Nyc vacation | Imamother

Roses4me

Thu, May 19 2016, 2:02 pm

We are travelling to NYC for a few days. Including shabbos.
Where is good to eat, stay, shopping, sight seeing etc. we will have only 2 days plus shabbos. Coming from overseas so no idea about anything.
Is it nice to stay in Manhatten? Or somewhere else?
And what are options for shabbos?
TIA

Rutabaga

Thu, May 19 2016, 11:38 pm

NYC is so big that it can be overwhelming. If you're coming for just a couple of days then you may want to stick to a small area rather than wasting a lot of time traveling around.

You could spend a full week in Manhattan and only cover the highlights. The pros are that there's a lot to do and many options in terms of hotels and restaurants. Unfortunately staying and eating in Manhattan can get very expensive and the eruv is very controversial.

If you want to stay in a kosher hotel, then there are limited options. You're probably best off in Brooklyn, which is also good for tznius shopping if that's something you're interested in. There are plenty of excellent restaurants in Brooklyn as well. I think there are issues with the eruv there too though.

Do you know anyone in NY who would be willing to host you for shabbos? Most residential areas that have an eruv don't really have hotels. You may be able to find hachnasas orchim apartments though.

How many people are you traveling with and what ages? What are your interests? The more info you share, the better Imamothers who live in NY will be able to advise you.

amother

Burgundy

Fri, May 20 2016, 4:06 am

Which type of "Yid" are you? Would you feel more comfortable with Boro Park, Flatbush, Crown Heights, or Williamsburg community? All are in Brooklyn, and all are close to Manhattan, especially if you take the subway, then it's also cheaper to travel.
Or, you can go upstate to Monsey or Monroe, but those are further away from Manhattan, but also have some interesting places to go, and tznius stores to shop.
What type of entertainment do you like, sightseeing, tours, amusement? Either has its place that is better to a specific area.

Roses4me

Fri, May 20 2016, 4:36 am

We are chareidi - black hat type. Actually sefardi if there is a frum sefardi shule it would be a treat for dh as here theres none.
Hmm its hard to decide about the sightseeing. Something easily done with a 2yo. Or a couple of things. Maybe by the water?
How far is manhatten? Is it easy to take taxis close by? Or subway best?
Which restaurants are glatt or what do I look up?

doctorima

Fri, May 20 2016, 4:45 am

The eiruvin in Manhattan and Brooklyn are not at all widely accepted (to be generous), so please check with your LOR before using them. If you have any contacts on the UWS, you could have a nice Shabbos there. Otherwise, Shabbos in Manhattan can be challenging. There are plenty of other nearby options - Brooklyn, Queens, NJ suburbs, Monsey, Riverdale, etc.

The main tourist attractions are in Manhattan, but if you're from overseas, from a Jewish perspective, you might find it interesting (and good shopping) to walk down a main street in one of the Brooklyn Jewish neighborhoods (e.g. 13th Avenue in Boro Park, Avenue J and Coney Island in Flatbush, or Lee Ave? in Williamsbug).

doctorima

Sun, May 22 2016, 6:46 am

Brooklyn is comprised of many neighborhoods. Some of the largest frum ones are Flatbush (more Litvish), Boro Park (more Chassidish), and Williamsburg (heavily Satmar). Queens also has many Jews, but not quite as concentrated as Brooklyn.

amother

Teal

Sun, May 22 2016, 6:51 am

Roses4me wrote:

I see you mention that dh would enjoy a sefardi shul. There are big sefardi communities in queens. Not sure exact details but we have sefardi friends living there and their community is a beautiful one. Maybe a sefardi/ queens another could chime in

samantha87

Sun, May 22 2016, 7:19 am

doctorima wrote:

More to OP's Sephardic point, the higher letter avenues in Flatbush have a strong Sephardic contingent, mainly modern Syrian. Some Queens neighborhoods also have large Sephardic contingents, more from former Soviet republics. Especially Kew Gardens, Forest Hills, and Kew Garden Hills, all nice neighborhoods. There are also Sephardic minyanim in Manhattan, but you have to know where to find them.

Manhattan is the classic ny experience, but very expensive and probably too modern for you. Brooklyn and Queens are easily commutable and may be more your speed.

kiryat sefer

Sun, May 22 2016, 7:19 am

Im a new Yorker for 5 generations of youre looking for attractions we dont have anything major beside jcm for kids and some boatrides. Manhattan is hard place to stay for shabbos. As you might have to go down a million flights of stairs and it also expensive. I would say bp is your best bet.
Cheap stores
For women
Uniquely yours
Mrs k has a sale on 13&47 for a wk
Junees
royal lingerie
Millers
All in one
Peretz
Tov fashion
Rebeccas
Color basic on 46&13
Shoes
Buster brown on 43&13
Elegent shoes
Savon
Food
Amnons
Deli 52
China glatt
Bentzys
Mendelsohn
Mendels pizza
We have a pizza store and a bank on every block so definitely come here

pesek zman

Sun, May 22 2016, 8:56 am

kiryat sefer wrote:

NY doesn't have any attractions? You've got to be kidding me!

N'sMom

Sun, May 22 2016, 10:37 am

Two days are not nearly enough to see NYC, but you can make a good start. I assume that you will want at least one activity to be very child friendly. Could be the Central Park zoo, the museum of Natural History or the Manhattan Children's museum. I live in the neighborhood and my children went to these many many times and never got tired of them! Pm if you want inexpensive places to eat near those (or, if you want expensive ones, for that matter). The zoo is smallish, and beautifully laid out and you will enjoy it too. Also in the same neighborhood as all of the above is the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue, the oldest Sepahrdic shul in the U.s. They have a bais medrash there that is an exact replica of the original shul built in the 1600's. So this is a davening experience combined with sightseeing. In terms of other activities, what do you enjoy? NY certainly has it. Let us know.

In terms of shopping you would probably do better either in Brooklyn or at Woodbury Common. W.C. Is an outlet center near Monsey that has discount outlets for literally everything you could think of. There are buses from Manhattan; some of them include a discount coupon with the fare. W.C is set up like a little pretty village with trees, benches, and places to get treats, coffee, etc., so it is possible to go with a child (and a husband) and leave them to their own devices for a while so you can shop uninterrupted.

amother

Oak

Sun, May 22 2016, 12:23 pm

Flatbush might be nice for you over Shabbat. There are an assortment of sefardic shuls and many sefardim hold from the eruv there.
What sort of eida shul would your husband like to attend? Maybe we can help find the right area for you to stay in.

N'sMom

Sat, Jun 04 2016, 8:26 pm

Depends in what you are looking for. There are two relatively inexpensive places literally a block away -- Bagels and CO on 79th and Amsterdam and Sabba's Pizza on 80th and Amsterdam. If you want something more elegant or more substantial, there are several choices about 10 blocks away in either direction. Let me know what you are looking for.