Travel Arrangements

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Directions to Columbia University

Hotels

Columbia University has negotiated special rates with a number of Manhattan hotels. The following additional hotels are recommended for participants in workshops at Columbia University:

name location price phone fax remarks
Sheraton Towers Hotel 7th Ave and 53rd Street $195 per single/double (212) 841-6400 (212) 315-4265
NY's Hotel Pennsylvania 7th Ave and 32nd Street $129 per single/double (212) 736-5000 (212) 502-8799
Excelsior Hotel 45 W 81st Street (walk to 1/9 subway or take B,C to Columbus Circle and transfer to uptown 1/9 or take the uptown M104 bus on Broadway) $125 per single/double (212) 362-9200 (212) 721-2994 some rooms could use renovation
West Side YMCA 1/2 hour bus ride from Columbia. Take the no. 104 bus on Broadway to 120th Street, at 63rd Street, between Central Park West & Broadway near Lincoln Center $40 per single per night (212) 787-4400 (212) 875-1334 (rooms do not come with private bath, but communal bathroom is down the hall)
Landmark Guestrooms, Union Theological Seminary 3041 Broadway at 120th Street, a block from the Columbia U. CTR around $80 (212) 280-1313 (212) 280-1416

name	location	price	phone	fax	remarks
Sheraton Towers Hotel	7th Ave and 53rd Street	$195 per single/double	(212) 841-6400	(212) 315-4265
NY's Hotel Pennsylvania	7th Ave and 32nd Street	$129 per single/double	(212) 736-5000	(212) 502-8799
Excelsior Hotel	45 W 81st Street (walk to 1/9 subway or take B,C to Columbus Circle and transfer to uptown 1/9 or take the uptown M104 bus on Broadway)	$125 per single/double	(212) 362-9200	(212) 721-2994	some rooms could use renovation
West Side YMCA	1/2 hour bus ride from Columbia. Take the no. 104 bus on Broadway to 120th Street, at 63rd Street, between Central Park West & Broadway near Lincoln Center	$40 per single per night	(212) 787-4400	(212) 875-1334	(rooms do not come with private bath, but communal bathroom is down the hall)
Landmark Guestrooms, Union Theological Seminary	3041 Broadway at 120th Street, a block from the Columbia U. CTR	around $80	(212) 280-1313	(212) 280-1416

Neighborhood (and beyond) Restaurants

Cotton Club: Montek Singh: "The Cotton Club is a nice place. If you had the option, I would suggest you go for the Gospel Brunch on Sunday. I really enjoyed it -- the food was good, and the music loud and lively. If you can't take your guests to the Sunday Brunch at the Cotton Club, I would recommend that you try it out some other time."
Puccini's and Panarella's: Columbus Avenue, between 82nd and 85th Street. Italian. Montek Singh: "They are way better than the Columbia neighborhood Pertutti's and Cafe Taci. I would even go on so far as to say they are better than many places in Little Italy. Entrees $8-$13."
El Rancho: Amsterdam and 82nd. Mexican. Montek Singh: "The place is extremely "happening". The music is very lively, and if you find it loud, sit in the sidewalk portion of the restaurant. I can guarantee that your guests will be tapping their feet. It is a common sight to see the waiters and waitresses take to floor with salsa and meringue! Good frozen margaritas. My favorite is the sizzling chicken fajitas. Most entrees $8-$13."
La Fiesta Mexicana: Broadway and 109th. Mexican. Montek Singh: "Similar price range, but El Rancho is better."
The Heights: Broadway and 112th. Mexican. Montek Singh: "Don't even think of taking your guests to the Heights (B'way and 112). It is not bad if you want a big burrito, or if you want to sit at the bar though."
Taci: Broadway between 110th and 111th. Italian, reasonably priced and good (cash only; no checks).
Baluchi's: Columbia and 73rd Street. Indian. It is way better than the staple Indian fare dished out by Indian/Bengal/ /Calcutta/XYZ Cafe. Entrees average $10-$12. Strongly recommended is the Baluchi's Shrimp appetizer. Montek Singh: "Good kebabs/tikkas and excellent breads (parathas, rotis and nans. See if they have mint parathas.) Good Chicken Tandoori, and Chicken Makhani."
Silk Road Cafe: Amsterdam and approx. 71st. Chinese. Montek Singh: "The *only* place worth going to is Silk Road Cafe on Amsterdam and approx. 71st. On Fri/Sat nights, approx wait time is half hour, but you get free, though cheap, wine while you wait. The crowd testifies to the quality of food, but otherwise, this place has no great ambience. It is just a clean, brightly lit array of chairs and tables. And you *really* have to know the dinner you should order, or else you will find it a very "average ethnic restaurant". Their five flavor Chinese eggplant is good, and so is the Orange Chicken."
Joe's Shanghai (aka Lu Ming Tring): End of Pell Street in Chinatown. Chinese. Montek Singh: " This place is famous for its steamed juicy dumplings. You try them once, and you will want to go there everyday! Lion's Head (pork balls), crispy whole yellowfish, drunken crabs, Peking duck... This place is somewhat far away and difficult to locate (ask me for directions), but is way well worth the effort. Believe me, if most of your Chinese experience has been at restaurants like the ones in the Columbia neighborhood, or the ones on B'way and 90's, then Joe's Shanghai will be an eye-opener. Shanghaian food is totally different from the Cantonese/Mandarin served in most restaurants around here."
Per Tutti: Broadway between 112th and 113th, Italian, reasonably priced and good (cash only)
West End Gate: Broadway and 113th; serve good salad, burgers, pasta, chicken, beer, ...

Arts, Entertainment, Dining and Nightlife in New York City

CultureFinder: The Online Address for the Performing Arts
NYC NightMap: Alternative clubs, comedy, etc.
NYC Opera Home Page: Schedules, photos, ticket info
Playbill On-Line: NYC theater listings & news
NYC Inline Skating Guide: Where to skate, clubs, events
New York Restaurants: by Fodor's and Yahoo!, with brief reviews, prices, locations.
NYC Restaurant Directories: Yahoo's general listing of NYC restaurants & restaurant guides

Web Sites with Local Information

Sidewalk New York has extensive restaurant and event listings
Yahoo! New York: Extensive listing of links to New York resources, grouped by type or subject. Includes business, classifieds, community, education, employment, entertainment, "Manhattan Life," maps and views, news, people, real estate, sports, transportation and travel.
Paperless Guide to NYC: History, facts, transportation, shopping, more...
Paper Magazine's Guide to New York City: Categories include: food, music, shopping, clubs, action, video, film, art, bars, books, cyber, tv, gay, beauty, stage ...
NY City Reference: Extensive pointers to NYC information sources
NYCLink: The Official New York City Web Site

Derived from the IWQOS'97 web page.