Anthony and Chelsea

Activity Recommendations

Walking Tours (Such as the Chinatown History and Tasting Tour)

Sept 11, 2:00 PM at NYC Discovery Walking Tours:

This tour of the largest Chinatown in North America features stops at Confucius Plaza, the site of the notorious Five Points slum made famous in Gangs of New York, Mott Street, and the residence of Sun-Yat-sen. Along the way, sample ethnic specialties, from dim sum and dumplings to green tea ice cream. Call  212-465-3331 for updated schedule.

Chelsea also loves the “Big Onion” walking tours.  See what’s available here: http://www.bigonion.com/.

The Beast – Speedboat Tour

Chelsea’s favorite NYC action tour.  It leaves from the South Street Seaport.  Details at:
http://www.circleline42.com/site/browse.aspx?group=2

Top of the Rock – @ Rockefeller Center

If you’re into tall buildings, our advice is to skip the line at the Empire State Building and go to Rockefeller Center. Details at: http://www.topoftherocknyc.com/welcome/default.aspx

Ellis Island Immigration Museum

This museum always gets rave reviews . . . including two thumbs up from us. Chelsea loved looking up all her family names to see which sides might have gone through Ellis Island. See: http://www.ellisislandreenactment.com/

Top of the Rock view (from luca5)

Restaurant Recommendations

There are literally thousands of terrific restaurants . . . but here are a few of our favorites in Manhattan:

• Bar Americain – Chelsea took Anthony here for his birthday last year. Loved the homemade potato chips and blue cheese dressing! Reservations recommended.
• Shake Shack – Delicious burgers and fries in Madison Square Park. Always a long line.  Always worth waiting.
• Heidelberg Restaurant – Fabulous German food on the Upper East Side. Anthony claims to like it because of his Swiss-German heritage.
• Otto Enoteca – Anthony took Chelsea here for an anniversary dinner. Delicious, affordable, and good for groups.

For more recommendations, check out: http://www.yelp.com/.

Chelsea and I highly recommend New York City’s newest park called “The High Line.”  It’s an elevated linear park built on the bed of an old elevated railroad.  We went for a walk there this afternoon and really enjoyed it.  Click below to see our photos or read this review of the new park in the New York Times.

Photos from the High Line

Map of the High Line

Shirley wrote a really sweet post about us, the recent engagement of Anthony’s sister Kate and her boyfriend Nik (congrats, you two!), and my minister Forrest Church. Check it out!

Please see our lodging page for a long list of options. However, we also wanted to let you know where the guests who have already booked rooms are staying. Here’s the list (names shortened for Internet privacy):

• Chelsea’s parents, siblings, grandmother, aunts, uncles, and cousins are staying in a rented brownstone at 337 E. 82nd Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues).
• Anthony’s parents are staying at the Doubletree Metropolitan at 51st Street & Lexington Avenue.
• Barbara S., Sally M., and Robin B. from Tulsa are staying in the Belvedere Hotel near Times Square.
• Hobie & Su H. from Tulsa and Topi & Barb from California are staying at the Courtyard Marriott on the Upper East Side.
• Harley & Sadie from Harrisonburg are staying at the Parc Central (great hotel found via Priceline!). This is one block from Chelsea’s office and just south of Central Park.
• Marty and Hollins from Ann Arbor are staying at the Fitzpatrick, an Irish hotel in east Midtown (we’re not sure which of the two locations they’re in).

Yay, we’re getting married! The big event will be Saturday, September 12, in New York. See the links above for information about our wedding.