A Beacon in the Night

On the boat to Ellis Island

Well, we're back from New York and we're still speaking to each other - I guess that means we had a good trip.  We survived New York with kids and everyone had a great time.  I didn't really need more convincing, but this trip proved once again that staying as far away as possible from Times Square is the best way to get a feel for the "real" New York and not see it as just the largest, most expensive tourist trap in the world. I think we found the ideal place.

The Beacon Hotel is perfectly located in a fantastic neighborhood on the Upper West side near Central Park and the Museum of Natural History.  The neighborhood is teeming with gourmet restaurants, chic boutiques, pizza joints, pubs and real New Yorkers.  It's easy to blend right in and live like one for the duration of your trip.  A nice, homey place to go to at the end of a busy day. 

Plus, I just read an article on NBCNewYork. com stating that the Beacon Hotel is located in the safest precinct in New York.

Location Specifics:

Beacon Theatre

Ok. To the right of the hotel (next door) is the historic Beacon Theatre.  Upcoming shows include: Chelsea Handler, Elvis Costello and Chris Botti (I'm sad I'm missing that last one - should have timed this visit a little better).  Also, see my post below regarding the historic building across the street.  The Ansonia has a notorious and fascinating past.

On the other side of the theater is a liquor store - Beacon Wines - with an incredibly impressive wine collection - spend $6 or $600 - it's all here. Great, helpful staff.  They also carry a wide range of liquors in bottles of varying sizes - 
brilliant if you want just one cocktail... or maybe two.

Across the street?  Fairway Market one of the largest grocery stores in New York. If that isn't enough, next door to the market is Citarella a gourmet meat, cheese and seafood market. You'll have a kitchen in your room, so go for it. On the left side of the Beacon there's a Starbuck's, of course, and a casual but delicious cafe - Viand.   

There.  All your needs covered in one block.


Now on to the hotel. First, the YAY'S!
+ Did I mention location?
+ Very, very clean 
+ exceptional maid service; they brought extra towels without being asked and replaced the shower curtain before we even noticed there was a problem with it.
+ Friendly front desk and doorman staff
+ HUGE rooms by New York standards - we had a one bedroom suite; big living area with pull out couch, full kitchen, bedroom with 2 double beds and two large, flat screen TV's. 
+ Warm, homey vibe; casual and comfortable
+ Great rates available at the hotel's own website - keep checking - it changes often.  We paid $255 plus tax for our giant room and booked directly through the hotel.
+ It's very, very quiet - no sirens, no honks, no crowds.
+ The Beacon has been recently renovated and it was evident in the condition of the furniture and decor in the room and public spaces - everything was in perfect working order and neat as a pin. 
+Ask for a room on a high floor with a view - gorgeous. 

Here's a video tour of room 1407:

The Boo's
- As big as the room was, something had to suffer a bit and it was the bathroom. I really wish it would have had more counter space.

- Speaking of bathroom - the shower head needed a serious update.
- No work-out facilities (Central Park is only 2 blocks away, however.)
- $10 per day charge for Wi-Fi.  C'mon, really?  (There is a tiny business center in the lobby with 2 computers and printers and free internet service.)
- No lounge/bar inside the hotel
- The most incredibly sensitive smoke alarm EVER.  My blow dryer continually set it off.  Yes, I said blow dryer and it's not a fancy one, either.
- The creature in the bathtub.  We were told it was a "water bug". The front desk was very apologetic and offered to spray while we were out of the room. We just kept the drain closed and never saw a hint of another for the remainder of the trip.
- Construction on the sidewalk right in front of the front door - should be finished by the end of this week (4/1/11).

That was a delicious glass of wine

- The view was hampered a bit by dirty windows.  Perhaps it's on the spring cleaning schedule?

As a family, this hotel was a perfect fit for us; it was essential for the kids to have a room to hang in by themselves, great to be able to throw together our own breakfast every morning and we loved being able to grab a nice bottle of wine on the way "home".  We'll definitely be back.


Things I learned on this trip:

The line for Ellis Island & Liberty - it went forever.

*Buying our tickets to major tourist attractions like the Empire State Building, Statue of Libery & Ellis Island  on-line BEFORE we went was a stroke of genius (if I do say so myself). The lines are unbelievable - but, you'll go right to the front with tickets in hand.  Plus, in some cases you'll get a discount!  The Empire State Building tickets are good for a year so you can decide when it's convenient for you to visit (it's open until 2am - who knew?) You have to be a bit more committed, however, for your visit to the Statue of Liberty.  Wait and buy them on-line the morning before you go if you need to leave your options open.

*I read some reviews that said the visit to the Statue of Liberty's crown took too much time and wasn't really worth it.  So, we took that advice and skipped it and still got a beautiful, close-up view (and tons of photos) as we sailed by on the ferry on the way to Ellis Island.  As it was, the trip still took up a majority of the afternoon.


*Get the audio tour whenever possible.  Hearing the actual voices of the people who experienced arriving at Ellis is very moving.


*The bottom level of the ferry may be warm but it felt a little too much like steerage on the Titanic for me. We sat on the top two levels - you may have to wait a little longer to get off the boat, but it was worth it.

Steerage on the Titanic - yikes.

*2 absolute musts:  Big Nick's for pizza. Get a table in back - it's cramped and the waitress is surly but it's soooo worth it. Amazing.  Pizza by La Grolla - if you just want a slice. Mmmmmmm....both are within a couple of blocks of the Beacon Hotel.

Getting Jiggy with it.

 There was a creature in our bathtub last night.  Just when I was starting to LOVE this hotel.  Apparently, New York has something called "water bugs".  Uggghhh I can't talk about it anymore.

Ok.  on to better things....learning alot this trip.  For instance, how to avoid lines and save money on tourist attractions and how to keep the kids happy without driving yourself insane. A key element?  Naps.  Even with pre-teens.  My kids haven't napped since they were 2, but this city can wipe a girl out! Also, wine for Mom is essential.

More to follow; hotel reviews, tourist attraction reviews, and lots of photos.

New York... Day One

The Ansonia

We'll we're here in New York and I'm busy shooting lots of video for TripScout TV.  Hope it all turns out considering I can't see without my glasses and I'm way to proud (and lazy) to dig them out of my purse every time I turn the camera on.  I'm just pointing the camera at the action and hoping I catch some of it.  This could be interesting or really, really weird.

Great hotel, great location...can't wait to fill you in on the details. Seeing New York with kids can be done...and so far it's actually quite fun!

More to come....

P.S.  Bette Midler got her start in the 70's singing at the gay bathhouse in the basement of the building right across the street from our hotel.  Her piano player at that time was none other than Barry Manilow.  The Ansonia has an such an incredible history.  Babe Ruth used to live there and waddle down to the first floor barber shop for a shave every morning...in his bathrobe.

I love it here.

I heart Google

If there is one thing I've learned in the 7 months I've been writing this blog:  it's that everyone Googles everything (and pretty soon my spell-check will realize that Google is a noun and a verb and will give me a break with that red, squiggly line). I've found it really interesting that literally hundreds of people found TripScout through a post I wrote back in December on the anniversary of John Lennon's death.  Evidently, people Google "John Lennon" daily - particularly in Europe.  Who knew?

I do love Google and now it does even more - especially for the traveler.  Who needs a bunch of silly apps?  Check it out: Google  - weather forecasts, local time, walking route, flight status....

...when it packs my bags for me - I'll be REALLY impressed.

Attn: Wine Drinkers & Cooks

When I found this place, I immediately thought of at least 6 friends who would love it and if y'all go....please take me.

Cavallo Point is a cozy boutique resort at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge on the Sausalito side.

Here's why it caught my eye:  1.  See. photo. above.  Can it get any better than that view?  Cavallo Point is located within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, so there's plenty of hiking, hanging at the beach, sailing etc.   I'll pass on the "hot-air ballooning" though.  It's kid and dog-friendly, so, if you want to - bring everyone.


But, here's the "girl's trip" hook:  The Cooking School:

Look ahead at the class schedule and plan your stay around the menu that interests you.  Oh....and I guess there might be a little wine tasting along the way....ya think? 

Sure, there's a spa, yoga classes, and "Healing Arts Services - Ways to Enhanced Well-Being".  Whatever.  I thought that was what the wine and food were for...

I'm diggin' the different lodging choices:  you can go contemporary or traditional...but both are homey and cozy...and beautiful.

Quiet and relaxing, right? But, that might get old after awhile.  Not to worry,  there's plenty of nightlife, dining and shopping just a bridge away in San Francisco.  The best of both worlds.  It's perfect.

Check the link above for current rates and availability...and I can be packed in a minute...

A Room with a View

View from a corner room at The Bowery, NY

I stayed in a hotel room once where the view from the window was a brick wall and an alley with a dumpster.  I tried to put a positive spin on it and call it "city-rustic" but it was still a bummer.

If the view from your room is as important to you as the room itself, I've found a new website just for you:  Room77.com.  It'll show you the exact floor plan of your hotel and some of the actual views from each specific room so you'll know exactly what to ask for.  It'll also help you avoid noisy elevators...and ice machines....and swimming pools filled with screaming kids...

..but I'm not high maintenance...really.

Looking for hotel deals?

What's all this wedding talk...?

Looking for hotel deals?  Try Travel Zoo.com.  I've read alot of positive things about it and depending on where you're traveling - the deals look pretty interesting.  I just saw a great 4 star in Chicago for $99.  It's worth checking out.

Spring Break Beachy Deals

Villa Del Palmar

If you still haven't decided where to go for spring break and you're looking for something beachy...here are some good ideas:  Today Show Spring Break Ideas.

Kinda wishin' I would have found out about Villa Del Palmar in Isla Mujeres a few weeks ago.  Great new place and very affordable.  And Panama? who would have thought of that one?  Definitely on the list of prospects for next year.

Hangin' with Richard Gere

It's a little hard to imagine: you wake up in a countryside B&B, wander downstairs for a little breakfast and....oh here's Richard Gere pouring your coffee and asking if you slept well. It can happen...and you don't even have to be Julia Roberts.

When Gere and his actress/wife Carey Lowell aren't doing the acting thing, they're innkeepers. They own The Bedford Post Inn located just an hour north of New York.  It's a quaint, 8 guestroom farmhouse with a yoga loft and gourmet restaurant. Neighbors include Ralph Lauren, Martha Stewart & Donald Trump.  I wonder if The Donald stops by for a little yoga now and then... 


Rooms are around $350.  Check out Jet Setter.com for a special rate available only for a short time, and while you're there flip through the photos.  It's beautiful.

Bedford Post Inn

Check out what Martha has to say about Gere's restaurant on The Martha Blog.

What's next?

A little more than 3 weeks until New York City and along with that - a new addition to Tripscout.  We're calling it "the great video experiment".  

The word "great" is totally subjective at this point.

stay tuned....

Just the shirts on our backs...

In 4 short weeks, my family and I will be on our way to New York City.  As usual, I've begun packing...not literally - just in my mind.  I can't relax if I'm not organized and the earlier I start the better for everyone involved.  For this trip, I'm not just packing for myself, but I have two pre-teens to worry about and a husband who doesn't even start thinking about it until about an hour before the flight leaves.  Grrrr...

I shuddered with a little jolt of anxiety as I started adding up the checked baggage fees for our airline. Suddenly, the great airfare I thought I scored didn't seem so great anymore. On American, we'll have to fork over $25 for the first bag, $35 for the second and $100 for the third!  Holy cow. Multiply that by two, of course, for the round trip and there goes our "walkin' around money"... and then some.

I started looking for ways to get around it.  I found a lot of articles with tips that began with "pack light". Thanks, genius.  I never would have come up with that gem on my own. Next, I toyed with the idea of getting an airline credit card.  I could earn points and miles and my "first checked bag is free".  Delta and Continental seem to offer a pretty sound credit card deal but nothing for American.  The American Express Blue Sky card, however, will give me a $100 travel allowance that I can put toward bags, in-flight meals, wi-fi etc. on any airline. And just for future reference, JetBlue would have given us the first bag free and Southwest never charges for checked bags (up to two) but the fare would have been double what I paid and no direct flights to New York. Some hotels, Kimpton brand for example, will actually reimburse you for checked bags.  Alas, our hotel does not. My head hurts.

So, I'm left with this plan:  we'll cram as much as we can into a couple of carry-on bags and hope we make it to the gate.  The gate agent will surely say "those are way too big for the overhead bin, we'll have to stow them for you" and viola!  Checked bags at no charge.  Sneaky? yes. It's either that or the hubby will just have to wear the same clothes for the duration of the trip.  Sorry, dear.

Baggage fees for major airlines
New York Times - Getting Around Airline Fees