Myself and my wife are heading to New York next week. We decided to treat ourselves and have always wanted to go there. So we are dropping the kids off at granny and granddad and making our way to the airport next Tuesday. So seen that Hive is full of Hipster types that travelled to the Big Apple on a number of occasion I would like your advice. We have the usual spots lined up to go and see. We are staying in Greenwich village which is nice so we plan to stay around there the first day. Open top bus the second day and then cover the sites which ever takes our fancy. I hear tipping is a right pain in the arse especially in New York. I don't get how tips are mandatory. In Europe people get paid for their job. If they provide very good service then you give them a tip as a gesture. I am hearing in the states, the cleaners chase you down the road if you don't tip them the "correct " amount. I think that's mad myself. I am not a cash person myself but I am heading to the bank today to get dollars for the tips. Also the banks in Europe do not do smaller denominations so we have to break these dollars as soon as we land to give the taxi drivers, the bell boys , the cleaners and god knows who else their tips. I am not against tipping but the whole idea of tipping seems to be gone out the window here. Anyway this is not what this post is about.
I hear nice restaurants are expensive over there so this is not the holiday where we will be fine dinging every night. We think we will just get a lunch such as a pizza slice or a hot dog or something small and then dinner somewhere nice but doesn't have to be a place where there is a sommieler or any of that jazz. We just want somewhere really nice without all the bells and whistles and I think the natives will know where these places are. We are thinking Little Italy or somewhere like this but we don't really have anywhere booked yet. Any nice places that you recommend would be greatly appreciated.
Also should we do anything that you would highly recommend. I am not a museum guy for example. I would prefer to walk the High Line and wander around. I will go to the 911 museum as I find that fascinating. I will go to the Empire State Building to have an aul gawk. But if there is anything you really recommend us doing then leave in the comments.
@oldsoulnewb who comes from New York state I think gave me a lovely recommendation on the best streets to smoke crack on and I thank him kindly for his knowledge as us Irish do love a bit of craic. So I will look that street up and bring a fat wad of Benjamins with me to make sure we have great craic. It's gonna be so fun.
I don't hit down until October 3rd so unfortunately I will miss his open comedy mic session on the Tuesday. God dam it. He also recommended where I can do the do the "Die Hard 3 Back with a Vengeance"tour in the centre of Harlem. I have transferred him $500 and he has agreed to supply me the sandwich board and a couple of extras who "Get up in my face and try and smoke my ass!" (His words not mine). I am really looking forward to this as it is meant to be so authentic. New Yorkers are not known for their kindness but @oldsoulnewb breaks the mould. Kings among men.
Now being Irish , the first thing we like to do while we are away is to find somewhere that feels like home as soon as possible so I have few Irish pubs that I want to visit. One of them is know as the Best Pub on the Planet. I do doubt this as no pub can compare to the Anglo Irish Pub in Frankfurt which is crazy but I will check this out. The Dead Rabbit is even planned in on the much talked about itinerary that has been even done up in a word document and printed. I am happy about this situation. I think it's the same day we see Ellis island and try to find old great great Uncle Jimmy Blanchy who said farewell and travelled to the states for search of riches. More than likely he is called Jimmy Avalanchy on the records due to lack of communication and general chaos in the port. Prediction is that his family now reside in Lower East Manhattan and the Avalanchys have quite the dynasty going on similar to the Rothschilds.
Anyway I am diverting. Any restaurant , site seeing, lunch , New York specialty, nice little lunch spots or hidden gems do not hesitate to add below so I can mess with her good selves itinary. Cheers!