From "Scream" To Flea: Your Fall 2012 Guide To Three Days In NYC

By Sponsor in Arts & Entertainment on Oct 4, 2012 5:00PM

"The weather in New York [during] fall is a non-issue; it can be a bit wet and certainly much cooler, but you can still find some Indian-summer days during the month of October, which truly makes New York a wonderful place to be in the fall,” says American Express Travel Insider Howard Lewis. So why not use just one of your hard-earned vacation days to spend a long weekend in New York City filled with buzzing pre-holiday energy, cutting-edge food, and some of the most exciting cultural events in the country?

As part of our Fall 2012 Getaway Planning Guide with American Express, we’ve created some suggestions for your long weekend in NYC with an eye on the can’t-miss sights, bites, and events of the season—many of which are available with special discounts and promotions through American Express—ensuring you make the most of your time in the Big Apple.

WHERE TO STAY:

This fall, American Express is offering a wide array of travel deals at some of New York City’s most popular hotels.

These deals include a 20 percent discount at Wellington Hotel (through 12/31), a 35 percent discount at Hotel Belleclaire (through 1/8/13), 25 percent off on Sundays at The Empire Hotel (through 12/31), as well as other discounts at the Affinia Manhattan, the Warwick, Hotel Gansevoort (both Meatpacking and Park Ave. locations), Michelangelo, and the W in Union Square.

Through the Fine Hotels & Resorts Program, American Express Platinum Card members get room upgrades upon availability, special check-in and check-out times, and breakfast options when booking at participating hotels such as The Carlyle, Four Seasons, Gramercy Park Hotel, Mandarin Oriental, and many more-which total a $450 value per stay.

There’s a plethora of excellent hotels in the city that range in budget and location. Your best bet is to zero in on the neighborhood you think you’ll spend the most time in, and choose your favorite option there! For instance, if you're interested in checking out Williamsburg, the Wythe Hotel might be up your alley.

WHAT TO DO:

Fall is a time of year in the city that woos even those who live in NYC full-time—"During the month of October, closer to the second or third week, you’ll start to see the colors change in Central Park," says Lewis, "which is truly breathtaking." Everywhere you’ll want to go in the city is accessible by the subway system, and you can purchase an unlimited pass that will last the long weekend for just $30.

After you walk around some of Central Park's 800-plus acres, check out the new public art exhibit just at the southwestern entrance: Discovering Columbus, which re-imagines a statue of Christopher Columbus that rises 75 feet above a busy roundabout as Columbus standing in a fully-furnished living room. Visitors, who can reserve tickets at the Public Art Fund site, can climb up six flights of stairs and see Columbus in his digs.

NYC is also constantly playing host to big festivals, and there are two big ones in October: The NYC Wine and Food Festival, which draws world-class chefs for special dinners, talks, and presentations, and the CMJ Music Marathon in mid-October, a festival celebrating emerging musicians, that takes over the city's coolest venues.

The Brooklyn Flea is a destination for scavengers looking for antiques and great buys as well as those looking for delicious food with its Smorgasburg offshoot. There are various locations in Brooklyn (DUMBO, Fort Greene, Williamsburg). And if you're in DUMBO, take a spin on Jane's Carousel, a completely restored carousel in Brooklyn Bridge Park, in a dazzling glass building designed by Jean Nouvel—it's a stunning view of lower Manhattan from there.

Beginning on October 24, the Museum of Modern Art will be exhibiting a pastel drawing of Edvard Munch's The Scream for six months. The other three versions are in Norwegian museums, and this one—recently bought at auction for $120 million—will be a chance to see the groundbreaking work.

In mid-November, the New York Botanical Garden's wonderful Holiday Train Show goes on display—trains travel through the conservatory on twig bridges replicated New York crossings like the Brooklyn Bridge and past buildings and landmarks (Grand Central Terminal, the Statue of Liberty) built from bark and leaves.

“Nothing is more fantastic than the holiday displays along Fifth Avenue in the department stores which tend to pop up around mid-November,” adds Lewis. “Taking a stroll past Macy’s, Lord & Taylor, St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Saks is always a remarkable experience. Stop by Rockefeller Center and watch the workers prepare to set up the Christmas tree, and people ice skating in the park.” Other standout holiday windows are at Bergdorf Goodman, Barneys, and Bloomingdales.

WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK:

Perhaps you’ve heard a little something about this, but Brooklyn is in the midst of a Renaissance, and that certainly includes the culinary scenes. Our top picks for recently opened Brooklyn restaurants are Dale Talde's Brooklyn-style roadhouse bar Pork Slope in the Park Slope neighborhood (which serves a sandwich called the porky melt, a shrimp po' boy and other tasty items), Reynard in the Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg, which is the neighborhood’s culinary leader’s most sophisticated project yet. (Tip: Take the elevators to the rooftop bar for cocktails and sweeping, unobstructed views of Manhattan.)

You'll also find Joe Carroll's Baltimore-inpsired fish shack, Lake Trout, a little deeper into Williamsburg, featuring unfussy but delicious fried fish sandwiches. Pok Pok NY, which originated in Portland, now has a new spot along the waterfront in Brooklyn, and serves inventive Thai food such as charcoal rotisserie hen and Chiang Mai sausage.

When in Manhattan, we recommend stopping by the newest venture from the owners of popular Lower East Side restaurant Fat Radish, Leadbelly, for artisanal cocktails, oysters, and their delicious Moroccan nut spread served with warm pita bread. Uptown, in Harlem, Marcus Samuelsson is leading the Harlem revival with his take on soul food at Red Rooster (there's also a Sunday brunch) and its sultry downstairs lounge, Ginny's Supper Club.

If you're looking to splurge at one of the city's finer Michelin Star earning established, consider the fall prix-fixe menu at chef Paul Liebrandt's Corton in TriBeCa, which is less costly than their regular menu but just as impressive. For the best—and probably most expensive chicken—in town, head to NoMad. The foie gras and truffle-stuffed chicken is $79 (there's also a $26 sandwich version at lunch) and the elegants quarters also feature a gorgeous library bar. If you're looking for a burger, there's the seemingly ubiquitous Shake Shack, with locations around the city. Another burger option is the Burger Joint, a hidden gem located inside Le Parker Meridien.

If you're looking to brunch (and who isn't?) make a reservation at Norma's (also at Le Parker Meridien), any of the Sarabeth's locations in the city, an always-busy standby, or brave the line at Clinton Street Baking Company on the Lower East Side.