Hey Guys,

This year will be the first vacation in years that I have taken with my partner David, without my son being with us. He is now 18 and very much into doing his own thing...he will be away with friends to Europe, and back just in time before we head off on our vacation too look after the house and dogs for us!!! .. . ... .. ...well you get the idea lol. My sister-in-law will be there to I hope!

So we are returning to NYC as just a couple, which means we can stay out late, party, go to clubs....even gay ones lol. So, this time we are lodging down at Washington Sq in a lovely boutique style hotel, and want to take time on a photography project, explore the village area where we have never been on previous visits and do the gay tourist thingy.

Question....if you had just a couple of nights, is there a good gay bar you would suggest, a nice club...I like the idea of going to a cowboy one like in W&G...I know how corny! Also in that area of the Island, are there any must do/see things AND lastly any recommendations re a really good resturant..steakwise...and or Italian?

Thanks for all or any comments and suggestions. We go onto San Francisco after that to stay in the Golden Gate National Park at Stinson Beach and to visit with friends who live in/on the Castro!

Cheerio for now...Vincent..xx

Hey vince - My two favorite italian restaurants is Babbo Ristorante on Waverly by NYU on east side and Del Posto on 10th and 16th on west side. Del Posto is very posh and high priced but the service and food is excellent. Babbo is a smaller restaurant that is always packed becuase of the great food. Not as pricy as Del Posto. Of course there are hundreds of italian restaurants and honestly I have never had a bad meal in any. All depends on where you are at and what price you want.

For Steak I enjoy Bobby Vans. I think their steaks are great and service is very good. There are several locations in the city. Again somewhat pricey but for NYC not bad.

And if you like dining with the gay folks around everywhere then get to Chelsea on the West Side. There are lots of restaurants on 7th or 8th Ave. Between 14th snd 23St. My favorites are Elmos (7th Ave and 19th) and Food Bar on 8th and 18th (I think). Also a great place called The Dish is always a good standby for some good home cooking diner type on 8th Ave. I also like East of Eighth on 23rd just east of 8th ave. That is just to name a few.

There is a really nice little place on Hudson and 12th which has good food and not too pricy and a bit romantic and a good old fashion atmosphere called Philip Marie's. It is owned by a gay man who has done tons for the gay community. It is a really cozy place and I just love it.

In the Village there are tons of places...all kinds and types. Greenich street runs from west side to east side diagnally. Tons of places along this route.

Once in the East Village (down by St Marks and 3rd Ave) is a nice eclectic area (not as eclectic as it once was) and some good little restaurants and shops. I love the east village.

Wow - there is sooooo much to do that a couple of days will really be difficult to get the best in. As far as bars - there are tons of bars. When you are in the West Village or Chelsea pick up either HX or NEXT and all the gay bars are listed there. Just for drinks and a cool place is G Lounge on 19th St between 7th and 8th Ave. This is where all the beautiful Chelsea boys hang out either before or after. Favorite dance bar is Splash Bar....always crowned with young gay boys. But really there are probably over 35 places to go to and have fun. Remember to stop by Stonewall though in West Village off Chrisopher where the gay revolution started back in the good ole days. There is a lot of history at the bar. Good place to stop by in the afternoon for a drink...then go across the stree to the Monster which has been around forever.

So this is a good start. We can discuss even more depending on what you want to do. All the above are pretty gay things to do - spending your time in gayville. There obviously is a whole lot more and a lot more touristy things that I would want to do if I was visiting. Like going to the top of the Empire State Building but that can take half a day from your agenda. Broadway plays are awesome...and in midtown area which is totally different than the areas above. ANd Times Square on 42nd and Broadway is a must (really packed with tourists at night).

I can go on and on....so let me know if you have some favorite type things you want to do and I can maybe help direct you. I didn't even discuss some nice places in Queens and Brooklyn. Or downtown Manhattan nor did I cover Harlem (uptown) or specifically more of Mid-Town. Then the shopping is fabulous....BTW if you like a bar with older crown in Midtown there is The Townhouse...it is just a bar that gets crowded with the older and business crowd.

There is also a great restaurant in Queens (you can actually reach by Ferry from Manhattan) that has a great view of the city and is very romantic (and pricey) that I highly recommend as well. But like I said earlier for a romantic and not too pricy spot I like Philip Marie in the west village.

I should probably stop right here. Let me know if I can be of further help.

Regards,

Alex

Hey Alex,

Thankyou so very much for that wealth of suggestions. We do want to do some gay stuff, not having travelled that path before in NYC. We have in the past done a number of the normal tourist attractions. This time we will try to cross the Brooklyn Bridge on foot and get some good photos, I think we will try the Library, Central Station, Chrysler Building and walk the southern tip of the Island, maybe take the ferry. I love to walk and NYC is so great for that. We are staying on Waverly just off Washington Sq park...so can definetly consider some of your ideas!!!

I really like Times Square, my better half doesn't care for it....and I'm sure we will picnic in Central Park unless we find a spot closer that we like better, in fact I'm sure we will with a view of the Great Lady herself.

Again thanks for such great ideas...

Cheerio for now...Vincent..xx

So you want to go around the southern part of Manhattan....Where the twin towers were. There is a street right off of there called Fulton St...take it to the eastern end from the WTC. That is the south street seaport. Nice walk. Also south ot WTC is Battery Park which was not part of Manhanttan until they dumped all their garbage there and it is now a park (along with the whole east side there). IF you don't have time to go see the statue on Liberty Island take the Statan Island Ferry ($2.00 each way) and it will go right by her. That is the best view and it is the ferry used for daily communting between Statan Island and Manhattan. Still the best and cheapest way to see the statue.

I loved Ellis Island. I think that is a better place to go than the Statue becuase you can see her on the ferry but Ellis Island is truly a spiritual place.

What ever you do I am sure it will be a blast.

Cheers!

Alex

PS Some great really restaurants right on Waverly Place as well. That is where the neuovo type places have been coming up lately.

Thanks AB for all the NYC suggestions....My son lives on Long Island....and my daughter and I will be up this week with her Choral Dept from her High School. I'm going up before her and staying afterwards so I can have some quality time with my son.

Since moving my son there in August, I've been to the city 5 times. My son is gay, as well, and hasnt' been to all the places you have suggested. So Thanks for the input.

Jeff

New York is a big place....even gay New York is a big place. And each borough has its own gayborhoods. I think you said he lives in Brooklyn right? And there are lots of gay places in Brooklyn to hang out let alone the other places. My advice to Vinny is that if they want to enjoy the gayest gayborhood then Chelsea is it. If he is there only two to three days its better than Casto (I think - but then again I am biased).

I travel to DFW and find that there are only two "gayborhoods" in the area. I will bet that as Dallas grows so will the assembly of gays in other neighborhoods to meet our needs. So NY seems to be a little ahead of the curve.

Where have you gone when you visit NYC?

Alex

Thanks for the advice guys....we will be over on the 9th of July and are really looking forward to the trip. My partner wants to get some serious photography done this time, so he will play around with his big lenses and filters and I will point and shoot with my compact little number, and we shall see who captures the best pic!

We are staying at the Washington Sq Hotel, and I hope to go running from it around the southern part of Manhattan Island around to Brooklyn Bridge....is that do-able I wonder, are there running tracks around the Island?

Vincent..x