Plan my weekend in Manhattan

Originally Posted by Mark from Plano

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I've probably been to Manhattan 50 times or more and my favorite thing to do is just pick a neighborhood and walk. I'm not there often enough that I get tired of exploring. It's been a few years since I've been down to the Village area, might try to go there.

You should definitely check out High Line. It was an abandoned elevated freight railway now converted into park, phase 1 runs from Meatpacking District up to Chelsea. It's extremely popular both amongst locals and tourists. It gives you a completely different prospective of Manhattan street lifes. Tons of shops to explore and dining options, including del Posto, in the area. Village is immediate to the south.

Originally Posted by Manton

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Or you could go to L'Ecole at the FCI (Broadway and Grand), dirt cheap classic French made by students and a fun time.

L'Ecole is a very good value, especially the 5-course option. Do they let non-professional students like yourself cook there?

Originally Posted by Manton

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A "romantic" thing to do is go to something at Lincoln Center (opera, symphony, ballet, whatever) and then to Cafe Des Arists after. It is not a foodie temple by any means, but it is open very late and chicks dig it. Short walk, lovely setting. Then walk down CPW and CPS and 7th Ave (NOT 8th!) on the way back to your hotel.

Second on Lincoln Center, much better option than Broadway shows. But Cafe Des Artistes has been closed.

Originally Posted by Manton

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A "romantic" thing to do is go to something at Lincoln Center (opera, symphony, ballet, whatever) and then to Cafe Des Arists after. It is not a foodie temple by any means, but it is open very late and chicks dig it. Short walk, lovely setting. Then walk down CPW and CPS and 7th Ave (NOT 8th!) on the way back to your hotel.

+1. If you're an opera fan, the current Boheme at the Met is a classic production with a stellar cast. Attila should also be spectacular, but it's less of a "date" opera.

Originally Posted by von Rothbart

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L'Ecole is a very good value, especially the 5-course option. Do they let non-professional students like yourself cook there?

No.

Originally Posted by von Rothbart

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But Cafe Des Artistes has been closed.



EDIT:

http://www.cafenyc.com/cafedesartistes/html/index2.htm

Originally Posted by ama

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http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.c...es-has-closed/

OK, then, I repeat:

OK...to summarize, here's what I've got so far:

Restaurants:
Triomphe @ The Iriquois
DB Moderne
Babbo
Alto
Marea
Eleven Madison Park
Maialino
Anything in the Gramercy Area
Il Gattopardo (near MoMA)
Alice's Tea Cup (Breakfast)
Stumptown (Breakfast)

Shows/Sights:
A View from the Bridge
MoMA
Wicked
In the Heights
Anything at Lincoln Center
High Line

I'm increasingly concerned about the "walking around" strategy because of weather issues. We'll be there in mid-March and I'm thinking there's a good chance it may still be quite cold and/or rainy. I've been to the Met a number of times but never been to MoMA and I really want to go. Will talk to her about that.

Thanks for the tips. Keep them coming. Will do some research and start making some decisions.

Originally Posted by Mark from Plano

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OK...to summarize, here's what I've got so far:

Stumptown (Breakfast)


Stumptown is great just keep in mind it is really an espresso bar not a sit down breakfast spot. They do have a counter where you can stand and sip and you can also adjourn to the lobby of the Ace hotel. It is perfect for a quick stop in if you are walking around, for a longer more leisurely breakfast I would go elsewhere.

Originally Posted by Mark from Plano

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OK...to summarize, here's what I've got so far:

Restaurants:
Triomphe @ The Iriquois
DB Moderne
Babbo
Alto
Marea
Eleven Madison Park
Maialino
Anything in the Gramercy Area
Il Gattopardo (near MoMA)
Alice's Tea Cup (Breakfast)
Stumptown (Breakfast)

Shows/Sights:
A View from the Bridge
MoMA
Wicked
In the Heights
Anything at Lincoln Center
High Line

I'm increasingly concerned about the "walking around" strategy because of weather issues. We'll be there in mid-March and I'm thinking there's a good chance it may still be quite cold and/or rainy. I've been to the Met a number of times but never been to MoMA and I really want to go. Will talk to her about that.

Thanks for the tips. Keep them coming. Will do some research and start making some decisions.

Marea and EMP are among the most popular restaurants right now. Plan accordingly. I also like Minerva Tavern but the best I can do for reservations is before 6 or after 10.

For midtown dining:
Petrossian Cafe (not the Petrossian restaurant next door) has very good croissants. The starch is a lattice to hold the butter. Martha Stewart names it the best croissants she's ever tasted. You can get a set with caviar, champagne - the works.

Sake Bar Hagi - near your hotel and if you feel the need to have Japanese dive bar experience. The Izakaya food is inexpensive.

Norma's at the Le Parker Meridien Hotel is famous for brunch. I think it is meh but tourists seem to love it as a "New York experience".

If you are the MoMA, the Modern is good as is Il Gattopardo mentioned above.

For dining with views of Central Park - Asiate & Robert at the Museum of Design.

Best Coffee house along the Museum Mile - Cafe Sabarsky (in the Neue Gallarie).

My plan for a weekend in NYC would be:

Sat lunch :Jean-Georges formal dining room.
Sat dinner : EMP or Marea or Minetta Tavern

Sunday brunch : Petrossian Cafe.

If the weather is nice, Bryant Park is close by and its a fun time to walk/hang out in Bryant Park. I second the highline as well.

If you are looking for more casual style dinner, tapas would be fun. Check out Alta on W10th in the WV. There is also Degustation (haven't been), Tia Pol or Txikito (Chelsea), Boqueria (Flatiron), or Casa Mono (Gramercy).

In terms of walking around, the West Village or Chelsea is great for that. There are plenty of art galleries in Chelsea to hop in and out from on a lazy Saturday afternoon. If you are interested in having some quality late night drinks in a nice atmosphere, check out some of the speakeasy-ish bars. Little Branch is great, thought will probably be crowded on a Friday or Sat night.

For brunch, UWS is the place to be for Sunday brunch. Walk around the park and end with a brunch at one of the plethora of good brunch spots on UWS.

Originally Posted by poorsod

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Best Coffee house along the Museum Mile - Cafe Sabarsky (in the Neue Gallarie).

Best coffee house in NYC. Check hours before heading there, though. Austrian-type cafe, very decent food and coffee served on silver platters. 1/2 tourists from the museums who've found out about the place, 1/2 NYCers of the illiteratti type.

Originally Posted by gomestar

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if MoMA is on the list, I can exchange you free tickets and access to sold out exhibitions in return for some wine

+1

Originally Posted by gomestar

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if MoMA is on the list, I can exchange you free tickets and access to sold out exhibitions in return for some wine

Originally Posted by ryansmith

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+1

I'm picturing the two of you as very, very well dressed vagrants, standing on the street corner in Manhattan with a sign that says "Will work for Barolo."

nawww, i don't know what yous talkin' about.

FWIW, I'd do MoMA on a Friday, that place can get crowded. Great museum though, one of my personal favorites. And a 5 minute stroll from Bergdorf Goodman, for her. I forget when you'll be in but you could do lunch at nice places like La Grenouille or Alto for a great price plus a quick stroll to MoMA. And seriously, if you decide on MoMA and see a massive line to get in, zip me a line and I can bypass all of it.