General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Visiting NYC Next Week -- Where to Run (or get Pizza)? Rss Feed  
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2011-11-16 4:35 PM

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Subject: Visiting NYC Next Week -- Where to Run (or get Pizza)?

Coming up with the Family for an NYC Thanksgiving.  Will be staying at the Warwick at West 54th Street Wed. through Saturday.

Any hints on where I can run (around 6-7 AM)?  I see Central Park is a few blocks away, is it safe? Will it be blocked off for the Macy's parade route?

Thanks for any info.

P.S.  Any good pizza shops nearby Smile ??? 



2011-11-16 8:06 PM
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Subject: RE: Visiting NYC Next Week -- Where to Run (or get Pizza)?

CP totally safe.  Runners and cyclists in there starting between 4:30 and 5am

 

if you want to do a turkey trot, there is a 5 miler in Prospect Park (Brooklyn) at 9 am on Turkey day - my sons and I are doing it.

 

Pizza - EVERYWHERE!!!!!

2011-11-17 10:41 AM
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Subject: RE: Visiting NYC Next Week -- Where to Run (or get Pizza)?
2011-11-17 11:27 AM
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Subject: RE: Visiting NYC Next Week -- Where to Run (or get Pizza)?
x2 on running in Central Park. Totally safe. Just watch out for the cyclists, they tear down those hills with some serious speed!
2011-11-17 11:49 AM
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Subject: RE: Visiting NYC Next Week -- Where to Run (or get Pizza)?
you could also head straight west and run along the river - the path goes along the entire west side - that is my preferred running area to CP.
2011-11-17 6:44 PM
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Subject: RE: Visiting NYC Next Week -- Where to Run (or get Pizza)?
X2 on the west side run. I think I'd run downtown, rather than updown once you get to the west side, though--more interesting stuff to see.


2011-11-19 6:46 AM
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Subject: RE: Visiting NYC Next Week -- Where to Run (or get Pizza)?
Looks like there's a Ray's pizza on Broadway and 54th. They're an old standby, but honestly, it's hard to get bad pizza in NYC.

You're also not far from the Carnegie deli. That's worth a visit. Mmmm....pastrami on rye....
2011-11-22 10:29 AM
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Subject: RE: Visiting NYC Next Week -- Where to Run (or get Pizza)?

Central Park and the West Side Greenway are both great.  The big loop in Central Park is almost exactly 6 miles.  Sidewalk barriers may make it tricky getting into Central Park on Thursday morning but the park itself is open.  The other days will be fine.

On the Greenway from the 50's down to the tip of Manhattan is about 5.5 miles (one-way).  Close up views of the new World Trade Center as well as Statue of Liberty and Verazzano bridge come around 3.5 miles down.  The path follows the Hudson river all the way down to the Staten Island Ferry terminal.

As for pizza, the progenitor of NY-style pizza was Gennaro Lombardi who opened NYC's first pizza place in Little Italy in 1905.  His grandson carries on the tradition today at Lombardi's.

John Sasso, a protege of Lombardi's, opened John's Pizza on Bleecker St. in Greenwich Village in 1929 and it still serves some of NYC's best coal-fired brick oven pizza.

Traditional New York pizza is characterized by thin crust, don't think deep-dish Chicago style.  Both of these restaurants would require a short cab or subway ride from midtown but are located in very lively, safe, colorful neighborhoods that would be fun for your family to explore.  Chinatown has mixed in with Little Italy over the years, but Mulberry St (one block west of Lombardi's) still retains many Italian restaurants and pastry shops.

Carnegie Deli is a must for lunch.  Practice unhinging your jaws in advance.

Apologies to jmk above, but I would avoid any pizza place with Ray's in their name.  There are many pizza places in NYC with variations on this name: Original Ray's, Famous Ray's, Famous Original Ray's, etc.  To my knowledge there was no notable NYC pizza maker named Ray, at least not from the Lombardi/Sasso/Pero/Lancieri lineage.  Not saying that none of them are any good, but I've been to several of them that were mediocre at best.

2011-11-22 11:11 AM
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Subject: RE: Visiting NYC Next Week -- Where to Run (or get Pizza)?
Carl_V - 2011-11-22 11:29 AM

Central Park and the West Side Greenway are both great.  The big loop in Central Park is almost exactly 6 miles.  Sidewalk barriers may make it tricky getting into Central Park on Thursday morning but the park itself is open.  The other days will be fine.

On the Greenway from the 50's down to the tip of Manhattan is about 5.5 miles (one-way).  Close up views of the new World Trade Center as well as Statue of Liberty and Verazzano bridge come around 3.5 miles down.  The path follows the Hudson river all the way down to the Staten Island Ferry terminal.

As for pizza, the progenitor of NY-style pizza was Gennaro Lombardi who opened NYC's first pizza place in Little Italy in 1905.  His grandson carries on the tradition today at Lombardi's.

John Sasso, a protege of Lombardi's, opened John's Pizza on Bleecker St. in Greenwich Village in 1929 and it still serves some of NYC's best coal-fired brick oven pizza.

Traditional New York pizza is characterized by thin crust, don't think deep-dish Chicago style.  Both of these restaurants would require a short cab or subway ride from midtown but are located in very lively, safe, colorful neighborhoods that would be fun for your family to explore.  Chinatown has mixed in with Little Italy over the years, but Mulberry St (one block west of Lombardi's) still retains many Italian restaurants and pastry shops.

Carnegie Deli is a must for lunch.  Practice unhinging your jaws in advance.

Apologies to jmk above, but I would avoid any pizza place with Ray's in their name.  There are many pizza places in NYC with variations on this name: Original Ray's, Famous Ray's, Famous Original Ray's, etc.  To my knowledge there was no notable NYC pizza maker named Ray, at least not from the Lombardi/Sasso/Pero/Lancieri lineage.  Not saying that none of them are any good, but I've been to several of them that were mediocre at best.

Thanks for the local info. I love making (and eating) pizzas, and Peter Reinhart's book (American Pie) is quite an interesting read on the many NY pizza shops, including the Ray's parade.  Definitely looking forward to some thin pizzas.

Mulberry Street, boy that brings back some memories.

Thanks again.

 

(Gotta love Amtrak WiFi)

2011-11-22 2:26 PM
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Subject: RE: Visiting NYC Next Week -- Where to Run (or get Pizza)?

In that case, I think either Lombardi's or John's would be interesting for you.  I have Reinhart's Crust and Crumb and also Bread Baker's Apprentice, but haven't read American Pie.  I would love to know what the deal is with all the Ray's.

Back on topic, I looked at the parade route and it looks like you'd be able to get into Central Park at 6th Ave and 59th St without too much trouble as the parade proceeds down 7th Ave.  If they have 6th Ave locked down too go one more block over to 5th and head up the access road that runs adjacent to the back of the zoo (Google maps calls it East Dr.) and you'll meet up with the main loop at the top of that hill.

2011-11-23 2:11 PM
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Subject: RE: Visiting NYC Next Week -- Where to Run (or get Pizza)?

I am a huge Carnegie Deli fan but I think eating there and running any distance are mutually exclusive activities. 

 

You should have no problem getting into the park to run Thursday morning. If it gets tough, just go up the East side on Fifth and you can get in there. 



2011-11-28 3:00 PM
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Subject: RE: Visiting NYC Next Week -- Where to Run (or get Pizza)?

Thanks everyone for their replies.  Had a fantastic Thanksgiving in NYC.  Wow, CP is GORGEOUS! 

Had some excellent pizza at John's on W 44th St. (down the block from Sardi's).  Also saw the Rocketts Christmas Show, Anything Goes, and How to Succeed in Business w/o Really Trying (Daniel Radcliffe was pretty funny).

Thanks again.

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