2000 AD Online Forum

...I'm going to the City that Never Sleeps, so good they named it twice, the Big Apple, Chipping Sodbury New York in a couple of weeks.

So has anyone got any personal recommendations for things to see and do while there? I'm staying on the Upper East Side, accross the way from Central Park and will be there for 4 days. I hear them US types like comic books a bit - any essential comic shops to check out? Places to eat? Fun type stuff?

Mrs Mikey's already there - members of the hotel staff had difficulty understanding her when she said the WiFi signal was poor in her room ('It's what? Purr?' 'No, poor. P-O-O-R.' 'What? Poo ar?Oh! You mean poohwer!), and she's a merble mooth her accent isn't as strong as mine!  :-\

Cheers,

M.

New York is great, just wander round, hop off and on the tourist trap buses, and try and cram as much in as you can. Don't bother going up the empire state - hit the rockerfellar centre instead - you get great views of the empire state from it.

Don't bother asking for a "Dog with the works". Apparently that's gibberish. Certainly seemed to be when I asked for one.


-pj

I'm going in October so any suggestion here will be taken on board...

I will say this though Mikey.... it may be a really touristy thing to do but DO go to the observation deck on the Empire State Building... the view is mind boggling (on a good day... don't go if it's foggy!)

EDIT...rockerfellar centre sounds good too but King Kong was never there... DO BOTH!

NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM!

It's just across the Park.  Sometimes I spend hours just drinking in the glorious parade of dinos in my photos from my trip a dozen years ago.. -sigh-

And of course you're practically on top of the Met, which should not be missed.  

One of the things I enjoyed most was taking the ferry over to Staten Island, which is (was) cheap as chips and offers amazing views of Governor's Island, the Battery, the Statue of Liberty and of course the skyline in general.

And yeah, go to the Empire State, try for early evening so you can see day and night views.  I would recommend the better views afforded by the Twin Towers, but, y'know.

EDIT:  Comic shops.  12 years ago there was a good one just oposite the Empire State ('Universe'?), and quite a few around the East Village and even Times Square ('Midtown Comics'?).  Forbidden Prices was a horrid experience then (I don't know what it's like now, if it even still exists).

The best advice for such a trip: go to Philadelphia instead  :D.

Comic shops you should do Midtown comics just to say you did. Jim Hanleys Universe has a 2000AD section though! Well, I say section, more of a rack

If you're looking for food recommendations.... Hill Country Barbecue

http://www.hillcountryny.com/

I think we did the Pit Master... it was scary. Make sure you go in hungry

Two bars I loved over there were Twins and one called Daltons Bar & Grill, mainly because we spent a night sat on bar stools in there drinking beer and watching an american football game. Yeah, its sad but you stil get that surreal movie feeling doing it.

Quote from: bluemeanie on 04 April, 2011, 06:53:00 PM
Yeah, its sad but you stil get that surreal movie feeling doing it.

I think I had that feeling the whole time I was in New York.  

To up the ante, visit the Hook & Ladder 8(?) Firestation, in Tribecca somewhere (Moore Street?), which is the location for the Ghostbusters building - it even has (had) the logo on a sign outside.  I'd be lying if I didn't report that standing outside it was one of the weirdest experiences of my life.

If I  can ...*BAM-BAM*... make it there,
I'll make it ...*BAM-BAM*... anywhere.

When I was about six years old, I thought Ol' Blues Eyes meant he could make it anywhere, because New York had a really big airport  :-\

Don't forget to pack as many twoth related T-shirts as you can. We want to see you plastered on all over the proud thread on your return.




V

Quote from: Mikey on 04 April, 2011, 05:09:42 PM
Mrs Mikey's already there - members of the hotel staff had difficulty understanding her when she said the WiFi signal was poor in her room ('It's what? Purr?' 'No, poor. P-O-O-R.' 'What? Poo ar?Oh! You mean poohwer!), and she's a merble mooth her accent isn't as strong as mine!  :-\

While passing through New York airport on the way to LA some years back, my Dad and I had a similar experience. My Dad asked the security guard near the entrance the location of gate eight.

"Ayt? Ayt? What's 'ayt'?"

I thought he was taking the mick, although after reading your post, I wonder. (Since we were referring to airport gates, I wonder what else we could be referring too, other than a number.)

That's my only experience of visiting New York, apart from another airport staff-member's rather grating 'Janice from friends' accent, "Every-whun ovuh heeyuhh!" (not that all New Yorkers sound like that. I actually spoke a bit with New York lady during the Southers Comic Escapade in March and her accent was quite pleasant) but I'd like to go back properly at some point.

As a fan of Stephen King's Dark Tower series, I'd like to hunt out the location of a certain Vacant Lot. Apparently [spoiler]a big dark, well, tower, Hammarskjold Plaza (http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.rubenco.com/1dag/images/img1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.rubenco.com/1dag/&h=597&w=308&sz=58&tbnid=cF2KHBQqPfLSmM:&tbnh=135&tbnw=70&prev=/images%3Fq%3DHammarskjold%2BPlaza&zoom=1&q=Hammarskjold+Plaza&usg=__HzZxVremPB5bWz19iIyhsAZDvPc=&sa=X&ei=tyGaTaTAFc6AhQfI4tT8CA&ved=0CEgQ9QEwCA), [/spoiler]is there now.

I'll have a think and send you an e-mail, Mikey.

I've been a few times and there's few gems I'd point to, but they're mostly around the East Village / Meatpacking District - maybe a bit far from where you'll be.

Anyway, you'll have a grand time, I'm sure!

Keep it coming peeps!

Thing about the Empire State building is I think I'd rather see it from another view than climb it, if you know what I mean. That barbeque place looks mental too. Might have to check it out!

QuoteI thought he was taking the mick

Is that meant to be funny?  ;)

Oh and I'm actually on the Upper West Side, so...

Quote from: TordelBack on 04 April, 2011, 05:22:48 PM
NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM!

...just try and stop me!

M.

Empire state was worth it. Especially the security guard lady telling a pregnant woman getting in the disabled non queue that "pregnant isn't fucking disabled. Get back in line"

But then I'm a big black and white film nerd so had to see where kong bought it

Quote from: pauljholden on 04 April, 2011, 05:13:10 PM
New York is great, just wander round, hop off and on the tourist trap buses, and try and cram as much in as you can. Don't bother going up the empire state - hit the rockerfellar centre instead - you get great views of the empire state from it.

Exactly what I was going to say. Massive queues at the Empire State so get there early if you are going to do that. At the Rockerfellar centre, tickets permit you to go up the tower two times in one day so you can see New York in daylight and at night time. For the night time visit, better to go just before it gets dark as you can get better photos – dark blue sky rather than black – worth getting one of those tiny tripods if you are into photography.

Tourist buses are good as well. Consider going on one of the routes that go to Harlem as well to see a different park of New York. I think most of the journeys start from the entrances to Central Park.

Take a good guidebook. Time Out is the best one in my opinion.

On language, it was surprising how we had to be quite careful to make ourselves understood, what with two nations being divided by a common language etc. Adds to the fun though. I often think that we are used to hearing English in many different accents but it's not as if New York doesn't have immigrants.

I loved New York and really want to visit again.

Midtown Comics is highly recommended, but the prices can be a little steep. There's a handy list of other comic stores here (http://www.ny.com/shopping/bookstores/comics.html).

Tourist-wise: Empire State Building is worth it if you've got the time. The queues can be horrendous on really sunny days! The Natural History Museum is unmissable... And if you can, get down to the south end of the island and visit the National Museum of the American Indian - there's some really amazing artefacts on display there.

The New York Public Library on 5th Avenue is also cool: they've got a genuine Gutenburg bible and they have these (http://www.nypl.org/locations/tid/36/node/5557) little beauties (my wife was so excited about them she actually went to the library on her own to see them while I was busy elsewhere).

Times Square after midnight at the weekends is good fun, if the weather's up to it: street performers and artists, bazillions of funny-looking tourists to laugh at, frazzled-looking cops...

It's a great city - we'll be going there for a week at the end of July. Can't wait!

-- Mike

I went last year on the 4th July and had an amazing time. I would recommend getting the ferry over to the Statue of Liberty, I think it was only around $12 for the return ticket and that takes you to Staten island and Ellis Island as well but you will need to allow about half a day (although it might not be quite so busy as it was when I went).

The open top tourist buses are a great way to see the sights and you can get an all day subway pass for around $8.

I had food poisoning when I was there so I can't recommend anywhere to eat, I only managed a single hot dog all day  ::).

Quote from: Mikey on 04 April, 2011, 09:12:07 PM

QuoteI thought he was taking the mick

Is that meant to be funny?  ;)

"I'll tone it down," I thought. "I won't swear.*"....

Foot. Mouth. Sorry.

(Although yeah... it is quite funny in hindsight. ;) )

*Mind you I'm not sure 'piss' is swearing.

Hah! No worries Mardroid!

There's a lot to pick from...

Think I'll go for the Rockerfeller Centre for views, take the Staten Island ferry (would love to go to Ellis Is, but I don't think we'd have time - it'd be a day in itself...Mrs Mikey's actually doing some immigration realted research), check out Midtown Comics, maybe get to the Ghostbusters station(!), take a tourist bus around, walk the Brooklyn Bridge, Museum of Nat. History and Central Park geology and other things suggested.

What are the prices of stuff like food and booze like? Any good bars? I'll have to get into a New York Irish bar at some point...I can't resist them in other places I've been.

Cheers,

M.

New York was closed when I visited back in early '96.  Some strike of all public services etc. so I couldn't see any of the sites because there were picket lines which I didn't want to cross (Solidarity, brothers).  Plus it was very foggy and had six foot of snow piled up on the pavements. Actually six foot piles of snow.  So I say bugger all.

QuoteThe New York Public Library on 5th Avenue is also cool: they've got a genuine Gutenburg bible

but this was open and very cool.

And I had pizzas and bagels and cream cheese and stuff.

If it's a sunny day, walk along Brooklyn bridge. And take a camera.

We're off there in August - booked today!

(And surely worthy of a mention in the 'life is drokking fantastic' thread...)

Gonna get some tickets for a Mets game, but feel a bit of an idiot as I didn't realise until two minutes ago that CBGB's is no longer open. Always wanted to see a gig there...

Have read this thread with interest and will watch Manhattan for the umpteenth time for more inspiration - thanks, Chaps!

New York was great! The buildings are tall lemme tell ya...

Didn't manage to do everything suggested, but my top picks are the Natural History Museum(natch - dino tastic, but the meteorite, mineral and mammal exhibitions were superb. The world's biggest stibnite sample people!), MOMA (Pollock! Munch!Dali!) and the 'Top of the Rock'(got a double ticket for these - $44), plus the Metropolitan Museum of Art (so much to see, couldn't see all the exhibits). Central Park was also wonderful and I visited 'Jim Hanley's Universe(a comic shop that sells mostly comics for once) where I picked up an 'Achewood' collection (new to me, but uttlery brilliant!) and the 10 year anniversary edition of 'Safe Area Gorazde'.

A minor impediment was that it was school hols, so the museums and galleries were packed.

A brilliant place, can't wait to go back...

M.

You'll love it - I've been 5 times and always have a blast.

The first time I went with the wife and we did all the touritsy things like The Statue of Liberty and the World Trade Center. The main memory I have is how cold it was in October - never been as cold and I'm Scottish. Literally could not stop my teeth from chattering - I thought that only happened in cartoons!

We did 'The Kramer Reality' tour which will mean something to you if you like Seinfeld. The guy running the tour was the real Kramer who lived next door to Larry David. The whole enterprise was inspired by an episode of the show when the ficticious Kramer did a reality tour of J Peterman who stole all his stories. Anyway here is a youthful me and Irene and Kenny Kramer outside Monk's Deli that serves as the exterior of the diner in the show (which was filmed in LA).



We also had lunch in the Cranegie Deli which sells these massive sandwiches. They cost about $19 12 years ago but you do get a pound of lovely turkey in your piece and the cheesecake was great too. Here's me readying for battle..



We also did an impromtu Buttonman 2 tour having a look around the museum before fleeing into the park to shoot Arnold at the Alice in Wonderland statue which I failed to find. Think it was away being restored - possibly due to bullet hole damage.

My 4 trips since has been with the pals and usually involved round the clock drinking. When you've been a couple of times you graviatate away from the tourist traps and go to the spit and saw dust of bars like Rudy's bar and grill - well I do anyway. The last trip was covered in the press although the photo related to a trip the year before as I had none for the trip in question.



Next time I go I'll probably stay further downtown where they are loads of cracking neighbourhoods filled with bars , shops and arty cinemas and no tourists apart from me.

Top tip would be to take a lot of warm clothes and some good walking boots - you cover miles and miles without realsing it. Have fun!