OT: Smax and Mrs Smax are going to the states.

[TheEqualizer]

For a good bar in NY, my personal favorite is Burp Castle. Tiny little place. Some GREAT beers on tap.

[TOWOS]

[quote="smax"]Booked kinda last minute (and yes i'm a bit annoyed we're going before tourzilla starts again).

We land in San Francisco on the 12th. We're going to drive from San Fran to Vegas via Yosemite and Big Sur. Then on the 24th flying from Vegas to New York for Mrs Smax's birthday.

We're meeting some rellies in SF and NY but does anyone have some cool recommendations of places on our journey where we can stay/eat/dance?[/quote]


SQUEEE!!! When are you coming? HAPPY BDAY SMAX!!!!
To stay? Avoid the Tenderloin, some parts of Oakland, and Richmond and you'll be fine.
Hotels close to South San Francisco (SFO) are reasonable and have the advantage to be close to the freeways.
Come to Marin County, eating is very good almost anywhere in SF - avoid the touristy Fisherman's Wharf and Ghirardelli Square-
Dancing? Huh?

[TheEqualizer]

Avoid the Tenderloin? So you're automatically assuming that they don't want some cheap hookers?

[TOWOS]

[quote="TheEqualizer"]Avoid the Tenderloin? So you're automatically assuming that they don't want some cheap hookers? [/quote]


No, just that they have to walk carefully and avoid wearing sandals not to step on discarded crack vials...

[smudge]

Sounds like TOWOS has given you a steer away from what we in travel refer to as an 'authentic' experience!

Speaking of which, in NY, Sophie's on E 5th just by Avenue A is my favourite bar on the planet. Despite the toilets. It is pretty loud and crowded of a late night, but I had a fabulous sunday afternoon there, sat at the bar watching DVDs of really awful 60s B movies with a bunch of wise-cracking regulars. I wish I'd got a recording of their commentary. Seriously the best free entertainment ever. The juke box is fantastic. And it has the most fabulously odd mix of clientelle. It looks a bit dodgy, but really isn't.

http://nymag.com/listings/bar/sophies/

(the comment there about the pool table is pretty much on the money)

The Holiday Cocktail Lounge on St Mark's place is another favourite, but last time I was in NY (2006) it never seemed to be open. Note that this is most definitely a dive bar - not a swanky hang out, despite the name. There are some great record stores round there.

[policerule]

i'll have to try that sophie's place next time i'm just hanging out in the city... sound like a good one! thanks smudge! i'll bring my video camera for the regulars

[TOWOS]

[quote="smudge"]Sounds like TOWOS has given you a steer away from what we in travel refer to as an 'authentic' experience!
.[/quote]

Yep, Smudge, it's authentic alright, but it ain't pretty, especially if you go see a show at the appropriately named Warfield Theater - as did yours truly, more than once.
There are hotels that are very nicely priced for an expensive (well, cheap for British standards at this point) city like SF, but some are on Market Street, the main artery of the town, which goes through the Tenderloin district and includes said nicely priced hotels!
So unless you want the Anthony Bourdain experience, I'd say that SF has so many fun and safer places to stay. To dance/see concerts, Slim's is the best I know.

[DirtyMartini]

Yay, smax!

If you're in midtown NYC and looking for a quick, cheap, delicious meal:

Sapporo -- 49th between 6th and 7th Avenues

Order the curry noodle soup (with extra pork if you want more than just a garnish of it). Excellent. The place is not attractive: it's small, cheap, shabby, loud. The service is fast and loud. The kitchen is visible and also loud. Zero ambiance. Cash only. Amazing soup.

I have no idea what any of the other food is like (though some of the other noodle soups looked interesting) because the curry noodles are just too good not to get.

[smudge]

DM's noodles with a side order of loud reminded me.

A pizza restaurant on Spring Street. Somewhere. Can't remember the name. We stopped because it smelt so damn good. Rammed, loud, best pizza I've ever had. And it still tasted good the following morning for breakfast when we unwrapped the half we'd failed to eat the night before.

Anyone able to put a name/address to this? Because I plan on living there for a day or two in August.

[DirtyMartini]

Got a neighborhood or nearby cross street, smudge? Spring runs from Bowery to the Hudson River.

[smudge]

[quote="DirtyMartini"]Got a neighborhood or nearby cross street, smudge? Spring runs from Bowery to the Hudson River.[/quote]

Yeah I know - in terms of pizza joints in NYC I've done the equivalent of saying ' it was in London'. Dumb ass tourist.

I'm trying to recall my movements that evening....more Bowery than Hudson though. And I'd recognize the smell.

ETA: Mott St?

[DirtyMartini]

Mott helps. Lombardi's perhaps?

http://gonyc.about.com/cs/restaurantrev ... bardis.htm

restaurant's site: http://www.firstpizza.com/newyork.html

[smudge]

BINGO! Yup! Thanks DM. You saved me from making the idiotic 'I think it had red and white checked table cloths' comment....

Smax - really, despite the above pizza fiasco, I know I'm right about the bars.

[TheEqualizer]

[quote="DirtyMartini"]Yay, smax!

If you're in midtown NYC and looking for a quick, cheap, delicious meal:

Sapporo -- 49th between 6th and 7th Avenues

Order the curry noodle soup (with extra pork if you want more than just a garnish of it). Excellent. The place is not attractive: it's small, cheap, shabby, loud. The service is fast and loud. The kitchen is visible and also loud. Zero ambiance. Cash only. Amazing soup.

I have no idea what any of the other food is like (though some of the other noodle soups looked interesting) because the curry noodles are just too good not to get.[/quote]

Sapporo is good. Keep in mind that a lot of places are cash only.

[nancyrose]

Ha! I was just going to ask if it might have been Lombardi's (32 Spring St.)...although last I remember they sold only by the whole pie, not the slice.

But mmm, gooooood!