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Flying in Sunday for client meetings next week at 1 Madison, any special places for a leisurely Sunday evening around Madison Square Park/Flatiron district? Anything to see in the 20s? Not my usual haunts. Hell, I'm staying in a nondescript Hyatt simply because walking distance to work and no yellow flags in concur.

Posted
On 10/22/2025 at 12:36 AM, BearSchlong said:

Flying in Sunday for client meetings next week at 1 Madison, any special places for a leisurely Sunday evening around Madison Square Park/Flatiron district? Anything to see in the 20s? Not my usual haunts. Hell, I'm staying in a nondescript Hyatt simply because walking distance to work and no yellow flags in concur.

Martiny's on East 17th has outstanding cocktails and really good food.

And you can never go wrong with Gramercy Tavern.

 

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Posted

So, hopefully got both kiddos coming home (to the US) for Xmas this year.  We have talked about taking a 3-4 day trip after New Years as a family, then they'd fly back overseas.

I'm toying with NYC.  Like, maybe flying in on the 1st (will the stupid New Year's crowds be thinning out then?), and then having the kids fly back to Europe from JFK on the 4th or 5th.  Would be a shorter and easier flight for each of them, so that's an advantage.  But is that a good time to be there?  And....what should be on our agenda?  Sure, we can see a show, hit a museum or two we haven't hit....but what else?

The boy's suggestion for a similar timeframe was to visit NOLA, and I know what to do there over a few days, but am trying to sort out what a NYC itinerary would look like.

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Posted
3 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

So, hopefully got both kiddos coming home (to the US) for Xmas this year.  We have talked about taking a 3-4 day trip after New Years as a family, then they'd fly back overseas.

I'm toying with NYC.  Like, maybe flying in on the 1st (will the stupid New Year's crowds be thinning out then?), and then having the kids fly back to Europe from JFK on the 4th or 5th.  Would be a shorter and easier flight for each of them, so that's an advantage.  But is that a good time to be there?  And....what should be on our agenda?  Sure, we can see a show, hit a museum or two we haven't hit....but what else?

The boy's suggestion for a similar timeframe was to visit NOLA, and I know what to do there over a few days, but am trying to sort out what a NYC itinerary would look like.

Until an expert arrives to answer your question:

 

My NYC experience over NYE was a long time ago, but so was my experience in NOLA during a different NYE.  And here's my take based on repeated visits to both cities since then: I honestly didn't notice a difference between NYC between Christmas and New Year's Eve versus any other time I have been there.  There are a lot of people there either way.   Even getting down to Time Square on the 31st wasn't a big deal (we were at a concert at MSG), and by the time we got back on the street, Time Square was a ghost town and cabs were nonexistent.  I imagine hotels after the big night are going to be easier to come by and possibly more reasonable (but see hotels are expensive thread).  But other than being cold and snowing a bit, it was just like any other trip to NYC for me.

 

I'm a total sucker for top of the Empire State Building as a tourist.  American History museum and Central Park are always a good way to spend my day.  Frank in the East Village is delicious.

 

I was in the quarter in NOLA for NYE when Texas was playing in the Sugar Bowl.  I'll never do that again.  It was like Mardi Gras times 10 and absolutely miserable.  The rest of the city was fine.  That's just to say that if I had my pick of spending NYE in either of those cities, it would be NYC 6 days-a-week and twice on Sunday.  

 

Again, I wouldn't hesitate to go in very early January (but haven't been at that time).

Posted
4 hours ago, SimonBolivar said:

@PenelopeWitherspoon If you had to pick one of Great Gatsby, The Outsiders, Stranger Things, or Maybe Happy Ending would one of them stand out among the rest?

Edit: and I just realized that Maybe Happy Ending won the Tony so that's probably an easy choice.

I haven't seen any of them (though I had Maybe Happy Ending tickets twice...I blame work), but I would go with that.

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Posted
6 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

So, hopefully got both kiddos coming home (to the US) for Xmas this year.  We have talked about taking a 3-4 day trip after New Years as a family, then they'd fly back overseas.

I'm toying with NYC.  Like, maybe flying in on the 1st (will the stupid New Year's crowds be thinning out then?), and then having the kids fly back to Europe from JFK on the 4th or 5th.  Would be a shorter and easier flight for each of them, so that's an advantage.  But is that a good time to be there?  And....what should be on our agenda?  Sure, we can see a show, hit a museum or two we haven't hit....but what else?

The boy's suggestion for a similar timeframe was to visit NOLA, and I know what to do there over a few days, but am trying to sort out what a NYC itinerary would look like.

 

3 hours ago, dcbc said:

Until an expert arrives to answer your question:

 

My NYC experience over NYE was a long time ago, but so was my experience in NOLA during a different NYE.  And here's my take based on repeated visits to both cities since then: I honestly didn't notice a difference between NYC between Christmas and New Year's Eve versus any other time I have been there.  There are a lot of people there either way.   Even getting down to Time Square on the 31st wasn't a big deal (we were at a concert at MSG), and by the time we got back on the street, Time Square was a ghost town and cabs were nonexistent.  I imagine hotels after the big night are going to be easier to come by and possibly more reasonable (but see hotels are expensive thread).  But other than being cold and snowing a bit, it was just like any other trip to NYC for me.

 

I'm a total sucker for top of the Empire State Building as a tourist.  American History museum and Central Park are always a good way to spend my day.  Frank in the East Village is delicious.

 

I was in the quarter in NOLA for NYE when Texas was playing in the Sugar Bowl.  I'll never do that again.  It was like Mardi Gras times 10 and absolutely miserable.  The rest of the city was fine.  That's just to say that if I had my pick of spending NYE in either of those cities, it would be NYC 6 days-a-week and twice on Sunday.  

 

Again, I wouldn't hesitate to go in very early January (but haven't been at that time).

When I get home and on a computer I'll let you know my thoughts. I think NYC is a great idea.

Posted
17 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

So, hopefully got both kiddos coming home (to the US) for Xmas this year.  We have talked about taking a 3-4 day trip after New Years as a family, then they'd fly back overseas.

I'm toying with NYC.  Like, maybe flying in on the 1st (will the stupid New Year's crowds be thinning out then?), and then having the kids fly back to Europe from JFK on the 4th or 5th.  Would be a shorter and easier flight for each of them, so that's an advantage.  But is that a good time to be there?  And....what should be on our agenda?  Sure, we can see a show, hit a museum or two we haven't hit....but what else?

The boy's suggestion for a similar timeframe was to visit NOLA, and I know what to do there over a few days, but am trying to sort out what a NYC itinerary would look like.

Ok, as promised.  Most of the craziness post NYE dies down almost immediately.  Most people leave either the 1st or 2nd, so flying in the 1st is usually a good idea. Also, you still catch the store windows (Bergdorf, Saks, and Bloomingdale's all have outstanding windows) and the Rockefeller Christmas Tree, as well as the Bryant Park Village.  

It has not been bitterly cold at that time as that usually comes in later January/February, though there could be snow, especially this year since it is forecasted to be a heavy snow year.  That being said, if it is just snow showers, which a lot of time do not stick, that makes the city even more magical!

As for what to do, here are a smattering of things that I would recommend.

MUSEUMS

1. Go to the Frick Museum. The Frick is back in the Frick Mansion, so you can see an actual Gilded Age mansion and the art that actually lived in it. 

2. The Met is ALWAYS a good idea, and they have some really cool exhibitions on that I am dying to see. They have Divine Egypt, a Man Ray exhibition, and Spectrum of Desire (which is about love, sex, and gender in the Middle Ages). I am planning to go and catch all these soon, so I will let you know if they are worth it (might do Member Morning Hours this weekend).

3. The Brooklyn Museum has an exhibition about Monet and Venice that I am dying to go to, so that is something I think is really, really cool. 

4. As mentioned upthread, there is also the Natural History Museum, which is great, and now has a massive expansion, the Halls of Gems and Minerals, which opened in 2021. I have not been, but it is on my to do for a weekend this fall.

5. There are other museums that are really cool as well. The Met Cloisters, which is way uptown on the Upper West Side, is beautiful and tranquil, and I highly recommend a visit (dedicated to the art and architecture of the Middle Ages). The Neue Gallery has the Woman in Gold by Klimt, which is absolutely stunning to see. You can also have brunch at Cafe Sabarsky for a touch of Vienna in NYC. The Guggenheim is usually fun to walk through, and I love the Cooper Hewitt Design Museum which is housed in the Carnegie Mansion. It is closed right now due to the government shutdown, so who knows. The Museum of the City of New York is also on the UES. The New York Historical Society has a good museum, and currently has an exhibit about the Gay Harlem Renaissance, and will have an exhibit about the Declaration of Independence starting in November. There is the Whitney (almost all Modern Art, with a good surrealist collection) and the Museum of Modern Art. The Morgan Museum and Library is in what used to be the personal library of JP Morgan.  And those are just some of the top museums.  Here is a list (https://www.cntraveler.com/gallery/best-museums-in-new-york-city).

EXPLORE

One of my favorite things to do is to pick a neighborhood and explore. You find shops, bars, and restaurants that you never knew existed.  Also, you see a lot of history when you do this.  There is a really cool book I have, Walking New York by Keith Taillon, which gives you ideas of routes to take through different neighborhoods. 

When I am doing this, I try and plan a rough route on Google Maps and send it to my phone.  I recently did this when I took Harvey through the UES to look at Halloween decorations.  

FOOD AND DRINK

I think your kids are of legal drinking age, so here is the run down of my favorite bars and restaurants in the city. 

Bars

My Tried and True

Katana Kitten - West Village - Amazing Vibe. Great Drinks.

Overstory - FIDI - The view is phenom, even in winter. Get the Terroir Old Fashioned. It changed my life!

schmuck - Cool new bar in the East Village. Great drinks.

Mace - Greenwich Village - I think the drinks here are outstanding.  Really cool vibe.

Jimmy's Corner - A complete dive near Times Square - It is close to my office, and I can get double grey goose and soda for $10. Win win.

Maison Premiere - A New Orleans cocktail bar in Brooklyn

Fraunces Tavern - It is touristy, yes, but it is also old as hell, and a piece of American history. Bar is good for beer and bites.

McSorley's Old Ale House - They only have light and dark beer, and snacks, but this bar is awesome.

Jeremy's - a cool bar on the UES.

Martiny's - Great cocktails with some good food near Gramercy.

The Bar at the Plaza - Has some great cocktails, very $$$

On My "To Do" List

Suberbueno, Double Chicken Please, Monsieur, Bemelman's Bar, the King Cole Bar, NR, Sunken Harbor Club, Bar Kabawa, Clemente Bar, etc... I have way too long of a wish list.

Restaurants

My favorites

Le Veau d'Or on the UES (60th at Lex) is my absolute favorite right now. It is old school in the best way, with classic French dishes. They do offal well, and have a great wine list.

King - Southern French and Italian place in Hudson Square owned by a group of women who put out great food with a great wine list

Frenchette/Le Rock - Same guys as Le Veau d'Or, always good

Chateau Royale - Same guys as Libertine. Libertine is more casual, Chateau Royale is much more supper club, but the food is outstanding.

Bangkok Supper Club in the West Village is outstanding. Has the best dessert I have ever had.

Semma is outstanding as well. This is also in the West Village.

Claud in the East Village has outstanding food and good wine.

Crown Shy which is in Fidi from the late, great James Kent. Still one of my favorites.

One White Street has a cool vibe, and Austin Johnson has moved on, but I still enjoy the food. In Tribeca.

Barbuto for the chicken.

Dame for the fish and chips.

Raf's for the fashion crowd.

I just went to Sushi Saikou last night (it is on Elizabeth just north of Houston), and it was outstanding. Omakase is $120, which IMO is a steal.

Scalinatella for really solid Italian in a restaurant that if you know you know.

In Brooklyn, I recently went to Radio Kwara, a Nigerian restaurant. The food is great (by the same guys as Department of Culture), the service was meh, but it is BYOW.

Maison Passerelle in the Printemps store on Wall Street.  Really solid mixture of Caribbean and French. The bars in that store are outstanding as well.

Monkey Bar - The burger is legit.  Also, speaking of burgers, JG Melon and PJ Clark's on third avenue are two of my favorites. Raoul's also has a killer burger, but go for brunch to get it. Same burger is done at their diner across the street (Revelie).

Cafe Chelsea at the Chelsea Hotel - Food is good, people watching is better. Hotel is amazing.  If you can stay there.

My to visit list

I feel like this gets longer and longer all the time.  Kabawa (Caribbean), Cafe Rue Dix (West African), Tatiana (good luck getting a res...if you do, can I come?), Mariscos El Submarino (Greenpoint Brooklyn), Taqueria Ramirez, Hanoi House, The Office of Mr. Moto, 4 Charles Prime Rib (good luck getting a res...if you do, can I come?), Le Chene, The Four Horsement, I Cavallini, Mam, Kono, Lei, Theodora, Ursula Brooklyn, Lucali, Bong, Red Hook Tavern, etc.....

Other To Dos

Printemps Department Store on Wall Street.  It is in a historic building, and they incorporated the existing spaces into the store. https://us.printemps.com/ Check out articles about it, because it talks about the history of the building.

Go vintage shopping.  NYC has a ton of great vintage stores. My regular is Designer Revival up on E 81st.

Go visit all the bookstores.  There are some great bookstores littered throughout the city.  Albertine on 5th Ave is a French bookstore (with books in French) and Argosy on E 59th has rare and antique books (and maps). https://www.vogue.com/article/best-bookstores-in-new-york-city-a-guide and https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/new-yorker-writers-and-editors-favorite-bookstores-in-new-york-city and https://www.timeout.com/newyork/books/best-bookstores-in-new-york-city

There is so much more to do. I still think the best thing to do is pick a neighborhood and wander around. 

 

 

 

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Posted
Ok, as promised.  Most of the craziness post NYE dies down almost immediately.  Most people leave either the 1st or 2nd, so flying in the 1st is usually a good idea. Also, you still catch the store windows (Bergdorf, Saks, and Bloomingdale's all have outstanding windows) and the Rockefeller Christmas Tree, as well as the Bryant Park Village.  
It has not been bitterly cold at that time as that usually comes in later January/February, though there could be snow, especially this year since it is forecasted to be a heavy snow year.  That being said, if it is just snow showers, which a lot of time do not stick, that makes the city even more magical!
As for what to do, here are a smattering of things that I would recommend.
MUSEUMS
1. Go to the Frick Museum. The Frick is back in the Frick Mansion, so you can see an actual Gilded Age mansion and the art that actually lived in it. 
2. The Met is ALWAYS a good idea, and they have some really cool exhibitions on that I am dying to see. They have Divine Egypt, a Man Ray exhibition, and Spectrum of Desire (which is about love, sex, and gender in the Middle Ages). I am planning to go and catch all these soon, so I will let you know if they are worth it (might do Member Morning Hours this weekend).
3. The Brooklyn Museum has an exhibition about Monet and Venice that I am dying to go to, so that is something I think is really, really cool. 
4. As mentioned upthread, there is also the Natural History Museum, which is great, and now has a massive expansion, the Halls of Gems and Minerals, which opened in 2021. I have not been, but it is on my to do for a weekend this fall.
5. There are other museums that are really cool as well. The Met Cloisters, which is way uptown on the Upper West Side, is beautiful and tranquil, and I highly recommend a visit (dedicated to the art and architecture of the Middle Ages). The Neue Gallery has the Woman in Gold by Klimt, which is absolutely stunning to see. You can also have brunch at Cafe Sabarsky for a touch of Vienna in NYC. The Guggenheim is usually fun to walk through, and I love the Cooper Hewitt Design Museum which is housed in the Carnegie Mansion. It is closed right now due to the government shutdown, so who knows. The Museum of the City of New York is also on the UES. The New York Historical Society has a good museum, and currently has an exhibit about the Gay Harlem Renaissance, and will have an exhibit about the Declaration of Independence starting in November. There is the Whitney (almost all Modern Art, with a good surrealist collection) and the Museum of Modern Art. The Morgan Museum and Library is in what used to be the personal library of JP Morgan.  And those are just some of the top museums.  Here is a list (https://www.cntraveler.com/gallery/best-museums-in-new-york-city).
EXPLORE
One of my favorite things to do is to pick a neighborhood and explore. You find shops, bars, and restaurants that you never knew existed.  Also, you see a lot of history when you do this.  There is a really cool book I have, Walking New York by Keith Taillon, which gives you ideas of routes to take through different neighborhoods. 
When I am doing this, I try and plan a rough route on Google Maps and send it to my phone.  I recently did this when I took Harvey through the UES to look at Halloween decorations.  
FOOD AND DRINK
I think your kids are of legal drinking age, so here is the run down of my favorite bars and restaurants in the city. 
Bars
My Tried and True
Katana Kitten - West Village - Amazing Vibe. Great Drinks.
Overstory - FIDI - The view is phenom, even in winter. Get the Terroir Old Fashioned. It changed my life!
schmuck - Cool new bar in the East Village. Great drinks.
Mace - Greenwich Village - I think the drinks here are outstanding.  Really cool vibe.
Jimmy's Corner - A complete dive near Times Square - It is close to my office, and I can get double grey goose and soda for $10. Win win.
Maison Premiere - A New Orleans cocktail bar in Brooklyn
Fraunces Tavern - It is touristy, yes, but it is also old as hell, and a piece of American history. Bar is good for beer and bites.
McSorley's Old Ale House - They only have light and dark beer, and snacks, but this bar is awesome.
Jeremy's - a cool bar on the UES.
Martiny's - Great cocktails with some good food near Gramercy.
The Bar at the Plaza - Has some great cocktails, very $$$
On My "To Do" List
Suberbueno, Double Chicken Please, Monsieur, Bemelman's Bar, the King Cole Bar, NR, Sunken Harbor Club, Bar Kabawa, Clemente Bar, etc... I have way too long of a wish list.
Restaurants
My favorites
Le Veau d'Or on the UES (60th at Lex) is my absolute favorite right now. It is old school in the best way, with classic French dishes. They do offal well, and have a great wine list.
King - Southern French and Italian place in Hudson Square owned by a group of women who put out great food with a great wine list
Frenchette/Le Rock - Same guys as Le Veau d'Or, always good
Chateau Royale - Same guys as Libertine. Libertine is more casual, Chateau Royale is much more supper club, but the food is outstanding.
Bangkok Supper Club in the West Village is outstanding. Has the best dessert I have ever had.
Semma is outstanding as well. This is also in the West Village.
Claud in the East Village has outstanding food and good wine.
Crown Shy which is in Fidi from the late, great James Kent. Still one of my favorites.
One White Street has a cool vibe, and Austin Johnson has moved on, but I still enjoy the food. In Tribeca.
Barbuto for the chicken.
Dame for the fish and chips.
Raf's for the fashion crowd.
I just went to Sushi Saikou last night (it is on Elizabeth just north of Houston), and it was outstanding. Omakase is $120, which IMO is a steal.
Scalinatella for really solid Italian in a restaurant that if you know you know.
In Brooklyn, I recently went to Radio Kwara, a Nigerian restaurant. The food is great (by the same guys as Department of Culture), the service was meh, but it is BYOW.
Maison Passerelle in the Printemps store on Wall Street.  Really solid mixture of Caribbean and French. The bars in that store are outstanding as well.
Monkey Bar - The burger is legit.  Also, speaking of burgers, JG Melon and PJ Clark's on third avenue are two of my favorites. Raoul's also has a killer burger, but go for brunch to get it. Same burger is done at their diner across the street (Revelie).
Cafe Chelsea at the Chelsea Hotel - Food is good, people watching is better. Hotel is amazing.  If you can stay there.
My to visit list
I feel like this gets longer and longer all the time.  Kabawa (Caribbean), Cafe Rue Dix (West African), Tatiana (good luck getting a res...if you do, can I come?), Mariscos El Submarino (Greenpoint Brooklyn), Taqueria Ramirez, Hanoi House, The Office of Mr. Moto, 4 Charles Prime Rib (good luck getting a res...if you do, can I come?), Le Chene, The Four Horsement, I Cavallini, Mam, Kono, Lei, Theodora, Ursula Brooklyn, Lucali, Bong, Red Hook Tavern, etc.....
Other To Dos
Printemps Department Store on Wall Street.  It is in a historic building, and they incorporated the existing spaces into the store. https://us.printemps.com/ Check out articles about it, because it talks about the history of the building.
Go vintage shopping.  NYC has a ton of great vintage stores. My regular is Designer Revival up on E 81st.
Go visit all the bookstores.  There are some great bookstores littered throughout the city.  Albertine on 5th Ave is a French bookstore (with books in French) and Argosy on E 59th has rare and antique books (and maps). https://www.vogue.com/article/best-bookstores-in-new-york-city-a-guide and https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/new-yorker-writers-and-editors-favorite-bookstores-in-new-york-city and https://www.timeout.com/newyork/books/best-bookstores-in-new-york-city
There is so much more to do. I still think the best thing to do is pick a neighborhood and wander around. 
 
 
 

Can you at least provide some details for goodness sake’s? What a great summary!

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