| Author | Message | ||
| richbass939
Senior Member Username: richbass939 Post Number: 1160 Registered: 11-2004 |
One of these days the family and I would like to take another trip to NYC. I would like to spend 5 - 7 days just hanging out in Manhattan. Wander around, casually check out real places, not the tourist stuff. Some good clubs, get a feel for what Manhattan is really like. I want to stay someplace that is reasonably decent but isn't excessively expensive. Wouldn't mind being out a little bit (NJ, Long Island, Staten Island, etc.) and taking a train/ferry in, as long as the ride and the walk/taxi on both ends would be safe, even late after a bit of clubbing. Don't have much of an idea what areas of Manhattan to visit. Just looking for a good mix of what's there. Any suggestions? Thanks, Rich | ||
| bassman10096
Senior Member Username: bassman10096 Post Number: 1275 Registered: 7-2003 |
Well...if you've already done the tourist thing (If you haven't, it's much more worthwhile than you think and you should do this first.), the things to do and places to visit will depend on the ages and interests of family members. I'm a former NY area guy, so I have too many ideas to count, so here's just one, that my family and I did a few months back that was unexpectedly engaging. The Tenement Museum (http://www.tenement.org/) is a decidedly non-touristy destination. I found it fascinating and entertaining, because it creates an amazingly vivid and personal experience of what NYC was for many people. As to places to stay, nothing's going to be especially cheap, even outside Manhattan. Sounds like one of your key criteria may be the availability of public transit. I'm thinking you'll want to focus on staying within the range of the NYC subways or cross the Hudson to Hoboken within easy reach of ferrys. Get yourself a map and spend some time with Hotels.com or perhaps someone else here will have specific suggestions. Good luck and have fun. | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 4940 Registered: 7-2004 |
The museums in NY are INCREDIBLE!!!! If you haven't been there before, (and you have an interest in this stuff), the following are all must sees: Metropolitan Museum of Art Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) The Guggenheim Museum of Natural History You can easily spend the better part of a day at either the Met or Natural History. To "get a feel", spend some time walking around Greenwich Village, Little Italy, and Chinatown. Lots of great hole-in-the-wall restaurants and a real "slice-o-life". Do you want suggestions on guitar stores? Bill, tgo | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 2049 Registered: 5-2009 |
I remember in 1986 when I visited friends in NYC some in Brooklyn and one on Staten Island . One morning 6AM I left The Brooklyn apt near Prospect Park and took the "F Train"(subway) to 42 St. From there I proceeded on foot through various areas and saw the Museums that Bill mentions walked through the Jazz neighborhood where Charlie Parker and Dizzy played ,saw the Bowery and to the CBGB . saw China Town . Little Italy , and walked through Harlem at midnight and saw the Apollo Theater . I finally showed up back in Brooklyn at 2 AM exhausted and happy from my adventure. They were worried about me they said ; Where were you ? LOL ______ Just schlepping around again I said . I was in NYC for 3 more weeks , I had fun on my little excursions , I went all over the place and experienced the Ave of the Americas , The SOHO scene and more . All 5 boroughs were seen, such fun. | ||
| richbass939
Senior Member Username: richbass939 Post Number: 1161 Registered: 11-2004 |
Thank you, guys. I'm not opposed to the "tourist" stuff, just that I've seen a bit of it. I would like to see some of it again, just want to see the regular things too; hang out in Soho, the Village, Bowery, etc. Museums would be good. Guitar stores would be interesting but the family isn't going to spend too much time in them. Wouldn't be buying, just looking anyway. Music clubs, HELL YEAH. Leaning away from Harlem at midnight. Maybe I'm just ignorant or my ka-hoo-nahs are too small, I suppose. The map-and-Hotels.com idea sounds good. Thanks again, Rich | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 2051 Registered: 5-2009 |
Music Stores ; For used stuff in NYC I like ;http://www.roguemusic.com/ An old Music Store in NYC;http://www.mannysmusic.com/ A huge music store in NYC is;http://www.ny.com/shopping/music/samash.html And for your Camera new pro & consumer video and some AV stuff I like ;http://www.bhphotovideo.com/ Good prices here ! | ||
| darkstar01
Advanced Member Username: darkstar01 Post Number: 371 Registered: 6-2005 |
technically, manny's is closed and is now part of sam ash... i went up there a couple of weeks ago, and i had no idea it had closed. but it's still there, it's just a sam ash place now. pretty much the same, though... except i think they got rid of the drum part upstairs. Rudy's is another quality guitar spot with a bass room upstairs, mostly vintage and used stuff, that's also on 48th street, across from Manny's/Sam Ash. the guitar center in manhattan (on 14th st.) has a pretty decent vintage room, too... although i hesitate suggesting going to guitar center, because it's a really annoying place to be (although i find myself spending way too much time in there for work). As far a clubs go, it depends what you're into. Jazz place- go to the Jazz Standard. it's definitely the most "family" club, and it has some amazing food. there's always the village vanguard, that's probably where you'll see the best music. i'd suggest staying away from the blue note... i've had some bad experiences there. if you want to see some good local rock stuff, there are some good clubs on Bleecker st. between laguardia place and 6th ave, like the Bitter End.. that neighborhood is pretty cool. definitely get's rowdy around there on the weekends, but it's not nearly as bad as it used to be. i lived there for 2 years. anyway, my suggestion would be to go online and check the schedules for clubs and see if there's anything going on that you're interested in. i'll definitely second the museum thing. we have some of the best in nyc. MoMA is probably my favorite, depending on what's going on though. Check the upcoming exhibits. use yelp.com to check out reviews of places (restaurants especially), i do it all the time. and go to shake shack. preferably the original one in Madison Sq. Park, because it's the best cheeseburger you will ever have. i promise. | ||
| cozmik_cowboy
Senior Member Username: cozmik_cowboy Post Number: 1076 Registered: 10-2006 |
If you're open to an acoustic-oriented shop (though they have some nice electrics as well), try Mandolin Brothers; I've never been there, but have spent way too much time drooling over their inventory page. Goodies galore. Peter | ||
| cje
Member Username: cje Post Number: 86 Registered: 5-2009 |
LOVE Mandolin Brothers. When I bought my Taylor way back when, I narrowed it down to a 514C. They pulled out 6 of them, restrung ALL of them, and let me choose what I wanted. Once I picked it, they carved me a new bridge to compensate for the Fishman pickup under it. They are great - just be VERY careful when you walk around that place. Some (nearly) priceless instruments on regular stands on the floor! And yup - Manny's is just another of the many Sam Ash annexes on 48th Street. All the great autographed pictures are gone. But if you go RIGHT NOW, you'll see 2 Alembic guitars in the 'fine instruments' section in the back - one of which is a baritone. I was pretty surprised to see them there. I would definitely second a trip to Rudy's, basically across the street from what was known as Manny's, and home to namesake Rudy Pensa and his great guitars. There's also 30th Street guitars, which holds a special place in my heart, because it was there that I found a new-in-box 1972 Mutron III. I did not pass that up. Finally, you might venture into the Cobble Hill Section of Brooklyn to visit Carl Thompson himself. While you are in Brooklyn, walk on over to the Brooklyn Bridge and treat yourself to some Grimaldi's Pizza and a fabulous view of lower Manhattan! So much to do in our great city. | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 2054 Registered: 5-2009 |
Sorry to hear of the" Manny's Music "demise. I hope to visit NYC again some day, I never got bored once . | ||
| darkstar01
Advanced Member Username: darkstar01 Post Number: 373 Registered: 6-2005 |
oh yeah i saw those alembics there. totally forgot about that. one was left handed, if i remember correctly. they don't have a whole lot in the bass department though. i'd definitely go to Rudy's bass room for that. | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 4942 Registered: 7-2004 |
The shops on 48th Street and 30th Street Guitars are both worth it. Especially 30th Street. They have quite a collection of used, vintage, and the weird and unusual. The prices could be better, however. Bill, tgo | ||
| jbybj
Advanced Member Username: jbybj Post Number: 338 Registered: 6-2006 |
Very reasonable, for Manhattan, great location, and a nice place to stay. http://www.milburnhotel.com/ | ||
| cje
Member Username: cje Post Number: 87 Registered: 5-2009 |
Bill - you're telling me (still remembering negotiating for the MuTron III)... | ||
| kungfusheriff
Senior Member Username: kungfusheriff Post Number: 996 Registered: 8-2003 |
Out of all the suggestions above, I second walking the Brooklyn Bridge. I did it during a work trip to Manhattan a few years ago and it simply blew my mind. | ||
| jet_powers
Senior Member Username: jet_powers Post Number: 530 Registered: 2-2003 |
In the past two years I have driven under the Brooklyn Bridge at least two dozen times but only got to drive over it once. Every time I go by it or even just see it in the distance it reminds me how much I've been wanting to walk over it.... wait til next year! |
