NYC!!!!!!

So, I am so excited to be heading into the Big City (NY) in 3 more weeks. I am going to the Jacob Javitz center for the IBS Beauty Expo with a handful of relatives/friends. I am from NY, but about 5 hours' drive north, so this is a real treat for me!

My point for sharing this is, for any of you familiar with the city (I have limited experience) please feel free to chime in and give me some "must do's... My sis and I will probably take metro down to china town, and we all plan on seeing "The Adam's Family" on broadway (we are staying right in midtown) Anyway any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!!!!! I will be there for 3 full days...

-The Metropolitan Musem of Art
-Isamu Noguchi Museum (Queens)
-The Cloisters
-Japan Society
-St. Mark's place and Astor place for the old East Village punk feel- note: qucikly gentrifying, see what is left of it before it vanishes forever...
-Top of the rock for the view
-Chinatown Ice Cream Factory
-Korea Town if you like korean food (midtown, 32nd betw bway & 5th). Woorijip is a good place for a low-priced korean lunch.
- Venieros - Best Italian pastry, great cafe room with stained glass cielings
- Second Avenue Deli or Katz's for kosher deli
- Ess-a-Bagel for best bagels in the whole world, just don't ask them to toast your bagel, it is considered an insult (trust me they don't need to be toasted anyway)
- Ippudo for japanese ramen
- Haveli for Indian in the East Village
- Holy Basil for Thai in the East Village- awesome place!
- Best sushi in the city = Sushi Yasusa, very pricey but worth it if you're into authentic 4 star stuff
- Best gourmet burger = Stand in Greenwich Village

WOW! Now, there's some ideas. Thanks. I am wondering where to find Ess-a-Bagel? sounds fantastic. And is Chinatown Ice Cream Factory near Canal Street (Where i would get off the metro)?

Chinatown Ice Cream factory: 1 block south of Canal, check out google maps for the nearest metro, I think it would be the canal st stop onthe  #6 train

http://chinatownicecreamfactory.com/
http://www.menupages.com/restaurants/chinatown-ice-cream-factory/

Ess-A-Bagel has 2 locations: 51st street and third ave, and 21st street and first ave.
http://www.ess-a-bagel.com/
http://www.menupages.com/restaurants/ess-a-bagel-2/

Again, the 6 train will bring you closest to both Essabagel places.

I also really recommend venieros if you're into unique places that have been around for over 100 years (est 1894)

http://venierospastry.com/cafe.html

I occasionally indulge at this place, I don't like their cheesecakes, but their other pastry goodies are the best (millifoglie, lobster tails, pignoli cookies.. Sfogliatelli are my fave). You have to walk to the back of the shop at the end of the long pastry counter to be seated in their cafe area with the stained glass.

Also, just my 2c, I wouldn't spend any more time in the Theatre district or the Times Square area than you have to- it's all tourist traps, touristy restaurants and disney souvenier store. Going to chinatown is a great idea, neighborhoods like that are "real NY" and where you're going to find the good stuff NYers enjoy.

tell us more about you, nyc has it all,  and 3 day is short, so what is your interest.  canal street is a long street 

BB gave you a great great list. Of course, food-wise, you're RNY, so you want to go places that would be good for that.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IPPUDO for any of us who've had WLS. Try the Japanese cucumber appetizer and some delicious ramen with extra pork belly for your protein. The broth is magnificent - I'd eat that first, just to get the flavor, eat your protein, then a few bites of the handmade ramen noodles. I'd never had ramen (besides what you buy in stores, which isn't at all comparable) before, and now I'm hooked.

You have to get there when you're not yet hungry since the wait can be up to 2 hours. It's worth it - amongst the best food I've ever had. (And I've had great food!)

If you have anyone there who hasn't had WLS, order the pork buns. (You can actually order these at the bar while you wait for your table). They are heavenly. Maybe your friends/family will let you have a bite. (But just have one bite or you won't have room for your ramen!)

From there, just walk 1 block south and then walk east down St. Mark's to see the fabulous, funky, cool East Village. I live right near there and it's pretty much where I spend all of my time. (Though I'm not in the EV, I'm in NoHo, but these are minor details to others...)

OMG the pork buns at Ippudo are pure evil. I mean that most affectionately.

The trick to getting a table at Ippudo quickly is to arrive a half hour before they open. Hubs and I loved it so much we brought the in-laws several times.

Here's ippudo's official site

Also, Momofuku Noodle Bar is legendary.  If you pre-order it, you can have their fried chicken dinner for 4.  It's a way to reserve a seat somewhere you can't usually reserve them, and it's one of the very best restaurants in the city (but still affordable, by our standards.)

You're staying a great part of town since it's super accessible, but definitely it's a good idea to get away from it, too.  It is exhausting being around that many people, and so much of NYC isn't nearly that crowded.  :)

Thanks everyone! We are staying in midtown for the convenience of the hair show and for the broadway show we will be seeing. We plan on otherwise venturing away from TimesSquare as we have all seen it already and yes, it is a BIG tourist trap!

I will keep these ideas bookmarked to reference in the future too, as I like to come into the city at least once/year. (And being RNY, I would only want a "bite" of some of those things mentioned even though I appear to have a steel pouch). Thanks again!