Activities » Metro NYC on Wheels

Helen Hayes Theater

Activities, Theater District No Responses »

Jul 052011

Helen Hayes Theater
240 W. 44th St.
New York, NY
Tel: (212) 944-9450

Over the weekend, we went to go see Rock of Ages at the Helen Hayes Theater in New York. The show was pretty much what I expected (in a good way), but this review is about the building itself.

The theater is small, just over 500 seats. Wheelchair accessible seating is in the very first row, so be prepared to have your head up and back pretty much the whole time. Also, wheelchair seating consists of the theater staff removing a seat for you, so if you have a large chair, seating might be a bit difficult to accomplish.

Entry to the theateris a side entrance with a slightly steep, but not very difficult ramp to navigate. There is also an accessible bathroom (male and female) built just inside the women’s room (don’t worry, there’s a proper door). The theater staff will assist you with entering the building and bathroom (it’s locked) and getting around.

The one note I will make is that the theater is quite old and so all wheelchair access is retrofitted. Therefore, the walkways and such are all rather narrow.

However, in saying all that, because of it’s small size, it’s actually a really good, intimate place to see a show.

Eataly

Activities, Food, Italian, Midtown No Responses »

Jun 172011

Eataly
500 5th Ave. (entrances on 5th Ave. and 23rd St.)
New York, NY 10010

Eataly is a concept restaurant/marketplace developed with Mario Batali as an “Italian Marketplace.” it has several casual and a couple “proper” restuarants scattered throughout the building. There is a large marketplace filled with various Italian specialties, although some of the brands you may recognize from your local supermarket. Since we (me, husband and friend) are avid fans of italian food, we decided it would be a fun Friday after work place to meet up.

We ate at La Piazza/Il Pesce – both are eateries in the midst of the marketplace with table service (if you are going in the evening, it’s wise to go to the podium to request table service before you stroll the market itself). I have to admit that we were disappointed. The portions were small for the price point and the food was rather uninspired. As my husband put it, “Mario Batali likes to eat- I thought his portions would be bigger than this!”

The market itself gave me the same impression – lots of overpriced items (yes, it’s New York, so some inflation is expected) but not a whole lot that “wowed” me. That being said, it was still fun to walk through, but I wouldn’t make a special trip.

Since this a site focused on wheelchair accessibility in New York City and surrounding areas, I can tell you that Eataly is quite wheelchair friendly. There was absolutely no problem with getting around (aside from the crowds) and the restrooms were fine.

New World Stages

Activities, Theater District No Responses »

May 292011

New World Stages

340 West 50th Street
New York, NY 10019
(646) 871-1730

My husband and I went to see a (very hilarious) Off-Broadway show over Memorial Day weekend. It houses several different shows and I wanted to make mention of what a great facility New World Stages is.

The theater is completely wheelchair accessible, as are the restrooms. There are 2 easy to reach bars for adult and regular beverages. Because the theaters are quite small, the wheelchair accessible seating is in the back near the lighting crew. Although this doesn’t sound great on the surface, it’s actually quite pleasant with a great view.