The Big New York Thread

[Mark Connolly]

I did it in maybe 10 years ago, and I really enjoyed it as well. We weren't allowed in to the changing room as the Knicks had a game that night.

Would also recommend the Radio City Music Hall tour if you enjoy those sorts of things

[Leeds Saint]

On 27/02/2023 at 21:46, paul wright scores said:

Has anyone done a tour of the Madison Square Gardens?

If so is it worth doing/seeing?

Done it twice. First time you could get into the locker rooms and take photos. 2nd time, with my lad you couldn't. For me the first time was much better my lad enjoyed it nonetheless.

[19QOS19]

14 minutes ago, michakamp said:

Stay safe! Can happen anywhere these days.

The only thing i really like in NY is Central Park, but never been there in winter

 

Was only there 4 days but felt safe the whole time tbh. Was convinced a Chinese man was about to get shot in Chinatown mind you. A cop car was following him and told him to pull over, which he did but then he got out the car and went right up to the cop car. He was being shouted at over the speaker to get back in his car but he wouldn't listen. Honestly thought he was going to get shot. The poor fecker obviously couldn't speak English as he was trying to grab people to translate for him. 

A guy approached me while we were watching a crane lift shit up/the disruption it was causing on the streets. He asked if I was ok and I told him I was just watching. He then said that if I needed ANYTHING to come to him as he knew everything around there and where to find him at his spot

I can't say there was any point where I felt unsafe. The Subway can be a bit mental as are a few locals but no one was threatening nor did we see anything violent. 

As you say, it can happen anywhere at any time though. 

 

Out of interest - were there as many cops when you all visited? I genuinely saw more cops in 4 days in NYC than I've seen on the streets here in about a year. I don't know if it was because it was Presidents weekend or if that's the norm but it was also reassuring from a safety point of view (because I'm a white male...). 

[Rugster]

51 minutes ago, 19QOS19 said:

 

 

 

Out of interest - were there as many cops when you all visited? I genuinely saw more cops in 4 days in NYC than I've seen on the streets here in about a year. I don't know if it was because it was Presidents weekend or if that's the norm but it was also reassuring from a safety point of view (because I'm a white male...). 

It's the norm. I'm pretty sure Giuliani vowed to put "a cop on every corner" to tidy up the city during his tenure.

[Dirty Sanchez]

I went twice, two years apart during Giuliani's reign, and the difference, even then, was striking. Even around the Times Square area there were all manner of sketchy characters hanging around after dark, who were properly threatening.

The area was also rife with adult cinemas, sex shops, etc. The number of adult themed businesses that had disappeared and been replaced by legitimate stores during that two year span was unreal. I've been back in the past couple of years and it's like Disneyland now compared to the 1990s, and by all accounts it was worse if you go further back than that.

Edited March 11, 2023 by Dirty Sanchez

[Musketeer Gripweed]

Heading back in November to visit my niece for this first time since the pandemic. Staying at thr River Plaza Times Square this timeif anyone has been there? I believe its quite new. There is a Duane Reade next door for my 4 cans of medicine while watching Jimmy Fallon, so I'm happy.

Saw the Rangers at MSG last time, so hoping to take in a basketball match this time. Other than that, happy to just get a Cinnabon and get some Tylenol. I keep saying I am going to go to the natural history museum but I never seem to make it. Maybe this time.

Anyway, I have Krakow in a couple of weeks first to think about.

[Musketeer Gripweed]

https://www.amny.com/news/rosie-ogradys-the-famed-midtown-pub-and-steakhouse-to-close-july-1/

Just read about this on Facebook. I'm sure some of you have been here when you were in New York. I loved the place, so I am gutted as I was looking forward to eating here later in the year. Food was always good.

My last visit was a bit shit though, We had this really loud family with annoying children right behind us.

Olive Garden and Applebees it is then, said no-one ever.

[OnceARoverAlwaysARover]

On 26/03/2023 at 20:53, Musketeer Gripweed said:

Heading back in November to visit my niece for this first time since the pandemic. Staying at thr River Plaza Times Square this timeif anyone has been there? I believe its quite new. There is a Duane Reade next door for my 4 cans of medicine while watching Jimmy Fallon, so I'm happy.

Saw the Rangers at MSG last time, so hoping to take in a basketball match this time. Other than that, happy to just get a Cinnabon and get some Tylenol. I keep saying I am going to go to the natural history museum but I never seem to make it. Maybe this time.

Anyway, I have Krakow in a couple of weeks first to think about.

Are you staying at the Riu Plaza on 8th and W46th Street. I have stayed there three times. Great hotel, friendly staff and check in and check out are a breeze.

[Musketeer Gripweed]

22 hours ago, OnceARoverAlwaysARover said:

Are you staying at the Riu Plaza on 8th and W46th Street. I have stayed there three times. Great hotel, friendly staff and check in and check out are a breeze.

That's the one. Thanks for letting me know. Are the breakfasts good? The Marriott Marquis one was a rip off when we stayed there as they charged extra for anything cooked. Always wary of hotels doing that now.

[OnceARoverAlwaysARover]

On 04/06/2023 at 21:03, Musketeer Gripweed said:

That's the one. Thanks for letting me know. Are the breakfasts good? The Marriott Marquis one was a rip off when we stayed there as they charged extra for anything cooked. Always wary of hotels doing that now.

Not a breakfast person but it was always busy each morning and seemed to have all the typical breakfast things.

[Theroadlesstravelled]

I feel sorry for anyone on holiday there right now.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/us/smoke-maps-canada-fires.html

[RuMoore]

I'm going Toronto Octoper 13th for 4 days then NYC for 3 days. I've just secured tickets for the NY Knicks, I might get tickets for an ice hockey game too, I wanted baseball or NFL but that's all that's on offer. 

I'm presuming even though Basketball is the most boring spectator sport ever they might have some good scran and it's the maddison square place so hoping it's worth it no matter how boring the sport is. 

[Wile E Coyote]

8 minutes ago, RuMoore said:

I'm going Toronto Octoper 13th for 4 days then NYC for 3 days. I've just secured tickets for the NY Knicks, I might get tickets for an ice hockey game too, I wanted baseball or NFL but that's all that's on offer. 

I'm presuming even though Basketball is the most boring spectator sport ever they might have some good scran and it's the maddison square place so hoping it's worth it no matter how boring the sport is. 

October is when the play-offs are on in baseball. The Blue Jays have a good chance of being in them but even if the dates suit they will be hard to get and expensive as its the post seson. The Mets have zero chance of the post season and the Yankees look unlikely to be in them

[Fuctifano]

46 minutes ago, RuMoore said:

I'm going Toronto Octoper 13th for 4 days then NYC for 3 days. I've just secured tickets for the NY Knicks, I might get tickets for an ice hockey game too, I wanted baseball or NFL but that's all that's on offer. 

I'm presuming even though Basketball is the most boring spectator sport ever they might have some good scran and it's the maddison square place so hoping it's worth it no matter how boring the sport is. 

MSG is worth going to say you've been but unless I was unlucky or blind I didn't see any of the Man vs Food type grub you hear about at these places, looked at 2 or 3 different concession stands and they only had standard burger/ pizza slice / hotdog offerings. Booze was stupidly expensive even by NYC standards as well.

[pozbaird]

1 hour ago, Fuctifano said:

MSG is worth going to say you've been but unless I was unlucky or blind I didn't see any of the Man vs Food type grub you hear about at these places, looked at 2 or 3 different concession stands and they only had standard burger/ pizza slice / hotdog offerings. Booze was stupidly expensive even by NYC standards as well.

In regard to Madison Square Garden being a place to say you’ve been - agree 100%, but I speak as a huge rock music fan who once sat in a seedy Glesga’ ‘porno’ cinema to watch a showing of Led Zeppelin’s ‘The Song Remains The Same’ in the 1970’s.  In those far-off days before VHS video recorders, much less DVDs, Blu Rays, or online streaming. Fast forward forty plus years, and found myself in New York when the Eagles had just added an extra night to their ‘Story of the Eagles’ tour, and got a ticket. The Eagles were fantastic, but just to see a gig in MSG, where Led Zeppelin filmed that concert was one of two rock music concert venue bucket list moments for me. The remaining one is to see a gig in the Budokan in Tokyo. Maybe one day.

Edited August 18, 2023 by pozbaird

[Dirty Sanchez]

Never seen an event there, but I did the All Access tour of Madison Square Garden.

It gets mixed reviews, but I thought it was worth it for anyone with an interest in the place through sport or music. You get into all the dressing rooms and suites and stuff like that.

I can still recall the rancid stale sweat smell in the NY Rangers dressing room, who had played the previous night.

[Moomintroll]

On 19/08/2023 at 00:48, Dirty Sanchez said:

Never seen an event there, but I did the All Access tour of Madison Square Garden.

It gets mixed reviews, but I thought it was worth it for anyone with an interest in the place through sport or music. You get into all the dressing rooms and suites and stuff like that.

I can still recall the rancid stale sweat smell in the NY Rangers dressing room, who had played the previous night.

+1 for the MSG Tour, I really enjoyed it but they do seem to be weirdly fixated on Billy Joel.

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

On 03/03/2023 at 14:10, 19QOS19 said:

 

Was only there 4 days but felt safe the whole time tbh. Was convinced a Chinese man was about to get shot in Chinatown mind you. A cop car was following him and told him to pull over, which he did but then he got out the car and went right up to the cop car. He was being shouted at over the speaker to get back in his car but he wouldn't listen. Honestly thought he was going to get shot. The poor fecker obviously couldn't speak English as he was trying to grab people to translate for him. 

A guy approached me while we were watching a crane lift shit up/the disruption it was causing on the streets. He asked if I was ok and I told him I was just watching. He then said that if I needed ANYTHING to come to him as he knew everything around there and where to find him at his spot

I can't say there was any point where I felt unsafe. The Subway can be a bit mental as are a few locals but no one was threatening nor did we see anything violent. 

As you say, it can happen anywhere at any time though. 

 

Out of interest - were there as many cops when you all visited? I genuinely saw more cops in 4 days in NYC than I've seen on the streets here in about a year. I don't know if it was because it was Presidents weekend or if that's the norm but it was also reassuring from a safety point of view (because I'm a white male...). 

In Manhattan they concentrate them in the tourist areas. In Glasgow for example we have something called ‘the city centre plan’ which runs thurs-sun where cops from outwith get put into the night time economy areas. Thats the same thing as in New York, if you’re walking about times square and see the badges theyre all from different precincts, its just their turn to go in. 

[RuMoore]

On my list of things to do I've got MSG Knicks game, Ice Hockey game, Rock building, Times Square, Bus Tour, Central Park, High line, Rooftop bar and of course try some cheap ass hot dogs and pizza. 

Of course we've all got different tastes and this is my first time going but just wondering if any of the people who've been recently or even frequently have any good suggestions of things deffo worth checking out. 

(I'm not fussed about statue of liberty, ground zero or broadway shows) 

[Fuctifano]

Would do a food tour on foot, there are a few good ones. 

Circle line boat tour excellent as well, I've done both the full 3 hour loop and the evening 1.5 hour (on different visits) though if you do too many tours you'll get a lot of overlap.