The off topic thread 3.0

[RPCB]

It's our first overseas trip together.

I've not experienced a white Christmas, but I (hopefully) will be this year.

This will be our last holiday until our honeymoon.

I can imagine you two will have a ball. Is New York your only destination?

 

[Cruyff14]

Yep. Flying visit. Land 25th and leave the 2nd.

 

[SM]

Yep. Flying visit. Land 25th and leave the 2nd.

Ruins your Christmas a bit! Didn't know flights landed on the 25th.

 

[RPCB]

Yep. Flying visit. Land 25th and leave the 2nd.

That’s awesome. Two big dates in one trip. Christmas and a New Years Eve. Very cool.

 

[Genesis67]

I had my first white Christmas 3 years back now. It didn’t change my mind that I hate snow. But I love skiing, so it’s a real love-hate thing.

A couple do things to do in NYC: Do Not Miss miss the Museum of Natural History. If you do the Empire State Building, pay the extra to get the express service. It’s best if you get the hotel concierge to organize that one, they know the right guys. The Russian Tea Rooms are yummy, and an amazing glimpse into Romanov-esque Russia. The Mickey Mantle Bar makes the best cosmopolitan in NY. If you’re up for romantic, the Central Park horse carriages still run during winter.

There’s more than I can list, but that’s a few thoughts for a quick trip.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Cruyff14]

Ruins your Christmas a bit! Didn't know flights landed on the 25th.

We land 1pm. What's not to love!

That’s awesome. Two big dates in one trip. Christmas and a New Years Eve. Very cool.

Indeed. We've had a pretty big year!

 

[Cruyff14]

I had my first white Christmas 3 years back now. It didn’t change my mind that I hate snow. But I love skiing, so it’s a real love-hate thing.

A couple do things to do in NYC: Do Not Miss miss the Museum of Natural History. If you do the Empire State Building, pay the extra to get the express service. It’s best if you get the hotel concierge to organize that one, they know the right guys. The Russian Tea Rooms are yummy, and an amazing glimpse into Romanov-esque Russia. The Mickey Mantle Bar makes the best cosmopolitan in NY. If you’re up for romantic, the Central Park horse carriages still run during winter.

There’s more than I can list, but that’s a few thoughts for a quick trip.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

Central Park is one of the things I'm looking forward to most. Going to be incredible.

 

[glenferry23]

Is it the first time to NYC Cruyff?

 

[Cruyff14]

Yep. One city in the world that I haven't been to that I've been dying to go to for about 5 years now.

 

[Bojan KantKick]

Central Park is one of the things I'm looking forward to most. Going to be incredible.

go to MOMA and a speakeasy. I went to 'Beauty and Essex' which was amazing. Looks like an antique shop outside iirc.

 

[SM]

We land 1pm. What's not to love!


Indeed. We've had a pretty big year!

Jetlag. [emoji14]

 

[glenferry23]

Yep. One city in the world that I haven't been to that I've been dying to go to for about 5 years now.

Nice time of year to visit too. Christmas there is pretty spectacular.

I'm not usually one to offer advice without being asked, but having lived there for over a year and visited 30+ times otherwise, I can provide a suggestion or two if need be.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Well first time we’ve had a break for a snake on the field. Interesting drinks break.

 

[jd2010]

Philly are bloody fun to watch

 

[Cruyff14]

go to MOMA and a speakeasy. I went to 'Beauty and Essex' which was amazing. Looks like an antique shop outside iirc.

No idea what Beauty and Essex is lol

Jetlag. [emoji14]

Jetlag I've been OK with when traveling over. When I'm home on the other hand

Nice time of year to visit too. Christmas there is pretty spectacular.

I'm not usually one to offer advice without being asked, but having lived there for over a year and visited 30+ times otherwise, I can provide a suggestion or two if need be.

Never had a white Christmas, so that will be pretty neat.

Oh feel free mate. We're staying in Midtown, and we're within walking distance to Bloomingdales, Central Park, Grand Central, Times Square, Broadway (where we are seeing Bruce, and maybe Book of Mormon), Roosevelt Hotel, Empire State Building - so there are no shortage of options on foot.

We want to try and walk to as many places as we can just so we can see more etc. Though with the weather we're not sure how viable that will be. We don't really have suitable winter clothing for a northern winter. Trying to work out if we should pack light and buy over there. I have a coat I wear here in winter, but it wouldn't do much in -10.

The only place(s) that might be too far to walk are the Brooklyn Bridge - which looks ****ing amazing, and the 9/11 memorial.

Wanna see the Statue of Liberty (hopefully she doesn't tell us the country is full), but we're not sure if trips out there are available over the Xmas period.

We're obviously pressed for time, so wanna see as much as we can. I kinda just wanna wander around and take it all in. Would love to walk around Soho and Chelsea.

 

[RPCB]

Hey, Roosevelt Hotel? We are staying at The Hollywood Roosevelt in Los Angeles next year.

The Mansfield Hotel in New York. Great location for everything.

 

[Thistle]

No idea what Beauty and Essex is lol


Jetlag I've been OK with when traveling over. When I'm home on the other hand


Never had a white Christmas, so that will be pretty neat.

Oh feel free mate. We're staying in Midtown, and we're within walking distance to Bloomingdales, Central Park, Grand Central, Times Square, Broadway (where we are seeing Bruce, and maybe Book of Mormon), Roosevelt Hotel, Empire State Building - so there are no shortage of options on foot.

We want to try and walk to as many places as we can just so we can see more etc. Though with the weather we're not sure how viable that will be. We don't really have suitable winter clothing for a northern winter. Trying to work out if we should pack light and buy over there. I have a coat I wear here in winter, but it wouldn't do much in -10.

The only place(s) that might be too far to walk are the Brooklyn Bridge - which looks ******* amazing, and the 9/11 memorial.

Wanna see the Statue of Liberty (hopefully she doesn't tell us the country is full), but we're not sure if trips out there are available over the Xmas period.

We're obviously pressed for time, so wanna see as much as we can. I kinda just wanna wander around and take it all in. Would love to walk around Soho and Chelsea.

The tour buses are a pretty good way to see all the main attractions, and you learn a lot about each place and others you may not know about through the commentary. Can hop on and off as you please.

 

[Cruyff14]

Hey, Roosevelt Hotel? We are staying at The Hollywood Roosevelt in Los Angeles next year.

The Mansfield Hotel in New York. Great location for everything.

We're staying at the Double Tree by Hilton.

The tour buses are a pretty good way to see all the main attractions, and you learn a lot about each place and others you may not know about through the commentary. Can hop on and off as you please.

Yeah, I've done them in London and Paris, but hard to get pics from inside, and if it's -10 outside it might not be too pleasant sitting outside

 

[Bojan KantKick]

No idea what Beauty and Essex is lol


Jetlag I've been OK with when traveling over. When I'm home on the other hand


Never had a white Christmas, so that will be pretty neat.

Oh feel free mate. We're staying in Midtown, and we're within walking distance to Bloomingdales, Central Park, Grand Central, Times Square, Broadway (where we are seeing Bruce, and maybe Book of Mormon), Roosevelt Hotel, Empire State Building - so there are no shortage of options on foot.

We want to try and walk to as many places as we can just so we can see more etc. Though with the weather we're not sure how viable that will be. We don't really have suitable winter clothing for a northern winter. Trying to work out if we should pack light and buy over there. I have a coat I wear here in winter, but it wouldn't do much in -10.

The only place(s) that might be too far to walk are the Brooklyn Bridge - which looks ******* amazing, and the 9/11 memorial.

Wanna see the Statue of Liberty (hopefully she doesn't tell us the country is full), but we're not sure if trips out there are available over the Xmas period.

We're obviously pressed for time, so wanna see as much as we can. I kinda just wanna wander around and take it all in. Would love to walk around Soho and Chelsea.

It's a speakeasy

 

[Cruyff14]

Doesn't really help me

 

[RPCB]

We're staying at the Double Tree by Hilton.

Nice little coincidence. My travel agent (the daughter of my brothers girfriend) had us at the Double Tree by Hilton in LA originally. It was Downtown and way out of the way of Hollywood.

 

[glenferry23]

No idea what Beauty and Essex is lol


Jetlag I've been OK with when traveling over. When I'm home on the other hand


Never had a white Christmas, so that will be pretty neat.

Oh feel free mate. We're staying in Midtown, and we're within walking distance to Bloomingdales, Central Park, Grand Central, Times Square, Broadway (where we are seeing Bruce, and maybe Book of Mormon), Roosevelt Hotel, Empire State Building - so there are no shortage of options on foot.

We want to try and walk to as many places as we can just so we can see more etc. Though with the weather we're not sure how viable that will be. We don't really have suitable winter clothing for a northern winter. Trying to work out if we should pack light and buy over there. I have a coat I wear here in winter, but it wouldn't do much in -10.

The only place(s) that might be too far to walk are the Brooklyn Bridge - which looks ******* amazing, and the 9/11 memorial.

Wanna see the Statue of Liberty (hopefully she doesn't tell us the country is full), but we're not sure if trips out there are available over the Xmas period.

We're obviously pressed for time, so wanna see as much as we can. I kinda just wanna wander around and take it all in. Would love to walk around Soho and Chelsea.

Ok, so in no particular order here are some initial thoughts to consider.

Are you on the Qantas flight? Via LAX? From memory that lands around 1pm local time like you've said previously. It's a long journey so don't plan too much for the first day, take it easy and perhaps stay local. The jet lag will hit.

As much as possible I avoid JFK and use La Guardia instead. Much easier trip into Manhattan. But nothing major really you do right now about it. Just a future reference point.

Midtown is the place to be. Especially for such a quick trip. I hear of so many who travel all that way but then stay in outer regions like Harlem or perhaps over the bridges (understandably for budget issues perhaps). But good choice in Midtown.

A very common mistake I see with people and the Brooklyn Bridge is starting on the island and walking to Brooklyn. As nice as it is, the real views are walking into Manhattan. And the people are constantly stopping, turning around etc to get a glimpse or for photos.

Worse, they stray into the bike paths which is not only dangerous (cyclists absolutely fly past) but they get seriously angry about it. I've seen fists thrown before. But anyway, I digress.

I strongly recommend walking into Manhattan. Take the A or C subway and get off at High St Station. It's the first station in Brooklyn right near Cadman Park (a very nice park too if you get the time).

Walk about 200 metres and go up the stairs and you're basically at the foot of the Bridge, with an amazing view of Manhattan and the river to enjoy as you stroll in (with about 1/10th of the crowd that are walking the wrong way in the opposite direction).

No foot traffic has been allowed on Liberty island for years, unless it's changed recently. The best views are the Staten Island Ferry, I think it still departs from Battery Park (right near where I used to work, just near Wall St).

Not sure about the ferry at that time of year but check it out here:

http://www.siferry.com/

For me, I wouldn't bother with Bloomingdales, Macy's etc. They're just larger, glorified David Jones or Myer department stores etc. Waste of time IMO especially with a limited amount of time you have there. But up to you (as in, up to your fiancé as we know she makes the decisions haha )

Chelsea is fantastic. Such a beautiful little pocket that is very quiet and peaceful, and aflush now with vegan restaurants that I'm sure you're thrilled with haha. But at night time, not as much happens compared to SoHo.

A great place to watch an Arsenal game is The Blind Pig, full of Arsenal fans. Still on E14th St if my memory serves me correctly.

Yes you will definelty need to be warm, it's a very different type of cold than were used to here. Not as brutal as the Melbourne wind which gets into your bones no matter how warmly you're dressed. But very damn cold. Especially walking over the Bridge which I would suggest you avoid at nighttime.

As for the Empire State Building or Top Of The Rock, I strongly suggest doing it first thing in the morning. Even if you wait until say 10am, the queues are massive and lots of time wasted waiting around. The express pass is another way to avoid this.

Hope some of this has been helpful. Shout out if you need anything else.

 

[Cruyff14]

I'll reply to this over PM. Mental!

 

[Gosha]

Went to the Great Barrier Reef for the first time in my life yesterday. It’s f***ing incredible. Can’t believe I have slept on it for so long.

 

[Thistle]

Went to the Great Barrier Reef for the first time in my life yesterday. It’s f***ing incredible. Can’t believe I have slept on it for so long.

Best thing I've done is spend 3 nights on a boat getting my divers ticket there. Bloody unreal but was very upsetting seeing the bleaching that is taking place.