NYC readers-Dr. Deb, EVI-and any others

Hey gang...I am making plans to be in NYC for a longish weekend from 9-11 through 9-14 for the memorial activities...I need advice. I want to see a play, get into the VIEW for a taping on the 12th, eat great "local" food, no tourist traps or chain restaurants, great shopping (maybe chin*atown--love the bags. I am sort of known in my circle as a bag whore) and we are staying at the New*Yorker hotel on 8th ave. So...suggestions are welcome. AND...if you want to meet me for a quick breakfast, I'm buying :) (I would love to meet you blog ladies). We have gone to NYC several times for the memorial activities since the attacks. As I mentioned before, BigD is in "law enforcement" and has some ny*pd friends and he is very active in memorial society things so we go as often as we can afford. This year, we can't afford it but are going anyway-HA!I have determined that I will be fully nuts (instead of only half nuts) if I don't plan a get away. NYC is an amazing place. If I were young, very rich and single, I would live there. Since I am none of these, I just visit. My only concern is that there is another couple that may be joining us and I am not real fond of the lady half of the couple. She isn't a bad person we just have NOTHING in common. She is 14 years younger than me, she parties A LOT, likes to only wear 1/2 of her clothes and adores attention. Now take those things away and you have me. It will be interesting. I know I will be in the minority when I say I want to chill and wander the city taking it all in, instead of hanging out in every irish pub we see. I don't mind a few along the way but I have no intention of spending my entire trip comparing beer bottles. So, I need anyone from NYC or that has traveled there enough to know, to tell me the places to go. (We will be at Battery Park on Friday afternoon for the memorial parade and Saturday night at Town Hall on W43rd for the concert but other than that, I am open for suggestions).