Trip Report - 31 Dec / 3 Jan

Hi all,

A quick report by way of info and thanks to all those who helped with tips for our trip (FYI, we are a

31 Dec - arrived late afternoon. Stayed at Hotel 57 of E57th. Great location and value, but is a work in progress at present. They checked us into a hideously dirty room initially but after complaining they very swiftly resolved this and moved us to a better room. Otherwise a good stay other than the dumb U.S. college kids who decided to rampage around our floor at 4a.m. one night. If you are reading this, never visit Amsterdam you idiots.

For NYE night we set off from our hotel and had a warm up drink or two at the Subway Inn. Quite an experience! A fun dive bar packed with some local %26#39;characters%26#39;. Became best mates with a local drunk.

We then had a lovely meal at Park Avenue Winter. Really beuatifully done restaurant and a delicious meal (nice to be able to still choose from menu on a night when so many places foist fixed menus upon you). Then strolled down to Central Park to mingle with the runners and see the NY fireworks. Very pleasant and very cold!

After the fireworks we managed to get in at reduced price to one of the Open Bar parties at a place on Colombus Circle with huge room-high windows overlooking the Park. By this point I had a few drinks, so can%26#39;t recall the name of the place but it was amusingly hip (and drunken generally by this point) and we had good fun.

NY Day did not begin early (see above). I%26#39;ve been to NY a few times but my girlfriend has not at all, so we did some general strolling and seeing the obvious mid-town sights - 5th Avenue, Grand Central, Public Library, Rockefeller. Also went up Top of The Rock (the queues at Empire State were ludicrous). NY Day was a glorious clear sunny day, so a great viewing day. Must say I preferred the view at TOTR to that at Empire State. Empire State gives you a better view down 5th Avenue. TOTR gives a better view of Central Park and of Empire State itself.

In evening went to Shrek the Musical, which I must say I was mildly dreading given the panning it has received, but which was much better than I expected in the end. Good silly fun and somne very good one liners in there - they did seem a bit low on confidence though (perhaps because of the reviews). Very short curtain call for example. We grabbed some pasta at the Italian next door to Broadway Theatre in advance.

Jan 2 we went downtown and had a really nice wander (just following our nose rather than a guided route) through Greenwich Village (very nice brunch, can%26#39;t recall the name of the place, but did give us a free glass of bubbly each!), Soho, Chinatown and then down and across Brooklyn Bridge (and back across). With my girlfriend flagging from the walking we went to Lombardi%26#39;s in Little Italy - the oldest pizzaria in the U.S.. Place is packed with the tourist crowd and we had to queue (though we timed it well getting there about 4 p.m. between meal times, so only had a short wait, when we left the queue looked huge). May be a tourist packed place, but the pizza was still superb.

Afterwards hopped on the subway up to Madison Sq Gardens and went to the Knicks game. Good atmosphere in the last quarter when Knicks actually started playing, ending in a great finale. Girlfriend duly impressed to see Chris Rock in the audience. We got our tickets on Will Call and had no problems with collection - no queue or hassle.

After the match, we were fairly tired so went up for one drink at the Hudson Hotel (had been to the bars here on a past trip so fancied a return, as the cocktails were great and a fun people watching place). For a trendy looking bar they actually have a pleasingly relaxed door policy - we were pretty scruffy and I was wielding a comedy Knicks giant hand, but that was no barrier to entry.

Jan 3 - brief bit of shopping, then did the Circle Line full 3 hr tour (I%26#39;d forgotton that it always seems a bit too long as a tour - the last hour rather drags) and then a dash down to Century21 for shopping. I loved it, my girlfriend hated it. There does seem to be a general gender split on this from people I have spoken to, but I can say that I thought it was great from a bloke%26#39;s perspective. Got some great bargains.

From there, back to hotel and cab to airport. For such a big airport the facilities at JFK remain surprisingly rubbish.

Overall a great (cold!) trip. Thanks again to all on here for their tips!!

Trip Report - 31 Dec / 3 Jan

Nice report. I like the image of you wearing a big foam finger into the Hudson :)