Help for the big city!

[canadiana]

Hello everyone,

Wow! What a great forum, so glad I found it!

Okay, onto my questions... I'm hoping someone can help me out.

Myself & a friend will be visiting NYC in April, and we are staying very close to Madison Square Garden. We are on a fairly tight budget, so we're trying to make the best of our spending money.

My q's are:

1) Any good restaurants around Madison Square Garden that are reasonably priced (i.e. about $20 per person max for a good meal, no alcohol needed)?

2) Taxis: I've read some taxis don't have the equipment to let you pay with a credit card. Is there any way to distinguish which ones don't have the machine or not?

3) Again, taxis: sorry for the naive question, but can you just hail one from the street like they do on TV? (Where I live you can't do that- you have to call for one).

Thanks in advance for your help!!

[The Benniest]

Just got back from New York City today and have some pretty good tips (in my opinion :p)

1. BOCCA Restaurant on W. 50th Street. It's about 6 minutes from MSG (according to Google Maps) and has really good. It was part of my tour group thing when I visited, so it was planned and for a good reason. :p Also, BOCCA is extremely close to Rockefeller Center and NBC Studios so if you wanted to visit that after breakfast, it's pretty close.

Also, for really good food and a W I D E variety of food, visit the Amish Market near Battery Park. It's about 15-20 minutes away from MSG but certainly worth the taxi or subway ride. If I'm right, you can get on at Penn Station and ride to Park Place on the subway (not sure which train .. a NYorker will have to tell you that) and you'll be very close to the restaurant.

3. Just from being in NYC for a week, and seeing people struggle in both Brooklyn and Manhattan to get a cab, it's not easy. Certainly, you'll have a better chance at getting one in Manhattan, but keep in mind .. there are around 8 million people in the city. Part of it, in my opinion, might have to do with the time of day you are wanting to get a cab.

Hope this helps a bit...
Ben

[The Benniest]

Also, if you can get to it, Burger Heaven (http://burgerheaven.com/index.htm), is a really good place to eat. I had lunch there one day while there with a friend and really enjoyed the cheeseburger they brought. The food is brought to you very fast and the service is great. If you are hungry for a good meal, but don't have a lot of time .. this is the place for you. I had an hour and a half to meet him, sit down, order, and eat, and I made it back to my group in plenty of time. No problems.

I reccomend the Burger Heaven near "E. 53rd and Madison Ave," only because that is where I ate. There are many other locations (http://burgerheaven.com/locations.htm) for this restaurant throughout the city.

According to Google Maps, Burger Heaven on East 53rd is about 5-6 minutes away from Madison Square Garden. :)

[canadiana]

Hi Ben!

Thanks for the quick responses. I'm glad you had a good time in NYC, and thanks for the handy hints! Burger Heaven sounds great, I definetly want to check that place out. Mmmm, burgers...:)

[The Benniest]

Yes, Burger Heaven was great! What I got was a basic cheeseburger. I think..

May have to check with the person (a person from this forum actually) I went to lunch with to see, since I got the same thing as him. Lots of choices!

[canadiana]

Awesome! Hey Ben, one more question for you if you don't mind- did you do the whole Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island ferry/tour experience? If so, would you reccomend it to others?

So much to see and do in NYC... we're trying to cram it all in, but it's good to know if certain things aren't really worthwhile, know what I mean?

[The Benniest]

Yes! :D

Definitely visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. When I went, we never got off at the Statue of Liberty (which part of me regrets now), and only got off for about 2 hours at Ellis Island.

When you get on the ferry that takes you to BOTH places, get there early! This is something a lot of people don't know and you could end up in a line like THIS. Not fun... I think the group and I got there around 8:30 or 9:00 in the morning and there was literally no line, except for the hold up through security.

When you get on the ferry, sit on the top deck on the RIGHT side. If it's nice outside, you will get the absolute best views of the Statue of Liberty as it goes by there. If the weather happens to be bad when you visit, there are tables/booths on the second level of the ferry. Just sit on the right side there. ;)

At Ellis Island, in the back of the buildings, where all the names of the immigrants are listed, there are specatular views of Manhattan Island. On a nice day, the views are great and you should have no problem finding people off your family tree, if that is what you intend to do.

I know, I continue to go on-and-on about this, but the day you go to Liberty/Ellis Island, seriously consider going to the Amish Market (if you want) for breakfast that day. It is a very quick, 5-minute walk to Battery Park (where you board the ferry at) from there.

Hope this helps..
Ben

[BrooklynRider]

Canadiana-

How long will you be visiting and where are you stayin? Perhaps we can help yuo get an itinerary together or, at least, give you dining options.

How old are you and your friends? (It could make the diffrerence between sending you to a pub or a diner in certain instances.

[BrooklynRider]

Let us know where you are staying and we can come up with suggestions for eating. There is a diner that serves meals round the clock on 34th Street, between Eighth Ave & Ninth Ave right next to the movie theater. (it willbe more obvious when you are there.) There are lots of restaurants in the area, so it is good to know of at least one to get you started. But ask around - and research the Time Out New York "cheap eats" issue. It's a big city - there are LOTS of places to eat good food at cheap prices.

Regarding taxi's: The city does require that all cabs accept credit cards. Assume the taxi has it. Hail, the cab -get in - and then ask your questions. Avoid asking questions through the window - just get in and ask.

Taxi's have an apparatus on the roof that will be self-edivdent when you see them.

Basically, if the light is on, the cab is available. If it is off, the taxi already has a passenger. Just get a safe distabce into the street and wave your hand. Some places, like Midtown and Times Squre it coul be a challenge to get a cab due to the sheer volume of people competing with you. You'll catch on after a while.

The preferred means of transportation is definitely the subway, which is also becoming more and more accessible to the handicapped as well with elevators.

Cheers-

[lofter1]

Re: Subway Elevators

Be aware that while there might be an elevator at specific subway stops the elevators are -- shamefully -- NOT necessarily operational.

[canadiana]

Everyone here is such a big help!!

Benniest: thanks so much for the info and hints about the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island tour. It's good to know that the trip is worth it. Although we're definetly tourists, it's nice to know if certain 'touristy' things are worth the time and $, as our time is so limited. Although we won't be able to go in the morning (see below), the Amish Market for lunch sounds nice!

BrooklynRider: thanks so much for your offer to help with an itinerary!Unfortunately I don't remember the name of the hotel... my friend is taking care of that... but I do know we are close to Madison Square Garden (within walking distance).

We are in NYC for a conference, which will take up the mornings of Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and we leave very early in the AM on Thursday. So, basically our free time is limited to the afternoons & evenings. Also, we're a group of thirty-somethings, so the club/bar scene is not something on the list of things to do!

If it helps, here are the things we're really interested in seeing/doing:
- Times Square (looking around, checking out stores)
- Museum of Modern Art
- World Trade Center site/Century 21 store
- Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island
- Maybe some sort of Broadway show (not a high priority)

Also, thanks for the info about cabs... I felt so silly asking about it, since the only reference point I have is TV or movies... but you don't know unless you ask, right??

Lofter1: thanks also for the info about elevators... again, my only knowledge comes from TV, a shaky reference point at best! :)

[The Benniest]

No problem. If you can't get there in the morning, just find some time to do it if possible. It really is a cool experience to see the Statue of Liberty and to look through all the history at Ellis Island.

[NoyokA]

As for places to eat in the area. I really enjoy Brother Jimmy's which is right across the street from MSG on 8th Avenue. The crowd here is young and the waitresses are cute. I'll actually walk 10 blocks from where I live to get to this place when I have a hankering for Fried Green Tomatoes. Also the adjacent Korea Town offers a wide array of eating options. I used to frequent Todai alot which is an all you can eat sushi and korean restaurant, its something like $30 though, so its not cheap and there are cheaper all you can eat sushi options in NYC, but its well worth it if you are very hungry. Also Penn Station offers alot of very cheap although not particularly good NYC foodfare.

As for cabs 99% of cabs accept credit cards today you can tell when you enter and you see a tv screen in the back. It might be a good idea to ask if the cab accepts credit even if you see the screen because I recently had a situation where the guy said he couldn't accept credit for some reason and I had to have him drop me off at an ATM so I could pay him, ofcourse I deducted the ATM charge from his fare, but I was late to where I had to be.



Ben it sounds like you had a great time in NYC.

[The Benniest]

canadiana, some 'really' great advice here ^^

And Stern .. NYC was excellent. You'll definitely see me back. ;)

[Optimus Prime]

If it helps, here are the things we're really interested in seeing/doing:
- Times Square (looking around, checking out stores)
- Museum of Modern Art
- World Trade Center site/Century 21 store
- Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island
- Maybe some sort of Broadway show (not a high priority)

Also, thanks for the info about cabs... I felt so silly asking about it, since the only reference point I have is TV or movies... but you don't know unless you ask, right??

Lofter1: thanks also for the info about elevators... again, my only knowledge comes from TV, a shaky reference point at best! :)

For the Statue of Liberty, when you get there to buy your ferry ticket, they may tell you that they are out of passes to go up inside the statue (you can only go up to the balcony level now, not the top, but it's still pretty nice from the balcony). If that happens, look for a ferry employee on the top deck of the ferry and ask him if he has any passes. He might (at least if my experience when I went was any indication).

Everything on your list is a worthwhile experience, though I would avoid the stores in Times Square and just take in the view there (seeing it for the first time is insane) and then if you want to shop head over to 5th and Madison instead. Unless you really really want to go to Toys R Us, Hershey, etc. ;)

[lofter1]

canadiana: For your visit to MoMA ( www.moma.org (http://www.moma.org/) ) by all means do NOT go on a Saturday or Sunday (when it can be so crowded that it's ridiculous).


Friday nights are free (http://www.moma.org/visit_moma/admissions.html), although the line can be long ...
Admission is free for all visitors during Target Free Friday Nights, sponsored by Target, every Friday evening, 4:00–8:00 p.m. Tickets for Target Free Friday Nights are not available in advance.
At $20 / per person the entry is expensive. I find if you go around 11 AM then you miss the first rush at the 10:30 AM opening, plus you beat the lunch crowd.


You can get a deal ($30) for a joint ticket (http://www.moma.org/visit_moma/admissions.html) for both MoMA and Top or the Rock OBservation Deck at Rockefeller Center:
MoMA/Top of The Rock Observation Deck


Joint Ticket Purchase at MoMA admissions desk: $30.00 (20% off retail cost)

Buy the MoMA Top of The Rock combination ticket and see two inspiring views with one easy ticket: View MoMA's world-renowned collection of modern art, then walk two blocks to Top of The Rock Observation Deck on Fiftieth Street to see the New York City skyline from seventy stories above Rockefeller Center.

[The Benniest]

For the Statue of Liberty, when you get there to buy your ferry ticket, they may tell you that they are out of passes to go up inside the statue (you can only go up to the balcony level now, not the top, but it's still pretty nice from the balcony). If that happens, look for a ferry employee on the top deck of the ferry and ask him if he has any passes. He might (at least if my experience when I went was any indication).

You can get a deal ($30) for a joint ticket (http://www.moma.org/visit_moma/admissions.html) for both MoMA and Top or the Rock OBservation Deck at Rockefeller Center.
Hmm .. both of these things I did not know. When I go back in the summer, I will definitely be getting the double ticket for the Top of the Rock and MoMA.

Thanks for the info guys,
Ben

[Optimus Prime]

Yeah, if you do the ferry thing, be discreet about it. Also they may not do things the same way now because the ferry company has changed since I went (it was Circle Line and now it is a different company).

The MoMA/Rock ticket is a good deal. Also remember that MoMA has a student ticket for $12 with school/university ID.

[The Benniest]

The MoMA/Rock ticket is a good deal. Also remember that MoMA has a student ticket for $12 with school/university ID.
An out-of-state student ID would work this, right?

[lofter1]

I'd think so ^ Plus Membership for students is lower cost.

[The Benniest]

Ok, thanks guys. I'll look into it. :)

[canadiana]

Wow, I am just in awe of all of the great help here... thank you all so much for your input and advice!

I thought of another question... if it comes across as ignorant, please accept my apologies, I certainly don't mean it to be. My question is: is there a memorial of some kind at the World Trade Center site? We would like to pay our respects at the site itself, but we don't want to be insensitive or rude about it. Is there an appropriate place to go on or around the grounds to do something like that?

Thanks again in advance!!

[NYatKNIGHT]

There is a Tribute Center at 120 Liberty Street next to the Fire House. There you will find all the answers to your questions. If you go there you may see what other people have left, usually in whatever available fencing is currently bordering the site. You'll notice it isn't much; it is a busy construction site while they are in the process of building the memorial. Flowers or tokens left behind don't last long.

http://www.tributenyc.org/

But I suggest you start at St. Paul's Chapel on Broadway between Vesey and Fulton, which was the main spot where people left their memorials because it was a refuge for recovery workers, among other things. Inside you'll find a much more intimate place than the tribute center, with many memorials still remaining. Walk out back through the old cemetery on the way to Liberty Street.

http://www.saintpaulschapel.org/

[The Benniest]

Also, in addiction to what NYatKNIGHT said, I would reccomend visiting the WTC Cross that was found amongst the debris at the site. It is not near Ground Zero anymore, but has been relocated to a church nearby. I want to say the church is St. Peter's but am not sure. Can a NYorker help me out? I know it's on the same street as both the Century 21 store.

Also, like NYatKNIGHT said, the area around the Tribute WTC area is very busy with construction at the moment.

I've included pictures below (that I took) of the WTC Visitor Center, and a memorial on a wall nearby the visitor center.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y290/benthal/DSC05219.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y290/benthal/DSC05226.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y290/benthal/DSC05227.jpg

Hope this helps,
Ben

[lofter1]

Indeed the "cross" is on Church Street just south of Barclay and on the west side of St. Peter's Church (the oldest Catholic church in Manhattan).

[The Benniest]

Aaah yes, Church Street. Is the PATH Station by the World Trade Center site also on Church St.?

[lofter1]

The PATH station entrance which will soon close is also on Church Street -- opposite St. Paul's Church (that entrance will close in the next couple of months to allow for construction of the Calatrava Transit Hub).

The newly constructed PATH station entrance which opened this week is on Vesey + Greenwich.

[The Benniest]

Oh, alright. So this new PATH station is not very far from the "old one" I was talking about. Does this new PATH station have a big white tent/bubble covering it? I may have seen it standing over near St. Paul's.

Also.. will the PATH station that has been open for a while be closed when I come in, let's say .. mid-July. Are we talking that many months away?

[canadiana]

Thanks for the help, NYatKNIGHT and the Benniest (once again!) It's good to know that there's a place to go to pay tribute. Great pics, Ben- very touching to see them. It must be very humbling to have been there.

[brianac]

Not at the WTC but a tribute all the same.

http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z245/brianaclift/New%20York%20June%202007/js1024_Pictures_from_small_card_-79.jpg

http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z245/brianaclift/New%20York%20June%202007/js1024_Pictures_from_small_card_-78.jpg

http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z245/brianaclift/New%20York%20June%202007/js1024_Pictures_from_small_card_-76.jpg

http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z245/brianaclift/New%20York%20June%202007/js1024_Pictures_from_small_card_-77.jpg

http://www.tilesforamerica.com/NYC_history.html

[canadiana]

Thanks for the pics, Brianac. What a beautiful idea.

[brianac]

You're welcome. Hope you find time to go there.

Greenwich Avenue, near the junction of 7th Avenue and W 11th Street.

[NYatKNIGHT]

Flowers or tokens left behind don't last long.


Since yesterday, the fence around St. Paul's Chapel along Church Street has been covered in WTC memorials, candles, signs, photos - much like it was in the days after Sept. 11, 01. I don't know if it coincides with the pope's visit or whether any of it was brought back from storage (I remember they said they kept everything that once covered the entire perimeter fence). Anyway, you can apparently pay your tributes there again, canadiana.

[The Benniest]

I think this NY Times article is what NYatKNIGHT is talking about:

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/04/10/art-imitates-life-recalling-death-at-ground-zero/

[NYatKNIGHT]

Thanks.