2004 by J Larsen Quote
Dmitry Posted March 28, 2004 Report Posted March 28, 2004 Dmitry, I am not misinformed. I have to go out there rather often, as I have three friends in SI. I've seen plenty of the island with my own eyes. We simply have different taste. No need to even suggest that an "uncivil" response is in order. SI does have a nice botanical garden, I'll give it that. Obviously I was facetious with "uncivil". Have you been to the less urban sections od the Island [thank god there are still many]? If you have explored the historic St. George and Richmond Town on foot, if you saw the Victorian homes in Tottenville, had the best Italian food in town, took a bike ride through the amazing Clay Pit Ponds, chilled out on the cleanest and best beaches in New York, and having done that you'd call it "lots of strip malls and (mostly) trashy looking houses" then I'd have no arguement with your statement. Have you? Meadowfair Snug Harbor Garibaldi lived here Willowbrook Park Richmond Town Museum of Tibetan Art Wolfe's Pond These are just snapshots, pebbles of what Staten Island really is. Quote
ralphie_boy Posted March 28, 2004 Report Posted March 28, 2004 Go have a pizza at Patsy Grimaldi's underneath the Brooklyn Bridge. Quote
J Larsen Posted March 29, 2004 Report Posted March 29, 2004 (edited) Dmitry - Sorry I misinterpreted your tone - honestly it wasn't that obvious to me. Maybe a wink would have done the trick. Anyway, I have done all the things you mentioned except go to Old Richmond Town. I would like to do that at some point. I also haven't had Italian food on SI better than what I've had at Genarro, Babbo or Il Mulino - do you have any good recommendations? That would be a fun thing to do the next time I head out there. I stand by my comment though - the island is about 100 square miles and in my experience about 90 of those square miles fit the description I gave. I can see it being a nice place to live if having a normal house is your thing, but if a person is visiting NY for a week I don't think SI is worth their time (unless they're really into Tibetan art - I forgot about that museum). And yes, I realize that this is an extremely silly "argument". Edited March 29, 2004 by J Larsen Quote
7/4 Posted March 29, 2004 Report Posted March 29, 2004 (unless they're really into Tibetan art - I forgot about that museum). Wow, it's been a long time since I've been there. A very nice place, the building is based on a Tibetan temple. The Newark museum has a bigger collection that's real nice too. Real close to the Newark train station. Quote
7/4 Posted March 29, 2004 Report Posted March 29, 2004 It's small island! Maybe you're getting it confused with Long Island? New Jersey? Well, it feels pretty huge when you're driving a large U-Haul from one end to the other. In any event, it's only a little smaller than Brooklyn (60.9 square miles vs. 78.5 square miles). See for yourself: http://hypertextbook.com/facts/2002/JordanLevine1.shtml Look at the table on the bottom of the page. SI is the third largest burrough, and sencond largest in terms of land use. Actually, I just checked wikipedia, and it says that SI is the largest burrough at 102 square miles, compared to 96 for Bkln. This is actually what I thought all along. Not sure why different sources say different things, but wiki quotes the US census bureau. Quote
Dmitry Posted March 29, 2004 Report Posted March 29, 2004 Go have a pizza at Patsy Grimaldi's underneath the Brooklyn Bridge. I live in Brooklyn, and obviously been in line for pizza at Patsy's many a times. Who said it's not great! In Staten Island, awesome pizza is to be had at the venerable Denino's Pizzeria Tavern on Port Richmond Ave. Also Nunzio's, on Hylan Blvd. The decor is nothing to write home about[unlike Denino's], but pizza is very very good. Quote
ralphie_boy Posted March 29, 2004 Report Posted March 29, 2004 You have to go to Peter Luger's (inner Brooklyn)- you'll drop $100/head, but you'll never have better steak. No question! Worth every penny. Eat hot dogs for a few nights and then blow your wad at Luger's. Get the Porterhouse for two, creamed spinach some potatoes and a nice California Cab. Quote
brownie Posted March 29, 2004 Report Posted March 29, 2004 Another question: If you could save $80 Canadian per ticket, but had to fly into Newark instead LaGuardia, would you do it? In other words, is this too much of a hassle? Whenever I fly to NYC, I take a plane that lands at Newark. Much better airport than the other ones. Also the Olympia bus lines are great. Cheaper and better than taxis. And you feel like you're in New York right away by the people taking the ride along. And the view of the Manhattan skyline before getting into the tunnel to Manhattan is simply breathtaking. You don't get it from LaGuardia or JFK. Rides from those two airports are plain boring! The Olympia buses take you right next to Grand Central Station (with a short stop near Penn Station). Quote
undergroundagent Posted April 13, 2004 Author Report Posted April 13, 2004 (edited) Hey Folks, We're still very unsure about where we are going to eat. What are some classy, but affordable, Italian eateries? Thai? The three places we're certain on are: Virgil's, Katz, Gramaldi's. BTW, we're now going at the end of the month (instead of in October). My girlfriend bought me a trip fully paid for 5 days, 4 nights and we're staying in the Muse in Times Sq. It was a grad/birthday gift. What a gal!!! B) Edited April 13, 2004 by undergroundagent Quote
J Larsen Posted April 13, 2004 Report Posted April 13, 2004 Hey ua - I'm probably in the minority here, but I think Virgil's sucks. Two qualifiers: I've had REALLY good BBQ in my life, and I used to work in close proximity to Virgil's, so I've had a lot of take-out from them - I may have just gotten sick of their food. I find it bland compared to authentic southern BBQ. Actually, I think you can find better BBQ even in Manhattan - there's a place called Tennessee Mountain that a few friends swear by. For affordable yet excellent Italian, try Genarro (est. cost ~$35/person, provided you don't go too crazy with wines and other extras). Babbo and Il Mulino are, IMO, the gold-bar standards, but they fall into the "special occasion" realm of the price spectrum for most people (Babbo is around $70/person with basic wine, Il Mulino is more like $100). I think Genarro is your best bet. If you've decided that you're going to the AMNH, Genarro is right in the neighborhood. A nice afternoon/early evening could be: Lunch at Barney Greengrass, AMNH, early dinner at Genarro (if you don't go to Genarro early you won't get in). All three things are a stone's throw from one another. Do you like French? There are quite a few good, moderately priced bistros in the city. Asian and Indian are also both great for bargain dining. BTW, sorry for derailing your thread with my SI comment - I really meant it to be innocent and got carried away with the controversy! Quote
7/4 Posted April 13, 2004 Report Posted April 13, 2004 Hey ua - I'm probably in the minority here, but I think Virgil's sucks. Two qualifiers: I've had REALLY good BBQ in my life, and I used to work in close proximity to Virgil's, so I've had a lot of take-out from them - I may have just gotten sick of their food. I find it bland compared to authentic southern BBQ. Actually, I think you can find better BBQ even in Manhattan - there's a place called Tennessee Mountain that a few friends swear by. Spring St., a few blocks west of Broadway. Quote
J Larsen Posted April 13, 2004 Report Posted April 13, 2004 Thanks, 7/4. Have you eaten there? I've never tried it. BTW, ua, I have one more recommendation on cheap-ish Italian restaurants for you: Piccolo Angolo on Hudson and Jane. However, I've never eaten at this place - I only noticed that it's in Manhattan and that it got a very high food rating and low cost rating in the 2004 Zagat. BTW, I highly recommend picking that book up - it's only $13 and it's very rarely lead me astray. Just be very skeptical of any high food ratings for places near Columbia or NYU - the college kids tend to be very easily impressed and seem to inflate the ratings of anything near their dorms. In fact, that's the only way I've ever been burned by Zagat - otherwise I've found it to be spot-on. Quote
undergroundagent Posted April 13, 2004 Author Report Posted April 13, 2004 What about the best place to buy JAZZ discs? Used? New? I know people have listed good stores, but are they good for jazz? Quote
J Larsen Posted April 13, 2004 Report Posted April 13, 2004 Jazz Record Center is the best. Kim's (and the other stores on St. Mark's) will occassionally have some good used discs. Quote
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