NYC Shortest Trip Ever!!

"One belongs to New York instantly, one belongs to it as much in five minutes as in five years." -- Tom Wolfe

Here's a preview of my favorite site on this short trip!

Recently, Kathryn needed to attend a buyers market in Manhattan, and she kindly asked me to join her. Anyone who knows me, knows that I don't need to be asked twice when NYC is mentioned! This was to be a different kind of trip though; we would be in the city for only about 24 hours. It would be my shortest visit ever. Okay, a new first!

I actually experienced several new firsts on this trip: my first time to fly into Newark, my first time to ride New Jersey Transit, my first time to stay in Yotel, my first time to not step foot in a subway tunnel, and my first time in the Javits Center.

Flying into Newark is definitely not my favorite. Getting into Manhattan from this airport is doable but not simple. Here are some directions in case you ever end up in this same predicament of not being able to fly into JFK. The cheapest way to get to Manhattan is via New Jersey Transit train. Upon exiting your plane, look for signs to the AirTrain. Near the entrance to the AirTrain are machines where you can purchase NJ Transit tickets. It costs $13 one way to get to Penn Station New York, which includes the $5.50 AirTrain access fee. We bought round trip tickets for $26. This consists of two ticket stubs. The one shown below is for going into New York. Just keep the second stub safe for your return trip.

You need the ticket to get on the AirTrain, and then keep it handy because the conductor on the NJ train will collect it. After purchasing your ticket, board the AirTrain and get off at the last stop which says, "Rail Link." From here you will walk down to a platform to wait for the train. We arrived on a Sunday morning which meant a slightly longer wait. The trip into the city was about 30 minutes, ending at Penn Station New York. Pay attention to the stops because there's also a Penn Station Newark where you DON'T want to get off.

So, we arrived at Penn Station at about 11 am, and walked several blocks to our hotel, Yotel. This boutique hotel is on W. 42nd Street, between 10th and 11th Avenues. This new type of hotel is all about conserving space, automaticity, and saving time. We checked in at a kiosk later in the day. It even gave us our key card through a slot in the machine. Upon our first arrival, we had to store our luggage. Check out the picture and video below.

It was really cool to watch this YOBOT store luggage in large and small bins. If there was no attendant present, this was free. If an attendant was there to "help" you use the YOBOT, they asked for $5.00.

Our room was cute and compact. We had a street view, a shower, a full-size bed, and a large flat-screen television. The hotel had a restaurant and rooftop terrace, cafe, restaurant, and bar. We rode one elevator to the concierge floor and then used our key card to ride another elevator to our floor. Here are some shots of the room.

The bed rises up like a hospital bed for times when you're not sleeping, saving room at the end for walking. In the shower soap, conditioner, and shampoo were dispensed through large containers, another money saving idea. There was storage under the bed and in convenient places around the room, saving much space. Overall I was pleased with the room. I think Kathryn paid about $100, which is a deal in NYC.

After walking Kathryn to the Javits Center for her market, I went on my way to my number one place to see on this trip -- the Vessel. It was a very short walk to Hudson Yards from Javits Center, and I was there in no time. It does not cost anything to climb the Vessel, but because of enormous crowds of people wanting to make the 150 foot climb, there is a ticketing process. There are a couple of electronic kiosks near the Vessel entrance; I found one and chose an available time. My time was about 45 minutes away, so I went into the Hudson Yards mall space. It is 5 levels of upscale shopping and dining.  I ate at Shake Shack and walked around looking at all the different stores.

I was so excited to get out to the Vessel. You climb to the top by walking up alternate facing staircases. All along the way up, there are excellent views of the Hudson River, New Jersey, and various views to the east, north, and south. The prime time to be there is at sunset, but sunset ticketed times were gone by 1:00. I definitely recommend making this a priority for you on your next NYC trip.

After this amazing time, I took a walk on the High Line. They have just recently completed Phase 3 of this elevated walkway all the way out to West Side Highway. It was lovely. This phase actually curves right around beside Hudson Yards and connects to the previously built sections. The newer phase was not terribly crowded, but as I made my way south it became more and more difficult to walk comfortably through the Sunday afternoon walkers. I exited pretty soon and just walked around Chelsea, one of my favorite neighborhoods.

I spent the rest of my afternoon walking and soaking up the vibes of my favorite city. I watched an ethnic parade, rode on a downtown tour bus, and visited Bryant Park. I had a pleasant time, and then returned to the hotel to wait for Kathryn.

When Kathryn returned from her market, we checked in and then headed out to dinner. I remembered my previous visit and my meals at Blockheads Mexican Restaurant, so we decided to eat at their Time Square location. It was good, but somehow not as good as I remembered it. They do still serve free drink refills though! After dinner we both REALLY wanted a good dessert, and we happened upon the BEST cookie shop. It was called Schmackary's and is located on W. 45th Street near 9th Avenue. There was a line forming outside, always a good sign. The cookies were delicious!!! I have included a picture of the menu below. I will definitely be returning!

After a restful sleep, we both made our way to Javits Center. I agreed to spend the time accompanying Kathryn the second day. It was fun to watch her work, making selections of just what her Just Be customers would want. We left not long after lunch, returning to the hotel for our bookbags, then making the walk to Penn Station and the return trip by train to Newark Airport. This speedy trip was totally complete at 1:25 am, when I pulled into my driveway after the drive back from Charlotte, exhausted but happy to have spent even 24 hours in my Manhattan!

The Concrete Jungle's Hidden Gems

"As for New York City, it is a place apart. There is not its match in any other country in the world." -- Pearl S. Buck

New Yorkers love their parks, and they have lots of them. They need them. Those of us who live outside of New York City are more accustomed to tree-lined streets, large back yards, neighborhood playgrounds. Those 1.7 million residents of Manhattan live several flights up, in concrete and steel high-rises, surrounded by sidewalks and streets packed with cars, rarely walking on freshly-cut grass. Thus, the presence of as many parks as can be fit onto 22.96 square miles of land on the island of Manhattan.

On my last visit to my favorite city, I went in search of some of the more obscure or hidden parks. I was rewarded with the discovery of several. Below I have pictures, addresses, and descriptions of my favorites.

Katharine Hepburn Garden

Located: 47th Street, between 1st and 2nd Avenues

This garden, though not necessarily quiet, gives the impression of isolation in the middle of chaos, and is a relaxing hideaway. It is cool, even in July, shaded by several trees and freshened by the fountain. There are stepping stones throughout the garden, many of those stones containing quotes by the iconic actress. I highly recommend a visit if you are on the Upper East Side. Take a book and relax a while!

Paley Park

Located: 3 East 53rd Street (Midtown between Park Ave. and 7th Ave.)

This oasis is wedged in between high-rises, alongside a heavily trafficked street. It was designed to minimize outside noise. The manmade waterfall does a great job at masking city sounds. There is a snack-bar adjoining the sitting area. I actually had lunch the day I was there. Although the developers attempted to make this a get-away area, I was not as pleased with Paley Park as with the garden above. The concrete underfoot and the high number of visitors made it not as pleasant and relaxing.

Teardrop Park

Located: Warren Street, Battery Park City

Now for the kids of Manhattan! They need places to play.. and cool off in those HOT summer months when all that concrete absorbs and holds in that extreme heat. I found one of those places -- Teardrop Park. It's awesome! There's not a lot of grass, true, but there is water. The day I was there the swimming area was full. (Full disclosure: the pictures above with kids were not taken by me. I got them online. I didn't take pictures of kids the day I was there, not wanting to alarm parents.) The park was an area of shouts and splashes, slipping and sliding, running and rollicking. There were also small nooks for quiet and reflection. 

It's not the easiest place to find, which is part of its charm. You can use your phone and Google Maps to help you locate it though.

What Should I Do First in New York City???

"New York is the concentrate of art and commerce and sport and religion and entertainment and finance, bringing to a single compact arena the gladiator, the evangelist, the promoter, the actor, the trader, and the merchant. It carries on its lapel the unexpungeable odor of the long past, so that no matter where you sit in New York you feel the vibrations of great times and tall deeds."  -- E.B. White, Here is New York

I have been asked the question, "What should I do first when I get there?" so many times. It never gets any easier to answer. The city is constantly changing, never staying the same. The changes depend on the season, the holiday, the weather; New York City during Christmas was NOTHING like New York City during July! What you should do while you're there can also be dependent on who you're with and how long you're staying. I have tried to come up with a list of "Must See/Do" sites below, but keep in mind that I am a history-buff  and not a shopaholic. You might quickly tire of my love-of-the-past-view-in-the-present places and want to stop off at the nearest Loft or at Saks; do it. Make NYC the place you want it to be. It is so many different places to so many different people. My recommendations below are just to get you started, and will hopefully help you to love this amazing city as much as I do.

Tour Bus
It may sound like a  cliche activity, but for me it was so helpful. I rode both loops, Uptown and Downtown. The ride gave me a tiny feeling of familiarity on my first visit. It allowed me to see things while not being part of the hustle and bustle. Once I had a guide who was a retired college history professor, and he was awesome! You can not always be guaranteed to have the best guide, but the ride itself will not disappoint. (On a much later trip I also did the Brooklyn Loop which was fun too.)
You can make reservations online ahead of time, but I have found it to be much easier to just purchase a ticket from someone wearing a red vest. The one I have always used is the Grayline Tour Co. They have many different options available, so even if you choose not to buy your ticket online, look at all the options online first so that you have a plan when you talk to the ticket rep. Otherwise, they might sell you much more than you want!   Grayline Tour Company

Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island
This is a must! Seeing the Statue of Liberty upclose and personal is a New York rite of passage. The Ellis Island experience cannot be duplicated anywhere else in the world. Admission to the islands and the museum are free, but the fairy that you have to ride out there is not. The ferry ride itself is a great experience! This is one activity that I would reserve ahead of time, especially in the summer. You have to stand in a security line similar to the airport, and if you wait to purchase your ticket there, that's another line you have to wait in. The museum on Ellis Island and the walkways around the statue are finally back in mint condition after Hurricane Sandy; these two islands took a hard hit in that storm. (If you are a history-nut like I am, Ellis Island even offers a Hard Hat Tour which is a fee, but is SO worth it.)  Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island Ferry

Empire State Building
This is cliche, but who goes to NYC without making it to the top of the Empire State Building?? (Even if you haven't seen Sleepless in Seattle or An Affair to Remember) It is not my favorite thing to do, but I have done it twice. I think that going at night is better than daytime viewing. The lines can be ridiculous, and you get to the top and "oooh" and "aaah" with everyone else. Still, it kind of has to be done. I actually prefer Top of the Rock. The difference in height is about 30 floors. The difference in price is about $14. The biggest draw for the Top of the Rock in my opinion is that while you are waiting in line, you get to watch an informative movie/slideshow which is so interesting AND makes the waiting less tedious.
Empire State Building Tickets      Top of the Rock Tickets 

Central Park
Central Park is awesome! There is more to see and do there than can be done in a day, but be sure to put aside at least 4 hours to experience part of it on your first visit to New York City. The park is like a city in itself. There are countless paths to wander down, many types of animal life to observe, waterfalls, tunnels, a castle, a zoo... I see and experience something new there every time I visit. It is not the easiest place to find your way around in, as the paths curve and meander, but you can get an app for your phone that is a map of Central Park. Also, I learned on my last visit ( I love learning new things each time I go!) that lampposts in the park have labels which will help you locate where you are in relation to streets outside the park. (See picture below.) There are restaurants in the park, countless food carts, a gift shop at the conservatory, and ice-skating in the winter. I have done one organized park tour, but found that it wasn't really worth the money.

The top number is the nearest cross street.

 
Roosevelt Island Tram
This is a surprise experience! It only costs the swipe of your Metrocard each way, and is worth way more. This is a sky tram that takes you across traffic and across the East River to Roosevelt Island. The island itself is mostly residential with apartment buildings, stores, schools. The tram is the attraction. I love riding it at night when you can see all the lights and during the day when you can watch all the people and traffic below you. When you disembark on the island, you can loop around and get right back on or take a walk around. There is also a free shuttle that makes a circle of the island and returns to the tram station. The apartment building nearest to the station has a restaurant on the ground floor which is tasty and not too expensive. This tram ride is one of my favorite New York City experiences. Once while waiting to board on the Manhattan side, I watched a traffic jam caused by the rollover of a food cart. It was all so big-city and interesting to me. I really get a kick out of watching the traffic cops anyway; it's neat to see them directing traffic in their white gloves. It's almost a kind of dance. (Yes, I saw Flashdance, and it is like the traffic cop scene from that movie.)
You can board the tram at 59th Street and 2nd Avenue in Manhattan.

911 Memorial and Museum
There are tons of museums in New York City, and I definitely have my favorites. (Another post will be devoted strictly to museums.) but this favorite of mine is a MUST SEE. No one who remembers September 11, 2001 should pass up the opportunity to spend time at the site. The fountains themselves are awesome. The fact that there are always hundreds of people around you, yet it is nearly silent is amazing. I have read so many books about that day, and it is kind of intense to see some of the names of people I've read about along the fountains' sides. The museum is remarkable. They have done an exceptional job of depicting what happened while still respecting the lives of the people involved. It is best to purchase tickets online, and those tickets are good for six months. The cost is $24, but for an extra $20 you can get a guided tour. I have not done the guided tour yet, but it is on my to-do list. I also recommend the new subway terminal, the Oculus, and the Freedom Tower if you're doing a 911 tour day.   911 Memorial and Museum

*This ends my must-see list, but there are so many more places that I can't wait to tell about! Even after seven visits, I have not seen or done all I want to see or do!
One final recommendation before your trip, get the NYC Subway app on your phone! It is invaluable. It includes a map of sorts that can help you find your way, but also gives a map of all subway trains and stations. A new function of the app is that it will use your location to show you the closest train to you and tells you which train you should ride to get to given locations. It's a MUST HAVE!!!

Speaking of the Sun

"God made the two great lights, the greater light to govern the day, and the lesser light to govern the night; He made the stars also. God placed them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, and to govern the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness; and God saw that it was good." -- Genesis 1:16-18

Today, we will experience an amazing natural phenomenon, the total solar eclipse. The last one in the United States occurred in 1979, and the next one will not be until 2024. People are excited! Me, not so much. I had a 10.5 hour drive across the Path of Totality yesterday. I had to cut short a special trip due to traffic concerns. The traffic was crazy!

We humans are fascinated with the sun, the moon, the stars, and the planets. My prayer is that we would be more fascinated by the Creator of these heavenly bodies. The fact remains that people always seem to put great stock in the movements and behaviors of these celestial objects. The whole thing has made me think about another one of my New York Moments.

I am always on the lookout for interesting and unique things to do on my trips to NYC. Prior to my summer of 2016 trip I saw online that on an evening during my visit the sunset would line up exactly with New York's east-west streets! That sounded like a really neat thing to see! As I planned my trip I scheduled myself to be in Riverside Park at sunset of that night. What did not occur to me (in my self-absorption) was that many people would want to see this same unique event. 

I went to the park a little before sunset and got some great pictures, and then made my way east along the closest street. (I was in the 90's.) I soon realized that the street was quite empty! I turned around and was shocked to see that the police had set up barriers blocking off the street, and there were hundreds, maybe thousands, of people there to see MY unique event! I ended up feeling even happier that I was involved in a New York special event and got over the fact that my important sunset discovery was not as secret as I had thought! It is now one of my very special New York moments.

New York City Restaurants

"The most splendid dinner I ever saw, a profusion of rich dishes." -- John Adams -- First Continental Congress, 1774 at Fraunces Tavern

A 2010 survey found that New York City ranks #4 in the country for number of restaurants per capita. I personally am astounded by these findings. I would have thought it would come in higher than that, for sure. (To see the top ten, click here: Top Ten Restaurants per Capita; #2, what!!!!) In all my visits to the city, I have only repeated three restaurants; there are just too many out there, and I feel the compulsion to try as many as possible! I do have my favorites, however, that list is totally fluid; with each visit, I find another restaurant to love. I am definitely not a restaurant critic, or even a foody. I am drawn to the restaurants I like using these criteria: historical importance, location, service, interesting clientele, cost, and taste. None of the places on my list are 5-star or even terribly spectacular; I just like them.

One of my favorite "go-to" restaurants in the city is Manhattan Diner. It's just around the corner from my hotel, so it's a good place to go when I need to grab a bite before heading out somewhere. The food is good, and the portions are extremely generous (especially for New York). The staff is very personable. One of the things I love about Manhattan Diner is that it's a locals restaurant. I've seen people come in and not even have to order their drinks because the server just already knows. I love that! Once I watched them lay out an entire meal at a table before the elderly lady who sat there even arrived! Their menu is varied, and I have ordered several different items and loved them all. They have desserts, but I've always been too full to get one. I think my favorite selection there was the Argentinian Style Grilled Skirt Steak Wrap. Mmmmmm! It was one of my try-something-new choices, and I was very satisfied.

Located at 2532 Broadway (between 94th and 95th Streets)

Manhattan Diner Info and Menu

Another restaurant which I love for quite different reasons is Fraunces Tavern. This small quaint establishment is located in the Financial District. The building was first used as a restaurant in 1762. It has been the meeting place for the Sons of Liberty, a headquarters for George Washington, and is currently a museum and restaurant. I am always in awe when I eat there, because, hey, I'm eating exactly where George Washington ate!!!  The attraction of the restaurant for me is the history, but the food is yummy (though not inexpensive). My favorite is the chicken pot pie! 

                                                                                                                                                                                                               Located at 54 Pearl Street
                                                                                                            Fraunces Tavern Menu 

The next two restaurants on my list are strictly touristy. I have been to both of them more than once, but never by myself. I only go to take someone who has never been. The food is pretty expensive at both places, but you're paying for the entertainment at the first and for the name at the second.

Ellen's Stardust Diner is the restaurant where aspiring Broadway actors and actresses work while they are trying to get their "big break." To the delight of all diners, these talented young people sing in the restaurant while serving you. Having a meal there may be a chunk of change, but it's also a very unique experience!

Located at 1650 Broadway (on the corner near Wicked)

Ellen's Stardust Diner Info and Menu

New York City (including all boroughs) is simply packed with pizza parlors, restaurants, stands, etc. The most popular is probably any that say "brick oven." It is almost overwhelming when you try to choose a place to get a pizza. The locals all have their favorites, so if you want a really good pizza, ask the doorman at your hotel, the cabby, the guy next to you on the train. For a certified tourist-fix, go to Grimaldi's Under the Bridge. The "bridge" is the Brooklyn Bridge, and yes, Grimaldi's is in Brooklyn. I did not find the staff to be the friendliest or the pizza to be the ultimate best, but I have been twice to experience it with two different friends. I like the pizza, and it's an interesting place to go. Tons of celebrities have been there, so pictures are everywhere. Brooklyn is a great place to go anyway, so why not Grimaldi's? There are many "Grimaldi's" out there, so make sure you go to the one under the bridge.

        Located at 1 Front Street in Brooklyn (white building)

                                    Grimaldi's  





Wherever you go, rest assured it will be an experience (hopefully good). New York has so many ethnic restaurants that you'll never have to eat the same kind of food twice unless you just want to. One of my favorite things about any NYC restaurant is people watching; that always makes the meal anywhere more fun! Enjoy and comment below about your favorite New York restaurant!