Top 5 Things You Probably Won’t But Should See In NYC

It’s a given that you’ll see certain things when you come to New York: Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Met, MoMA, Times Square, Brooklyn Bridge, Grand Central, Subway, etc. But I’d like to suggest five things that may fly under the radar of guidebooks and be off the well-trodden tourist path.

1. Central Park. Most people think NY is little more than steel, asphalt, and ambition piled on top of a small island. People say things like “I couldn’t live here, there’s not enough green.” Take a walk in the Park. My favorite spots are the Mall and the pond in the southeast corner.
2. Pierpont Morgan Library. Lots of texts. Everything from beautifully illuminated medieval Bibles to letters from Beat poets. I don’t think it’s as hot a spot as other museums, but they really have a great collection (including 60-something Irving Penn photographs). Located on Madison at 37^th St—which is a cool location. Midtown and Grand Central to the North, Gramery and the Flatiron District to the South.
3. Union Square. Just North of the East and West Villages, you could spend a couple hours here shopping, getting schooled in chess, looking at bad art, or sitting on the steps people watching. The first day I was in New York I did just that and realized that I’d seen more people in ten minutes than I would in a week in Birmingham. Good deals on shoes on the South side of the Square.
4. The Metropolitan Opera. Don’t speak German or Italian? Not to worry—they have subtitle devices for every seat. The Met is the best opera company in the world. You have to work harder than you would at a Broadway show, but it’ll be worth it, I promise.
5. The Village(s). Where do I even begin with the neighborhoods in which I lived, worked, and played? Start with the West Village and walk East. If I were you I’d hit Café Cluny, Murray’s Bagels (best bagels in the city), A Salt & Battery (proper Fish ‘n Chips), V Bar (on Sullivan St), The Blue Note, Jack’s Coffee, and all of St. Marks. Across Broadway don’t miss Strand, Alabaster Books (4^th Ave, around the corner from Strand), Black Hound (best sweets shop in Manhattan, IMHO), the hole in the wall Japanese street-food place on 9^th, The Downtown Bakery (great burritos), East Village Books (the local Marxist bookstore), Café Pick Me Up, 9^th St Espresso, Life Café, Mama’s (as close to southern food as you can get), Max’s (handmade pasta, ‘nuff said), Di Roberti’s, the Halal food place across from the mosque on 1^st Ave, the dog run at Tompkins Square Park, Crif Dog, The Plump Dumplin, Why Curry?…I could go on for ever. Just walk around and see how New Yorkers really live. Get out of the touristy parts of the city!

As a bonus, I would say get out of Manhattan and see Brooklyn (or Queens if you really want to slow things down). Williamsburg is just a stop across the East River on the L train. Greenpoint (lots of Poles) is a fifteen minute walk from there. Or head further south to DUMBO (my favorite) or Prospect Park. I never made it to BoCoCa but that’s where all the monopoly property names come from, so it must be pretty cool. Brooklyn is hip and happening enough that you can still feel like you’re in NY but be away from the hustle and bustle.

Go to NYC. Be brave, venture out. There’s so much more to do than Times Square.

Again, thanks for sticking with me these past months. It’s been good.

Cheers,
Rob.