There’s A *New* York?

Posted Rick O'Shea

manhattan

Evenin’ all.

I’ll have a big end of year post for New Year’s Eve but before that…

… little help?

For the first time ever, I’m going to America (I know, how uncool is it for an Irish person in the 21st century to admit that?) and I need some tips.

Specifically, things you can recommend for New York. Not MOMA, the Chrysler Building or the Statue Of Liberty, I have them covered. I’m more interested in small shops, cafés, bars, whatever that you know about from your own personal experience and would recommend.

Fire ahead so, I might even bring yiz all back a nice present 🙂

13 thoughts on “There’s A *New* York?”

  4. i still think i should hook you up (at least via email or blog) to my friend Pete Levin who lives in Saugerties. He was a wealth of info when i thought i was going to NY. he knows the local stuff no matter if you’re into art, pubs, parks, theatre, dollar stores 🙂 etc.

  5. There’s a wicked good restaurant in the meat packing district, called Spice I think I think. It’s thai fusion and the most delicious food you’ll ever have in your life. Or, there’s a mexican restaurant just opposite the Met (I think it’s the Met…) that makes its own guacamole right in front of you. If your interest is piqued, send me an email and I’ll check out the proper details when I get home from work. x A

  6. There’s an amusing restuarant called Jeykll and Hyde in Greenwich village. Food is good and it’s a bit of fun.

  7. – Hang out in Williamsburg for an afternoon. Apart from hipster-watching, it has some really nice cafes, independent shops and bars. I would recommend Trash Bar for a game of pool and a hotdog (they also have an electric chair, and a cool narky lez bar tender) and Barcade for a beer and some old school arcade gaming – the walls are lined with every old arcade game you can imagine. Some of my favourite shops are all centred there also; Brooklyn Industries Clothing, American Ap, Earwax Records, etc

    – Good fun Tex-Mex restaurant is Tortilla Flats @ Washington and West 12th. Their margaritas are the BOMB.

    – If you want cocktails and a good view without pretentious heads, then you HAVE to go to the Beekman Tower Hotel (http://www.thebeekmanhotel.com/). Go at night. The cocktail bar is on the 26th floor.

    – PDT is a cool bar @ 113 St. Marks Place near 1st Ave. It has a real speakeasy vibe. You get into it by going through the old phone box.

    – Go rowing in Central Park

    – Union Square and its surroundings are good for all your shopping needs; Urban Outfitters etc, and also good for picking up souvenirs from the stalls around the square. There are also some good vintage T stores nearby too like Rags A Go Go.

    – Don’t eat anywhere near Time Square

    – Do play the giant piano @ FAO Schwartz

    – Pick up New York Magazine and Time Out when you arrive, and you will have your gigs/exhibitions/bars sorted.

    For me, the best parts of NYC are Greenwich Village, Soho, Chelsea and Williamsburg, if you want to chill, have nice lunches, browse nice book and music shops and stumble across cool bars. The upper East and West sides are too barren for me, and Time Square area / some of the bigger shopping streets are too hectic for my poor head, so I like the chilled and random parts of the city instead.

  8. Oh, I forgot to say, the view from the Rockefeller Centre is way better and less crowded than that of the view from the Empire State, if you want to get the obligatory high rise shots.

  9. Best bargain in NYC is the staten island ferry. Best views of manhattan and it goes past the statue of liberty to boot. Hop
    On the next ferry coming back. The price …..FREE. Have a wander aroundbtje south street seaport when u get off the ferry back in manhattan. Loadsa nooks and crannys.

    Walk the
    Brooklyn bridge from Brooklyn into manhattan. Best view that way. Juniors on 45th for cheese cake.

  10. The Natural History Museum – It’s an oldie but a goodie. One of my favourite NY attractions.

    I intend to head to Barney’s rooftop coffee shop for some hotshot people watching. Apparently that’s where all the Super Rich swanky Gossip girl New Yorkers go for their caffeine fixes.

  11. Listen, I won the Seattle prize so am massively indebited, even though I’ve been slagged senseless about dumping my 5 year old in the front row of the panto! I should have mentioned that my wife was sitting beside me. My sisters own a bar called 99 Below in Greenwich, 99 McDougal Street, and they’ll look after you. There is a party on New Years if you’re around and I’m gutted I’ll miss it. If you are still theer, drop me a mail and I’ll make sure they are tickets for you at the door.
    Also, if you’re with a few people, Lucky Cheng’s on the bottom of 1st avenue is an eye opener. You also need more than 1 person to go to Carmines restaurant on 44th and Broadway. They are two you won’t find in Ireland.

  12. all the above and a personal favoutite – Marie’s Crisis, a piano bar in the West Village (59 Grove Street). nunzio on piano rocking elton john and billy joel. think wednesday is show-tune night if thats what youre into…

    for dinner – pastis in meatpacking district for me, jeff

Comments are closed.