This post is a long time coming. As soon as I got back from New York school commitments took over and here we are in November.
Here is a quick wrap up for those hitting the big city. I can't recommend enough taking the jump and renting some wheels to get you around New York.
Where to get your bike:
Hudson Urban Bicycles - 139 Charles Street,( cnr Washington street) West Village
open 9am - 8pm 7 days. $75 for a week's bike hire, otherwise it's about $30 a day. Don't forget to get a basket with your bike to hold all your shopping.
You have to go to Magnolia Bakery on Bleeker Street in Greenwich Village. There is also a Magnolia shop in Bloomingdales as well. The cheesecake is delicious. My favourite was the red velvet cheesecake. Bit off putting to eat gooey red cheesecake, but so scrumptious.
I loved the highline walk. It starts in Chelsea. Chelsea market is fabulous, they have the most delicious lobster place there. Get a whole lobster each and chow down.
I bought the new York city pass for around $99 and this is a bargain as it gets you into lots of different attractions, ie, moma, the met, natural history museum, Guggenheim, top of the rock, empire sate building and Circle line cruise to see lady liberty. I would highly recommend. You just buy the pass at one of these attractions. You receive a booklet and off you go.
I loved Broadway shows and lined up at the tkts booth in times square to get tickets. Up to 50% off tickets and wait was around 30 minutes. Even if the line looks long it doesn't take long to get through.
Get to tkts at 11am for a 3pm matinee. Get to tkts at 4pm for an 8pm show. Ruby Foo's at times square have delicious dumplings.
Star Dust Diner near times square is hilarious. Singing waiters and all American food.
Aunt Annie's - chain pretzel place. If you see one get the almond pretzel. Insane delicious. Comes with caramel sauce, this was a bit over kill for my liking. I found this little place of heaven at the bottom of 'Top of the Rock'.
Eataly - Mario Batali's fabulous Italian extravaganza.
200 5th Avenue (Entrances on 5th Ave & 23rd Street)
Eataly Phone: 212-229-2560
Closest Subway to Eataly: N/R to 23rd Street; 6 to 23rd Street
Eataly Best Bets: imported pastas and cheeses; Italian kitchen gadgets
Momofuku noodle bar
171 1st avenue new york, ny 10003 | map between 10th and 11th street
Crif Dogs - hotdog heaven
Lower east side near Katz deli
113 St. Marks Pl
(between 1st Ave & Avenue A)
New York, NY 10009
Areas: East Village, Alphabet City
Zabars - Jewish deli bar
2245 Broadway (at 80th Street)
New York, NY 10024
Phone: (212) 787-2000
Fax: (212) 580-4477
Email: info@zabars.com
Southern food BBQ ribs (these southern food places were highly researched, but didn't have time to go to any)
Spoonbread. There are two locations...one is Miss Mamie's and the other is Miss Maude's. Locations are 110th Street and the other is on Lenox Avenue near Harlem Hospital. Other soul food restaurants in Harlem include Copeland's on 145th Street. Another nice spot to check out is Billie's Black on a side street in what has recently been dubbed "south" Harlem. Also check out Charles' Southern Soul Food near 150th and 8th Avenue and Margie's Red Rose on 144th Street (both low on ambiance but pretty authentic.)
Katz deli - the Reuben sandwich
KATZ’S DELICATESSEN
205 EAST HOUSTON STREET
NEW YORK CITY 10002
(212) 254-2246
Shake Shack - try chocolate milkshake and burger
Corner of madison square park near Madison ave and 23rd street
The bourgeois pig - Fun ambiance
111 E 7th St
(between 1st Ave & Avenue A)
New York, NY 10009
Areas: East Village, Alphabet City
(212) 475-2246
http://www.bourgeoispigny.com
Nearest Transport:
1 Av (L)
2 Av (F)
Astor Pl (4, 6, 6X)
Hours:
Mon-Fri 18:00 - 2:00
Sat-Sun 17:00 - 2:00
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Price Range: $$
Good for Groups: No
Outdoor Seating: No
Music: Juke Box
Best Nights: Mon, Tue, Fri
Happy Hour: Yes
The spotted pig - Mario Batali's gastro pub - bit posh but lovely
Hours of Operation
Brunch: 11am - 3pm (weekends)
Lunch: 12 - 3pm
Bar Menu: 3pm - 5:00pm
Dinner: 5:30pm - 2am
Location
314 W. 11th Street
@ Greenwich St.
New York, NY 10014
Tel: (212) 620-0393
info@thespottedpig.com
No reservations only walk in
Cafe Habana - corn/cuban sandwich/ margaritas
17 Prince St., New York, NY 10012
phone: 212-625-2001
F, V at Lower East Side-Second Ave.; 6 at Spring St.;
B, D, F, V at Broadway-Lafayette St.; J, M, Z at Bowery
PRICES
$10-$14
PAYMENT METHODS
American Express, MasterCard, Visa
Reservations not required
My sister bought the NYC style guide by Sibella Court before I left and it had some great suggestions including:
Upper east side Bergdorf restaurant at the top
Lower east side is beauty & Essex pawn shop with cool bar. Walk out the back.
Freeman's restaurant
Nolita area
Balthazar NY 80 spring street nolita 212 965 1414 (So beautiful and great pastries. Make sure you sit in and have Sunday breakfast, an absolute delight)
Public NYC
Billy's bakery
Carlos bakery-cake boss bakery NJ
Dylan's candy bar- Ralph Lauren's daughter
1011 3rd Avenue (on corner of 60th street)
New York NY 10065
Monday - Thursday 10am - 9pm
Friday & Saturday - 10am - 11pm
Sunday - 11pm - 9pm
Chelsea market - food where iron chef is filmed
Hours: Monday - Saturday: 7am to 9pm, Sundays: 8am to 8pm
Address: 75 9th Avenue (Between 15th and 16th Streets), New York, NY 1001
Free wifi
Brooklyn flea and Smorgasburg (over the Williamsburg Bridge, great bike ride)
Fancy restaurants
Gotham - 12 east 12th street good value for lunch
Locanda verde - de Niro restaurant. TriBeCa 377 Greenwich street
Standard grille 848 Washington st, at 13th street
Tipsy parson 159 ninth avenue at 20th street American southern fare. 212 620 4545
Urban daddy.com allows you to search for eating spots from your location
Open table.com reserve tables easily
Brunch
Cafe gitane at the Jane hotel 113 Jane street west village 212 255 4113
Pastis 9 9th avenue at 13 th street meat packing 212 929 4844
Red farm
Hudson street, west village
Delicious Dumpling place- strange plate service, ie PAC man plate, dumplings look like PAC man game with dumpling dyed weird colours.
Fishs eddy - beautiful American glassware and crockery, great nyc mugs to take home.
889 broadway at 19th street
Broadway btwn east 20th and 19th
Moma
11w 53rd street
Travel tips
Watch out for street grates. Grates lead to subway or trains, if you drop something it's gone
Buying for babies - Kmart Yankees stuff is cheap and cute
Taxis are cheap, but so is the taxi training. Thought I was going to die on way to moma.
Bike riders in midtown ride willy nilly. Ride down 5th avenue in peak hour just for the fun of it.
Don't get in a pedicab. Absolute rip off.
No-one can give change of a $100 note or $50 note.
Catching taxis at 4.00pm in afternoon nearly impossible. It is the changeover time.
Tried to catch a bus and got kicked off for daring to use a paper bill, coin only - what the what
Nothing gets going around Greenwich till after 10 or 11am.
Prettiest toilets in Nyc- Bryant park -classical piped music and huge flower arrangements.
Bryant park, behind the NYC library has free ping pong tables, newspapers and sometimes free outdoor movies.
No awnings, bring a brolly
Dedicated bike paths on 8th and 9th avenue
Ride along Hudson river park and you will see the space shuttle on the back of a ship. It's a new exhibition that will open soon.
iPad applications , hop stop (to plot out your trip by bike, foot, train, subway or bus) guide pal new york( great map), nycway, urban spoon, timeout (what is happening in NYC, food, entertainment) yelp (for food reviews)
And if you want a New Yorker to be rude to you "Forgetaboutit", all I found were super nice people wanting you to love their city as much as they love it!
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