Parents visiting - indoor ideas?

Transit Museum?

Museum of the Moving Image?

If they aren't from this part of the country, just taking a trip on MetroNorth up the Hudson is kind of nice, imo. Nice views of the river and adorable little towns. If the weather isn't terrible, you can get off somewhere like Cold Spring, which is walkable and right at the station. Antique shops, some food, hiking trails about 1/2 mile from the main drag.

Strand bookstore if they like browsing books. Housing Works bookstore on Crosby is much smaller but also has a little coffee shop.

Go to one of those Russian spas.

There is a pizza making class at The Brooklyn Kitchen this Saturday. Probably the best cooking class I've taken. It's some guys from Roberta's pizza. Cooking or food classes in whatever sounds good to you, elsewhere (Astor Center, ICE, ?). I would do this with my parents or inlaws, even the one who aren't really into food. All the cooking classes I've taken have been fun and tasty.

If it comes down to museums, there are plenty of non-art museums. The tenement museum then the merchant's house museum (poor v rich). Of course the Natural History Museum.

If they are active types you could do Chelsea Piers: Bowling, driving range, ice skating.

Chelsea Market is always good for a lunch and browse, plus the adjoining section of the High Line is covered.

Plus, Coney Island during a hurricane? No thanks.

Let's face it, if Irene is a Cat 2 hurricane and hits NYC (which is the current forecast) you're going to be stuck with living room sofa drinking.

Obviously you people aren't from Florida. You don't take a cab in a Cat 2. You stay indoors and away from your windows. You fill up your bathtub with water. You clear out the local bodegas and Home Depots of all material goods. You arm yourselves to the teeth to keep away the undead hordes.

Is it really going to be that bad up here? The news channels are ever so fond of hyping this sort of thing up, and then you just get some rain. But you really think it could be a situation warranting taping windows?

Yeah, I was in North Carolina for a hurricane. I got sent home from work and the rain and wind on the drive were kind of scary, but not horrible. Tons of trees were downed but the worst of it didn't really last very long. Lots of friends came to our apartment for a hurricane party since we had a gas stove to cook things in even if the power went out, which it did, but it turned out our little section of town was the only spot to lose power.

Hopefully this is just a ton of rain and not too much wind here. I can't quite wrap my mind around a hurricane here so I hadn't really thought of planning for it, but maybe I should!

Its way too early to say what this hurricane is going to be like. The intensity is really going to depend on whether Irene makes land prior to getting here, or how close or far off shore the storm is. It will be another couple of days before we can start thinking about whether to tape the windows or stock up on supplies. Until Friday, we should all just sit tight and keep an eye on the reports.

tateinbk said:

Idlewild:

Yes, it can get bad. Rarely, but bad, non the less.

Oh, I know it can get bad. I remember when one flew through when I was much younger. Seeing all the awnings down and the damage on the streets was striking.

My question was more if this weekend will really be so bad as to be a Category 2. The last few times they've threatened hurricanes we've just gotten a little measly rain. I just haven't heard the hype up. Although maybe the news channels are still too stressed about what they [/i]wish[i] would have been damaged and impacted by the earth quake.

I'm guessing it depends on a few variables. Irene being one of them.