The Big New York Thread

[Dave]

52 minutes ago, MONKMAN said:

A quick google has confirmed my suspicions.  That genuinely sounds like the worst thing that anyone could ever consider doing, while on holiday in New York. 

 Just something daft to do in the afternoon. As mentioned in my previous post my girlfriend has family out there and actually had it recommended from them as a good day out, so we'll see how it goes. 

[Rugster]

9 minutes ago, Dave said:

 Just something daft to do in the afternoon. As mentioned in my previous post my girlfriend has family out there and actually had it recommended from them as a good day out, so we'll see how it goes. 

Each to their own and if you want to do it fair play, but there's absolutely no shortage of things to do in New York.

[welshbairn]

7 hours ago, Dave said:

 Just something daft to do in the afternoon. As mentioned in my previous post my girlfriend has family out there and actually had it recommended from them as a good day out, so we'll see how it goes. 

 

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

Santa con appears to be near tory levels of horrible people coming together.

[pozbaird]

3 hours ago, Inanimate Carbon Rod said:

Santa con appears to be near tory levels of horrible people coming together.

No sure if Santa Con is anything like the time I was in Denver a few years ago when Comic Con happened to be on. Some seriously weird geeky fcukers stoating around town. My first encounter with something like that. My abiding memory was me & Mrs Poz in a queue in a Starbucks, and behind us in the queue was Batman, Gandalf, and someone in a home-made cardboard ‘half Dalek’ contraption, I assume Davros from Doctor Who. Surreal.

Edited December 12, 2019 by pozbaird

[Gibby82]

Just back and already planning the next trip, incredible city. Favourite areas were East Village/Lower East Side - felt like authentic New York as opposed to the garish tourist swamp of Times Square. Fantastic street art and record shops down there, and stumbled across a brilliant Italian restaurant around from the Bowery. Loved Little Italy too.

Did all the main tourist stuff. Statue of Liberty on the first morning was surprisingly moving, something about first setting eyes on it from a distance. 9/11 memorials too, though the museum was insufferably busy when we went (Saturday afternoon), would be good to return at a quieter time.

Can confirm the food in Ellen’s Stardust Diner is horrible, overpriced sludge. My daughter enjoyed all the other shenanigans but if you’re there without kids do not go near it.

Was surprised at how friendly the people were, particularly compared to some of the sniders we encountered in Heathrow on the way. Next time will hopefully get along to Greenwich Village, Harlem and Hell’s Kitchen, and see more of Brooklyn.

 

[Mitch]

I’m looking for Dec 2020 and the prices for hotels are through the roof in Manhattan. The GBP to USD rate is making a big impact. £250+ per night seems to be the going rate.
Going to hold off until January to see what possibly comes up as a deal.

[MONKMAN]

1 hour ago, Mitch said:

I’m looking for Dec 2020 and the prices for hotels are through the roof in Manhattan. The GBP to USD rate is making a big impact. £250+ per night seems to be the going rate.
Going to hold off until January to see what possibly comes up as a deal.

Try Hotwire hotels.  You don't actually get told what hotel you're staying in until after you book it, but that it might be Hilton, Marriott etc depending on your criteria. You can generally work it out which hotels they are anyway from the tripadvisor rating, area and star rating etc before you book.  As soon as you book the confirmation email will tell you which hotel you've got.  Used it a couple of years ago and got the Millennium Broadway at times square for about half the price they were quoting themselves. 

I was in New York last December and the hotels are fairly pricey at that time of the year, as you'd expect.

Edited December 24, 2019 by MONKMAN

[Central]

4 hours ago, Mitch said:

I’m looking for Dec 2020 and the prices for hotels are through the roof in Manhattan. The GBP to USD rate is making a big impact. £250+ per night seems to be the going rate.
Going to hold off until January to see what possibly comes up as a deal.

I'm just back last week, first visit to the city and stayed at the Pod Times Square. It was the cheapest 4 star hotel we could find. If you get a decent price for it, i'd definitely recommend it. We had a view of the Empire State building from our room on the 14th floor, it's located just behind Port Authority bus station and there are plenty of decent places to eat nearby. 

There is a bar within the hotel that is really nice albeit expensive ($20 cocktails) and as I say, the location makes it a really good base to stay. The rooms are quite small however and not much frills, they advertise themselves this way though. You won't get a coffee machine, lots of storage and the likes in your room. However the bed is comfy, shower is fantastic and the place is very modern.

Edited December 24, 2019 by Central

[Mitch]

Decided to bite the bullet and get it booked for December 2020. Got a fairly decent deal on the flights. £300 each, with direct from Edinburgh to JFK on Sunday 29th Nov and returning JFK (via Heathrow) to Edinburgh on Thurs 3rd December.
Hotel, I went for the same place as last time (Hudson close to the South West corner of Central Park), but had to bite the bullet and pay £900 for that (4 nights). I stayed in this hotel last time and it was perfectly situated for subway and plenty to do around it.
Fairly pleased with the cost, considering the time of year.

[LondonHMFC]

We are off in April for a few days, and just realised that New York Knicks play the Detroit Pistons while we are there, and the next night Brooklyn Nets play the Milwaukee Bucks (something called Fan Appreciation night is scheduled). Just wondering if anyone had bought tickets online before, and where is best to get them from? I literally have no clue about basketball so no idea who to see. Any advise would be greatly appreciated. 

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

We are off in April for a few days, and just realised that New York Knicks play the Detroit Pistons while we are there, and the next night Brooklyn Nets play the Milwaukee Bucks (something called Fan Appreciation night is scheduled). Just wondering if anyone had bought tickets online before, and where is best to get them from? I literally have no clue about basketball so no idea who to see. Any advise would be greatly appreciated. 

The bucks are a good side so id be more tempted to go see the Nets game, newer nicer arena i think and gives you a chance to go to brooklyn and eat good pizza before the game. MSG is iconic but the nicks suck. The bucks are the top team in the east this year, brooklyn are 8th and Nicks second worst, so it its a quality game id also be going for brooklyn.

[Mark Connolly]

It's also significantly cheaper to go to Brooklyn.

I normally go onto the team's site and click the ticket link there, but they are through Ticketmaster anyway.

[LondonHMFC]

@Inanimate Carbon Rod @Mark Connolly thanks for the replies. We will go for that! 

[Mark Connolly]

On 12/01/2020 at 08:21, LondonHMFC said:

@Inanimate Carbon Rod @Mark Connolly thanks for the replies. We will go for that! 

Nae worries.

I would recommend the MSG tour even if you don't go to a game there.

[LondonHMFC]

On 11/01/2020 at 12:29, LondonHMFC said:

We are off in April for a few days, and just realised that New York Knicks play the Detroit Pistons while we are there, and the next night Brooklyn Nets play the Milwaukee Bucks (something called Fan Appreciation night is scheduled). Just wondering if anyone had bought tickets online before, and where is best to get them from? I literally have no clue about basketball so no idea who to see. Any advise would be greatly appreciated. 

Felt quite strange reading this back, I binned the Mrs and cancelled the flights about a week before Covid hit, meaning I missed out on a full refund. 

Anyway, I am going to book for Christmas this year, going out on the 23rd and coming back on the 30th all being well. Has anybody else been out there over Christmas? 

Am I right in thinking the basketball season will be in full swing then? 

[carpetmonster]

3 hours ago, LondonHMFC said:

Felt quite strange reading this back, I binned the Mrs and cancelled the flights about a week before Covid hit, meaning I missed out on a full refund. 

Anyway, I am going to book for Christmas this year, going out on the 23rd and coming back on the 30th all being well. Has anybody else been out there over Christmas? 

Am I right in thinking the basketball season will be in full swing then? 

NBA season will indeed be in full swing, but Brooklyn tix likely won’t be so cheap anymore since the arrival of Durant/Irving/Harden. High chance they’ll be a televised game on Xmas Day if you fancy taking along a giant pic of Chiellini and hoping the cameras see you. 

[arab_joe]

On 28/07/2021 at 19:29, LondonHMFC said:

Anyway, I am going to book for Christmas this year, going out on the 23rd and coming back on the 30th all being well. Has anybody else been out there over Christmas? 

Am I right in thinking the basketball season will be in full swing then? 

I've done a Christmas in NYC (a while ago, though - maybe 2004 or something - so things may well have changed significantly since then), and also a New Years (in 2017).  In my eyes, as long as you have some good footwear and a (very) thick jacket then it is a great time of year to go.  When I went to a NY Giants game on NYE 2017, the temperature dipped well below freezing and my ($12 or some other ridiculous amount) Bud Light froze.

Christmas Day was weirdly quiet and lots of places were completely shut (which is perhaps unsurprising) but still managed to find a nice Italian that was open; and Christmas Eve and Boxing Day were normal NYC days.

NFL (Jets are at home (in NJ) on 26th), NHL (Islanders and NJ Devils are both at home on 27th and Rangers and NJ Devils are both at home on 29th) and NBA (fixtures not out yet but both the Nets and Knicks will have at least one home game that week) seasons will all be underway - and (my guilty pleasure) Broadway is reopening at a rate of knots - so there will be plenty of things to keep you occupied if the weather isn't great.

If you can extend to do NYE, I would recommend a dinner at the Boathouse in Central Park.  One of the most enjoyable evenings I have had in a long time, even if we had to change into full winter gear at 3am (absolutely hammered) and trudge through 3 feet of snow to get back to our hotel!

[Meldrew]

On 20/12/2019 at 01:48, Gibby82 said:

Just back and already planning the next trip, incredible city. 

different strokes for different folks, we'll all have different views in the main football forum, never expected to fine one i'm really opposite about outside of football {or politics}

most overrated city on the face of the planet.

[arab_joe]

On 10/08/2021 at 17:31, Meldrew said:

most overrated city on the face of the planet.

Nonsense.  Absolute nonsense.

 

Flights booked to head back over at the end of November - PCR permitting etc.

10 days - 7 in Manhattan and 3 in the Hamptons.  Can't wait.  Will be first trip to NYC with child in tow, so likely very different to each of my previous 7, but just buzzing to get back to the city.