Legion World Forums LEGION OUTPOST Mission Monitor Board Every 10 Years Forum I'm thinking of taking a day trip to New York City

OK, so I am being laid off. I think I'm going to take a little time to decompress and sort out things. The week after my last week, I have already signed up for a 3 day legal seminar. I am also thinking of taking a day trip to New York City.

So, do people have suggestions as to what I could do and what I should see in New York for the day?

Hey Quis. I'm not a New Yorker but I play one on tv. But seriously I go often for a long weekend. 3 to 4 times a year.

Depends what you like to do. Shop? People watch? Go to Soho. You can easily spend 8 hours going into cool stores of all kinds and get that NYC feeling seeing how these people live. Hit a cool cafe for lunch, etc.

Art? The MET for me was a SPIRITUAL experience. I was a fine arts major and love art history. But even if you don't the MET is one of those places that just moves you. Same with the Natural Museum of History. They are both amazing. If you are taking kids I suggest the history museum instead of the MET.

Time Square, Rockefeller Center, Central Park. This is the more touristy spots of NYC but fun as well.

And let me know where you decide to go. I got a few fave restuarants in every neighborhood of Manhattan. me like food!

Quis, I'm in NYC every two weeks or so, so I'm there enough to know all the hot spots, but not live there (you know, once you live in a big city, you kinda forget about all the things around you).

My favorite things to do in NYC:

- Usually I take the train into Grand Central (is that what you're doing Quis?), which I love because Grand Central is such an energetic place to be. Then you can walk up 42nd to Fifth and cruise down Fifth avenue to see a couple of cool places (St. Patrick's Cathedral, Rockefeller Center, etc.). Around that area I make my way up to 7th Avenue (turning down virtually any street) to check out Times Square.

You could also go the other way down to 3rd Avenue or Lexington, which has tons of cool restuarants, old buildings, classic hotels (where Joe Dimaggio lived, Marilyn Monroe lived for a short time, etc.). I think if I lived in Manhattan and could choose where I lived, it'd be 3rd Avenue.

- Soho - I agree with Jorg. Soho is a really cool place to visit. Right near there is Little Italy too, which is cool, and next to that is Chinatown. Both of the latter two are fun to stop by and see.

- Times Square - I always try to stop in at Times Square whenever I'm in NYC, because its just such a cool place to be. There's nowhere else like it really.

- Carnegie Deli (next to Times Square). I spend most of my time with rich reinsurance executives in NYC, so I go to the most expensive restaurants (i.e. Sparks, etc.), but this is my favorite restauarant in NYC by far. I love the food, and you might spot a famous person (I once ate lunch next to Frenchie Davis of American Idol fame--C List celebrity and A List Internet Celebrity enjoying some corned beef!). It has the best Corned Beef or Pastrami in the world. Even this completely Irish lad bows before the might of Hebrew Corned Beef

- Not sure how long you'd be staying, but one of my favorite things to do in the city is catch a broadway play, my favorite being Rent.

- Example of a trendy New York Restaurant - Its funny to see how shocking New York restaurants/bars/clubs can be in all their swankiest, but if you ever feel like trying one, here's some suggestions (not really sure if you'd be interested in this, but I figure I'll post it anyway): Duvet (55 West 21st St.) which has jelly fish in fish tanks around the walls and beds to use as seats instead of tables and chairs, and Tao (42 East 58th St.--right near Madison Ave.) which is a cool restaurant, but less swanky (which to me is better).

- Oh, and if you want to travel around the city, take a cab. The cabs in New York are waaaaay better than in Baltimore, Phili, Atlanta, etc. They're the best I've ever seen (but I've never been to London, where I hear they have the best in the world).

I'm actually planning a late night trip to NYC in two weeks or so with my brother to do some bar hopping until the early hours of morning...I just love the energy that New York produces (Boston too, but for some reason I feel like you're used to that ).

Oh, another cool place to check out is the East Village, which was once notorious for its subculture (counter-culture?). It's slightly 'sold out' these days though (a Subway right there in the East Village?!!) but its still cool. Plus, you could catch 'Stomp' right there for relatively cheap ticket prices, and its only an hour and a half long (no intermission), so it won't take up much of your time.

I've only been to NYC once, because my best friend used to live in upstate NY before she moved to Fla, and we went into the city together that one time. It was a great experience, and I hope to repeat it someday.

I always love a good pizza, and I had one of the best pizzas in my life that day. IIRC, it was a little place in the Village called John's Pizza, with autographed pictures on the front window of Jack Black, Maria Bartiromo, and (IIRC,) Al Pacino.

Well, I was thinking of going to the Statue of Liberty and/or Ellis Island. The Museum of Natural History sounds good.

For me, restaurants have to be pretty plain. I am such a fussy eater.

I forgot all about the Statue. Definately check that out, its a cool place to visit!

As tourists, we liked The statue of liberty, but not so impressed with Ellis Island as it needed more interative exhibits rather than plain panels to read.

Jen really enjoyed the revolving restuarant in the Marriot hotel in times square. Go up and have a soda and watch New York revolve around you for an hour.

Then there is the Empire State at sunset, pretty impressive too.

Late afternoon is my favorite time on the ESB... you catch in in daylight, linger around, and catch it again in late twilight, as the city lights come on... its like an entire second vista!

I also recomnmend the Cloisters, a museum of medieval art up in northern Manhattan in a beautiful castle-like setting. Plus, paid admission to the Cloisters gets you into the Metroplitan Museum of Art for free!

The Museum of Natural History is indeed way cool beyond words.

There's so much to do, it would be better if you had any particular ideas, things you are looking for, so we could better advise.

I'll have to remember this, as I've been up to NY several times and have yet to find a decent slice, despite the city's rep for pizza.

Kent, I didn't know about Cloisters! Cool! Gotta check it out!

Cobalt, since Quis isn't much the restuarant guy...but you go often...check out...Asia de Cuba (@ the Morgan hotel midtown/murray hill area) and in Tribeca my fave is Gugino's (owned by Bob Giraldi producer/director).

And I have to hit you up for more places! I've been to Bobby Flay's places and liked them as well.

Jorg, I've been to Asia de Cuba a bunch of times and love it. In fact, that's probably tied for the best restaurant in NYC in terms of the trendy (not the right word but can't think of a right one) restaurants going on in the city right now.

I also reccomend Sushi Samba, on the corner of 7th and Bleaker. Another great place with its own atmosphere and clientele!

(Thats so cool that you've been to Asia de Cuba too and like it like I do!)