October 2020 NYC meetup?

I plan to visit my parents in suburban Philadelphia from October 1-15, and now that the COVID-19 pandemic is under better control in the Northeast I would be interested in meeting some old and new friends in the city. I'm available practically anytime from October 3-14, but I imagine that a weekend day, on the 3rd, 4th, 10th or 11th, would work best for most people.

Please let me/us know if you're interested in getting together, and what day(s) work best for you.

We can do either Saturday - would love to do something!

The only weekend day that would be a little tough for me is Oct. 10, but can change some plans around if necessary. October 12 may be a holiday for some too.

I'd probably be driving at least most of the way, and would be potentially overnight at a hotel (I'm thinking of taking a week off in early October, so might do some sight seeing). Anyone have recommendations or tips along those lines - where to stay, where to park?

My October is much in flux, as our annual meeting and Board meeting dates keep shifting. I've starred this thread and will just hope I can make whenever is decided on!

>3 bell7: - Mary, I don't really have any tips, but if you want to stay in the city but don't want to drive into it, you're welcome to leave your car at my house. I could drive you to the station to get a train into the city. Or you could look at multi-day parking options in somewhere like White Plains NY, drive there and park, and then catch the train (MetroNorth) down. My house is free, but it would be a longer drive than to WP :)

Depending on how many people come, and which days are best for them, I could travel to the city on multiple weekends. The only day that is absolutely out for me at the moment is October 2nd, which is my mother's 85th birthday. I'll plan to commute to NYC via NJ Transit from Trenton, but if this ends up being a huge multi day meet up or if night time activities are planned then I would probably book a hotel room in the city, as I did for our big Philadelphia meet up several years ago.

>3 bell7: Mary, would it make sense to book a hotel room in a town along one of the Metro North lines in upstate New York or Connecticut and take a train from there to Grand Central Terminal? I know nothing about those areas, though.

>5 katiekrug: I wonder if Vivian (vivians) would have some ideas. She lives in Westchester County, IIRC.

>7 kidzdoc: - She does live in Westchester, Darryl. I'll drop her a link to this thread in a PM.

FYI for you and Mary or anyone else thinking of using one of the commuter lines - who know what it will be like in October but they are currently running on reduced schedules, I believe. The line that The Wayne would normally take is running during the week on a weekend schedule (far fewer trains) due to the lack of demand.

>8 katiekrug: Thanks for that info, Katie. I just looked at the NJ Transit Northeast Corridor schedule, and there do seem to be a few less trains from Trenton to Penn Station New York on weekdays, but mainly during off peak hours; weekends seem to be unaffected, with two or three trains an hour into the city.

Any idea if PATH trains have been affected by the pandemic? If I end up staying in a hotel room I would strongly consider staying in Jersey City or Hoboken, especially if the trains are running 24 hours per day, as they were when I worked in the city.

ETA: I checked PATH's web site; trains aren't running overnight from 11 pm to 6 am.

>9 kidzdoc: - Ha! Cross-posted.

>10 katiekrug: PATH has no overnight service at the moment. I doubt that we'll have many, if any, late nights out, now that Broadway is shut down. When I worked in the city my girlfriend at the time and I were huge jazz fans, and we would frequently take early morning PATH trains to her apartment in Jersey City after late night/early morning weekend sessions at one of the jazz clubs in Greenwich Village.

ETA: Ha!

Hi - thanks to Katie for alerting me to the possible meet-up. Count me in assuming virus issues continue to improve!

>5 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie, I might take you up on that! I... don't have the best sense of direction and don't know the transit system so may appreciate the extra hand-holding in getting where I need to be :)

>6 kidzdoc: and >9 kidzdoc: And Darryl, thanks on the added info as well. I might be able to get someplace close to the MetroNorth line (which certainly seems to be running on the weekends, I tried a few options for the end of September, which was as far as the website's trip planner would let me look), but am unfamiliar with the area myself. As far as the PATH trains, I would have a tough time with a late night anyway, but will definitely keep the service times in mind for when it's time for me to go.

I'll see if I can get the week I want off and work on putting together some possibilities. I may be back with more specific questions :)

>5 katiekrug: >6 kidzdoc: and more - Thanks, Katie and Darryl, for the info! I'll poke around some more for hotels and train schedule possibilities and let you know if I have more specific questions when I have a better idea of what I'm doing :)

>5 katiekrug: And Katie, I might take you up on that, my sense of direction is not the best so to have someone local get me pointed in the right direction would be super helpful :)

>1 kidzdoc: Oh, me me me me!

I am very tired of my tiny Brooklyn apartment and would like to talk to people (with legs!) in person!

>2 drneutron: I missed your earlier post, Jim. It would be great to meet you!

>15 ELiz_M: Yay!!! (Have you been talking to legless people again?!)

>14 bell7: - Another thought, Mary - I don't know how far you are from Springfield, but you could get a train into Penn Station from there and then wouldn't have to worry about driving/parking. Fares are super cheap right now and they are limiting numbers so physical distancing can be maintained.

>17 katiekrug: That's a definite possibility, Katie. I'm a AAA member too, so I'm going to email them and see if I can come up with a full plan for trip and accommodations.

Btw, Darryl, it's looking more likely that I can make the weekend of Oct 3-4 rather than the following week. I know you said you'd be willing to come out both weekends for folks, but wanted to let you all know in your planning.

>18 bell7: Thanks for letting me know, Mary. I should be almost completely flexible in deciding when to come to the city, so I'll let the group decide on which day(s) are best to meet.

Unfortunately I won't be able to make it to NYC next month, as my father was admitted to a hospital in NE Philadelphia early this morning. I hope that others do decide to meet up!

I'm sorry to hear about your dad, Darryl.

So sorry about your dad. Prayers to you and yours.

Sorry about your dad, Darryl, and the change in plans that makes for you.

>20 kidzdoc: Oh no! I am so sorry to hear this!

Thanks, everyone. My father was diagnosed with Dilantin toxicity, as his level of that anti-epileptic medication was far too high, and this caused confusion, fatigue and extreme lower body weakness. His Dilantin level is now therapeutic, and his cognition has returned to near normal, but he remains very weak and unable to stand or walk unsupported. He'll be transferred to a rehabilitation hospital just outside of Philadelphia later this afternoon, and he should be able to return home after that.

I'll still visit my parents from October 1-15, but I suspect that he won't be ready to fully care for himself or my mother before I return to Atlanta, so I will have to postpone our proposed meet up.

>27 kidzdoc: glad to hear they were able to get him back to a good level on his meds, Darryl. I hope he's able to come home soon and that your trip goes smoothly.

>28 bell7: Thanks, Mary.