Please put me on your contact list. I live in the D.C. area but if I'm not busy, I would make a day trip. I lived in NY awhile back and traveled there a lot in recent years. I would recommend, if the weather's nice, Central Park (both in the park and along Central Park South) and Lincoln Center. Times Square is not to be missed, but I agree that one trip is sufficient. One time I was there, I unexpectedly got to see Sheryl Crow perform live at Virgin Records. In the evening, I enjoy the "non-touristy" theatre such as the Manhattan Theatre Club (I attended a performance there with Meryl Streep in the audience), cabaret and classical music events. My family unit consists of actors and musicians, so we always make trips to theatre bookstores and music stores, but for any special interest, you'll find a store in Manhattan.
It's hard to find a casual place to meet up that doesn't involve eating--things like Barnes & Noble are smaller and not quite as conducive to hanging around as they are in other cities--so you might want to pick one of the vegan restaurants. However, there is a Starbucks at NYU near the square that is larger than most I've seen in the city.  |