New York Archives - Your Mileage May Vary

All About Broadway’s Rewards Program

Did you know there’s a rewards program for Broadway? One of Sharon and my favorite trips is going to New York to see Broadway shows. We have our favorites, like Hamilton, The Book of Mormon and Avenue Q, but we also try to see some new shows as much as possible. While we love seeing any productions, I also make sure we earn points every time we go to the theater.

Audience Rewards is a loyalty program for Broadway. When you buy tickets for most Broadway shows, you just need to include your Audience Rewards number on the reservation and you’ll receive your points after you’ve seen the show. You can enroll in the program for free at the Audience Rewards website.

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How We Went To The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade With Miles & Points (and $22.40)

Last December, when we were putting up Christmas decorations at the house, Sharon and I were talking about the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York. Despite living in the area for most of our lives, I had never been to see the parade and Sharon last went to see it when she was three. We had a crazy idea that this would be the year we’d head to New York in November.

The first thing I needed to check was if I could get the time off of work over the holiday. Amazingly, space was there so I put in for the time off and it was quickly approved. Then it hit me. I’d need to make hotel and flight reservations during one of the busiest travel times of the year. The one thing working for me was that I had plenty of notice and I smartly took the Monday after the holiday off so we didn’t need to fly home on Sunday.

I’m always up for a challenge, so I started looking to see what was available (and for how much).

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Here’s How To Never End Up With A Balance On Your New York MetroCard

We visit New York regularly and when we do, we eventually end up taking the subway to get around town when it’s more convenient than getting an Uber or taxi, or walking. Because it’s not on my packing list, I’ll occasionally forget to bring our old MetroCards with us and after a while, I end up with a collection of cards that looks like this.

The MTA doesn’t it make it easy to end up with an empty MetroCard. First of all, the subway doesn’t accept contactless payments like other cities such as Chicago do, so you’re forced to buy a card. The fare machines are set to offer you a set amount when purchasing a card, like $10. However, the subway fare is $2.75 per ride. It doesn’t take a genius to find out those amounts aren’t evenly divisible so if you don’t know better, you’re going to have a leftover balance on your card.

Just to make the math harder, the MTA adds a bonus when you reload your card for more than $5.50.

Put $5.50 or more on your card and receive a 5 percent bonus. For example, a $20 purchase gives you $21.00 on your card. Refill your card to use the balance.

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How Do You Rebuild A Hotel Around A Historic Landmark?

New York City, and specifically the Manhattan/Times Square area, is the place we visit more often than anywhere else. We have a list of hotels where we like to stay and will choose from those, depending on the reason for our stay. There are the hotels good for a quick weekend of seeing shows. Other hotels are better for longer stays because they have larger rooms and are less expensive, even if they’re a bit further away from the theater district.

We have one hotel we save for a particular type of stay; one where we’re traveling with friends and are willing to split a room to save some money. At this hotel, every room is a two room suite with a main bedroom and and a large sofa bed in the living room. I was sad when I read this hotel is set to close as part of a massive redevelopment project.

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Ever Want to Actually Have Breakfast at Tiffany’s? Now You Can! (Updated 11/18)

You know the scene – Breakfast at Tiffany’s, the classic film based on the novel by Truman Capote, opens with Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn), nibbling on a pastry and drinking some coffee while peeking into the windows of the Tiffany & Co. It’s early and the store isn’t open yet, so all she can do is gaze longingly at everything.

Since the film’s premiere in 1961, no one’s been able to really eat breakfast at Tiffany’s (I mean, really, they sell jewelry, china and silver!), but if you’re a Audrey Hepburn fan, get ready to swoon, because now you can!

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