Hey Folks We're off to NYC for a few days. I'll try and report as the trip progresses "a la" Realfam style when he posted updates during his trip to WDW. We found a midtown hotel, building only 2 years old, for the 4 of us includes, breakfast, parking and internet. Not too bad for the Big Apple. We hope to check out the St Patrick's Day Parade.
Re: Ham Ham & Hamette's NYC March '09 Hey Ham Ham, I went to NYC with my DH for our anniversary in 2007. I'm not sure if your youngest DD is old enough, but we did the behind-the-scenes tour at NBC and it was really worthwhile ... very 30 Rock. ; I grew up in Montreal/TO, and I'm very much a city girl. I loved NYC, and can't wait to take my girls there. My youngest is 6 and I don't think she would appreciate the trip just yet ... I would need to hold onto both in crowds. I'd love to see what a family visit to the apple entails!
Re: Ham Ham & Hamette's NYC March '09 My 14 year old DD wants to head to NYC. ; I was there with three other guys back in 1991 and loved the city. ; I want to wait until DS (8) is a little older. Ham... I'll be anxiously looking for your reports!
Re: Ham Ham & Hamette's NYC March '09 Oh boy Hamham,,, how very exciting!!!!!! The girls are gonna love the big apple! ; I can't wait to see your pics and read your live report...... Make sure you do all the touristy things while there
Re: Ham Ham & Hamette's NYC March '09 On my to do list is the following. Just as Disney is hard to do it all in one trip, NYC is no different. But since I'm with the Hamette's their to do list will supersede mine. 5th Avenue Apple Store Museum of Television and Radio Central Park Circle Line NYC Pizza Grand Central Top of the Rock American Museum of Natural History Times Square Any gems that you know about NYC attractions and restaurants would be appreciated. I've been many times before but there's always something new to discover.
Those are good ones, but how about some of these: Ride the subway or yellow cab Statue of Liberty Empire State Building Ground Zero Memerial Rockefeller Center Ellis Island Museum Battery Park Macey's dept. Store Sak's Fifth Ave Take in a broadway show Radio City Music Hall OK I think your gonna be pretty busy there. ; One of my favourite things to do is wonder around Time Square at about 2am, buy a Rolex off the street while eating a local slice of pizza. ; Your gonna have a blast.. Are you driving?
Yes we are driving from the GTA. Plan is to stay in Mount Arlington, NJ 45 miles west of NYC,Saturday night and then driven into Manhattan Sunday morning. I would like to start with the Circle Line 10:00 am 2 hour tour. It's ; a great way to get situated. Check out an attraction in the afternoon and then off to the Hotel. Sight seeing, shopping Monday. Tuesday parade. sight seeing shopping Wednesday sightseeing and then slip out of NYC no later than 2:30 pm and drive part way or all the way home. Thinking of picking up a phone getting an NYC number for this trip and then reactivate it in August when we head to Flo Rida. Here's a link to our route if interested. http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=d&source=s ... 075195&z=7
Great Way to see NYC is doing the Hop on, Hop off Bus! Try the Roxy Deli! in Time Square! Fabulous! Make sure you check out Virgin Records since it won't be there for very much longer! Barter with the "Knock Off" vendors, the ones that have the big bags and then freak when they see a cop! ; Never pay what they are asking! See Time Square at night! ; Have fun!
Day 1 GTA to Mount Arlington NJ Well we made it! Left our place in Mississauga around 07:00 stop at Tim Hortons, $50 in fuel for the van and drop off our dog Charlie at my cousins in Niagara Region. Arrived at US Customs at the Peace Bridge at 09:24 only a couple of cars ahead of us. Lots of Question but the let us through. Welcome Centre in PA NJ Welcome Centre Why would you want to smell like Michael Jordon after playing a game of hoops? The Hamettes climbing up the path to the lookout. Youngest Hamette running through the picnic area. Best Name of a town we saw on the way down. View from our accomodations @ 16:30 in Mount Arlington, NJ.
As I listened to Billy Joel's "New York State Of Mind" today... all I could think about was... I wonder what Ham Ham and the Hamettes are up to and where they are!!!! ;
Day 2 Manhattan or a quest for affordable parking Left Mount Arlington, NJ at 07:45 arrived in midtown Manhattan around 08:45. Drove by our hotel to see if our room was ready, no dice told us to comeback around 15:00. We drove around a bit and decided to take the 10:00 2 hour Circle Line tour. \ It was $30 to park at the pier so I thought I could do better. We found street parking that was a block away from the pier and according to the the 1/2 dozen signs on the post it seemed that parking was free on Sunday between 10:30 and 20:30. It was 9:15 we headed off to the Circle Line. We walked by ; what looked like a parked police SUV. About 30 meters past the police SUV I notice an officer get out of the vehicle and walk towards our van. I quickly walked over to the back of our mini-van and asked if their was a problem. He told me that we were getting a citation for being parked between 00:30 and 10:30. Yup that's what one of the 1/2 dozen signs said. The ticket was $115 US. HE could not rescind the ticket because he had already started the process. I asked it the other parked cars were getting tickets and he said yes. When he was done I asked for the ticket he told me he had to place it on the windshield. He turned around it on the car parked behind us. I said it wasn't my car he said "It's you lucky day move you vehicle and there'l be not ticket" shook his hand and went of to gladly pay 30 for parking on the pier. Arrived at out Hotel on 29th street between 7th & 8th avenvue. Parking is $24 for 25 hours Mini-van is parked 2 1 block south and 2 blocks east. Normal rate ; for 24 hours tht expires at midnight is $44 so I think were getting a deal. Went out for a bite to eat, Greek, then off to the Empire State Building to see teh town at dusk Yummy cinnamon buns to start the day at the Holiday Inn Express in Mount Arlington, NJ On the road to NYC George Washington Bridge. Toll $8 Pulling away from the pier at West 42nd Street on the Hudson river. Madame Liberté New Jersey Brooklyn Bridge One of the first neon signs erected in the US on the former site of Pepsi's bottling plant. Building gone, land sol but the sign is considered a New York landmark and will remain. DD's on the ferris whellin inside Toys R Us Times Square Looking north up Broadway. ABC Good Morning America comes out of the building with the marquee on the right. Times Square south down Broadway. Our $15 pay as you go phone. $600 US a month gets your vehicle a bunk bed. Views from the 82nd floor of the Empire State Building. North to midtown. East to the East River that isn't realy a river it's an estuary West to the Hudson looking at MSG, Penn Station and our hotel South to Downtown.
Awesome pics and report there hamham!!!!! ; Good work or luck getting out of that ticket.. ; Look forward to more....
Definitely love the pics!!!!! ; It's almost like being there. ; $115 ticket... ; that would have left you in a grumpy mood! ; ; Glad it worked out!
The traffic officer was vert courteous. I can't imagine the grief those guys and glas gets. We watched cars being towed away while we ate breakfast. We're off and will report back later.
sounds like you're having a blast! ; Are they still selling 9/11 crystal paperweights all over? ; Bet the stock exchange would be an interesting place to visit these days!
Day 3: Nu Yawk Day 3 from Nhu Yurk Strap hangers Central Park American Museum of Natural History The Hamettes tell me I resemble this Fellow Apple Store Fifth Avenue FAO Schwartz Some shop on Fifth Avenue St Patrick's Cathedral lighting candles in memory of my Father. Views from our hotel window We had dinner at a pizza joint at 7th Av & 28th Street. Apparently some band from Ireland had some pizza from this place back in 2005.
How were the Apple and Disney storess??? Are you doing any of the TV studios while you're there? ; Any show-tapings? ;
Apples Store was smaller than I expected but still biggest one I've been in. The Disney Store in mid-town is huge! As for tapings we don't want the girls to be alone in the hotel room. I saw Letterman about 10 years ago. Worked out of NBC back in 1990 when we were in town filing a story. Got a peek at the Nightly News, Today, SNL and the Late Night sets.
We tried to get into Lettermen, but didn't make it. Thanks to your photo of the Lego Star Wars characters, DS has now joined the calls for a trip to NYC!!!!! Keep the pictures and details coming!!! ; Stay safe.
