What To Do in New York City

Another in my continuing series of firsthand reviews of big city haunts frequented by this savvy business traveler. This week, I spent two days and one night in New York City. The Big Apple! The City That Never Sleeps! Yes, that New York City.

Best Hotel: Grand Hyatt on Lexington and East 42nd Street

I stayed in the Grand Hyatt because of its location near my conference. Good plan -- I could maneuver the rotating doors and be at the office in mere minutes. I'm sure it was near many exiting places to visit -- New York is full of them. But I pretty much stuck to the hotel and my meetings. But the hotel was delightful. A grand lobby and entrance resplendent in shiny marble. Friendly reception desk and concierge service. Crowds of young people milling about in their tuxedos and shiny dresses, having hallway conversations practically outside my door at 2:30 am while I was trying to watch a movie... more on that later!

The room was small but well appointed. Wireless was T-Mobile, which means it wasn't free. I consider this a big no-no for $245-a-night hotels, but it worked well. The shower had a glass door and the towels were surprisingly plush.

Best food: Grand Hyatt Hotel

When my conference was planned weeks ago, agendas were distributed, trumpeting a "Dinner in Soho!" Mysteriously, this was not to be. Instead, we dined in a majestic room (called the Majestic Room) in the Grand Hyatt itself. How convenient! The meal began with a salad wedge and dressing. The main course consisted of some sort of cut of prime rib, or steak, drenched in a gravy that helpfully attempted to overcome the meat's chalky texture. The Cabernet Sauvignon (a red wine) was tasty and refilled often, and the plate was adorned with a potato-quiche wedge thingy and those little carrots with the green stuff still hanging on. I highly recommend the dessert, fruit in a chocoloate shell bowl and the after-dinner candies.

Best Place to See a Movie: My room at the Grand Hyatt Hotel

I chose Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire on the Grand Hyatt's "On Command" pay per view movie system. Why leave the room when you don't have to? The movie was gripping. There were some technical problems -- primarily some ghosting in the TV screen. Time to invest in some upgraded tech, Hyatt!

The TV had plenty of channel choices, and I did find myself enjoying HBO that I don't get at home, catching some of the first half of Titanic. Harry Potter ended at about 1:00 am, and, amid the excitment I couldn't sleep, so I tried out HBO again, and it didn't dissappoint: AVP: Aliens versus Predator. Oh yeah.

Worst Shopping: Duane Reade Store on East 42nd Street

Let me just say that I'm extremely disappointed that the Duane Reade doesn't carry postcards. My kid wanted postcards. Why couldn't they have postcards. The staff there looked at me like I was some sort of tourist.

Well, that's about it for now. Hope you feel a little bit more ready now for your next trip to the Big Apple!
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Check out my other informative travel guides:
Things to do When You're in Philadelphia and What I Ate in Chicago. You'll be all the better for it!