The only times I ever went to Manhattan was when the circus was in town at the old Garden and one time to see 'The Mikado' (yeech!!).

Believe it or not but I remember my parents putting my two brothers and myself on the subway (SeaBeach line) so that we could meet my uncle, who lived in Manhattan at the 34th Street station. I was 9 and my brothers were 6 and eleven. No armed escort was necessary. Of course the year was 1959.