My initial booking is at the Algonquin Hotel (at 59 W. 44th St.) which is a very short distance from the Institute and that will be my first weekend location. It is a simple walk from that location to my classes, which simplifies everything.
On the second two weekends I was fortunate to discover a site called Air BNB a rental agency that gives visitors the opportunity to stay in rental apartments all over the city. What a discovery. The prices are lower and I am able now to finesse a 3 - three day visits into 1-three day visit and 2 - five day visits. This will allow me to do more than I originally anticipated.
The second week of my fellowship, I will be staying on the upper west side (the part of the city I know and love the best) at W 88th St., right on the #1 subway. The owner/host is (talk about karma) musician and doctoral student in teaching at Columbia.
The third week I will be on the Upper East side, which I don't know so well and it will be a little more challenging for me to find my way about. But it is near the Guggenheim and in a neighborhood called Lenox Hill, so I am sure I will be fine.
The greatest thing about both of the apartments is that I will have a kitchen so in effect I will really have the experience of "living" in New York. I like dining out when I have a special place I know and want to go, but I LOVE cooking and know where Fairway is in the Upper West side, so I am very excited to be able to cook my own meals...
