Are you a first time visitor to 31489, 1843404, 00.html”>New York and for some reason only have one day to take in the main attractions of this world class city? Well here are some great ideas of what to do and see which will give you a real feel for the real New York. These are sites which go beyond the usual recommendations such as Times Square and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
1. Time Warner Center is so much more than just a mall. Despite what cynical New Yorkers might say, this mall in many ways says it all about New York. Just check out the fourth floor alone. There you will find among two of New York’s best restaurants, and most expensive, too. Located on Columbus Circle which is at the southwestern corner of Central Park, you can dine in either “Per Se” of Chef Thomas Keller, or have an amazing sushi experience in Masa, named for chef and owner Masa Takayama.
2. West Village—Take a stroll here and see for yourself what a New York neighborhood is really like. You will find quaint brownstones along surprising tree-lined streets which are basically in the same state they were in when they were new, during the 19th century. Be sure to take a map, the street layouts are not exactly logical; West 10th street somehow magically intersects with West 4th.
3. Film Forum—Believe it or not, more movies are filmed in the streets of New York than anywhere else, even Hollywood. So it should come as no surprise that there is a place New York film lovers flock to to see the films others can only hope to read about. Among some of the pickings are provocative independent films, documentaries, and foreign art films hand-picked from the world’s most prestigious film festivals. A must see for film fans.
You live in New York- starting enjoying living in the greatest city in the world. How? Well if you like theater, I have some amazing suggestions of things to see that will take you on a journey of self-discovery, entertainment, and thoughtful contemplation. Here is a list of a few possibilities, but not anywhere near an exhaustive list:
• HerStory:
Follow the lives of four women who are poets-by-night and during their off hours are dealing with the struggles of vanity, cultural confusion and difficult life circumstances. There will be a performance of HerStory on March 7th at 7:30pm at the Kumble Theatre for the Performing Arts, at 1 University Plaza, Brooklyn, New York. For more information call 718-488-1624.
• The Male Ego:
March is “Women’s History Month” and in recognition of this the Kumble Theater for the Performing Arts is inviting women over the age of 18 to take part in a unique presentation of theater which will include a provocative discussion. Five men will reveal their innermost feelings and thoughts as they relate to the western Freudian concepts which our society uses to explain typical male behavior. Join in this unique experience on Wednesday, March 9th, at 7:30pm at the Kumble Theatre for the Performing Arts, at 1 University Plaza, Brooklyn, New York. For more information call 718-488-1624.
• Compulsion:
This is the world premiere of the story of Sid Silver, who in 1951 decides that he is on a mission to guard and disseminate what is one of the 20th century’s most moving and provocative accounts of the 20th century, Anne Frank’s diary. Compulsion was inspired by the story written by Meyer Levin, and brings together playwright Rinne Groff and Director Oskar Eustis for an unforgettably powerful production guaranteed to challenge and entertain. A co-production with Berkeley Repertory Theatre and Yale Repertory Theatre featuring Hannah Cabell, Matte Osian and Mandy Patinkin. The Public Theater, 425 Lafayette Street, NY, NY. For more information call 212-539-8500. From now until March 13th.
The list of events and performances to attend on New Year’s Eve is almost endless. Here are a few of our favorites:
The Big Apple Circus – this is a great family-friendly option for the big night. Take your kids to New York City’s celebrated circus at 9:30 pm on New Year’s Eve; tickets range from $45 – $125.
Bargemusic – this is a quintessential Brooklyn phenomenon – sit in a barge in the harbor facing Manhattan, and listen to Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos just before fireworks light up the water. The concert begins at 7 pm and tickets are $125.
Radio City Music Hall – what could be more New York than that? See Moe’s 5-hour show, beginning at 9 pm, at Radio City, for $52.50 per person.
The clock is ticking as the year 2010 winds down. Where do you plan to be on New Year’s Eve? Of course, for New Yorkers, watching the ball drop at the annual Times Square celebration is always an attractive option. But you can also ring in the New Year with some of the best concerts the city has to offer.
Consider…
The Roots, playing their legendary mix of fun, jazz, rock, rap and soul, at the Brooklyn Bowl, beginning at 10 pm. Tickets are $85.
Guided by Voices, the beloved cult band, will be back at Irving Plaza at 8 pm; tickets cost $86.75
Patti Smith, legendary Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, will be singing in the intimate setting of the Bowery Ballroom.
Looking for a music class for your little one that you can also enjoy? Most of the options out there are far too noisy and cutesy for parental tastes, but no one ever wants to deprive their child of the potential enrichment. Now you have your answer:
Songs for Seeds is a series of 45-minute classes ($561 and up for sixteen weeks) which are led by a three-piece band that every adult can enjoy. Each week, kids are introduced to the music of a different country or culture. They always get the chance to do Kid-Karaoke as well, to help develop their self-confidence and their own unique style.
Both tourists and natives alike are flocking to the musical hit, “Wicked.” The Broadway show, based on the classic story of The Wizard of Oz, is a kid-friendly musical spectacle that was the winner of three 2004 Tony Awards. The 2-hour and forty-five-minute show features a wonderfully imaginative story by Gregory Maguire and a harmonic score by Stephen Schwartz. With all that plus real flying monkeys, Wicked has something for every member of the family to enjoy.
You can also get tickets to Wicked’s “Behind the Emerald Curtain Tour,” which runs every Saturday morning at 10:00 am at the Gershwin Theater. Tickets to the show are not required for the tour.
American Airlines and American Eagle have once again joined forces with NYC & Company, New York City’s official marketing, tourism and partnership organization, to launch a seven-day airfare sale between New York City and 30 North American cities, including Atlanta, Toronto, Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Fares start at $49 each way for flights from the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, based on round-trip purchase.
“The sights and sounds of New York City bring in visitors from all over the world,” said Art Torno, American Airlines Vice President – New York. “NYC & Company and American share the goal of increasing the number of travelers to New York. With low fares from popular North American cities, travel to New York has never been more affordable.”
“We are proud to once again partner with American Airlines to provide visitors to New York City with incredible value offers this winter,” said NYC & Company CEO George Fertitta. “By working with American Airlines, we are making it easier and more affordable than ever to travel to New York City. This combined with a range of savings and promotions through our Get More NYC Winter campaign, there is no better time to visit. Winter Restaurant Week, the first-ever Broadway Week and our On The House two-for-one Off Broadway ticket promotion are just samplings of what visitors can experience and enjoy this winter.”
You may not think of Brooklyn as a cultural capital. But in fact, the borough south of Manhattan has many delightful cultural attractions, often with fewer crowds and lower prices than their counterparts across the bridge.
The Brooklyn Academy of Music, or BAM as it is usually known, is a flourishing urban arts center that offers a wide-ranging repertoire of theater, opera, dance, music, literature, film, and the visual arts to Brooklyn. BAM’s current programming can be seen on their website: www.bam.org
Winter Restaurant Week will be returning to New York City this winter, during the two weeks of January 24th to February 6th. This is the nineteenth year in which Restaurant Week will take place – and the prices will remain the same as they have since 2006: A three-course fixed-price lunch will cost $24.07 and dinner will cost just $35.
Over 200 restaurants, ranging from A Voce on Madison Avenue to Zengo on Third Avenue, participated in last year’s Restaurant Week. Stay tuned for this year’s participants, to be publicized soon.
Over 45.6 million tourists visited NYC last year, as they do nearly every year. These nearly-fifty-million people that arrive annually in the Big Apple range from the backpacking students looking for a cost-efficient youth hostel to high-end business people and luxury tourists seeking a place to stay that meets their need for pampering and amenities.
The Setai Fifth Avenue, which opened in Manhattan last month, is a fitting new member of the city’s family of luxury hotels. Located in Midtown Manhattan, at 400 Fifth Avenue, the Setai is conveniently situated just two blocks from the Empire State Building, three blocks from Bryant Park and the New York Public Library, and six blocks from the Broadway Theater District.
The hotel features a full-service Auriga spa, a state-of-the-art fitness center, the Ai Fiori Italian Mediterranean restaurant, 24-hour room service and the Bar on 5th. Each room provides a city view, an espresso maker, LCD TV, iPod doc, complimentary wireless Internet and designer bath amenities.
This new addition to the Manhattan luxury hotel scene can be viewed at the hotel’s website:
www.setaififthavenue.com
The list of events and performances to attend on New Year’s Eve is almost endless. Here are a few of our favorites:
Looking for a music class for your little one that you can also enjoy? Most of the options out there are far too noisy and cutesy for parental tastes, but no one ever wants to deprive their child of the potential enrichment. Now you have your answer:
American Airlines and American Eagle have once again joined forces with NYC & Company, New York City’s official marketing, tourism and partnership organization, to launch a seven-day airfare sale between New York City and 30 North American cities, including Atlanta, Toronto, Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Fares start at $49 each way for flights from the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, based on round-trip purchase. 
Over 45.6 million tourists visited NYC last year, as they do nearly every year. These nearly-fifty-million people that arrive annually in the Big Apple range from the backpacking students looking for a cost-efficient youth hostel to high-end business people and luxury tourists seeking a place to stay that meets their need for pampering and amenities.