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Back from New York City

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  • Back from New York City

    My wife and I just got back last Sunday from a fantastic week in New York. We stayed 1 week at the Hilton Club timeshare at the Hilton Hotel on Avenue of the Americas in Manhattan.

    This was our 3rd visit to NYC in the past 4 years. In July 2008, we spent 12 days in NYC, 1 week at the Manhattan Club and 5 days at the upscale Michelangelo Hotel on W. 51st and 7th Avenue. Last year, we spent a week at the HGVC West 57th Street in Manhattan in August.

    We like the Hilton Club the best of all and the Manhattan Club the least. The service was absolutely superb. Everybody was so helpful and friendly. One very nice thing about the Hilton Club is they have free breakfast every morning. The breakfast has cereal, orange juice, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, bagels, toast, sweet breads, fresh fruit, and yogurt. Every afternoon from 5-7 they have free drinks, cheese, fruit, a different hot dish each day, carrots and celery, etc. The rest of the day there are free homemade chocolate chip cookies, coffee, tea, sodas. You can always get free sodas and bottled water anytime. This is all available to all guests whether owners, exchangers, or renters. The Hilton Club has a better location than either the Manhattan Club or HGVC West 57th Street.

    The weather was great the first 3 days. We went all over to Times Square, spent an afternoon in Central Park, and just walked around all over. It rained 2 days but we still got out. This trip we decided to try eating the street food sold by the many vendors on every corner. It was great. There is an Egyptian dish of rice with beef or chicken, and sour cream that is awesome. The vendor across the street from the Hilton on the corner of 6th and 53rd had a line 0f 20-40 people all day long until the wee hours of the morning and they were fast. The Egyptian dish is very large with more than enough for 2 people and costs just $6.00. We also tried some other things that were all good. Of course, one of my favorites is the ice cream from the many Mr. Softie trucks. Make sure that it says Mr. Softie on the truck.

    We did splurge one night and had a fabulous dinner at Uncle Jack's Steakhouse on 56th street between 6th and 5th avenues. It was recommended by the concierge at the Hilton Club and it more than lived up to expectations. Try their bone-in Filet Mignon. It is great. The concierge surprised us by paying for dessert at Uncle Jack's which was awesome. He told them when he made our reservations. We also ate at the Applejack Diner on Broadway which was quite good and very reasonable. They have all kinds of food.

    We went to 2 shows as we always do. We went to Sister Act at the Broadway Theater. We had great seats and the show was fabulous. We had the seen the movie but the show was far better. The next night Obama went to see it. We also saw Cirque de Soleil Zarkana at the Radio Music City Hall. Again, we had great seats and the show was great in a fabulous theater. We did like Sister Act better. I bought the tickets on-line at a highly discounted price. The Cirque de Soleil seats were middle orchestra regularly priced at $250 but I got them for just $75 through Travel Zoo. I also saved 40% on the Sister Act seats by buying on-line.

    Obama was there for a fund raiser and he went right past on the street next to the hotel.

    I rented a mobility scooter for the week as I can't walk very well. I had it for the whole week. It was waiting for me at the Hilton when I got there and then I just left it for pickup when we left. It cost just $175 for the whole week with free delivery and pickup. I met the owner of the business and he is a very nice man and very accommodating.

    We are planning for our return trip next year as we just love New York. Hopefully, I can get the Hilton Club again.
    John

  • #2
    There is an Egyptian dish of rice with beef or chicken, and sour cream that is awesome. The vendor across the street form the Hilton on the corner of 6th and 54th had a line 0f 20-40 people all day long until the wee hours of the morning and they were fast. The Egyptian dish is very large with more than enough for 2 people and costs just $6.00.

    When I was at the Manhattan Club in May, ireneLF took me to this food cart - twice! You are correct about the lines and the quality/quantity of food!

    Glad u enjoyed your trip....
    Pat
    *** My Website ***

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    • #3
      I WISH you had told me you were going to Uncle jacks. That is my favorite Steak house and the have aged Kobe. I was a vip at the one in bayside.
      Timeshareforums Shirts and Mugs on sale now! http://www.cafepress.com/ts4ms

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      • #4
        Originally posted by bigfrank
        I WISH you had told me you were going to Uncle jacks. That is my favorite Steak house and the have aged Kobe. I was a vip at the one in bayside.
        We didn't know we were going until we asked the concierge at the Hilton Club for a recommendation of the best Steakhouse within walking distance. Not only is Uncle Jack's great, it is just a couple blocks from the Hilton.
        John

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        • #5
          Originally posted by GrayFal
          There is an Egyptian dish of rice with beef or chicken, and sour cream that is awesome. The vendor across the street form the Hilton on the corner of 6th and 54th had a line 0f 20-40 people all day long until the wee hours of the morning and they were fast. The Egyptian dish is very large with more than enough for 2 people and costs just $6.00.

          When I was at the Manhattan Club in May, ireneLF took me to this food cart - twice! You are correct about the lines and the quality/quantity of food!

          Glad u enjoyed your trip....
          I made a mistake that I have corrected. It was on 6th and 53rd, not 54th. Our unit was on the 38th floor overlooking that corner so we could see the lineups from our room.
          John

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          • #6
            Originally posted by JWC View Post
            I made a mistake that I have corrected. It was on 6th and 53rd, not 54th. Our unit was on the 38th floor overlooking that corner so we could see the lineups from our room.
            Wow, that is a serious food cart!

            Glad you had a good stay - and thanks for posting about the scooter as I'm sure that info would helpful to many.

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            • #7
              I used to go to the halal meat wagon on Madison and...31st, I think? That's a good one; it used to be on New York Magazine's list of the best street-food carts (before street-food carts were as fancy as they are now!). Long lines there, too. Very popular with cab drivers.

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              • #8
                Originally posted by wackymother View Post
                I used to go to the halal meat wagon on Madison and...31st, I think? That's a good one; it used to be on New York Magazine's list of the best street-food carts (before street-food carts were as fancy as they are now!). Long lines there, too. Very popular with cab drivers.
                The one on 6th and 53rd is also a Halal vendor. They told us that they have 3 of them in Manhattan but the one at 6th and 53rd is by far the busiest. They have to be making a fortune.
                John

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by JWC
                  The one on 6th and 53rd is also a Halal vendor. They told us that they have 3 of them in Manhattan but the one at 6th and 53rd is by far the busiest. They have to be making a fortune.
                  The guy who ran the one by my office was super-nice, too. Hope he's doing well, wherever he is!

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by JWC View Post
                    I made a mistake that I have corrected. It was on 6th and 53rd, not 54th. Our unit was on the 38th floor overlooking that corner so we could see the lineups from our room.
                    I suspect this is the same one. Irene called it halal.
                    I plan on doing a stay at this Hilton after hearing u speak so highly of it. I can get it thru the BG/RCI portal or as u said, SFX

                    Do u pay any additional fees thru SFX. RCI has. $40 per week HK fee

                    And are those alcoholic drinks from 5-7?
                    Pat
                    *** My Website ***

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                    • #11
                      Halal Cart

                      Here's the website for the Halal cart:

                      53rd & 6th - Halal Gyro Platter Cart NYC | Just another WordPress site

                      The cart there during the day is not the same as the one at night. If the people serving are not wearing yellow shirts, then you've got the wrong cart. This cart is famous for their white sauce.....yummy!

                      I got an exchange into the Hilton Club later this year and am looking forward to trying this place out again.

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                      • #12
                        Sounds like you had a great time as usual. Your mobility scooter was cheaper than the one I got in Atlanta. shaggy

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                        • #13
                          John and Leslie:

                          Do you mind if I ask if your scooter stayed "charged" for a full day out? Didn't you worry about it needing to be recharged in the middle of somewhere?

                          Hoping this is a ways off for Greg - he's losing weight and doing some water aerobics - should help the mobility but the day will come at some point. We've talked about another trip to NYC but it's really not a car-friendly holiday.

                          Thanks for any info - I know, John, you've used them a few times in Vegas and whatnot as well.

                          And sounds like you had a great trip.

                          Bev

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by GrayFal
                            I suspect this is the same one. Irene called it halal.
                            I plan on doing a stay at this Hilton after hearing u speak so highly of it. I can get it thru the BG/RCI portal or as u said, SFX

                            Do u pay any additional fees thru SFX. RCI has. $40 per week HK fee

                            And are those alcoholic drinks from 5-7?
                            There are absolutely NO fees of any kind exchanging through SFX and we had daily housekeeping. We owed nothing when we checked out. There was not even an occupancy tax. We have never had to pay any fees at the Manhattan Club, HGVC West 57th Street nor Hilton Club on exchanges with SFX.

                            They have beer and wine from 5-7 for sure. We don't drink adult beverages so I am not sure if they have hard liquor.
                            John

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Californian
                              Here's the website for the Halal cart:

                              53rd & 6th - Halal Gyro Platter Cart NYC | Just another WordPress site

                              The cart there during the day is not the same as the one at night. If the people serving are not wearing yellow shirts, then you've got the wrong cart. This cart is famous for their white sauce.....yummy!

                              I got an exchange into the Hilton Club later this year and am looking forward to trying this place out again.
                              They all had yellow shirts.
                              John

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