SPIDERMAN!

My partner Chris enters sweepstakes. He has had some FABULOUS wins – and some amusing experiences with sweepstakes. So far, he’s won trips for both of us to Las Vegas, then to L.A. for the Grammys, and an amazing cruise to the Mexican Riviera, plus lots of interesting stuff like a high-performance computer board, $500 worth of groceries, a couple of iPods, a DVD player… LOTS of cool stuff.

Most recently, he’s won a trip to New York City to see the NYC premiere of Spiderman 3.

We leave tomorrow.

We’ll be in Manhattan from Sunday afternoon through Tuesday mid-day. We’re staying at the Westin Times Square, and being taken by limo to the premiere Monday evening in Astoria. We’re both very excited.

My one “must see” sericulture-related stop, is a visit to Habu Textiles. Chris wants to see a couple of unusual shops, and spend some time walking and subwaying through the city.

If you have any suggestions on things that we should look up, please let me know! We’re much more interested in out-of-the-ordinary, ethnic, lots-of-character type things, not so much in planned tours, big-box retail, etc.

76 replies
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  1. valkyrwench
    valkyrwench says:

    If you like chinese food, go to Chinatown and find a restaurant where there are no caucasians. The garment district is always good fun, too. Can’t recommend MOMA highly enough either, although some days it’s a bit touristy.

    When I’m in NY, I tend to wander around and see what’s around.

    Have fun!

  2. valkyrwench
    valkyrwench says:

    If you like chinese food, go to Chinatown and find a restaurant where there are no caucasians. The garment district is always good fun, too. Can’t recommend MOMA highly enough either, although some days it’s a bit touristy.

    When I’m in NY, I tend to wander around and see what’s around.

    Have fun!

  3. mrdreamjeans
    mrdreamjeans says:

    I would certainly take time to see as Broadway show. I’d suggest The Drowsy Chaperone, Grey Gardens or Coram Boy, for which LJ’s very own is the Associate Musical Director. I think you’d very much enjoy any of these three musicals (in the latter case, play with music).

    You might also enjoy, if the weather is pleasant, a ride through Central Park in a horse and carriage. Have a wonderful time! Btw, I’d like to know how your partner determines if he’s legitimately won a sweepstakes prize or if it is a come on. I’ve entered a few contests in my time, but I’m always suspicious that I will be scammed. Have a safe trip!

  4. mrdreamjeans
    mrdreamjeans says:

    I would certainly take time to see as Broadway show. I’d suggest The Drowsy Chaperone, Grey Gardens or Coram Boy, for which LJ’s very own is the Associate Musical Director. I think you’d very much enjoy any of these three musicals (in the latter case, play with music).

    You might also enjoy, if the weather is pleasant, a ride through Central Park in a horse and carriage. Have a wonderful time! Btw, I’d like to know how your partner determines if he’s legitimately won a sweepstakes prize or if it is a come on. I’ve entered a few contests in my time, but I’m always suspicious that I will be scammed. Have a safe trip!

  5. admin
    admin says:

    Ah… food is a problem. I have Weird Food Issues – no wheat, no barley, no rye, no spelt, no kamut. Fortunately, NYC also has a significant gluten-free population, and Chris has already found a cool restaurant where we’re planning on Sunday dinner!

  6. admin
    admin says:

    Ah… food is a problem. I have Weird Food Issues – no wheat, no barley, no rye, no spelt, no kamut. Fortunately, NYC also has a significant gluten-free population, and Chris has already found a cool restaurant where we’re planning on Sunday dinner!

  7. admin
    admin says:

    I’m not sure if we’ll have time, at the right time of day, for a show – it’d have to be Sunday night, because Monday night is the premiere.

    Chris is part of an online sweepstakes community – they share leads on stuff, help figure out what’s real and what’s just scams… and, usually the real ones are handled either by the company (like, you get an official letter on letterhead from Frito Lay, delivered by certified mail) or they’re handled by a promotions fulfillment company. Just like with so many online things, there are scammers – but there are ways to tell. And of course, anything asking for your bank account numbers or too much identity info, can be a tip-off. He gets a lot of his stuff at this site: http://www.online-sweepstakes.com/

  8. admin
    admin says:

    I’m not sure if we’ll have time, at the right time of day, for a show – it’d have to be Sunday night, because Monday night is the premiere.

    Chris is part of an online sweepstakes community – they share leads on stuff, help figure out what’s real and what’s just scams… and, usually the real ones are handled either by the company (like, you get an official letter on letterhead from Frito Lay, delivered by certified mail) or they’re handled by a promotions fulfillment company. Just like with so many online things, there are scammers – but there are ways to tell. And of course, anything asking for your bank account numbers or too much identity info, can be a tip-off. He gets a lot of his stuff at this site: http://www.online-sweepstakes.com/

  9. admin
    admin says:

    Cool. We’re planning on walking through at least part of it. We both enjoy walking, so most of our tourism will be taking a bus or train a long distance, and then covering ground locally on foot.

  10. admin
    admin says:

    Cool. We’re planning on walking through at least part of it. We both enjoy walking, so most of our tourism will be taking a bus or train a long distance, and then covering ground locally on foot.

  11. schroedertx
    schroedertx says:

    How awesome for you! Totally amazing!

    BTW, I sent you an invitation to my graduation party and I did not hear back from you. I hate that.

    But have fun with Spider-Man! I’m so jealous! I can’t see it until next weekend.

  12. schroedertx
    schroedertx says:

    How awesome for you! Totally amazing!

    BTW, I sent you an invitation to my graduation party and I did not hear back from you. I hate that.

    But have fun with Spider-Man! I’m so jealous! I can’t see it until next weekend.

  13. admin
    admin says:

    Re: the invite – Chris isn’t certain yet whether he’ll be in town; he’s been invited up to Missouri for a family visit. I’ve been waiting until his plans solidify, to reply… I always hate replying with “maybe, if things go according to plan.” It may be both of us, it may be just me, but I’m hoping to come if Chris can’t.

  14. admin
    admin says:

    Re: the invite – Chris isn’t certain yet whether he’ll be in town; he’s been invited up to Missouri for a family visit. I’ve been waiting until his plans solidify, to reply… I always hate replying with “maybe, if things go according to plan.” It may be both of us, it may be just me, but I’m hoping to come if Chris can’t.

  15. schroedertx
    schroedertx says:

    OK, that’s fine. I just thought you either didn’t get it or that you ignored me.

    And I wanted to have someone for the bf to talk to.

    Let me know so I can send you an addy.

  16. schroedertx
    schroedertx says:

    OK, that’s fine. I just thought you either didn’t get it or that you ignored me.

    And I wanted to have someone for the bf to talk to.

    Let me know so I can send you an addy.

  17. admin
    admin says:

    Ah, cool!

    We’ve already found information for McNulty’s, which sounds cool, and Evolution… any more suggestions along those lines? Odd, interesting shops?

    I could certainly wander for days in any garment district, but he’d be bored to tears.

  18. admin
    admin says:

    Ah, cool!

    We’ve already found information for McNulty’s, which sounds cool, and Evolution… any more suggestions along those lines? Odd, interesting shops?

    I could certainly wander for days in any garment district, but he’d be bored to tears.

  19. admin
    admin says:

    It’s a combination of luck, discrimination, and a lot of perseverence. Sweepstakes is his primary hobby; he belongs to a website with a big support group, and they share tricks and tips. And he enters a LOT of sweepstakes.

  20. admin
    admin says:

    It’s a combination of luck, discrimination, and a lot of perseverence. Sweepstakes is his primary hobby; he belongs to a website with a big support group, and they share tricks and tips. And he enters a LOT of sweepstakes.

  21. bronxelf_ag001
    bronxelf_ag001 says:

    Evolution is *very* cool. McNulty’s is also, but there’s a number of shops that are similar in that neighborhood. The West Village is loaded with a bunch of tiny shops. Just walk the side streets. The architecture is LOVELY- it’s a historic preservation district and many buildings will display information to that end.

    Near Evolution there’s a lot of fun design stores. However, on Mercer Street, just north of Bar 89 (go in and use their bathroom. Seriously.) is a really interesting shop that imports all kinds of stuff from southeast Asia. Not cheap trinkety things. I mean all kinds of stuff from fabrics to furniture, to artworks.

    If you’re in SoHo anyway you may as well walk down to Canal and into Chinatown. Don’t just stay on Canal, though. Go South of that and explore the side streets.

    If you walk east enough you can come up on Orchard or Ludlow and walk around the Lower East Side. If you make a reservation you can check out the < href="http://www.tenement.org/">Tenement Museum which is really interesting on so many levels.

    You’ll see more little shops on that trip than you know what to do with. We don’t do “big box” so well here.

  22. bronxelf_ag001
    bronxelf_ag001 says:

    Evolution is *very* cool. McNulty’s is also, but there’s a number of shops that are similar in that neighborhood. The West Village is loaded with a bunch of tiny shops. Just walk the side streets. The architecture is LOVELY- it’s a historic preservation district and many buildings will display information to that end.

    Near Evolution there’s a lot of fun design stores. However, on Mercer Street, just north of Bar 89 (go in and use their bathroom. Seriously.) is a really interesting shop that imports all kinds of stuff from southeast Asia. Not cheap trinkety things. I mean all kinds of stuff from fabrics to furniture, to artworks.

    If you’re in SoHo anyway you may as well walk down to Canal and into Chinatown. Don’t just stay on Canal, though. Go South of that and explore the side streets.

    If you walk east enough you can come up on Orchard or Ludlow and walk around the Lower East Side. If you make a reservation you can check out the < href="http://www.tenement.org/">Tenement Museum which is really interesting on so many levels.

    You’ll see more little shops on that trip than you know what to do with. We don’t do “big box” so well here.

  23. sskipstress
    sskipstress says:

    My favorite stop in NY these days is Alice’s Teacup, but then I’m a tea addict.

    I can’t believe I always forget Habu’s in New York when I’m in New York. But the purpose of my last trip was to visit the Cloisters (some lovely alabaster sculpture and lots of little glass and metal things in addition to various drawing-based arts) and witness the spectacle of Chinese New Year in Chinatown.

  24. sskipstress
    sskipstress says:

    My favorite stop in NY these days is Alice’s Teacup, but then I’m a tea addict.

    I can’t believe I always forget Habu’s in New York when I’m in New York. But the purpose of my last trip was to visit the Cloisters (some lovely alabaster sculpture and lots of little glass and metal things in addition to various drawing-based arts) and witness the spectacle of Chinese New Year in Chinatown.

  25. sola
    sola says:

    Booooo. I spend far too much time entering sweepstakes, and the last thing i won was a bag of cat food. Lucky!

    Anyway, i second Alice’s Teacup (they have a great brunch) and the Cloisters. Whatever you do, though, don’t bother with String. It’s tiny, snooty, and mind-blowingly overpriced. La Maison du Chocolat is on the same street, though. Instead, go for The Wool Gathering on 84th and 2nd. Much, much friendlier, larger selection, and better prices.

    If you actually end up in the village and want a tasty little spot to eat, try the Wild Ginger at 49 Grove street. It’s right around the corner from Bleeker and Christopher, and you’ll have all of Bleeker to wander down beforehand, with Enfleurage, the Magnolia Bakery, antique shops, bookshops, ethnic shops, high-falutin’ stuff, etc. (Be warned that some of the shops there close pretty early – Enfleurage at 8, for example. Wild Ginger is open until midnight, though.) There’s also some theaters in the area, Rose’s Turn right next door – should keep you busy. Plus, boywatching.

    Enjoy! Wish i could come say hello, but i’m booked up to my ears. >.< Also, don't forget to bring cash, especially if you're going to Chinatown. Not all the very little places with the weird goods take cards.

  26. sola
    sola says:

    Booooo. I spend far too much time entering sweepstakes, and the last thing i won was a bag of cat food. Lucky!

    Anyway, i second Alice’s Teacup (they have a great brunch) and the Cloisters. Whatever you do, though, don’t bother with String. It’s tiny, snooty, and mind-blowingly overpriced. La Maison du Chocolat is on the same street, though. Instead, go for The Wool Gathering on 84th and 2nd. Much, much friendlier, larger selection, and better prices.

    If you actually end up in the village and want a tasty little spot to eat, try the Wild Ginger at 49 Grove street. It’s right around the corner from Bleeker and Christopher, and you’ll have all of Bleeker to wander down beforehand, with Enfleurage, the Magnolia Bakery, antique shops, bookshops, ethnic shops, high-falutin’ stuff, etc. (Be warned that some of the shops there close pretty early – Enfleurage at 8, for example. Wild Ginger is open until midnight, though.) There’s also some theaters in the area, Rose’s Turn right next door – should keep you busy. Plus, boywatching.

    Enjoy! Wish i could come say hello, but i’m booked up to my ears. >.< Also, don't forget to bring cash, especially if you're going to Chinatown. Not all the very little places with the weird goods take cards.

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