# Manhatten Club Visit-Info Help Requested



## dmahanay (Jun 28, 2007)

We have just booked the $199 night special with Manhatten Club for 7/24-27.  I already see the post on NYC Rest wk, but would like some suggestions for restaurants on that list that are walking distance, or fairly close to MC.  

Also, what is best way to get to MC from LGA airport (2 seniors)?

Would like to see two Broadway Plays while there....any recommendations on plays (musicals) and best place (internet?) to buy tickets.  We understand to preview the MC we will receive two play tickets, so I assume we should purchase for the other night right away.  We have heard that Wicked is good?

What about tours?  Any suggestions.

I saw the info on museums...very helpful.  I should have read all of this BEFORE we booked only 3 nights


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## wauhob3 (Jun 28, 2007)

Spring Awakening just won best musical. We thought it was very good but it is edgy and has sexual content. 

Wicked is a fun play and very good. 

If you are looking for something light and fun Avenue Q may also be a good choice think of it as an adult version of Sesame Street. 

Check out www.threatremania.com for discounts and www.playbill.com for reviews 

A different kind of NYC activity is www.accomplice.com we did the accomplice village and it was one of the highlights of our last trip.


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## Conan (Jun 29, 2007)

wauhob3 said:


> A different kind of NYC activity is accomplice.com we did the accomplice village and it was one of the highlights of our last trip.



Not having heard of accomplice village, I did some sleuthing and found accomplicethevillage.com which is surely the website you meant to reference.


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## ttt (Jun 29, 2007)

Near times square there is a half price ticket booth that sells tickets on the day of the performance. With ticket prices so high, it's a good deal, even if you have to wait on line.  As for Resturants, there are countless within walking distance, but NYC can be pricy....no specific suggestions, sorry. The best way to MC from LGA would probably be a cab, assuming you have luggage that you don't want to drag arount. I'm sure there is a van shuttle, but it may not be cheaper that a cab ride for 2.


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## bigrick (Jun 29, 2007)

Here's another accomplice link for Accomplice New York.  I think my wife'd like this kind of a puzzle.


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## dlpearson (Jun 29, 2007)

Can you provide details on the $199 special?  How did you book it?  Do you actually stay at the MC, or at a nearby hotel?

Thanks,
David



dmahanay said:


> We have just booked the $199 night special with Manhatten Club for 7/24-27.  I already see the post on NYC Rest wk, but would like some suggestions for restaurants on that list that are walking distance, or fairly close to MC.
> 
> Also, what is best way to get to MC from LGA airport (2 seniors)?
> 
> ...


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## Dave M (Jun 29, 2007)

David -

See post #4 in this thread.


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## Avery (Jun 29, 2007)

fwiw, I hated Spring Awakening. Very fresh/forward musical approach, but extremely dated plotline with sexual display that I found to be disturbing (and believe me, that's not easy).

If you would like to see two shows, please consider seeing one Broadway musical, and then either a play, and/or something off-Broadway. 

One of the best (non-musical) plays around is Frost/Nixon.


Taxi from LGA is your best bet.


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## dmahanay (Jun 29, 2007)

David, details on the special....Manhattan ad in RCI magazine.  $199 per night (plus tax) Sunday through Thursday (minimum 1 night, max 4).  1-888-692-2121.  Now through Sept 30..book by 8/31.  If you go to 90 min preview receive two tickets to a Broadway Play or Dinner for Two and lunch (sales office closed Mon/Tues).  We are staying in one of the new Suites (studio with refrig, coffee maker, etc.) which is what they are promoting.


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## esk444 (Jun 29, 2007)

If you like "golden age" musicals like West Side Story, the Music Man, etc., I would recommend The Drowsey Chaperone or Curtains.  Both are clever and very entertaining comedies.  You might also like the special effect laden musicals like Wicked and Mary Poppins, but the tickets will be harder to get and are more expensive. 

I also really liked these shows, but they are more edgy and/or have rock and roll music, so my senior parents tended to hate these types of shows: Spelling Bee, Avenue Q, Spring Awakenings (loud rock music), Spamalot, Color Purple, Jersey Boys (even louder rock music), Grey Gardens, and Hairspray.  Of these shows, Spring Awakenings, Color Purple, and Grey Gardens tend to split people from either loving it or hated it, but I loved them.  

As for straight plays, Frost/Nixon is probably the only one worth even paying half price, unless you are a big Angela Landsbury fan (then Deuces may be worth it).  Unfortunately, the best straight plays on broadway recently closed.  

You should be able to get discounts or half price tickets to Curtains, Drowsey, Spelling Bee, Spring Awakenings, Ave. Q, Grey Gardens, and Hairspray.  The other shows above will probably be full price.  Go to broadwaybox.com for discounts.

Be careful by not buying tickets from anyone on the street, even if it is a great deal and they seem nice or legitimate.  They are probably either fake or stolen tickets that won't be honored.


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## wauhob3 (Jun 29, 2007)

Sorry for the error in the accomplice address. I see other tuggers provided the correct ones. I'd like to do Accomplice New York someday.

As far as theater it is important to read reviews to get a better idea what the play is about. I know some found Spring Awakening offensive but I and my daughter loved it. I doubt you can get discounts anymore now that it won 10 Tony awards. Avery as far as being dated it was written in the late 1800's but banned for 70+years. Obviously they radically changed the music. I agree some of the sex scenes were a bit extreme too. It is a play that you either hate or love though and definitely not a traditional musical at all.  Hairspray is a fun light hearted play that discounts abound for. I really enjoyed it but my teen thought it was just OK. We both enjoyed Rent too.

Taxi is the best way to get from LGA. It should be about $30 give or take a few dollars.  As far as museums The Frick www.frick.org is an interesting museum to spend a couple of hours at if you are pressed for time.  If you find you have several hours then the The Metropolitan is fantastic.


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## taffy19 (Jun 29, 2007)

*You will love New York City!*




ttt said:


> Near times square there is a half price ticket booth that sells tickets on the day of the performance. With ticket prices so high, it's a good deal, even if you have to wait on line. As for Resturants, there are countless within walking distance, but NYC can be pricy....no specific suggestions, sorry. The best way to MC from LGA would probably be a cab, assuming you have luggage that you don't want to drag arount. I'm sure there is a van shuttle, but it may not be cheaper that a cab ride for 2.


The lines were not that long. It is next to the Marriott and the red Gray Line double-decker bus will stop there too and announce it but it isn't far walking from the MC. They had tickets for the Lincoln Center too. You can also try this web site here for discount tickets.




dmahanay said:


> What about tours? Any suggestions.


The Concierge at the Manhattan Club will recommend the Gray Line bus tours. It is a red double-decker and you can catch it right in front of the hotel but you may have to switch busses at their office. It was simple to do and a person is standing there to guide you. The ticket was good for 48 hours so you have time to do most of the loop tours and I took the ferry too. I can highly recommend taking the evening tour also. If I wanted to stop somewhere, I went back later in the week when my ticket had expired. Taxi rides are not expensive. I took the Subway once so I had experienced it but it doesn't compare to the one in Paris. I found it dirty and dilapidated. Once was enough for me. 

Walking in Manhattan is very safe even late at night. It's a wonderful city but a week is not even enough. You will love the shows but they have beautiful performances at the Lincoln Center too. There are too many choices in New York. I like it all. If you enjoy Jazz, I would highly recommend going to "Jazz at the Lincoln Center". I also went to the "Blue Note" but it wasn't one of their best evenings. The Hilton Concierge recommended that and booked it for me. I did the Jazz after the shows and the Lincoln Center and stayed till the end.



dmahanay said:


> Also, what is best way to get to MC from LGA airport (2 seniors)?


Since I was alone, I took the Super Shuttle from Newark to the MC and it was only $17 plus tip for one person. With two people, a cab would be better and faster. I had to wait quite a while before the shuttle arrived and it was completely full. I was also the last stop. It was about the same price from LGA. The location of the MC is the best. You are close to everything except the Metropolitan Museum. You are in walking distance to MoMa too.

Also, there is a breakfast place right around the corner on 230 W 55th and Broadway. It was called the "Apple Jack Diner". There is a nice Italian restaurant by the name of "Serafina" on 210 W 55th and Broadway too. There is a fantastic choice of restaurants and the tour guide will give you some names.


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## MULTIZ321 (Jun 30, 2007)

dmahanay said:


> If you go to 90 min preview receive two tickets to a Broadway Play or Dinner for Two and lunch (sales office closed Mon/Tues).  We are staying in one of the new Suites (studio with refrig, coffee maker, etc.) which is what they are promoting.



Just in case you're not aware - if you choose to receive the two theater tickets - you have to use them the same day as your tour and as you said the sales office is closed on Mon/Tues w/ no timeshare tours on those days (although many theaters are closed on Monday's). 

Also if you're staying in one of their "new suites", this may be in one of the new "Metropolitan Suites" which are on the second floor. We toured one of the Metropolitan Suites while we were there - they're not officially open for guests yet - the MC expected to have the official occupancy certificates within a couple of weeks. The Metropolitan Suites are Studios that are slightly smaller than the MC older studios and are all in a square configuration (no "L" alcoves that house the beds). Probably the biggest difference is the Metropolitan Suites don't have the round Kitchenette/utility tables that the older Studios and 1 BR suites have. Instead, they have 2 small folding TV-tray tables. 

Regarding transportation from LGA to the MC -

I would also consider reserving a town car - check out www.carmellimo.com
Their regular fare is slightly more than cabfare and the ride is certainly more comfortable (From LGA to Manhattan =$28 plus tolls & gratuity; To LGA =$33 +tolls & gratuity).  On their web homepage in the lower right corner is a yellow box that says "Reserve with Carmel and Save $$$$" - click on that box
and you will be taken to another page with printable discount coupons - $4 off for Airport pickup; and $3 off Going to Airport. The coupons will say "To validate coupon must have code #_____".  When you call to make your reservation, the agent will ask for a number which is in the right hand corner of the coupon - in turn the agent will then give you the code number insert on your coupon. The online Carmel reservation program doesn't work properly. They're aware of the problems. To make a reservation, call their toll free number (1-800-922-7635 or 212-666-6666). If you have reservations with them, after you pick up your luggage at the airport, you give them a call and they will tell you where to meet your town car and provide you with the car number. Our fare from LGA to the MC with the discount was $24 plus $4.50 toll + gratuity.  Although we also had a reservation with Carmel for a ride back to LGA, because of a mixup, we ended up taking a cab. The cab fare was $26 and change + $4.50 toll + gratuity.  Keep in mind that cab fares to LGA from Manhattan are "on the meter", so depending on time of day and traffic conditions, the cabfare could be more if you're stuck in traffic.

For an alternative town car company, see www.dial7.com

If you decide to get theater tickets in addition to those you get for doing a MC tour, and you decide to try to get them from TKTS, keep in mind that the Theatre Development Fund (TDF) operates 2 discount TKTS booths in NYC.
The Duffy Square booth is currently undergoing renovation and a temporary booth is located in the Marriott Marquis Hotel on West 46th Street (between Broadway and 8th Avenue).  The other TKTS booth is in lower Manhattan near the South Street Seaport on the corner of Front Street and John Street.
This is near the rear of the Resnick/Prudential Bldg at 199 Water Street. Reportedly the lines to get tickets are much less at the South Street Seaport location than at the Duffy Square location and that has been my experience the couple of times I've tried.  For more info, see www.tdf.org/tkts
Also, keep in mind that you might not want to spend the time waiting in line to purchase discount tickets from TkTS (cash or traveler's checks only). Other Tuggers have posted good alternatives to purchase theater tickets in advance.

South Street Seaport is also a destination in its own right.
http://www.southstreetseaport.com/html/ and http://www.southstseaport.org/

Not too far from South Street Seaport, If you enjoy American History, is Fraunces Tavern where George Washington gave his famous farewell speech to his officers in 1783 and where you can still get a drink or meal in the tavern. See http://www.frauncestavernmuseum.org/ and http://www.frauncestavern.com/index2.htm

I second the suggestion of the Frick Museum if you're so inclined and have the time. The 3 days is just going to whet your appetite and you're going to want to come back again.


Richard


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## Hoc (Jun 30, 2007)

iconnections said:


> If you enjoy Jazz, I would highly recommend going to "Jazz at the Lincoln Center". I also went to the "Blue Note" but it wasn't one of their best evenings. The Hilton Concierge recommended that and booked it for me. I did the Jazz after the shows and the Lincoln Center and stayed till the end.



You realize that Birdland is the Jazz Corner of the World, don't you? 

Actually, I like it on Monday nights, when they have Open Mike night (they call it "cast party"), but on that night it's not strictly jazz.  Rather, you have show tunes, jazz, country, rock, everything -- even some pretty bizarre, funny songs.  The difference between Birdland's open mike nights and every other one in the country is that almost everyone who participates in Birdland's event is a professional musician from somewhere else.  Monday night is dark at most shows, so the broadway stars come there and sing.  Also, professional musicians from all over the world get up and sing, since Birdland is a prestigious venue, and everyone has wanted to perform there.

Definitely worth going, especially on Monday when most of the other shows are dark.


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## Hoc (Jun 30, 2007)

BTW, I find that the South Street Seaport half-price ticket office is usually less crowded than the one in Times Square (which is now temporarily in the Marriott hotel), and often ticket brokers will stand outside that one and sell top tickets to the top shows at half price.  And the booth itself sells the exact same tickets as the Times Square booth, at the exact same prices.  The downside is that it's less convenient to get to that one from the Subway. . . a bit longer walk.  So, I usually make it a shopping and lunch trip to the Seaport, with a stop at the ticket booth.


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## Avery (Jun 30, 2007)

Hoc said:


> You realize that Birdland is the Jazz Corner of the World, don't you?
> 
> Actually, I like it on Monday nights, when they have Open Mike night (they call it "cast party"), but on that night it's not strictly jazz.  Rather, you have show tunes, jazz, country, rock, everything -- even some pretty bizarre, funny songs.  The difference between Birdland's open mike nights and every other one in the country is that almost everyone who participates in Birdland's event is a professional musician from somewhere else.  Monday night is dark at most shows, so the broadway stars come there and sing.  Also, professional musicians from all over the world get up and sing, since Birdland is a prestigious venue, and everyone has wanted to perform there.
> 
> Definitely worth going, especially on Monday when most of the other shows are dark.



Sunday nights at Birdland feature their house Afro-Cuban jazz band, they are excellent.


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## m61376 (Jul 1, 2007)

For museums-  the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Natural History are the first two I'd check out. There are many other great art museums as others have noted, but the Met is the first one I'd head to. If you are a modern art fan, the MOMA is also great. 

Another nice excursion this time of year is one of the sunset yacht cruises around Manhattan. Watching the sun set over the Statue of Liberty is breathtaking. We went on the NYHRC cruise last year and really enjoyed it (ehh buffet, but otherwise really nice); even for veteran NY'ers, it was a nice way to see the city from another perspective.

Don't just limit yourselves to sites around the MC. Bring your walking shoes. The bus tours are a convenient way to see the city and easy on/off transportation. NY has so many unique areas, each with their own flavor. Riding through them gives you an opportunity to see which pique your interest and which you'd like to explore further. 

Keep in mind that NYC is pretty easy to navigate north of the Bowery, with streets mostly in numerical order from south to north and east to west, like a graph. The subways can be daunting, although they are the fastest way to get around during rush hours. If they intimidate you, the buses run up and down the avenues (which run North/South) and certain of the main streets (which run East/West). 

Of course, make sure you leave time just for walking, browsing and shopping (my favorite NYC pastime  ).


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## MULTIZ321 (Jul 1, 2007)

If you decide to buy a Metro Pass for travel on the NYC bus and subways,
MTA has redesigned their website and inexplicably they've not made it easy to find fare information. See this link http://www.mta.info/metrocard/mcgtreng.htm
for Metro Pass fare options and their links for conditions of use (when you can get a free transfer and when not).  I thought at one time they used to have a 3 or 4 Day Unlimited Ride Metro Pass, and if so, it's no more. Probably for your circumstances, the Pay-per-Ride (Regular) Metro Pass would be the best choice (click on their link to see a comparison of Unlimited Ride versus Pay-per-Ride Metro Cards).

A good site for NYC restaurant reviews by neighborhood that I learned from another Tugger is http://www.menupages.com/

Another site to search, by Location, Price and Cuisine is http://newyork.citysearch.com/find/section/newyork/restaurants.html

If you follow the excellent suggestions of Tugger M61376, consider getting a City Pass for NYC - http://www.citypass.com/city/ny.html 
An alternative to the sunset dinner cruise would be a Circle Line Cruise which is included as part of the City Pass - if you choose to do the 3-Hour full circumnavigation of Manhattan, it's $5 extra in addition to your City Pass Ticket.  City Pass will also save you time in getting into the Museum/exhibits as many venues have special ticket booths for CityPass holders.

Richard


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## dmharris (Jul 1, 2007)

Putnam School Spelling Bee is very entertaining and a flash back to junior high school days!  Very fun!

My 2 cents,


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## bigrick (Jul 2, 2007)

Last time we saw Les Paul on our Monday night.  

Another time we went to a magic show in the Village.  I think it was called Monday Night Magic.

I just searched to see if I was close on the name, and voila! Monday Night Magic it is!


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