Photo taken of Lawrence in the West Village during his first trip to New York City.

This conference is free and open to the public.

Below is information about the location of the Graduate Center, hotel recommendations and restaurant recommendations.

Location of the Graduate Center

The Graduate Center is located at 365 5th Ave. in midtown Manhattan. You can get there easily from most subway lines and it is walking distance from Penn Station (Subway lines A,C,E,1,2,3), Herald Square (Subway lines N,Q,R,W,B,D,F,V) and the 33rd Street station for the 6 line.

“A” marks the Graduate Center

Nearby Hotels

A very close hotel is The Comfort Inn Manhattan, 42 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001 tel: 212/947-0200.
The Larchmont Hotel in the West Village has been recommended to us as an inexpensive, nice hotel in an excellent location. It’s at 27 West 11th St., New York, 10011, (212) 989-9333.
La Quinta Inn (32nd and 5th) is a 4 minute walk from the Graduate Center, and rates start from $110.
Carlton Arms Hotel (25th and Lexington) is about a ten-fifteen minute walk away, shared bath starts at $80, single for $110, and apparently the walls and decor are fun and funky.
The Pod Hotel (51st and 3rd) is a twenty-minute walk, 3-minute subway ride away.
The Jane Hotel (Jane St and Washington St) is a charming and inexpensive place. It is rather far away from the Grad Center, in the fashionable meatpacking district, but is close to the High Line and other places of interest.
The Belnord Hotel (West 87th St) is a budget hotel on the Upper West Side.

Nearby Restaurants

2nd Ave Deli: the landmark Jewish deli, just moved conveniently to 33rd near 3rd Ave
Artisanal: outstanding restaurant especially renowned for cheese, on 32nd between Madison and Park
Barbes: fun Moroccan/French place on 36th between 5th and Madison
The Breslin: (in the Ace Hotel, 29th and Broadway): renowned gastropub by chef April Bloomfield
Bryant Park Grill: excellent contemporary cuisine, behind NY Public Library, Madison between 40th and 42nd
Chipotle: It’s a Mexican chain restaurant, but it’s pretty decent, and right by the Grad Center: south side of 34th between 5th and Broadway
Da Ciro: nice candlelit Italian restaurant on Lexington between 33rd and 34th
Franchia: Zenlike Korean tea house, Park between 34th and 35th
Granduca: Italian restaurant on 35th just off 5th
Hagawi: vegetarian Korean in calm setting, 32nd between 5th and Madison
The John Dory (in the Ace Hotel, 29th and Broadway): extremely popular seafood place, also with chef April Bloomfield
Koreatown (32nd between 5th and Broadway): variety of inexpensive and authentic Korean food lining both sides of street
Mandoo: on 32nd St between 5th and Broadway, freshly made dumplings
Moonstruck on Madison: Madison at 38th, bright cheery diner with enormous portions
Metro Grill: reliable Italian food, if a bit corporate in feel, 35th between 5th and 6th
Stumptown Coffee (in the Ace Hotel, 29th and Broadway): cult following for Seattle cafe

The Graduate Center is near Times Square (centered on 42nd and Broadway), which has a lot of big chain restaurants like Bubba Gump’s and TGI Fridays. One serious restaurant there, however, is Blue Fin (Broadway near 47th).

Walking downtown about 10 blocks will put you in Chelsea, and if you keep going you will hit Union Square and the East Village, so if you are looking for more interesting restaurants, that’s the direction to head in.