So 17.5 bucks is cheap, right?

That's what I thought about bus tickets to New York.  17.5 bucks each way.  Sign me up!  Max has Columbus day off and we had this great idea to go to New York for the weekend on one of the cheap China Town buses.  So, I bought the tickets on Monday during an extra long break between French classes and the planning began.

...but it was brought to a frustrating halt when I realized that ALL of the decently priced hotels in NY were booked and that even the not so decently priced hotels were booked also.  I usually plan months or at least several weeks in advance, so, note of hindsight to myself: It was your fault.  But really!?  145 is a steal for a crazy carpeted room with a shared bathroom?  I feel a bit snobby even saying this (so do your best Carlteton Banks impersonation) but it is hard to get a good room in that city!  (Really, nobody remembers Carleton Banks from Fresh Prince?  "Its not unusual to be loved by anyone..."  anyone?) 

No worries, Airbnb to the rescue.  I have used this option before and had a really great experience.  People basically sign up on this website to offer their guest rooms as an often cheaper and usually more personalized lodging option than a hotel and the website regulates the whole thing to ward off skeevies.  We stayed in a lovely apartment in Rome for a fraction of the local hotel price back in June and I hoped that airbnb could do it again this time.  Last night was a little frustrating as it appeared that all of the rooms listed "available" in NYC were just a tease and had been scooped up before I could get to them.  But this morning proved more hopeful.  I found a little place in Brooklyn where the proprietor, get this, works in the theater!  We are going to NY almost exclusively to 1) See Shows and 2) See Art.  A close third is to buy paper.  She offered to help us maneuver the plethora of theater options out there and give us the low down on which are good and which are not so good.

Hooray for social networking.