Welcome to Ask the Expert Q & A Forum. Here you can ask absolutely any questions on New York.
Simply fill out our question form below and our resident team of experts will respond to you with the answers!
Question: When purchasing tickets for broadway through VisitNewYork.ie can tickets be picked up at the theatre?
Thank you for your query. are working with our suppliers to offer more flexible ticketing options such as e-tickets that can be printed at home and presented at the box office. Ticket delivery options determined by each event promoter. Some events cater for box office “will call” pick up as well as other options such as email etc. For example we have e-tickets for Yankees games and Phantom of the Opera. However in the case for printed tickets, for security purposes all ticket purchases must be delivered to the same billing address as of the credit card used for purchase.
Question: Can you suggest a few pubs in New York that would be showing GAA matches?
Answer: There are a select few Irish pubs in New York that show GAA hurling and football matches. These matches are screened via a subscription channel called Premium Sports. Be sure to call the pub a few days in advance to make sure they are screening the game. Be sure to ask if there is a cover charge! This is normal and expect to pay approx $20.00
Manhattan
McCormacks: 365 3rd Ave at 26th St | Phone: 212-683-0911
Patrick Kavanaghs: 497 3rd Avenue & 34th St | Phone: 212-889-4304
Playwright: 202 W.49th St (Between 7th & B’way) | Phone:212-262-9229
Kinsale Tavern: 672 3rd Avenue & 95th St | Phone:212-348-4370
Question: Hi, just wondering if you could recommend a hotel near Macy’s? We’re looking for something cheap and cheerful if possible! Thanks.
Answer: There are lots of hotels near Macy’s Herald Square that fit the bill. One of the most popular hotels with Irish people is the 2 star Hotel Pennsylvania which is located on 33rd Street and 7th Avenue right opposite Penn Station. Although the rooms are basic, the location is very convenient not only for shopping in Macy’s, Chelsea boutiques and Garment District but it is close to Empire State Building, Grand Central, Madison Square Garden and a 10 min stroll to Times Square Theatre district.
A double room in the Pennsylvania Hotel in February 2010 comes in at €69.00 or €34.50 per person including taxes. They also have triple and quad rooms available making it even cheaper per person.
Question: I am planning a shopping trip and would like some advice on which Outlet Mall is better? Woodbury Common or Jersey Gardens? Also, what is the sales tax on clothing and shoes in New York and New Jersey?
Answer: To say which mall is better is pretty much a matter of opinion. The team here at VisitNewYork.ie are not one’s to sit on the fence and we took a vote and the majority of the team here voted in favour of Woodbury Common purely on the basis of choice. Woodbury Common is a one hour bus journey from Manhattan to Upstate New York. Jersey Gardens is only a thirty minute bus journey from midtown Manhattan. Compared with Jersey Gardens indoor outlet, Woodbury Common is an outdoor mall set in pretty surroundings. It is also the larger of the two malls and subsequently offers a wider choice of retailers which for most means a better shopping experience.
That said, Jersey Gardens across the Hudson is in close proximity (five minutes) to Newark Airport which makes it the perfect opportunity for a convenient and last minute shop en route to the airport. Although there are not as many stores as its New York State rival Woodbury Common, retailers at Jersey Gardens compete on convenience as well as on price via their sales tax policy.
New Jersey does not charge sales tax on clothing period. Ladies note that this includes shoes! The only key difference between the two states is that New Jersey sales tax is 7% compared to New York’s 8.375%. As of August 1st 2009, each item of clothing and footwear purchased below $110 USD are exempt from the New York State and City sales tax of 8.375%. Items such as jewellery, handbags and sports products and electronic goods like cameras, ipods and laptops are not exempt from the sales tax in both new Jersey and New York.
With the economic downturn retailers are fighting for every dollar and are enticing shoppers with goods at knock down prices. The weak dollar is also another contributing factor to a stronger purchasing power and even bigger bargains! Sales tax should only really concern you if you are planning on spending in the thousands. If so, check out our previous post to a question we received on customs charges at Dublin and Shannon airport.
So to answer your question which outlet mall is better, we will ask you a simple question. Convenience or choice?
Only you know the answer!
Question: Where can I find advice on suggested pub crawls in Manhattan please?
Answer: The first thing that springs to mind when asked this question is…wow there are a lot of bars in Manhattan, how do you choose? No matter where you are in Manhattan, you are only a block away from a selection of bars. The best thing to do is decide which neighbourhood you would like to conquer. There are lots of bars dotted around Times Square and Theatre District but if you want to get away from the touristy bars and get a taste of the real Manhattan life you should to head to the Lower East Side or East Village.
Our suggestion is to take the 6 subway downtown to Astor Place and start your pub crawl off in Manhattan’s and America’s oldest pub which of course is an Irish bar by the name of McSorley’s located at 15 East 7th Street between 2nd & 3rd Avenue. McSorley’s is a great starting point as it is close to both East Village/Alphabet City and the Lounges of Lower East Side. Note all drinks in McSorley’s must be ordered two or three at a time or face the wrath of the barman.
McSorley's Old Ale House
After McSorley’s, it is really up to you. There are so many types of bars to choose from. To help you choose bars for your pub crawl list we suggest you take a look at bars in our New York Nightlife Guide as well as some cool sites such as NewYorkOnTap.com and MurphGuide.com. Check out the pub crawl we have for Alphabet City…
11th Street Bar : 510 E 11th St (btw Ave A and B)
Teneleven : 171 Avenue C (btw 10th & 11th)
East Village Tavern : 158 Ave C (@ 10th St)
Sunburnt Cow : 137 Avenue C (btw 8th & 9th)
The Summit Bar : 133 Avenue C (btw 8th & 9th)
Porch Bar : 115 Ave C (btw 8th & 9th)
7B / Vazacs Horseshoe Bar : 108 Avenue B (@ 7th St)
No Malace Palace : 197 E 3rd St (btw Ave A & B)
Croxley Ales : 28 Avenue B (btw 2nd & 3rd)
Aces And Eights Saloon : 34 Avenue A (btw 2nd & 3rd)
Question: Heading to New York first week of December, planning on going to Woodbury Common. Do you need to book the bus tickets in advance?
Answer: The busiest shopping period for U.S. and New York in particular is fast approaching. In 2009, Black Friday falls on Friday 27th November. The following five or six weeks leading up to Christmas and the New Year will be prime holiday season shopping in New York. New York retailers are not immune to the recession and as a result they are battling each other for business which can mean only one thing to the Irish shopaholic…..BARGAINS! With this in mind and the dollar at an all time low against the euro, everyone knows of the great bargains to be had in the Big Apple, but also at Woodbury Common Premium Outlet which is home to the world’s largest collection of 220 designer and brand name outlets. .
Everyone going to Woodbury common tends to travel early in the morning and make a day trip out of it which makes complete sense. There are limited buses so our advice for anyone planning a trip to Woodbury Common is to book your ticket in advance so to avoid waiting around Port Authority Bus Terminal when you could be nabbing a pair of Manolo Blahniks at 70% off! There is a lot of ground Woodbury Common is big so another piece of advice is to wear comfortable shoes, bring a light rain jacket and plan your shop assault en route.
VisitNewYork.ie sells Woodbury Common Bus Tickets at €30.00 return. Buses to Woodbury Common depart Port Authority Bus Station at 42nd Street (right by Times Square) at 08.30 on a daily basis. Journey time is approx 1 hour each way.
Question: We have booked a holiday to New York and have been told that my partner may be refused entry as he had a caution for possession of cannabis six years ago? Is this true? Thanks
Answer: Although you refer to a caution, matters relating to the posession of narcotics are taken very seriously by U.S. Immigration (and all countries) and it is quite possible that your partner may be refused entry solely on these grounds. VisitNewYork.ie are by no means qualified to advise you on a legal basis but our advice for anyone in your predicament is to contact your local Garda Station for a Police Certificate and advice on whether this information (such as a caution) was ever shared with the U.S. authorities. We would also advise you to contact the United States Embassy in Dublin to make an appointment as soon as possible. The U.S Dublin Embassy website has information on non-immigrant visas that relates to criminal convictions.
US Embassy Dublin - Visa Information
A member of staff at the embassy will inform your partner whether (s)he is eligible for a visa to enter the United States. Worst case scenario; at least with some notice you will be able to limit the cancellation charges for your flight/hotel booking. On the other hand, if all is good and there are no problems, you will be able to look forward to your trip to New York rather than waiting anxiously until the time comes to meet a U.S. immigration officer.
Question: Heading to New York on the 17th November and we want to find a bar to watch the world cup qualifier between Ireland and France on the 18th November. Also the premiership football, Liverpool games if possible? Thanks so much in advance!
Answer: There are plenty of pubs or should I say bars in New York that will be showing the Ireland v France world cup qualifier matches as well as live premiership football and 6 Nations or Heineken Cup Rugby. The following Manhattan bars are great for atmosphere for the football and rugby matches. It is possible but unlikely…have a quick look on the bar’s website or call in advance from your hotel to see if they have a cover charge (usually $20 if any) for the games.
The Red Lion Pub in Greenwich/West Village: 151 Bleecker St at Thompson St, New York Phone: 212-260-9797 ($20 cover)
O’Briens Irish Pub & Grill - Home of the North America Munster Rugby Supporters Club: 134 West 46th St, New York Phone: 212-391-1516
The Kinsale Tavern: 1672 3rd Ave btw 93rd & 94th St (Upper East side) Phone: 212-348-4370
Question: We are a group of four (two couples) heading to New York for five days in mid November and are interested in catching a basketball game in New York. How do we go about getting tickets? Where would you recommend we stay?
Answer: The 2009-2010 NBA Basketball Season has already kicked off its pre-season friendly games with the first official match throw-ins on Tuesday October 27th which is in fact today! The New York Knicks play their home games at Madison Square Garden at 32nd St & 7th Ave right by Penn Station and around the block from Macy’s Department Store. Tickets for each New York Knicks game can be purchased directly through VisitNewYork.ie. Be sure to check and see if you can pick up some limited e-tickets that are made available. Although tickets are sent by FedEx, we recommend you book your tickets a couple of weeks in advance just to be sure they arrive in the post on time.
As for hotel accommodation we recommend you look at hotels in midtown Manhattan as you will be well connected by Manhattan’s efficient public transport system. There are a number of hotels close to Madison Square Garden. The 2 star Pennsylvania Hotel, the 4 star Affinia Manhattan Hotel Suites as well as the 3 star Holiday Inn Express MSG (Madison Sqaure Garden) are proving popular with people looking to catch a game and do some shopping at Macy’s.
