I (Tuomas) am coming to New York in July, would like to hear some recommendations, also a FAP might be nice?

As it says in the title, I'm coming to New York with some family members on the 6th of July, and we'll be staying for about a week and a half. We haven't booked a hotel yet, so any recommendations for a decent mid-price hotel in Manhattan (or possibly Brooklyn, if the public transport is good) are welcome.

Personally I'd love to see some jazz gig(s) and go to a good techno/house club, as well as visit some comic book and record stores. (I don't listen to rock, so I'm looking for stores that specialize in rap/electronic music/disco/funk/soul/jazz/etc.) I haven't been to New York before, so I'd love to hear any recommendations on these. I'm also interested in finding some stores that sell casual or semi-bohemian clothes (second hand is okay) for grown-ups.

And obviously it'd be nice to meet some New York ILXors, if you're interested in that? We'll arrive on a Saturday, and I think the first couple of days will be too busy with getting acquainted with things... But the next weekend (Friday the 12th or Saturday the 13th) might be a good occasion to meet, and midweek is fine too.

I'm starting this thread a bit early, but I'll keep reviving it when July gets closer.

http://nymag.com/listings/stores/a_1_records/

I'd check this place out, cool record shop with a really deep selection.

My favourite place to stay in New York

http://www.thejanenyc.com

It looks otherwise cool, but "communal bathrooms" is a deal-breaker.

attendance at this FAP is mandatory for all ilx people otherwise lifetime ban imo

Good point there...

Move the FAP to March and you guarantee my attendance.

It looks otherwise cool, but "communal bathrooms" is a deal-breaker.

are you SURE you're him???

attendance at this FAP is mandatory for all ilx people otherwise lifetime ban imo

ban all ldn ilxors for not tuofapping then

ps btw I might be in ny in July so

Tuomas, this thread has good advice on jazz clubs, as well as more rec shop recs:

Shopping in New York

It looks otherwise cool, but "communal bathrooms" is a deal-breaker.

are you SURE you're him???

It's not a huge problem for me, but I know the others wouldn't want to used shared bathrooms.

attendance at this FAP is mandatory for all ilx people otherwise lifetime ban imo

ban all ldn ilxors for not tuofapping then

The missed London fap was just due to some bad luck... We'd settled for an hour that was a bit too early after a work day, and me and my friend left the pub after sitting there for 45 minutes, thinking no one would come, but apparently some London ILXors did come to the pub only 10 or 15 minutes after we'd left.

I think we could probably swing a day trip up to NY in early July...

Cool!

Anyway, I'm still interested in hotel recommendations.

I stayed at the gershwin when I ws there in november last year

it was alright, exactly what I was after and the most reasonably priced option I looked at in manhattan

The prices for that hotel sound reasonable, how's the location?

The missed London fap was just due to some bad luck... We'd settled for an hour that was a bit too early after a work day, and me and my friend left the pub after sitting there for 45 minutes, thinking no one would come, but apparently some London ILXors did come to the pub only 10 or 15 minutes after we'd left.
--Tuomas

Gone catfishin'

Location is fine, Flatiron district, not much going on there but lots of subways to go elsewhere.

the reality of Tuomas the 3-dimensional being might be too much for my brain.

There's nothing exciting about the hotel, but I found the Holiday Inn Express Madison Square Garden in Midtown at W 29th Street a convenient location last year and reasonably priced. It's quite near the Highline.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/47/Claudius.jpg/220px-Claudius.jpg

attendance at this FAP is mandatory for all ilx people otherwise lifetime ban imo

This does seem like an epic occasion on several fronts.

I will totally go to NY for this FAP.

I might have to go to Florida in July, but if that doesn't happen I would love to attend.

WORLD FAP! (Could we ever manage it?)

Fine, guess I'll bite down on my cyanide capsule ;_;

oh shit. now I have to go to new york?

Gee, I had no idea me coming to NYC would be such an occasion! But obviously it'd be cool to see all of you.

I looked at the Gershwin hotel, but it's maybe not the thing we're looking for. Have to check Holiday Inn too. I think our wallets can afford something like 200 bucks per night for a two person room, but not much pricier.

I kind of wish I could go so I could shout ARE YOU FINNISH?!

Holiday Inns are really expensive, Tuomas

$200 a night can be hard to find in manhattan without a shared bath.

What options do hotels.com, kayak or hipmunk come up with?

Tuomas, last time we were there (2011) we stayed in the Hotel Pennsylvania. Opposite Penn Station and next to Macy's so comfortably midtown(ish). We booked with the airline but it was easily cheap enough, and I just looked on their website using your dates. They have doubles with private bath down at the $170 mark without discount codes (which must exist somewhere if they take them). It wasn't anything special, but it was certainly good enough (and imo much better than a Holiday Inn).

http://www.hotelpenn.com/

massive xps the jane is lovely and has plenty of rooms that have their own bathroom. the restaurant downstairs isn't very good, however

airbnb.com

massive xps the jane is lovely and has plenty of rooms that have their own bathroom.

They do, but according to their website those cost 250 bucks per night in July.

but apparently some London ILXors did come to the pub only 10 or 15 minutes after we'd left.

*cough cough*

I have stayed at this place twice:
http://applecorehotels.com/la-quinta-manhattan/

it is in Koreatown (Midtown), so you are surrounded by 24 hour Korean barbecue places. Also, right around the corner from the Empire State Building.

We stayed here in Brooklyn for under $200 a night a couple julys ago. The room was tiny but most NYC hotel rooms are and the rest of the place was perfectly fine.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g60827-d622721-Reviews-Holiday_Inn_Express_Brooklyn-Brooklyn_New_York.html

I think the four points sheraton soho might come in under two hundred - ok I just now checked, it's 246, which I know over the course of a week and a half gets into serious money. Getting a room in the city under two hundred is likely to put you in some fairly "I Hated My Trip to America" spots I fear. Priceline is your friend, if booking Priceline internationally is allowed.

Yeah, if $200 a night is too much but you don't want a shared bath, AND you want enough room to actually unpack a suitcase, may I suggest looking at bed & breakfasts instead of hotels? Or air b'n'b, like someone said.

In a B&B even though you sometimes have to share a bath, the kind of ppl you're more likely to be sharing it with are like someone's sedate parents who want to come to NYC and stay in a quiet Victorian townhouse. Also some B&B suites have kitchens or kitchenettes so you could do a little of your own food during the stay.

My parents have stayed in a couple of places, I think their favorite was Wyman House, on the Upper West Side. It's in an incredibly nice neighborhood, has some of the best food in the city around it, and the front of the house faces the Hudson River. Proprietors were a young-ish couple who had restored the bldg themselves iirc. (This was maybe 6-7 years ago.)

gershwin was $150 per night iirc; I know you discounted it but thought I'd re-mention

was fine for me (a 30 yo hipster) and my dad (a 48 yo nuclear engineer)

SBARRO IS GOOD. EAT AT SBARRO. SBARRO. EAT THERE. HAVED SOME FOOD. SPADGETTY. BIG BOWLS. SBARRO. FORK. KNIFE. MILKSHAKE DRINK. TASTES GOOD. NABKIN DISPENDER. HOT AIR BLOWER. COST MORE MDONILLDS. BETTER THEN MDONILLDS. COST MORE BURGER KING. BETTER THEN BURGER KING. SBARRO COST MORE DOLLARS AND BETTER THEN THOSED ONES. HAVED SPADGETTY. SBARRO. BIG BOWLS. SIT AT BOOTHS. WAIT FOR SPADGETTY. FORK AND KNIFE. HOT AIR BLOWER. THEY COST MORE. THEY ACT NICE. SBARRO PAY THEM. YOU PAY THEM. JUST USE MONEY. DISPENDER. HOT AIR BLOWER. GARLICK BRED. FORK AND KNIFE. BIG BOWL OF SPADGETTYS. TO GIVED THEM MONEY. EATING BOOTH. JUST PAY WITH MONEY. THEY DO THE REST. PARMAZING CHEEZE DISPENDER. TASTES GOOD. BETTER THAN MDONILIDS. HOT AIR BLOWER. GARLIC BRED ROLL. TASTES GOOD. WAIT FOR SPADGETTY. CHAIR FOR BABIES. USE DISPENDER. USE FORK. USE KNIFE. USE BOOTH. USE SBARRO. THEY DO THE REST.

Tuomas, last time we were there (2011) we stayed in the Hotel Pennsylvania. Opposite Penn Station and next to Macy's so comfortably midtown(ish). We booked with the airline but it was easily cheap enough, and I just looked on their website using your dates. They have doubles with private bath down at the $170 mark without discount codes (which must exist somewhere if they take them). It wasn't anything special, but it was certainly good enough (and imo much better than a Holiday Inn).― Troughton-masked Replicant (aldo), Tuesday, 22 January 2013 11:18 (10 hours ago) 
http://www.hotelpenn.com/― Troughton-masked Replicant (aldo), Tuesday, 22 January 2013 11:19 (10 hours ago) 

Available on your actual dates, meeting your actual criteria including budget. Just saying.

Bump!

It's only five weeks before we'll be there, so it'd be nice to set up a FAP, if people are still into it? We ended up booking rooms from the Nolitan Hotel, at 30 Kenmare Street.

Like I said upthread, any evening in the week from June 8th to June 14th is fine by me for a meet. I guess if people are working, Friday or Saturday would be better, but midweek is okay with me too. We'll be going to see a baseball game at the Yankee Stadium on Wednesday the 10th, though... It starts at 7 PM, I don't know how long baseball games last? So maybe Wednesday is not ideal, unless the FAP starts kinda late.

Oh, and I'd still love to hear shopping recommendations on the stuff I mentioned in the first post.

I would like to join in a Tuomas FAP if it happens. Since I can't drink alcohol or eat 90% of the things ppl like, I'll just come wherever ppl decide on. It's all one.

xpost

i had a medium-sized shoulder bag with me which was searched, but neither the bag or anything in it was confiscated (i prob had a bottle of water in there)

tuomas, have you ever been to a football (soccer) match? that's my main sporting event experience, and needless to say baseball was a TOTALLY different experience

btw this is a crappy pic of the time machine (taken w. permission)

http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc497/WardFowler/ny350_zpsfdfe3c30.jpg

it was a nice walk from here to washington square, on a very sunny day. and now i will stop posting on yr thread - you will have such a great time, tuomas!

if toumdawg wants to see a baseball game, he should go see the brooklyn cyclones in coney island imo. cheaper, cozier, stuff to see nearby.

they're playing on turf this year tho, because the hurricane washed the field away

agree

plus the REAL Yankee Stadium is gone forever

the real yankee stadium was a charmless pit tho

if toumdawg wants to see a baseball game, he should go see the brooklyn cyclones in coney island imo.

Like I said, the tickets are already booked... And the whole thing was not my idea, but I'll try to make the most of it.

So yeah, so far only Jon (I think) has said he'd come to the FAP, what about you other folks?

if I were in nyc I'd come for a drink tuomas

*raises hand*

Cool!

well sure

Confident that many more people will show up at this auspicious event than the thread would indicate at this point.

Tuomas, work on ENBB. If you can get an ENBB you will draw out many surprise ILXors is my experience.

Oh? I'd love to meet her too, but does she live anywhere near New York?

Anyway, what do you think would be a good day for the FAP? Weekday or weekend? Looking at our schedule, Tuesday the 9th, Thursday the 11th, Friday the 12th, or Saturday the 13th are all available.

nah, she's in Boston and would need a hotel/journey to get there. But when I went to NYC, she arranged for a bunch of nice ILXors to drink with me.

Confident that many more people will show up at this auspicious event than the thread would indicate at this point.

There's about an 80% chance I'll be in NYC for some of July and I'm absolutely going to be at this if the timing works out.

But this is June we're talking about, right? Like, next week?

Check the thread title

Yeah, July, not June.

Weekday probably better for me.

i will drink a beer with ilxors.

oh ok lol I was going from what Tuomas said in this latest revive. Anyway I'm as much in town in a month as I am now.

let me scare you off the Gerwshin, btw. I went there (on an ilxor rec), was on the 13th floor (aren't hotels not supposed to have 13th floors? let alone exactly 13 floors)? I saw a dwarf in the lobby (twin peaksian portent of doom). was about 120 degrees in the room. shower did not work. bed was about 1 inch thick. Lasted half the night and left to check into the Hudson.

i will drink a beer with ilxors.

I stayed at the Gershwin once when they had hostel rooms (like in 1997-98)? I just remember some dude wandering around the room all night without a shirt on and the bathroom shower running the entire time.

I might be down for this! But I'm not sure anyone will know who I am so I might be awkwardly crashing an old-timer's shindig.

nah, it'll be fine

the first time i met many nyc ilxors i had come from a prospective father's baby shower, i.e. we'd been drinking since noon. the fap was at nine or something and as ppl showed up late they reportedly thought i was developmentally disabled because i was so drunk.

you will almost certainly cut a better figure than that, although i personally might confuse you with erstwhile ilxor/white-haired britishes guitarist dr. c

aw, thanks!

the fap was at nine or something and as ppl showed up late they reportedly thought i was developmentally disabled because i was so drunk.

OK lol. Sorry.

Tuomas! I'm sorry I never got back to you on FB. I would love to come but I'm actually already taking a couple days off that week and am heading to Florida on the 11th otherwise I would definitely have tried to make it down. I hope it's awesome whatever you guys end up doing. :)

BUMP

there's some drinking being done in the East Village tomw eve, apparently, w/ possible sunset-Stonehenge viewing if the weather isn't shit. Does that work for you, Tuomas?

(he seems not to have posted since last Wednesday)

joeks on you if you thought tuomas or James Redd and the Blecchs actually existed

Come on, where did all those posts come from then? A magic typewriter?

Set next to Morbius at MoMA a week ago Friday so he can attest to my reality.

Good thing I never spent any money on Teach Yourself Finnish.

I thought you started but didn't finnish

Correct comeback: ''eh, so Suomi!''

i wish i could meet tuomas.

I thought this might coincide with east coast hijinks, but no luck

me and another ilx0r plan to hunt him in Finland in December

I'm terribly sorry guys, I really was in New York (and Philly and Washington)! I can't post pics to this thread if you want proof. It's just the week before the trip was so busy I forgot to check this thread, and when we were there we had so much stuff to do there wasn't really time for a FAP. But I liked NYC enough that I want to visit it again some day, hopefully my schedule will be less tight then, so I can hang out with ILXors.

I can post pics to this thread...

me and another ilx0r plan to hunt him in Finland in December

When are you coming here? We're planning to go to London for the Christmas week, so I won't be around then. But if it's some other time, sure, I'm game!

(Pun intended.)

smd pää

could have at least sent fake Tuomas to a fap

semi-bohemian clothes