MEET THE TEAM : ERIC

Eric is a native New Yorker, who has spent most of his childhood in the Upper East Side, and has been with the Salisbury for 17 years. He now does primarily accounting (accounts receivable), working closely with our travel partners such as Expedia/Hotels.com, Gulliver's Travel, Virgin Holidays and Swanson's Travel.

He is an avid model train hobbyist and frequents on the best model train stores in New York: The Gotham Model Trains at 35th St. The Red Caboose is another great place to find model trains and it's located near Times Square at 45th St. New York City also has a not-to-miss Holiday Train Show from November through January at the beautiful New York Botanical Garden that features  extensive model train layouts in festive winter wonderland surroundings. 

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What do you think is the best thing about NYC?

"Central Park. It reminds me of Westchester suburbs where I was born. I like taking long bike rides there or just walking around, admiring nature. Central Park Zoo is also a fun place to visit. The 6.5 acre zoo features polar bears, sea lions, monkeys, a petting zoo and much more."

If you had just one day to explore the city, what would you do?

"I'd visit the Empire State Building's 102nd floor. It was not open when I was a kid and I never got to go there. Another thing I'd do would be to walk the Highline Park." The last stretch of High Line officially opened last Saturday. This final half-mile section finishes the 22-block walkway of abandoned stretch of elevated rails that's been turned into a beautiful park filled with flowers, grasses and trees. Worth the visit!

VISITING SEPTEMBER 11 MEMORIAL

13 years has passed since the day that changed so many lives in ways unimaginable. The 9/11 Memorial is breathtaking site and if you're planning on visiting, take a moment to remember those who lost their lives in the attacks, and also the loved ones they left behind who are still grieving every single day. 

The National September 11 Memorial is open daily from 7:30 a.m. - 9 p.m. It is a tribute of remembrance and honor to the nearly 3,000 people killed in the terror attacks of September 11, 2001 at the World Trade Center site, near Shanksville, Pa., and at the Pentagon, as well as the six people killed in the World Trade Center bombing in February 1993. The Memorial’s twin reflecting pools are each nearly an acre in size and feature the largest manmade waterfalls in the North America. The pools sit within the footprints where the Twin Towers once stood.

9/11 Memorial Museum is open daily from 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. *Last entry at 7 p.m. The Museum serves as the country’s principal institution for examining the implications of the events of 9/11, documenting the impact of those events and exploring the continuing significance of September 11, 2001. The Museum’s 110,000 square feet of exhibition space is located within the archaeological heart of the World Trade Center site—telling the story of 9/11 through multimedia displays, archives, narratives and a collection of monumental and authentic artifacts. The lives of every victim of the 2001 and 1993 attacks will be commemorated as visitors have the opportunity to learn about the men, women, and children who died.

9/11 Memorial Museum Store at 20 Vesey Street is open daily from 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.  Sept. 22, 2014 - Dec. 19, 2014 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Free admission.

How to get there: From the Salisbury Hotel walk to 7th Avenue and 57th St. and take the subway R going downtown to Cortlandt. Street.

ONE DAY ITINERARY FOR MANHATTAN

We often get people staying with us at the Salisbury Hotel that are just passing through NYC on their way to another destination and have just one day to see the city. It may feel that there's so much to do that seeing it all in one day is impossible. However, with the right plan, a one-day visit can be a really great introduction to NYC. Here's our suggestion for a one day itinerary:

 Morning

Central Park

First, head two blocks up to Central Park. This massive common space is a green oasis in the middle of the big city and perhaps the world's most famous public park. Take a bike tour with a guide or rent your own bike. Central Park hosts meadows, bodies of water, more than 26,000 trees, 58 miles of walking paths, 36 bridges and arches. It's a sight every NYC visitor should see.

Museum Mile

East of Central Park is Museum Mile, but if you only have one day, you won't be able to browse through all 10 museums on this stretch. Pick one that interests you the most. At The Metropolitan Museum of Art, at East 82nd Street, you can view limited-time exhibitions as well as objects in the museum's permanent collection, which consists of more than 2 million works of art that span the breadth of human history. The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum features scores of modern and contemporary masterpieces. See the full list of museums along the Museum Mile by clicking here.

Afternoon

Rockefeller Center

From the Salisbury Hotel walk down to 50th St. and Rockefeller Center that houses NBC Studios and Top of the Rock Observation Deck. The deck provides one of the best views of New York City's legendary skyline and cityscape,as well as the Statue of Liberty.  After you've made your way back down, head three blocks north to The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) to visit one of the world's finest collections of contemporary art, ranging from painting and sculpture to film and live performance.

Downtown

Catch the nearest downtown train and find the stop closest to City Hall where you can view the beautiful architecture of the structure, one of the nation's oldest still-functioning civic buildings. From the City Hall grounds, walk towards east to the Brooklyn Bridge. From there, walk through the historic South Street Seaport area to Battery Park and catch a roundtrip on the Staten Island Ferry. Enjoy the breeze and rest your legs while passing the Statue of Liberty and taking pictures of the beautiful NYC skyline. Since you're already downtown, from here you can also hop in a cab or subway heading north and go see the 9/11 Memorial.

Evening

Greenwich Village

The last item on your one-day NYC agenda is an evening in the West Village. Stroll through the Washington Square Park and stop to listen for impromptu music performances or even a magic show. There is also variety of bars, restaurants and jazz clubs with nightly offerings of live music. Try the Village Vanguard, Smalls Jazz Club, Cafe Wha? or Blue Note. West Village is also home to numerous restaurants serving delectable food, helping you to recharge after a busy day.