Transportation for three from LGA to Midtown: cab or car service? Is Tel Aviv Limos best to contact? Transportation from pier to LGA for three, cab or car service?

Need restaurant recommendations for Midtown near New York Hilton that mother in law with not very exotic choices would enjoy.

I need theater tickets: should I go through Amex Plat, broadway.com, or ?

Doug, still planning on trying your brother's restaurant. Once we figure out which night for theater, we can figure out which night for dinner. Are you in town over Memorial Day Weekend?

As the trip gets closer, I'm sure I will have more questions for our New York contingent. ;)

SO many Questions!
I'll try:

Since it will be a Holiday weekend, I'd go with Amex for Theatre tix. This weekend we went to the Half Price Booth & they didn't have anything interesting, so we walked right to the Theatre we wanted to go to, and they had tickets there for that day's show. I think we were lucky. I HIGHLY recommend The Boy From Oz with Hugh Jackman. Get tix on left side downstairs (Mrs Marc will like it best there!).

LGA to Midtown is a flat fee of $45(plus tip). It will be very crowded for 3. I'd recommend a car service, but I cannot recommend one as I have not used one there yet. From Pier I would definitely use a car service. (If you find a good one, let me know).

Restaurants - too many to think of one for now. Where is the Hilton? Can come back to you on that later. If you look English Pub style food, the best Shephard's Pie is on 11th Ave at around 50th - The Landmark Tavern. very homey feeling, and "comfort food."

And I also highly recommend Doug's cousin's place. It is down in Soho area, so it'll require a cab. Be careful of those Pietini's. Dessert style martinis. It is like Candy with a Kick!
If Doug's not around, I am pretty sure we will be, and we'd surely go back there again. The steaks are fantastic too. Dylan Prime is the name of the place.

I hope I was some help to you.
Anything else - fire away.

Marc...

Can't help you with car service, but for theater tickets I think you're best off with AMEX, especially if you're trying to get into a popular show. For restaurants, if your mother-in-law likes seafood, there's a wonderful restaurant called Bluefin in the W hotel ... very good food, fun NY vibe, excellent cooperative service that is unfazed by much of anything, including having to serve a three course meal to a party of 6 in an hour and 15 minutes (we got stuck in traffic before a show). You can walk to just about any show from this location too.

Terri

Terri

Marc...

Can't help you with car service, but for theater tickets I think you're best off with AMEX, especially if you're trying to get into a popular show. For restaurants, if your mother-in-law likes seafood, there's a wonderful restaurant called Bluefin in the W hotel ... very good food, fun NY vibe, excellent cooperative service that is unfazed by much of anything, including having to serve a three course meal to a party of 6 in an hour and 15 minutes (we got stuck in traffic before a show). You can walk to just about any show from this location too.

Terri

Terri

Marc:

For car service use BLS as I posted in another thread. They will fax you an application and you fax it back to them and they will set up an account. I have used them in NYC and LA for years. Call 800-843-5752.

Restaurants near the Hilton @ 54th & 6th where I've had good meals. Most of these are moderate to expensive. Remi (new italian), Maristella's (italian), La Bonne Soupe (inexpensive French bistro), Beacon (rotissiere), Cite Grill (great steaks etc), China Grill (nouvelle chinese), Molyvos (greek seafood), Heartland Brewery (microbrewery w/good menu), JUdson Grill (new american), Osterio del Circo (owned by the Le Cirque folks), Tang Pavilion (chinese) ,Trattoria del'Arte, and Victor's Cafe (cuban).

Let me know if you need other ideas or information. I focused on the ones that are within a few blocks of the hotel. Cheers, Anne

Hey Anne -

What's the name of the place across the river that has the amazing city view and lobster masshed potatos? Been there forever...

Robert:

I think this might be the restaurant you're thinking of.

River Cafe

I love Victors, especially before a show. Tao is great and Dylan Prime (Tribeca) is fun (it's where the Saturday Night Live wrap parties are), liquor and food are great. Nobu and Chanterelle in Tribeca are great. Hope this helps.

River Cafe! That's it Margo! Thanks. Wonder if it's as good as it used to be. Want to take Mom since we will be bunking at her place.

Marc:

Don't know if I will be around over M day. But! HEY it is only Feburary! Who knows?

A car service from LGA would be the better idea. It will cost a bit more than a cab, but the service would be worth it!

Theatre: you are on your own. I love TKTS for the half priced seats, but you never know what is avaiable.
Others have made very good suggestions.

Food: You will be staying in mid-town. The world is available to you. REALLY! A short walk or short cab ride...
What kind of place do you want? Type of food? Price point? Remember this is NY. We have everything...at a price. (lol)

If you want a GREAT steak house, I cannot recommend anything better than Dylan Prime in Tribeca. Yes, it is my cousin's place. But I pay to eat there!
Buy a copy of Zagat's NYC. (about $10 or so) or go on Citysearch.com. Check the restaurants out.

If you want a great country french place in the Times Square area, let me know.
Someone also mentioned Victor's: A & I love that place! order the 'old clothes'. you can't go wrong!

Keep in touch. I will help as I can.
Gil is a great source, too!

Doug

Any good restaurant suggestions for the area near the UN, which is where we'll be staying?

We are craving Italian, Chinese (Cantonese), pizza and Kosher Deli.

Marc, you may want to check out Playbill.com. You can sign up and purchase discounted tix on the site.

Denise, are you going to the tenement museum?

There is a deli in southeast side that supposedly is better than Carnegies and the rest. I don't remember the name but I am sure someone else does.

All, thanks for the info. I'll check into car service. Although we have already seen The Producers, I think we are going to try to go again.

thanks,

Marc,

I've never heard of that museum.

We have plans to visit one of my very favorite museums, The Metropolitan Museum of Art. I love it there. I don't know if we'll have time for any others, as we get in late Friday and leave on Monday.

We may also take in a play. If we can't get tix for the plays we are interested in, we may go to the Museum of Natural History and Hayden Planitarium.

If anyone knows of the deli Marc is referring to, I'd love to know about it.

Thanks.

I think the Deli you are thinkngi of is Katz' Deli?

My favorite restaurant site is http://www.menupages.com/index.asp

Has menus & reviews, and a good search function

KATZ

Thanks Gil.

The tenement museum is a recreation of 19th century tenements that are ancestors used to live in.

Sounds very interesting. If time allows, we will have to check it out. Where is it located?

Denise:

here is the URL:
http://www.tenement.org/

Thanks, Marc. I will look it over.

We wish we were in town the same time as you. It would have been nice to visit.

Marc,

I will be there when you are - we are staying post cruise and you are pre cruise, if I remember.

I was able to get tickets to Wicked via AMEX. Kristen Chenowith is very talented. We saw her at the Hollywood Bowl the summer before last. It's a very hot ticket and we got 10th row center with Amex Plat.

Midtown - The 4 Seasons has a great pre-theater dinner and it's a brisk 20 minute walk to the Theaters. Also Smith and Wollensky was very enjoyable on our last trip.

The Tenement Museum sounds like a wonderful suggestion. My relatives settled there in the 1880s from Russia/Poland

Go see Wicked it was great! In the theater district, I like Jo Allan (for Pub style food). All the other posters had good resturant ideas.
Have Fun, Macy

We just purchased tix for The Boy From Oz, with Hugh Jackman. Great seats, too - 2nd row center Front Mezzanine.

Can't wait!

Denise:

Great seats!
I've heard only good things about that show.

Re: Wicked. The critics were not kind, but the crowds seem to like it. Who Knows?

Re: restaurants from the UN area.
As the old joke goes,"I wouldn't start from there".
Plan on a cab

Email what sort of stuff you want & I'll do my best. Tell me budget limits, too.
In NY you can eat like a King& Queen or a regular person. You can also pay like a King & Queen or a regular person. There is no reason you can't eat like a King & Queen AND pay like a regular person.
(Oddly enought, it is much easier to eat like a regular person & pay like a King & Queen! Go figure!)

Doug

OK guys ... if you had to pick between seeing the Lion King or the Boy from Oz, which would you go to? (I hate the fact that we're flying in on Sunday and Monday is dark for most shows - we really only have Tuesday night to see a show of some kind)

Masaki

Thanks, Doug.

Carole and Gil saw the play last weekend and Carole raved about it. I think we picked a winner!

Can't go to NY without going to the theater.

Masaki,

The Boy From Oz did get excellent reviews. When will you be in NY?

Denise - We're doing the Navigator out of NYC to Canada on June 9th. We're flying in on June 6th I believe (waiting for RSSC to tell us flights). Same exact cruise as Robert, I think, just a different time. How long is Hugh Jackman going to be doing the role?

Masaki

Hugh Jackman is in the show through September.
Lion King was good - but Boy From Oz is much better. Much different style, too. Lion King is a huge, fancy production number. Oz is real Theatre - a true story, great talent (wait till you see/hear the woman playing Judy Garland), audience involvement (Can't tell how). Good music, laughter, and serious moments too.

Yup same itin as us different time. No idea on Hugh, except my own personal ideas, but we'd best not get into that... <img border="0" alt="[naughty]" title="" src="graemlins/naughty.gif" />

Purchased tickets to see Producers again. June 1st, the night before we board the Navigator. Still no idea who will be replacing Lane and Broderick. As we were lucky enough to see the original cast, it will be interesting seeing the show three years later.

Anne, was the Four Seasons you mentioned the one around 50th between 2nd and Park? We ate there on our trip a couple of years ago and had a wonderful time. We would love to try it again. We are also thinking of taking mother-in-law to Sardis pre-theater as that is still a fun place.

Marc - another poster added Four Seasons, which I enjoyed as well. It's at 99 E. 52nd (between Lexington & Park) phone is 212-754-9494. Still gets great ratings in this year's Zagats (food 26, decore 27, service 26). Hope that helps. Enjoy! Anne

Marc,

When The Producers appeared in LA, the cast included Jason Alexander and Martin Short. They did a wonderful job. It's a great play no matter how many times you see it! Enjoy!

As for Broadway shows...I've seen The Producers now 3 times (NY and LA) and loved it everytime! Also, you can't go wrong with Hairspray...fun and very high energy!! I've also heard great things about Gypsy with Bernadette Peters (may not be around much longer??)

Personally, if telecharge or ticketmaster doesn't have seats for what you want to see, I've had good luck with last minute tickets on ebay....great seats sold by people that change their plans at the last minute and don't want to "eat" their tickets.

Marc,

I suggested the Four Seasons. We really enjoyed it. They have a wonderful Pre-fixe menu for the theater. Food was exceptional and service could not have been more attentive. I believe that 3 years ago the dinner was about $65.00 or so per person - 3 or 4 courses.

If you go to 2nd Ave Deli (on Houston - pronounced howstun) go next door to Russ and Daughters - best herring in the world.
Don't miss the Staten Island Ferry. Great views - for free.
Best place for electronics/cameras - B&H.
Best bagels - H&H. Near Zabars - Broadway and 70th.
Desert and expresso on 11th Street and 1st Avenue in Venieros Pasticceria.
Broadway - Hairspray, Gypsy, Wonderful Town...
Off Broadway - Blue Man Group.
Buy Chanel/LV knockoffs from the Nigerians on Canal st.
Go to the Prada store in Soho.
Walk thru Central Park from the west side to the Zoo.
Need more activities?

Scooter:

are you in the NYC area?
How did you leave out J&R?

Doug

I'd also recommend Le Bernardin and Manhattan Ocean Club. Not sure if these were mentioned earlier.

More places for me to keep track of ... thanks for all the suggestions guys!

Masaki

DougW-
I am. And your right. J&R on Park Row. Excellent electronic pricing. Also left out all of the famous/original/best "Rays Pizza".
But Johns or Lombardis (thin crust pizza coal/wood fired ovens) can't be beat. And H&H is near 80th & Broadway not 70th. Oops.

My daughter and I will be in NYC over Memorial Day. Actually we arrive there on the 31st and leave June 4th. Staying at the Hilton Times Sq. Got Lion King tickets for June 2nd. We did this 2 yrs ago and she loves NY. We drive my Dad's car from Vegas to Buffalo (he stys there for the summer)We take Jet Blue from Buffalo to NYC and then will fly back to Vegas. My daughter is 26 and wanted to see the Lion King. Any recommendations for a great Italian restaurant in Little Italy? Doug we will go your cousin's place.
Any other suggestions as to what to see. Didn't get to the East Village last time; so want my daughter to see that. I would like to see the tenement museum.

Judy: Il Cortile, 125 Mulberry, is very good - I think many of the Little Italy rstaurants are so-so-(212-226-6060) Joanna