About Susan J
Susan J., budget traveler extraordinaire, inherited her Yankee frugality from her mother and it has served her well on trips across the US and the UK. Whether scoping out the nightlife scene or searching for that perfect pair of shoes, Susan loves writing and travel. She has lived outside of Seattle, Washington, and in Boston, Massachusetts and Albuquerque, New Mexico. She recently returned from a trip to Hawaii, where she made full use of her Go Oahu Card!
Blog posts written by Susan J
December 10th, 2007 by susan j
West New York Times Square photo courtesy of
New York City hotels can be expensive, especially if you want to stay in Manhattan near all the popular tourist attractions. But our friends over at have the perfect solution: . Since many of Manhattan’s hotels clear out on Sundays, 35 different hotels have teamed up to offer discounts between 20 and 30 perfect off their lowest rate and encourage tourists to stay an extra night. Participating hotels include the Westin, the Algonquin, the Carlton, and many others. Learn more .
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December 7th, 2007 by susan j
Ground floor gallery at NYC’s New Museum
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In celebration of its 30th birthday, the reopened its doors on December 1st at 235 Bowery St. in downtown Manhattan. This provocative mesh-wrapped structure is the first art museum ever constructed from the ground up in downtown Manhattan. Designed by Tokyo based architects, Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa, the building appears as seven rectangular boxes stacked on top of each other rising 174 feet above street level. The Bowery and the New Museum of Contemporary Art work well together in their effort to be open, creative and unprejudiced.
If you were at the Met Museum on last Monday, you would have seen the press swarming all over. What’s new? The grand opening of the new galleries for 19th and early 20th century European Painting and Sculpture. The Met opened 8,000 square feet of gallery space to view these works from the 1800’s to the early 20th century. While you are there, check out the 18th century that are happening throughout December. And plan to do some of your shopping at the Met Store and save 10 % with your New York City Explorer Pass. Check back for more updates on museums and culture in New York City!
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December 5th, 2007 by susan j
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Now that the stagehands strike has ended, producers are discounting tickets to encourage theater goers to come back to Broadway. Bloomberg news service reports that on the Great White Way, so they’ve cut ticket prices to help restore consumer confidence.
A sampling of the shows on sale:
- The Color Purple … $26.50-$59 (50% OFF)
- Avenue Q … $46.50-$72.50 (45% OFF)
- The Drowsy Chaperone … $52.25-$76.25 (40% OFF)
- A Chorus Line … $55-$65 (50% OFF)
- Spring Awakening … $55-$85 (35% OFF)
- Curtains … $59.50-$78.50 (45% OFF)
- Spamalot … $60-$75 (45% OFF)
- Legally Blonde … $67.50 (40% OFF)
- Mamma Mia! … $69 (40% OFF)
I have been wanting to see Spring Awakening, so this may be my chance! .
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December 3rd, 2007 by susan j
Times Square
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Do you ever wish for a website that offers personalized travel recommendations based on your favorite activities, foods, and more? Sort of like but for trip planning instead of buying books and DVDs? Well, may have just the ticket. Their quiz “” helps all types of travelers choose hotels, dining options, events, and more according to their travel style.
When I took the quiz, my results showed that I’m an “Explorer” (not surprising since I manage the Explorer Pass Blog, and no, I’m not making this up for the sake of a cheesy one-liner). Here’s what the quiz said: “You’re eager to check out anything and everything New York City has to offer—as long as it’s off the beaten path. If something is trendy, you’re already over it. You catch the latest off-off-Broadway shows before they become big and get your art fix at MoMA’s P.S.1.” Yup, sounds just like me! .
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November 30th, 2007 by susan j
After 19 (!) days of silence on Broadway due to a stagehands’ strike, last night marked the first performance in over two weeks for many Broadway shows. The NY Times ArtsBeat blog has comprehensive coverage of the , and Playbill online reports that the League of American Producers is putting on a at noon today to celebrate the end of the strike. Now that the strike has ended, you can check out !
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November 30th, 2007 by susan j
Macy’s NYC, Christmas Eve 2006
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If you’re headed to the Big Apple this Christmas, then you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that plenty of holiday activities and tourist attractions are open on December 25. For instance, Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, Top of the Rock™ Observation Deck, and Madame Tussauds New York all remain open on the big day. Our friends at NewYorkology have compiled a more complete list, so .
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November 28th, 2007 by susan j
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We’ve recently joined the world of , and we’d love to connect with fellow travelers and Explorer Pass users. If you’d like up stay to date on special sales, travel news, and other tidbits, then !
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November 27th, 2007 by susan j
Rockefeller Christmas Tree, 2005
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Tomorrow is Rockefeller Center’s annual Christmas tree lighting, and this year’s tree is “going green.” The Associated Press reports that the 84-foot Norway spruce will sport (LEDs). Musical guests for this star-studded event will include Celine Dion, Josh Groban, and Barry Manilow. 8-9 Eastern Time, and the tree will remain on display until the first week of January, when it will be cut into lumber and used to build homes by .
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November 21st, 2007 by susan j
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There’s the Macy*s Thanksgiving Day Parade, of course, but not everyone is a parade person. If you’ve already been there, done or you just want to see the sights instead, then NewYorkology has you covered. Here is their guide to . The list includes the Top of the Rock™ Observation Deck, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, and other popular New York City tourist attractions. Check back soon for our guide to attractions that are open on Christmas. Happy Thanksgiving!
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November 16th, 2007 by susan j
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There’s something magical about New York City in the winter: the festively decorated windows along Madison Avenue, the aroma of peppermint and chai wafting out of the coffeeshop on the corner, and, of course, the famous Rockefeller Center Christmas tree (pictured above).
In the spirit of the holiday season, we’ve compiled a list of 10 NYC holiday happenings that would make even Scrooge want to join in the fun.
- - October 6 - TBA
- - November 19-January 1
- - November 20-January 6
- - November 22
- -November 23-December 30
- City Sights NY “Lights of the Holiday Tour” - November 23-January 1
- - November 28
- - November 23-December 24
- - December 4-December 11
- - November 9-December 30
Check back for more details and other fun wintertime activities. Feel free to leave a comment to let us know about your favorite holiday tradition!
Planning a trip to
New York City?
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Explorer Pass.
