Tourist Tips

Some advice from my day today.
DON�T GO TO THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING OBSERVATORY!
It�s not that the view is awful (actually, it�s quite nice) or that the building is ugly (Art Deco is cool), but since the loss of the WTC and the deck on the 110th floor, the ESB is the only game in town. And they�ve taken advantage of it appropriately (as we do with “capitalism”).
They make you queue outside of the building. That�s understandable. After a 30 minute wait, you make it into the lobby. You think, �we�re there!� and go in.
WRONG!
Then you go downstairs to buy your �ticket�. While waiting in the 50 minute queue to buy a ticket from two out of four windows, you are constantly hit with some movie/virtual ride thing that they are selling that promises no waiting. Some people jump out of line and pay double just so they don�t� have to wait. Then, you have to queue AGAIN to go up the lift to the 80th floor. Another 30 minute wait. Then, a short (ha ha ha) 10 minute queue to the top.
Queues suck. But the most suckiest part is that there�s a sign inside the ticket queue that says �2 hour wait�. Wouldn�t it make more sense to post that OUTSIDE instead of inside where you are a virtual prisoner? They suck.
NYC is something special, but I liked the view from my room at the Grand Hyatt Jin Mao. From the 76th Floor, with a view of the Huangpu @ the Bund at your feet.
Went to the MoMA in Queens. They are open for business here in the old Swingline Stapler factory until their old place on 54th Street is rebuilt. Gotta admit it was a bit of a letdown since my favorite parts, Photography and Industrial Design didn�t make the move. However, their coffee bar served Illy (mmmm Illy…) AND they DID have a 50% off sale on their line of Xmas cards (which are always fun) so it wasn�t a total wash. Then we endured the hell of the Helmsleys (see opening rant).
Had dinner @ the Carnegie Deli on 5th Avenue. Filling but no refills on Diet Coke. Now I know where Jerry�s Famous Deli ripped off the menu and d�cor from. Jerry�s gives refills tho. This was after a street vendor hot dog/sausage brunch. It was cool! The street vendor food, that is.
The Hudson is a destination place. Go hang out @ the bar, the library, the hallways, it�s all cool. Can�t say much about the �gym� or the knocking of the steam pipes all night in the room tho.
Totally cool place, but next time, I�ll choose the Westin @ Times Square or the Hyatt at Grand Central Station. Campbell�s Apartment is there. I like proper beds (not trendy platform beds) with box springs and firmness