Scoop Airport/Hotel/Travel Thread

[MuggsyB]

I don't know much about either hotel, but their locations are both good.  Waldorf I've heard very good things about.  Its either that or Vdara for elite mid Strip hotels that don't have casinos.

As for watching the game, Circa is an incredible sportsbook to watch a game.  Otherwise Caesars is always a good spot that isn't too far from either of those hotels.


Where are you guys staying?  I'd assume somewhere Midtown or adjacent?  Always interesting to hear people's initial impressions of NYC, especially when the first visit is as an adult.  A desire to return is always a good sign.

Tyvm JWags. The Elara looks more like a condo hotel.

[pbiflyer]

Tyvm JWags. The Elara looks more like a condo hotel.

The Rum Runner is a dive Packer bar. While it has the Badger cafe restaurant attached, it would have the MU game and likely a pro Marquette crowd.
https://www.google.com/maps/place//data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x80c8c51048a90bd3:0xe77a23ce549825bd?entry=s&sa=X&ved=1t:8290&hl=en-us&ictx=111

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Spending my first weekend ever in NYC right now.  Tightly scheduled tour culminating with my kid's high school choir performing at Carnegie Hall.  Having a great time.  Now have the itch to come back. Big East tourney doesn't work.  Fun to visit.  Would not want to live here.

Carnegie Hall is good place to see music.  I've been in the big and small theatres there.  Have a great visit despite this weekend's weather. 
You're very close to Central Park which is good to visit anytime of year.

[tower912]

Hit it yesterday as part of the group. If the monsoon holds off, I may go wander for an hour or two this pm.

[tower912]

Central Park horse drawn carriage ride. A smart husband knows his audience.

[Scoop Snoop]

Central Park horse drawn carriage ride. A smart husband knows his audience.

Same here. She loved it. Gussied up horses are just the right touch.

[CreightonWarrior]

Same here. She loved it. Gussied up horses are just the right touch.

As long as they aren't fed bulk off brand beefaroni.

[WarriorFan]

I don't know much about either hotel, but their locations are both good.  Waldorf I've heard very good things about.  Its either that or Vdara for elite mid Strip hotels that don't have casinos.

As for watching the game, Circa is an incredible sportsbook to watch a game.  Otherwise Caesars is always a good spot that isn't too far from either of those hotels.

Not a big Vegas fan but I can add that my group was asked to leave Caesar's sports book for not gambling when we were just sitting there having a beer watching a game.

[MuggsyB]

The Rum Runner is a dive Packer bar. While it has the Badger cafe restaurant attached, it would have the MU game and likely a pro Marquette crowd.
https://www.google.com/maps/place//data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x80c8c51048a90bd3:0xe77a23ce549825bd?entry=s&sa=X&ved=1t:8290&hl=en-us&ictx=111

Interesting. Ty pbi.  I think the weasel/rodents are playing T the same time though. 

[MuggsyB]

Not a big Vegas fan but I can add that my group was asked to leave Caesar's sports book for not gambling when we were just sitting there having a beer watching a game.

Oh...really??  I don't gamble but the last time I was in Vegas during college hoops season I didn't have a problem at the Venetian.  Although I didn't care for their set-up/ sportsbook.  This Circa joint looks cool. 

[JWags85]

Not a big Vegas fan but I can add that my group was asked to leave Caesar's sports book for not gambling when we were just sitting there having a beer watching a game.

Thats wild.  Was it really crowded/at capacity?  I could see maybe if they were short on seating and a group wasn't wagering so they needed to open up seats, but otherwise Ive never heard/seen something of the like.  Ive sat at the Venetian book half a dozen times eating lunch/dinner and watching games during a break in a conference, without gambling and I can think of other times where we sat having a drink before heading elsewhere in the same situation.

[MuggsyB]

Thats wild.  Was it really crowded/at capacity?  I could see maybe if they were short on seating and a group wasn't wagering so they needed to open up seats, but otherwise Ive never heard/seen something of the like.  Ive sat at the Venetian book half a dozen times eating lunch/dinner and watching games during a break in a conference, without gambling and I can think of other times where we sat having a drink before heading elsewhere in the same situation.

JWags,

Can I find a high quality meal near Circa?  Ty. 

[WarriorFan]

Thats wild.  Was it really crowded/at capacity?  I could see maybe if they were short on seating and a group wasn't wagering so they needed to open up seats, but otherwise Ive never heard/seen something of the like.  Ive sat at the Venetian book half a dozen times eating lunch/dinner and watching games during a break in a conference, without gambling and I can think of other times where we sat having a drink before heading elsewhere in the same situation.

Not crowded.  None of us were gamblers or Vegas people so we had no idea... so we just left.  Thought it was normal. 

[MuggsyB]

Not crowded.  None of us were gamblers or Vegas people so we had no idea... so we just left.  Thought it was normal. 

This seems unreasonable.  Perhaps I'll have a chat with the big wigs at Caesars. 

[CreightonWarrior]

Thats wild.  Was it really crowded/at capacity?  I could see maybe if they were short on seating and a group wasn't wagering so they needed to open up seats, but otherwise Ive never heard/seen something of the like.  Ive sat at the Venetian book half a dozen times eating lunch/dinner and watching games during a break in a conference, without gambling and I can think of other times where we sat having a drink before heading elsewhere in the same situation.

Just yesterday at mgm grand they said i could just go in and sit down.

[BM1090]

This seems unreasonable.  Perhaps I'll have a chat with the big wigs at Caesars. 

What I will say is if you want to watch at Caesars. Just walk up the the machine once. Play around with it. Don't bet. Go take your seat. Nobody's gonna question you.

[Uncle Rico]

This seems unreasonable.  Perhaps I'll have a chat with the big wigs at Caesars. 

Herm was a waiter there for a period

[MuggsyB]

Herm was a waiter there for a period

That doesn't help me.  I'll either have a litte chat with management or find another establishment if I choose to go there. I have all the power.

[MuggsyB]

What I will say is if you want to watch at Caesars. Just walk up the the machine once. Play around with it. Don't bet. Go take your seat. Nobody's gonna question you.

Fair enough. I'm pretty sure they don't want to mess with me.  Especially in my MU gear. 

[pbiflyer]

JWags,

Can I find a high quality meal near Circa?  Ty. 

This place?
https://maps.app.goo.gl/zF7FPWV6C4DY6ris9

[pbiflyer]

Updates from my trip:

Please do.  Probably save you 3-4 min at the door!  I would have said the Kit Kat Club, but Berghain is likely better for a corporate outing.

We dropped your name, but were turned away, as they said all you did was bug everyone about the benefits of using the portal, insisting that everyone there should dip into the portal at least once.
The BRLO brewery was nice. As was the Kink restaurant. Good Italian at Trattoria Paparazzi, though the waiter was a little like the Soup N...oh wait, Germany, like the guy serving soup in the Seinfeld show. 
Stayed at the music themed nhow hotel right on the Spree river. Interesting. Each elevator has different themed music and you could borrow musical instruments. Very pink hotel though.

I really liked Athens, as did my oldest son (20). For us, Athens was the center of the world for centuries, the birthplace of Western Civilization, the height of art, politics, philosophy, religion, culture, thought.

The Acropolis and Parthenon and incredible, awe inspiring. Museum is worth it, we had a tour guide that walked us there from our hotel and all around.

We walked to Hadrian's Library, The Lyceum, Temple of Zeus, Socrates Prison, The Panathenaic Stadium. We did not do Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion but really wanted to. Some places might not seem worth it to some, for me I was walking where the greatest thinkers of all time walked. Hang out in Plaka.

We took a tour to Delphi (had a tour, took all day) that was incredible. Highly recommend. We weren't able to catch a futbol match, but that's high on my list for next time. We told our driver we were from Milwaukee, and he got so excited, asked if we knew Giannis, told us about G's upbringing, showed us the neighborhood he lived in, was a neat experience.

Although you won't seem to have time, we also did Santorini, Naxos, and Crete. All three islands are unique, all three contribute to modern Greece in their own ways, and Crete has an entire history of its own that was incredible and fascinating.


Here are some food recs:

Athens

To Lokali - Best Outdoor Restaurant

Geros Tu Moria - Plaka - Traditional - A bit touristy

Bougatsadiko Thessaloniki - Psirri - Bakery & Coffee

Kostas - Monastiraki - Best Gyros & Souvlaki in Central Athens

O Thanasis - Monastiraki - Best Gyros & Souvlaki in Central Athens

Avli - Psirri - Hole in the Wall

Evgenia - Plaka - Taverna - Local and less touristy

Feyrouz - Levantine Street Food - Restaurant & Bakery

Zisis - Street Food - Fried Sardines & Anchovies

We did a food tour and ate at some great restaurants.
We did To Lokali. Very tasty. Also O Thanasis, great suggestions!
If you are ever at the Acropolis museum, I can highly recommend To Kati Allo, right across the street. Mom & pop, very local, just steps from the touristy places. The Psaras Tavern in the Plaka had outstanding lamb.
If you go to the market, you have to go to Diporto. They serve whatever they found good at the market that day. There is no sign, you just go down the stairs at the corner of Sokratous and Theatrou. It will be crowded, you will share a table likely.
Beer and wine in Athens sucked. Most sober I have been on a vacation trip.
Good cocktail bars though.

[tower912]

I loved NYC.  Enough that I would enjoy a two week vacation there to just explore.   Not enough to move there.
I loved hearing the snippets of all of the different languages.
I stood outside St. Patrick's cathedral in the rain at 8:40 on Sunday morning and just watched the families and listened to their different languages and felt more connected to the universe than ever.
Got to see Hadestown.
Carmine's.  Ellen's Stardust diner. Eating pizza NY style.
Carriage ride through Central park.  The driver was from Istanbul and we left friends.
Our party was roughly 70, half teenagers.  Restaurants did not blink.  20 pizzas?  When?
We were just a couple of blocks from the SNL reunion.   Some of the kids used their extremely limited free time to hang out and look for the stars.
And the payoff was that the kids choir got to sing at Carnegie Hall.
The purgatory was the bus ride there and back.

[pbiflyer]

And that was just Manhattan. Brooklyn has some great places to explore. Heck, even Queens has some interesting places.
I have a love hate relationship with NYC. Sometimes I go and love it, other times I just hit the wrong areas or people and get frustrated with it.
You seem to hit some great tourist highlights. Exploring some of the lesser known areas is very cool. I spent an afternoon just watching some pick up basketball, eating street food (and a beer thanks to a very friendly fellow bystander)

[tower912]

We got to the 9/11 Memorial and it was exactly as it should be.  The kids sang the anthem, because they could.  I was affected.  It was also late in the morning and I was still caffeine free, so I am not sure of the causality.  I frequently get out of sorts when I haven't had any caffeine by 11.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I'm in NYC about once per month as the family or I take the train in for some event a game or simply to walk around.  I take for granted the ease of visiting. 

Halloween night for a special Duran Duran holiday concert at MSG
November for a walking tour, "Gangsters and Ghosts"
December to see the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree
January just to walk around, and a second trip as I took the train back to CT from Newark Airport
February to the New York Botanical Garden to see the entire indoor garden orchid blooms (it takes almost an hour to walk through).
March for Marquette Circles Event and hopefully a return for a Big East Tournament game
......................