questions from a 1st timer

Hello,

We have now booked our hotel, flights etc- I could not be more exicted. I%26#39;m already planning things to do and we don%26#39;t arrive until July!!!

We are flying from Manchester to JFK and staying at the Fitzpatrick Grand Central (we got a excellent deal). I have had a brief look on the forum but I was hoping that some kind person could answer a few of the questions that I have

1. Do you need to reserve places on the airport express bus that takes you to Grand Central Station?

2. Are there any good, but relatively cheap places to eat breakfast around where we are staying? I would like something reasonably healthy as I expect my waistline will expand rapidly will all the pizza and cheesecake there is to sample.

3. Is there anywhere near the hotel to buy basic supplies especially fresh fruit to have in our room. We have a small fridge, or so I am lead to believe which will be useful. When we were in Florida we made good use of Walmart, is there anything like this?

Thank you in advance, you guys always come up with fantastic ideas and answers. x

questions from a 1st timer

1) No

2) My idea of a reasonably healthy breakfast would be cereal, yogurt, fruit etc. and for those things, you%26#39;re best to have them in the room. Eating that at a restaurant you%26#39;ll pay too much. There%26#39;s a nice gourmet food shop on Lexington Ave. a few blocks south of your hotel and there are also plenty of food shops right across the street INSIDE Grand Central Terminal. You%26#39;ll find good bread places in there. For fruit, there are guys with carts on the street everywhere and I seem to recall there may be one right on the block of the hotel. There%26#39;s also a place called 42 st Eatery on 42 st. just before you get to Fifth Ave. that%26#39;s like a big food court with all sorts of options (including cereal etc.) and seats upstairs to sit down.

There%26#39;s a chain called Duane Reade that will also have some basic food things but not fresh veg.

For other options, go to menupages.com and look in the east 40%26#39;s at diners/coffee shops for a full cooked breakfast.

questions from a 1st timer

No reservations for the bus are necessary.

Throughout the various tourist areas, they are dozens of small delis that sell fruit and other limited grocery items. It won%26#39;t be a problem.

In New York, they%26#39;re referred to as %26#39;green grocers%26#39;.

If you head into the lower level of Grand Central, there are many food stalls with a variety of things to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (especially Juniors cheesecake). :)

You should be excited, you%26#39;re going to have a blast in New York!

1. Nope, just get your ticket and wait on the que

2. There is a place that I grab breakfast each morning on my way to the office called ';Bistro Marketplace';. It%26#39;s buffet style, great selection of fresh cut (and whole to bring to the hotel) fruit and if you%26#39;re missing you full english breakfast there are cooks that make anything from eggs to french toast to go (or eat in, all self serve). The buffet charges by the pound, and it%26#39;s pretty cheap. They are clean and located on the corner of E 41st Street and Park Avenue (right next to where the bus to the airports leave).

3. See 2 above for the fresh fruit question. You can also pick up bottles of water, yogurt, nuts, sushi, you name it at the place in 2 to stock your fridge.

Hello,

Thanks ever so much for your suggestions. I will definately check out Bistro Marketplace. it sounds juts like what I was looking for. I wouldn%26#39;t touch a full english at the best of times, just too much stodge for me!!

Thanks again, have a good Easter x

Emielou - Ha! I%26#39;ll be going to London for a few days in May en route to Greece and the hotel I%26#39;ll be staying in is including a full english breakfast with the rate.

My friends and I were all joking about it....I%26#39;m with you, a little fruit, maybe a croissant, cup of coffee and I%26#39;m good to go :)