# Essential New York **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 15, 2009, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-new-york/499779 "2009-06-15T00:11:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-new-york/499779/21 "2009-06-15T18:21:40Z")
> [@Cat\_Fight](#): > > Also, it is hardly hidden, but Cafe Habana on Prince is honestly my favorite restaurant in the whole city. It’s packed and dirty but I would seriously step over the corpses of a dozen hipsters to sink my teeth into that corn. Seconded. I love their chicken w/ mole sauce. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-new-york/499779/22 "2009-06-15T18:33:26Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > And if you can add one more “touristy” thing (that the locals love as well), it’s the [Staten Island Ferry](http://www.siferry.com/). Agreed this is the BEST thing to start with. AND it’s FREE!!! It’s great, it takes about half hour each way. You will not be disapointed. Also walking over the Brooklyn Bridge is fun. But if you do this, take the EL to the Brooklyn and walk over to Manhattan. There’s nothing on the Brooklyn side, so when you’re done walking you’re like “OK now what.” Go to the Empire State Building at night. This was so thrilling to see NYC lit up. Carriage ride in Central Park, bring an apple for the horse. Finally a great way to see things is the tour bus, the double decker ones. The great things is they have stops along the way. If you like what they are pointing out, you can get off, look around, wait for the next tour bus and get on that and continue your tour. There is a night tour, a day-downtown tour and a day-north of Times Square tour. They are all nice but beware the day trip downtown (it’s actually south of Central Park) because you’ll get traffic and it’s just sitting a lot. The UN is fun to visit too as is the Intrepid and the Guggenheim. NBC has tours at Radio City and that is fun to go see. Finally if you want to try to get cheap tickets to the Broadway, don’t wait in line in Times Squre, they have a another booth, it used to be at the WTC but now it’s located somewhere around Fulton’s Fish Market. ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-new-york/499779/23 "2009-06-15T18:38:29Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > I also recommend [Crif Dogs](http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/crif-dogs/)on St Marks. Sadly, I think the Crif is gone. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-new-york/499779/24 "2009-06-15T19:00:14Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > You’ll never experience New York as someone who lives there would. Just forget that part of it. It’s not about knowing the most cunning little pubs. It’s just an entirely different lifestyle. I just wanted to reiterate this. If you wanted to live like a real New Yorker you’d work a 12 hour day, spend 45 minutes jammed in a subway car, pick up some takeout on the way home and watch late night TV until you fell asleep in a small apartment with noisy neighbors. 😃 You’re honeymoon is special, many of the touristy things are special. My biggest advice would be don’t overbook yourself - give yourself time to stay somewhere longer than you planned or just take an extra long lunch or even a nap in the middle of the day. ---
**Author:** ![valleyofthedolls](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a4c791/32.png) [@valleyofthedolls](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/valleyofthedolls)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-new-york/499779/25 "2009-06-15T19:24:05Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > Also walking over the Brooklyn Bridge is fun. But if you do this, take the EL to the Brooklyn and walk over to Manhattan. There’s nothing on the Brooklyn side, so when you’re done walking you’re like “OK now what.” > > Finally if you want to try to get cheap tickets to the Broadway, don’t wait in line in Times Squre, they have a another booth, it used to be at the WTC but now it’s located somewhere around Fulton’s Fish Market. There is tons of stuff to do on the Brooklyn side of the Bridge (Dumbo) Brooklyn Bridge Park > **[Home - Brooklyn Bridge Park](https://brooklynbridgepark.org/)** > > Welcome to Brooklyn Bridge Park. Explore the sweeping vistas, rich ecology, expansive piers, and vibrant programming of this special waterfront park. St. Ann’s Warehouse (although I that’s being booted over a rezoning issue) > **[St. Ann's Warehouse - St. Ann's Warehouse](https://stannswarehouse.org/)** > > St. Ann's Warehouse is where theater meets rock 'n roll. Located in the dynamic Brooklyn neighborhood of DUMBO, St. Ann's is a leader in the global cultural landscape and a home for international companies of distinction, American avant-garde... Jacques Torres Chocolate > **[Chocolate and Candy Store Dumbo, Brooklyn | Jacques Torres Chocolate](https://mrchocolate.com/blogs/locations/dumbo)** > >  Visit the place where it all started. Jacques’ first location offers handmade chocolate treats, hot chocolate, and ice cream sandwiches. From truffles to cookies to bonbons and more, we’ll help you sample your favorite flavors to bring home and... Bargemusic > **[Bargemusic |](https://www.bargemusic.org/)** Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory > **[The Thousand Best | New York Magazine](https://nymag.com/listings/search)** > > An expertly curated, always-updated guide to New York’s best restaurants and bars. River Cafe > **[Home](https://rivercafe.com/)** > > The River Cafe has been, and still is, the most exclusive fine dining American restaurant on the water in NYC, since 1977. Galapagos > **[Galapagos Art Space](https://www.galapagosdetroit.com/)** And much more. Also, if you hate waiting on lines, which I do, don’t go to the TKTS booths. Sign up at for free: > **[Discount Broadway Tickets - Save up to 50% off Broadway Shows](https://www.broadwaybox.com)** > > Your home for the best Discount Broadway Tickets. Save up to 50% off Broadway shows. Find free discount codes for NYC Broadway shows, theater info, and more. > **[TheaterMania: Broadway, regional and discount theater tickets](https://www.theatermania.com)** > > Get Broadway tickets at great prices and find discount theater tickets for your favorite Broadway shows at TheaterMania.com. The only thing these sites do is send you e-mails for discount codes which you then use for purchasing tickets. The prices and ticket availability will be be about the same as the TKTS booth and there’s no wasting your time on line. Be warned, there are some shows that are so popular, you won’t be able to get discounts (Billy Elliot, Jersey Boys for ex.). ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-new-york/499779/26 "2009-06-15T19:28:05Z")
> [@Maeglin](#): > > Sadly, I think the Crif is gone. Did it close in the last 6 months or something? ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-new-york/499779/27 "2009-06-15T19:31:44Z")
Two things: 1. Where was this thread a week and a half ago?!? Lots of stuff here that I didn’t know about during my first trip. Although I only had two days to get it done. 2. I will say that taking the Circle Tour cruise around Manhattan (three hours) was very worthwhile for my wife and me. It was basically the first thing we did while in NYC, and in addition to getting a great look at a lot of the big tourist attractions, it really gave us a solid sense of the geography of Manhattan (and of the boroughs as a whole). ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-new-york/499779/28 "2009-06-15T20:31:32Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > Do you ice skate? Ice skate at Rockefeller Center! Yeah! Or Wollman Rink in Central Park or the little rink at Bryant Park! And I think NY is generally a lot milder that WI in the winter. Any time of the year is great in NY, so no, you’re not crazy to go then. The weather around here can get quite warm in the winter, actually, and Manhattan is usually slightly warmer than the surrounding areas, too. So make sure to pack layers and stuff so you can adapt. > [@](#): > > Great minds think alike, sort of! 😛 Heh. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-new-york/499779/29 "2009-06-15T22:14:40Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > Also walking over the Brooklyn Bridge is fun. But if you do this, take the EL to the Brooklyn and walk over to Manhattan. There’s no “El” in NYC, but there is an L-train, which is not elevated in Manhattan. Most subways are above ground somewhere along their route, but not in Manhattan. The only trains that cross the East River via the Manhattan bridge are the B,D, N (and Q I think). All others use tunnels so don’t be disappointed. > [@](#): > > There’s nothing on the Brooklyn side, so when you’re done walking you’re like “OK now what.” > . Actually the Brooklyn side is near Brooklyn Heights, one of Brooklyn’s nicest neighborhoods, and a short walk\* to the Promenade from which a remarkable view of Manhattan can be seen at sunset. The Cosbys lived in Brooklyn Heights - their address 10 Stigwood Ave does not exist, but I believe the exteriors were shot on Pineapple Street. \*New Yorkers walk a lot. “A short walk” being roughly less than 10 blocks/half mile ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-new-york/499779/30 "2009-06-16T01:48:25Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > walking over the Brooklyn Bridge is fun. But if you do this, take the EL to the Brooklyn and walk over to Manhattan. There’s nothing on the Brooklyn side, so when you’re done walking you’re like “OK now what.” Now what? You check out the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, then walk across the Fulton Mall (which still has the feel of ungentrified Brooklyn) over to Junior’s on Flatbush Ave. for their famous cheesecake (the unpretentious food ain’t bad either), then take the subway back to Manhattan! And IMHO, Brooklyn Heights itself is a wonderful place to wander around in for the architecture alone. Of course I’m biased, I lived there for three of the best years of my life and would love to live there again some day. ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-new-york/499779/31 "2009-06-16T02:10:22Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > If you wanted to live like a real New Yorker you’d work a 12 hour day, spend 45 minutes jammed in a subway car, pick up some takeout on the way home and watch late night TV until you fell asleep in a small apartment with noisy neighbors. _sob_ It’s funny 'cause it’s true for so many people. Subway musicians are hit or miss but there are some very good ones. I wouldn’t go out of my way to find specific ones (it’s not like they have published schedules), but if you’re going to visit Macy’s at 34th St. and Herald Square, the IND station there (where the B/D/F/R/V/N/Q/W trains run) often has not one but TWO reasonably good acts going on around midday. Peruvian pipers, African drummers, breakdancing troupes, etc. I’m an architecturally oriented person when it comes to getting the feel of a city. I would say a walking tour starting at Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village meandering southwards to SoHo, Chinatown and Little Italy would be very “New York”. Get a map and look it over so you don’t get too lost, but then just… wander around! Lots of little shops and restaurants worth peeking into, if not to enter into. Then eat at any old place in Little Italy or Chinatown. If it’s not too late in the day I’d recommend “Big Wong” Restaurant on Mott St. off of Canal St. Cheap and authentic, I consider it a standard place for “Chinese soul food”. As long as you’re heading down towards Greenwich Village, check out the Strand bookstore on 12th St. and Broadway. It’s got new and used books in just endless aisles of books on all subjects. Very cool if you’re a bibliophile. ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-new-york/499779/32 "2009-06-16T02:36:00Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > And I think NY is generally a lot milder that WI in the winter. Any time of the year is great in NY, so no, you’re not crazy to go then. The weather around here can get quite warm in the winter, actually, and Manhattan is usually slightly warmer than the surrounding areas, too. So make sure to pack layers and stuff so you can adapt. I live in a city in WI, so it’s not like I live in the middle of some frozen prairie. I found the average temperatures are a little over 10 degrees warmer, but I know my luck. My luck says it’ll be 40 below and blizzarding on my wedding and then by the time I finish my honeymoon, that cold front will have moved to New York! I’m so afraid of that. Spring/summer/fall weddings worry about rain; I have to worry about frigid cold and blinding snow… ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-new-york/499779/33 "2009-06-16T03:09:44Z")
> [@Serenata67](#): > > I live in a city in WI, so it’s not like I live in the middle of some frozen prairie. I found the average temperatures are a little over 10 degrees warmer, but I know my luck. My luck says it’ll be 40 below and blizzarding on my wedding and then by the time I finish my honeymoon, that cold front will have moved to New York! I’m so afraid of that. Spring/summer/fall weddings worry about rain; I have to worry about frigid cold and blinding snow… Make sure you bring waterproof (not only warm) boots. Beneath Manhattan are all manner of forces generating heat - from subways to steam tunnels. So snow usually melts relatively quickly on the ground. Expect slushy puddles if the weather goes above freezing, which it would on the average late Jan. day. On the other side, the wind can be downright vicious at times. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-new-york/499779/34 "2009-06-16T13:04:51Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > I just wanted to reiterate this. If you wanted to live like a real New Yorker you’d work a 12 hour day, spend 45 minutes jammed in a subway car, pick up some takeout on the way home and watch late night TV until you fell asleep in a small apartment with noisy neighbors. If I can also expand on this. New Yorkers also spend a large amount of time in bars and restaurants. My friends and I have spent little time in each other’s appartments. Typically we’ll just meet at a mutually convenient bar since there is a) more room and b) it tends to be kept cleaner. There isn’t anything especially cool or trendy about them. They just happen to be the closest bars (and maybe they have Big Buck Hunter). NYers also spend a lot of time spending $2500 a month in rent, wearing $400 shoes, dropping $100s on food and drink and complaining about how “poor” they are. ---
**Author:** ![mack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-new-york/499779/35 "2009-06-16T20:16:09Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > Make sure you bring waterproof (not only warm) boots. Beneath Manhattan are all manner of forces generating heat - from subways to steam tunnels. So snow usually melts relatively quickly on the ground. Expect slushy puddles if the weather goes above freezing, which it would on the average late Jan. day. > > On the other side, the wind can be downright vicious at times. Great advice. Waterproof boots/shoes you can walk all day in. I buy a decent pair of Gore-Tex hiking boots every 5-6 years and they’re perfect for city winters. I even use them for hiking once in a while, too! My shoes are waterproof Rockport world traveller or something like that. They keep my feet dry and comfy all year round. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-new-york/499779/36 "2009-06-16T23:05:42Z")
My favorite Chinese place in the city is [Grand Sichuan](http://www.thegrandsichuan.com/), it’s not in China town. The food tends on the spicy side but it’s oh so good. There are several franchises so finding them shouldn’t be hard. Ruby Foo’s in Times Square and on the Upper West Side is fun for Dim Sum and crazy martinis. It’s touristy though. Republic on Union Square is a great noodle shop and has lots of crazy mixed drinks as well, it’s a great place to have dinner then go bar hopping. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-new-york/499779/37 "2009-06-17T02:27:12Z")
I would check out Union Square on weekends. In addition to the Farmer’s Market, you also have an assortment of weirdos and protestors. I’m sure the lineup has changed, but you used to always see the STOP BUSH guys (the S’s replaced by swastikas of course), the FREE PALESTINE guys who would always get into an argument with the same group of Israelis, some Brazilian capoeira guys just breakdance fighting and a few other groups. In addition to the Ganesvoort, you might want to check out the rooftop bars at [230 Fifth](http://www.230-fifth.com/)and the [Empire Hotel](http://www.empirehotelnyc.com/). ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-new-york/499779/38 "2009-06-17T13:29:32Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Did it close in the last 6 months or something? Must have. This is secondhand, but a friend of mine was complaining over lunch that it was gone. I haven’t passed it in awhile, myself. I actually tried to get a job there the summer after I finished my masters. Getting regular work was slow, and I just needed a little cash to tide me over and a little something to do. Sadly, it didn’t work out. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-new-york/499779/39 "2009-06-19T23:17:42Z")
Something I just thought of today– The subway map is NOT to scale. Manhattan is only 4 miles wide at its widest by 12 miles long at its longest. It appears on the map to be almost equal in size to Queens (and bigger than Staten Island!) which is not true. So, don’t treat the subway map as if it were a real map. You can see the subway lines laid over an accurate geographic map of NYC here: > **[onnyturf.com](http://www.onnyturf.com/subway/)** > > NYC Subway Map,New York Subway Map PDF,Subway in New York City,NYC Subway Transit Map,City Map,Map Directions,Google Maps Street View,Google Maps Directions,Manhattan Subway Map PDF Compare to official subway map [http://www.mta.info/nyct/maps/submap.htm](http://www.mta.info/nyct/maps/submap.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2009, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-new-york/499779/40 "2009-06-20T03:57:00Z")
I went to the Zoo! Also a native American theatre where they played huge drums. Very enjoyable performance, but I can’t remember the name of the place - somewhere in Manhattan. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-new-york/499779.md?page=1)