BudgetTravel

San Diego, CA: My wife and I would like to do some 4-6 day trips to New York. This summer we stayed right off Times Square which can get expensive. We've thought of staying out by JFK and getting a transit pass. Is this a good idea? Are there other areas of NYC that would have interesting things close by and accommodations that wouldn't break the bank?

Charlie Suisman: That's a pretty long haul and the airport lodging isn't that much cheaper than you can find, with a little effort, right in Manhattan. I've listed a few options in reply to another question for reasonable (which means reasonable by NY standards, not by real-world standards....) hotels. Another option is to stay at a bed and breakfast -- believe it or not they exist in NY and there are some terrific ones. Sites like bedandbreakfast.com/manhattan-new-york.html have good listings.

_______________________

Clearwater, Florida: Dear Charlie Suisman, My question is the same one I ask of all New Yorkers: What's your own personal favorite restaurant in The Village, please? Thanks!

Charlie Suisman: Just one? If I must, I'd have to say Lupa an Italian restaurant, run by a young, hard-working restaurateur. I've never had a bad meal there or a bad time -- it's crowded, and bustling, and can be noisy, but I'm always happy to go back.

_______________________

Sanford FL: We are 2 adults visiting October 12-17, and finding the hotel prices are ridiculous. A room I paid $189 for, six months ago, is now $400. I'm "lucky" in that I booked it for "only" $265 before prices shot through the roof. MY QUESTION - are there any good and reputable "home / apartment sharing" services, where someone like us, who can provide EXCELLENT personal references, can find Manhattanites that may be away for extended periods of time, and are willing to rent their apartment for a reasonable price? There are some places on Craigslist that offer this service, but there are an equal amount of associated horror stories. Thanks in advance, and love your MUG newsletter. F in Fla.

Charlie Suisman: Thanks! I don't know of any reliable local services. Even though you have to pay a fee to become a member, people have had generally very positive things to say about Home Exchange.

_______________________

Huntington Woods MI: We (my husband and I) will be in NYC October 6-7. I'm familiar with TKTS, but I know some shows have 'auctions' just before show time. Is there a way to find out which ones do this? Is there some other way to try to catch a deal on a show? What is the 'buzz' on the best new show? Thanks Ilana

Charlie Suisman: TKTS is still your best bet overall, but check out Broadway Box that provides discount coupon codes for some shows. As for the new season, there's a lot of buzz around Mel Brook's Young Frankenstein, The Farnsworth Invention by Aaron Sorkin about the invention of television, and Cyrano de Bergerac with Kevin Kline.

_______________________