For those who have been to NYC…
Given four days in the big city what would you do? Where would you go? What are the things that you consider as being the best the city has to offer? And, of course, where does one find anime loot in the big city?
I ask because I'm heading there later this year and want to do a little planning.
And yes, this is a somewhat pointless and random topic. Feel free to lock or delete.
As a person who live in New York, I have to give you couple advice for when you arrive in this place.
-Jamba Juice (it's not just for girls, that s**t is good)
Those are everywhere.
-Go to FAO Swarch or whatever it's called. Some decent anime stuff.
-Go to the meuseam of natural history.
And… I don't know anything else, it's been several years since I was there.
What? Failing is hard work, too.
I'm there every Saturday and can show ya some places. Just give me a pm if you are gonna be there on a Sat. I would say places… but hell if I know the name of streets they are on.... or the names. I find places by knowing stuff like, go down a few blocks from penn, make a right at the third sbarros... crap like that >_>
If you want to see something funny watch The Producers on Broadway. It is a very well made comedy by Mel Brooks. Remember, the play is always better than the movie.
If you want to see something funny watch The Producers on Broadway. It is a very well made comedy by Mel Brooks. Remember, the play is always better than the movie.
I beg to differ. The original was one of the funniest films I've seen.
I beg to differ. The original was one of the funniest films I've seen.
I concur.
As far as Broadway goes, I went to see Spamalot. I had a pretty bitchin' time, but there's a plethora of things to see.
By the by, you really need to go to Papaya Dog (I went to the one across from the Empire State Building). Best hot dogs ever, holy shit.
If you want to see something funny watch The Producers on Broadway. It is a very well made comedy by Mel Brooks. Remember, the play is always better than the movie.
I'm hoping to see something and The Producers and Spamalot are both high on my list. My sister says to see Avenue Q (which looks well and truly effed and, therefore, right up my alley). There's a chance she'll get to NYC while I'm there so we'd probably see The Producers (since she's already seen Avenue Q).
As for other stuff I definitely want to hit FAO Schwarz. It's one of those places I've always wanted to go to so it's high on the list. I've never heard of Jamba Juice (I don't think) but I'm all about the smoothies. I'm not going until November so it might be a little cold for a smoothie (you never know though).
What I actually manage to do depends on how many nights I end up staying which in turn depends on whether I stay in Manhattan (expensive) or if I stay in Jersey (significantly more reasonable). I'm probably doing Jersey so I can stay longer. I love the concept of staying in the city but if I do that I want to do it up right and that is some serious money.
If you're willing to stay in an old hovel, possibly with "shared bathrooms" there are some cheap, centrally located hotels in the close neighborhood of Penn Station.
I got a room in one for a trip I took 11/2004. The convinence was remarkable, but the specific facility I can't reccomend. Actual exchange with management (after fuse kept blowing) led to me learning you couldn't have both the (not very good) room heater and TV on together. O.o
go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It's huge, it's one of only two museums that houses at least one piece from every movement of art since antiquity, and when they say suggested price, they really mean suggested price. You can pay a penny and get in. The same fee applies to the Cloisters which are more uptown.
head out to Central Park, and wander. I've found some really neat places in central park just by walking aimlessly. Or if you want to go some places there, there's Strawberry Fields, Belvedere Castle, and Cleopatra's Needle just to name a few.
If you're up for a bit of a subay trip, i'd suggest hitting some places in brooklyn, too. Namely visiting me at school if you're going there some time after september, or going to the brooklyn botanic gardens which has a japanese garden and really amazing bonsai trees.
What I actually manage to do depends on how many nights I end up staying which in turn depends on whether I stay in Manhattan (expensive) or if I stay in Jersey (significantly more reasonable). I'm probably doing Jersey so I can stay longer. I love the concept of staying in the city but if I do that I want to do it up right and that is some serious money.
Ahh…...... New Jersey... the "Armpit of America."
Actually, I like New Jersey, because it's very peaceful (in some areas).
And you should try visiting Central Park. Some of the sections of the park is just wonderful, and I sometimes chill there, playing with my guitar. Just don't go at night.
I'd go check out a show at the newly renovated Hayden Planetarium. The planetarium itself is an awesome piece of architecture and the shows (typical science type shows or even a music laser light show) are really cool.
Also, on the first Friday of every month there is a free jazz show in the lobby (the musicians are usually very excellent) and they do serve food and drinks. If you go during the day, your admission to the planetarium will also get you into the Museum of Natural History (the buildings are connected) and you're also right across the street from Central Park.
I always have a good time there though I haven't gone in several months. Now I'm making myself want to go. I should probably go check out who is performing in July…
Take Jadie's suggestion of going to the Met, but I also will strongly reccommend MoMa. But that's because Modern art is totally my thang.
Go to the tippy-top of the Empire State Building at night and witness the feeling of the ultimate wind tunnel.
And visit Katz's Deli too. Good sandwiches. Orgasmic, you might call them.
lame reference
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .Credo quia absurdum non credere. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
I also recommend Chinatown. That was my favourite place when I was visiting NYC. Also Elis Island if you are into the US's history.
And just a little side note: There is no Jamba Juice around where I live.
The first thing I did when I went to New York:
XD
Other than that, I watched Mamma Mia (wasn't planning, so I only got this ticket), went to MET, walked around the Central Park, climbed up the Empire State Building at night, Union Square, … don't remember what else I did... At least I remember I did a lot of walking -__-"
A little side note: Jamba Juice was started as a senior project of three college students of my college. :D!
#1 plan before visiting somewhere.
Pray it'll still be there when you can finally go.
slaps self
Agh! Me baka! I forgot an important place:
Nintendo world.
hm…what else...oh! Go to Mulberry street. It's the only thing left of Little Italy, but it's still pretty great. If you've got the money sit down at one of the restaurants for one hell of a meal. Except for la Mela. I'm not really fond of that place. If not at least get yourself a cannoli.
I'd say check out times square but i'm not a big fan of it. WAY too crowded with shitloads of tourists.
There's a whole bunch of other museums too now that i think about it. Aside from the Met and the MoMA, there's the Frick, and the Guggenheim, both of which are pretty neat.
go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Yeah, I'll second…er....third that.
The Met is insane. You can literally spend a week looking through it and still miss a TON.
If you think I'm kidding, I'm not. It's amazing.
I think FAO Schwartz closed…
But anyway. I live in NYC, and my favorite places are:
-Chinatown/Little Italy-- amazing bargains, foods, and just really cool to visit particularly if your city doesn't have a Chinatown. You can get plenty of anime here, too, but check first to make sure it has an English sub track at all.
-Brooklyn Botanical Garden & Prospect Park (they border one another). More to chill out than for touristy reasons, but as someone else mentioned they have a really beautiful Japanese garden. Plus, the subway goes over the Brooklyn Bridge, which is neat.
-MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) or the Guggenheim-- the two flagship modern art museums-- both have great style. The Guggenheim is a giant spiral of exhibits, you can choose either up or down. MoMA is also a neat space and is enormous.
-Shake Shack in Madison Square Park (NOT the garden) has truly truly excellent burgers and thick milkshakes called "concretes". Best burger in the city, and it's hella cheap too. People line up for 45 minutes for a burger at rush times-- at noon you can be in & out in 15 minutes, but by 12:15 forget it! Also a fun place to spot ridiculous little yappy New York dogs and mock them.
-New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx is gorgeous and much bigger than the one in Brooklyn, but it's a bit off the beaten path.
-Grand Central Station is one of the last great remaining train stations. Stop in to see the grand concourse and its ceiling with the zodiac. Menchanko Tei at 45th and Lex (northeast corner) is three blocks away and is a Ramen chain from Tokyo, good place to grab lunch (although better when it's colder weather).
-Five Points in Queens is a roof where graffiti artists have gone absolutely nuts and created an incredible sight.
-Soho is the best place to spot trendy people and go hopping between little private art galleries, slightly off-kilter shops, and see the NYC gay scene. DO NOT GO if you're homophobic. (In fact, if you're homophobic, stay the hell out of my city... anyway.)
-Central Park, of course.
-Midtown Comics is worth a stop if you're planning on hitting the Empire State Building and you like comics, since it's right across the street. Huge selection of tpbs and nice people.
-Washington Square Park is a great community park that's famous for its chess hustlers. DO NOT get sucked in-- but it's fun to watch. There's also a big fountain area where street performers do magic or acrobatics shows on afternoons, and just in general throughout the park you see pretty good musicians and street performers. I like to hang out by the Bocce court and watch the old Italian guys. It's also near Cones, which might just be the best Ice Cream in the city, as well as Beard Papa, which is a Japanese cream puff store. OMFG delicious. At the Astor Place subway stop four blocks away there's a big black cube sculpture that you can push and it swivels, as well as St. Mark's Place, which is a great scene particularly at night. Yakitori Taisho will give you any part of a chicken on a stick until 3AM, and there are nice 2nd-hand record shops and such. (I spend a lot of time in this area because it's near NYU, where I go to grad school.)
OK, that's more than enough. Have a fun trip!
Oh, and.
Avoid if at all possible:
-Times Square (what a headache!)
-Statue of Liberty (the line is ungodly)
-Midtown shopping (unless you like staring at ugly, boring $400 dresses)
Oh yeah, don't forget to take a picture with the Naked Cowboy. That guy is the man.
Naked Cowboy?! And its a dude?! Screw that, I'm staying away from New York.
The Naked Cowboy is awesome. He's a cultural phenomenon.
I've sure never heard of him. How the hell does the guy get away with it anyways?
So…his guitar covers that area of himself? I still I'm shocked they let him do that.
He has tighty-whities on.
…...why didn't you say so?! Thats not naked. Thats...80% naked.. Yea...I'm staying away.
Wow, there's a lot of stuff to address. Can only hit a bit (gotta get to work).
First Soho, like any of the museums, is something I couldn't dedicate less than a day to without feeling like I was rushing and I probably won't have time to do it right. I'd love to do a gallery crawl, but I have solid plans for at least one full day and maybe two. I'm probably going to shop (going to hit every fine chocolatier in Manhattan - or at least try) one day and "sightsee" another and that will probably end up being very touristy sort of crap. I figure I will try for one museum and that would probably have to be MoMA. There are a million cool museums in NYC and it, the MET, Guggenheim, and the Museum of Natural History are the ones I'd most like to visit.
Nintendo World? Haven't heard of it but it sounds cool to me!
The first thing I did when I went to New York:
- Visit BookOff.
- Visit Kinokuniya.
- Visit Asahiya.
I think I have to hit at LEAST one of them (and maybe all three).
As for the naked cowboy, buskers rule! The buskers in the French Quarter of New Orleans were one of the high points of my visit there (years and years ago - I wonder if the buskers are back). Buskers add to the experience of a city. Plus, he earns a living wandering Times Square in a pair of shades, a pair of boots, and a pair of briefs playing the guitar and having his picture taken - how cool a job is that? It's also tons of fun to watch people's reactions to somebody like that.
Book off is on 41st street between 5th and Madison (I think)
Asahiya is on 45th street between 5th and Madison avenue
Kino is on 49th street between 5th and 6th avenue.
Nintendo world is right by Kino. As you leave Kino, make a left, then a left again and at the corner, Nintendo world is on your right side.
If you're looking for chocolates, try Kee's:
http://www.keeschocolates.com/about.html
they're really, really incredible. Definitely my favorite in the city.
!
Bask in his naked cowboyness.
@EvilGamerX:
Book off is on 41st street between 5th and Madison (I think)
Asahiya is on 45th street between 5th and Madison avenue
Kino is on 49th street between 5th and 6th avenue.
Nintendo world is right by Kino. As you leave Kino, make a left, then a left again and at the corner, Nintendo world is on your right side.
WHAT!? Nintendo World is right there?? And kshi didn't bring me there… :S (And I didn't even know its existence until couple of days ago.)
Those three bookstores are in walking distance from each other, so hitting all three of them shouldn't be a big problem ^^
See, you should have had me as your guide. =P
Wow, I didn't see it when I went to Kino either. I guess it's further from Rockefeller then?
The Unofficial Grond Zero Memorial site (I believe its in one of the buildings inview of the site in an apartment)
