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The Knot -
A good place to start is on our Knot web page. The password is 'alger'. It provides concise information. There is more detailed information about certain items below.
Hotel Accommodations -
I have visited many hotels in the city to inquire about pricing and to tour their rooms. We have reserved a block of rooms at the Gershwin Hotel 212-545-8000. Some guests have booked at the Belvedere Hotel, although it seems the hotel is already full. Another hotel we would suggest is Washington Jefferson, which happens to be close to our apartment and the Belvedere Hotel.
The Gershwin is located in Gramercy and is a bit funky with wild artwork and brightly colored hallways. It definitely has more character than your average hotel. The surrounding area is quiet with a small park a block away. The rooms are a little smaller than what you might be used to, but from what I have seen, all Manhattan rooms are.
Gershwin only takes reservations themselves online or via phone. There are several room types to choose from including:
- 2-room suites with a queen in one room and two twins in the other. A roll-away bed is also available. Therefore 5 people could share the cost (and the bathroom) ($229 - roll-away is ~$20 more).
- Double or Twins($179)
- Twins with a roll-away($199), and
- Queen($189).
These "special rates" are available to our guests when they call and mention the code CI-THOMAS when making a reservation. There are additional rooms with 2 double beds and an "economy' room with one double bed that were not in my rate quote. Those you would need to ask about individually. Book by Sept. 15 to get these rates.
There is also an airport shuttle available, inquire with the concierge.
Gershwin Rates
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| Type |
Room Rate |
+ Taxes 13.625% & Occ. Tax
|
|
Superior Double/Twin
|
$179.00 |
$205.39
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|
Superior Twin+ Roll-away
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$199.00 |
$228.11
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| Superior Queen |
$189.00 |
$216.75
|
| Family Room/Suite |
$229.00 |
$262.20 |
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Washington Jefferson has several room configurations and their rooms vary in size. Some rooms have shower stalls instead of tubs, while others have Jacuzzis (must be requested). Book either on their site or through online discount sites.
Some sites to try:
For the adventurous types, consider less common accommodations such as shared-bath rooms, off-the-beaten-track locations, budget hotels (which are a bit of both,) or even vacation rentals. There are many options for lodging in New York, but it takes time to research and find the quirky deals. Email one of us if you have questions about a particular neighborhood.
(EDIT: Hotel appears not to have any vacancies on Saturday.)
Belvedere has "deluxe" rooms with either a queen or two double beds and they also have rooms with king size beds. I'm told all the rooms are the same size regardless of the bed. No suites are available. Best prices for Belvedere are at Travelocity.com. (~$175/night)
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Gift Registry -
Recently we have selected a few items from Macy's. Our registry is available on their Bridal Registry website.
We have had some questions about what gifts we would like and if we are listed with any wedding registries. Because our friends and family are spread out across the globe, no one location is convenient for all. In addition, the size of our current apartment leaves us little room to place new items. Therefore, we have not selected many items from Macy's.
Other Ideas:
- There is lots to do in NYC, and we haven't come close to exploring it all. Tickets to different museums, shows, concerts, and events would be alot of fun.
- Magazine Subscriptions. Dare I say it? Home decor, remodeling, buying guides, ideas for transforming space into something liveable. At some point we will be looking for a new home (either another apartment or a house) and need ideas for what to look for and what to do with it.
- Consumables - use-once items or food items.
- Wine - we like to have people over, or meet in the park, or just enjoy it between ourselves. Wine related items welcome too.
- One great idea would be to help us get out of NYC. Therefore, Car Rentals, a nights stay at a B&B, or other excuses to leave town are good.
- Kitchen gadgets. Greg is a gadget freak as anyone can atest - Tomoko is a whiz in the kitchen. So this seems like a good combo.
- Grand Piano and a living room to put it in. May be a bit much, but I know Tomoko would love it. While you're at it, throw in a home theater for me.
For those who wish to give beyond what is listed, we would like to accept a monetary gift to be used when we have a bit more space. If you have something particular in mind, include a note to let us know. When we move from our tiny apartment we will be able to better utilize it.
21st century gifts: We have set up a PayPal account associated with the email address gifts@uchino-thomas.com for those who wish to use the Internet.
The Best Man, Marc Schmalzel, will be monitoring this email address and PayPal account. We will not be aware of any gifts until our wedding day. You may contact him at the address above if necessary.
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Getting to Manhattan from the Airports -
For starters, check out www.panynj.gov and www.nyairportservice.com or supershuttle.com. I suggest not trying to learn the subway system while you have baggage in tow. There will be plenty of time for that.
This really depends on how many people are in your party and what airport you are flying into.
Your options for New York airports are Taxi, Bus, car service or shuttle.
Options for Newark, NJ are the same, with the addition of taking the AirTrain and then NJ Transit to Penn Station.
For NY airports we often take the Airport Express bus from the site above, but you would still need a cab to the hotel once you get to Manhattan. With 3 or 4 people it makes since to split a cab ride or car service from the airport. Check on current rates to see if this suits your trip. For instance, JFK to Manhattan is a flat fee of $45, but car service (nicer) is $40 (plus $4 in tolls) and it is always nice to have a guys at the airport hold a white sign with your name on it..
Trips from Newark, NJ are easy enough to do by taking the AirTrain and then an NJ Transit train to New York Penn Station (there also happens to be a Newark Penn Station). See the Port Authority link above for more info.
With more than 3 or 4 people (also consider baggage) it makes since to get a shuttle (van) to drive you to your hotel. The Gershwin Hotel offers such a service through their concierge, but many are available.
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