Well, Times Square is safe...primarily because a huge tourist spot. Granted, millions of New Yorkers work there, but it's primarily a big tourist destination. It's very well patrolled by police, and as long as you don't do anything silly like walk around with fistfuls of cash, you shouldn't have any problems talking a walk. A note: I find the pace of the crowd at Times Square, especially at night, to be maddingly slow.

There are restaurants there - but they're generic chain restaurants, and not a very good value for the money. Not too much in the way of shopping directly in Times Square - a few chain stores, but you're not that far away from Fifth Avenue. All the Broadway theatres are located there...so if you're planning on going to a show or two, you'll get your share of Times Square.

If you wanted more of a feel of NYC than neon lights, I know there's hotels on the Upper West (you'd be in very close proximity to Central Park), or in Union Square (great restaurants, the very fun Union Square Park)...I believe there is a W Hotel in Union Square, and a friend of mine always recommends the Beacon Hotel on the Upper West Side to her friends.

What about Nobu? Best 'fusion' in NYC that I know of. If you can't get reservations, just go to Nobu Next Door which is cheaper anyways.

I don't think Samba Sushi is considered fusion, but it is recommended. I also recommend Ninja NYC which is also not really fusion but is a fun experience. (BTW Ninja NYC is only worth eating at if you have reservations -- the whole point is to eat in the ninja village in the little huts and the non-reservation space just isn't as nice.)

i recommmend Aisa de Cuba & TAO

Originally Posted by Penélope7911

We haven't booked the hotel yet, though and I'm a little bit worried. Friends suggested us to find something close to or in Times Square because, when we're on vacation, my boyfriend and I love watching movies, going to theatres or eating in some good restaurant by night... what do you think?

the last time i was in NY i stayed at the W hotel in times square and it was walking distance to all the attractions, theaters, restaurants, and shops

check it out http://www.starwoodhotels.com/whotel...ropertyID=1234

I just stayed at the Hotel QT in Times Square and I loved it. There was a party in the hotel every night. There's a bar area next to a pool with a projector above it and a DJ, etc.



The room I stayed in was around $400 a night and was ok sized for a NYC hotel. What I loved were the modern and luxe details. For example, the bench seats were made of white ostrich leather:



Anyways, for Times Square it was cheap and clean. I was pleased.

There's a thread in this forum on NYC hotels. QT is the only good one I've stayed at in Times Square, but I've heard good things about the W hotels too.

Times square is really only 3 blocks away from restaurant row, which is a street of nothing but restaurants. Because of the competition on that street, the food is good pretty much everywhere.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restaur...w_York_City%29

Originally Posted by *Lo

Aisa de Cuba is good, i know its not as "hot" as it once was but the food is good and the mojitos are delicious

completely agree about asia de cuba, its not really as trendy and in as it was but the food is quite good.

Hi there! I actually live in NYC and 12 days is definitely not enough. I think it depends more on what you want to do. Do you have a planned itinerary full of very touristy destinations ? (like the Statue of Liberty and Empire State Building etc.) I would recommend the Hilton on 6th Avenue and 54th Street. My SO stayed there for a corporate event and said it was nice. It is also 3-4 blocks away from Central Park South so you will see the humongous Apple store and FAO Schwartz. It is also one avenue away from 5th Avenue where all the famous stores are (Saks, LV, Pucci, etc.) It is also relatively close to 42nd Street. My office is aroudn there and it literally takes just a few minutes to walk to 42nd street. The hotel is near a bunch of subways like the 6 line (for the Met) and its about 1-2 blocks from the MoMA.

These are my suggestions of things to see when you are in NYC:
1) Met/ MoMA (usually a full day trip for the Met which is next to Central Park)
2) Central Park (even though it's hot, you can go rowboating in the lake)
3) Shopping/strolling on 5th Avenue
4) Times Square (maybe catch a show)
5) Empire State Building/ 34th Street (lots of shopping but prepare to wait to go to the top of the Empire State Building)
6) SoHo (the hip area for younger people lots of stores and restaurants)
7) Chinatown (very crowded so be warned about Canal St.)
8) Little Italy (teeny but right next to Chinatown and you can get gelato at Ferrara's)
9) SeaPort (this is downtown/ there are stores and everything)
10) Financial District (Wall St., take a ferry to Statue of Liberty and visit the World Trade Center site).
11) Try to eat at as many places as possible =) HAVE FUN!

A word to the wise: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO GO THERE!

On my recent vacation, I decided that since I had been a fan of the show since I was 17, that I would go take a pic on the stoop like so many of my friends have before.
BIG MISTAKE. I noticed a brassplate and a chain guarding the steps and a woman on them talking to a gentlemen. She had papers in her hand and she was a grumpy bitch.

I went across the street and held up my camera to get a shot and just as I put my arms down, she proceeds to SCREAM at me.

YOU ARE INVADING MY PRIVACY!
GET A LIFE!
WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!?!

So I said, "Well, the little brass sign doesn't say anything about NO PHOTOGRAPHY so I'm taking a--"
"EXCUSE ME? I LIVE HERE! You are not allowed to take photos of me or my house. GO AWAY!" she snarled.
I
asked if she realized where she lived and how she had no control of me taking a photo from the street and she refused to speak to me. I apologized for invading her privacy and she made a quip about the genuineness of my apology and then I left.
It was totally worth it and now I have a fun story about the troll that lives in the house where Carrie's stoop was located! hahaha
And my picture was FABULOUS.

totally worth it... time will pass so fast you'll be surprized..

i think the next time i visit NY i'll go again LOL

Hi I don't even know if I am posting this in the right place, but I can't seem to find where else to post this. Last year everyone was such a huge help when I went to Florence, Italy, I thought I would try my luck again!

I am going to NY from Aug. 1 - 6, I am also looking for discounted designer handbags or alternatively I would definitely be interested in any reputable stores that carry consignment designer handbags that are in great shape. Any suggestions?

I will also be in Philadelphia for a couple of days before I go to NY if there is anything that anyone knows of there.

I am interested in LV, Chanel, Gucci, Prada, Miu Miu and anything else I can get my hands on - thanks!

Originally Posted by Graciella

Hi there, I need your help. I'll be in New York in August (25-29th) and though I've been there once before, I just need to know where I can shop best. That one time I went there we stayed for 8 days, but I wasn't really into shopping then and only visited the Met and some other museums (I study Egyptology) and did the normal tourist stuff (helicopter tour, empire state etc.). Of course I'll be checking Neimans, Barney's, Bergdorf et al as well as Prada and the other big boutiques, but I'd like to know where I can get me some nice purses on sale or from an outlet. Is august a sale period? Also, I'd like to go to Boston for just a day to visit the Museum of Fine Arts. Is this a crazy idea? Here in the Netherlands it's quite easy to jump on a train and travel to the other end of the country in less than 2 hours, but I guess that's quite different in the US. I talked about it with my teacher, who is from Chicago, but he just said the museum is great and that I def. should try to get there, but that he didn't know how long it'd take. And finally, if you have any other suggestions, please let me know! Thanks a lot

There is a bus that will take you to Boston for like $20 round trip, http://www.fungwahbus.com/.

Ill be in NY in mid August so all of these suggestions are great! The student pass, does one have to apply for that online? does anyone know?

So, I have never been to NYC in my whole life, and I am going in August. I would like some suggestions on where to shop, other than times square. I was wondering if there are any good outlets around the New Jersey/ NYC border? What temperature will it be? What should I pack?
Sorry for myself bombarding you with questions
Any help or tips would be appreciated!
,
T0TEMAMA!

Whew! August will be the 3 H's - hazy, hot, and humid and it will likely rain/thunderstorm at some point while you're there. Many residents leave the city on the weekends so it will likely be a little *less* crowded than normal but if you don't know "normal" you'll stilll likely find it crowded...if all of that made sense! LOL

Personally, I would avoid shopping in Times Square (I think most of the stores there are either chains you can find in any suburban mall in the US or cheesy tourist shops). Since you've never been to NYC, you'll likely want to join the tourist crawl down 5th Avenue and browse through Saks 5th Avenue, the Tiffany flagship, etc.

Macy's Herald Square on 34th Street is an absolute ZOO, as is the Manhattan Mall nearby.

When I visit, I head downtown - to SoHo, Tribeca, Chelsea, the Village for designer and indie boutiques. Century 21 is a fun store to roll up your sleeves and dig for designer bargains.

I also recommend Barneys flagship on Madison Ave. at 60th and Barney's CO-OP in Chelsea.

Outside NYC, you can take a bus about an hour or so to reach Woodbury Commons, a premium outlet center with stores such as Burberry, YSL, Bottega, Chloe, Gucci, Tory Burch, etc. You can google it for location and transportation information.

You can get 1/2 price tickets for same-day Broadway shows at TKTS booths - one near the Marriott Marquis hotel near Times Square and the other in South Street Seaport.

You can walk through Central Park and across the Brooklyn Bridge - great views of the Manhattan skyline.

For packing, wear hot weather clothes and bring a wrap or cardy for A/C inside. New Yorkers dress up a bit more for drinks/dinner/clubs so bring some nice "going-out" clothes.

Have fun!