NYC for the newbie


A brief list of what I think is "must-see-NYC"

My sister has a friend making her first visit to NYC ever, and I was asked for some recommendations. This is the list, effective as of publish date, of what I consider the top of the list for a short trip to NYC:

Theatre (Obviously as of this moment chosen from what's running)

If you're seeing one show in NY, it may surprise people, but I recommend "Avenue Q ". Here is my original Avenue Q Review to help explain why.

But I also have to point out that I'm not sure Avenue Q will live beyond its current incarnation, not sure it will tour or be done in local semi-pro theatres. It relies on this specific puppetry talent. So seeing it now on B-way may be a rare and golden opportunity.

If you're seeing more than one show, or simply are too silly to let yourself go and see Avenue Q, then I recommend any of the following:
42nd Street: old fashioned musical with stunning tap numbers, if you're in the mood for that.
Gypsy (Read my Review )
Hairspray (read my Review )
The Lion King: worth the price of admission simply for the opening sequence; visually stunning
The Producers: Very funny, much better when Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick are in it.
Rent: some would say the future of Broadway; a rock musical that really rocks more than most.
Urinetown (Brilliant, but closing January 18th, due to the planned demolition of the theatre building!)

Museums
My personal fave has to be the Metropolitan Museum on the east side, specifically the Impressionists section. That is the first destination to which I head whenever I go to the Met. If I have time for nothing else, I see that collection again. All of the masters are represented, some of the world's most famous paintings. If you like Impressionism, it's a must-see.

Is it Christmas Time?
If it's any time in December, then by all means walk up and down 5th Avenue from the Public Library at 34th Street to Central Park at 59th Street. Great photo op at the Library, as the Lions out front are even more photogenic than usual when decorated for the holidays. Of course the major department stores have over-the-top window displays, and then there's the way they wrap the Cartier building in a big red ribbon.

When you get to the upper 40's cut over (westward) to 6th Avenue and Rockefeller Center. This is where the big huge Christmas Tree goes, and where the skating rink in front of the golden Prometheus statue is. Major New York photo op site. And quite festive at this time of year.

Back on 5th Avenue, check out St. Patrick's Cathedral, a fine example of Gothic architecture. Go inside and view beautiful stained glass windows and a lovely Pieta sculpture. It's a lovely peaceful break from the craziness outside.

One caveat: actually going into the major stores at this time of year is like thrusting yourself into a black hole, from which it is not certain you can easily return. It is true that normally department stores are one of the few reliable places to find a public bathroom (that and hotel lobbies) but at this time of year it could cost you an hour of your time!

In case you're wondering, the biggest Macy's in the world and the original Bloomingdale's are both in NY, but not in the 5th Avenue area. Macy's is on 34th Street at 7th Avenue and takes up a whole city block. Bloomies is on the Upper East Side.

Neighborhoods
Greenwich Village and Chelsea top the list for charm. The Village is where the streets stop being on such a manageable grid and get a little crazy. But this is also where you can find a million fabulous Italian coffee houses with great desserts and about as many charming bistros. There are tree-lined streets with charming little brownstones in the Village, and there are many beautiful men to ogle (who will likely be ogling each other.) At night there are jazz clubs and Off-Broadway theatres and a European penchant for late-night suppers.

SoHo & TriBeCa are the places to go if you're into art or funkier fashion. I'm not so familiar with these neighborhoods

Little Italy & Chinatown seem like primarily tourist spots, like they are in San Francisco. I'm sure there are hidden gems in each neighborhood, but they remain hidden to me.

The Upper West Side is a great large area to explore. It used to be the kind of area where one block would be gentrified, and the next would feature drug dealers on the stoops. I think the blocks between Central Park West and Amsterdam remain not the greatest. But in general, the whole city has been cleaned up a lot. So for instance, where you once might have stopped exploring the Upper West Side once you hits the upper 80's, now there are charming places to go all the way up to Columbia University. Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues features many great restaurants and shops.

Restaurants: Necessarily only a partial list of favorites (by neighborhood)
Theatre District:
Zen Palate on 9th Avenue in the 40's: Absolutely unique high-end vegetarian food
Pietrasanta on 9th and 43rd: Very affordable, yet tasty Italian food
Red: on 44th between 8th & 9th: Our latest discovery from our last trip. Awesome veggie platter among other things.

Chelsea:
MaryAnn's on 8th Avenue in the teens: Great seafood-focused Mexican restaurant. The Chelsea location is the original one. They have expanded now and have MaryAnn's in lots of neighborhoods, but I've only been to this one.

Greenwich Village:
Benny's Burritos on Jane Street: if you want a quick, cheap lunch, you can't beat Benny's. Great, huge California-style burritos.
Cafe Reggio on MacDougall Street: This is one of those awesome Italian coffee shops I was talking about on an adorable little street in the heart of the Village.
Caffe Vivaldi on Jones Street: Another awesome cafe. Go to Cafe Reggio if you're into coffee. Go to Caffe Vivaldi if you're into dessert.

Upper East Side:
Serendipity on E. 60th Street: Impossible to get in actually, but that is because of their extensive and delicious dessert menu and wonderful hot chocolate.

Upper West Side:
Sarabeth's Kitchen on Amsterdam & 80th: Breakfast should be eaten here...muffins, pancakes, waffles, you name the starchy breakfast food...Sarabeth's is famous for it.

Other miscellaneous things to check out:

New York Delis: Nothing beats them. Zabars on Broadway and 80th Street is a venerable institution. Two floors of everything you can possibly imagine having to do with kitchens, dining rooms and food. Seriously good strudel can be found here among other things. Some people probably favor Dean & DeLuca, but I'm a Zabar's girl. And I hear Carnegie Deli on 6th Avenue is the primo sandwich place.

Discount Stores: I used to be a huge Daffy's fan. There are multiple locations, and they feature off-price and often designer clothing etc. Downtown in the Financial District you can find Century 21 Department Store, also featuring heavily discounted designer stuff...I think you have to do more foraging and digging at Century 21.

Central Park: This is a a great place to check out. There's a skating rink during winter, a large fountain, a small zoo, the 'Strawberry Fields' garden dedicated to John Lennon's memory (with the famous 'Imagine' mosaic.) Just about every part of the park is going to look familiar from the many movies scenes that have played out there.

Times Square: Times Square has changed considerably since my days in NYC. Every time I go back it seems less like a New York neighborhood and more like a theme park for adults a la Las Vegas. Billboards gave way to neon signs gave way to huge video screens. Porn theatres and adult book shops have given way to the Disney Store, Virgin Records, Planet Hollywood and the like.

Architecture: I already mentioned St. Patrick's Cathedral, and there are lots of other famous buildings in NY. My honor roll includes the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building and Grand Central Station, but the nice thing is it's sort of like Paris, every block or two you're going to hit some interesting building. If you're on the Upper West Side stop by Lincoln Center on Broadway in the upper 60's if for no other reason than to check out the massive Mark Chagall stained glass pieces.

A Note on Safety
New York is pretty safe really, and lot safer than it used to be. That being said, some simple things help to keep you safe:

1. Now I like to walk everywhere and usually any distance under 20 blocks, but if you're on vacation and have the money, then take cabs at night.
2. As for cabs, take the yellow ones, not gypsy cabs.
3. If you're out with people and splitting up for the evening, have them see you safely into your cab or door.
4. If you are taking the subway and are nervous, either be in the front car where the driver is, or better yet, in the center where the conductor is.
5. One blessing of New York is how crowded it is all the time. It's hard to get yourself in a deserted area before 1am. The crowds, though, do make pickpocketing a risk. I don't wear a fanny pack or one of those money belts you're supposed to use in Europe, but I do keep my bag across my shoulder and in front of me, and usually with my hands on it, most of the time. Thieves want something they can snip and get without drawing attention; their first choice is not to grab and struggle for it.
6. Last but far from least, if there's one place you can throw attitude, NYC is it. Walk with your head up, looking alertly around you (lots to see anyway) and with a purposeful stride. Mostly, carry that inner glow that just screams "Don't FUCK with ME, BUSTER!!!!"

Finally, if you want a second opinion:
I found the following web site while looking up some restaurant locations, and I think it does a pretty good job of breaking it down and making NYC not seem totally overwhelming. Check it out.

Must-See New York Web Site

Have fun!!!

Posted: Tue - November 4, 2003 at 11:38 AM       EmailFeedback

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