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(warning: Excessively long post follows)

My first "real" trip to NYC was my 3rd Masters and in the middle of January. I spent a lot of time (the better part of 4 days) walking around outside in ~18degree (F) temps and until I found darted into a dug store to grab a (ugly but useful) knit head thing my ears would go numb after about 45 minutes, but otherwise it wasn't too bad.

I've used my HHonors (Hilton) points cache to stay at a few properties on Manhattan. I'd pass on the Waldorf (not impressed by the location or service -- seemed to be riding on reputation) but the Hilton Times Square is possibly my favorite hotel in the US.

Decent sized, clean and modern rooms with good service and a great location (it's almost literally right on top of the Times Square/42nd Street MTA station and from there you can get anywhere pretty easily).

- I love MoMA and not the biggest fan of the Met but you should go at least once. The Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum is also one of my favorites, though I don't know if they've finished their renovation project. The Guggenheim is also a NY landmark, but the exhibitions can be kind of out there. Definitely consider what's on display before deciding to lay down cash [if you have Museum Staff ID, though, make sure you show it at any of these]

- For Broadway, if you aren't wed to a particular check out the TKTS booth for discount tickets day of show. One of my favorite things to do is just go down there, and pick a show I've never heard of, or heard very little about and get a ticket. The tickets are usually pretty decent. But I've also been burned (Boeing Boeing and Next to Normal - Awesome; Fela - So far beyond awful I managed to get a partial refund.)

- Central park is a must. If you wander in at the lower east corner (what is that 5th Av / 59th St?) you can follow the paths up to the Met, just a little but further and you find the reservoir; if you duck out to 5th Av you're not that far from the Cooper-Hewitt. If the timing is just right, there will be just a little bit of snow on the ground but the pathways will be clear and it's an absolutely beautiful sight.

- Just get an unlimited ride MetroCard and ride the subways around. MTA's Arts4Transit program is awesome as far as planned public art goes and you'll see plenty of other interesting things along the way.

- In a similar vein, just walk the streets. One of my favorite things to do anytime work takes me to a city, and NY is no exception, is to just wander around without a map or plans of any kind. I'll see something interesting and stop in for a bit; eventually I'll start to get hungry and just let my nose guide me to something that smells good. I've found plenty of decent, literal holes-in-the wall that you would never hear about from any tourist this way.

- Radio City Music Hall is an interesting tour, but I'm a little biased because the first and only time I've done it was the day before I attended the Tony Awards. /That/ was fun.

- When in doubt ask a cop. Most police officers (NYPD included) are rather friendly. And they also usually know a good place near by to get a drink / eat / not get shot. The most confused I've ever seen a cop was when I asked a NYPD officer if he would mind taking my picture as I left the Tonys. After the "You...want... me..." stunned reaction, he happily snapped a few.

- Check out Lincoln Center. Again a little biased (or perhaps pseudo-narcissistic)

- I would probably not do the Empire State Building again. Nothing but tourists, and in a city with so much else to offer kind of an overpriced waste of time, IMHO.

NY really is my favorite city, I just wish we had more commercial projects out that way so I had more of an excuse to visit. And now I'm /really/ hoping I can make it to Masters.

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Lincoln King-Cliby, CTS
Sr. Systems Architect | Crestron Certified Master Programmer (Silver)
ControlWorks Consulting, LLC
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