Going to New York, any suggestions?

[Nemon]

Next Sunday my wife and I'll be going to the Big Apple, my first visit to the U, S and A, plus a chance to take advantage of the brilliant $ vs NOK-situation.

But, what the heck is there to do in NY? Any suggestions?
Plus, if anyone knows the name of any great stores (data, cameras, electronics and so on), please name it

[Gez]

Next Sunday my wife and I'll be going to the Big Apple

My suggestion? Don't call it the Big Apple. They'd know you're a tourist. Call it the Moon instead.

[Lady Nerevar]

most of the really cool shit in NY needs to be planed ahead. the Met Opera is really amazing (if youre into that...) but its not for opera newbies and is costly (and requires reservations afair). I recomend just wandering around the city, theres a lot of stuff too see. Times Square at 3 in the morning is breathtaking. dont plan on going up the empire state, the lines are huge.

[PoHa!]

You should buy a bagel.

[Harke the Apostle]

Next Sunday my wife and I'll be going to the Big Apple, my first visit to the U, S and A, plus a chance to take advantage of the brilliant $ vs NOK-situation.

But, what the heck is there to do in NY? Any suggestions?
Plus, if anyone knows the name of any great stores (data, cameras, electronics and so on), please name it

What do you want to do?

(I'm guessing you and your wife are not going to visit any gay bars). I wasn't impressed by the stores in NY. Sure they were bigger, but most had more or less the same stuff they have in Europe.

What I liked most of all riding the subway and taking a look at different places in the city.

[Thrignar Fraxix]

have you considered finding eraser?

[Macar]

Cool, there's a lot of cool stuff in NYC. Met would be cool (as LN says, "if you're into that") but I'd say that almost anyone would enjoy a Broadway musical (dont forget to ask about student rush).

Dont wory about seeming like a tourist- they'll probably know anyway. I've never heard NYC called the moon before... Most people who live there just call it the city.

If I had more money I could come down and meet ya, I only live 3 hours away (bus= 15 dollars)

[Lady Nerevar]

we should have a nice little TR con im about 3 hours away too

[Harke the Apostle]

We tasted wine in Soho. They had interesting wines from NY and the States around it. (AFAIK they don't sell those in Europe. The wines included raspberry which was terrible, and strawberry that tasted like syrup).
We had clam chowder in the Oyster Bar in Grand Central Station.
We went to look at African Americans in the Bronx (I bought a publication there from some black muslim organization).
We went to Jones Beach too.
We went to Flushing to see the Korean stores etc.

The Empire State was a bit of a disappointment.
Nearby Jersey City was dirty but interesting.

[gafgarion97]

we should have a nice little TR con im about 3 hours away too

I live 24 hours away and can't drive (legally):(

My parents grew up in new york, but when I went all we did was the statue of liberty (thats alot of damn stairs!) and the empire state building.

[Haplo]

Well I would suggest you fly into Newark and stay at the Hilton there just across the river from NYC. Much cheaper, and probably nicer too. All it takes is a 5 minute drive over the bridge to get into the city. I would suggest going to Times Square at night and visit all the shops around the entire square. Which means give a full day for it. But definitely see it at night. And go to the Trump Tower, go up to the top of it, and you can have a grand time on the viewing deck (it's walled in with glass, but with slits so cameras can flash but not create a glare (although flash is useless when you're taking a picture of buildings halfway across the city, come to think of it...), but yeah it's really freakin' tall. And when I was there, we saw a guy propose to his girl at the top floor/giftshop. Needless to say she said yes and everyone clapped and cheered and whooped.

Go see a play, if not a broadway, then an off-broadway, or off-off broadway.

Um... go see the museum of natural history, and the met (metropolitan museum). Go travel through Harlem if you can. It's awesome. And uh...I guess go see the WTC site if you want to. Travel on the ferries... they're kinda cool. You can go to Liberty Island and Ellis Island too. Pack for under 10 degree (celcius) weather or below 0.

Go visit the Apple store. srsly it's so cool. And 5th Avenue. That's where all the shops and stuff are. Oh and carry your wallet in your front pocket or somewhere besides back pocket because it's ridiculous how well some of those people pick pockets. Tell your wifey to be mindful of her purse too. And those guys on the street corners, who want you to buy their CDs or whatever, or even just listen, the easiest way to avoid them is to not make eye contact.

Go visit the library if you can... and Juilliard. If you're lucky you'll be able to catch some people outside practicing for a performance if its not too cold.

[Nemon]

Well, tomorrow we're off! Hopefully the snowy weather clears up at Norway's main airport Gardermoen, since we have to fly there first, before we're off to Reykjavik and then to JFK.

Probably no sleep tonight...

[Lady Nerevar]

ill warn ya ahead of time, expect LONG wait times at JFK. i waited 4+ hours in the plane for liftoff this summer...and thats not counting check in and security and all that. its the most congested airport in the nation (fact)

[Sload]

why would you do any of that shit? be like the kid in hair, only without getting drafted.

[lb003g0676]

http://www.earthcam.com/usa/newyork/timessquare/index.php?cam=fridays

go outside TGI fridays at a certain time, and we will all wave. TGI's at Times Square or soemthing, what do I know, I lvie across the pond. Well be more useful if you wave, and indicate somehow that you are who you say you are.

When my friends Mum went to NYC she waved on this,a nd I ahve a photo of it. Awesome.

[Eraser]

JFK sucks, but at least its runways are long enough. La Guardia (*cough*) has the shortest runways of a major airport. The landing gear dips into the water on takeoff!

You've also got to get lost in grand central, go to the UN, the met, museum of natural history and the bronx zoo. Those are the biggest, there's a million other places like the south street seaport, the intrepid if its there(might be being restored) the cloisters.

Don't forget, you have to have the world's best pizza and bagels. And the world's shittiest hot dogs and pretzels, which taste like car exhaust.

When crossing streets be aware of red+5 on all stoplights and any notion of traffic laws beyond alternate side of the street parking are utterly ignored. And feel free to just wander out into the street with wanton disregard for anything coming strait at you, everyone else does it and you'll really look like a tourist if you actually obey the crosswalk signs (or even use a crosswalk altogether).

And don't get all excited about stuff, point or take pictures, dead giveaways. Walk fast, don't give a shit about anything and never make eye contact.

And when someone says "Fuck You!" just say "Fuck You Too!"

It's just a new yorker's way of saying hello.

[Nemon]

Heh, Eraser, fuck you too! (meaning "hello")

Right now I'm at the 48th floor of some apartement building ith a vie of the Hudson River, typing on a laptop ith some issues regarding the letter w (had to hit it hard).

Took a train from Penn to Merrick, bought a Music Man John Petrucci guitar at Royal Music NY, Bill was the guy who served me there. Great fellow, brilliant service and a good price as well! Back on Manhattan me and my wife went to Macy's, where I almost died of boredom. I don't know how many floors there are there with women's clothes, but it's enough. I still suffer from jet lag, since NY lags 6 hours compared to Bergen, Norway, and after a couple of self brewed coffees we're off to eat dinner! I watched the last bit of the Superbowl game last night, exiting ending although this version of football (foot my ass) sucks. Why don't they just call this soccer instead of a misleading reference to a ball being used by feets? One hour watching this stuff (45 minutes of commercials) and twice or thrice did they ever kick the ball Come on!

JFK was awkward. White narrow hallways, and then boom you're outside! Back in Norway we make glass hallways all around the airport, just to show off our architecture, before you're let out. Even Keflavik int airport on Iceland seemed bigger!

Anyway, we're having a great time here, kudos to my ancestors for leaving Europe and building this city.

PS! The Statue of Liberty is partly created with copper from Norway, dug out partly by my great grandfather, on the island Karmøy, a few hours south of my hometown!

[Haplo]

Sounds good so far; let us know how the rest of the trip goes!

[Morgoth]

Sounds like you're having an awesome time. You got to see one of the better Superbowls, too. (Commercials were aweful this year.) Visit Greenbay next year, maybe they'll win it. I'm not too far from NY either, it would be cool to get a bunch of people together. (Everyone always talks about it, but we never end up doing it.)

How long are you staying for?

[Nemon]

So another day of shopping comes to a close, my wife discovering 14th and Union Square leaving my VISA still smoking hot. So much to see, so little time... One nice thing was something I discovered Guitar Center, a guitar effect pedal board, Line 6 X3 Pro at $ 499 here in US and A, while it cost over twice as much at home... Maybe I'll buy two of them?

Anywhooo... Yesterday we went to the Rockefeller and checked out the view from the top, great thing! I'll post a thorough review of New York when I get home.

[Harke the Apostle]

I always like to buy historic posters & school charts etc. They make for good souvenirs. I bought a poster with all the Indian tribes in the US.

[Hillbilly Man]

Did you get a chance to see ground 0. That would be something to get to see that piece of modern history.

[Nemon]

I always like to buy historic posters & school charts etc. They make for good souvenirs. I bought a poster with all the Indian tribes in the US.

The thing about souvenirs is that they tend to take up space in my home. I bought alot of stuff from Egypt, papyrus and glass artifacts, but when I met the one I ended up marrying (to Sload and Majra's dislikings) she calmly said forgettaboudit in response to my idea of having them (the papyrus) on our walls Instead we take alot of pictures. My wife considers clothes the perfect souvenirs...

Did you get a chance to see ground 0. That would be something to get to see that piece of modern history.

We did the south tip of Manhattan the same day as the Giants' victory parade, including the Financial District, Battery Park and Ground Zero. Alot of work being done there, preparing for the Freedom Tower.