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Where should I stay in Manhattan?

RachelSmith — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 17:53:31 -0800

I'm visiting New York for an interview at 5th and 46th in 10 days. Where should I stay? I'm a grad student on a budget, and the suit that I'll be wearing to the interview isn't exactly built for cold weather, so I was thinking about trying to find a place to stay near the interview site. The number of neighborhoods on hotwire/priceline/craigslist is a little overwhelming- can anyone suggest an area?

I've never really been to New York and will have two days to explore (1/5-1/8). I'm a firefighter/Environmental scientist and love walking, interesting food, and culture- all of which I've heard New York has in abundence.

Related question: I'll be arriving on a redeye at 6 a.m. at JFK, my interview is at 5th and 46th at 10. Does JFK have showers? Initial research would indicate not. Any other suggestions on how to get cleaned up in the time I have between my arrival and my interview?

Thanks!

Be vewy, vewy quiet...

arm426 — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 16:39:16 -0800

So, I want to go hunting. However, I have no idea what I'm doing and I live in Manhattan... In the past year or so, me and a few friends have developed the urge to go hunting in some form. Considering we live in NYC, what are some good local spots to go hunting?

Things to consider:
- We'll need a guide or someone to teach us how to hunt
- We'll need guns / ammo / camouflage / etc.
- We'd like to be able to eat / use whatever we hunt
- We'd like to have the option to stay at a cabin or lodge near where we hunt for a night
- We'd like the probability that we at least see something to shoot at to be as high as possible

So, where do I go? What do I hunt? Do you have any other tips for a first time hunter? What are some other questions that I should be asking (and, ideally, what are the answers to these questions)?

Am I eligible for unemployment if my employer is officially in a different state?

Anonymous — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 11:48:31 -0800

I think that I may be getting laid off soon and need some clarification about unemployment benefits in New Jersey. I'm trying to call their question line, but it is busy every time. I am concerned about my eligibility because my employer is officially in NY. I have been working as a salaried employee for an outsourcing company that has been contracting me out to the same client the whole time.

For the first two years, my employer was headquartered in NJ, while the client's address was in NY and that is where I worked. I lived in a different, third, state at first, eventually moving to NJ after a year and a half.

After two years, my employer moved to NY, my place of work (office) moved to NJ, while the client's official address remained in NY. This is how it has remained for the past 2+ years; I continued to live in NJ.

From the point I moved to NJ, that is where I have been paying my state taxes. My driver's license has always been from the third state-- I never switched it over.

Given this complicated arrangement, am I likely to encounter problems applying for unemployment benefits? The part that I am concerned about is that the web site states:

You may file your new unemployment claim, or reopen an existing claim via the Internet if you meet all the following requirements:All of your work was in New Jersey in the past 18 months

Since my employer's official address is in NY, does this mean that I need to file by phone or in person, or that I am eligible at all? Or does the fact that my office was in NJ count for something?

Bonus question: In the past 6 months or so, my responsibilities and workload have changed significantly. My title and salary have remained unchanged. Can I resign based on this fact and still be eligible for benefits? Does my employer have enough incentive to fight this?

Getting to Atlanta on the Chinatown bus

greta simone — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 07:11:08 -0800

Please tell me about your experience on the Chinatown bus from NYC to the southeast. Should I put my friend on it so she can get home? I have had a friend visiting me in NYC this weekend whose flight to Atlanta today got canceled. All the flights that the airline can reschedule her for will make her miss her Christmas plans.

So I looked up buses at gotobus.com and found a bus that leaves Chinatown run by Horse Run Tour. I am assuming this is the Chinatown bus, as it's the only bus leaving from Chinatown that I could find.

I have read previous threads about the Chinatown bus but they either seemed like they were from people who hadn't necessarily taken one or by people taking a different route (i.e. possibly run by a different carrier).

For what it's worth, we have already looks at tons of other options, and they are either too expensive or won't put her in Atlanta on the day she needs. Also, this trip says 14 hours to Greyhound's 23, so we figured it would be better.

Could you tell me if this bus is reasonably safe and reliable or any other experiences you have had?

Who painted this door?

boots — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:12:59 -0800

Is this street art in Brooklyn by Swoon? If not, can anyone identify the artist?

Help her tell her story

shothotbot — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 19:11:34 -0800

What is a good screenwriting class in NYC? Mrs. HotBot has extensive storytelling experience (edited major comic books, done TV production work) and wants to write some screenplays. I think the thing she most wants is the structure of having to write on a weekly deadline. What are some good screenwriting classes in NYC? If I can sign her up as a Christmas present, all the better.

Restaurants in Brooklyn Open on Xmas?

Falconetti — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 13:36:45 -0800

My family is staying with me in Brooklyn this year for Christmas. If we don't murder each other before Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, does anyone have any recommendations for good restaurants that are open on Christmas Day in Brooklyn? For Christmas Eve, we were thinking about cooking at home but also ordering in, so any recommendations for that (I live in North Park Slope, so it would have to be somewhere close by)?

Superficial Dentistry

boots — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 06:15:30 -0800

Help me find a dentist in NYC with an office on a high floor of a classic skyscraper. I need to find a dentist, and the most important criteria is that their office have an awesome view. I've read that during the depression, desperate landlords signed cheap 99-year leases with dentists to carry them through the lean times, and that many of them survive today in Rockefeller Center, the Chrysler Building, the Empire State Building, the Woolworth Building, etc. If my dentist had an over-the-top art-deco lobby and 85th-story views, it wouldn't be such a drag going twice a year.

So far I found these guys Empire State Dental who are on the 52nd floor of the Empire State and seem sufficiently cornball. This blog entry has photos of the view from a 69th floor dentist office in the Chrysler Building, but doesn't identify the dentist. Anybody know who that might be?

I'm grateful for any additional suggestions.

Christmas movies set in NYC

greta simone — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 12:02:33 -0800

Christmas/Holiday/Winter movies set in NYC? Hello all and Happy Holidays!

This is my first Christmas as a New York resident and I want to get in the spirit by watching Christmas movies set here. I can think of a few off the top of my head, but just for the sake of discussion, please give me your favorites, be they classics, modern classics, weird or obscure.

I'd even like to know those that are just set in winter in the city, but aren't necessarily holiday themed (like Stillman's Metropolitan, which I love).

Thanks!

Think global, bank local?

Mender — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 08:45:32 -0800

Do you use a credit union based in Brooklyn or Manhattan? If so, which one, and have you had a good experience there? I keep a savings account with a major national bank, and have been considering switching it to a local credit union. Looking for recommendations for credit unions in Brooklyn or Manhattan (I would also consider Queens). Tell me about your experience and why you would or would not suggest a particular organization.

Bonus question: is there a reason I should not put a large chunk of my savings in a credit union? I am not a financial risk taker, so if there are risks I might not be considering, please let me know! Anything I should know about credit unions in general?

Looking for Julius Monk on CD or mp3

underthehat — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 05:20:04 -0800

Have Julius Monk's cabaret/nightclub shows ever been released on CD or mp3? Shows like "Take Five," "Pieces of Eight," and "Dressed to the Nines" were staples of my childhood, and I'd love to hear them again. Julius Monk was an impresario who ran a series of cabaret nightclubs in NYC in the mid-20th century, including the Downstairs and Upstairs at the Downstairs. The clubs featured intimate revues studded with wry, cynical, and clever songs.

Cast albums were made for each show, and the vinyl can still be found on eBay and such, but I've never seen a CD or other digital format. Have you?

New York City Wedding Planner

L'homme armé — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 01:51:13 -0800

Can you recommend a good wedding planner for a New York City wedding? Can anyone offer recommendations or advice about finding a good wedding planner who works in Manhattan?

I'm looking for someone
(1) to make sure the day-of goes smoothly
(2) to help separate the wheat from the chaff on vendors, locations, and service providers - but with freedom to pick our own vendors independently if we want to
(3) to allow us to plan the religious part of the ceremony completely independently
(4) to reduce our stress by making sure we don't forget anything
(5) to respect the vision that we already have for the wedding and make it happen - we need help with implementation details, not the overall design

We strongly prefer traditional/elegant to trendy. We are willing to spend money to get someone good.

Any thoughts, warnings, suggestions? General advice about picking a planner or other sites where reliable reviews of wedding planners are posted would also be helpful.

Hotel and food recommendations for a solo traveller to NYC

une_heure_pleine — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 19:52:42 -0800

Visiting New York for the first time (from Australia) in a couple of weeks. Will be travelling solo, and am looking for hotel and food recommendations. (I did search, but the answers are a few years old now, or aimed at different budgets)

I'm perfectly happy with my own company most of the time, especially during the day. Even so, I'd like to meet a few people to go for a drink or dinner some nights, as I'll be there for two weeks. In the past when I've travelled solo, I've stayed in dorms. I'm a bit older now (late 20s) and have less tolerance for all-night boozing and general grottiness.

So, any suggestions for either a hostel with private rooms that's friendly but not party-central, or a budget hotel with a sociable common area where I might meet people? Budget is ideally no more than $80 per night but could stretch for the right place. Private bathroom is nice but not necessary.

Alternately, suggestions for other places to go/things to do where I might meet some people to hang out with for a night?

Also, I'm interested in checking out a couple of the better restaurants in town. I'm expecting to have to do this alone unless I randomly meet another foodie. Any ideas for restaurants in $30-for-a-main-course bracket where I'll be treated like a human being despite being there alone? My preference is for high quality, innovative food, rather than just wherever is hot right now.

quiet beachy birthday romance

pearl228 — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:41:49 -0800

Awesome, romantic getaway in proximity to nyc? Secluded, autumn beach spot preferred... So, I'm looking to take my man on a sweet trip outside of the city for his birthday this weekend. I can rent a car, or we can take a train then rent a car. I was thinking Montauk, which remains a possibility, but would prefer something a little more unexpected if I can figure it out.

Does anyone have any specific suggestions in terms of towns, transport, lodging, and things to do when we're not taking long walks on the beach..?

Thanks in advance!!

Get me outta here!

The Straightener — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:16:40 -0800

Escape from New York! (By car during the New York Marathon.) What time of day would be optimal to leave Williamsburg, Brooklyn by car tomorrow to get to the Jersey Turnpike without committing suicide after hours stranded in gridlocked traffic?

Dreammachine boutique, New York, early 90s?

Mutant — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 03:52:32 -0800

Did you use a dreammachine in New York, SOHO, early 90's? I'm trying to reconnect with some old friends, and have been racking my brain trying to come up with the name of a SOHO based boutique that allowed folks to use their dreammachines.

Their devices were mounted in IMAX like glasses with sound available from headphones. The boutique offered roughly a dozen reclining seats and beds for couples, with a variety of drinks available in a separate lounge area.

It was located on the east side of Broadway, just south of Houston but before Prince. In fact it was in either the first or second building south of Houston, not at street level but I can't recall what floor. The boutique sold time by the clock, or you could pay in advance for discounted blocks.

If you've used a dreammachine in the past, what are your feelings regarding the claims of persistent changes in brain function? Those claims caused a bit of a ruckus when the boutique was first opened, but I don't think anyone succeeded in closing it on those terms (business, of course, was something else).

The state achieved via these dreammachines was much, much more intense than results acquired by sitting in darkened a room with a cylinder spinning in the corner, so I'd especially be interested in hearing from anyone else who might have visited this boutique. I was a regular for perhaps one year.

Help The Empress Splurge!

EmpressCallipygos — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 05:48:45 -0800

NYC Filter: I'm getting a financial windfall in a couple weeks, and have decided to treat myself: salon, massage, and then taking myself out somewhere. but...I've been broke so long I don't know where to go. Help? I know where to take care of the salon and the massage, but the "going out somewhere" stumps me a bit. Ideally, the place I'm looking for is:

* Upscale without being "velvet rope" -- classy instead of exclusive
* Lively, but not loud -- I want to be able to hear myself think
* Not outrageously priced (I don't mean inexpensive, more like, I want to be able to say that the amount of money I spend was absolutely "worth it")
* Possibly a place where I could get a delightful gentleman approaching me for a chat, but a place that's so awesome in its own right that I won't care if it doesn't happen
* If it's got a fabulous view, perfect.
* Doesn't have to be a restaurant. In fact, just getting a drink would be great.

I just plan on looking and feeling fabulous and living in the high life for a night, and I'm looking for the right setting.

Thanks!

Help us find a good World Series bet...

Towelie — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 07:59:47 -0800

World series bet: Philadelphia/New York office 'rivalry'…ideas? We have six offices - with the Main Office in NYC and an office in Philadelphia.
(Staffing is about 9-10 in NYC, and 3-4 in Philly) We have four other offices (each with similar staffing levels.)

Any ideas on a 'good bet' - this is mostly for fun/morale reasons. I'm thinking that it'd be interesting/vested for our other offices to pick/align with the split over the worlds series…and have an interesting bet…

I just can't think of something beyond cheesesteaks/cheesecakes or wearing phillies/yankees wear (for one day) that would be interesting.

Help me find the blackberry delicousness, please.

lorrer — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:23:12 -0800

Help me get Seattle-quality blackberries in the NYC area. Is there anywhere in Manhattan, the outer boroughs, or even Long Island where I can get really great blackberries? I have never found them, in the last ten years, at any store (not even Kirkland and Issaquah-based Costco!). Nothing has come close to the taste off the vine - not tart at all, almost overripe tasting compared to most fruits, somewhat sweet, and very rich & earthy.

I was back in Seattle a couple of months ago and gorged myself on them off the vine, and for the first time made pie with them on my own - and the pies were incredible. I'm hoping to find a source so that I can share the joy of ripe blackberries with my friends and family, and so that I can make delicious pies for fall and winter festivities.

Looking for information about kayaking near Gardiner, NY.

staveitoff123 — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 09:22:29 -0800

Looking for information about kayaking near Gardiner, NY. I'm thinking about buying a vacation property near Gardiner, NY in Ulster County and am looking for some info/advice about kayaking opportunities in the area, which would be a priority for me. I would appreciate specific info - thanks in advance!

NYC not for tourists

HotPatatta — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 07:33:14 -0800

If you only had one year left before moving out of New York City, what would you make sure to see and do before leaving? I'm looking for tips on shows, shopping, music, tours, parades, expos, festivals, restaurants, exhibitions, food carts, bars, activities, green spaces, hidden gems--anything else that's unique to this city. Let's say prices are not a concern.

Where can I find photos of NYCHA housing developments?

Joey Joe Joe Junior Shabadoo — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 08:42:38 -0800

I'm looking for photos of NYCHA public housing - particularly, the interior of apartments and communal areas. Where can I find photos like this online? I have no idea where to begin looking - I've found photos of building exteriors quite easily, but I'm having remarkable difficulty finding photos of the interior.

Photos of public housing in NYC is a priority, but if those are too difficult to find, I'd be interested in photos of similar public housing developments in Chicago, or other large cities. Floorplans would also be of interest, but again, no idea where to begin looking.

How to fix my crushing jet lag?

alight — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 00:31:41 -0800

JetLagFilter: Traveled from Beijing to New York 3 days ago, and I'm pretty sure my jet lag symptoms are getting worse, not better. How do I stop messing myself up and start improving things? I've seen a lot of posts on dealing with jet lag when flying to Europe or other destinations about 6 hours away from local time. I'm operating on a full 12 hour difference right now and I need some help fixing the damage I've done to my circadian clock. I spent 6 weeks in Beijing on a sleep schedule where I woke up around 9 am, and then worked from 10 am till midnight or so. Now my schedule needs to be about the same, but 12 times zones different.

The damage: Departed Beijing around 11 am on the 15th, laid over in Shanghai, then arrived at LAX around 11 am on the 15th (again) Made it to NYC around 11 pm.
First night: Went to sleep around 3 am, woke up at 3 pm. Spent most of the day indoors, recovering.
Second night: Bed at midnight (as soon as I was tired enough) and wide awake at 4 am. Felt really disoriented and confused, but tried to spend as much time in daylight as possible.
Third night: Bed at 8 pm (exhausted!) and awake at 1:30 am, feeling sure it was actually 1:30 pm.

It's now after 3 am here, and I doesn't seem like I'll sleep again tonight. I'm expecting to get tired again by 5 pm, which will make things worse, not better, right?

I've never taken a sleep aid in my life, and I'm not sure that this is the time to start. (Maybe it is? YANMD, but maybe you have a really convincing argument?) Things like Benadryl knock me out in a way I find really unpleasant. Also not one for supplements in general and have never tried melatonin. I'm much more interested in zero-cost solutions like suggestions on what kinds of schedules to gradually force myself onto, whether or not short naps are beneficial, and ways to make me sleepy when I should be and alert when I should be without drugging me or tweaking me out.

What should my next few days look like?

Herpes blood test in NYC

Anonymous — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:22:05 -0800

Where to get a herpes blood test in NYC? I have been in an exclusive relationship with a man for the last few months. Previous to our getting together, he was married for 10 years to a woman with genital herpes. They always took precautions to abstain when she had an outbreak to prevent her passing it to him. But, as he assumed they would be married forever, he did not worry about it too much.

He did not realize until his most recent doctor visit that it was possible to contract herpes even when avoiding sex during an outbreak. After his doctor visit, he told me about this issue, sincerely apologizing for not bringing it up earlier, as he didn’t realize there would be any risk.

Neither he nor I have ever had any symptoms/outbreaks, but we want to get tested just to make sure. We are both recent transplants to NYC, and neither of us have health insurance or a GP (his recent doctor visit was before he moved). I called both Planned Parenthood and NYC Department of Health, and neither provides blood tests. They will only test current lesions.

So where is a free/cheap/sliding-scale clinic that will provide blood tests for both a male and a female in NYC?

What to do in Ithaca

cheerwine — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:19:32 -0800

We're going camping in Ithaca, NY this weekend. What should we make sure to do while we're there? My girlfriend and I are going car camping in Ithaca, NY this weekend. She's never been camping, so we're trying to balance the hiking/cooking on a fire aspects of it with an equal amount of hanging out in the city/winery tours. We're not too familiar with the area. I've e-mailed a bunch of wineries blindly to get details on touring them, am looking into local farms and found a few places that look like fun downtown, but we're open to suggestions. Any specific wineries that you would recommend? Hiking trails? Cool thrift stores? Other fun things to do?

We are both vegetarians in our early 20s. We like thrift stores, book stores, quirky sort-of tourist things, etc. I'm more outdoorsy than her, but we can both hold our own on a hike. We wouldn't mind driving a little while for something particularly awesome, but I'd prefer stay as close to Ithaca as I can.