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***New York*** (2 Viewers)

Surprised nobody is talking about the Brooklyn Heights BQE program. 

http://gothamist.com/2018/09/28/bqe_promenade_dot_meeting.php

A lot of rich angry residents! Luckily, I'm far enough from the promenade to feel this (I think/hope), but man, it is going to suck for those people!
didn't know about this- nimby peeps there are definitely not going to take it sitting down (even though, every time on that stretch of road it looks like imminent collapse to me). 

another big city item is the deblasio proposed removal of the shsat (specialized high school admittance test) test for getting into the big 8 high schools (stuy, etc). 

up until now, those elite public high schools' ONLY means of admittance has been this test. no grades. no attendance. no letters of rec. just the test. the move is being made because those school are tilting heavily towards all white and all asian, with decreasing black and hispanic kids. I get the allure of wanting to make changes to try to promote more diversity. I also get the allure of changing things so that other factors are in play besides this test (was just talking with a chinese friend who grew up here- said it's just built into the culture, even for the poorest factory workers who don't speak english- to put everything they have into prepping their kids for this test).

but diblasio is proposing making admittance now for the top 7% of kids from each middle school- completely nixing the test, and IIRC, not providing for other factors like grades (which I don't get). as it is, there are a bunch of elite middle schools around the city that my son's peers worked their asses off to get into- these are all big feeders into the 8 HSs. one school has around 150 kids per grade, with over 100 usually getting admitted (and this is pretty typically for these top middle schools)... under diblasio's system, this number will plummet to about 11. my son's school- which is the annual top test score school in the city has only 14 kids in his grade. that's less than 1 kid allowed to go to any of these schools. 

I suppose the argument could be made that all of these top scoring kids who are outside of the top 7% will have to go to other HSs, which in theory will bring those up. or bore the snot out of these kids. of course, the opposite is true for those top 8, with an influx of kids who might not necessarily have gotten in in the first place and now have no system of support to try to keep up.

feels like it's just lowering the lowest common denominator rather than trying to make things actually better. also seems like it's going to promote a nasty, hyper-competitive world at these better and smaller schools (rather than what I understand to be a truly collaborative and supportive enviorment). also seems like it would make the biggest schools the most popular, since you'll have better odds with more numbers- but the bigger schools, even the good ones, are the ones that are forced into teaching down to the LCD just due to size.

its' a ####### mess, and from what I understand, going to be voted on imminently. 

 
Yeah, I'm a bit torn on the shsat plan. As someone who squeaked into Brooklyn Tech due to the test and probably wouldn't have gotten in under the proposed plan, it still doesn't seem like a fair way to resolve any diversity issues. I haven't followed it closely enough though but see a lot of heated debates on the Tech FB page.

 
De Blasio is the worst. How was he elected and then reelected? 

Was at a NYE party (side note, host is a chef, best party meal I've ever had), it was for families and kids, they had two babysitters in separate bedrooms, one for younger kids one for older kids. Anyways, there was this little kid, looked about 10-11 years old sitting on couch reading a Tolstoy sized book. I got into a conversation with the father and we got into the topic of middle schools, kid is in District 15, where the new diversity plan is being putting in place. I chatted with the kid for a little too, asked him to employ my boys when he is the CEO of something, he actually understood my joke too, this little kid was a genius. 

He has the same shot of getting into some of the specialized schools in the district as some random schmuck peanut for brains. To me, that is such bull####, this kid was special smart, and that isn't the determining factor about where he gets his education? WTF is that? 

 
Yeah, I'm a bit torn on the shsat plan. As someone who squeaked into Brooklyn Tech due to the test and probably wouldn't have gotten in under the proposed plan, it still doesn't seem like a fair way to resolve any diversity issues. I haven't followed it closely enough though but see a lot of heated debates on the Tech FB page.
every person I've talked to who went to one of these schools is flat out against it.

they all cite pretty much the same reason... their experience was that all the kids were hitting the ground running, in a good way- lots of healthy competition,with everybody pushing each other. slackers didn't exist- it was all kids trying to achieve. they all expressed concern that kids who couldn't test in wouldn't be able to keep up and would slow the whole thing down, eliminating that drive and push that make these schools so special.

De Blasio is the worst. How was he elected and then reelected? 

Was at a NYE party (side note, host is a chef, best party meal I've ever had), it was for families and kids, they had two babysitters in separate bedrooms, one for younger kids one for older kids. Anyways, there was this little kid, looked about 10-11 years old sitting on couch reading a Tolstoy sized book. I got into a conversation with the father and we got into the topic of middle schools, kid is in District 15, where the new diversity plan is being putting in place. I chatted with the kid for a little too, asked him to employ my boys when he is the CEO of something, he actually understood my joke too, this little kid was a genius. 

He has the same shot of getting into some of the specialized schools in the district as some random schmuck peanut for brains. To me, that is such bull####, this kid was special smart, and that isn't the determining factor about where he gets his education? WTF is that? 
I'm much more of a lefty, so there are some things bill does that I like (universal pre-k was an amazing thing). 

but the increase in quality of life issues I'm seeing due to his minimized enforcement (homelessness, drugs, public intoxication/urination/etc) has me feeling like we're teetering back on the edge towards heading where we were under Dinkins. it's a loooong ways to go to get there- where if it wasn't bolted down it was stolen, and if you weren't vigilant (and a lot of times even if you were) you were punished badly- and I'm also happy that crime in general is down and people aren't getting thrown in jail or getting third strikes over bs minimal drug charges... but for the first time in a long time I'm starting to feel less safe, especially with my kids.

co-worker's kids I think are in that district (15?)- they live near sunset park. kids are 5ht and 7th grade. both are smart, and worked their butts off to get into g&t for elementary school. older one got into mark twain, but it sounds like this new thing is now based purely on a lottery? they're pissed- especially because their younger one has been working hard her entire school career with the end goal of getting into one of these schools on the back of that work. now it's a total crap-shoot? (again- if I'm getting this right). complete disaster. and what happens to these previously good schools that will now be filled with random kids? once again- I hope I'm wrong, but it'll likely have to be lowering the LCD to accommodate these kids.

all that said- I'm really not a fan of the test-only admittance to these HSs. I wish they were more like our district (2) middle school admittance, which have clearly stated rubrics that vary, but typically take into account attendance, grades, state test scores and personal scores (de facto teacher recommendations). I'm all for keeping the shsat but incorporating all of those other elements so that they're taking into account a broader read on the kids. at this point, people with means (or culturally committed like my chinese friend's anecdote) can just pay to prep their kids (and these prep classes are ridiculously expensive- we looked into for floppinho to take the hunter test for 7th grade,... #### that)... which seems like total bs to me. prepping to get a score on one test doesn't indicate to me anything about a kid's intelligence- just shows how well they can take the one test. 

 
every person I've talked to who went to one of these schools is flat out against it.

they all cite pretty much the same reason... their experience was that all the kids were hitting the ground running, in a good way- lots of healthy competition,with everybody pushing each other. slackers didn't exist- it was all kids trying to achieve. they all expressed concern that kids who couldn't test in wouldn't be able to keep up and would slow the whole thing down, eliminating that drive and push that make these schools so special.

prepping to get a score on one test doesn't indicate to me anything about a kid's intelligence- just shows how well they can take the one test. 
The bolded is kind of my thinking. I'm not surprised that people that got in by the test are against this. I'm being realistic in that my grades wouldn't have gotten me in and I only did by the skin of my teeth because I did well enough on the test. I probably took a seat from someone who was much smarter than I was and may have actually deserved it more. I was above average in Junior High but below average in Tech. I really only wanted to go because my local HS at the time was a war zone/prison (Franklin K Lane) and my parents couldn't afford anything else. I'm thankful I got in, enjoyed my time there, passed all my classes and graduated on time. I took Aeronautics , and even went on to work at a Grumman machine shop for a while. It served me well.

 
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The bolded is kind of my thinking. I'm not surprised that people that got in by the test are against this. I'm being realistic in that my grades wouldn't have gotten me in and I only did by the skin of my teeth because I did well enough on the test. I probably took a seat from someone who was much smarter than I was and may have actually deserved it more. I was above average in Junior High but below average in Tech. I really only wanted to go because my local HS at the time was a war zone/prison (Franklin K Lane) and my parents couldn't afford anything else. I'm thankful I got in, enjoyed my time there, passed all my classes and graduated on time. I took Aeronautics , and even went on to work at a Grumman machine shop for a while. It served me well.
That's awesome.

And I bet you weren't in a 1-3 year prep course for the test...

 
dropped floppinha off at school this morning and there was a news crew and cops out front... not typical. asked the cops and reporter what was up, because that combo usually means something bad. saw this on my news feed just now. that's a big oops. better than I thought, but still a #### up.

eta; and to be fair, after watching the news clip making a big deal of the kid ending up on the subway platform... that's how my kids get to and from school every day. even at kindergarten, they do that walk pretty much in their sleep... so it's not crazy for a kid to have done this. leaving in the middle of the day- sure. but getting themself to the train, not so much.

eta2: letter from the principal. not clear if the protocol was enacted before the kid was returned or after... did they even know the kid went walkabout?

Hello PS 11 Families,

Yesterday we had a serious incident in which a child left the school building for a short period of time, and was safely returned to the school.

The safety of our students is the most important thing to us. We immediately followed our Missing Child Protocol, activated our Building Response Team (BRT), and contacted the NYPD. We will also be conducting an investigation regarding the incident to ensure we take the appropriate follow-up actions as a school.

While I am very proud of our staff and especially our BRT, over the next several days we will be analyzing this event and reviewing our safety protocols and practices to see how we can improve and prevent any future incidents.

While I cannot disclose further details due to privacy laws, I am always available to discuss any safety questions or concerns that you may have. Please do not hesitate to contact me.

 
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Went up to Arthur Ave. yesterday for dinner. It's starting to be encroached upon from the surrounding area but is still decidedly Italian. Really great meal at Zero Otto Nove. Great price too, $136, considering we had a bottle of wine and shared an appetizer and dessert too. I thought parking might be easier on a Sunday afternoon but was dead wrong.
Love Arthur ave. Make the journey once a year from Brooklyn. Grew up in southern westchester so used to go all the time as a kid. 

 
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De Blasio is the worst. How was he elected and then reelected? 

Was at a NYE party (side note, host is a chef, best party meal I've ever had), it was for families and kids, they had two babysitters in separate bedrooms, one for younger kids one for older kids. Anyways, there was this little kid, looked about 10-11 years old sitting on couch reading a Tolstoy sized book. I got into a conversation with the father and we got into the topic of middle schools, kid is in District 15, where the new diversity plan is being putting in place. I chatted with the kid for a little too, asked him to employ my boys when he is the CEO of something, he actually understood my joke too, this little kid was a genius. 

He has the same shot of getting into some of the specialized schools in the district as some random schmuck peanut for brains. To me, that is such bull####, this kid was special smart, and that isn't the determining factor about where he gets his education? WTF is that? 
People are really annoyed about district 15 in my neck of the woods (park slope). It was passed off as a consensus plan but it was basically deblasio pushing it through his home turf. 

My expectation is all schools get notably worse as many folks will just pull their kids from the public schools then handle a bad result in the lottery. 

 
dropped floppinha off at school this morning and there was a news crew and cops out front... not typical. asked the cops and reporter what was up, because that combo usually means something bad. saw this on my news feed just now. that's a big oops. better than I thought, but still a #### up.

eta; and to be fair, after watching the news clip making a big deal of the kid ending up on the subway platform... that's how my kids get to and from school every day. even at kindergarten, they do that walk pretty much in their sleep... so it's not crazy for a kid to have done this. leaving in the middle of the day- sure. but getting themself to the train, not so much.

eta2: letter from the principal. not clear if the protocol was enacted before the kid was returned or after... did they even know the kid went walkabout?
This seems to have gotten legs in local news. Mom already lawyered up and making lawsuity noises on air.

Turns out "missing child protocol" was enacted right away (pulling my daughter into class from recess or lunch) so the school knew and acted.

Wife says they take the kindergarten kids from recess back into the school by using the sidewalk in front to allow other kids to exit the school into the playyard for recess through the one door that connects them. Parents are guessing the kid wandered off during this time on the sidewalk.

I'm assuming somebody's head will roll here, likely whomever guides the kids from recess back inside (not teachers, but "helpers"). This principal is flat out incredible- turning the school from another crap city school into a real gem where kids and staff are all psyched to be there. If he in any way suffers from this I'll be irate.

 
The stores are almost better then the restaurants. Calabria is just an awesome old fashion pork store. The market is also awesome. 
We were looking in Calabria's window before we ate but unfortunately, being Sunday, they and a lot of other stores were closed by time we finished eating. We did walk around the market and went to Artuso's bakery to bring home some cookies and cannolis. Unfortunately, Joe's Deli across the street was closed already too. I was hoping to get some fresh mozzarella.

 
When I was growing up we went to Emilia's (on Arthur Ave.) so often they knew us.  I loved that restaurant.  It's been years since I have been to the Bronx, but I want to go back sometime soon.  Dominic's is also very good.

 
Standing on the street at a food cart waiting for my lunch, woman approaches:

Woman: Excuse me, do you know where the library is? (holding a sheet of paper in hand)

Me: No, I'm sorry, is the address on that paper?

Woman: Yes, here it is.

Me: Okay, you're heading in the wrong direction, you need to head north to xx St and then head east.

Woman: Thanks (turns and heads in the right direction)

I stand there and watch her. She crosses the street heading east, then begins traveling south again. I watch her walk right by where we were, just across the street :doh:

 
Standing on the street at a food cart waiting for my lunch, woman approaches:

Woman: Excuse me, do you know where the library is? (holding a sheet of paper in hand)

Me: No, I'm sorry, is the address on that paper?

Woman: Yes, here it is.

Me: Okay, you're heading in the wrong direction, you need to head north to xx St and then head east.

Woman: Thanks (turns and heads in the right direction)

I stand there and watch her. She crosses the street heading east, then begins traveling south again. I watch her walk right by where we were, just across the street :doh:
people are maroons. that said- most people have a hard time with cardinal directions, not knowing uptown from downtown in any given spot- let alone north from south. 

hey- I think you've spent time in Cape May? we're looking at getting a week rental somewhere this summer, and figure we may as look past our usual day-trip spots (ocean grove, nj or rockaways)

 
people are maroons. that said- most people have a hard time with cardinal directions, not knowing uptown from downtown in any given spot- let alone north from south. 

hey- I think you've spent time in Cape May? we're looking at getting a week rental somewhere this summer, and figure we may as look past our usual day-trip spots (ocean grove, nj or rockaways)
I hear you about UT & DT, but I pointed north, then sent her on her way, yet crossing the street amazingly made her completely lose her sense of direction. It was painful to watch. 

Cape May is the best local vacation spot for families, IMO. I'm yet to hear any negative feedback from anyone I've pointed there. We had two sets of friends who travel to Cape Cod every year together, on our recommendation they went to Cape May two years ago, they haven't been back to Cape Cod since. 

The ride from NYC is almost (I hesitate to say it) relaxing. Such a smooth easy ride. I do it in around 2.5 hours. A straight shot right down the Garden State Parkway to Exit 0, end of the parkway. It isn't like a Jersey Shore destination, completely different world than places like Seaside Heights or Point Pleasant that many people think about when the phrase Jersey Shore hits their mind. If you do want to have a night on a trashy boardwalk, eat boardwalk foods, play games, and go on rides, WildWood is a 10 minute ride north of Cape May. We'll typically go up their one night for a few hours. 

We stay at the Sandpiper, before we had our 2nd kid we would stay at Congress Hall, or the Starr Inn. They provide beach service such as chairs/umbrellas, which really comes in handy. Our first year there, we stayed at the Periwinkle Inn, which was right across the street from the beach (as are the other places I noted), but they didn't provide these amenities. I got to be honest, it was really hell. Beyond filling the car with all the #### to bring down to Cape May, carrying 2 chairs, cooler,  towels, blanket, and this huge umbrella tent thing, it was an hour every day between set up and take down. 

Shark moves, as these places are usually highly sold and typically obnoxiously expensive:

- try to book last minute. You have to keep an eye on the hotel rooms, and if there are only one or two rooms left, it'll force your hand. I typically earmark the time we're going to go, but leave some flexibility with my job. Last thing you want to do is plan a week, and then have the forecast show rain for 5 straight days. 

- call instead of using the internet for these last minute bookings. Ask if they have a better unpublished rate. 

- have a backup plan if there is a bad weather day there. Maybe the lighthouse or Cape May Zoo (which is surprisingly a pretty cool zoo).

- try going in June or September, if that is an option. You won't have to worry about the place being sold out, and by the time you call, you'll be paying half of what you would by booking in advance for July/August. Weather is usually high 70's/low 80's anyways by mid June through Sept, the pools are heated (except at the Perriwinkle, which I can't speak much of, since we only stayed there once almost 7 years ago), and the place is a lot less crowded.

 
I hear you about UT & DT, but I pointed north, then sent her on her way, yet crossing the street amazingly made her completely lose her sense of direction. It was painful to watch. 

Cape May is the best local vacation spot for families, IMO. I'm yet to hear any negative feedback from anyone I've pointed there. We had two sets of friends who travel to Cape Cod every year together, on our recommendation they went to Cape May two years ago, they haven't been back to Cape Cod since. 

The ride from NYC is almost (I hesitate to say it) relaxing. Such a smooth easy ride. I do it in around 2.5 hours. A straight shot right down the Garden State Parkway to Exit 0, end of the parkway. It isn't like a Jersey Shore destination, completely different world than places like Seaside Heights or Point Pleasant that many people think about when the phrase Jersey Shore hits their mind. If you do want to have a night on a trashy boardwalk, eat boardwalk foods, play games, and go on rides, WildWood is a 10 minute ride north of Cape May. We'll typically go up their one night for a few hours. 

We stay at the Sandpiper, before we had our 2nd kid we would stay at Congress Hall, or the Starr Inn. They provide beach service such as chairs/umbrellas, which really comes in handy. Our first year there, we stayed at the Periwinkle Inn, which was right across the street from the beach (as are the other places I noted), but they didn't provide these amenities. I got to be honest, it was really hell. Beyond filling the car with all the #### to bring down to Cape May, carrying 2 chairs, cooler,  towels, blanket, and this huge umbrella tent thing, it was an hour every day between set up and take down. 

Shark moves, as these places are usually highly sold and typically obnoxiously expensive:

- try to book last minute. You have to keep an eye on the hotel rooms, and if there are only one or two rooms left, it'll force your hand. I typically earmark the time we're going to go, but leave some flexibility with my job. Last thing you want to do is plan a week, and then have the forecast show rain for 5 straight days. 

- call instead of using the internet for these last minute bookings. Ask if they have a better unpublished rate. 

- have a backup plan if there is a bad weather day there. Maybe the lighthouse or Cape May Zoo (which is surprisingly a pretty cool zoo).

- try going in June or September, if that is an option. You won't have to worry about the place being sold out, and by the time you call, you'll be paying half of what you would by booking in advance for July/August. Weather is usually high 70's/low 80's anyways by mid June through Sept, the pools are heated (except at the Perriwinkle, which I can't speak much of, since we only stayed there once almost 7 years ago), and the place is a lot less crowded.
this is fantastic stuff- thanks so much for your thoughts and time writing that out.  :thumbup:

we were thinking about doing vrbo and getting a house- my mom will be coming, so a house/apt with a kitchen and hang out area would be key... hadn't even thought about a hotel, but I will now.

we don't have a car. if we went without (train/uber), what are your thoughts getting around or if there's enough close by to be walkable (restaurants/grocery/etc)? we usually go to my wife's family's beach area near ocean city, md- take a train to wilmington, de and then rent a car from there. I suppose I could look into that for this trip as well (car rentals in prime summer months in manhattan are goofy and stupidily priced).

 
this is fantastic stuff- thanks so much for your thoughts and time writing that out.  :thumbup:

we were thinking about doing vrbo and getting a house- my mom will be coming, so a house/apt with a kitchen and hang out area would be key... hadn't even thought about a hotel, but I will now.

we don't have a car. if we went without (train/uber), what are your thoughts getting around or if there's enough close by to be walkable (restaurants/grocery/etc)? we usually go to my wife's family's beach area near ocean city, md- take a train to wilmington, de and then rent a car from there. I suppose I could look into that for this trip as well (car rentals in prime summer months in manhattan are goofy and stupidily priced).
Once you're there, you can walk everywhere, if you wanted to go to the zoo, lighthouse, boardwalk in Wildwood, etc, I can't imagine an Uber trip over $15-$20. 

You have a son in Middle School, so prob 12 or so, right? That's old enough to actually be useful in carrying stuff to the beach and what not.

https://i.imgur.com/NJ9qu7E.png

Here is a map, if you have no car and you're staying in Cape May, the area I highlighted in the black circle would be most centrally located for you (although, I would guess most house rentals would be between Pittsburgh Ave and the right edge of the circle I drew, but there are absolutely some rentals in that circle area).

 
this is fantastic stuff- thanks so much for your thoughts and time writing that out.  :thumbup:

we were thinking about doing vrbo and getting a house- my mom will be coming, so a house/apt with a kitchen and hang out area would be key... hadn't even thought about a hotel, but I will now.

we don't have a car. if we went without (train/uber), what are your thoughts getting around or if there's enough close by to be walkable (restaurants/grocery/etc)? we usually go to my wife's family's beach area near ocean city, md- take a train to wilmington, de and then rent a car from there. I suppose I could look into that for this trip as well (car rentals in prime summer months in manhattan are goofy and stupidily priced).
Some of the quiet northern towns are on the train line (spring lake, sea girt). 

 
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Going to be in New York hosting some of my employees for dinner on Thursday. We are going to be staying in the Garment District so I would like some restaurant recommendations for a group of 8-10. Nothing super high-end (because I'm paying for everyone) or over-the-top quirky (because I"m assuming many have lame palates) with a varied menu. Would prefer to stay within the Garment District radius if possible. I originally had plans for Legasea at the Moxy but not sure if everyone would appreciate the seafood/oysters scene so I'm looking for something less specific. 

Just did a quick search on Yelp and the following came up with decent ratings. Not sure if any of them make sense but I figured I would do the minimal amount of research before posting to the FFA.

In no particular order other than whatever order Yelp puts them in...

  1. District Social (4 stars/510 reviews) - Good menu, casual
  2. Carmine's (4 stars/3220) - Been there too many times to count so not sure I want to do it again. It is good for group dinners
  3. Parker + Quinn (4 stars/1171) - Looks like a decent place, not sure if it makes sense for a larger group though
  4. Gogi 37 (4 stars/215) - Korean Barbecue but is probably a little too fringey for some of the more conservative types (culinary, not political)
Alright, there are a ton more places but I have to get some real work done now so I'm opening the door to your suggestions. Release the hounds!

 
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Senor Schmutzig said:
Going to be in New York hosting some of my employees for dinner on Thursday. We are going to be staying in the Garment District so I would like some restaurant recommendations for a group of 8-10. Nothing super high-end (because I'm paying for everyone) or over-the-top quirky (because I"m assuming many have lame palates) with a varied menu. Would prefer to stay within the Garment District radius if possible. I originally had plans for Legasea at the Moxy but not sure if everyone would appreciate the seafood/oysters scene so I'm looking for something less specific. 

Just did a quick search on Yelp and the following came up with decent ratings. Not sure if any of them make sense but I figured I would do the minimal amount of research before posting to the FFA.

In no particular order other than whatever order Yelp puts them in...

  1. District Social (4 stars/510 reviews) - Good menu, casual
  2. Carmine's (4 stars/3220) - Been there too many times to count so not sure I want to do it again. It is good for group dinners
  3. Parker + Quinn (4 stars/1171) - Looks like a decent place, not sure if it makes sense for a larger group though
  4. Gogi 37 (4 stars/215) - Korean Barbecue but is probably a little too fringey for some of the more conservative types (culinary, not political)
Alright, there are a ton more places but I have to get some real work done now so I'm opening the door to your suggestions. Release the hounds!
don't know Disctict Social or Gogi 37 (although both sound good).

Parker & Quinn was underwhelming the 2x I've been- both for lunch. Not bad, but not memorable. Basic, forgettable bar food stuff.

Carmine's is dog-food.

Nonna's is a good italian alternative, IMO. IIRC, can accommodate bigger groups, and is lightyears better than camine's- even if it's not tip-top stuff.

Refinery Rooftop is one of my favorite spots for a bite/drink around there. the menu is good, but IIRC, might be mostly shared stuff... and drinks with a nice view. again- it's not a place I'd choose unless I was only looking specifically at that neighborhood.

for genuinely good food- Esca- is pricey but great. italian seafood.

@RC94 , @BobbyLayne who have better working knowledge of restaurants in general, and also might have a good idea about that specific armpit area. 

 
The only recommendation IMO but got the impression that was outside the price range for our hero to cover the meal (understandably so).

 
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@RC94 , @BobbyLayne who have better working knowledge of restaurants in general, and also might have a good idea about that specific armpit area. 
Fair enough, LOL. We are all attending a tradeshow at Javits for a couple of days so this just gave us a central location that was walkable from there since we will be going back and forth from/to the hotel multiple times per day. 

 
Senor Schmutzig said:
      3. Parker + Quinn (4 stars/1171) - Looks like a decent place, not sure if it makes sense for a larger group though
I took @El Floppo here and my recollection is it's decent....his recollection (from several years ago) is "we did?"  :P   so I guess its unmemorable. But actually kind of meets your other parameters ($$.) I think they have plenty of room to accommodate your size group if you give them a few days lead time. Think we did 1-2 corporate events for our small company (with SAs, like maybe 30 guests.)

Lamb burger is good. 

:thumbup:  

 
The only recommendation IMO but got the impression that was outside the price range for our hero to cover the meal (understandably so).
Wait, wait, wait....I'll still take the recommendation because I can get an expense report for a few over-priced meals by the audit team much easier than I can get one for 10-12 people. 

It may be a Friday or Saturday spot for a smaller group....I'm all ears. 

 
Fair enough, LOL. We are all attending a tradeshow at Javits for a couple of days so this just gave us a central location that was walkable from there since we will be going back and forth from/to the hotel multiple times per day. 
Javits is not a walkable distance, especially in winter, but just take the 7 train - straight shot from 5th/42nd or Times Square.

Why don't you expand your options to Midtown West aka Hell's Kitchen? Lots of decent places at reasonable prices. Here's a useful search for you to peruse:

https://www.yelp.com/search?cflt=restaurants&find_loc=Hell's+Kitchen%2C+Manhattan%2C+NY

I have eaten at Kilo, Obao (Vietnamese), Momofuku Noodle Bar, Tavola (Italian), Samba Kitchen (Latin), Le Prive (French)....hard to go wrong here.

 
FULL DISCLOSURE: I worked in Midtown 2011-2017 & lived in Hell's Kitchen 2008-2017; it's a much better area for culinary variety than midtown. IMO.

I'm in Williamsburg now so my recommendations are a bit dated. Unless someone else is setting up a group thing, I rarely eat in Manhattan anymore because there's always something new/interesting to check out on the other side of the East River.

 
Javits is not a walkable distance, especially in winter, but just take the 7 train - straight shot from 5th/42nd or Times Square.

Why don't you expand your options to Midtown West aka Hell's Kitchen? Lots of decent places at reasonable prices. Here's a useful search for you to peruse:

https://www.yelp.com/search?cflt=restaurants&find_loc=Hell's+Kitchen%2C+Manhattan%2C+NY

I have eaten at Kilo, Obao (Vietnamese), Momofuku Noodle Bar, Tavola (Italian), Samba Kitchen (Latin), Le Prive (French)....hard to go wrong here.
Just to be clear, I'm personally not opposed to going outside of the Garment District, it's just where we are staying (various hotels due to various chain allegiances) and is sometimes easier to get a group together when I don't have to trust them to use a variety of transportation methods to get somewhere. 

:a few minutes later after looking at some of those restaurants:

BobbyLayne, I I think you have convinced me to travel a bit further. I love Momofuku and the rest of those places look great. Alright....the city is my oyster. Let's open things up (but not too far, lol)

 
BobbyLayne, I I think you have convinced me to travel a bit further. I love Momofuku and the rest of those places look great. Alright....the city is my oyster. Let's open things up (but not too far, lol)
I'm in Williamsburg now so my recommendations are a bit dated. Unless someone else is setting up a group thing, I rarely eat in Manhattan anymore because there's always something new/interesting to check out on the other side of the East River.
That's too far.  :lmao:

 
One more (great Italian neighborhood place, ask to reserve the back room):

Mercato (yelp) 

https://mercatonyc.com/#menu (resy site)

It used to be BYOB (may still be, ask when you call) but no worries, there is a wine store literally next door.

This place is LEGIT; the owner, chef and many of the staff were all born in Italy. Super charming if you like dark places, exposed brick, and great food.

 
Mercato is good stuff. my memory is that it's better than nonna. but my memory obviously sucks. speaking of...

lol at parker and quinn... wha? 

and yeah- Keens was the obvious choice, but maybe too pricey. (mutton!)

 
Just to be clear, I'm personally not opposed to going outside of the Garment District, it's just where we are staying (various hotels due to various chain allegiances) and is sometimes easier to get a group together when I don't have to trust them to use a variety of transportation methods to get somewhere. 

:a few minutes later after looking at some of those restaurants:

BobbyLayne, I I think you have convinced me to travel a bit further. I love Momofuku and the rest of those places look great. Alright....the city is my oyster. Let's open things up (but not too far, lol)
I agree that going outside of the Garment district is a good idea.  Not much there and it really is the armpit of Manhattan.  My favorite restaurant for groups your size or larger isn't that far from there.  Churrascaria Plataforma is a Brazilian steakhouse, accommodates groups really well, and has great food and service.  Here's the link to the yelp page and you can find a link to their website there:  https://www.yelp.com/biz/churrascaria-plataforma-new-york-3

I think Jamny has posted links to some of my restaurant postings in the OP of this thread, but for corporate functions and mid-sized to large groups of people, I really like Churrascaria Plataforma.

If some of your people don't like red meat, another place I like for your type of gathering is a high-end Greek place called Periyali.  Good food and service, and you can find a variety of things like chicken, seafood, and probably vegetarian meals too.  Also good for a corporate night out.  https://www.yelp.com/biz/periyali-new-york.  It's also not that far from where you guys are staying.

Another option not that far from the Garment district, and a different kind of food, is Thai Villa.  The décor here is really interesting and the food is good if you like Thai food.  https://www.yelp.com/biz/thai-villa-new-york-2

Either way, I would recommend making a reservation before-hand at whatever place you decide on to make sure they can comfortably accommodate a group your size.

If there are any specific kinds of food you want recommendations for, let me know and I can help.  Lots of good ideas in this thread and a huge variety of possibilities in NYC.

 
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I agree that going outside of the Garment district is a good idea.  Not much there and it really is the armpit of Manhattan.  My favorite restaurant for groups your size or larger isn't that far from there.  Churrascaria Plataforma is a Brazilian steakhouse, accommodates groups really well, and has great food and service.  Here's the link to the yelp page and you can find a link to their website there:  https://www.yelp.com/biz/churrascaria-plataforma-new-york-3
I"m Keto'ing so this looks like a good option. ALL THE MEATS!!!

If there are any specific kinds of food you want recommendations for, let me know and I can help.  Lots of good ideas in this thread and a huge variety of possibilities in NYC.
Much appreciated. I'm de-thawing on my "stay in the Garment District" idea. While I have been to New York 20+ times over the years, I guess I didn't realize that the Garment District was seen as such a ####hole. Granted there are other parts of the city that I like more and I certainly wouldn't stay there if we weren't at the Javits, I never thought of it as horrible. Maybe I'll look at it with a more critical eye this time. 

 
Agree on P&Q with Floppo, was meh to me.

Keens is gonna be expensive for a group that size.

Momofuku Noodle Bar is good option that everyone will prob enjoy and won’t break the bank, but where exactly are you talking about? I’ve eaten at the one in the EV.

 
Saw a sign on the PATH today saying that the World Trade Center station will be closed every weekend for 2019 for Hurricane Sandy repairs.  Nice of them to get around to fixing that 7 years after the storm.  If there is an organization more incompetent than the MTA, it's the PATH.

 
I think there's quite a few of them at this point. one across the street from the kids' school in chelsea too. 
Is Ssam Bar the same thing as Noodle Bar? I think Ko is just deserts, right? But, yeah, Mr. Chang has quite the little empire going on.

ETA: In Chelsea (near 8th 22/21) there's Momfuku Nishi (Italian) and Momfuku Milk Bar. Knew about - have not been - the latter but not the former.

 
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Is Ssam Bar the same thing as Noodle Bar? I think Ko is just deserts, right? But, yeah, Mr. Chang has quite the little empire going on.
I think each one is different from the other, but all are full restaurants including Ko (not just deserts).

I've yet to eat at any of them, even though they're mostly walking distance from us.

 

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