We are back! Trip Report

Well we are back from a fantastic first trip to NYC!

Wed 9th We arrived at JFK on a BA flight, no probs, at 1pm,

Tel Aviv car to Greenwich Village where we were staying, ABINGDON GUEST HOUSE, this was great, very different to a large hotel, but we really liked it, right in the heart of a neighbourhood, it was really great.

We spent the rest of the afternoon just walking around Bleeker st, found the Magnolia Bakery!Ate that night at John%26#39;s Pizzeria, fantastic!

Thurs 10th met Bob our Big Apple Greeter, can%26#39;t commend this service highly enough it was one of the best things on our trip. He was so knowledgeable and took us to places, we just wouldn%26#39;t have gone to without him, he was also a volunteer for Central Park, so took us there and really explained loads about the park, saw Christos Gates before they were unfurled, he took us to the 36th floor of the mandarin Hotel, what fantastic views! and to Wholefoods in Time Warner, a gob smacking food store! We walked and talked for about 3 hours, felt really confident about using the subway etc. just great! After he left us, we walked along 5th Ave shops, Tiffanys, Bergdorf, Saks etc. Picked up our pre booked tickets for Phantom, and ate at Joe Allens, at 6pm, wonderful meal, Phantom was great! Subway back to Greenwich.

Fri 11th Went to Lowwer Manhattan, on subway, to St Paul%26#39;s opposite Ground Zero, very very moving.

Went to Century 21,not really my kind of shopping too much rummaging required but my 18yr old daughter loved it. Had a great deli lunch at a deli nr to Stock Exchange, walked to Battery Park, but didn%26#39;t do the Staten Island ferry, very windy.

Subway to Grand Central Station, then walked to ESB, we had pre boooked tickets only queued for about 30mins for lifts about 3pm. It was really cold on the observation deck but WOW!

We then shopped some more, Macy%26#39;s (got our 11% discount)and went back to hotel, dinner at Garage in Geenwich, live Jazz a great night lovely food great atmosphere, didn%26#39;t have a dessert, we joined the late night line at Magnolia for cupcakes and coffee, felt like true ';Villagers';!

Sat 12th Went to Bloomingdales, got the discount and free bag when we spent $100! Lots of bargains! Shopped some more at Victoria%26#39;s Secret, Lord and Taylor (really liked this store) etc. Lunch at Carnegie Deli, there was a queue but it moved really fast and the food was brill. Then we walked to Central Park saw Christo%26#39;s Gates, the park was really busy and the gates were amazing. We then decided to look at the TKTS booth to see if we could get ant cheap tickets for a show, the lines were endless for the big musicals but the line for plays was short and we got tickets for ';Perfect Crime'; the longest running play on/off Broadway, it was really good in a tiny theater right in Times Sq, but it was full and really ';different'; we then went to Ellen%26#39;s Stardust Diner afterwards, atmosphere great, good fun, but the food was probably the poorest we had during our trip, not bad just average.

Sunday 13th we packed and then got cab to River Cafe at 11am, they kept our bags and we strolled over the Brooklyn Bridge before returning for brunch, which was just amazing! We just loved everything about the River Cafe! When I booked thru Open Table I had wrote a message to say that the trip to NYC was for my daughters 18th, when we arrived the waiters and other staff all wished her a Happy birthday and her Brooklyn Bridge dessert came with a candle and a happy birthday written in chocolate, she felt really special! We then walked along the promenade Brooklyn Heights, before getting a car from River Cafe to JFK, a really great way to spend our last day.

We had an amazing trip of a lifetime, can%26#39;t wait to be back, Greenwich village was a great place to stay, away from the crowds, and yet we felt really part of the city too.

We really would not have had such a great trip without this web site, thanks so much to everyone! Susanne %26amp; Toni Xx

We are back! Trip Report

Suzanne, you did it right! Downtown, especially the Village is a great part of New York. And I%26#39;m delighted the guys at The River Cafe went out of their way to make your daughter%26#39;s birthday special. Quite a place--and I love that bridge dessert.

Come back soon. We%26#39;ll try to arrange some warmer weather for you. Today it%26#39;s supposed to be in the 50%26#39;s. Great report!

We are back! Trip Report

Sounds like you had a great time. I%26#39;ve looked at the Abingdon Guest House site before and it looks really good.It%26#39;s nice to stay in a neighbourhood isn%26#39;t it ?

I thought I was the only person not to enjoy Century 21..welcome to the club!

What a nice touch for your daughters birthday. She%26#39;ll remember her trip for years to come.

What a wonderful trip... you really did it right! I%26#39;m always pleased when anyone takes the time to visit St. Paul%26#39;s Chapel after seeing the World Trade Center site. Thanks so much for doing that.

And yet another fan of Lord %26amp; Taylor! Someone please tell me why Macy%26#39;s is mobbed and L%26amp;T isn%26#39;t. I just don%26#39;t understand, I think it%26#39;s the best dept. store in the city.

Susanne %26amp; Toni, wouldn%26#39;t you now like to start planning your next trip, to see all the outdoor stuff in the summer? Just a thought!

Susanne - fantastic report. I go to NYC with my children (15 and 17 ) in April so it was brilliant to read about the things you did and to get some suggestions for places to eat. I had never thought about a Greeter before but it makes interesting reading. Thanks.

Thanks for your report, I really enjoyed reading it. Am visiting in March/April with reluctant husband plus 16 %26amp; 13 yr old kids. The accommodation sounds great, but I worryabout being a bit too far from everything? I haven%26#39;t booked accommodation yet and am really confused about where to stay. As I said, my husband REALLY doesn%26#39;t want to come to NY so I%26#39;m desperate to make the trip as successful as possible! Would welcome any suggestions!

Assure you husband he will love it, I never had a real urge to visit until I got the opportunity for a business related trip a couple of years ago. The whole trip was mind numbing, really different, just tell him to relax and go with the flow. Whatever his interests they will be something for him.

Susanne - great report. Pleased to hear you liked the Abingdon as i%26#39;m heading there in a few weeks. Also interested to see you ate at the Garage in the village ... would you recommend this and did you have to book or did you get a seat ok on the night? Thanks!

I did book the Garage, before hand only about a week before, by phone form the Uk. it was really busy the night we were there, there is live music, Jazz, not really my kind of music but I loved it, and the food was amazing.

The only problem with the Abingdon was that there are only 2 rooms with twin beds not ideal for families really, all the rest are doubles/queens, It really suited us, we like a more independant type of accomadation, rather than the big chain hotels. We loved staying in a neighbourhood, rather than in the main hustle and bustle. My daughter was particularly taken with the ';S** in the City'; connection of Greenwich. I hear that the Upper West side is also a good place to stay, nowhere in Manhattan is out of it really, we travelled from Greenwich Village on the subway in about 10/15 mins to Times Sq.

What a wonderful report. I am getting so excited about our trip. I%26#39;m going with my 16 y.o. daughter for our first trip to NYC. I%26#39;ve written down your suggestions about shopping and places to eat. We too, are not staying in a major hotel but in the Upper West Side at a bed and breakfast. Staying on the outskirts of the busy city just seems to fit our style better.

Fantastic report Suzanne - we (53,22,22 and 18 year old) leave tomorrow - I should be packing now but have become addicted to tripadvisor NYC! If our trip is half as good as yours I will be very very happy. Take care.

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