New York City
Here's something that disproves "There is no such thing as a free lunch."
Well, it's not lunch, but it's breakfast and dinner free but for the
trouble of a little walk (or subway ride) out of one's way. It's Grade A free food according to "A Treatise on the Classifications and Grades of Costless Consumption," located hereinabove.
How to be prepared
- Dress can be casual, but should be clean and stylish. Business
attire is best, though; just a jacket. No need for a tie.
- Your goal is to look like you're a weary business executive trying to
relax and refresh a bit.
- You can't look like a tourist, nor gawk at everything. You need to
stride confidently about. If you look like a wide-eyed
ragamuffin from Podunksville in the midwest this may not work for you.
- If you're self-conscious about the minuscule chance you'll be discovered,
your admission card will be mailed to you upon application for Hilton Hhonors
membership. Application is free. Click on the Hilton Hhonors tab at www.hilton.com.
When in New York, visit the Hilton Hotel "New York" at 1335 Avenue of the
Americas (equivalent to 6th Avenue; Avenue numbers get higher as you go
westward) in-between West 53rd and West 54th Streets. Take the No. 1 or
the A Subway line to the 50th Street station (local stop). The New York
Hilton is a very large "glass box" that is elegant in its
slenderness. ( Late Night with David Letterman is shot in a studio one block
west at the corner of 7th Avenue and 53rd Street.)
Modus Operandi
The elevators to the Hilton Hhonors™ lounge are located on the Avenue of
the Americas side of the building; the parking garage is on the opposite side of
the building. Take the elevator to the 44th floor. The "Executive Lounge"
is on your left after you exit the elevator and face the hallway wall (and the
entrance to the Presidential Suite). Now is the time to act and look the part. The Executive Concierge
will be on the right, along with a sign that says "Hilton Hhonors Members Only."
Cast your gaze to the left, head straight for the bar and sit down.
If you're stopped by a member of the staff on the way in, show the Hilton Hhonors Card that you got in the mail according to procedure described hereinabove. It's good to accompany flashing the card with a creative white lie like "I'm waiting for my Sales Manager to get here to check-in."
Intelligence
- A breakfast buffet is served starting at about 7 o'clock in the morning
and is cleaned up by 11:00. Good stuff, including scrambled eggs,
sausages, french toast, and both bread and fruit displays. Coffee is
free. Juices are available at the handsome little bar off to the side
for about US$3.50.
- The bar opens at noon. There's no food out but for bar snacks.
There is no charge for water nor soft drinks, but there's a charge for
cocktails, beer and wine. The prices are on the low side of moderate
in New York City terms.
- Hors d'oeuvres that really consist of a light supper are put out in
the afternoon about 4:30. The fruit and cheese display,
which includes good brie, is refilled throughout the evening, until the food
ceases at about 9:00 p.m.
The View From The Top
The sweet part about the New York Hilton is that the place that serves
you all these goodies, the Executive Lounge, has floor-to-ceiling windows which
face East, South, and West. The view will take your breath away (unless
you work in a high-rise and are jaded about these things). There are
seating areas with chairs and tables near the windows, and sofas and coffee
tables farther into the room. Nibbling on a shrimp in puff pastry canape
accompanied by a lovely Sauvignon Blanc at the classy little bar whilst watching
the world go by out the windows is kinda like being rich for a night.
SOURCES:
http://www.nycsubway.org/maps/spui.html
www.hilton.com
photograph:
http://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/content/NYCNHHH/media/images/NYCNHHH_Hilton_New_York_accom_executive.jpg