[Recommendations] 11 days in NYC, what should i do?

some famous pizza place in Little Italy
Lombardi's - 32 Spring St, New York , NY
It was cash only when i went.

The Daily Show was fun...got tix through comedy central.

- Chinatown/Canal St. (for cheap knock-offs)
We went here, kinda felt like a waste of time because we didn't buy anything

We went during halloween...best costumes i've ever seen.

 

Grimaldi's pizza in Brooklyn.

 

Don't limit yourself to Manhattan only. Visit Astoria in Queens and Williamsburg in Brooklyn. These are my two favorite hang out spots, as people are a bit nicer in these areas. I personally like the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens as well.

Rent a bike and cycle through Central Park. Its good fun. Right now there is a waterfall exhibit going on underneath the Brooklyn Bridge and some other areas so you might want to check that out.

Try to catch a concert at Bowery Ballroom, Mercury Lounge, Webster Hall or see a comedy show. I saw Todd Barry for free yesterday at Sound Fix records in Williamsburg. Or you can visit Upright Citizens Brigade and see a comedy show for around 5 bucks. This is where the SNL and Human Giants guys test out new material.

53 and 6th has that famous halal food stand where lines are 20 deep even at 4AM. Macdougal Street (near NYU) has famous falafel shops. Last week, Russell Simmons of Def Jam came in and sat at the table next to mine at Mamouns over there. The falafels are a bargain at $2.50 apiece.

Finally, get an unlimited MetroCard for 10 days, so you can move around freely.

 

Will you be there solo or with a girlfriend/wife/significant other?

 

Your 16 YO cousin will like Serendipty. It's a little restaurant that serves some cool dessert, famous for the Frozen Hot Chocolate. You'd probably like it too. My wife adores it.

We had a pretty good time at Wicked (Broadway play.) Blue Man group is usually around if you're into that.

If you are considering living there, I'd definitely eat at some of the little chain shops that are everywhere. I can't remember the names for the life of me, but there are several like "delis" that serve pizza, etc. that you should try. Cheap food, but you'd eat more of it than the nicer places if you lived there.

Definitely hit up Grimaldi's though. Right next to the Brooklyn Bridge, line is usually pretty long and gets longer as the night gets later. If you talk to a taxi driver who doesn't know where it is, it's right by the River Cafe in Brooklyn.

 

Do Top of the Rock instead of Empire state. Better views and shorter lines.

http://www.topoftherocknyc.com/welcome/default.aspx

 

take a free ferry ride to Staten Island for a great view of new york harbor.

a concert in Central Park in the summertime is always fun.

visit Riverside Park on the West side and take a stroll along the hudson river.

go see Blue Man Group or Stomp.

Union Square is always happening.

check out East Village and Alphabet City/Lower East Side as well as Greenwich Village.

definitely ride the subways and buses while you are there. a week long unlimited metro card is around $20. the only way to live like the regulars is to ride mass transit.


Oh, and I've said this before, you HAVE to try Blue Ribbon restaurant on Sullivan Street or in Park Slope Brooklyn if you are there.

the entire dining experience is like no other in the city...

 

I've mentioned this in other threads, but I think the circle line boat tour is amazing, especially if you get one of the twilight tours where all the lights in the city are starting. You can do a half circle (lower Manhattan and the statue of liberty) in about 1.5-2 hours, or a full circle of Manhattan in 3-4 hours (I think). I've only done the half circle.

It leaves from the west side. Here you go (and turn your volume up, LOL):
CIRCLE!

 

For pizza, try Slice ... http://www.sliceperfect.com/
Its very unique pizza you won't find anywhere else in the world.

Brooklyn Botanical Gardens- On Tuesday it is free all day. On Saturday free from 10AM-12 noon. If you go either of these days you save 8 bucks on admission.

Museum of Modern Art- Free on Fridays from 4PM-8PM. They currently have a Salvador Dali exhibit.

Sound Fix Records Comedy show: Free every Wednesday in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Alot of great younger comics there. From 8-9PM.

You might also want to check out the Staten Island Ferry and visit Staten Island for a few hours. Snug Harbor is an nice place in Staten Island.
There is a free Botanical Garden there as well.

For seeing celebs, I run into some of them near the NYU, East Village area. You just have to keep your eyes open. Most people don't even realize they are there since they are either looking at the floor or the buildings.

For seeing New Yorkers in general, you will see them around Wall Street, but I warn you around this time there are so many tourists in the area..the tourists out number the locals on a 5-1 basis. I guess Central Park is the best bet to be around locals.

Walk around the Upper West Side as you will see some of the nicest real estate in the city.

Another note is there is a major street here called Houston Street. It is pronounced "How-stin" and not the way we pronounce the name of our city. If you say it the other way, people might look at you funny.

One of my favorite eats in the city is what they call tart frozen yogurt. The two main companies are Pinkberry and Red Mango. It started in Cali and became a craze over there, and now has moved to NYC. Its a type of really great tasting frozen yogurt with no fat and low sugar.

 

ha, Pinkberry's in NYC now

but don't call it yogurt!!

you could also visit Flushing Meadows Queens, take in the sights of the Tennis Center, Shea Stadium and the globe from the World's Fair...

 

I second this. We really enjoyed the Circle Line tour.

Of course, the last time I was on it, the infamous garbage barge was docked in the harbor, so I assume some things have changed since then.

The best food I've ever had in Manhattan was at one of those hot dog carts outside the Chrysler Building.

 

Scores

 

Tavern on the Green (restaraunt in Central Park)
If you like the outdoors, you can spend several days in Central Park..its HUGE and lots to see.
Act like you can afford something and walk around 5th avenue
don't forget the museums
go to the Texas Restaurant in Times Square and laugh at what they call "Texas". Order the Nachos and roll-over hysterically when they bring you a plate of about 5 tortilla chips with a little bit of cheese on them.
Sylvias Restaurant in Harlem

 

if you want the best slice of pizza to go in nyc - go to artichoke on 14th st between first and 2nd ave. it makes lombardi's and the other places second rate. the line is long, but it's worth the wait.

 

Oh yeah, Blue man group is amazing. Saw them at Astor Place in NYC this past Feb. Worth the ticket!