Chapter 1 Discovering the Best of New York City ... · Greene Broome Broadway Grand W. Broadway W....

Chapter 1

Discovering the Best of New York City

In This Chapter� Celebrating the most festive parades and seasons� Finding rooms in the best hotels, both grand and budget� Enjoying meals at the most delicious restaurants and street eats� Visiting Lady Liberty and other top attractions� Giving the credit card a workout at the top shops� Choosing the spots with the best nightlife

Welcome to New York City! No matter when you visit, there’s sureto be something of interest going on. In this chapter, I list my

choices for the best events, hotels, restaurants, attractions, shopping,culture, and nightlife.

Whether you’re looking for a world-class hotel, exotic cuisine to enjoy,or the view from the Empire State building, I have no doubt you’ll sooncompile your own “Best of” list . . . but here’s a good place to start!

Best EventsBest Parade: West Indian-American Day Carnival and Parade. Held onEastern Parkway in Brooklyn, this is the biggest parade in New York. Themusic (calypso, soca, reggae, and Latin), the amazing costumes, and theincredible Caribbean food make this an unforgettable experience. Ifyou’re lucky enough to be in town on Labor Day, don’t miss it. SeeChapter 3.

Best Time of Year to Come to New York: Summer. Most people preferthe temperate days of fall to visit New York, and that’s when the city ismost crowded; but my personal favorite season is summer, when thestreets are empty, restaurants and shows are easier to get into, andcountless free outdoor cultural events abound.

Best Season in New York: Christmas. Lighted Christmas trees on ParkAvenue, the big snowflake at the corner of 57th Street and Fifth Avenue,

05_945501 ch01.qxp 10/2/06 11:26 AM Page 9

COPYRIG

HTED M

ATERIAL

SouthGardens

BatteryBatteryParkPark

City HallCity HallParkPark

WashingtonWashingtonSquare ParkSquare Park

EastRiverPark

TompkinsSquare

Park

E. 13th St

W. 12th St.Little W. 12th

St.

W. 11th St. E. 11th St.Broadw

ay

Seco

nd A

ve.

Third

Ave

.

Fourth Ave.

Sixt

h A

ve.

Sixth Ave.

Fift

h A

ve

Uni

vers

ity P

l.

Firs

t A

ve.

Waverly Pl.

W. 12th St.

Bethune St.

Gansevoort St.

Horatio St.

Jane St.

Bleecker

Hudson

Greenwich Ave.Eigh

th A

ve.

W. 4th St.

Charles

BarrowChristopher

W. 1

0th St.

Bank

W. 1

1th St.

Perry

W. Houston

KingGreenw

ich St.

Washington

Morton

Leroy

Clarkson

Canal

Vestry

Laight

Watts

Desbrosses

Charlton

VandamSpring

Franklin

Greenw

ich St.H

udsonHarrison

Hubert

N. Moore

Beach

Liberty

Vesey

Jay

ChambersReade

Warren

Murray

Park Pl.

Barclay

Duane

Chu

rch

Duane

Chambers

Bro

adw

ay

Worth

FranklinLeonard

LispenardWalker

Gre

ene

Broome

Broa

dway

Grand

W. B

road

way

W. B

road

way

Mer

cer

Prince

Spring

La G

uard

ia

Sulli

van

Thom

pson

Bleecker

Mac

Dou

gal

Varick St.

Seventh Ave. S.

Canal

Woo

ster

W. 10th St. E. 10th St.

E. 6th St.

E. 5th St.

E. 4th St.

E. 3rd St.

E. 2nd St.

E. 1st St.

W. 9th St. E. 9th St.E. 9th St.

W. 8th St.

W. 3rd St.

E. 8th St.

E. 7th St.

BedfordGro

ve

Jone

sCor

nelia

Carm

ine

Dow

ning

Waverly Pl.Waverly Pl.

WashingtonPl.

Dominick

Broome

St. Mark’s Pl.

Wanamaker Stuyvesant

Astor Pl

Lafayette

Elizabeth

Elizabeth

Bowery

Allen

Chrystie

Forsyth

Eldridge

Hester

Canal

Division

Henry

Madiso

n

Lafa

yett

e

Mulberry

Baxt

erC

entr

e

Catherine

Cor

tland

t

Pear

l

Mott

Mulberry

Mott

Bayard

Reade

Cortlandt

Liberty

John

West St.

WashingtonSquare Park

BatteryParkCity

VietnamVeteransPlaza

BatteryParkCity

SouthGardens

Williamsburg Bridge

BatteryPark

Holland Tunnel

City HallPark


Pier 6

Pier16

Pier 17

SpruceBeekmanAnn

Bowery

W. 4th St.

DelanceyKenmare

Cro

sby

Howard

Gt. Jones

Bond

E. Houston

Rivington

Rector

South End Ave.

Morris

J.P. Ward

CedarAlbany

Carlisle

Batt

ery

Pl.

W. Thames

Rector Pl.

1st Pl.

2nd Pl.

Battery Pl. Bridge

Beaver

Stone

New

Bow

ling

Gre

en

Will

iam

Nas

sau

Trin

ity P

l.Greenw

ich

Exchange Pl.

Cedar

Wall St.

Pine

Maiden

MaidenPlatt

Robert F.Wagner Pl.Frankfort

Dover

Wat

er

Wat

er

Clif

f

Fron

t

Fletcher

John

Beekman

Fron

tSo

uth

Sout

h St

reet

Via

duct

WhitehallBroad

Pear

l

White

Thomas

Park

Row

Fulton

State

Commerce

S. William

World TradeCenter

site

Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel

Hu

ds o

n R

i ve r

M

M

M

M

MM

M

M

M

M

MM

M

M

M

M M

M

M

M M MM

M

M

MM M

M

M

M

M

M

M

M

MM

M

M

M

Subway stop

Closed indefinitely

1/4 mi

0.25 km

0

0N

As Little Italy has shrunk, Chinatownhas grown. The streets are mobbed dailywith seafood, fruit and vegetable, and DVD, CD, and sunglass vendors compet-ing for very little sidewalk space. Chinatown also encompasses stores and restaurants that specialize in Thai, Viet-namese, and Malaysian goods as well.

Narrow streets are lined with skyscrapers here and during the week the activity is relentless. You’ll also find some of the city’s oldest and most historic structures here. At night and on weekends the area, however, is eerily desolate.

Downtown Orientation

Part I: Introducing New York City 10 Part I: Introducing New York City

05_945501 ch01.qxp 10/2/06 11:26 AM Page 10

SouthGardens

BatteryPark

City HallPark

WashingtonSquare Park

EastRiverPark

TompkinsSquare

Park

E. 12th St.

Ave

. A

Allen

EssexEssex

Ludlow

Orchard

Canal

E. Broadway

Monroe

SouthWaterCherry

Market

TompkinsSquare

Park

BatteryParkCity


EastRiverPark

Williamsburg Bridge

Williamsburg Bridge

Manhattan Bridge

Brooklyn Bridge

E a s t R i v e r

B R O O K L Y N

Ea

s t Ri v

e r

Broome

Grand

E. Houston

Stanton Suffolk

Norfolk

Pitt

Ave

. D

Ave

. C

Ave

. B

Clinton

AttorneyRidge

Baruch Pl.

Bialy-stoker

New

Mangin

FDR

Dr.

Szol

d Pl

.

Colum

bia

Delancey

JacksonGouverneur

GouvSlip

FrontWater

A K

azan

Lewis

Cherry

Willet

Rutgers

Pike

Pike Slip

Rutgers

Slip

Mont-

gomery

East R

iver D

r.

Clinton

Jefferson

M

M

Upper Manhattan

Uptown

Midtown

Downtown

The once-famous Bohemian enclave where off-beatbecame the Beats is still the city’s best people-watching neighborhood. You won’t find any high-rises here, just quaint, narrow streets and beautifullypreserved brownstones and townhouses.

I’m not sure why this very tiny stretch of furniturestores, boutiques, and a few restaurantshas been designated a neighborhood, but it has.Maybe the powers that decide these thingswanted a companion to SoHo so they came upwith NoHo (North of Houston Street).

The East Village now is home to some of the city’smost interesting restaurants and despite its counter-culture reputation, real estate prices are very“establishment.”

Here’s another neighborhood that has a cuteacronym (North of Little Italy). This is really old LittleItaly in architecture, but there is nothing old aboutthe very hip boutiques and cafes that are sprinkledthroughout the relatively small enclave.

What once was an artist’s destination has become avery affluent and very trendy tourist destination.You’ll find just about all the top designer names inretail here housed in historic cast-iron buildings.

This is where so many immigrants, especially Jewish,settled as their first home in America. And there isstill some of that old world feel to the neighborhoodbut it is fading fast as it becomes the city’s newesthot spot for restaurants, bars, and clubs.

In the 1980s TriBeCa (Triangle Below Canal), with itssprawling lofts and hip restaurants, became one ofthe most desirable places to live. After September 11, 2001 and its close proximity to the World TradeCenter, the area lost a bit of its luster, but that wasonly temporary. TriBeCa is thriving once again.

Sadly, this once unique and charming neighborhood,squeezed by the expansion of Chinatown, has shrunkto a mere block or two. And what’s left, with veryfew exceptions, is nothing like what it once was. Youcan’t even get a good plate of pasta here anymore.

Chapter 1: Discovering the Best of New York City 11

05_945501 ch01.qxp 10/2/06 11:26 AM Page 11

C E N T R A L P A R K

DeWitt ClintonPark

BryantPark

Chelsea ParkChelsea Park

Gramercy Park

ThePond

Chelsea Park

DeWitt ClintonPark

Hud son

Riv e r

C E N T R A L

MadisonSquare

Park

EE

W

est Drive

Tent

h A

ve.

Nin

th A

ve.

Eigh

th A

ve.

Seve

nth

Ave

.Se

vent

h

A

ve.

Elev

enth

Ave

.

Twel

fth

Ave

.

W. 54th St.

W. 50th St.

W. 51st St.

W. 53rd St.

W. 52nd St.

W. 46th St.

W. 47th St.

W. 49th St.

W. 48th St.

W. 44th St.

W. 43rd St.

W. 45th St.

W. 40th St.

W. 42nd St.

W. 41st St.

W. 57th St.

W. 56th St.

W. 55th St.

W. 59th St.

W. 60th St.

W. 61st St.

W. 62nd St.

W. 63rd St.

W. 64th St.

Central ParkSouth

Cen

tral

Par

k W

.

W. 58th St.

Col

umbu

s A

ve.

Am

ster

dam

Ave

.

Wes

t En

d A

ve.

Nin

th A

ve.

Tent

h A

ve.

W. 39th St.

W. 37th St.

W. 36th St.

W. 38th St.

W. 35th St.

W. 33rd St.

W 32ndSt.

W 32nd St.

West Side H

wy.

W. 34th St.

W. 31st St.

W. 30th St.

W. 28th St.

W. 27th St.

W. 29th St.

W. 25th St.

W. 26th St.

W. 24th St.

W. 20th St.

W. 21st St.

W. 18th St.

W. 19th St.

W. 16th St.

W. 17th St.

W. 15th St.

W. 14th St.

W. 13th St.

W. 23rd St.

W. 22nd St.

LincolnTunnel

PennStation

Ch

e l s e a P i e r s

JavitsConvention

Center

PortAuthority

Queensborough Bridge

Tunnel Entrance

LincolnCenter

ColumbusCircle

Elev

enth

Ave

.

Tent

h A

ve.

Nin

th A

ve.

Seve

nth

A

ve.

Eigh

th A

ve.

Broadway

Broadway

M

M

M M

M

M

M M

M

M

M

M

M

M

i

The heart of corporate Manhattan, Midtown East is also where you’ll find suchlandmarks as Grand Central Station, theEmpire State Building, St. Patrick’sCathedral, the Chrysler Building, and theUnited Nations.

This bustling sprawl of an area includesmany of the city’s best hotels, the Art Decomasterpiece, Rockefeller Center, and aneighborhood called Hell’s Kitchen whereyou’ll find some of the city’s most ethnicallydiverse restaurants.

In the truly American tradition, everythinghere is big and gaudy and, as a result, thestreets here are constantly crammed withpeople who have come to gawk at the bigand the gaudy — meaning the neonwonderland of Times Square.

This is a quiet, mostly residential neighbor-hood. On its southern fringe is the Indo-Pakistani enclave known as Curry Hill.

The heart of this neighborhood is the postcard-perfect little park that’s so exclusive you need a key to get into it. You don’t need a special key to live in the quaint and very beautiful brownstones that surround the park, but you do need money. Many of the buildings here dateback to the 1800s, giving the area a real19th century feel.

Cheaper rents attracted many publishingand media businesses and, as a result, theneighborhood is now bursting withrestaurants and clubs. Along with UnionSquare, and the wildly popular greenmarket,the Flatiron Building embodies the spirit ofthis vibrant neighborhood.

With galleries everywhere, Chelsea is now one of the city’s arts centers. There is analmost small town feel to this neighborhood,which has also become the center for the city’s gay population.

i

Midtown Orientation

Part I: Introducing New York City 12

05_945501 ch01.qxp 10/2/06 11:26 AM Page 12

C E N T R A L P A R K

DeWitt ClintonPark

BryantPark

Chelsea Park

Gramercy ParkGramercy Park

TheThePond Pond The

Pond

MadisonSquare

Park

Gramercy Park

Ea

stR

i v e rP A R K

MadisonSquare

Park

MadisonSquare

Park

EE

EE

Cen

ter

Driv

e East Drive

Sixt

h A

ve.

(A

ve. o

f th

e A

mer

icas

)

Fift

h A

ve.

Fift

h A

ve.

Mad

ison

Ave

.M

adis

on A

ve.

Van

derb

ilt A

ve. Pa

rk A

ve.

Lexi

ngto

n A

ve.

Lexi

ngto

n A

ve.

Third

Ave

.

Seco

nd A

ve.

Seco

nd A

ve.

Firs

t A

ve.

Sutt

on P

l. So

uth

Sutt

on P

l.Y

ork

Ave

.

MitchellPlace

FDR

Driv

eBe

ekm

anPl

ace

Ave C

E. 54th St.

E. 52nd St.

E. 51st St.

E. 53rd St.

E. 50th St.

E. 48th St

E. 47th St.

E. 49th St.

E. 43rd St.

E. 44th St.

E. 46th St.

E. 45th St.

E. 41st St.

E. 40th St.

E. 42nd St.

E. 57th St.

E. 56th St.

E. 55th St.

Fift

h A

ve.

Central Park S. E. 59th St.

E. 60th St.

E. 61st St.

E. 62nd St.

E. 63rd St.

E. 58th St.

E 36th St.

E 37th St.

E. 39th St.

E. 38th St.

E. 32nd St.

E. 33rd St.

E. 35th St.

E. 34th St.

Broadway

E. 31st St.

E. 27th St.

E. 28th St.

E. 30th St.

E. 29th St.

E. 26th St.

E. 25th St.

E. 24th St.

E. 22nd St.

E. 21st St.

E. 20th St.

E. 19th St.

E. 18th St.

E. 17th St.

E. 16th St.

E. 15th St.

E. 14th St.

E. 13th St.

Uni

on S

q. W

.

Uni

on S

q. E

.Pa

rk A

ve. S

.

Irvin

g Pl

.

Ass

er L

evy

Pl.

N.D

.Pe

rlman

Pl.

E. 23rd St.

Queens-MidtownTunnel

GrandCentralTerminal

New YorkPublic Library

BryantPark

Queens–Midtown Tunnel

UnionSquare

RockefellerCenter

To U

pper

Le

vel

From

Low

er

Leve

l

Roosevelt Island Tram

Queensborough BridgeQueensborough Bridge

StuyvesantTown

Peter CooperVillage

UnitedNations

Tunnel Entrance

TunnelExit

QU

EE

NS

�

��

�

Sixt

h A

ve. (

Ave

. of

the

Am

eric

as)

Fift

h A

ve.

Firs

t A

ve.

Mad

ison

Ave

.

RO

OS

EV

EL

T

I SL

AN

D

M

M

M

M

M M M

M

M M

M

M

MM

M MM

M

M

Upper Manhattan

Midtown

Downtown

Uptown

M

Information

Subway stop

1/4 mi

0.25 km

0

0N

i

St. Patrick'sCathedral


05_945501 ch01.qxp 10/2/06 11:26 AM Page 13

T h eG r e a tL a w n

CARL SCHURZPARK

TheLake

Broa

dway

Broadway

Am

ster

dam

A

ve.

Am

ster

dam

Ave

.

Col

umbu

s A

ve.

Man

hatt

an A

ve.

Col

umbu

s A

ve

Cen

tral

Par

k W

.C

entr

al P

ark

W.

W A R D ’ SI S L A N D

WARD’S ISLANDPARK

American Museum of Natural History

MetropolitanMuseum of Art


LincolnCenter

ColumbusCircle



W. 95th St.

W. 91st St.

W. 92nd St.

W. 94th St.

W. 93rd St.

W. 87th St.

W. 88th St.

W. 90th St.

W. 89th St.

W. 85th St.

W. 84th St.

W. 86th St.

W. 80th St.

W. 81st St.

W. 83rd St.

W. 82nd St.

W. 78th St.

W. 77th St.

W. 79th St.

W. 76th St.

W. 72nd St.

W. 73rd St.

W. 75th St.

W. 74th St.

W. 71st St.

W. 67th St.

W. 68th St.

W. 70th St.

W. 69th St.

W. 66th St.

W. 65th St.

W. 62nd St.

Free

dom

Pl.

W. 61st St.

Col

umbu

s A

ve.

Am

ster

dam

Ave

.

Wes

t En

d A

ve.

W. 60th St.

W. 59th St.

W. 98th St.

W. 97th St.

W. 96th St.

W. 100th St.

W. 101st St.

W. 102nd St.

W. 103rd St.

W. 104th St.

W. 99th St.

Hen

ry H

udso

n Pa

rkw

ayH

enry

Hud

son

Park

way

Wes

t En

d A

ve.

Wes

t En

d A

ve.

Ward’s Island Footbridge

RIV

ER

SID

E P

AR

K

W. 63rd St.

W. 64th St.

Rive

rsid

eD

r.Ri

vers

ide

Dr.

SheepMeadow

CentralPark South

Cen

tral

Par

k W

.

Hu

dso

n R

iver

.tSht68

.tSht97

65th St.

M Subway stop

M M

M

M M

M

M

M M

M

M

M

This 843-acre nature retreat in the heartof Manhattan is one of the great parksof the world. Even if nature is not your thing, from the Central Park Zoo to theCarousel, from playgrounds to skatingrinks, there is something for everyone inCentral Park.

This mostly residential neighborhood alsofeatures landmarks like Lincoln Center,the Museum of Natural History, and theCathedral of St. John the Divine and isenviable because it is surrounded by twogreat parks, Central Park and RiversidePark.

Long the address of the rich and famous,the Upper East Side is also the home tothe Metropolitan Museum of Art, theGuggenheim, and other fantasticmuseums along “Museum Mile.” You’llalso find a thick concentration ofrestaurants and bars, and, of course,some great and very expensive shopping along tony Madison Avenue.

Uptown

Midtown

Downtown

Upper Manhattan

Uptown Orientation


05_945501 ch01.qxp 10/2/06 11:26 AM Page 14

T h eT h eG r e a tG r e a tL a w nL a w n

CARL SCHURZCARL SCHURZPARKPARK

JacquelineKennedyOnassis

Reservoir

Fift

h A

ve.

Mad

ison

Ave

.


WARD’S ISLANDPARK


RO

OS

EV

ELT

IS

LAN

D


MetropolitanMuseum of ArtMetropolitan

Museum of Art

T h eG r e a tL a w n

WollmanRink

CentralParkZoo





Park

Ave

.

Lexi

ngto

n A

ve.

Third

Ave

.

Seco

nd A

ve.

Fift

h A

ve.

Mad

ison

Ave

.

Park

Ave

.

Lexi

ngto

n A

ve.

Third

Ave

.

Sutt

on P

l.Y

ork

Ave

.

FDR

Dr.

Seco

nd A

ve.

Firs

t

A

ve.

Central Park South

Firs

t A

ve.

Yor

k A

ve.

East

End

Ave

.

Ward’s Island FootbridgeWard’s Island Footbridge

CARL SCHURZPARK

GracieMansion

WARD’S ISLANDPARK

E. 95th St.

E. 91st St.

E. 92nd St.

E. 94th St.

E. 93rd St.

E. 87th St.

E. 88th St.

E. 90th St.

E. 89th St.

E. 85th St.

E. 84th St.

E. 86th St.

E. 80th St.

E. 81st St.

E. 83rd St.

E. 82nd St.

E. 78th St.

E. 77th St.

E. 79th St.

E. 76th St.

E. 72nd St.

E. 73rd St.

E. 75th St.

E. 74th St.

E. 71st St.

E. 67th St.

E. 68th St.

E. 70th St.

E. 69th St.

E. 66th St.

E. 65th St.

E. 62nd St.

E. 61st St.

E. 60th St.

E. 59th St.

E. 98th St.

E. 97th St.

E. 96th St.

E. 100th St.

E. 101st St.

E. 102nd St.

E. 103rd St.

E. 104th St.

E. 99th St.

E. 63rd St.

E. 64th St.

Ea

s t R

i ve r

FDR

Dr.

Mount Sinai Hospital

To

Uppe

rLe

vel

From

Low

er

Leve

l

Transverse

Transverse

Transverse

MM

M

M

M

M

M

M

M

N1/4 mi0

0 0.25 km


05_945501 ch01.qxp 10/2/06 11:26 AM Page 15

the trees at Rockefeller Center and Lincoln Center, the Hanukah meno-rah at Grand Army Plaza at Fifth Avenue and 59th Street, the decorationsin department store windows, restaurants, and hotels. And even thoughthe crowds, especially around midtown and Rockefeller Center, mightbring out the Scrooge in you, the atmosphere is almost always festiveand like no other time of year.

Best Day to Come to New York: New Year’s Day. The holidays are over.You’ve had enough festivity — see above. You’ve wisely skipped theinsanity of New Year’s Eve and arisen fresh and sober. Get out on thetown early; you have the city practically to yourself.

Best HotelsFor more information on all the hotels listed, refer to Chapter 9.

Best Hotel: Ritz-Carlton New York Central Park. The combination of agreat location, just across from Central Park, large well-outfitted rooms,and typically excellent Ritz-Carlton service is as good as it gets.

Best Hotel for Modern New York Elegance: The Mercer. The best of thehip, downtown hotels, the Mercer is located in the heart of SoHo. Thehigh-ceilinged, loftlike rooms and suites, some with fireplaces and allwith ceiling fans and luxurious bathrooms, are spectacular.

Best for Classic Old World Elegance: Hotel Plaza Athénée. ThatEuropean feel pervades the hotel from the old-world design to the first-rate concierge service.

Best Trendy Hotel: The Hotel on Rivington. The first major hotel on theincreasingly trendy Lower East Side is a glass marvel with floor to ceilingwindows, views galore, soaking tubs, and THOR, one of the hottest bar/restaurants in the city.

Best Times Square Hotel: Hotel QT. This moderately-priced recent(2005) addition to the Times Square hotel scene was a very welcomeone. There is much to like about the Hotel QT besides its price and loca-tion, but what I love best is the swimming pool — in the lobby — with aswim-up bar.

Best Moderately Priced Hotel: The Lucerne. This is my favorite hotelon the Upper West Side and one of my favorites in New York. The homey,neighborhood feel of the hotel combined with exceptional service andnice-sized, well-equipped rooms make this a very attractive mid-pricedoption.

Best Budget Hotel: Chelsea Lodge. If you don’t mind sharing a toiletwith other guests, this charming hotel offers impeccable comforts —including an actual sink and shower — at a budget price.


05_945501 ch01.qxp 10/2/06 11:26 AM Page 16

Best for Families: Hotel Beacon. Not only is this hotel a great deal —you can get good-size suites for so much less than you would pay inMidtown — the Upper West Side, with its parks, the Museum of NaturalHistory, and fun, inexpensive restaurants, is also a great neighborhoodfor children.

Best Romantic Hotel: Sofitel New York. How can an almost 400-roomhotel be romantic? Maybe it’s because the hotel is French-owned andstaying here feels like you’ve escaped for a naughty tryst in Paris.

Best Hotel Bar: Bemelmans Bar. in the Carlyle Hotel. Named after bookillustrator Ludwig Bemelmans, who created the Madeline books andpainted the mural in the bar, this romantic, charming bar features white-gloved service and wondrous cocktails.

Best Hotel Renovation: Carlton Hotel. This former flophouse has beenrestored to its 1904 Beaux Arts grandeur by architect David Rockwell. Itssweeping lobby with a two-story waterfall is a marvel.

Best Hotel Suite: Townhouse Suite in the Kitano New York. Each of thethree one-bedroom suites built inside the landmark town house that ispart of this hotel feature a long hallway leading to a sunken living roomwith original art, a state-of-the-art stereo system, and a tea maker withgreen tea.

Best RestaurantsFor more information on the restaurants listed, head to Chapter 10.

Best Restaurant: Aquavit. Though its new digs are not nearly as charm-ing as its former town house setting, the service and the food are asgood as ever.

Best Special Occasion Restaurant: Chanterelle. If you want to impressthat special loved one, you won’t ever go wrong if you choose Chanterelle.The food is consistently superb, the room lovely and intimate, and theservice impeccable.

Best for Romance: Café des Artistes. If the murals of the naked woodnymphs don’t get you in the mood, the old school French cooking cou-pled with traditional, white-gloved service certainly will.

Best Chinese: New York Noodletown. With all the culinary wonders thatChinatown has to offer, this is a tough choice. Noodletown’s my currentfavorite, where the soups are always fresh and comforting and anythingthat’s salt-baked is guaranteed to be sublime.

Best French: Daniel. For faultless French cooking, nobody does it betterthan Chef Daniel Boulud, especially here at his signature restaurant.


05_945501 ch01.qxp 10/2/06 11:26 AM Page 17

Best Italian: ’Cesca. It’s difficult to find a restaurant that presents dishestotally original to New York, but ’Cesca, with its truly farmhouse rusticcuisine does just that — and very successfully.

Best Mexican: Pampano. Another new arrival in New York, and I, forone, am grateful for it. Seafood is what they do best here and thatincludes the amazing ceviches and the lobster tacos.

Best Seafood: Oceana, You won’t believe what chef Cornelius Gallaghercan do with fish. His culinary creations look so good on the plate thatthey are worthy of museum status. What’s really remarkable is that thefood tastes as good as it looks.

Best Steak: Frankie & Johnnie’s. Whether you choose the formerspeakeasy that is the original location in the Theater district or thenewer branch located in actor John Barrymore’s former townhouse,your steak, particularly the house sirloin, will remind you why Frankie &Johnnie’s has been around since 1926.

Best Jewish Deli: Katz’s Delicatessen. This deli’s the choice amongthose who know their kreplach, knishes, and pastrami. No cutesy sand-wiches named for celebrities here — just top-notch Jewish classics.

Best Burger: Burger Joint. Who woulda thunk that a fancy hotel like LeParker Meridien would be the home to a place called Burger Joint thatserves great burgers at great prices?

Best Pizza: Patsy’s Pizzeria. This great East Harlem pizzeria has beencranking out coal-oven pizza since 1932. It was the favorite of FrankSinatra, who used to have Patsy’s pizzas packed and shipped to him in Vegas.

Best Breakfast: Good Enough to Eat. They’ve been lining up onAmsterdam Avenue on weekend mornings for over 20 years to get ataste of chef/owner Carrie Levin’s bountiful home-cooked breakfasts.

Best Dessert: Fiamma Osteria. Many impressive pastry chefs workaround the city, but few of them can top the remarkable Elizabeth Katz.Her creations make you want to skip the entrees and head straight fordessert.

Best Ice Cream: Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory. A treat from the Ice CreamFactory is the perfect reward after a brisk walk across the BrooklynBridge. Rich homemade ice cream with a view of the Manhattan skyline —that’s a tough combination to beat.

Best Bagel: Absolute Bagels. These aren’t huge, like some bagels youcan find these days, but they’re always hot and baked to perfection.

Best Hot Dog: Gray’s Papaya. The hot dogs are so good here that it’stough to eat just one. But even though they’re delicious, stop at two ifyou know what’s best for you.


05_945501 ch01.qxp 10/2/06 11:26 AM Page 18

Best Times Square Restaurant: Virgil’s Real BBQ. Times Square is arestaurant wasteland with bad theme restaurants or overpriced nationalchains. Virgil’s, in a sense, is a barbecue-theme restaurant, but they doan excellent job of smoking meats.

Best New/Old Dining Room: Country. Designed by architect DavidRockwell, the upstairs restaurant in the recently renovated Carlton Hotelis a marvel with restored mosaic tiles on the floor, dramatic chandeliers,nooks overlooking the hotel lobby, and most impressive a gorgeousTiffany skylight dome that had been hidden for years and uncoveredduring the renovation.

Best AttractionsFor more information on the attractions below, please refer to Chapter 11.

Best Attraction: Statue of Liberty. If you have time to do only one thingon your visit to New York, sail to the Lady in the harbor. No other monu-ment embodies the nation’s, and the world’s, notion of political freedomand economic potential more than Lady Liberty. It is also the ultimatesymbol of New York, the personification of the city’s vast diversity andtolerance.

Best Skyscraper: Empire State Building. Like the Statue of Liberty, theEmpire State Building, once again the tallest building in New York, is oneof the city’s definitive icons. The view from the 86th-floor observatory isunforgettable.

Best-Looking Building: Chrysler Building. This award goes to thechrome-topped, gargoyle-laden Art Deco masterpiece, the ChryslerBuilding.

Best Historic Building: Grand Central Terminal. Even if you don’t have to catch a train, make sure you visit this Beaux Arts gem that wasbuilt in 1913 and beautifully restored in the 1990s to recapture its initialbrilliance.

Best Museum: American Museum of Natural History. You could spendyour entire visit to New York at this 4-square-block museum; there’s thatmuch to see. From the famed Dinosaur Hall to the adjoining Rose Centerfor Earth and Space, the Museum of Natural History houses the world’sgreatest natural science collection.

Best Art Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art. It’s not only the bestart museum in New York, but the best in North America as well. Thenumber of masterworks housed here is mind-boggling.

Best Museum for Older Children: Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum. Thishumongous retired aircraft carrier offers almost as many thrills as atheme park. Note: Closed for renovations until 2008.


05_945501 ch01.qxp 10/2/06 11:26 AM Page 19

Best Museum for Younger Children: Children’s Museum of Manhattan.This museum is strictly hands-on and designed for ages 2 to 12. Beyondthe normal exhibits, something special is always happening here.

Best Park: Central Park. Though New York has many wonderful parks,Central Park has no real competition here. It’s one of the world’s great-est urban refuges, serving as a center of calm and tranquility amongstthe noise and bustle of Manhattan.

Best Location in Central Park for a Picnic: The Pool. At 100th Street,the Pool is like being in another world. It’s relatively quiet and undiscov-ered, and with weeping willows, ducks, geese, egrets, and a hawk or two,this watering hole is an oasis of tranquility.

Best Place to Take the Kids: Central Park. Again, head to Central Park.With a lovely carousel, a zoo, two ice-skating rinks, and numerous play-grounds and ball fields, Central Park is a children’s wonderland.

Best Street: Broadway. Fifth Avenue has the reputation, but it has lostsome luster in the past few years with the proliferation of chain andtheme stores, so my pick is Broadway. As it stretches from one end ofManhattan to the other, no street captures the city’s diversity better thanBroadway.

Best Neighborhood to Stroll: Greenwich Village. Though I’m partial tothe Upper West Side, I have to give the nod here to Greenwich Village.With its historic streets, hidden cafes, cozy restaurants, and eccentriccharacters, Greenwich Village is a constant, but pleasant, barrage on thesenses.

Best Bridge: Brooklyn Bridge. New York is a city of bridges connectingthe various islands to the mainland and beyond. But none equals thesplendor and originality of the Brooklyn Bridge. Walking across it is amust.

Best Free Attraction: Staten Island Ferry. With views of the Statue ofLiberty, Ellis Island, lower Manhattan, the Verrazano Narrows Bridge,and the rest of New York Harbor — and the chance to mingle with commuters — you can’t beat the price of this ride.

Best ShoppingFor more information on the stores listed, skip to Chapter 12.

Best Store: Saks Fifth Avenue. Not as overwhelming as other depart-ment stores, Saks is consistently good. And don’t miss those windowdisplays at Christmas.

Best Clothes Store: Barneys. This store is the pinnacle with prices tomatch.


05_945501 ch01.qxp 10/2/06 11:26 AM Page 20

Best Bookstore: Coliseum Books. This book-lover’s paradise is a mini-superstore (if there is such a thing) with the heart of an independent.

Best Music Store: Tower Records. A huge selection and frequent salesmake this my personal favorite.

Best Shopping Zone: SoHo, NoHo, and NoLita. All three neighborhoodsare within easy walking distance of one another and feature the newest,trendiest boutiques.

Best Culture and NightlifeFor more information on the listings below, jump to Chapters 14 and 15.

Best Performance Space: Carnegie Hall. You can find few greater per-formance spaces in the world than this one. Visually and acousticallybrilliant, Carnegie Hall regularly attracts an amazing array of talent.

Best Free Cultural Event: Shakespeare in the Park. Imagine Shakespeareperformed by stars, under the stars, in Central Park. No wonder it hasbecome a New York institution.

Best Children’s Theater: Paper Bag Players. For children ages 4 to 9,this group performs in the winter only and offers tales told in imagina-tive and original ways.

Best Jazz Club: Village Vanguard. The acoustics and sight lines aren’tgreat, but you can’t do better for finding consistent, good-quality jazz.

Best Rock Club: Mercury Lounge. This venue is intimate, but notobscure. The Merc is the best for hard-edged rock and roll.

Best Comedy Club: Gotham Comedy Club. Comfortable and sophisti-cated, this is where the best come to hone their acts.

Best Pub: Ear Inn. Located in an old hanger-on in chic SoHo, I hope itcontinues to survive amongst the lush lounges that surround it.

Best Dive Bar: Subway Inn. Sure, I know you came to New York to go toa dive bar. Enter the Subway Inn, and it’s as if you stepped into a 1940smoody film noir — minus the cigarette smoke, of course.

Best Bar with a View: Rise Bar, in the Ritz-Carlton Battery Park Hotel.With views of Lady Liberty, New York Harbor, and incredible sunsets,this bar is worth seeking out even if you’re not staying at the hotel.

Best Bar for Cocktails: Pegu Club. Owned by former Bememlman’smaster mixologist, Audrey Saunders, the creative cocktails, whether,shaken, stirred, or poured, are always perfect.


05_945501 ch01.qxp 10/2/06 11:26 AM Page 21

Chapter 1 Discovering the Best of New York City ... · Greene Broome Broadway Grand W. Broadway W....

Documents

Transcript of Chapter 1 Discovering the Best of New York City ... · Greene Broome Broadway Grand W. Broadway W....