Are you a museum enthusiast looking to save some money on a visit to New York City’s most popular museums?  Have you tried visiting MOMA on “Free Fridays” and were disappointed because of having to deal with the long lines and the massive crowds?  Well here’s a solution:

Now On Sale for $78.99 (Regularly Priced at $144.00) Purchase to Purchase

You won’t have to wait on a ticket lines or pay full price with the New York Pass. That’s what I love about it. Its a deal!

For one low price, you can use the New York City Pass for nine (9) days to gain access to the following museums and attractions:

1. Guggenheim Museum entry OR Top of the Rock general admission
2. American Museum of Natural History entry
3. Museum of Modern Art entry
4. The Metropolitan Museum of Art
5. A choice of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island General Admission ticket OR 2 hour Circle Line Harbor Cruise
6. Empire State Building Observatory entry
7. And more…..

Don’t let the economy keep you from having a great experience at some of the greatest museums and attractions in the world. Get a New York City Pass!

For more information or to purchase your pass—> Click Here

Enjoy!

I was out yesterday doing a little shopping while sipping on 32ozs of sweet tea when, of course, I needed to use the facilities.  Badly.  As I rushed around looking for a good public restroom, I thought about the 1,000s upon 1,000s of tourist that visit New York City each year, and where would be the best place for them to go when they have to…well…go.

Well, the first place I thought of was my favorite public restroom in Bryant Park, which is situated right behind the New York Public Library between 40th and 42nd street and between 5th and 6th Avenues (the restroom is closest to 42nd street and 5th).  Its clean, its spacious, and conveniently located close to the train station (F, V, B, or D train at 42nd Street).

My second favorite public restroom to use is the one in Grand Central Station.  Considering the large number of people that use this facility, I’ve always found it to be reasonably clean and tidy.

Unfortunately, I was much further downtown, so neither of those restrooms would do.  So, I looked for the next best alternative, a restroom in a hotel.   You should be able to find a restroom in the lobby of any New York City Hotel worth its AAA rating.  Typicially they don’t mind you using them, and the restroom in all but the most run down and sleazy hotels will be clean.

If there’s no hotel nearby, I’ll go into one of the big department stores or Barnes and Nobles and use the restroom there.  The cleanliness will be iffy, but its free and no one will give you trouble about using it.

I always avoid restaurants and fast food joints.  Restaurants are very snooty about nonpaying customers using their facilities, and typically the fast food joint restrooms will be dirty.

So the next time you’re visiting the Big Apple and find yourself in need of the facilities, visit Bryant Park, Grand Central station or any of the other spots I’ve mentioned.   And its okay, tell them Lainey sent ya.

As I mentioned I would in my previous post, I went to the movies last night with one of my bestest girlfriends, Ms D., to see “Inception”. For me it was the second time, for her the first. I have to say I really enjoyed it just as much as the first time I saw it. What a great flick!

I think Chris Nolan, (my favorite screenwriter since the first time I laid eyes on “Momento”), deserves an Academy Award Nomination for Best Screenplay at least. I also want to give an honorable mention to Joseph Gordon-Levitt. He was fabulous and had the best scenes in the film (sorry Leo). Loved him since “Third Rock From the Sun”.

I finally made up my mind about the ending. Cobb was still in a dream. I’ve come to this conclusion not because we didn’t see his totem stop spinning, but his children were still young and wearing the same clothing. In the scene where he was speaking to his children in the real world, his daughter sounded much more mature then the little girl whose face he finally saw. I presume that the Cobb on the plane never woke up when they reached the United States. The writing in this film is unparalleled. Chris Nolan’s the screenwriting equivalent of “the man”.

As I also said in my previous post, we did not go to the bug house…I mean AMC 25 on 42nd Street, but the more humble Lowes on 34th Street. Its not a bad theatre, its just that I’m a big city girl who like things…big. Also, there’s so much variety at AMC 25 that if you miss getting into the film you intended to see, there are plenty of alternatives. The theatre on 34th Street was adequate and as far as I can tell, bed bug free. Its a great place to see a movie if you want to avoid the madness…I mean the masses on 42nd.

I rate this film $$$$$ – Five Dollar Signs. See the legend below

I just found out that my favorite movie theatre, AMC Empire 25 theater on 42nd Street, had to be closed for a day to exterminate bedbugs. Gasp.

I don’t think I’ll be going there any time soon. I’ll be seeing Inception for the second time (a good friend hasn’t seen it yet and I agreed to go with) this week end at the AMC Lowes on 34th street. Hopefully the bedbug problem is not a chain thing.

P.S. – Yes, I know its been a long time since I posted. Life Happens.

I remember the WTC Globe that sat in the middle of a fountain in the outdoor concourse very well.  I spent many an afternoon sitting on the concrete edge of the fountain enjoying my lunch the years I worked in the World Trade Center.

Tears came to my eyes when I saw this dented globe and the eternal flame in Battery Park.

Its that time of year again when the old year fades away leaving room for a bright new one. With that in mind, here’s an idea for a great gift for anyone who loves New York City, a 2010 NYC Calendar.

Calendars make great gifts simply because they’re not that expensive, yet very practical. Just imagine, every time your friend or love one checks to see what the date is her or she is reminded of you by your thoughtful gift.

My personal favorite is the NYC Firefighters calendar, but there is a large variety to choose from, such as simple cityscapes, fabulous black and white prints, to the New York City sports team calendars.

Whichever NYC Calendar you choose, it will be a great gift that will last the whole year long.

I just thought this was so beautiful. Mother Nature decorating the harsh metals of the concrete jungle on a rainy day.

Do you like to wear designer clothes, but would rather not pay designer prices?  Then Century 21 Department Stores is a place you should visit during you trip to New York City.

Located in lower Manhattan just across the street from The World Trade Center Site, at 22 Cortlandt Street (between Church and Broadway), Century 21 has a large selection of designer clothing for men, women and children for up to 65% off.  In addition to clothing, they have handbags and accessories galore by designers like Juicy Couture, Steve Madden, BCBG, Charles David, Tommy Hilfiger and many more all at prices that will make you want to buy more then one.

My favorite part of their store is their housewares section.  They always have a fantastic selection of bedding, towels and kitchenware items at very reasonable prices.  Whenever I have to purchase a housewarming gift, the first place I head is Century 21 and I always find items that make excellent gifts well within my budget.

One thing to keep in mind when visiting the store, is that it can be very, very crowded.  The store is so packed with merchandise, that there are times when its hard to get around, especially during lunch time with tourists and New Yorkers a like are searching for bargains.

If one of your goals when visiting New York City is to indulge your shopping bug, then Century 21 Department Stores is one place you won’t want to miss.  For more information, such as store hours and travel directions, visit Century 21’s Website.

Happy Shopping!

If you find magnificent bead work, master craftsmanship in leather and a strong sense of pride in ones culture interesting then the National Museum of The American Indian should be added to your must see list when you visit New York City.

Yesterday, after a meeting I had in lower Manhattan, I took the opportunity to visit The National Museum of the American Indian, George Gustav Heye Center.  It is located at One Bowling Green and is housed in the former Us Customs House, an incredible Beaux-Arts building that was completed in 1907.    The sheer size and magnificence of the architecture of the building will wow you before you even see the Museum’s collection. 

What the collection on display of Native American art, beaded garb and ceremonial masks lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality.   The handy work is all beautiful and impressive when you think of the amount hours put in to create them.

What makes this Museum even more of a must see is that it  is absolutely FREE to visit.  If you find yourself in lower Manhattan, why not take an hour and visit the The National Museum of the American Indian.  For more detail, such as location and visiting hours, visit the American Indian Museum page on our main site.

Thanks to our location in the Northeastern part of the US, New York City experiences every one of the four seasons (some more then others).

Its fall, my favorite time of year.  The leaves are turning brown, yellow, red or orange and the temperature reaches, in my opinion perfection, between 60 and 70 degrees.  There are some drawbacks to November in NYC.  The days are getting shorter and shorter and the temperature does do that funny thing it does every year around this time, waffles between Indian Summer and the chill of the onset of winter.

One of the questions I almost always get from someone planning to visit New York City is “Whats the weather like in _____ (insert month)”.

Well, right now on the day I write this post, the forecast looks terrific for this upcoming week, so if you’re traveling here at this time, you’re in luck.  Get all your outdoor activity in during the early part of the week, because the weatherman (or women, depending on what news you watch) says the weather will be clear and a comfortable low to mid 60s.

To answer the weather question more generally, take a look at New York City weather and your visit on our parent site. Its got great information on what you can expect from the weather during any given month.

Of course, weather prediction is not an exact science, not yet anyway, and there can be 75 degrees in December and snow in April so be sure to go to the weather.com and check the forecast before your arrival.

However, if you step out of the terminal at Kennedy or LaGuardia and find that you’re simply not dressed property, don’t fret, we’ve got plenty of stores for you to shop in.   My favorites places are………..OK lets leave that for another post.