New York, NY: Nonstop Shop
By Sharon Emeigh
The difficulty in suggesting places to go in New York City is that there is just so much to see and do – not to mention, it’s a city that is constantly in flux. It changes every day. What’s popular today will be considered passé tomorrow. If you know what you like, the best thing to do is to decide on the music, art, sports, or cuisine that you absolutely love, and then seek them out with fanatical exuberance until you are thoroughly stuffed.
My boyfriend plays classical guitar in a world jazz band; I dabble in theatre; and we both have insatiable appetites for exotic cuisine and all kinds of art. So, our first stop in NYC is almost always Joe’s Pub, because we can find everything we love in one place. Located in New York’s East Village, it’s part of The Joseph Papp Public Theater and it also has a music venue that usually caters to jazz enthusiasts, but is fairly eclectic.
They have a delectable Mediterranean menu. We like to split the Mediterranean Platter ($18), which comes with White Bean and Roasted Pepper Spread, Babaganoush, Spinach Artichoke Spread, Grilled Flatbread and Kalamata Olives, and a plate of hummus ($12) with a glass of Crianza (Tempranillo), Ermita Rioja, Spain ’06 ($14). (Whether or not the kitchen is being renovated, as it has been for some time now, they always have a cold plate menu available.)
After our feast, we flip a coin to see if we will stop by the Public Theater to catch a one act, or some classical theatre, or head into the venue to hear some world-class jazz. (In the summer, the Public Theater is responsible for Shakespeare in the Park, which is an absolute must. I have very little difficulty persuading my beau to do this first, usually.) Whether you like theater or music, or both, you will find some of the city’s most accomplished performers at work here.
For an equally fulfilling one-stop shop, checkout Atrium at Lincoln Center. Atrium features gorgeous slide shows, music, and interesting people. There’s a nice cafe that is vastly open. You can spend an afternoon there reading or meeting people. They also have free wireless and the box office is right there for all events.
(For more theater events, check out Theatre Row on 42nd St. west of Broadway. The row is lined with theatre after theatre after theatre – all 100 seats or less; experimental, small shows with long runs. And, of course, TKTS in Times Square is the ticket booth for all shows in NYC. Arrive around noon when the box office opens, offering huge discounts on tickets for Broadway and Off Bway shows.)
Something else that is on the top of both of our lists is exploring the city, and the beginning of any good New York City adventure is The Village Voice. This free weekly that features investigative journalism, reviews of current affairs and culture, and a listing of weekly events throughout the city has been in circulation for more than 60 years. It has the most comprehensive event listings available. Being traditionalists, we pick up a paper copy at a news stand and peruse it over a cup of coffee on a bench in Central Park, but you can also find them online, and I’m sure there’s an app for smart-phone types.
We have a few standard places that we seek out, knowing the high quality of shows, food, and/or art on offer, for little or no cover charge. For Jazz, we like to check out what’s happening at Zinc bar, The 55 bar, Jazz Standard, Drom, and SOBs (They serve up a bossa nova brunch every Sunday that is amazing!). For Rock n Roll, Indy and experimental music, check out Arlene`s Grocery on the lower east side or Zebulon in Brooklyn (no cover). Some other favorite haunts include Keen’s Steak House – this place is the real deal for real meat lovers, and features hundreds of old clay pipes from visitors for the last 100 years who came in for a Rye, a smoke, and a steak. Africa Kine is our place for Senegalese food. Arturo’s, one of the oldest Italian restaurants in the city, bakes pizzas in a coal burning oven and has live jazz (no cover).
Last time we were there, we spent an entire afternoon at the Chelsea Market. (The Cooking Channel is upstairs; OZ was filmed upstairs.) The main floor is home to the most incredible (and expensive) artisan market for cheese, bread, meats, and exotic vegetables…It’s positively intoxicating. We roamed like sheep, grazing until our bellies were full and our senses could take no more.
Though, the truth is, we honestly can’t get enough food and drink in New York City. We can easily lose an entire day on Restaurant Row, off 46th street between 8th and 9th. It suits a wide variety of tastes. The street is filled with restaurants and bars in every price range, every kind of food. (Go between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. when everybody else is at the theatre.) If you have a hefty bankroll, then head to Petrossian Caviar House – there are tears in my eyes as I think about it: caviar, vodka and interesting people…. Also, 8th Ave. between 42nd and 48th is a good place to find local folk’s restaurants and bars – there are some very cool joints; French, Italian, Chinese, you name it – it’s there. Good bars, too. We recommend McSorley’s for a pint at the end of the night. Located in the Lithuanian/Ukrainian district, it claims to be the oldest bar in the city, and they still pour beer out of tapped barrels. On the lower west side (below 14th Avenues A, B, and C) there is a neighborhood known as the old Jewish district. It’s one of the hippest parts of Manhattan for strange shops, food, steam punk, hippies, mods, Euros, models, etc.
Neither my boyfriend nor I are very keen on taking tours, however, we were both pleasantly surprised by the Circle Line boat tour. It is pretty remarkable, because it’s a ride around the island from the water perspective – very cool (figuratively and literally, so be sure to wear warm clothes).
Autumn is our favorite season to be in New York… Autumn in New York means Central Park for a walk. It’s free and, hands down, the most beautiful thing you can do in Manhattan.
Related Posts:
About TraveloidsStaff contribution. Traveloids.com is seeking emerging travel writers looking to share their original stories and experiences with travelers around the world. If you would like to submit an article with a link back to your travel related site please contact us.
View all posts by Traveloids →
Recent Comments