NYC Trip suggestions

tootiepie2 · #1 06-20-2011, 03:04 PM

My daughter and I are going to NYC next week. This is our third trip so we have done most of the tourist things. Our main focus is shopping, and having fun. So does anyone have any good suggestions for plays. We did not buy tickets ahead of time so we will be depending on TKTS. I know this limits us and we won't be seeing any of the biggies but I am okay with that.

Also any good stores. We love the biggies like Saks, Bergdorf, Barneys but unless we get some REAL good sales we won't be doing much shopping, just looking. Any good cool inexpenisive shops other than H&M ?

And one last question. How about some good but inexpensive places to eat? Less money spent on food means more money to shop!!!!!

txAOII_15 · #2 06-20-2011, 05:46 PM

for the food situation, maybe you could create a groupon account for nyc and something nice might come up!

tootiepie2 · #3 06-20-2011, 07:01 PM

I will look into that. I live in such a small town I have never used Groupon before. Not to many places around here to use it.

AOII Angel · #4 06-20-2011, 07:38 PM

Definitely check out Uniqlo. It's a Japanese fashion store in SoHo. Very cheap and usually has a lot of cute stuff. I've been to the Tokyo store, too. http://www.uniqlo.com/us/stores/ny_soho_store.html

TKTS will have a few good things. Read up on what is on Broadway so you actually know what is offered. The list varies by day so who knows what will be available. When I went, you could get tickets to see Daniel Radcliffe in "How to Succeed."

Look for a walking/eating tour of China Town. We really enjoyed this. Great history lesson plus awesome food. We also have done the West Village but it wasn't as good. That being said, walk around the West Village to shop some.

Oh, and I can't forget...try Momofuku in the East Village on 1st for food. It's AWESOME! You'll have to wait a little, but it's so worth it. Get the pork buns and the Momofuku Ramen. If you like pork, this is pork heaven in a bowl! My husband laughs that every time we are in NYC, I make him take us there. We've even had star sightings there (Kelly and Ryan from The Office.)

AznSAE · #5 06-20-2011, 08:32 PM

when i went to NY two years ago, i believe i ate dinner every other night in china town. cheap shopping too

ellebud · #6 06-20-2011, 08:46 PM

I didn't look today but Bloomingdales is always having some sort of sale. Saks (in BH) is having a take 40% off sales prices on July 4th only. Neimans (which is Bergdorfs in NYC) is also going on super sale next week. Go on their websites and see what's up. Be aware that Bergdorfs only uses their card and AmEx...or cash.

Soho has lots of great and expensive boutiques. We were there a year ago for shopping but the "in" places change by the hour. Go to TripAdvisor and ask what's in and in your price range.

Not the least expensive of places, but if your daughter liked Sex and the City the restaurant Tao is the place with the huge Buddah in the center of the restaurant. Serafina and Trattoria del Arte are good Italian places. Again, it depends what you order and where you're from. For us, prices are standard....in other parts of the US...prices astronomical.

....and just a note: (purely personal opinion) but Chinatown sells designer knockoffs. It is illegal to purchase (if caught) items as well as illegal to sell these items. And the production of said items relies of child labor........do with that what you want.

aephi alum · #7 06-20-2011, 09:39 PM

Stop into the Tiffany flagship store (57th & 5th) and browse. Several floors of sparkly goodness.

If you're into Indian food, check out Devi (8 E 18th St., just off 5th) and/or Sapphire (Broadway between 60th and 61st, not far from Lincoln Center). And you haven't lived until you've had a pretzel from a hot dog vendor. Unfortunately, most of the restaurants I know of in Manhattan are on the pricey side, but I can always get my parents to foot the bill.

Plays - I don't even know what's playing these days.

Have fun!

txAOII_15 · #8 06-20-2011, 09:57 PM

oh, and if you haven't been to Carmine's on your previous trips to NYC, please please please go!!! you will not be sorry. the best italian food i've ever had... my mouth is watering right now just thinking about their chicken scaloppine with lemon and butter... they do serve things in family sized portions (i think they only serve single portions for lunch but i could be wrong), but hey, that just means yummy food to take home

tootiepie2 · #9 06-20-2011, 09:59 PM

I can't stand Chinatown shopping!!!!! Last time we were there several of the people in our group went, we went along but both of us couldn't stand the crowds and everyone yelling at us. When they got back to the hotel and really started looking at their purchases everything was a mess. broken zippers, scrtaches etc. I would rather buy one good purse than 3 or for knockoffs. My daughter is a fashion major and she is kind of a snob about knockoffs!
I have my Neimans card packed already!! I assume you can use a neimans card at Bergdorfs? I ran into the card problem at Neimans in Tampa and now I am prepared. Might splurge on a dress of semi- formal since they usually have pretty soon after school starts.
We are looking for mostly cheap places to eat but we might take a night out and splurge, and my daughter loves SITC so she would love any of those resteraunts.

Looking at TKTS the only plays I am seeing listed in the last couple of days that I think we might like are Priscilla Queen of the Desert and Rock of Ages. Does anyone know anything about those?

ellebud · #10 06-20-2011, 10:00 PM

Book of Mormon just won the Tonys...Having yet another senior moment but the play about the horse...And Spider Man...tickets to everything is expensive and I probably suggested the most expensive. Sorry.

tootiepie2 · #11 06-20-2011, 10:01 PM

actually I have always wanted to go to Carmines and have not done it yet. I think this might be the time to go.

ellebud · #12 06-20-2011, 10:04 PM

Yes, the Neiman's card works at Bergdorfs. If you're going to Bergdorfs and are looking for purses...go to Jorge (Hor=hay). He used to sell me my purses here in BH. He's great.

As a few people on this board know...I LOVE shopping. And buying......and New York.......

tootiepie2 · #13 06-20-2011, 10:04 PM

I don't mind splurging on plays as we really love them. but I didn't think there was anything I really wanted to see this time around. We have seen several of the big ones like Wicked, Jersey Boys etc. Now I am kinda sorry I didn't go ahead and get tickets for Book of MOrman, looks kinda fun. Checked it out and they are sold out ofr a while.

Munchkin03 · #14 06-20-2011, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ellebud

I didn't look today but Bloomingdales is always having some sort of sale. Saks (in BH) is having a take 40% off sales prices on July 4th only. Neimans (which is Bergdorfs in NYC) is also going on super sale next week. Go on their websites and see what's up. Be aware that Bergdorfs only uses their card and AmEx...or cash.

Since when does Bergdorf Goodman only take AmEx? I used my debit card there last week.

I've always gotten amazing deals at Bergdorf (ie, $350 Prada flats for $75 or $9 for Wolford tights that would normally go for $60), and I think it's because it's not a high-traffic destination like Bloomies or Saks. People don't go into Bergdorfs just to say they've been (like people do with Bloomies), they go because they want something there and most of their shoppers are willing to pay full price. As a result, when things go on sale, they're priced to move.

As far as shopping goes, it's really based on what you want and how much you're willing to pay. Some of my shopping recommendations include:

Muji, a Japanese design store
The MoMA design store
The New York Look--it's a small designer boutique that has a few locations around

Otherwise, the shopping is pretty much the same as you'd get anywhere.

As far as food, "inexpensive" is based on where you live now. Last weekend, I was in Charleston, and restaurants listed as "$$$$" there are "$$" here.

Lexington Avenue and the 20s for Indian food. One thing that's really cool is that the restaurants are usually filled with Indian families, which you don't always get.
Cafeteria (17th and 7th) is a pretty cool place for breakfast, and is pretty inexpensive for NYC standards. It's open 24 hours a day. Every time I go, I end up seeing random celebrities.

As far as the "major attractions," some people really like the double decker buses. Please, please don't do anything that markets itself (ie, a tour) as related to "Sex and the City" or "Friends" since those things tend to be crowded and overpriced.

I saw "The Addams Family," through TKTS, and really liked it way more than I suspected I would.

tootiepie2 · #15 06-20-2011, 10:08 PM

We love to shop too, Although my daughter and I have different shopping styles. She will be very happy to take all her money and buy one very awesome pair of shoes or a purse etc. I have a hard time doing that. My life as a kindergarten teacher in a small Louisiana town just doesn't call for killer shoes.