Sunday, July 5, 2009

New York, New York - Still an Exciting Town!

I arrived in the Big Apple a few days ago and though I was suffering from a serious case of jetlag, I worked myself through this exciting city.

Here's a quick updated guide to how to enjoy this great city which I shared once with the editor of the Straits Times in Singapore and the 8 Days travel reporter.

TIME TO GO

See this city while you’re young….not a year older.

Late spring is a good time to be in New York City, especially May/June.....December is the best with the Xmas spirit!

PREPARATIONS

This town was made for walking!

Wear the most comfortable walking shoes you have….prepare to walk between 3 – 10km per day or feel like you did!

Bring a friend with you!


PLACE TO STAY

Hey, this is where we get nosy……are you going alone? Are you independently wealthy?

My favorite hotels are:

  1. Trump Plaza (Asians used to own this place!)

  2. Waldof-Astoria (the Japanese love this place!)

  3. Hilton (near my tv broadcasters!)

  4. W

  5. Sherry Netherlands and the Carlyle (if your budget is unlimited)

Why?......because of their great locations......I like convenience and being near everything!


THINGS TO DO & EAT

ARTSY FARTSY

If you haven't heard me brag about my older brother’s exploits at the museums, here it comes..... he's met the nicest and brightest women there during his lunch hours! It's not the Da Vinci Code, but here goes:

- Museum of Chinese Living in America (every decent abc has been there at least twice!)

- Museum of Modern Art called MOMA

- Guggenheim….really nice!

- Whitney

- Museum of Natural History….hey, this place is not just for students.....plan on seeing the Planetarium!

- Asia Society…....I used to be a benefactor

Most of these great – and I mean – GREAT museums are in the upper crust neighborhoods…where good food comes with many digits….but, here are a few in the “hood’:

Every New Yorker loves a GOOD “mad cow” hamburger – and I don’t mean Burger King! Try Prime Burger near MOMA at 5 E. 51st street or the new Better Burger chain on Third, Eight and Ninth Avenues.

If you hate hamburgers, but want something just as deadly, try Papaya King at 179 East 86th street……I won’t tell you what they are, but order the combination with a tropical drink!

My favorite sushi, Monster Sushi, is at 22 West 46th Street. Sit at the sushi bar....they know me there!

Feel like a kid in a grown up’s bra, stop by Serendipity and fill up that bra with a great banana split or ice cream sundae.…..or, sample some nice red or white at Best Cellars Wine, 1291 Lexington Avenue at 57th Street.

In the same neighborhood, if you’re into books plus…..and need free internet…try 20 West 53rd Street…..the Donnell Library……pretty nice….or, Forbes Magazines at 62 Fifth Ave

RUN WITH THE HIPPIES

Legs tired yet?…..make your way to New York University’s campus and neighborhood….covers almost 1 square kilometer…..from my own building on 12th Street and Second Avenue to Union Square.


NYU is my old hunting ground with mostly Jewish, Asians and smart Spaniards taking the top academic honors! Watch out for the yellow fever jewish boys!

On the west side, Sullivan Street Bakery is still great for a $1 slice of pizza…….Corner Bistro at 331 W. 4th Street is notorious for more burgers at low prices….or the Cuban Café at 110 Thompson St in trendy Soho.

Try Samba Sushi and The Peanut Butter Company for something really different.

We have a comedy club called “Eating It” at 171 Ludlow that some swear by….

MUSIC AND MUSICALS

Grab some jazz at night on campus at the famous Blue Note at 131 West 3rd Street….or, if you have another night in this part of town, check out the Blue Man at the Astor Place Theatre…really good stuff

On the subject of theatre….DON”T buy your tickets at the theatre for any live shows….go to:

TKTS on Times Square – and stand in line….that’s right, and meet some people! I do this every visit….and I save 50% on great musicals….both matinees and evening performances……if I’m living nearby, I go after the evening tix and have a dinner at 1030pm or so….make reservations!…or, if I need to commute, I just do the matinees on wed and sat and have a late lunch nearby….…..now this is NYC style!

These are the shows to see: Hairspray, Chorus Line, Lion King, Producers, Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables......and, if you're into Monty Python, try what I saw last Tuesday, Spamalot.

My favorite pizzeria is nearby – and since I make my own pizza – I mean favorite restaurant pizza….it’s John’s Pizza…..it’s about 3-4 blocks from TKTS on 44th Street off Eight Avenue! Don’t you dare leave NYC without one musical and one pizza!

Other food choices in the area are Esca, a chic outdoor cafe place and the Film Center Cafe.

LOWER EAST SIDE AND CHINESE FOOD AND THE PASTA WARS

On another day, keep walking or take the dreaded subway for once during the daylight…..visit the lower east side which is ethnically jewish but very interesting for asians…..lots of bargains for ladies' shoes and bags…..eat at kossar’s place and have your first bagel with lox at 367 grand….or, if you can’t find it, or you’re not persistent enough, walk to katz’ deli at 205 E. Houston Street and try a reuben sandwich or a pastrami sandwich…either will kill you, but you’ll be smiling all the way to heaven!

When you crave Chinese, do not think all Chinese taste alike….go straight to Chinatown at any hour of the day or night and you’ll have a 50/50 chance of being satisfied…..lots of underground restaurants around 17, 19, 21 mott street….and, some like big wong king at 67 Mott…..

Chinatown outgrew it’s boundaries in the 1990’s and spilled into Little Italy creating a little world war…but, things are better now as long as you don’t marry one of their pasta sons and sing West Side Story tunes….

SUNDAYS

On Sundays…..kiss, get up early, buy a Sunday New York Times….walk the quiet streets and make your way over to another icon called Zabar’s on the West Side….it’s in an architecturally interesting area, but it has good nyc brunch snacks and food…..

Another favorite is the old meat packing district…..try Spice Market at 403 West 13th street….

DO YOU SHOP?

I must be crazy…….who doesn’t when they're in NYC?……but, avoid the chains that you can buy here in Singapore…..if you can still stand for hours searching for deals…. try Century 21, Conways, Bloomingdales, Barneys, Saks Fifth and Macy’s – that’s right – Macy’s, the world largest department store….the basement is my favorite place in Macy’s….you tell me why!

WHEN MONEY IS NO OBJECT

Ok. You get an sms that your rich auntie wong whom you’ve never met has died while eating a fake reuben sandwich in Singapore and has gone to heaven….she’s left you with an ocbc platinum card with a large credit balance…..

Immediately check out of the Big Apple Hostel and into the Carlylse or Sherry Netherlands….

And, start seeing the other side of nyc….

Jean George’s Café at Trump International near Columbus circle….try two appetizers if you’re not hungry or the lamb or seafood….

Le Bernardin.......known for French nouvelle seafood and rated number one in the USA for two of the past years

Caviarteria……somewhere near 57th street but I can’t remember

Chanterelle…..only if you like silver and crystal….

Eleven Madison….

River Café for a view that would make any date happy

Waldolf Astoria’s Peacock Alley

Café Boulud or Daniel (Daniel Boulud was number one in 2005). He told me he'll be opening up a new place near my place on 1st Street and Bowery.

Payard on the Upper East Side on 74th Street on Lexington Avenue....recommend by my fraternity brother, Tony, who is a foodie and who had visited the place last month........it's known for it's desserts (won lots of awards!) and it's business lunch. Monsieur Payard is now opening up a new place in Vegas soon......

Lastly, the Russian Tea Room, my old watering hole after a Lincoln Center or Carneige Hall concert, has re-opened. Although I no longer have any pull at the door like I used to have, it is still a nice experience. Give it the vodka drinks, blinis and caviar a try

NEIGHBOR JOINTS

If you have the extra time - and some wheels - and you've found yourself out in the neighborhoods, try these spots:

Bayside, Queens - Gino's Trattoria, Bell Boulevard and 35th Avenue, near my greek partner's house! The wines and pastas are as good as Little Italy....but, the parking is easier!

Elmhurst - East Manor for Dim Sum in a setting with lots of buzz......if you don't like crowds, this place is not for you!

FINAL CHECK LIST BEFORE YOU HEAD OUT TO THE AIRPORT

Have you had a hot dog, jewish bagel and knish, 2 – 3 different slices of pizza….at least one hamburger, a meatball hero, baked ziti or oysters Rockefeller?

If not, you’ll just have to pick them all up on the way to the airport!