NYC in May!

Are we talking about the same city, osso. The one with five boroughs?

I did some poking around online. If one in ten subway stations have an elevator or escalator, it's a lot. Most of the ones that do have them, have them from a lower level to an upper level. Very few have anything to the street. Send me a steenkin' nickel.

I did some more poking around online. No yellow cabs at the Cloisters.

Dammit, wrong again. I'm an admitted elevator taker at times; I remember one at a Chicago station that I was nervous about its hidden away-ness.

Well, dat sucks re the Cloisters - do the cabs that go there just go back empty?

A link - people are very adamant, New York is New York.
You can't call a cab? I'd forgotten that.
Hmm, so what are car services?

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g60763-i5-k5643244-Taxi_from_The_Cloisters_to_The_Met-New_York_City_New_York.html

I should just shut up while the getting is good - this stuff is interesting.
Apologies for putting my foot in where I don't know nada.

Oh great - my dumbass incorrect bet is something like eighth in line on google if you plug in cabs and the Cloisters.

Yes, you can call a car service. More expensive than a cab. Don't know how long it will take for one to get there.

Yes, you can get a cab to take you to the Cloisters, but you gotta know its street location. Just saying, "The Cloisters" might not get you anything but a funny look from the driver.

Sometimes I get into a cab and say, "Bellevue." The driver is clueless. I gotta tell him where it is, which I do. Whether or not the driver knows where it is, I always tell him the route I want him to take. I ain't gonna get stuck in traffic if I can help it. Except if something is going on at the U.N. Then no route is good. The only good way to get uptown is to be born there.

Where's my nickel?

Wait, wait, I'm looking for one..

By all means, take a taxi, but the subway stops are everywhere and they go everywhere. Google "New York" and you'll get more tips and tricks. Are you planning on seeing a show?

Last year I googled how to get to the Cloisters and it seemed like such a PITA. It's like a whole day excursion getting there and back and touring it. Don't know if I'll do that. Doesn't one of you bums have a car?

I liked the Cloisters, saw it on my last day in the city - but I spent 3+ days at the Met(ropolitan); guess which would win..

Time for a photo -

Working on agenda now...
We'll probably do a Gray Line tour our first day, just to get some basic sightseeing and orientation. Then we figure we'll spend at least two days at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It's No. 1 on both our lists. Sister wants to see "Phantom" on B'way, and I'm game although I'm already very familiar with it. If I were on my own, I'd want to see "Book of Mormon" (as if there was a chance to get tickets! Ha!) Since the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island will still be closed due to storm damage from Sandy, we'd at least like to do some sort of harbor tour that goes by them. The Cloisters and the Frick are on my "if time" list, and the Museum of Natural History is on hers. There's gotta be at least one day of "down time" in there, too. We promised ourselves. Food, of course, is a separate list!

So, as you can see, we're probably not going to get to everything we'd like to do. But that's OK. We might have to come back!

Layers, check. I have lots of jeans and a black lightweight knit jacket that should work well. Need to start shoe shopping now.

This all reminds me, Eva, that we first met in Chicago - that was a lot of fun. I did buy myself a present in Chicago - some earrings and a ring from where else, the Museum of Art. I can't remember buying any 'thing' in NY except a quite small book on Bonnard and some postcards. Oops, I forgot the Chicago cap. Uh, and, early in the trip, an alarm clock and cheapo umbrella, which I only owned for one day before leaving it in a candy store.

Edit - I just lied big time (forgot). I bought a great great book on the Manet Velasquez exhibit. How could I forget. Love that book.

Eva, Even if the Statue of Liberty was open, you wouldn't need to go there. You ain't gonna walk up a narrow spiral staircase. However, the statue is worth seeing. Just take the ferry to Staten Island. You'll see Miss Liberty from the water--the best view, IMO. Sorry about Ellis Island.

I haven't been to the theater in a very long time. Prices are high. But the experience is wonderful. I hope you get to see something you'll both enjoy.

I suggest you plan ahead with the Metropolitan. It's enormous. My favorites: the Rembrandt and other Dutch masters section, the impressionists, and the Egyptian wing. They've reconstructed a tomb right there in the museum.

I highly recommend the Frick, not just for the art, but for the place itself. A former manstion of a very rich person. Stunning to see. It has my favorite Rembrandt, two Vermeers to knock you socks off, and two Turners that set the water on fire.

The Museum of Natural History is one of my favorite places in the city. It's gigantic beyond big. One of the largest museums in the world. You might want to check out what the current special exhibit is.

It would be nice if you could do some strolling downtown (Wall Street, China Town, Little Italy, east and west villages). It's a different city down there. Built early. Small narrow, nonparallel streets.

Gonna stut up again.

That was a great trip, Osso! I bought a bunch of things in that museum shop. I remember being worried that I had overspent, but to this day I enjoy every single thing I got there. Great place!

Yeah, Ellis Island is a disappointment. Thanks for the tip about the Staten Island ferry!

Art museums...(sigh). I could spend a month there and not see everything I want to see. Decisions, decisions...

Yes to strolling downtown. I'm sure we'll run out of time before we get our fill of that!

Don't you dare shut up!

The Frick is beautiful and the docents very informed. I'd go back. I went with Thomas last time. I didn't get to the Natural History Museum last time, but will definitely try to this time. But mainly I plan to do as Roberta suggested and stroll through all the neighbourhoods, try to get a feel for them. And eat, of course. Shroom burger, here I come!

A Frick liker here. It took me a little while, my goofy eyes couldn't figure out where the numbers were re paintings and I got all anxious. But I fell in love with the grand room, forever and ever.

I didn't get to MOMA, or inside the Guggenheim, or in the newish museum (is it PS1?) in Queens or Brooklyn, or the International Center of Photography or the Natural History Museum or the Cooper Hewitt or Dia or the Drawing Center. The High Line (I think it's art) was still a Diller Scofidio dream. Did get to maybe thirty galleries. Oh, and did get to the Whitney but not for more than an hour. Gads, egads, what riches.

All of our visits different, all interesting.

Well, we're getting together on May 2 to plan a general itinerary. So much to see, so much to eat

I've pulled off some of the walking and bus tours from various sites so we've got lots of info... I'm getting excited! ha ha

And Eva will be there!!!! Cannot wait to see her again.

And if anyone else (Firefly, for example) wants to hook up, please chime in

I'm game.
"Only in New York!" and Six Other New York Sayings That Are Completely False
http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2013/03/new_york_saying.php

I hope there will be food & restaurant discussions here.

I took the family into NYC last Saturday to see a show. We had lunch in
Chelsea Market (interesting array of food providers) and dinner in some
Japanese place (not great) in the East Village.