DIY meccas in New York city?

[Aengus]

Hi

I am going to be in New York for a far-too-brief visit next week. Assuming I have time left after Cirque du Soleil (reason for visit), MoMA, maybe the Met, a jazz club or two, and a couple of the tourist must-see spots (Statue of Liberty, Empire State building) - it's my first visit - are there any DIY parts emporia or other "must-see" spots I can visit? Probably restricted to Manhattan, since I'll have to try to work a visit in among other activities to be done with my wife.

Also, please correct me if I'm wrong, but Don Garber no longer has a shop for Fi amplifiers, is that true? I'd love to see a Fi X amp, which I've always thought a truly inspired piece of industrial design.

Regards, and thanks for any advice.

Aengus

[Aengus]

C'mon, nobody? Let's see:

1. Nobody who has read this knows anything about DIY stores in New York.

OR

2. Some or all of you do but want to keep them to yourselves?

The first may be true, but if it's the latter, please tell me. Post very quietly, and I promise not to tell anyone else.

Regards.

Aengus

PS - maybe you're all annoyed that I managed to post the thread twice? I swear I don't know how I did that, must have been from using the back-button on the browser or something.

Maybe a moderator could whack the other one? Thanks.

Ae.

[KP11520]

Hey Aengus,

I am 20 - 25 miles from Manhattan and spent the last 10 years working there. I have to say, I don't know of any. It is sad. Maybe there are some in Brooklyn and Queens (part of NYC but not Manhattan, across the river on Long Island) but nothing well iknown or with a high profile that I know of. jackinnj might have a suggestion, he is good with remembering places to get things locally as well as many other things!

Long Island has Arrow Electronics, Jaco, MillMax etc. but they are HQs and don't sell retail.

Rent must be too high for the DIY community type stores in Manhattan. But if you are interested in Musical Instruments or Jewelry for your wife, well they can help you with that! Enjoy the shows and sights. There are lots of amazing restaurants there! Go and pig out! Also contact Jack, if he doesn't know of any, there probably aren't any!

Good luck!

Regards//Keith

[cuibono]

check out this thread:

NYC junkyards

[Aengus]

Gentlemen, thank you very much for the replies.

KPL11520, looks as if you are right about Manhattan and you are definitely right about enjoying the shows and lights - we will! It's a first visit for both of us, and we plan to be complete tourists, taking in as many of the sights as we can manage. It will be a very large change from Victoria, BC

cuibono, excellent steer, thank you - it hadn't occurred to me to search for NYC. Looks as if Leeds Electronics, though across the water, is near the Bedford Avenue station, so who knows - I may manage a brief visit.

Again, thank you both for your help.

Regards.

Aengus

[KP11520]

Hello Aengus,

Well being the total tourist is just fine! If you are around Times Square, maybe seeing a show, there are two great Italian Restaurants there, Carmines and Tony's. Carmines has lots of atmosphere and charachter but Tony's is Family Style and the food is fabulous (better and more reasonable):

http://www.theatermania.com/content/...estaurantID=96

http://www.carminesnyc.com/

Or if you are the ultimate carnivore, try Churracscaria, absolutely amazing and a couple blocks from the Theatre district (really go hungry): http://newyork.citysearch.com/profile/7143592/

Sushi, try Yoko which is on 7th Avenue just north of Houston.

Oh, there are so many more, I could go on for pages and pages! Bring money or a credit card AND bring your appetite to any of these very fine places!

Regards//Keith

[KP11520]

Oh and about posting twice, you had twins. Congrats!

They are rare around here!

And if you are in Chinatown around Lunch, Dinner or have the Munchies at 3am, go to "Wo Hop." It looks like a dump and it is small and downstair on Mott Street. I think the number is like 15 or 17. The food is amazing and $20 will fill you up and you will take as much as you ate back to the hotel. If you get there between 11pm and 3am on a Friday or Sat night, be prepared to stand in line up the stair and onto the sidewalk. (worth it)

[Aengus]

Well, I'm back and had a fabulous time in Manhattan. I did not get to any surplus stores; we did walk about - I swear - 100 miles in three days, took a boat trip around the island, saw the Cirque du Soleil in Madison Square Garden, saw a Broadway show, heard Les Paul at Iridium, spent a day at MoMA, went to Central Park, ate, and walked some more.

KP11520, I unfortunately didn't get to try the restaurants you listed, I'll put them on my list for next time (my wife tells me there is definitely going to be a longer next time, so I still have hopes for electronics surplus stores ).

Thank you for your advice and information. What can I say - I'm sorry I waited so long to visit.

Regards.

Aengus