[INDEX] nyc ::: cheap and fabulous

cheap. 1.costing very little; relatively low in price; inexpensive.

What's New
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Annex NYC (Too bad if you missed it, it's now closed)
The Newest Art Museums
The High Line

The Basics
10 Tips to New York City
Alphabet Soup
In New York you walk!
NYC Tipping
Cheap(er) NYC hotels

Neighborhoods
Forget about TriBeCa
Florent is gone (Meat-Packing District)
SoHO during the day
Nolita
Lower East Side (LES)
Chelsea and the Art Galleries
Coming up: Mapping Williamsburg

Sightseeing & shopping
The WTC site
Basic tourist attractions
For shoppers
Free tourist attractions

Theatre
NYC Theatre 101

Let's eat (or drink)
Cheap and Fabulous Restaurants
Affordable and Fabulous Restaurants
Prix Fixe NY (online guide)
Tapas
Favorite Bars

For the art lovers
Museums (I): Met or MoMA?
Museums (II): Fridays
Museums (III): Museum Mile
Museums (IV): New
Museums (V): Off the Beaten Path
Chelsea Art Galleries
Art-house movie theaters
Off Off the Beaten Path: Storm King Art Center
[Off Off] Off the Beaten Path: Grounds for Sculpture

Just for fun
Welcome to my blog!
Not big on reading? See the photos!
Soul of the City
A Heart In New York (Illustrated Song)
Celebrating a New Spirit
Parade Movie
Happy X-Mas 2008

Off the Beaten Path
Visit the campus
Bookstores (Beyond Barnes & Noble)
Events (Parades, Sports, etc.)
Watching the NYC Marathon
Thanksgiving Day Parade

Lucky sightings
U2 Way
Paul McCartney

[Off Off] Off the Beaten Path: Grounds for Sculpture

I first heard about this idyllic sculpture park two years ago from a Brazilian journalist who lived in New York, and kept it on the back of my mind until Sunday, August 1st. Grounds for Sculpture is a relatively small park in Hamilton, NJ, not too far from Princeton. It has over 250 sculptures by world-renowned artists, an incredibly good restaurant, a cafeteria, and indoor exhibits. It's full of good surprises. Definitely a trip worth taking.

SPRING

A Light exists in Spring
Not present on the Year
At any other period —
When March is scarcely here

 

(Emily Dickinson)

Photo: Madison Square Park

Lucky Sighting

"There were fewer screaming, crying fans in pleated skirts this time, but Paul McCartney delighted a New York City audience on Wednesday (7/15/09) with a performance on the roof of the Ed Sullivan Theater."

The High Line

It opened to the public yesterday. The High Line is an old elevated railway turned into a garden, with plenty of seating space and great views of the Meatpacking District. Althought not yet complete, it is beautiful and worth visiting.

U2 Way

- You're walking down the street and all of a sudden you see your favorite movie star!

OK, this doesn't happen every day but there's always a possibility. Here's proof.

(I knew that U2 was going to be in NY for a week to promote their new album No Line onf the Horizon in the beginning of March. I also knew that they were going to be on the David Letterman show, which happens to be across the street from where I work. Sure enough, on Tuesday, 3/3/09, I got to see the U2 guys and the mayor of NY for the inauguration of "U2 Way", the temporary naming of the stretch of 53rd Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue.)

10 Tips to New York City

1.Call 311 or 212-NEWYORK for all information about the City.

2.Fifth Avenue divides Manhattan into the east side and west side.

3.When getting directions, always ask for the cross streets (i.e. 810 Seventh Avenue between 52nd and 53rd Streets).

4.In Manhattan, if you walk 20 blocks north or south, you have walked one mile.

5.If the number on the top of the taxicab is lit, it means the cab is available.

6.It is customary to tip 15-20% to waitstaff, bartenders and taxi drivers.

7.MetroCards work on both buses and subways, and transfers between the two are free.

8.Free wireless Internet is available at many public parks.

9.Many businesses, including pharmacies and delis, are open 24 hours.

10.Have a question about NYC? Just ask the locals or go to nycgo.com.

Happy X-Mas 2008

Parade Movie

Thanksgiving Day Parade

Thanksgiving Day, a national holiday that falls on the last Thursday in November, is the most American of the holidays.

It has nothing to do with shopping or religion though it marks the beginning of the holiday season. It's said to be the busiest travel period of the year (more than Christmas and New Year's) and it's certainly on of the quietest days on the streets of New York from 4:00 pm on.

Thanksgiving is a day when families and/or friends get together for a huge meal made of turkey and many side dishes. And it's also a day to be thankful for whatever your blessings are.

The Thanksgiving Day Parade is a New York tradition since the 1920s and yet this was the first year I gathered up courage to go watch it (it was a particularly nice and sunny day, not too cold and not windy). It was fun for children of all ages, with marching bands, Broadway stars, and giant balloons of popular movie characters, cartoon characters and advertising characters.

NEW: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Annex NYC

It opens to the public on November 25, 2008 and it's set to be a "temple of rock culture" in SoHO, New York, an annex to the existing museum in Cleveland, Ohio.

A visit should last 90 minutes and costs US$ 26 for adults. For complete information please visit the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Annex NYC website.

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Annex NYC

76 Mercer Street, SoHO

Off Off the Beaten Path: Storm King Art Center

For a lovely afternoon in a beautiful sculpture park, this is it. A little over an hour from New York City, Storm King is one of the most beautiful places I have been to in the region.

Storm King is a huge park containing sculptures by world-renowned artists such as Alexander Calder, Henry Moore, Isamu Noguchi, and many more. Except for winter, when it's closed, it is worth the trip (by bus or by car - directions are available on their website).

From the Storm King website:
"Storm King Art Center is a museum that celebrates the relationship between sculpture and nature. Five hundred acres of landscaped lawns, fields and woodlands provide the site for postwar sculptures by internationally renowned artists. At Storm King, the exhibition space is defined by sky and land. Unencumbered by walls, the subtly created flow of space is punctuated by modern sculpture. The grounds are surrounded by the undulating profiles of the Hudson Highlands, a dramatic panorama integral to the viewing experience. The sculptures are affected by changes in light and weather, so no two visits are the same."

If you go by bus, bring food and drink for a picnic as there is no restaurant on site.

For the hard-core shoppers, know that Storm King is only a few miles from Woodbury Common, the shopping outlet.

Watching the NYC Marathon

If you're in town on the first Sunday in November, watching the marathon and cheering for the runners is a must-do activity. Better if a friend or a co-worker is running but it doesn't really matter. It's fun.

One thing to do is to go to Central Park and watch the runners arrive in the park, where the finish line is. Alternatively, a great spot to watch the runners up close is Long Island City, in Queens.

Take the 7 Train in Manhattan towards Queens and go to the Vernon-Jackson station (one stop from Grand Central) and you're right there in the middle of the action, with and great vantage point and a smaller crowd.

(Photos: 1.Elite runners in 2008; 2.Manhattan skyline)

Celebrating a new spirit

Nobody knows how long it will last, but there's a new spirit in the air. I've been noticing a new politeness on the subway, people saying "I'm sorry" more frequently than ever if, for example, they step on your foot or hit your arm with an oversized backpack.

This must be because of the election of Barack Obama. While I missed the live celebration, I watched every minute on TV and even sheded tears of joy. I have been reading every article and report about the election and its effect on people. It's more than positive, it's an incredibly happy moment - if you're not a Republican, of course.

It really feels like a brand new day! (Despite the economy).

Favorite Bars

In the winter it's always a good idea to find a cozy bar where the music will be, hopefully, not too loud and there will be a place to sit. In the summer you really don't want to be indoors...

Domaine*** [wine] (50-04 Vernon Boulevard, Long Island City)
Why: cozy, great wines and food
Fresh Salt*** (146 Beekman St., near Front St.)
Why: small, cozy and tasty appetizers
Jimmy's # 43 (43 East 7th St., East Village)
Why: basement bar with great food
Karma (51 First Ave., near 3rd St.)
Why: for the hooka aficcionados
O'Flaherty's*** (334 West 46th St.)
Why: cozy Irish pub with fireplaces, sofas and stools, and bookshelves
Oyster Bar (Grand Central Terminal)
Why: a NY classic with affordable seafood
P.J. Clarke's (915 Third Ave. at 55th St.)
Why: 125-years old, a classic NY bar
Puck Fair*** (298 Lafayette St., Nolita)
Why: rustic feel, great list of beers
The Dove*** [wine] (228 Thompson St., Greenwich Village)
Why: bar and lounge, very pleasant
Tom & Jerry's 288 Bar*** (288 Elizabeth St. at Houston St.)
Why: spacious and fun

In the summer, because they have outdoor seating:

Croxley Ales (28 Avenue B, near 3rd St.)
The Park (118 Tenth Ave., bet. 17th and 18th Sts., Chelsea)
Ulysses (95 Pearl St., Financial District)

***Absolute favorites.

(Photo: Happy Hour at Ulysses)

Lower East Side (LES)

The Lower East Side is the neighborhood that has been flourishing with new bars and restaurants, where the young and hip (and not so young and hip) go for night time entertainment. Of course there's also Williamsburg in Brooklyn, which is a little farther East, across the river.

The LES still holds the look of an older, more "authentic" New York, only we don't know for how long. (And of course this is the view of a photographer in search for more interesting sites than your usual big-city, standardized, modern architecture).

The LES is where mostly Jewish immigrants have settled and it goes roughly East from the Bowery to the East River Park and North from Houston Street to South at Canal Street. Amongst the trendy bars and restaurants you will find synagogues and Jewish food vendors, and the Tenement Museum, which can only be seen by guided tour.

The LES is home to the traditional Katz Delicatessen (200 East Houston St. at Ludlow St.). Remember the line "I'll have what she's having!" in the movie "When Harry Met Sally"?

While I have been to a few places in the LES, my number one destination there is The Living Room (154 Ludlow St., bet. Stanton and Rivington).

The Living Room is a bar that usually has free live-music acts every hour on Fridays and Saturday nights. All you pay for is, at least, one drink for every act and, hopefully, feel grateful about the experience and contribute to the red bucket that is passed around after each act. This is one of my favorite activities after dinner on a Saturday night. It's guaranteed fun for the music-curious types. It goes from folk-rock to occasional theatrical acts. (Norah Jones played there in the beginning of her career). Fabulous!

For harder-core music, you can hop to Arlene's Grocery (95 Stanton St.), which is also fun, depending on your mood.

If you're in the mood to dance to some 1980s music, La Caverna (122 Rivington St.) is your place. Literally a cave, the underground club is worth checking, if only for its decor.

A few restaurants that I have been to and recommend (there's a whole lot more to explore):

'inoteca (98 Rivington St.) [Tapas]

1492 Food (60 Clinton St.) [Tapas]
Epicerie (170 Orchard St.) [French comfort food]

Falai (68 Clinton St.) [Fantastic Italian]

Frankie's 17 Spuntino (17 Clinton St.) [super-cozy Italian]

Regate Bistro (198 Orchard St.) [French]
Schiller's (131 Rivington St.) [Continental food]

(Photo: The Living Room, Aldo Perez)

Events (Parades, Sports, etc.)

New York City has a parade for every nationality, cause or celebratory fact. Watch out because every now and then the streets will be closed and you will not be able to cross from West to East or vice versa. Then the thing to do is to relax and enjoy it!

While it would be impossible to list them all here due to flexible dates and because it is not the point of this blog, I will list a few recurring events to watch for. I've been to all of them more than once:

March

St. Patrick's Day Parade (Fifth Ave.)

April/May

Cherry Blossom Festival at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden

June

The Mermaid Parade in Coney Island

The Gay Parade (Fifth Ave.)

August/September

The US Open Tennis (Flushing Meadows)

September

Brazilian Day on 46th Street (Midtown)

October

PhotoPlus Expo (Jacob Javitz Center)

The Halloween Parade (WestVillage)

November

The NYC Marathon (Finish line in Central Park)

Thanksgiving Day Parade

(Photo: The Mermaid Parade in Coney Island)

Bookstores (Beyond Barnes & Noble)

Barnes & Noble and Borders are all over the place. They're are fun and cool and have almost everything you're looking for from books and magazines to CDs, DVDs and coffee. I enjoy them, but also enjoy smaller bookstores that focus, well, mostly on books.

Here's a list of some worth checking. I always go in if I'm in the neighborhood:

Strand Books (828 Broadway at 12th St.) [discounted books, general interest, and art books]
Shakespeare & Co. (716 Broadway, north of 4th St.) [general interest]
McNally Jackson Books (52 Prince St.) [general interest]
Printed Matter (195 Tenth Ave.) [art books in every shape or form]
192 Books (192 Tenth Ave. at 21st St.) [general interest]
St. Mark's Bookshop (31 Third Ave., near 9th St.) [general interest, sociology, philosophy, art, etc.]
Posman Books (Grand Central Terminal) [general interest]
Rizolli's (31 West 57th St., bet. 5th and 6th Aves.) [Italian books]
Librairie de France/Liberia Hispanica (610 5th Ave., Rockefeller Center) [French and Spanish books]
Urban Center Books (457 Madison, bet. 50th and 51st Sts.) [urban matters and architecture]

Tapas

You don't have to go to Spain to have incredible Spanish tapas (small plates)! Tapas bars are very popular in New York these days. Not exactly cheap, but a cool alternative for "a happy hour with wine", "a light meal", "wine tasting", "a full meal".

I guess you can make a lot of it, it all depends on your mood.

My absolute favorite is Mercat, which is actually classified as a wine bar, but has the most incredible padrones (fried green peppers) and chorizo.

Here's a list of recommended tapas places:

Mercat*** (45 Bond Street, East Village)
Bar Carrera (146 West Houston St., SoHO)
Bar Jamon*** (125 East 17th Street, near Union Square)
Bar Stuzzichini (928 Broadway, Flatiron District)
Boqueria (53 West 19th Street, Flatiron District)
Boqueria (171 Spring Street, SoHO)
Gottino*** [Italian tapas] (52 Greenwich Ave., West Village)
'inoteca (98 Rivington St., Lower East Side)
1492 Food (60 Clinton St., Lower East Side)
Perbacco*** [Italian tapas] (234 East 4th Street, Ave. A and B)
Tia Pol (205 Tenth Ave., bet. 22nd and 23rd Sts., Chelsea)
El Quinto Pino (401 West 24th St., Chelsea)

***Fabulous food

Visit the campus

There are two important universities in New York City: NYU and Columbia. NYU's campus, faculty and student residences are located at the heart of Greenwich Village, around Washington Square Park.

You get a completely different feel when you visit Columbia's neoclassical campus in Morningside Heights on the Upper West Side. Columbia is an Ivy-League School, which is an athletic conference composed of eight private higher education institutions in the Northeast of the United States, often synonymous with academic excellence. (The other Ivy-League schools are Brown University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Harvard University, Princeton University, University of Pennsylvania, and Yale University).

You can take day trips by train to visit Princeton in New Jersey (approximately one hour from New York) or Yale in New Haven, Connecticut (aproximately two hours from New York). Both are very much worth visiting, with gothic-style campuses that are simply beautiful and located at the heart of both towns.

The movie "A Beautiful Mind" was shot in Princeton and the first installment of "Spider-Man" has scenes shot in the plaza at Columbia.

Other interesting campuses to be visited are Harvard and MIT in Boston, but that's another trip...

(Photo: Princeton University)