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This industry is inhumane. Please consider this before you ride them. Horses have died and pedestrians and drivers have been injured. The horses are treated as cars and not living beings that feel pain. Please look at their eyes and do the right thing by them. Contact Mayor Bloomberg and inform him how wrong this industry is to exist in NYC traffic.
All over the city and around Central Park
It's clean, it's cheap, it has wi-fi and it's close to Penn Station.
The smell of pot from across the hall and the scrum for breakfast (think British Bulldogs with bagels) can be put up with too.
I stayed there as part of my travels:
writeronthestorm.wordpress.com
I have just read with interest your article on apartment rentals versus hotel rooms. Recently, a group of girlfriends and me travelled to New York for a few days of shopping and glamour. Rather than tripping over each other's overflowing shopping bags in our soon-to-be-purchased Louboutins, we decided to rent a apartment which would be much more spacious.
On the recommendation of a friend, we booked through an Irish site, newyorkapartments.ie, and we would all highly recommend it. We decided on a two-bed apartments in Mid Town East, which was close enough to all the designer labels we craved, but also just far enough from the hustle and bustle of Times Square to allow us to relax. The apartment was fantastic - really luxurious and, of course, spacious. Breakfast was available every morning and there was also a housekeeping service, which was great as we hadn't come all the way to New York to argue over who was to clean up! There was even a spa and aromotherapy centre - sheer bliss.
All in all, I can safely say that it had all the facilities that you would expect from a top class hotel, without the price tag and with the added bonus of that elusive (well in New York anyway!) extra space.
Depending on the type of card purchased, this pass includes admission to three, five or seven New York attractions and can save you a great deal over purchasing the attractions individually. Most major attractions are included in the card.
They are conveniently located 20 minutes from New York City without the high prices of a hotel in Manhattan.
Wyndham Saddle Brook Hotel and Confernce Center
50 Kenny Place
Saddle Brook, New Jersey
www.wyndhamsb.com
If you like saunas, go here. OK, it was humid, but it was really cheap. For a midtown hotel. It was clean and the shared bathroom was ok too. A couple of blocks from Times Square. All good stuff - check out my North American odyssey at writeronthestorm.wordpress.com
At the corner of 6th Ave and 38th street
It's cheap and covers some amazing scenery in a comfy environment, even the Amtrak food and drink is cheap. I accidentally booked a hotel in Canada, forgetting when I set it up to check which side of the falls I was on. Check it out at: writeronthestorm.wordpress.com
from Penn station to Niagara Falls
Get the NYC DOT bicycle map (download or free at bike shops). Also note DOT has information on bridge closings. Sometimes if a bridge is closed they have a free van service. Stick to the paths on the map, watch out for pedestrians, and car doors. Good luck.
www.bikeforums.net is a good source of info. See info on avoiding bike theft. Hint: get a strong U lock and take the seat post with you.
Consider buying a folding bicycle in NYC and returning with it. bfold.com, nycewheels.com and others have folding bikes. Strida would be a good bicycle for touring NYC. Dahon make very nice general purpose folding bikes. Folding bikes can usually be brought on the subway and trains. A bit iffy on crowded buses.
It's the ultimate way to book restaurants in NY and other parts of the US - inc. Chicago, Vegas and LA.
Once you've registered you can search for restaurants online to find great meals at some of the best places in NY (as rated by Zagat Guide).
You'll be surprised how many great places have openings at decent times - places you would not have dared to call!
I've booked some of the best places in Manhattan, lunch or dinner. Collected points - and then used them for another great meal!
Off the beaten track in Jackson Heights, Queens, but an excellent and fairly cheap Italian restaurant.
74-27 37th Avenue, Jackson Heights
www.armondositalianrestaurant.com
Rather than use the subway, we used the local buses. They take longer and there are some problems if you try to go cross town. However, you do get to see more of the city as you travel around. Also with a Metrocard they are effectively free.
The epitome of kitsch, this great little bar has glittery red walls, an array of vintage hairdressing tools and salon furniture, with cute locals and a DJ every now and then with alternative and indie rock. The best part is the manicure and a cocktail offer (was $10). Getting a manicure in Beauty Bar is not a novelty feature - it really lasted!
Nearest subway is Union Square, 14th street between 3rd ave and ave A.
I have written a book (a series of humourous short stories) of my adventures over the years while backpacking, mostly alone, in my blue wheelchair. The book, 'Travels in a Blue Chair', documents my experiences over all six continents and through 28 countries, containing more than 55 stories. It's a twist on the usual backpacker book!
Best steakhouse I've eaten at (and there's been a few). Good service and amazing Porterhouse steaks. Try and leave some room for the cheesecake desert.
www.peterluger.com
Take the L train to Bedford Ave, you'll see the restaurant from the platform off to your right.
If you enjoyed the article about burlesque and want to learn more, you can visit the blog of the New York School of Burlesque:
burlesquedaily.blogspot.com
167 Orchard St NYC
The viewing platform at the Rockefeller Center is less crowded that that at the Empire State and as a bonus you get to have the Empire State as part of your view. Go at dusk. Also you do not have to peer through wire mesh for the view.
Ideally situated, just south of the park and within walking distance of The Met, MOMA, Times Sq and Rockefeller Center. Also has the famous Burger Joint for cheap eats and Norma's for an expensive but high class breakfast. Just minutes from subway. Also has swimming pool and gym neither of which we had time to try.
On a recent trip to New York I scoured the city to find the best family restaurants serving gluten-free food for coeliacs. I am the coeliac in our family but we needed a place where my four-year-old daughter was welcome too.
I found about ten restaurants and diners, many of which had separate gluten-free menus. I will only mention the five I visited and can vouch for (was not violently ill afterwards). They were all child-friendly and demonstrated an excellent knowledge of what is involved in preparing safe food for coeliacs, including the issue of cross contamination.
Bloom’s Delicatessen Café:
An informal, diner-style restaurant. Separate gluten-free menu. GF specialties are omlettes, hamburgers, fish, steak, and probably the best place in NY to eat guaranteed GF French fries (you can buy them to take-away too). Open all day until late. Take-away and delivery service. Budget - cheap.
Outback Steak House:
An Australian themed restaurant with a separate gluten-free menu. Typically satisfying steak house fare with a couple of indulgent GF desserts and a children’s menu. Open all day until late. Budget - medium.
Peter’s Gourmet Diner/Restaurant:
A firm favourite. Peter’s is the best place for GF informal all-day food on the Upper East Side, especially good for breakfast and brunch. It’s not huge, though there are terraces at the back and front of the restaurant for outside dining in warmer weather. American diner-style eating with an extensive menu and probably the most varied GF menu for casual eating I’ve ever seen: pancakes, waffles, omelettes, all kinds of eggs, loads of sandwiches, burgers, plus a full dinner menu, and desserts. If there is something you want that is not on the menu they will have a go at making it for you too. Friendly service. Open all day until late. Delivery available. Budget - cheap.
Risotteria:
A small, popular, informal dinner venue with some fantastic authentic risotto recipes. This place is busy most nights, though tables clear quite quickly so booking isn’t usually necessary. Risotteria serves all manner of fantastically cooked GF risottos, pizza, salads, desserts, and even GF beer. GF breadsticks on the table are home baked and delicious. A restaurant truly dedicated to coeliacs. Seating is squeezed in a bit but worth it. Budget - cheap/medium.
Sambuca:
A large, popular, family-orientated restaurant on the Upper West Side. Sambuca is a great place to enjoy an unhurried family dinner (not open for lunch). It serves southern Italian food, with a separate GF menu that includes a really good range of GF pastas and sauces, as well as chicken, veal, steak, seafood , vegetable dishes, plus homemade GF bread and chocolate brownies. Good for parties and celebrations too. Lively ambience. We had one of our best evenings here.
Bloom’s Delicatessen Café
350 Lexington Avenue (corner of 4oth). www.bloomsnewyorkdeli.com
Outback Steak House
There are two of these: See www.outback.com for both addresses.
Peter’s Gourmet Diner/Restaurant
1606 1st Avenue (between 83rd & 84th). Tel: 001 212 989 3122
Risotteria
270 Bleecker Street, Greenwich Village. www.risotteria.com
Sambuca
20 West 72nd Street. www.sambucanyc.com
More info on GF restaurants in New York at: www.glutenfreerestaurants.org
Coeliac UK: www.coeliac.co.uk
Celiac US: www.csaceliacs.org
My four-year-old daughter and I found ourselves living it up in New York recently when we joined my husband on a business trip. We had a great time eating out, exploring the city on open-top bus tours, and doing museums and Broadway shows, but some of the best things we did really were free (or at least nearly free). Here are my top ten things to do with kids for next to nothing in NYC…
1. Lay out a blanket in Central Park (picnic optional) and soak up the atmosphere. The huge expanse of grass at the Great Lawn is a favourite spot and great for games too.
2. Visit Belvedere Castle in the middle of Central Park at 79th Street. It is the highest point of the park with great views, a visitor centre, walking tours and free educational programs.
3. Attend Saturday morning story time for children of all ages in Central Park at the Hans Christian Anderson Memorial (mid-park from East 73rd entrance. Check for times at www.centralparknyc.org).
4. Visit one of the spectacular toy shops: Toys-R-Us in Times Square or FAO Schwartz (the corner of Fifth Avenue and Central Park South) which has a giant electronic keyboard built into the floor upstairs that children can play with their feet. You can easily spend an hour or more exploring and trying out the display toys without buying a thing.
5. Take the Staten Island ferry. Day or night this is one of the best free (or paid for) boat rides in the world. It takes about half an hour each way. You can get straight off and back on again or spend time on the dockside at Staten Island looking at the distant Manhattan skyline. The ride gives spectacular views of the downtown skyline and the Statue of Liberty, all lit-up to magical effect at night.
6. If it’s a quiet stroll you’re after and you find yourself in Brooklyn, take a walk along the Brooklyn Seafront for a great view of Manhattan and the Brooklyn Bridge. (And if you do want to spend a few dollars there is a great ice-cream parlour there too.)
7. Stand in the middle of Times Square for ten minutes and don’t forget to look up.
8. Stand just about anywhere and play how many yellow cabs can you count in a minute?
And if it’s summer…
9. Summerstage (held at Rumsey Playfield near 72nd Street and Fifth Avenue) and Shakespeare in the Park (at the open-air Delacorte Theater near the W81st Street entrance to the park) are two of the most popular summertime programs and both are free. Top-shelf acts and great performances.
10. Fancy a dip? There are 14 miles of public beaches in four of NY’s boroughs: Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island. Contact General Parks and Recreation Department Information at www.nycparks.completeinet.net for more info.
General info at www.nyctourism.com
Central Park info at www.centralparknyc.org
Summerstage info: www.summerstage.org
More info on Shakespeare in the Park can be found at: www.publictheater.org
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