<p>Isn’t it Russ and Daughters on the Lower East Side for great appetizing? My father fondly remembers Yonah Schimmel’s knishes, too.</p>
<p>could be, thought it was Dotters. I am not a big fan of Yonah Schimmel’s – they do not use the flakier, almost philo dough type outer shell.</p>
<p>The Hudson</p>
<p>Sokkermom, a friend of my daughter’s from theater camp is currently the lead in the show you saw! Did you like her? She deferred at NYU.</p>
<p>I’m hoping to see Mamma Mia on my next trip down. The SIL of a colleague is in that show as well.</p>
<p>Soozie:</p>
<p>I thought the performance was wonderful. It was a full house! (We could only get tickets to the Saturday afternoon show). Both the female lead roles had amazing voices and did a terrific job. </p>
<p>Note: We weren’t sure if it would be appropriate for our 12 year old daughter because of the nature of the show. However, she really enjoyed it because of the music and dancing. I think a lot of the humor and references went over her head. Surprisingly, the only question she asked at dinner was, “Mom, what is a menopausal man?” My reply: “ummm, I don’t know, ask Dad.” Dad didn’t appreciate the humor.</p>
<p>Updating this thread:</p>
<p>I am staggered to report the the Mayflower On the Park has closed. Given the other alternatives, we most likely would have stayed there again.</p>
<p>For a suite–Queen plus sofabed–we’ve wound up in the Buckingham for $255/night, right across from Carnegie Hall. That’s the bird-in-hand. I may be checking discounts elsewhere as the time gets closer but I really think we want the Theater District or Upper West Side/Columbus Circle. It’s needing a suite with either a sofa bed or a rollaway in the second room that has been the biggest limiting factor.</p>
<p>Have printed out the thread and will be marking down the names of the various deli’s, etc., on my itinerary when I write it up.</p>
<p>Thank you to everyone for suggestions.</p>
<p>And I’m watching the Boston thread because we’ll be staying there for two nights as well.</p>
<p>As a postscript: we’re flying to St. Louis to see TheMom’s mother, siblings, friends, thence to NYC for the D’s concert and a few days of playing tourist, thence to Northampton to drop D back off at school for her research project, thence to Boston for a couple of days of bumming around on our own, thence back to SoCal via lunch in Northampton and flying back out of JFK. </p>
<p>The airfare isn’t bad at all: $321 and change round-trip per person on American.<br>
However, looking at that itinerary, I was counting on Northampton being the customarily inexpensive stay…how was I to know that it was graduation weekend? I thought D’s concert was <em>after</em> graduation. Sigh. Spending almost as much in Northampton as NYC and lucky to get it.</p>
<p>The Mayflower closed! Say it ain’t so! I always said that was billion dollar realestate, all it needed was a face lift. </p>
<p>As I told you earlier, we’d decamped to the Stanhope which is on Fifth Avenue and 81st right across from the Met. It’s now a Hyatt and they often offer specials. The rooms are large enough for a spare bed and they don’t charge for it. </p>
<p>It’s not the West Side, but you still get the park, the Met, the other uptown museums (Frick, Guggenheim, Whitney) and the neighborhood is full of inexpensive restaurants.</p>
<p>TheDad, we’ve stayed at the Park Central NY, which is also right across the street from Carnegie Hall and an easy walk from Central Park, the west side subways, and of course THE DELIS! I just checked the prices and they’re less than what you quoted for the Buckingham. Hmm…</p>
<p>Oops, I apologize for not paying attention to this thread - yes, the Mayflower’s been closed for quite a while. :(</p>
<p>Mootmom: you’ve stayed at the Park Central and can recommend it? I’m truly astonished. It was the worst hotel I have ever stayed in, including the dumps in Florida my mother loved so. Cockroaches in the bathrub, sandy carpets, filthy windows. Perhaps it’s changed since 1999?</p>
<p>When my D and I went to NYC over winter break, we stayed at the Holiday Inn Columbus Circle (near Central Park) for $159/night. Small rooms, a small balcony, clean, decent, restaurant in the building (although we only got a few snacks there), and a Starbucks only two blocks away (we are from Seattle).</p>
<p>Hmm. We stayed at the Mayflower in April/2003.</p>
<p>Mootmom, I sent you a PM…I’ll be out of town until Monday.</p>
<p>DMD, I’d consider going the Holiday Inn route except that I don’t believe they have suites and two rooms is just too $$$. I love that Columbus circle location but I guess I’ll just have to Try Something New. Your comment about the Park Central, though…hmmm.</p>
<p>I’ve booked rooms in NYC through hotels.com and happened upon special deals. One instance was the Carnegie Suites Hotel, right across the street from Carnegie Hall and one block from Central Park. It had just reopened under new management and I was able to get a junior suite for H, D, and me for under $150/night! Finding a bargain there is not a sure thing, but when you do . . . !</p>
<p>Another Uppper West Side option discovered by a friend of my son’s who was visiting from the UK:</p>
<p>Riverside Tower Hotel, 212-877-5200, 80 Riverside Drive.
<a href=“http://www.riversidetowerhotel.com/[/url]”>http://www.riversidetowerhotel.com/</a></p>
<p>My son’s stayed there a couple of times and says it’s cheap, it’s clean, the staff are friendly and it’s within walking distance of the Park, Zabars, the subway. The neighborhood is residential, quiet and safe and in the summer the boat basin is a plus.</p>
<p>I stayed at the Kimberly Suites about 6 years ago–it was great. Check out the reviews at tripadvisor.com. A teeny bit more expensive (their site says 279, but I bet you could find cheaper). kimberlyhotel.com is the web site.</p>
<p>I am lucky to have a friend to stay with when I go usually, but I would stay there again for sure.</p>
<p>Beacon Hotel…recommended by Fodors and Frommers turned out to be perfect for us. Easy walking to subway, close to the park, Museum of Natural History or Zabars…We had a small 2 bedroom apartment for our family of 5 for the price of 1 1/2 hotel room. We had a small kitchen, 2 bathrooms etc…Great for quick meals in the room if you wanted. Very comfie beds…</p>
<p>Great restaurants all around…</p>
<p>We’ve also stayed at the Amerisuites in Secaucus, NJ, that’s clean and spacious and a great deal for the money. A bus goes from there straight to Port Authority in NYC. Just booked a one-night stay for next month for $130 including a breakfast buffet–for H, D, and me.</p>
<p>TheDad, sorry, just saw this thread. Take a look at the options on Craigslist: <a href=“http://newyork.craigslist.org/sub/[/url]”>http://newyork.craigslist.org/sub/</a> Specifically, look at this one: <a href=“http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/sub/64660285.html[/url]”>http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/sub/64660285.html</a>
There are others on there, too, near the Met museum; can’t find at the moment because I need to run out. In Europe we travel by renting apartments, and it seems to be catching on here. Much cheaper than a hotel, and fun, too. You can get references. For more info I’d go to <a href=“http://www.slowtravel.com%5B/url%5D”>www.slowtravel.com</a>, where everybody travels this way.</p>
<p>NY hotel rates have really shot up over the past 3-4 years. Two best best on the upper (but not too upper) West Side are the Lucerne and Excelsior. Crossing my fingers that they are both still under $200 but not holding my breath. Good source for other options is <a href=“http://www.quikbook.com%5B/url%5D”>www.quikbook.com</a></p>