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Hey BWW NYers, I'm coming your way! Help!

Hey BWW NYers, I'm coming your way! Help!

HorseTears Profile Photo
HorseTears
#1Hey BWW NYers, I'm coming your way! Help!
Posted: 5/23/15 at 1:43am

Ugh.  Another f**king thread from some Californian @sshole asking for the most obvious advice about one of the most visited destinations in the world?  Do they not get Google and Yelp out there yet?  I know, I know.  But, just grin and bear it, would ya?  Don't worry, I'm not asking you how to find the TKTS booth or whether Chita stage doors.  I've got a short biz trip to NY very soon.  I'll be staying at a hotel in midtown west - just north of Times Square.  I'm looking for personal recommendations.  Don't worry, I'll be Yelping and asking a few local friends, too, but figured you guys would be a good resource, too:


 


Any dry cleaners in the immediate area you've used/trust for suit pressings, small batches of dry cleaning?  Just been notified by my hotel that their laundry services will be shut down for maintenance the day I arrive! 


 


Any men's barber shops in midtown for a nice close shave and beard trimming?  Need to look sharp for these meetings.  


 


What are the must-have smartphone apps to have while in town?  For finding the closest subway stop, restaurant deals  and anything else you think might be useful.  


 


What are your favorite mid-range midtown OR Lower Manhattan restaurants for a nice meal to treat a client without breaking the bank.  Where you have an enjoyable meal for, say, under $50-60/person.  Or, in other words, if you had a friend visiting and wanted to take them out with a $50-60/person budget, where would you take them?  Open to all types of cuisine.  


 


And what's your one or two favorite cheap ethnic restaurants (I feel like I'm allowed to use that term because I'm brown and can be a bit of a tightwad) in Manhattan, Brooklyn and/or Queens?  You know the places. Fluorescent lighting, inconsistent service, cheap cutlery, but the best damn... ramen, kati rolls, wat & injera, seekh kebab, etc...


 


If I wanted to see any of these shows (buying tickets day of the show because of my unpredictable schedule), what would be the best bet for scoring cheap tix for each?  No guarantees, I know: On The Town, Curious Incident, Skylight, King & I (I know, I know, no prayer on the last one).  


 


ETA: Oh, one more!  Any good sites, codes, weeklies, e-newsletters to get discounts for cultural attractions other than the theatre?  I've done major museums and won't have time for them, so thinking more about performing arts than fine arts.  You know, NY Phil, NY City Ballet, ABT, Joyce, Ailey, Mark Morris, stuff at BAM etc.  


 


Cheers!!

Updated On: 5/23/15 at 01:43 AM

LizzieCurry Profile Photo
LizzieCurry
#2Hey BWW NYers, I'm coming your way! Help!
Posted: 5/23/15 at 1:03pm

Cheap food: http://www.yelp.com/biz/taste-good-malaysian-cuisine-elmhurst 


and if you are super into pork: http://www.yelp.com/biz/krystals-cafe-and-pastry-shop-woodside


 


I also recommend the HopStop and WNYC apps. Enjoy!


"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt

HorseTears Profile Photo
HorseTears
#2Hey BWW NYers, I'm coming your way! Help!
Posted: 5/24/15 at 1:44am

Thanks, Lizzie!  Mmmmm.... Filipino and Malaysian food.  Oh, and good call on "HopStop" - exactly the kind of app I was looking for.  

singtopher Profile Photo
singtopher
#3Hey BWW NYers, I'm coming your way! Help!
Posted: 5/24/15 at 8:36am

For a barber shop in Midtown, I'm a fan of a place on 9th and 42nd called Super Barber Shop and Hairstyling (Cheesy name, yes).  Very friendly staff and they always do a wonderful job.  I started shaving my head about a year ago, but I think they charged $18 for a haircut that came with shaving the neck and sideburns.  http://www.yelp.com/biz/super-barber-shop-and-hairstyling-manhattan


 


At that price range for a "nice dinner" I might recommend BEA on 43rd just west of 9th ave, or Marseille on 44th and 9th, a little further north is Braai which is South African on I believe 51st St, and Anabel between 53rd and 54th on 9th.  Downtown, I really only know the Village, but Otto, Barrio 47, North Square, and Les Halls all were wonderful. 



Hop stop is a great idea to have your phone, as is Google maps.  Google maps, as we know, is 1000x better than Apple Maps, particularly in the city since it has the subway stations on the map, and can give you transit directions (much like Hop Stop). Also, since you were asking about discounts and what not, download TodayTix.  It's a fantastic way to get some great deals.  Also, Broadway Box.


 


As far as a hidden gem ethnic restaurant, If you like Greek food, hop on a Queens bound N or Q train and go all the way to Ditmars in Astoria (only about 10 stops from Times Sq) and hit up any of the Greek places.  Zorba's on 23rd ave is a good, no frills place, or Taverna Kyclades on Ditmars is phenomenal.


Time Out New York recently went free, and comes out each Wednesday.  I'm sure your hotel might have a copy, or you can likely find them around the city.  Wednesdays you will probably find someone handing them out near the entrance to the Subways. 


 


I hope you have a great trip!


 


 


 


 


"If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we have to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we've got to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition and then admit that we just don't want to do it." -Stephen Colbert

Reginald Tresilian Profile Photo
Reginald Tresilian
#4Hey BWW NYers, I'm coming your way! Help!
Posted: 5/24/15 at 5:48pm

I get a lot of use out of the MTA app. It has station info and maps and whatnot, but more important, it gives you actual service status for each of the subway lines.


Have a great trip!

FindingNamo
#5Hey BWW NYers, I'm coming your way! Help!
Posted: 5/24/15 at 7:51pm

HopStop has saved me so much money in cab fare.  But, I take screen shots of the directions when I am at home so that I don't watch my battery drain down like the end of a milkshake when I'm underground.


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PalJoey Profile Photo
PalJoey
#6Hey BWW NYers, I'm coming your way! Help!
Posted: 5/24/15 at 10:13pm

The todaytix app has become the best app for discount tickets--and for shows that you can only get full price as well.


HorseTears Profile Photo
HorseTears
#7Hey BWW NYers, I'm coming your way! Help!
Posted: 5/25/15 at 10:10am

Thanks, fellas!

LizzieCurry Profile Photo
LizzieCurry
#8Hey BWW NYers, I'm coming your way! Help!
Posted: 5/25/15 at 7:47pm

"HopStop has saved me so much money in cab fare.  But, I take screen shots of the directions when I am at home so that I don't watch my battery drain down like the end of a milkshake when I'm underground."


Definitely a good idea. Also, if you connect to the wifi in an underground subway station once, the connection is good for an hour (or two?), so you don't have to reconnect at the next one. You used to have to. Annoying!


Also, I love Xi'an Famous Foods. The line can be long unless you're there in the middle of the day. But so good, if you happen to be there on like a Tuesday at 2. And they have a line tracker on their site! http://xianfoods.com/ 


EDIT: Re Taverna Kyclades in Astoria, I live near it and don't think it's worth a wait longer than half an hour... but if you're able to get in, go for it. It's excellent!


"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
Updated On: 5/25/15 at 07:47 PM