WHEN VISITING NEW YORK, we have a short list that includes using the subway without referring to our paper map (we bought a Metrocard this time and plan to act less conspicuous), walking in directions we've never gone before, and returning to places to sort out stuff we promised ourselves from the last time. So besides going to the top of the Missionary Servants of the Blessed Trinity Convent to look out at a cityscape, we have a few other things to accomplish. If we get all of them checked off, that means we have hit the pavement on sunny days before 10AM on our two-day trip to the Big Apple. We've never been that ambitious before but it always pays to have a list of things that you want to do do that you know the opportunities you're missing when you roll over for another hour of sleep.
- Visit the Sony Center in New York. It's not called a Sony Center--it's Sony Style. I need some stuff at US prices.
- Find a fat Russian microphone for its retro looks and high performance value. This will be tougher than expected.
- Visit an art exhibition.
- Visit the Statue of Liberty.
- Take the Staten Island ferry.
- Take a carriage ride around Central Park.
- Get at least two free cups of coffee.
- Enjoy pleasant hotel accommodation at the La Quinta Inn on 32nd Street, near 6th and Broadway.
- Buy some shoes.
That's probably enough for a two-day stay. Have a look at our New York photo collection and see if we actually did the things we said.
Recommended Hotel: La Quinta Inn on 32nd Street, one of the Apple Core Hotels. They feel like three-star hotels at two-star prices. It cost us €145 for each night--that's the total cost for a queen-sized bed, clean room, big TV, small bathtub, free breakfast. You could pay $9 for day-long internet access on the room's TV but there's a small business centre downstairs where the web is free. And if you have an ethernet jack, you can clip straight into the hotel internet access for no charge.
