15 June
Arrived JFK – Airtrain to Jamaica – MetroCard – Took subway E to Rockefeller, changed to B “express” – Missed to get of at Columbus Sq. and ended up at 112 st. where we changed and returned to 59 st./Columbus Sq. – Walked 5 min. to 63 st. – Checked in at West Side YMCA.
16 June, DAY #1
High Line Park day. Little bit cloudy, warm.
Walked along Broadway to Ellen’s Stardust Diner for breakfast. They have singing staff, fun. – Times Square – M & M’s world, amazing a small chocolate candy can have 4 floors with a chemically smell of candy on Times Square – Hudson River Parkway – High Line Park, (one of the highlights of the trip and can be recommended) – Visited a cool gallery next to the Whitney Museum – Chelsea Market – Coffee break at FIKA – Madison Square Garden – NYC Public Library – Bryant Park – Grand Central Terminal with the Whispering gallery and we were allowed to stand at the doorway to Campbell Apartment Cocktail bar, admission 21!! (and our dress code was “maybe” not totally correct) – Passing Empire State Building (save the visit for later) and Chrysler Building – Dinner at Five Guys and Fries – Evening stroll in Central Park south end – Ice coffee break at Lincoln Center before heading “home”.
17 June, DAY # 2
Circle Line Landmark Cruise and Battery Park day. Sunshine and warm.
Walked down to Hudson River, booked the Circle Line – Landmark cruise at 11.00. Had a cup of coffee/water. Learned that one reason for long lines could be the taking of photos against a green screen for “tacky” backgrounds… – Lunch at Landmark Tavern, recommended by the guide on the boat. Nice place – Walked 47 st. with lots of small restaurants – Subway from 42nd str. to World Trade Center Station – One World Observatory – “Ground Zero” – Irish Hunger Memorial – Battery Park (Pier A, East Coast Memorial, American Merchant Mariners’ Memorial) – Wall Street – Charging Bull – Visit to a local liquor store. Mickey was told “don’t touch!!!” the bottles, the 21 year syndrome!! – Testing burger at Shake Shack on Murray Street – subway from Chamber st. “home” (59 st.).
18 June, DAY #3
Central Park day. Sunshine and warm.
Breakfast, smoothie @ Starbucks – visit Best Buy (electronics shop) – Central Park, The Mall, Belvedere Castle, Swedish Marionette House – The Metropolitan museum and roof top – Lunch at Tom’s Restaurant (famous from Seinfeld) (Jerry’s Big Salad, nice) – Interesting outdoor photo exhibition by Matt Black, The Geography of Poverty @ St John the Divine, 110th. – Strawberry Fields, Imagine, John Lennon – But where are all the roller skaters in Central Park?
After Centrapark drink @ the “Y”, Gin & Lemon/Lime juice (no admission and no ID required in the room, don’t tell anyone) – Walked Down 8th Avenue to Thai restaurant, Chai Thai – Times Square by night – Soft ice Dessert @ MacD
19 June, DAY #4
Brooklyn Heights day. Sunshine and warm
Subway to High Street st, Brooklyn – Walk Henry St. to Joralemon St. – Breakfast at Pier 6, a fruit bowl, $11 + coffee, same price as 4 big muffins!! …Burgers and fries cheaper… “It’s more expensive to be healthy…” – Walked along Brooklyn Heights Promenade to Brooklyn Bridge (another highlight of the trip and can be recommended) – Lunch at Pier 1, under the tent. Beer (for me), water (for Mickey, 21!!) and fries, “Alcohol consumed under the tent. ID required” – Manhattan Bridge – DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass) – Jane’s Carousel – Sunday Flea Market – Brooklyn Bridge – Supreme Court – Chinatown, Mott st.- Little Italy – Pizza at Lombardi’s, first pizzeria in NYC, 1905 – Spring St. – Subway “home”.
“After walk drink”, nice gin/lemon/lime in the room – 6th, Avenue of the Americas, to Empire State Building (did you know it was built in 13 months!!) – Museum at 80th floor – Looong line to the elevator to the top at 86th floor. Walked. Clear sky with stars and full moon, TOTALLY MAGIC!!! Did several laps around the deck (another high light of the trip and can be recommended) – Walked back “home” on Broadway.
20 June, DAY #5
South Manhattan day. Sunshine and warm.
Subway to Downtown – Staten Island Ferry (it’s free) with a nice view of Statue of Liberty – Staten Island Boardwalk – Lunch at the River Dock Café, Salmon salad, yummy – Return Manhattan – Stone Street, many bars and pubs, 21!! – Short visit to a performing art show, River to River at Native Americans Museum, “little” weird – Battery Park for a beer break, “Alcohol consumed inside the roped area, ID required” 21!! – “Dead Rabbit Grocery and Grog“, 21!! ID required – Dinner at Chipotle – Subway “home”.
21 June, DAY #6
Check out day.
Luggage label challenge. Label machine no work, WHAT TO DO!!! “Stupid tourist who suggest a solution”… (Mickey overheard conversation between the staff…) – Smoothie at Starbucks (again) – Talked to a girl from Vice magazine about New York music: New York – by John Lennon and what to spend the last ticket on, suggestion was visit the Intrepid Sea Air & Space Museum – We spent over 3 hours there + at a Navy school ship + in USS Growler submarine. Very interesting visit – Testing burger at Island Burgers and Shakes – Walkabout in Hell’s Kitchen – Coffee break at Bryant Park – Time’s Square, talked to some “bus boys”, salary 20% commission – 7th st “home”
Collect luggage – Subway “A” to Herman Beach, $2.75 x 2 – Air train to JFK Terminal 1 $5 x 2! “Who said free terminal shuttle?” – Mickey liked to get some special sorts of alcohol, e.g. Tito’s Vodka, St Germain… – For some reason we managed to get “Premium Check In” and “First Class Security Line” – Flight departure was 2 hours+ late and not with a Norwegian flight but with Hi Fly, Portuguese low budget flight. No safety instructions, no information, no inflight entertainment, “nothing!!!”, they served “food”…it was NOT Norwegian standard…
PS:
- I bought New York Explorer Pass ($77) with 3 tickets (x 2), that we used on Circle Lines Landmark Cruise, Empire State Observatory and Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum
- Examples on other New York passes: City Pass and New York Pass
- Zagat web site for restaurant recommendations
- Apps for finding restaurants Yelp, Foursquare and Zomato
- Ulmon app for offline map
- Tourist in New York – Danish website
