First Trip to NY

[pack4life]

I'm leaving on August 16th to stay the remainder of the week/weekend in NY. I'll be visiting The House That Ruth Built on the 17th to see the Yankees face the Tigers. Other than that, i'll just be soaking up the cultural experience. Anyone have any particular favorite dining spots/sites to see while down there? Also, any helpful tips would be appreciated.

[SteerPride09]

Sounds like fun! I wouldn't mind going up there.

[DrEdward]

I'm leaving on August 16th to stay the remainder of the week/weekend in NY. I'll be visiting The House That Ruth Built on the 17th to see the Yankees face the Tigers. Other than that, i'll just be soaking up the cultural experience. Anyone have any particular favorite dining spots/sites to see while down there? Also, any helpful tips would be appreciated.

If you have the time, a day trip up the Hudson to West Point is a most worthwhile investment of your time. History + an absolutely beautiful setting.

[pack4life]

If you have the time, a day trip up the Hudson to West Point is a most worthwhile investment of your time. History + an absolutely beautiful setting.

I'm staying near times square, so about how long out of a trip would that be?

[yankee]

the city's great, but long island is better IMO...great scenery, food, everything. if you have time, be sure to visit some of the great coastal towns, they're a blast.

[jtk1519]

I'm leaving on August 16th to stay the remainder of the week/weekend in NY. I'll be visiting The House That Ruth Built on the 17th to see the Yankees face the Tigers. Other than that, i'll just be soaking up the cultural experience. Anyone have any particular favorite dining spots/sites to see while down there? Also, any helpful tips would be appreciated.

Expect heat. People gripe about the heat here not realizing heat lives everywhere. It's been hotter in NYC this Summer than it has in Abilene, TX.

That said, nothing is better than Central Park in Summer. Great for people watching or just roaming around. I'm partial to the Upper West side that extends from about 59th Street on the South up to about 125th Street on the North, and in between Central Park on the East and the Hudson River on the West. I have a blast up there every time I go and I can just walk up and down the streets of the Upper West Side and be entertained every time. There you will find Lincoln Center, the American Museum of Natural History, Beacon Theater, etc. The food is also magnificent. Café des Artistes (if you watch the show Top Chef on Bravo, Joey who was just kicked off is the executive chef here), Gray's Papaya, Zabar's, H&H Bagels and more cafes and bistros than you can shake a stick at.

Depending on how much money you have and since it should be warm, I would hit the water. There are tons of ferrys and sight-seeing boats that will take you around Manhattan, to the Statue of Liberty, etc. I would also HIGHLY recommend a trip out to Coney Island. It's easy to get there. As I recall, you can hop on the F train (I think) at the 57th Street station by Central Park and ride that under Midtown out to the Coney Island Station and you can get out there for a couple of bucks. There you have the beach, great Brooklyn style pizza and Nathan's Hot Dogs.

If you are a big baseball fan and have the time, NYC also has two great minor league teams (other than the Mets) who play at some amazing ballparks. If you go out to Coney Island, the Brooklyn Cyclones play right there at Keyspan Park. You can actually see the amusement park rides over the outfield wall...

http://www.ballparkwatch.com/images/brooklyn/leftfield1.jpg
http://mysite.verizon.net/charliesballparks/stadiums/ph/keyspan1.jpg

There are also the Staten Island Yankees who play in one of the most amazing minor league parks I have ever seen. It sits right on the water and on clear days, has an outstanding views of lower Manhattan...

http://mywebsite.register.com/db1/00065/nyseminoles.com/_uimages/SIStadium.bmp
http://www.geocities.jp/muguken1975/picture_ballpark_na/npl_main.jpg

The cool thing is that the weekend you will be down there, the SI Yankees and the Brooklyn Cyclones will be playing each other. Couple of games in Brooklyn and one that Sunday in Staten Island.

Another note about the SI ballpark, when the ballpark first opened in the Summer of 2001, it featured the most amazing views of lower Manhattan and the World Trade Center...

http://www.geocities.com/paulsminorleagueparks/images/StatenIsland/SI07a.jpg

And that brings me to my final recommendation... go to Ground Zero. It's a construction site now as I believe the foundation for the Freedom Tower is pretty much laid and steel will soon be rising, but it's still a must see for anybody going to NYC. If for no other reason than to truly understand the size of that place. It's unreal.

[DrEdward]

I'm staying near times square, so about how long out of a trip would that be?

Grey Line or someone used to run a cruise up the Hudson to the Military Academy. I don't know if they still do that or not. But that would be a delightful expereince. It is not that far away, but if you go, plan on taking an entire day to drive up there (maybe an hour and a half or so, depending upon traffic), take the tour, and drive back.

[twcpfan1]

The quadrant of Soho, Tribeca, Chinatown and Little Italy is always interesting for people watching, food and shopping for ripoff items.

For something more upmarket, try the Upper Westside near Central Park (around 72nd).

If this is yr first trip, can't miss the Statue of Liberty, Empire State, the UN, Rockefeller Ctr etc.

[jtk1519]

West Point is only about an hour North of NYC so it's easy to get to if you have a car. Amtrak has a station about 14 miles away in Croton-on-Hudson, but aside from being a ways away, that station is on the wrong side of the Hudson from West Point and the only way to get to West Point is by Taxi. It would be cheaper and easier to rent a car for a day and just drive up there.

[FeeltheHaka]

I lived in NYC for a year and a half.
I recommend the MET (Metropolitan Museum of Art) right next to Central Park
Museum of Natural History. Times Square (very commercialized and touristy)
I recommend shopping on Canal street (China Town) Check out the Replica Watches and Monte Blanc Pens. Wall Street- Commodity Exchange during business hours. Coney Island. Empire State Building. Former World Trade Center site (right by Wall Street.) Statue of Liberty. Maybe take the Circle line tour around Manhattan Island. Long Island and the Hamptons (A little bit of a drive.) One thing to keep in mind there are not too many places to go to the bathroom. Be sure and go before leaving the hotel. I can tell you 2 places to go for sure. The McDonalds on Canal Street, and 4th floor Macys.
Definately ride the Subway, and don't believe the horror stories you hear about the Subway. I rode it around the Clock. I recommend right away getting a subway map and a bus schedule. The Public Transit is wonderful! Some of my favorite times were just walking around not having a place to go and exploring and people watching. The best people watching is in the village! You will have stories to tell after people watching in the Village.
Right now, I'm not too far away from New York City in Harford, Conn.

[jtk1519]

I liked the subways too. They are cheap and easy to get pretty much anywhere on the island. I also like parts of Brooklyn and it's the best way to get off the island. The only problems I had was during rush hour (especially in the morning) when it can get crowded and just deciphering the damn subway map. I stared at that thing for an hour before I finally figured it out. Said map...

http://www.mta.info/nyct/maps/submap.htm

[CyFallsMom]

Just got back from NYC (and Long Island, upstate and California!) and since this was about my 30th trip to NY, I'll give you my thoughts. First of all, make sure your hotel is a decent one - NY has some scary hotels to say the least. Go to tripadvisor and pull it up and read reviews. I don't stay in any hotel that doesn't get good reviews there and have never been disappointed.

In the city, make sure you are in Times Square at night - the place is amazing. It used to be nothing but bars and strip clubs but since it's been "Disneyized", it is a crazy nutty place to hang out. Stand in the middle where 7th and Broadway cross and take pics looking both ways. I have some from Sunday and will post here after I download them.

Go to Bryant Park at 40th and 6th if you just want to relax! Also, for good, inexpensive pizza - Bella Napoli at 49th & B'way across from the Yankees store. If you can get up early enough, go to Rockefeller (49th between 5th and 6th) for a taping of the Today Show. The Nintendo store is just next door too:)

As for Yankee Stadium, if you can take the 7 train to the stadium, do so. Parking is a nightmare right now since they are building the new Yankee Stadium right next door. They tore down my old parking garage and the one we parked at was $14 and right up against the stadium - but if you wait until the 9th to leave, you might as well wait until it clears out (up to 2 hours) before going to your car...it is a LONG wait to get out.

Go uptown to the museum district (History, Art, City of NY) and Central Park - see Strawberry Fields at the corner of 72nd and Central Park West (you have to walk into the park about 20 feet). John Lennon's apartment (where he lived when shot) is at that intersection too and it seems there are always busloads of people just standing there and looking at that building when I go there.

Go to 5th Ave and Rockefeller Center and the Empire State Building just downtown from there. Go downtown to the WTC site - it did my heart good to see all the construction going on there but the traffic was really bad and security was tight. Take a ferry (free) over to Staten Island for the best view of lower Manhattan ever. Walk over the B'lyn Bridge - another nice view. If you can, take the Westside hwy (9a) up to the 9 highway and go to Sleepy Hollow - several historic sites there and just a lovely town. Even the cemetary is a neat place to visit. Also, if you have time, go out on the Island - visit the Hamptons and go out to Montauk - the end of the country. The funny thing is, within a week I went as far west as I could (Santa Monica) and Montauk - went from one end of the country to the other in a matter of hours actually!

Enjoy your trip if you need any other info, PM me...I love sharing NY with others:D

AND, it was HOUSTON hot there so be prepared. The buildings and the concrete hold in the heat so it's even hotter than it really is.

[rancher52]

Several folks have given great suggestions, and CFM, as usual, with her wealth of experience gives great insight. I would offer just a few other things: Since you are only there a long weekend, planning is essential to get to the top spots. If you really want to take the trip out to the Statue of Liberty, that is great but this time of year you might kill as much as 4 hours or more doing that. Getting there early in the morning will still require a wait to catch the ferry.... the trip is longer to take in Ellis Island. These are certainly worthy of visits & I recommend them; just consider the time. The Empire State Building can be somewhat similar (not as long a wait but still a line) you might want to catch this early and hope for a short line http://www.esbnyc.com:80/index2.cfm?CFID=17966462&CFTOKEN=43154842 ... (crowds can be really long late as folks try to catch the sunset.) You may want to call ahead & see if the 102nd flr observation is open and not just the 86th flr... I hear they open the 102nd periodically now. As CFM mentioned, Rockefeller Ctr is great and for almost two years they now have reopened the Top of the Rock http://www.topoftherocknyc.com/ (observation at the top - pretty neat). Do step into Grand Central Station and look around... try a slice of Junior's Cheesecake found on the food court in the lower level. Around TS, you might want to check out John's Pizza -- located in an old Church 44th st between Broadway & 8th - http://www.johnspizzerianyc.com/index2.htm . Another good eats is the Stage Deli on 7th ave btw 53rd & 54th (near the Ed Sullivan theater where they film Letterman -- http://www.stagedeli.com/indexmain.cfm (http://www.stagedeli.com/indexmain.cfm) huge sandwiches so be prepared to share. If you do get out of TS and get to Little Italy I recommend Il Cortile on Mulberry (I think CFM likes this place too). It is between Hester & Canal on the west side of Mulberry http://www.ilcortile.com/page/nxu8/Home_Page.html Like CFM, I have spent a lot of time there and still get there 1-2 times a year. Feel free to PM me if you have questions.

[sgp3]

IF u can get to Harlem and if u like soul food stop at Syliva. U never know who u might see in there it a great place to eat some good food and a lot stars eat there when I was there in June I saw ICE-T
http://www.sylviassoulfood.com/:D


I'm leaving on August 16th to stay the remainder of the week/weekend in NY. I'll be visiting The House That Ruth Built on the 17th to see the Yankees face the Tigers. Other than that, i'll just be soaking up the cultural experience. Anyone have any particular favorite dining spots/sites to see while down there? Also, any helpful tips would be appreciated.

[sgp3]

IF u can get to Harlem and if u like soul food stop at Syliva. U never know who u might see in there it a great place to eat some good food and a lot stars eat there when I was there in June I saw ICE-T
http://www.sylviassoulfood.com/:Dhttp://www.sylviassoulfood.com/

[FeeltheHaka]

A couple of things I forgot to add. First off: New Yorkers do not make eye contact as much as we do. They sometimes seem intimidated when you look them in the eyes. I open doors for ladies. But, in New York you might get a scared look from a lady as if she thinks you are going to mug her. I still do it, but I'm just preparing you. New Yorkers are friendly. If you need help with directions, then just ask. The only time New Yorkers are not friendly is when there are crowds. Like when the Subway is crowded during rush hour. Everyone seems panicky. Also, sometimes you have to listen carefully to what New Yorkers are saying. Sometimes it can be hard to understand them.
If you take a cab, then do your best to know where you are going, and how to get there. They sometimes like to take a longer way to get a bigger fare. I recommend using a car service. You call them in advance, tell them where you are going. they will tell you right then on the phone how much it will cost. Of course, some advance planning will be needed for this. But, sometimes a car service can be where you need them in less than 10 minutes. Oh, and keep your wallet in your front pocket. Don't flash too much jewlrey. Make sure Women hold on to their purse at alls times. Do not set a purse done in a restaurant. By the way, the call a purse a pocketbook.

[sgp3]

New Yorkers are great people everytime i have been there it been real great I beeen there about 9 times it a great place and New Yorkers are real freindly people!!! Take the subway it a great way to get around in NYC use get you a metro Card u can put $20.00 on there and right all day and dont take cab the subway is great way to get around.
QUOTE=FeeltheHaka;527339]A couple of things I forgot to add. First off: New Yorkers do not make eye contact as much as we do. They sometimes seem intimidated when you look them in the eyes. I open doors for ladies. But, in New York you might get a scared look from a lady as if she thinks you are going to mug her. I still do it, but I'm just preparing you. New Yorkers are friendly. If you need help with directions, then just ask. The only time New Yorkers are not friendly is when there are crowds. Like when the Subway is crowded during rush hour. Everyone seems panicky. Also, sometimes you have to listen carefully to what New Yorkers are saying. Sometimes it can be hard to understand them.
If you take a cab, then do your best to know where you are going, and how to get there. They sometimes like to take a longer way to get a bigger fare. I recommend using a car service. You call them in advance, tell them where you are going. they will tell you right then on the phone how much it will cost. Of course, some advance planning will be needed for this. But, sometimes a car service can be where you need them in less than 10 minutes. Oh, and keep your wallet in your front pocket. Don't flash too much jewlrey. Make sure Women hold on to their purse at alls times. Do not set a purse done in a restaurant. By the way, the call a purse a pocketbook.[/QUOTE]

[CyFallsMom]

definitely keep the wallet in the front pocket - if you don't have a pocket, put it in your shoe. I actually do carry a purse but it is a small purse that I put around my neck. They would have to take me with it!! I have never been messed with but I know the "look" that you have to have and I have just as much attitude as they do...learned it from the family up there. You don't make eye contact but sometimes you will run into some pretty friendly people.

This past week, I was at a CVS to get some tylenol for my daughter and it was like the soup nazi - just get in line and have your money ready. Then I went to another CVS for a drink on B'way and the clerks there were very nice. The guys in the Mulberry Restaurant were very nice and only too willing to help...and they were NY Italians so I was hooked!! One taxi driver we had was really nice, another asked where his tip was (I had given him the wrong amount with only a .10 tip). You have to tip there or they might run you down:).

I was at Disneyland schmoozing with Jack Sparrow one weekend and fighting NY Traffic the next!! What a vacation! Speaking of Jack Sparrow - he looked and acted just like Johnny Depp and was hitting on my daughter...he wouldn't let her leave!! We got this picture taken after he had played with her hair, stolen her purse and sold it for 6 doubloons and changed her name to Erin Maroon (real name is Caitlin). He spent at least 20 minutes with her - everyone else just got a picture and they left. They had a whole comedy act going on. I've never met such a flirty Disney character. I just had to share the pic.


http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k12/cyfallsmom/disneyland07jacksmall.jpg

[CyFallsMom]

Zabar's, H&H Bagels and more cafes and bistros than you can shake a stick at

Just about my two fave places in all of NYC!! I have H&H Bagels in my freezer right now - I always bring home a dozen. AND, I have black and white's and two lbs of Zabars coffee as well. Zabars is small but it has everything a gourmet chef could want PLUS the black and whites!!

[mtbray]

There are also the Staten Island Yankees who play in one of the most amazing minor league parks I have ever seen. It sits right on the water and on clear days, has an outstanding views of lower Manhattan...

http://mywebsite.register.com/db1/00065/nyseminoles.com/_uimages/SIStadium.bmp
http://www.geocities.jp/muguken1975/picture_ballpark_na/npl_main.jpg

The cool thing is that the weekend you will be down there, the SI Yankees and the Brooklyn Cyclones will be playing each other. Couple of games in Brooklyn and one that Sunday in Staten Island.

Another note about the SI ballpark, when the ballpark first opened in the Summer of 2001, it featured the most amazing views of lower Manhattan and the World Trade Center...

http://www.geocities.com/paulsminorleagueparks/images/StatenIsland/SI07a.jpg


Never hit me, but that ballpark is the one from the movie with what's his face Pryor playing the character Montgomery Brewster......where he inherits a ton of money but has to spend it all to get more. Anyhow, that's the ballpark where he has a train going across the outfield!



....I think.

[Firebird]

Just got back from NYC (and Long Island, upstate and California!) and since this was about my 30th trip to NY, I'll give you my thoughts. First of all, make sure your hotel is a decent one - NY has some scary hotels to say the least. Go to tripadvisor and pull it up and read reviews. I don't stay in any hotel that doesn't get good reviews there and have never been disappointed.

In the city, make sure you are in Times Square at night - the place is amazing. It used to be nothing but bars and strip clubs but since it's been "Disneyized", it is a crazy nutty place to hang out. Stand in the middle where 7th and Broadway cross and take pics looking both ways. I have some from Sunday and will post here after I download them.

Go to Bryant Park at 40th and 6th if you just want to relax! Also, for good, inexpensive pizza - Bella Napoli at 49th & B'way across from the Yankees store. If you can get up early enough, go to Rockefeller (49th between 5th and 6th) for a taping of the Today Show. The Nintendo store is just next door too:)

As for Yankee Stadium, if you can take the 7 train to the stadium, do so. Parking is a nightmare right now since they are building the new Yankee Stadium right next door. They tore down my old parking garage and the one we parked at was $14 and right up against the stadium - but if you wait until the 9th to leave, you might as well wait until it clears out (up to 2 hours) before going to your car...it is a LONG wait to get out.

Go uptown to the museum district (History, Art, City of NY) and Central Park - see Strawberry Fields at the corner of 72nd and Central Park West (you have to walk into the park about 20 feet). John Lennon's apartment (where he lived when shot) is at that intersection too and it seems there are always busloads of people just standing there and looking at that building when I go there.

Go to 5th Ave and Rockefeller Center and the Empire State Building just downtown from there. Go downtown to the WTC site - it did my heart good to see all the construction going on there but the traffic was really bad and security was tight. Take a ferry (free) over to Staten Island for the best view of lower Manhattan ever. Walk over the B'lyn Bridge - another nice view. If you can, take the Westside hwy (9a) up to the 9 highway and go to Sleepy Hollow - several historic sites there and just a lovely town. Even the cemetary is a neat place to visit. Also, if you have time, go out on the Island - visit the Hamptons and go out to Montauk - the end of the country. The funny thing is, within a week I went as far west as I could (Santa Monica) and Montauk - went from one end of the country to the other in a matter of hours actually!

Enjoy your trip if you need any other info, PM me...I love sharing NY with others:D

AND, it was HOUSTON hot there so be prepared. The buildings and the concrete hold in the heat so it's even hotter than it really is.

I know what you mean, but still, I had to draw some attention to this golden quote. I love it...you've given me a bit of an existentialist quandry to ponder.

How can something be hotter than it really is?

[ktCarl]

[QUOTE=CyFallsMom;526754][/[/I][/B]QUOTE]

you've given me a bit of an existentialist quandry to ponder.

How can something be hotter than it really is?

You sound like the Geico Caveman in the therapist's office commercial. Except the Caveman was having an existentialist melt down. :D

[CyFallsMom]

By that I mean - the weatherman says "it's 86 today" and it's hotter than that in reality. I didn't see any thermometers to confirm but, being from Texas, I KNOW it was hotter than the 86 they were predicting. I just heard this morning that NYC has been hotter than Abilene, Texas lately...that's pretty hot. The concrete and buildings hold in the heat as they also hold in the cold in NYC so it appears a lot worse than the actual numbers.

[jtk1519]

I know what you mean, but still, I had to draw some attention to this golden quote. I love it...you've given me a bit of an existentialist quandry to ponder.

How can something be hotter than it really is?

You've seen NFL games where the outside temp. is 95 but the temp. just above the turf is 120. You've seen NASCAR races where the outside temp. may be in the 90s, but the temp just off the track pre-race is 130. Same principal. In New York, unlike Houston or Dallas or most cities, the heat has nowhere to go. The buildings block a lot of wind and the concrete buildings and sidewalks combined with the asphalt of the road and reflective qualities of all the glass work almost like a brick oven constantly reflecting the heat inwards. That's why you can be in midtown and burning up and then walk to Central Park and feel the temp drop 20 degrees. There the grass and trees help absorb the heat while the wind keeps the air moving. I believe the whole thing is called the "urban heat island effect". This is a good man demonstrating that by showing the temperature in NYC at a given time compared to the vegetation in the city...

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/43/Newyork_heat_island.jpg

That's why one of the big "green" initiatives in big or densely populated cities is "green roofs". Buildings and skyscrapers that are topped with parks and grass and trees. The idea being that not only will the vegetation help absorb more carbon before it gets to the atmosphere, but it can help reduce the heat island effect by absorbing some heat.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/Green_City.jpg

[pack4life]

I appreciate all the tips guys. I'm sure i'll just hit the high points since i'll only be there for the weekend, plus it being my first time there. I hope to return many times though, and depending on how i like it, possibly settle down there.

[jtk1519]

I appreciate all the tips guys. I'm sure i'll just hit the high points since i'll only be there for the weekend, plus it being my first time there. I hope to return many times though, and depending on how i like it, possibly settle down there.

Don't try or think you can see everything because you wont get closed. I lived there for a short time and still find things just in Manhattan that I never knew where there. You could spend a day and a half just making a big circle around Central Park or in Tribeca and still miss some things.

[jtk1519]

Just about my two fave places in all of NYC!! I have H&H Bagels in my freezer right now - I always bring home a dozen. AND, I have black and white's and two lbs of Zabars coffee as well. Zabars is small but it has everything a gourmet chef could want PLUS the black and whites!!

God, I love Zabar's. They have the best cheese selection I have ever seen and lox is out of this world. My uncle used to go by and pick up some of their lox and cream cheese and then head over to H&H for some fresh bagels and that was breakfast. Good Lord that was awesome.

[pack4life]

Quick Question: Best place to grab a beer?

[CyFallsMom]

Beer - McSorley's Ale House on 7th St. and 3rd avenue - over 100 years old and they make the beer there - it is AWESOME!

[CyFallsMom]

Don't try or think you can see everything because you wont get closed. I lived there for a short time and still find things just in Manhattan that I never knew where there. You could spend a day and a half just making a big circle around Central Park or in Tribeca and still miss some things.

SO true - I have been going there yearly (and sometimes more than once) since 1982 and I still see things that I've never seen. I was only there three days so I chose Times Square, Upper West Side, Mulberry and 5th. I actually just drove downtown to the site and then drove around lower Manhattan a bit. Driving in Manhattan is not recommended...it is like a ride at an amusement park where you have no control:). My husband won't do it but I'm a little braver and take those taxi's and delivery trucks on like a pro!! I think I even got yelled at in Swahili the other day.

[jtk1519]

Quick Question: Best place to grab a beer?

Brooklyn is known for great beer, breweries and pubs. If you go out that way, Spuyten Duyvil on Metropolitan Ave. is like the Mecca of beer lovers. In the city, there is a place near NYU on Bleeker St. called the Peculier Pub that is awesome. Very young, college crowd and a tremendous selection of beers. If you're staying in the midtown area, there is a place called Ginger Man on E. 36th just off of 5th Avenue that is impressive, but kind of upscale. There is a place called Burp Castle on E. 7th near 2nd Ave. that is supposed to be awesome.

There are a lot of places to get a beer in NYC, but I'm a snob and despise chain restaurants, bars, etc. when I'm there. You can go to the ESPiN Zone in Times Square and get a beer and probably have a good time, but you can do that same thing in Las Vegas or Baltimore. Places like Spuyten Duyvil are uniquely New York and must visits IMO.

[Firebird]

You've seen NFL games where the outside temp. is 95 but the temp. just above the turf is 120. You've seen NASCAR races where the outside temp. may be in the 90s, but the temp just off the track pre-race is 130. Same principal. In New York, unlike Houston or Dallas or most cities, the heat has nowhere to go. The buildings block a lot of wind and the concrete buildings and sidewalks combined with the asphalt of the road and reflective qualities of all the glass work almost like a brick oven constantly reflecting the heat inwards. That's why you can be in midtown and burning up and then walk to Central Park and feel the temp drop 20 degrees. There the grass and trees help absorb the heat while the wind keeps the air moving. I believe the whole thing is called the "urban heat island effect". This is a good man demonstrating that by showing the temperature in NYC at a given time compared to the vegetation in the city...

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/43/Newyork_heat_island.jpg

That's why one of the big "green" initiatives in big or densely populated cities is "green roofs". Buildings and skyscrapers that are topped with parks and grass and trees. The idea being that not only will the vegetation help absorb more carbon before it gets to the atmosphere, but it can help reduce the heat island effect by absorbing some heat.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/Green_City.jpg


Thanks, Bill Nye. In case you missed the first part of my post, I said that I knew exactly what CyFallsMom meant, but that the way she worded it was classic.

What she meant was, because of the concrete and buildings, the actual air temperature inside the city is actually much higher than it would be on the same day inside a green space.

What she said was "It's hotter than it really is". Regardless of whether the hight temperature is a result of the urban heat effect or not, the actual temperature you would register on a thermometer is the temperature it really is. Thermometers cannot tell the difference between heat caused by buildings and natural, green space heat.

I liked the satellite images, though.

[CyFallsMom]

Just for the record, I did relay my thoughts incorrectly and it really is pretty funny...but I think everyone knew what I meant. My happy fingers were doing the thinking for me on the keyboard that day:)

Maybe I can be the Yogi Berra of 5atexasfootball!

[Firebird]

Just for the record, I did relay my thoughts incorrectly and it really is pretty funny...but I think everyone knew what I meant. My happy fingers were doing the thinking for me on the keyboard that day:)

Maybe I can be the Yogi Berra of 5atexasfootball!


We all have those moments...I would suck as a poster if I didn't point them out.

[Lufkin_Class_Of_08]

you will definately want to do the empire state building...and definatly eat some italian

[DiamondJ2]

Say hello to A-Rod, the next career home run record setter.

[jtk1519]

The Empire State Building recommendations are spot on, especially since the 102nd floor observation deck reopened. That said, I think the Chrysler Building is the more spectacular of the two. That pyramid top and the ornate architecture is unbelievable and the lobby is second to none.

[Mean DT]

I'm leaving on August 16th to stay the remainder of the week/weekend in NY. I'll be visiting The House That Ruth Built on the 17th to see the Yankees face the Tigers. Other than that, i'll just be soaking up the cultural experience. Anyone have any particular favorite dining spots/sites to see while down there? Also, any helpful tips would be appreciated.Keep your wallet in the front pocket:D

[FeeltheHaka]

SO true - I have been going there yearly (and sometimes more than once) since 1982 and I still see things that I've never seen. I was only there three days so I chose Times Square, Upper West Side, Mulberry and 5th. I actually just drove downtown to the site and then drove around lower Manhattan a bit. Driving in Manhattan is not recommended...it is like a ride at an amusement park where you have no control:). My husband won't do it but I'm a little braver and take those taxi's and delivery trucks on like a pro!! I think I even got yelled at in Swahili the other day.

Man, are you ever so right about this! When I lived there, I decided real soon not to own a vehicle, and take public transit. Their perception of personal space when it comes to driving is way different than ours. You don't see a car in NYC that does not have some type of body damage or scrape.

[Lufkin_Class_Of_08]

Keep your wallet in the front pocket:D
the same can be said of any big city