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Is Manhattan safe? #129148 08/01/07 04:15 AM
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Quilters Duet Offline OP
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New Yorkers, please do not be offended by my ignorance. I'll be in mid town Manhattan in a couple of weeks for a training class and was wondering if and when it's safe to walk the streets? I'm staying at the Hilton just south of Central Park and won't have a car. The training center is just north and I'm not worried about walking there. I will be walking to dinner and was wondering if it's okay to be walking around after dark. Are there areas I should avoid? How about walking around Central Park?

I'd also take any restaurant recommendations in the area if anyone has any. It looks like there are some good deli's and pizza places close. I'd also like to dine at a couple of nicer places.

Thanks in advance,
Dave


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Re: Is Manhattan safe? #129149 08/01/07 04:30 AM
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Marc Offline
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I can't answer as to safety but I can say some of our favorite restaurants in the area from our trips. Carnegie Deli is only a couple of blocks away. Four Seasons is maybe four blocks away. And, we did enjoy our tourist trip to 21 Club.



Re: Is Manhattan safe? #129150 08/01/07 05:20 AM
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Wandra Offline
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Hi, I'm not a New Yorker, I live in Toronto and visit whenever I can (not often enough.) I've never found Manhattan unsafe. I've also been out to Queens and Brooklyn. David, my husband, lived in New York in the 60's and he's astounded at the difference. It's a very liveable city. There are places you would not want to go, but for the average tourist or business traveller, you have no worries.


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Re: Is Manhattan safe? #129151 08/01/07 06:13 AM
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Betty K Offline
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Dave,

I am not a New Yorker, but we have stayed at that Hilton. You will like it and the location. One of our favorite places is very near there...Ben Benson's Steakhouse at 123 W 52nd. Enjoy the city...it's Fab!!!!
cheer


Betty

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Re: Is Manhattan safe? #129152 08/01/07 06:14 AM
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coffeecup Offline
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With general precautions common to all cities, you should be fine. Midtown is a wonderful area. People are out at all hours. I frequently walk alone at night when I visit.
A nice bistro is Pigalle. open all the time. i think it's at 48th and 8th.


Diane

Re: Is Manhattan safe? #129153 08/01/07 07:21 AM
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Hi Dave,

I live in downtown Manhattan. The city is safe, but it is a big city. Be aware of your surroundings, and do not walk in deserted areas. I also would not walk inside the park after dark unless there is an event in the park. We walk around at night and I walk alone often, but I carry my purse securely and pay attention to who is around me. (My husband thinks I am paranoid, but I think I am cautious.)

The midtown area where you are staying has a lot of tourists, business travelers, and foot traffic most of the time. It is an exciting city. Enjoy!

Merril

Re: Is Manhattan safe? #129154 08/01/07 09:50 AM
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Quilters Duet Offline OP
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Thanks everyone!

That's great information. I will definitely try some of the resaurants you've suggested and will be careful walking around. My class is pretty intense and will take up most of the daylight hours so I will be ready to walk to dinner in the evening.

I was a little reluctant about this trip, but thanks to you, I'm looking forward to going.

Dave


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Re: Is Manhattan safe? #129155 08/01/07 02:09 PM
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adrenn Offline
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Dave - I assume you're at the Hilton on 6th avenue between 53rd and 54th? It's a great location and gets good word-of-mouth. I worked across the street for about 8 years but only get back to that part of Manhattan about once a month or so these days.

General guideline on after dark walking zone is Central Park South on the northern edge; Madison on the eastern edge; 42nd on the southern edge and 8th avenue (or a little way past) on the western edge. The advice to watch your surroundings and avoid alleys, deserted areas, etc. apply as they would in any large city.

There are several good restaurants in the area. The concierge could be helpful here, as I'm not as up on the new names or quality of my old favorites.
- Victor's on 52nd is great if you fancy Cuban food and is a stalwart;
- Le Bernadin is arguably among the finest restaurants in NYC and is close by on 52nd.
- China Grill is up that way off 6th avenue and well liked. Portions are big.
- Steakhouses? Mortons, Smith & Wollensky
- There's the Heartland Brewery in the Rockefeller Center area
- Sea Grill (also in the Rockefeller Center area) has fantastic seafood, especially the crab cakes.
- we went to Rene Pujol in the theater district a few weeks ago and enjoyed it
- Trattoria Del'Arte on 7th has the most amazing antipasto bar I've seen
- Marc's identified Carnegie Deli for you .. a great choice; portions are gargantuan. Bring a classmate to help split the sandwich!
- Check on Beacon. They used to have a lovely wood oven crispy thin pizza we very much enjoyed.
- Finally, the restaurant at the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) gets good press. The bar area is preferred to the sit-down restaurant in most of the reviews. Check on hours to make sure it's available after your training sessions.

Safe travels and I hope you enjoy your visit.

Cheers, Anne

Re: Is Manhattan safe? #129156 08/01/07 02:32 PM
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Dave: Go and have a great time!!!! Common sense rules - listen to Anne she always gives good advice - my most favorite city in the world (after Hong Kong, Shanghai, Sydney and on and on ) - I have never felt unsafe at any time - but we stay mid town, west and east and eat and visit the villages - no dark alleys for me in any city!!!! You will be fine!! Joanna :cool:


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Re: Is Manhattan safe? #129157 08/01/07 02:57 PM
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Hi Dave: We have an apartment on the upper west side and go to New York extensively. It is an extremely safe city. Your location is excellent and you can walk to many venues, including the theater, shopping, Central Park, etc. We also highly recommend using the subway and busses - get a Metro Pass if you are going to be there a few days and want to get around easily. You can put any amount of money on it and it works on all busses and subways and you get transfers free from one to the other within 2 hours.
If you want to go to the theater, check out the half price ticket booth just north of Times Square. TKTS. They post all the shows that have seats available and they are at half price for that day's performance. They open at noon generally.
We highly recommend Carnegie Deli - everyone should eat there at least once on a trip to NYC. The pastrami is fabulous and try the cheesecake. Be prepared to be very full!!!
Also our favorite restaurant is Capsuto Freres - an easy cab ride just south of Canal on Watts and Washington.
THE BEST STEAK in the US in our opinion is at Peter Lugar in Brooklyn. Make a reservation if you want to go and get a cab to take you. It is on Broadway just across the Williamsburg Bridge and you won't go wrong.
In your area also are BLT Steak and Gallaghers. Also the Palm.
If you have time the Metropolitan Museum is wonderful. Their cafe is also great. Fifth Avenue is shopping. Big stores like Macy's are 33rd. (And by the way, Macy's has a great casual restaurant in the basement that is inexpensive with good food). If you go to Macy's stop at the Visitor's Desk on the mezzanine for an out-of-towners pass that gives you extra % off all purchases.
You can also take the bus or subway up to the upper west side and just walk Columbus and Amsterdam and check out the little shops and restaurants. Lots of choices there. A very reasonable Indian restaurant is Mughlai at 75th and Columbus.
After dark, be cautious as you would anywhere you would travel. I would not walk Central Park in the dark alone. But, NY is as safe or safer than any major capitol we've visited in the world.
ENJOY!

Re: Is Manhattan safe? #129158 08/01/07 03:16 PM
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Yes, NY is safe. It is a walking city and do enjoy!!!
Just do not walk through the park at night...alone. There are a couple areas to avoid at night.... downtown in the Bowery. Folks above have given you great suggestions. I worked across the street from the Hilton too and totally agree with Anne's comments. You may want to also enjoy some restaurants in areas other than where you will be staying as some of the trendier restaurants are in Tribeca, the meatpacking district, and Greenwich Village.

NOBU uptown or downtown
Victors Like Anne recommended
MOMA restaurant Like Anne Recommended
JoJos
Sushi Samba
Rosa Mexicana
Dylan Prime or Devin Tavern: Tell them Andi and Doug sent you if you make reservations (Tribeca)
Zoey's (Greenwich Village)
Blue Hill
Blue Fin (Times Square)
Postria
Spice Market (Meatpacking District)
Paris Match
Pastis (Meatpacking District)
Chinatown is fun
Little Italy is fun too

I'm sure you will meet folks to join you. I hope you have a great time.

Re: Is Manhattan safe? #129159 08/01/07 03:36 PM
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HB: Oh to live on the west side heaven!!!- family member lived at 70th and B'dy ten floors above Cafe Luxembourg (fries at the bar yummmm with a white wine and some fun people watching I never gawked when Kevin Costner was at the bar ha ha ha ha ha) - what a great area!!! We loved Capsuto Freres and PL's (be still my cholesterol heart) - medium rare porterhouse with spinach please!


Joanna
Re: Is Manhattan safe? #129160 08/02/07 08:03 AM
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Wow, you guys are great :lct: With all these great restaurant recommendations I almost with my class was 2 weeks instead of 1.

Anne - Yup, that's the Hilton I'm staying at. A-OK on the "after dark safety zone". That's perfect.

Welcome Harbormaster! Thanks for the additional info.

Thanks again everybody. I'll report back when I get home. If I get my laptop in time, I might even have time for some 'citymail'

Dave


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Re: Is Manhattan safe? #129161 08/02/07 03:04 PM
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Living in New York all my life , I am amused at this question.

Re: Is Manhattan safe? #129162 08/02/07 03:27 PM
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BILLP1: Glad Dave felt comfortable asking and admitting his nervousness - for first timers it IS an intimidating city - you may not realize how many have not visited - nor have they my town either :cool: :cool:


Joanna
Re: Is Manhattan safe? #129163 08/02/07 03:28 PM
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jhp Offline
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billp, I'm sure you are amused if you say so, but if you were not from NYC, and not from a big city and visiting it for the first time, perhaps you would have concerns. While I visit NYC from time to time and have no concerns, some people do, given the news they hear.

Re: Is Manhattan safe? #129164 08/02/07 04:57 PM
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I applaud you, Dave, for "doing your homework" before you go. I've never been to NYC, either, except for a 4-hour layover in JFK. I came off my redeye at 5:30am singing, "I feel safe in New York City" (that AC/DC song) and the people in the airport smiled at me (probably thought I'd lost my mind, but I was sleep-deprived!).

I'd love to have a REAL visit to what I am sure is a fabulous, not-to-be-missed metropolis with everything under the sun to offer - and believe me, it's on the list! But I will be asking the same questions Dave is before I go. :)


Kristin

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Re: Is Manhattan safe? #129165 08/03/07 04:19 AM
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Safe in New York...you betcha! The only caution I'd throw to the wind is protect your wallet, wear very comfortable walking shoes and watch out for the delivery people on bicyles...they fly.

Penny and I met in Brooklyn, NY when we lived there in the late 60's and we just love going back. Our cruising buddies Andi and Doug introduced us to Dylan's Prime last June and I must say the steaks there are super.

Conrary to what you may hear, New Yorkers are friendly and helpful. The subways are safe and efficient. Battery Park City came as the biggest surprise to Penny and me. What a lovely area. If you want to take a peek at some photos of that area go to: kodakgallery sign in: cruise@yahoo.com p/w: cc Click on "My Friends Albums" and then click on "New York Food Tasting" album.

Cheers! Ray
http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/gu...tes/new-york/new-york-city/overview.html

Here's a Spanish Rest. we started going to back in 1969 .... it has been there since the 30's. The seafood is very good and portions are large, prices reasonable.

http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/el-quijote01/
(You may not get a warm, fuzzy feeling after reading a few of the reviews but as my mother-in-law says: "There's no accounting for taste."

Re: Is Manhattan safe? #129166 08/03/07 04:48 AM
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Ray - El Quijote looks wonderful. I love it when restaurants put their menus online. When I read reviews (any type of review), I throw out the top and the bottom extreme. Do you happen to know the dress code? I'm not taking a jacket and tie which kind of rules out some of the top restaurants unfortunately.

Billp1 - I hope you were just amused and not offended.

Dave


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Re: Is Manhattan safe? #129167 08/03/07 05:54 AM
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Dave:

Dress code. No coat and tie required at El Quijote and I doubt you'll see any.

Insofar as Dylan's is concerned, sport shirt and slacks are just fine.

Love your part of the country. We have lots of family in Colorado.

Have a blast in New York.

Cheers! Ray

Re: Is Manhattan safe? #129168 08/06/07 10:02 AM
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I'm a native Lawn Guylinder (Long Islander), worked in the city when it wasn't great, and visit quite frequently nowadays. One of our favorite restaurants in Manhattan is right across from Lincoln Center. It's upscale and called Rosa Mexicana. I highly recommend it. Gil could give you more choices as he used to live around that area. Others we love are Vong, Sushi Samba, and Dylan Prime.

One comment? Anne suggested it's only safe south of Central Park south. I would like to add if you're on the upper west side up to 72nd street or on the upper east side up to 90th street you'll be fine also. Just stay out of the park after dark like suggested (but be sure to go during the day!) Also the whole east side to the river is safe. Even Times square is safe at night if you stay aware of your surroundings, but I'd give that advice anywhere in the city.

If you cab it or bus it downtown, the village is alot of fun at night and safe. Also try chinatown and/or little italy.

You'll be fine wearing nice slacks and a sports shirt for any of the better restaurants, (there are a few exceptions where you might need a jacket). Definitely do yourself a favor and get over to see the Chagall windows in Lincoln Center and maybe catch a concert or a ballet, depending on what's playing then. Also, one night you should consider getting show tickets.

Re: Is Manhattan safe? #129169 08/08/07 03:48 AM
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Thanks Ray and Arlene! I'm definitely going to try and get show tickets. Good news on the dress code. I only own 2 ties and my jacket is about 10 years old.

Arlene - Are there any art galleries in the area that would be open in the evenings?

Dave


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Re: Is Manhattan safe? #129170 08/08/07 07:10 AM
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sedona Offline
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You have Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Art Museum is a bit further uptown along with the Guggenheim. They are open some evenings. Art galleries are in the upper east side and SOHO and most are open. There are some new galleries in the Meatpacking district that are very "in."

When will you be in town?

Re: Is Manhattan safe? #129171 08/09/07 04:03 AM
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Thanks sedona! I checked the web sites for those museums and, of course, they are open late on Friday and Saturday.

Regarding show tickets, are there bad seats or would the experience be worth it in any seat. I'm hoping that since I only want one seat, there may be some good single seats. I'm thinking about trying to see Chicago. Loved the movie.

The menu at Dylan's Prime looks FANTASTIC. Can't wait to try them.

I fly in Sunday afternoon (Aug 19th) and fly out Friday mid afternoon.

Dave


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