Advie on 2nd visit to NYC

My wife and I will be coming to NYC 12/3/06-thru 12/8/06 for the second time.

We stayed on the upper West side in July 05, and this will be a return trip to see things we missed last time, and experience your fall weather.

We are booked into the Eastgate tower on 39th in the Murray Hill area, and would like some info on good places to eat around this area.

We also want to take the train to Philadephia for a day trip, and would appreciate some advice.

Regards

Werris

Advie on 2nd visit to NYC

Nice to know you%26#39;re coming back!!

Sorry to say, you%26#39;ll be here too late for our ';fall weather';. You%26#39;ll be here during our winter. Make sure you have a hat that covers your ears, and a pair of gloves. For weather forecasts, check out:

www.wunderground.com

www.weather.com

Be back....

Advie on 2nd visit to NYC

Here are some good previous posts about travelling to Philly for a day trip:

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g60763-i5-k679547-鈥?/a> Thinking_about_a_day_trip_to_Philadelphia-

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g60763-i5-k777725-鈥?/a> Visiting_another_city-

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g60763-i5-k745073-鈥?/a> Atlantic_City_Philladelphia-

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g60763-i5-k748665-鈥?/a> Day_trip_to_Boston

Early December is still winter in the parts Mate. It can be anwhere between 30-50 degrees F (-1 to 10 C).

Check out Giorgios of Gramery on East 21 street near 5th ave.

http://www.giorgiosofgramercy.com/

The train to Philly departs from penn Station on the west side - 34th street and 7th ave. It%26#39;s run by AMtrak. Remember to sign up for their point program. There%26#39;s plenty to do there. Liberty Bell, Museums. Philly cheesesteak!! :)

Philadelphia is a good choice for a day trip.

During the latter part of the Eighteenth Century, Philadelphia was the second-largest city in the British Empire. As the largest and richest city in America, it was the natural place to hold the meetings that would eventually lead to American independence and the writing of the Constitution. New York was occupied by the British until the end of the Revolution in 1783, and suffered badly from it -- but Philadelphia%26#39;s occupation was intermittent and temporary, and it did not suffer nearly as much. From 1790 to 1800 it was the capital of the US while Washington was being planned and laid out, and for another decade it remained the financial capital of the US. It was later surpassed in size and importance by NY, however, and that is part of the reason that NY has almost none of its 18th C. buildings left while Philadephia has them by the score.

You may want to do some reading about the American Revolution, the Declaration of Independence, and the writing of the US Constitution in 1787. You will then have a better appreciation for why Philadelphia is such an important place in the minds of Americans. Then, when you get there, wander around the old parts of the city close to the Delaware River, including Old City and -- especially!! -- Society Hill to the south of it. Back around 1962 or so, a conscious decision was made to tear down the later accretions from that part of town -- which had become a slum -- and to return it largely to its 18th C. appearance; the result is quite charming.

Also worht a visit is the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, which angles across the street grid from City Hall, past the handsome Cathedral, and on to the Museum of Art. There are numerous museums and institutions along the way that are worth visiting.

There is lots to be seen and done in Philly -- if you are only there for one day, your hardest task will be picking and choosing what you will have to leave to another time...

Here is a wonderful thread about things off the beaten path for repeat visitors to do.

Lots and lots of websites, musings, sub-posts, links, etc, to comb through.

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g60763-i5-k72495-N鈥?/a> Off_the_beaten_track-New_York_City_New_York.html

The possibilities are endless!

dhammer53 - Argh, ANOTHER person who likes Giorgio%26#39;s! A great dinner reco, but now the secret is out for sure. ;o)

I also recommend Meli Melo on Madison Ave and 30th Street for dinner. Nice food, great mellow atmo, beautiful desserts. Save room for the apple tartin.

www.melimelorestaurant.com

There are plenty of pubs along 2nd and 3rd Avenues in the 30s for a little bar-hopping on your way home from sight-seeing.

Thanks very much everyone for the info I will make sure we have some warm clothes,hat and gloves. It looks like Philly was a good choice! After writing I realised it would be winter not fall. Would it be too uncomfortable to walk around sight seeing outdoors?

BTW are there any reviews posted here on the Eastgate tower accomodation? We booked through apartments2book.com. Travellers reports on that site seemed quite favourable.

W

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