Randall Shirley's Essential New York

Check out my piece for The Calgary Herald, coinciding with WestJet's new service between Calgary and New York (Newark) airport.

I believe New York is the one place every person -- especially in Western society -- should visit at least once in their lifetime. No one has yet convinced me that any other city has more influence on our world than New York. It's largely due to one fact: Much of our media is generated there...so much, in fact, that you might be surprised at how "familiar" New York feels, even on a first visit.

New York is a great place to travel. There's no shortage of things to do -- literally at any hour. The moniker "city that doesn't sleep" is as true as ever.

Here are 7 Things You Must Do in New York*, as discussed on Studio 4, with links and details on how to do them.

1. See a Broadway Musical (includes tips for saving $$ on tickets)
2. Wander through Times Square, both day & night
3. Ride the Subway
4. Explore a local neighbourhood
5. Take in some history--the Tenement Museum, Ellis Island, or Statue of Liberty
6. Get a great view of the skyline
7. Stroll in Central Park index.html

• Extras: Getting there, lodging options, dining options, other great diversions

See a Broadway Musical

• This is non-negotiable. Broadway is a huge part of New York--you will likely meet aspiring performers all over town, in other roles as waiters, bartenders, bellmen, etc.
• New York invented the genre, and no other city can pull together the quality of performers, musicians, and creative teams. A Broadway Musical is simply the best of the best.
• See a new show. Roles and songs are often created with specific performers in mind, and you'll see them in an original Broadway cast. Once the originals leave, future performers often only mimic the original role. Shows like Lion King, Les Miz, and Hairspray are still fun, but don't have the wow factor of their original casts.
• In order of my preference, the top musicals to see this season (2008) are:
  • In The Heights. Wow! If this show doesn't win best musical at the Tonys, voters are nuts. (June 16 2008 update: It won...your travel writer was correct!) It is an amazing ride through a few days in Washington Heights, home to many in New York's vibrant Latino community. The music is phenomenal--a blend of 'hood rap, salsa, and other Latin beats. The story(s) is beautiful, poignant. The show's creator, Lin Manuel Miranda, also stars. Outstanding ovation! With the Tony under its belt, should run for years.
  • Xanadu. Unexpected bliss. This show parody's the 80s movie of the same title. I went expecting to tolerate it (much more than I could say of the film), and LOVED it. The spoofing is so brilliant the entire audience never stopped laughing. Open run.
  • Sunday in the park with George. A sublime revival of Sondheim's brilliant imagining of the creation of George Seaurat's masterpiece, "Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte." It brought the audience to tears (of joy) twice! Unfortunately, limited run: closed June 29, 2008. Not all shows are intended to have long runs, pay attention to this, and see limited-run shows when you can!
  • Spring Awakening. This is groundbreaking--the next "Rent." Although it's officially a holdover from 2007, it's still well-worth seeing. Warning: it's fairly sexual and may be inappropriate for anyone under 16.
• On my recent trip, I saw three other shows, as listed below:
  • A Catered Affair. A bit of a sleepy show, but some beautiful music and a dazzlingly-good cast. Harvey Firestein and Faith Prince are Broadway legend--for good reason, and Tom Wopat (of Dukes of Hazzard TV fame) is brilliantly talented as a singer/actor. Closes July 27, 2008
  • Passing Strange. A strange show, actually. It's the story of a guy who wants to escape his mamma's religious upbringing to become a singing star, and his journey from Los Angeles to Europe to...well, Broadway. Lots of fun, but not my favourite show. Closed July 20, 2008.
  • Cry Baby. Ugh. It pains me to even list this show, but I saw it, and you shouldn't. It does feature a smashing cast and some huge production numbers, but the story is so awful half the audience just rolls their eyes. It was almost the first Broadway show I ever walked out of. I disliked it so much I'm not even giving you the web link. Open end, unfortunately. Broadway has much better stuff than this. Closed June 22, 2008.

Save on your tickets. Discounts aren't always available on every show, but you can often save 30 - 45% in advance by using discount codes available through

• www.broadwaybox.com
• www.playbill.com (join their free club to access discounts)
  

The famous "1/2 Price Booth" at Times Square is currently located in the Marriott Marquis Hotel, street level on the 46th St. side. The new booth in Times Square should be finished this summer.

• TKTS offers discounted tickets in person only, and cash only. Shows are posted "day-of," and may be 25% - 50% off, plus a small service charge.
• TKTS has a second location in South Street Seaport where you can buy matinee tickets the day before the show.

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Wander through Times Square

There's only one in the whole world--despite many other cities' attempts to style their own "Times Square" zones, this is the real thing.

• You will never forget the first time you see it, and it will blow you away every additional time!
• Most New Yorkers rarely visit the area unless they're headed for the theatre or passing through. It is packed with visitors from all over the world.
• You must see it twice--once by day, and once by night.
• Time Square was "cleaned up" during the Giuliani years. You'll see a very strong police and security presence in the area.
• Be very careful about purchasing electronics in the many shops here--they may seem cheap, but make sure you've done your homework and know precisely what you're buying! I've found far better camera equipment and prices at NYC's mainstream camera businesses.
• Learn more about Times Square.

For a great, unhurried view of Times Square, go to the lobby level (8) of the Marriott Marquis Hotel and request a window seat in their Broadway Lounge. The drinks and food are good but expensive. Just order a $12 martini and enjoy the view.

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Ride the Subway

New York's subway system is legendary, and with good reason.

• It's relatively clean
• It's fast and efficient
• It's generally quite safe (stay in areas where there are other people)
• It's a new adventure with every ride!
  • You're likely to hear amazing musicians in many subway stations--especially true around Lincoln Center.
  • There are odd people on the subway--just do what New Yorkers do: be quietly amused.
  • Do not give any money to anyone on a subway, no matter what they claim their charity is.
• Maps are very easy to find in the subway, both in stations and subway cars.

It's CHEAP. You can buy an unlimited 1-week pass for $24!

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Explore a real, local NYC neighbourhood

To really understand New York and its residents, you must get into the city's neighbourhoods. New Yorkers are a lot friendlier when you're away from Midtown and its business-day high rise towers.

I try to actually stay in neighbourhoods, that way I eat with locals in their restaurants (and save$$), bump shoulders with locals on the subway, and often end up talking with them in the check-out line at a deli or a neighbourhood pub.

Here are several neighbourhoods to consider--check out at least one.

• Upper West Side. Loads of New Yorkers live here in rows of traditional "brownstone" homes, generally 3-4 stories high. The neighbourhood borders Central Park's west side, thus the name Upper West. It's very handy to several subway lines, and has loads of great, local eateries along both Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues. The UWS also includes Lincoln Center for great performing arts, The American Museum of Natural History, and a favourite spot: Strawberry Fields, at Central Park's 72nd Street entrance, and near the spot outside the Dakota Apartments where John Lennon was shot.
• Greenwich Village (pronounced Gren-itch) Also known as the West Village, and often just The Village. Wonderful place to wander! This neighbourhood has been a traditional haven for artists and bohemians, although today's real estate prices have forced many of them elsewhere. The winding streets are easy to get lost in, and very fun to explore. The Village is home to two excellent theatres, and I've never seen a bad production at either--they are the off-Broadway Actor's Playhouse and the Lucille Lortel on Christopher Street: the Village's main drag. The Village is also home to one of New York's best pizza joints, John's Pizza. They don't sell by the slice, so take a friend!
• East Village. Strolling along Bleeker Street from the West to East Villages is great fun. There are loads of spots to grab ice cream, shop for vintage duds, etc.
• Lower East Side. Traditional home of NYC's massive waves of immigrants, today the L.E.S. is slowly gentrifying, but still filled with a colourful mix of newcomers. Today's immigrant populations include people from Latin America, China, the Indian Subcontinent, and other Asian countries. The Russian and Turkish Baths are a real cultural experience, with rotating days for men and women.
• 
  • The stretch of 1st Avenue between 14th and Houston Streets is full of interesting eateries, including my favourite NYC cheap-n-cheerful Indian restaurants near the corner of 6th Street. Both Panna 2 and Milon are excellent and cheap (2 can dine for under $20), but the decor is the clincher--the walls are covered in reflective gift-wrap paper, the ceilings are strung with all manner of Christmas lights--mostly in chili-pepper-style, and the places glow red. The menus are virtually identical, so pick one, and head in! They're next door and actually in the same building. There are yet two more restaurants downstairs. BYOB: there's a huge and cheap selection of Indian beers at the convenience store immediately left of the restaurants.
  • Katz's Delicatessen, with their motto "Send a Salami to Your Boy in the Army," has been doing business since 1888, and is a Lower East Side and New York institution. Beyond that, it's an AMAZING meal! Go for the pastrami sandwich. It's huge and perfect for sharing. Divine. The guys who make your sandwich are really friendly, and it can be a lot of fun.
• SoHo, Tribeca, Chelsea, and Grammercy. All of these neighbourhoods are quite close together, and it's easy enough to wander among and between them. Great shopping in a more relaxed atmosphere, all in the shadow of the famous Flatiron Building.

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Take in some history

New York has LOADS of great museums and sites to see, but there are a couple I think are underserved, and one that's over-exposed, but with my tip you'll see it free!

America's history is very much tied to immigrants, and New York was the hub of that history for many years. The city's Chinatown, Little Italy, and other neighbourhoods are the echo of earlier waves of immigrants. But to really get an understanding of what immigration was all about during the first part of the 20th Century, take in the phenomenal Tenement Museum on the Lower East Side.

The Tenement Museum far exceeded my expectations. You must sign up for a guided tour--there are three to choose from, and each will "introduce" you to a couple of families and ethnic groups as you stand in the actual apartments they inhabited. It's moving and touching, and really cool. It's a perfect stop as you explore the Lower East Side with its cheap dining, as noted above.

The Ellis Island tour is also highly regarded, and nothing said "Welcome to America" like the Statue of Liberty. Since you can't climb to her crown anymore, there's not so much reason to pay for the trip to her island. Instead, take the FREE Staten Island Ferry for a round-trip. The ferry goes very close to the statue.

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Get a great view of the skyline

New York's skyline is an icon to the entire world. It defined skyscrapers long before Asia's current crop of high-rises came along, and includes many spectacular buildings. You need to get away from the city, or above it, to really get a sense of the skyline. Here are four great ways:

1. Walk back toward the city across the Brooklyn Bridge. Hop aboard the A-train to High Street station in Brooklyn; walk back across the Brooklyn Bridge. With its imposing stone towers and latticework of cables, the bridge is a wonder on its own. You stroll among cyclists and joggers on a wooden walkway above the traffic. The views of Manhattan (combined with the exercise) are breathtaking—from the Financial District skyscrapers to the low-rises of downtown, to the iconic Empire State and Chrysler Buildings in midtown. It’s spectacular and gives you a true sense of New York’s layout.
2. FLY like The Donald on a helicopter tour over NYC, for about $15/minute (as low as $69, ). I still can’t believe I spent that much money, but it was worth every penny.
3. Take a 3-hour cruise all the way around Manhattan Island. This is a ridiculous value at $29 (especially compared to the helicopter!). You really get a sense of how the whole island is situated and where everything is. And if its a nice day it's a great way to relax for a few hours on the water.
4. Head for the top of the Empire State Building. Even when the World Trade Towers were still standing I felt the Empire State had the better view.
5. And for an even better view, visit Top of the Rock, the observation deck atop Rockefeller Center. I like this spot best because you can clearly see Central Park and see the Empire State Building.

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Take a stroll in Central Park

Central Park is a New Yorker’s only real open space. And it’s a great place to stretch a bit and people-watch. Start at 5^th Ave and 59^th St. and just wander—maps are posted throughout. Especially cool are the Literary Walk and nearby Bethesda Fountain, famous from the films Hair and Angels in America. Just further is Bow Bridge, a superb spot for gazing at Manhattan’s high rises and realizing what an oasis the park really is. (The park includes the famous Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Guggenheim, both excellent for bad weather).

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Getting to NYC

New York is a 5+ hour flight from Vancouver. Two airlines offer non-stop service to New York's JFK airport, Air Canada and Cathay Pacific. I don't particularly like either of their departure and arrival times, and I hate JFK airport, so I prefer to connect on Air Canada via Toronto or Montreal or via Seattle on Alaska Airlines; either way I recommend flying to New York's most convenient airport, Newark New Jersey, which has cheap, easy, fast rail transit to New York's Penn Station. Make sure you take New Jersey Transit, not Amtrak, which can be more than 2x the price!

Lodging Options

There's no shortage of logding in New York City; most of it is rather expensive. I try to stay in a different neighbourhood on every trip--these days I prefer not to stay in Midtown/Times Square. It simply doesn't feel like the "real" New York to me now that I've stayed in neighbourhoods.

However, Midtown is a likely place for many visitors to stay.

• If you're rich, you have plenty of choice. Go for broke and stay at the Waldorf. Check out CitySearch.com which allows users to rank boutique hotels. Boutique hotels can be found all over the city.
• For mid-upper range, I loved staying at the Hotel Roger Williams, a chic property near Macy's and the Empire State Building. Every time I walked through the doors the bellman said "welcome back," and the desk staff always wanted to hear guest's opinions on shows and things they'd done that day. Very cool. Through sites like Expedia.com you may find rates around $200, but more likely close to $300.
• Also in the mid-upper range, I quite liked the Roger Smith Hotel. It's a bit tired around the edges (still sparkling clean), but oozes charm right down to it's enviable art collection and the fantastic Swedish chef in its restaurant. Suites there might be great for small groups or families. Rooms from $179 on certain dates.
• For mid-range, I've stayed many times at the Best Western President Hotel in Times Square. The price changes almost nightly--I've paid $150 one night and over $300 the next. New York is like that.
• A friend recently got the Holiday Inn Express in Chelsea for $89 through Hotwire.com. I stayed in a short-term, shared apartment found on Craigslist for $85 (tax included) on the Lower East Side; it was clean, small, and comfortable if not terribly convenient to transit. It did, however, expose me to a new, very local neighbourhood. Another option which many Canadians don't consider is bidding on hotel rooms through Priceline.com. (I'll discuss that further in the future!).

Dining

You've gotta eat! New York has food at every price point. Personally, I'm not a fancy eater...I have other things to spend my money on...and New York is very wallet friendly.

• Get away from Times Square! Food prices drop dramatically in other neighbourhoods. In midtown, watch for "food bars" or "salad bars" where you can put together your own meal--often including hot food choices. You pay by weight.
• Carnegie Deli, in the theatre district. One house-made pastrami sandwich is enough for 3 people, but they do charge for sharing (even without an extra plate...so take it outside!) 854 7^th Ave.
• In midtown, 9th Avenue is home to many excellent ethnic eateries. I particularly like:
  • Ariba Ariba, Mexican/Southwest, near theatre district. Fantastic margaritas. 762 9^th Ave., at 51^st St.
  • Bocca di Bacco, outstanding Italian, hip atmosphere, near theatre district. 828 9^th Ave. at 54^th St.
• On the Lower East Side, I particularly enjoyed brunch on the patio at Yuca Bar: Cucina Latina. 111 Ave. A (corner of 7th St). 212-982-9533.
• It's hard to find a bad meal in New York. Bad spots simply don't last because there's too much coice!
• Rays Pizza sells by the slice, with locations all around New York, and it's excellent. When you eat pizza in NYC, watch how the locals do it: you fold it in half. If you don't, everyone will know you're a visitor!
• Any deli can whip up a great bagel and cream cheese. If it's a true Jewish deli, so much the better. Be warned: New York delis give you a LOT of cream cheese; ask for 1/2 the regular amount.
• See additonal suggestions in "neighbourhood" section.

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Other Diversions

There's is a LOT to do in NYC. Some things I've enjoyed that you might not have considered:

• Go skating on the Rockefeller Ice.
• Watch the outdoor "plaza" segments of the Today Show at Rockefeller Centre.
• Take the Stage Door Tour at Radio City Music Hall--get your photo with a Rockette!
• See a daytime talk show taping like Live: Regis & Kelly, or The View with Rosie and Barbara.
• Visit the world-famous B&H camera store, staffed almost entirely by Hasidic Jews--you're likely to get amazing prices on new equipment!
• When you visit the World Trade Center site (which you undoubtedly will...despite not much there to see) cross the street to huge discount clothing store Century 21. Don't miss their shoe departments!

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