- The perfect hideaway :
From glittering high-rises to intimate boutique hotels, the city
offers a wealth of lodging options to set the mood. You'll feel
like you're in the movies when you pull up to the entrance of
The Plaza (768 Fifth Ave. at Central Park South, 212/759-3000).
Other glamorous grande dames include the Waldorf-Astoria (301
Park Ave. between 49th & 50th Sts., 212/355-3000), The
New York Palace (455 Madison Ave. between 50th & 51st
Sts., 212/888-7000) and The Stanhope (995 Fifth Ave. at
81st St., 212/650-4700).
If the downtown scene gets
your pulse racing, check in to the hip SoHo Grand Hotel
(310 West Broadway between Grand & Canal Sts., 212/965-3000);
the value-priced, newly renovated Chelsea Inn (184 Eleventh
Ave. at 23rd St., 212/929-4096); or the Washington Square
Hotel (103 Waverly Pl. at MacDougal St., 212/777-9515) in
the heart of Greenwich Village. For something cozy in mid-town,
try the European-style Casablanca Hotel (147 W. 43rd St.,
212/869-1212), the Old World Hotel San Carlos (150 E.
50th St. between Third & Lexington Aves., 212/755-1800) or
the luxurious Iroquois New York (49 W. 44th St. between
Fifth & Sixth Aves., 212/840-3080).
- A romantic dinner for
two:
If your preference in restaurants tends toward fancy,
French and flower-filled, book a reservation at Cafe des Artistes
(1 W. 67th St. at Central Park West, 212/877-3500), a lushly
romantic spot with dim lights, sexy murals and traditional French
food that woos New Yorkers and visitors alike. Just south of
the Brooklyn Bridge lies the River Cafe (1 Water St.,
Brooklyn, 718/522-5200), one of the city's quintessentially romantic
restaurants. Dine on fine American cuisine and delighfful desserts
as the reflected lights of lower Manhattan sparkle on the East
River. As music is the food of love, check out the Monday night
jazz sets at the much-praised new City Hall (131 Duane
St. bet. Church St. &W. Broadway, 212/227-7777).
A serene setting with a mesmerizing
waterfall is the backdrop for beautifully presented cuisine at
Union Pacific (111 E. 22nd St. between Lexington &
Park Ave. South, 212/9958500). Chanterelle (2 Harrison
St. at Hudson St., 212/966-6960) is one of New York's most highly
regarded dining spots, combining a quiet elegance with an unpretentious
downtown ambiance.
If you love out-of-the-way
restaurants, Alison on Dominick Street (38 Dominick St.
between Varick & Hudson Sts., 212/727-1188), a candlelit,
sophisticated Country French spot in a factory-lined neighborhood,
is cause for joy. Opened in 1919, Grand Ticino (228 Thompson
St. bet. W. 3rd & Bleecker, 212/777-5922) maintains the romantic
atmosphere that earned it a famous scene in the movie Moonstruck-
and it has delectable Italian cuisine. Since opening in 1976,
Tavern on the Green (67th St. and Central Park West, 212/873-3200)
has been one of the city's most enchanting dining experiences,
with its wood-paneled rooms, crystal chandeliers, stained glass,
balloons and trees festooned with colored lights.
- A little night music:
Add a little melody to the lavish halls of New York's fine museums
and you've got the perfect meeting place for both the heart and
the mind. After tourning the Museum of Modern Art's (11
W. 53rd St. between Fifth and Sixth Aves., 212/708-9480, www.moma.org)
world-class collections, patrons swing to live jazz Thursdays
and Saturdays from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm. The Frick Collection
(1 E. 70th St. at Fifth Ave., 212/288-8700, www.frick.org), an
elegant mansion featuring fine art from the Renaissance through
the 19th century, hosts free chamber music concerts every other
Sunday at 5:00 pm.
Concerts at the medieval
Cloisters Museum (Fort Tryon Park [191st St.], 212/9233700,
www.metmuseum.org) are performed in the Spanish 12th-century
Fuentiduena Chapel, visually and acoustically one of the most
beautiful sites to enjoy medieval music (advance ticket purchase
is recommended). The Brooklyn Museum (200 Eastern Pkwy.
[Washington Ave.], 718/638-5000, www.brooklynart.org) is host
to the free "First Saturdays" program on the first
Saturday of every month from 5:00 pm to 11:00 pm, which features
musical performances, dancing, movie screenings, tours of the
museum's permanent collections and a cash bar. And every Saturday
evening, Brooklyn-area musicians perform at the museum's new
coffee-and-wine bar on the third floor.
- A romantic cruise:
What could be more romantic than the New York skyline reflected
on the water? Hop aboard a NY Waterway Cruise (800/533-3779,
www.nywaterway.com) for a glimpse of the city at twilight. Visit
the Statue of Liberty (212/363-3200, www.thestatueofliberty.com
) or gaze at her from the free Staten Island Ferry (718/8152628).
Relax over lunch or dinner on a World Yacht Cruise (212/630-8100,
www.worldyacht.com) or take a tour of Manhattan island on a Circle
Line (212/563-3200, www.circleline.com) sightseeing cruise.
Float over the city:
For
lovebirds who want to get closer to the heavens, Liberty Helicopter
(212/967-6464, www.libertyhelicopters.com) offers spectacular
tours of Manhattan's famous skyline. Fly above the awe inspiring
Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Empire State Building to see these and many other famous landmarks in a way
unimaginable from the ground.
- A carriage ride through
the park:
Okay, so it's a little hokey. Still, it's difficult
to pass up such a romantic ride, gliding through Central Park
while nestled in a horse-drawn carriage (Central Park
South, corner of 59th St. & Fifth Ave.). Even if the weather
is chilly, you can cuddle under a blanket and take in the beauty
of the park juxtaposed against the Manhattan skyline.
- Let the experts do the
planning:
For the ultimate in relaxation, let someone else
sweat the details. The folks at New York City Vacation Packages
(570/714-4692, www.nycvp.com) specialize in planning every detail
of your romantic New York getaway. Hotel Con-x-ions (212/840-8686,
www.hotelconxions.com) can find you the right hotel room at the
right price, and NYC & Company's Hotel Hotline (800/846-ROOM)
and web site (www.nycvisit.com) are also great resources for
booking the perfect accommodations.
- Reach new heights:
A romantic visit to New York City wouldn't be complete without
a trip to the top of the Empire State Building (350 Fifth
Ave. at 34th St., 212/736-3100), an icon of true love in sentimental
classics like An Affair to Remember, Sleepless in Seattle and
King Kong - and conveniently open 'til late for the romantic
in all of us.
- Cocktails for two:
Elegant, refined and cozy, Mark's Bar (25 E. 77th St.
bet. Madison & 5th Aves., 212/879-1314) features an outstanding
wine list with a truly great selection of tete de cuvee Champagnes.
Soft music, comfortable velvet love seats and a discrete staff
complete the ambiance. Love-struck stargazers may enjoy a meal
or just a drink at Central Park's Park View at the Boathouse
(72nd St. at Fifth Ave., 212/5172233), which offers shuttle
service for those with reservations.
Theatergoers already know Firebird
(365 W. 46th St. bet. 8th & 9th Aves., 212/5860244) as a
posh pre-curtain Russian eatery, but when the theater crowd disperses,
the sumptuous, salon-style lounge upstairs grows even more intimate.
Elegant nightclubbing is back at the recently opened Feinstein's
at The Regency (540 Park Ave. at 61st St., 212/339-4095),
the perfect spot for dinner and some romantic entertainment.
> The swank Supper Club
(240
W. 47th St. bet. Broadway and 8th Ave., 212/921-1940), with its
vintage gilt detailing, plays host on weeknights to anyone from
Van Morrison to Beck, while Fridays and Saturdays are reserved
for 1940s-style dinner dancing. S.O.B.'s (204 Varick St.
bet. W. Houston and King Sts., 212/243-4940) is still the best
place in town to hear contemporary African, Afro-Caribbean and
Latin music. You can learn to salsa and tango on Sunday and Monday
nights and then stay for the evening's show.
- A sparkling souvenir:
If you're in the market for something measured in carats
(or just like to daydream), New York City's gem merchants can
help fuel the fantasy. The 47th Street Diamond District (47th
Street between Fifth and Sixth Aves.), where diamonds are traded,
cut and set, houses more than 2,600 independent businesses on
a single block. Many have booths in jewelry "exchanges,"
such as the World's Largest Jewelry Exchange (55 West
47th St., 212/719-5235).
Clustered near the Diamond
District are a prestigious group of internationally known jewelers,
including H. Stern (645 Fifth Ave., 212/688-0300) and
Martinique Jewelers (1555 Broadway between 46th and 47th
Sts., 212/869-5765). Both Wempe (700 Fifth Ave. at 55th St.,
212/397-9000) and Tourneau (Madison Ave. at 52nd St.,
212/758-6098) are known around the world for their fine watches.
Fortunoff (681 Fifth Ave. at 54th St., 212/758-6660) offers
discounts on a large variety of jewelry including engagement
rings, pearls, name-brand watches and gold bracelets and necklaces.
Husband and wife team Paris
Permenter and John Bigley have authored 20 guidebooks including
Adventure
Guide to the Cayman Islands and also edit the FREE Lovetripper.com,
a romantic travel magazine featuring worldwide destinations.
Copyright 2000 Paris
Permenter and John Bigley
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