Not NYC’s most famous freebie, but with a jaw-dropping view and great flicks, theBrooklyn Bridge Movies With a View film series is one of the city’s treasures. See p. 56.

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COPYRIG

HTED M

ATERIAL

Alot of great bargains in this world don’t withstand close

scrutiny. Anyone who’s ever “won” a free weekend at a North

Carolina timeshare can attest to that. New Yorkers are lucky, however,

in having a menu of freebies and cheapies that aren’t just discards or

traps. From Shakespeare in the Park to car-less drive-in movies to kayak-

ing along the Hudson, there’s a host of remarkable activities here that

can’t be had in other cities for any price. In the dirt cheap realm, the

Big Apple’s big volume creates bargain opportunities left and right.

From cheap ethnic food to giveaway avant-garde theater, an urban

adventurer can go far on very little. What follows is the best of the best.

BEST OF THE FREE& DIRT CHEAP

APPLE

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1 Best Entertainment Bets

C H A P T E R 1 B E S T O F T H E F R E E & D I R T C H E A P A P P L E6

• Best Manhattan Parade:New Yorkers are pros at assem-bling en masse. My favoritepageant is one of the city’s mostinclusive, the Greenwich Vil-lage Halloween Parade, atwhich elaborate costumes anda healthy dose of gallowshumor make the festive spiritinfectious. See p. 26.

• Best Outer-Borough Parade:As New York events becomemore and more commercial-ized, it’s nice to have one occasion that’s defiantly do-it-yourself. Coney Island’s Mer-maid Parade brings low-budgetfinery to the Atlantic shore. Clas-sic cars serve as the chariots fora procession of mermaids andNeptunes who will never standaccused of being overdressed.See p. 23.

• Best Festival: Harlem Weekbegan as a single day 30 yearsago and now stretches acrossthe entire month of August.Film, jazz, and food festivalsare among the highlights to befound along lovely brownstoneblocks Uptown. See p. 24.

• Best DIY Rock Show: Why trekout to the Nassau Coliseum towatch some aging monsters ofrock, when the Lower East Sideoffers up the same three chords

for free? Arlene’s Grocery (95Stanton St.; & 212/358-1633)is the tri-state’s best place toplay rock star, with a real-liverock band standing in for soul-less laser discs. See p. 77.

• Best Cultural Center with Beer:Pete’s Candy Store (709Lorimer St.; & 718/302-3770)does its part to keep Williams-burg elevated and enlightened,bringing in a bushel of livemusic and readings. Quiz,spelling, and Scrabble nightsround out a full schedule of freediversions. See p. 83.

• Best New-York-Studio-SizedMusic Venue: The stage is tinyand the seats are few, but theback room of the LakesideLounge (162 Ave. B; & 212/529-8463) brings in improbably bigacts. Rock and rock tributariescan be found on most nights, andthere’s never a cover. See p. 31.

• Best Jazzy Venue: Low-pretenseBrooklyn meets Euro sophistica-tion over pints of Hoegaarden atWilliamsburg’s Zebulon (258Wythe Ave.; & 718/218-6934).Afrobeat, funk, and improv jazzcan be heard here for no cover.See p. 34.

• Best Concerts for Skipping Outon the Office: The worker beesof the Financial District have

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long taken advantage of thegreat classical performancesheard during the “Concerts atOne” series at Trinity Church(74 Trinity Place; & 212/602-0747) and St. Paul’s Chapel(Broadway and Fulton St.). St.Paul’s hosts lunchtime Mondays,and Trinity handles Thursdays.The acoustics are great in bothchurches, and the $2 suggesteddonation doesn’t begin to reflectthe caliber of talent. See p. 38.

• Best Summer Music Festival:Every year SummerStage (Cen-tral Park; & 212/360-2777)seems to get better organized,efficiently channeling musicfans into a stage area just off theRumsey Playfield in the middleof Central Park. Though severalshows a year are benefit per-formances with steep ticketprices, the calendar is still lit-tered with huge names playingfor free. See p. 48.

• Best Summer Music FestivalThat’s Not SummerStage: Themassive Lincoln Center Out ofDoors (70 Lincoln CenterPlaza; & 212/546-2656) festi-val presents hundreds of actsevery August. The range is stag-gering, covering jazz anddance and opera and every-thing in between. See p. 45.

• Best Movie Screenings with aRoof: David Maysles’s new

Harlem institution, the MayslesCinema (343 Malcolm X Blvd.;& 212/582-6050), shows pro-voking films and documentariesseveral nights a week, usuallyfor only $7 a pop. See p. 51.

• Best Movie Screenings Withouta Roof: Forty-Second Streetwelcomes movie fans with aneclectic selection of classicsduring the HBO Bryant ParkSummer Film Festival (& 212/512-5700). The lawn crowds upquickly, but that only enhancesthe festive atmosphere. See p. 54.

• Best Movie Screenings on aRoof: Come summer nights, Goddims the overheads, and indiefilms play on rooftops (and aschoolyard) across Brooklyn.Rooftop Films (& 718/417-7362) is quickly becoming alocal institution, with quirky,well-selected fare. See p. 51.

• Best Movie Date Night: Fridaynights the Rubin Museum ofArt (150 W. 17th St.; & 212/620-5000) throws open itsdoors. You can tour intriguingHimalayan art for free, and for$7 you can treat yourself to amartini and a movie. TheCabaret Cinema series bringsan eclectic selection of films,along with the occasionalrelated celebrity, for just the

B E S T E N T E R T A I N M E N T B E T S 7

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price of a tipple or a snack atthe bar. See p. 50.

• Best Outdoor Summer Theater:Forsooth, New York’s greatestsummer asset is no secret.Shakespeare in the Park (& 212/539-8750) hooks up tens ofthousands of bard hounds withthe best in Elizabethan drama(using some of today’s best actorsand directors). The DelacorteTheater’s site in the middle ofCentral Park is well nighenchanted. See p. 63.

• Best Outdoor Summer TheaterThat Isn’t Shakespeare in thePark: Energetic performancessubstitute for big names and bigbudgets in downtown’s alterna-tive Shakespeare in the Park(ing)Lot (& 212/877-0099). The set-ting couldn’t be less formal, butsomehow the troupe manages tocast its spell. See p. 63.

• Best Free Dance: Modern andexperimental dance has a homeduring Movement Research atthe Judson Church (55 Wash-ington Sq. S.; & 212/539-2611).Dancers and choreographersvary from week to week, but thetalent level stays consistentlyhigh. The series only seems to begetting better, especially nowthat the Judson Church hasinstalled its lovely new dancefloor. See p. 76.

• Best Comedy Troupe: Thefounders of the Upright Citi-zens Brigade (307 W. 26th St.;& 212/366-9176) have goneon to movie and television for-tune and fame, but the institu-tion’s classes continue to crankout rapier wits. Improv nightshere are cheap when they’renot free, and the legendaryASSSSCAT 3000 is not to bemissed. See p. 82.

• Best Readings: The greatwriterly look of KGB Bar (85 E.4th St.; & 212/505-3360) iswell matched by the great writ-ers who come through almostevery night of the week.Enough quality words havebeen spilled beneath theSoviet-kitsch furnishings to jus-tify the publishing of KGBanthologies, in addition to ajournal. See p. 94.

• Best Readings in a Bookstore:New York has many great liter-ary events at its mom and popshops, but the little playersdon’t have quite the juice tobring in huge names everytime. The Union Square branchof Barnes & Noble (33 E. 17thSt.; & 212/253-0810) has nodifficulty booking the literatiglitterati—check out their cal-endar for a steady stream offamous scribes. See p. 89.

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2 Best Cheap Eats

B E S T C H E A P E A T S 9

• Best Investment of $1 (Bagel):New York exported the bagel tothe four corners of America, butafter the indignities that havebeen performed (piña coladabagels?) we should ask for themback. Fortunately, New Yorkstill has the best, and a singlebill will let you sample one atKossar’s Bialys (367 Grand St.;& 212/473-4810). With flavorand texture honed to perfec-tion, you can’t make a bettercarb investment. See p. 130.

• Best Investment of $1.25 (HotDog): For cheap protein andquick bursts of patriotic fervor,New York’s dogs can’t be beat.Gray’s Papaya (2090 Broadway;& 212/799-0243; plus otherlocations) is the best of the fruitdrink–and–wiener purveyors,with flavorful, lightly charredlinks that’ll only set you back abuck and a quarter. See p. 123.

• Best Investment of $2 (Tacos):Served in a double layer of sup-ple corn tortillas and garnishedwith fresh tomatillo sauce, thetacos at Zaragoza (215 Ave. A;& 212/780-9204) burst withflavor. At just $2 for standoutslike enchilada and roast pork,they’re the cheapest way to paya visit south of the border with-out leaving NYC. See p. 124.

• Best Investment of $2.25(Sesame Pancake): The dump-lings at Vanessa’s DumplingHouse (118 Eldridge St.; & 212/625-8008) are justlyfamous and a total steal at four for $1. Less publicized butequally delicious are the sand-wiches—a big wedge of sesamepancake with fresh cilantro, car-rot, and tender Peking duck. Seep. 109.

• Best Investment of $2.50 (NewYork Slice): First-time visitors toSal’s & Carmine’s Pizza (2671Broadway; & 212/663-7651),spurred to spontaneous compli-ments by the spectacular pies,can expect to hear back fromthe eponymous proprietors,“Well, where the hell you beenthis whole time?” One taste ofthe crispy crust and character-full sauce and you’ll be askingyourself the same question. Seep. 131.

• Best Investment of $3.50 (Buffet): The competition be-tween two Chinatown buffetrestaurants has driven pricesinto the ground. An almostcomical price of $3.50 coversfour fresh, tasty Chinese entreesover rice at my favorite, Yi MeiGourmet Food (51 Division St.;& 212/925-1921). See p. 110.

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3 Best Living Bets

C H A P T E R 1 B E S T O F T H E F R E E & D I R T C H E A P A P P L E10

• Best Investment of $3.75(Sandwich): For me, a bánh mìsandwich is more than just aningenious blending of Frenchand Vietnamese flavors—aFrench baguette filled with porkpâté, pickled carrots, daikon,onion, and cilantro—it’s one ofthe apexes of human civiliza-tion. You’ll find my favorite atthe back counter of Bánh MìSaigon Bakery (138-01 Mott St.;& 212/941-1541). See p. 117.

• Best Dirt Cheap Sit-DownMeal with Atmosphere: CheapAsian too often means over-lit,dingy cafeteria settings. Not so at Galanga (149 W. 4th St.;

& 212/228-4267), where a styl-ish, modern interior makes for aperfect date spot. With suchgreat atmosphere, the spicy,fresh Thai food seems almost alagniappe. See p. 126.

• Best Burger: New Yorkers havevoted with their palates bykeeping the Corner Bistro (331W. 4th St.; & 212/242-9502)busy at every hour. With thesucculent, unpretentious $5.75burgers here, it’s no wonder.The city’s expense-account $15rivals at the fancy-shmancyplaces don’t even come close.See p. 125.

• Best Free School: With collegetuitions spiking endlessly up-ward, Cooper Union (CooperSq.; & 212/353-4120) is a defi-nite anomaly: The 1,000 stu-dents here get their educationfor exactly $0 and 0¢. The restof us are invited in for exhibi-tions, readings, and a greatseries of lectures. See p. 149.

• Best Free Smarts: The GraduateCenter at the City University ofNew York (CUNY) (365 FifthAve.; & 212/817-8215) keepsadults educated with a terrificselection of lectures, seminars,and panel discussions. Fees are

reasonable, and big chunks ofthe program are on the house.See p. 150.

• Best Cheap Bed: Who needs amint on his pillow and a bill for$250, when Big Apple Hostel(119 W. 45th St.; & 212/302-2603) can provide a goodnight’s sleep for under $40?You’ll get a high-rent location,too: right in the heart of theTheater District. See p. 165.

• Best Gyms: Stay thin without afat wallet. For less than 14¢ aday, 29 gyms and rec centerscan belong to you. The facilitiesof the Department of Parks and

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4 Best Shopping Bets

B E S T S H O P P I N G B E T S 11

Recreation (& 212/360-8222)include tracks, weight rooms,dance studios, and boxing rings.For $75 a year ($25 more), youget access to the swimmingpools, too. See p. 175.

• Best Grooming: Style-consciousNew Yorkers flock to Bumbleand bumble salon for the latestlooks. Savvier souls sign up forthe model calls at their school,Bumble and bumble.University(415 W. 13th St.; & 866/7-BUMBLE [728-6253]). If you’reselected for the stylist trainingprogram, you’ll get a free cut, a

head full of styling products,and an invitation to call back ina few months to do it all overagain. See p. 168.

• Best Boat Ride: Transform your-self into river traffic through theprograms at the DowntownBoathouse (Pier 40, Pier 96,and at 72nd St.; & 646/613-0375). They’ll loan you a kayakand let you paddle around theirwest side piers. If you get yourstrength up, you’ll be eligiblefor a longer ride into New YorkHarbor. See p. 179.

• Best Thrift Shopping: HousingWorks Thrift Shop (143 W. 17thSt.; & 212/366-0820, plusother locations) brings theprices of fashionable clothesand furniture down to levelsreal people can afford. Theinventory is lightly used andquick to turn over, and themoney you spend goes to sup-port a great cause (housing,services, and advocacy for peo-ple living with HIV and AIDS).See p. 196.

• Best Department Store: Cen-tury 21 (22 Cortlandt St.; & 212/227-9092) is theShakespeare in the Park ofshopping—everybody knowsabout it, it’s in great demand,

and despite New Yorkers’ highexpectations it rarely comesup short. Amazing selectionand equally amazing pricesdraw in the crowds 7 days aweek. See p. 206.

• Best Gourmet Food Shop forTightwads: Tracking down fancyfromage is not a difficult task inNYC, but to actually purchase awedge without emptying yourpurse is another issue. Thankthe cheese gods then for theEast Village Cheese Store (40Third Ave.; & 212/477-2601),which has a gigantic selectionat $2.99 per pound. This is theideal place for cocktail partyhosts and hostesses to fortifythemselves. See p. 212.

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C H A P T E R 1 B E S T O F T H E F R E E & D I R T C H E A P A P P L E12

New York’s Top Five Best-Kept Free Secrets

1 As far as New York vistas go, it’s hard to beat the Brooklyn

Bridge at night with the Manhattan skyline twinkling in the

background. The Brooklyn Bridge Movies With a View film

series (& 718/802-0603) does its best to enhance the sky-

line by projecting film favorites against the epic scenery. Com-

pared to its Manhattan competitors, this event is much more

under control, with a hip, friendly, and quiet crowd. See p. 56.

2 Though the National Museum of the American Indian (1 Bowl-

ing Green; & 212/514-3700) has seen the bulk of its collec-

tion moved to the Mall in D.C., the three gallery spaces here

still put on great exhibits of contemporary and historic Native

American art. The building itself, a magnificent Beaux Arts

customs house, is worthy of a visit of its own. See p. 240.

3 The former military base that is Governors Island (& 212/

440-2202) opens up to the public in summer months, with

picturesque free ferry rides through New York Harbor leading

to the city’s best picnic grounds. Programming has been

quickly metastasizing—an arts fest and folk and world music

concerts have been added to the existing roster of historical

tours. See p. 255.

4 The New York Earth Room (141 Wooster St.; & 212/

989-5566) is just that: 140 tons of soil hidden away in a SoHo

loft. Even after multiple visits it’s a completely unexpected

sight, and a few whiffs of the earthy scent can be oddly reju-

venating. See p. 263.

5 Malcolm Forbes’s affection for his idiosyncratic collections is

obvious from the well-crafted displays at the Forbes Magazine

Galleries (62 Fifth Ave.; & 212/206-5548). As you wind

through model boats, toy soldiers, Monopoly boards, and tro-

phies, you just may find Forbes’s enthusiasm rubbing off on

you. See p. 237.

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5 Best Exploring Bets

B E S T E X P L O R I N G B E T S 13

• Best Exhibits: The main branchof the public library, formallyknown as the Humanities andSocial Sciences Library (FifthAve. and 42nd St.; & 212/869-8089), puts on terrific showsin the hushed interiors behindthe lions. Rare editions and man-uscripts are often on display,accompanied by thoughtful cap-tions that make equally illumi-nating reading. See p. 258.

• Best Tour: The mayor and thecity council still have theiroffices in graceful old City Hall (Broadway, at Murray St.;& 212/788-2170). This under-publicized free tour allows youto catch glimpses of NYCpolitico celebs, while admiringgorgeous portraiture and archi-tecture. See p. 271.

• Best Use of a Former FactorySpace in Queens: The perfunc-tory design of MoMA QNScouldn’t touch Long IslandCity’s SculptureCenter (44-19Purves St.; & 718/361-1750).Maya Lin left a lot of roughedges, but the overall effect isreminiscent of a cathedral,complete with a catacomb-likebasement. The intriguing sculp-tures and installation art shownhere further justify the trip toQueens. See p. 243.

• Best New Giveaway: Okay, sothe new building that houses theNew Museum (235 Bowery; & 212/219-1222) screams max-imum security prison, but thefree Thursday nights are a greattime. Contemporary artworkthat skews low-fi, playful, andinternational fills the upstairsgalleries, and the LES comes outto mingle. See p. 250.

• Best Art Museum: The P.S. 1Contemporary Art Center(22–25 Jackson Ave.; & 718/784-2084) puts on great artshows just a stop away fromManhattan in Long Island City.The museum is a beautiful con-version of a Renaissance Revivalpublic school, and the interiorspaces have been inventivelyredone to complement the cut-ting-edge art displayed here.Entrance is by suggested dona-tion. See p. 256.

• Best Dirt Cheap Date Night:First Saturdays at the BrooklynMuseum of Art (200 EasternPkwy.; & 718/638-5000) areamong the best parties of theyear. You can generate conver-sation fodder at exhibits,films, and lectures. You’ll alsofind live music, should all thattalk lead to a little dancing.See p. 247.

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• Best Natural Oasis: Visions ofrhododendron valleys, water-falls, and wetlands conjure uponly one place in New York:the Bronx. If you’ve never seenthe New York Botanical Gar-den (200th St. and SouthernBlvd.; & 718/817-8700), you’llbe amazed at the biologicaldiversity here. It’s arguably thecountry’s greatest public gar-den. See p. 274.

• Best Elephant Procession:Forget Republican conven-tions—New York’s best elephantshow occurs when the RinglingBrothers and Barnum & Baileycircus (& 212/465-6741) comesto town. Once a year aroundmidnight, the elephants (some-times accompanied by zebrasand camels) stroll through theQueens–Midtown Tunnel andacross town to Madison SquareGarden. As far as New Yorkwildlife goes, this spectacle ishard to beat. See p. 279.

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