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 | City Guide / Heading 2

They dont come any bigger than the Big Apple.

New York City Guide

King of the hill, top of the heap, New York, New York. Its got its fair share of the tired, the poor, and the huddled masses, but it also has world-class museums, big statues, even bigger buildings, outrageous excess, and a whole lot of whooo-wheee! New York is a densely packed mass of humanity and all this living on top of one another makes the New Yorker a special kind of person. Its hard to put a finger on what makes the place buzz so hard, but the citys hyperactive rush keeps drawing more and more people to it.
Washington Heights
Riv e r Hu dso n
UPPER WEST SIDE UPPER EAST SIDE MIDTOWN Square WEST MIDTOWN EAST CHELSEA MEATPACKING DISTRICT HARLEM

Morningside Heights
CENTRAL PARK

Times

Long Island City

UNION SQUARE, FLATIRON DISTRICT & GRAMERCY PARK

GREENWICH & WEST VILLAGE SOHO, NOHO & NOLITA

Union Square
EAST VILLAGE LOWER EAST SIDE

Greenpoint East Williamsburg Williamsburg

Tribeca
LOWER MANHATTAN

Dumbo CHINATOWN & Brooklyn LITTLE ITALY Heights BedfordDowntown Stuyvesant Brooklyn Cobble Hill Boerum Prospect Hill Heights
BROOKLYN

Gowanus
Upper New York Bay

Park Slope

Eastern Parkway Prospect Lefferts Gardens

Greenwood Heights Prospect Park South

Flatbush

0 0

4 km 2 miles

 | New York City Guide / Facts For The Visitor

Facts & Figures

population: 8,000,000 Latitude: 4041N Longitude: 7359W Area: 785 sq km timezone: GMT/UTC -5

New York, you are an Egypt! But an Egypt turned inside out. For she erected pyramids of slavery to death, and you erect pyramids of democracy with the vertical organpipes of your skyscrapers all meeting at the point of infinity of liberty.
Salvador dali

daylight Savings Starts: first Sunday in April Ends: last Sunday in October

Breakout box

Weights & measures: Imperial electricity: 110V, 60Hz area codes Manhattan 212 or 646. 718 Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island. Note that you have to dial a 1 before dialling the area code followed by the local number. carry-on Baggage restrictions Restrictions on airline carry-on baggage are in place throughout the US. For details check the Transport Security Administration website. Warning level: Mid-level alert

View of East River and Manhattan Bridge

Orientation
Most of Manhattan is extremely easy to navigate, thanks to a grid system of named or numbered avenues running the north-south length of the island, cut across by numbered streets that run from east to west. Above Washington Square, Fifth Ave and Central Park serve as the dividing line between the East Side and the West Side. Cross-street numbers begin at Fifth Ave and grow higher toward each river, generally (but not exclusively) in 100-digit increments per block. Broadway, the only avenue to cut diagonally across the island, was originally a woodland path; it runs in some form from the southern tip of the island all the way to the state capital of Albany, 240km (150mi) away. Craning your neck amongst the skyscrapers of Manhattan, its easy to forget that islands make up most of New York Citys land

mass. Manhattan and Staten Island stand alone; Queens and Brooklyn comprise the western end of Long Island. Only the Bronx is connected to the continental mainland. The water gap between Brooklyn and Staten Island - the narrows through which the first Europeans entered the area - serves as the entrance to New York Harbor, which is also accessible to ships from the north via Long Island Sound. Manhattan is bordered on the west by the Hudson River and on the east by the East River, both technically estuaries subject to tidal fluctuations.

While English is the official language, youll hear all sorts of words and phrases from different countries of the world while youre in New York. Expect to encounter scatterings of Yiddish, Polish, Hebrew, Korean, Spanish...and many more. Even if youre from an English-speaking country it can still be confusing. Houston St, for example, is pronounced How-ston not Hew-ston. Religion: Christian (70%), no religion (14%), Judaic (12%), other (4%)

Sample priceS
> Cup of coffee > Hot dog > Movie ticket > Taxi ride from Midtown to the Upper West Side > Small bottle of water > Souvenir t-shirt > Yankees Bleachers ticket > Pair of AG jeans > Protein shake from a juice bar > Subway ride US$1.50 US$1.75 US$10.50 US$12 US$1.50 US$10 US$12 US$160 US$4.50 US$2

Society
People: Caucasion (45%), African-American (26%), Latino (28%), Asian (11%). Languages spoken: English (official)

Money
Currency code: USD Currency name: US Dollar Currency symbol: US$ Currency unit: Dollar

relative coStS (roomS)

> Low > Mid > High > Deluxe US$30-120 US$120-299 US$300-500 US$500+

3 | New York City Guide / Facts For The Visitor

hotels, tipping can reach ludicrous proportions - doormen, bellboys and parking attendants all expect to be tipped at least US$1 for each service performed - including simply opening a taxi door for you. (Business travellers should tip the cleaning staff US$5 a day.)

Before You Go
When to go
If its first-class international events and gallery openings youre after, the question is when not to go. Despite the fantastic atmosphere around Christmas/Hanukkah and the New Year, the weather can be gaspingly chilly. In summer the prices rise and the tourist numbers soar. It can also be oppressively hot. Aim for spring (MarchJune) and fall (September-November).

travellers from VWP-eligible countries need to present a biometric passport or US visa. You dont need a visa if: your passport was issued before October 26, 2005, but is machine readable; if it was issued on or after October 26, 2005, and includes a digital photo as well as being machine readable; or if it was issued on or after October 26, 2006, and contains a digital photo and biometric data, such as digital iris scans and fingerprints. Further details and information on the changes to the visa system can be found at www.travel.state.gov/visa.

skating impressions. Head to the mall that runs east of Sheep Meadow or, on weekends, skate on Central Park Dr, which is off-limits to cars.

Transport
getting there and aWay
Served by three major airports, two train terminals and a massive bus depot, New York City is the most important transportation hub in the northeastern USA. Of the airports, Newark or La Guardia are more convenient to the city than JFK. Getting into the city by car is easy enough until you hit the tunnels and bridges, which are often clogged to bursting point.

Activities
do
Traffic and its fumes are a serious disincentive to exercise-minded New Yorkers. So are bagels and cream cheese. Most New Yorkers are not fitness freaks, and yet there seems to be a gym on every corner.

getting around
Dont be afraid of the subway: its pretty safe these days and is still the speediest way of taking on Manhattan, although the buses are also efficient. They do take much longer than trains but sometimes you need to take one if want to get crosstown. If youre going to be taking several trains during the day or week, its best to buy a Metrocard so youre not scrambling to buy a ticket when the train pulls in. Dont be afraid of the taxi drivers either: the majority of them are fine, and if you do have a problem it can almost always be solved by taking the license number - most cabbies fear being reported. Do be afraid of negotiating New York traffic; its a nightmare, and rentals and petrol are pricey. If its a scenic journey youre after, a ferry is your best bet.

viSaS overvieW
The Museum of Modern Art

relative coStS (mealS)

> Low > Mid > High > Deluxe US$5-10 US$10-20 US$20-35 US$35+

tipping
Tipping is expected in restaurants, bars and better hotels, taxis, and by hairdressers and baggage carriers. In restaurants, wait staff are paid less than the minimum wage and rely upon tips to make a living. Tip at least 15% unless the service is terrible, in which case a light tip will get your point across. Most New Yorkers either tip a straight up 20%, or just double the 8.25% sales tax. At bars, bartenders typically expect a US$1 tip for every drink they serve (at preferred drinking spots, the old rule of fourth round free stands and decent tips help perpetuate that tradition). Never tip in fast-food, take-out or buffet-style restaurants where you serve yourself. Taxi drivers expect 10% and hairdressers 15% if their service is satisfactory. Baggage carriers (skycaps in airports, bellhops in hotels) receive US$1 for the first bag and US$0.50 for each additional bag. In 1st class and luxury

Canadians need proof of Canadian citizenship or a passport to enter the USA. All other visitors must have a valid passport, which should be valid for at least six months longer than their intended stay in the USA. Travellers from countries such as Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom can enter the USA for up to 90 days under a visa-waiver program if they have a round-trip ticket that is nonrefundable in the US, and have a passport valid for at least six months past their scheduled departure date. All other travellers will need a visitors visa. Visas can be obtained at most US consulate offices overseas; however, it is generally easier to obtain a visa from an office in your home country. The USA is regularly adjusting entry requirements in an effort to reduce the threat of terrorism. It is imperative that travellers doubleand triple-check current regulations before coming to the USA, as changes will occur for several years. A procedure introduced in 2004 requires most visitors travelling on visas to the United States to have two fingerprints scanned by an inkless device and a digital photograph taken by immigration officials upon entry at US air and seaports. Under new regulations phased after 2005,

gym
The massive gym at Chelsea Piers has a thousand ways to make you sweat. Choose - if you can - from bowling, skating, horseback-riding, indoor wall-climbing and swinging a golf club.

Jogging
Central Parks 10km (6mi) roadway loops around the park and is closed to cars between 10:00 and 15:00 weekdays and all weekend. The Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir has a soft 2.5km (1.5mi) running track.

FiShing
You can actually fish on the piers overlooking the Hudson River, but the rivers history of chemical contamination makes eating the fish an unlikely proposition. Instead, head to City Island in the Bronx.

Health & Safety

Many, many out-of-towners still expect to visit here and find the New York of the 70s - all graffitistained subway cars and menacing muggers - but ex-mayor Giulianis radical cleanup of the city has had startling effects. The murder rate has come down 69% since the early 90s. Times Square and the famous 42nd Street thoroughfare continues to evolve into a brightlylit, family-friendly circus. Even the least savvy, most wide-eyed tourists ride the subways at night, encouraged by primped signage and immaculate new subway cars, and its nearly

cycling
The only places for good-karma cycling in the city are the pastoral paths of Central or Prospect Park or along the Hudson River.

Skating
Central Park is the place to try out your Xanadu

4 | New York City Guide / Events

impossible to find a Manhattan neighbourhood thats off-limits after dark these days. That said, New York is still a big city, and one in which the gulf between have and have-not yawns ever wider. Sensible precautions against pickpockets and scammers still apply, and its wiser not to roam around at night until you have a feel for the area.

Events
Hardly a week goes by without a special event taking place in New York. In fact, there are some 50 officially recognised parades each year, along with more than 400 street fairs. Times Squares New Years Eve festivities are probably the most famous in the world; less popular is the 5 mile (8km) midnight run in Central Park. On 5 January, thousands of children wander up Fifth Ave, in a cavalcade of sheep, camels and donkeys, for the Three Kings Parade. The St Patricks Day Parade down Fifth Ave on 17 March has been held every year for 200 years. In May, the Tribeca Film Festival, co-organised by Robert DeNiro, kicks off, while in mid-June head for Fifth Ave between 44th and 86th Sts for the salsa sounds of the Puerto Rican Day Parade. The JVC Jazz Festival is also held in June, as is the Mermaid Parade, for which some of the citys most glamorous residents transform

the Coney Island boardwalk into a sea of sequins on the last weekend of the month. On 4 July, Macys sponsors an Independence Day fireworks spectacle on the East River. The citys premier black neighbourhood celebrates Harlem Week in August, and on Labor Day over one million people take part in the West Indian American Day Carnival Parade in Brooklyn, the biggest single event for the year. The New York Film Festival also takes place in September. Dont miss the Halloween Parade on October 31, when the kooks take over Sixth Ave in the West Village. Back in the straight world, Macys Thanksgiving Parade in November is always popular, and for more festive cheer dont miss the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting on the following Tuesday. > New Years Day (official holiday) 1 Jan > New Years Day (official holiday) 1 Jan > Three Kings Parade (festival/event) 5 Jan > Martin Luther King Jr Day (official holiday) third Monday in January > Super Bowl (festival/event) late Jan > Mardi Gras (festival/event) Feb/Mar > Presidents Day (official holiday) third Monday in February > St Patricks Day Parade (festival/event) 17 Mar

> Easter (official holiday) Mar/Apr > Kentucky Derby (festival/event) May > Tribeca Film Festival (festival/event) first week in May > Memorial Day (official holiday) last Monday in May > JVC Jazz Festival (festival/event) Jun > Puerto Rican Day Parade (festival/event) second weekend in Jun > Mermaid Parade (festival/event) last Sat in June > Independence Day (official holiday) 4 Jul > Harlem Week (festival/event) Aug > New York Film Festival (festival/event) Sep > Labor Day (official holiday) first Monday in September > West Indian American Day Carnival Parade (festival/event) first Monday in September > Columbus Day (official holiday) second Monday in October > Halloween (festival/event) 31 Oct > Veterans Day (official holiday) 11 Nov > Thanksgiving Day (official holiday) fourth Thursday in November > Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting (festival/event) Dec > Christmas Day (official holiday) 25 Dec > New Years Eve (festival/event) 31 Dec

History
hiStory pre-0th century
The area now known as New York City had been occupied by Native Americans for more than 11,000 years before Giovanni da Verrazano, a Florentine hired by the French to explore the northeastern coast, arrived at New York Bay in 1524. The area lay unmolested until English explorer Henry Hudson stumbled on it while searching for the Northwest Passage in 1609. It is as beautiful a land as one can hope to tread upon, reported Hudson, who claimed the place for the Dutch East India Company. By 1625, the Dutch settlers had established a fur trade with the natives and were augmented by a group that established a post they eventually called New Amsterdam, the seat of a much larger colony called New Netherland. Advertisements in Europe lured settlers to New Amsterdam with promises of a temperate climate and bountiful land, but the harsh winters claimed many lives. Historians agree that Peter Minuit, the director of the Dutch West India Company, purchased the island from local tribes for goods worth a pittance. But the goods were worth a bit more than the US$24.00 commonly recorded - probably closer to US$600.00 (still a bargain). After some to-ing and fro-ing between Britain and the Netherlands, New Amsterdam became the British colony of New York in the 1670s. Though colonists began cultivating farms in New Jersey and on Long Island, the port town remained geographically tiny - the area that today runs from Wall St south to the tip of Manhattan. Anti-British zeal caught on as early as the 1730s. Thirty years later, New Yorks Commons - where City Hall stands today - was the centre of many anti-British protests. Despite the intensity of New Yorkers sentiments, King George IIIs troops controlled New York for most of the war, finally withdrawing in 1783, a full two years after the fighting stopped. By the time George Washington was sworn in as president of the new republic on the balcony of Federal Hall on Wall St in 1789, New York was a bustling seaport of 33,000 people, but it lagged behind Philadelphia as a cultural capital. The new Congress abandoned the city for the District of Columbia the following year - Thomas Jefferson later remarked that New York was a cloacina

Weather
Generally the nicest and most temperate time to visit New York is from mid-September to midNovember, along with all of May and early June. Unfortunately, as these months are popular with tourists, hotel prices are scaled accordingly. Long periods of wet weather are common in November and April, with freezing rain and often snow from December to February. In summer, humidity reigns supreme to make a unique, quintessentially New York kind of soupy heat that drives everyone to despair. This is perhaps the time to explore further afield and leave the city to its temper.
Busking in Central Park

5 | New York City Guide / History

(sewer) of all the depravities of human nature. New York boomed in the early 19th century. Its population swelled from 65,000 in 1800 to 250,000 in 1820. During the Civil War, the city provided many volunteers for the Union cause. But as the war dragged on, many of the citys poorest citizens turned against the effort, especially after mandatory conscription was introduced. In the summer of 1863, Irish immigrants launched the draft riots protesting the provision that allowed wealthy men to pay US$300.00 in order to avoid fighting. Within days the rioters turned their anger on black citizens, as they were considered the real reason for the war and their main competition for work. At le ast 11 men were lynched in the streets and a black orphans home was burned to the ground. The remainder of the century in New York was a boom time for the citys population, which grew thanks to European immigration, and for businessmen, who took advantage of lax oversight of industry and stock trading during the so-called Gilded Age. These men built grand mansions along millionaires row on lower Fifth Ave. Along Broadway from City Hall

to Union Square, multi-storey buildings - the first skyscrapers - were built to house corporate headquarters. As the citys population more than doubled from 500,000 in 1850 to over 1.1 million in 1880, a tenement culture developed. The burgeoning of New Yorks population beyond the city limits led to the consolidation movement, as the city and its neighbouring districts struggled to service the growing numbers. Residents of the independent districts of Queens, Staten Island, the Bronx and financially-strapped Brooklyn voted to become boroughs of New York City in 1898.

Between 1900 and 1930 the new metropolis absorbed a huge wave of European immigrants who arrived at New Yorks Ellis Island and its population exploded, from just over 3 million in 1900 to 7 million in 1930.
African Americans and Puerto Ricans had taken their rightful place there too. While the politicos dithered and played to various entrenched constituencies, the city began to slide. TV production, manufacturing jobs and even the fabled Brooklyn Dodgers baseball team moved to the West Coast, along with the Dodgers cross-town rivals the New York Giants. Like most of the US, New York looked to the West for cultural direction, and eventually corporations began abandoning the city as innovation in communications technology made it possible to do business anywhere. The citys economic slide led to the threat of bankruptcy in the 1970s, which was staved off only by massive infusions of federal cash. During the anything-goes Reagan years, the city regained much of its swagger as billions were made on Wall St. Ed Koch, the colourful three-term mayor, seemed to embody the New Yorkers ability to charm and irritate at the same time. But in 1989 Koch was defeated in a Democratic primary election by David Dinkins, who became the citys first African American mayor. Dinkins, a career Democratic-machine politician, was rightly criticised for merely presiding over a city government in need of reform, though his moves to put more police on the streets helped curb crime. He was narrowly defeated for a second term in 1993 by moderate Republican Rudolph Giuliani. Thanks to a big drop in crime and the weakness of his Democratic opponents, Giuliani triumphed in the 1997 mayoral election. The tech bubble usually associated with Silicon Valley in northern California also took root here (NYC even had its own Silicon Alley) - well at least for several years - and it seemed like every other downtown twentysomething was launching some obscure internet venture in the hopes of being bought out in a few months and retiring. For the first

Our authors top day out in NYC

GINGER ADAMS OTIS
Theres nothing like greeting the day with an early morning stroll through Central Park, taking in the birds, the breezes, the Type A personalities working out their stresses with fist-pumping jogs and the laidback yoga practitioners zoning out in the grass. When the hunger pangs set in, Ill head to my favorite (sort of) healthy breakfast joint, Soda Shop in Lower Manhattan. Since Im downtown, my next stop will be Brooklyn, which means another relaxed jaunt on foot across the Brooklyn Bridge to Dumbo. Its easy to wander aimlessly in Dumbo, watching the sleepy art colony come to life, as shop owners and artists open their galleries and stores in no particular hurry. Of course I have to swing by Jacques Torres chocolate, where if Im lucky I can snag one of the three outdoor tables and sip my hot chocolate watching the people go by. When Ive had my fill, Ill grab the subway back to Manhattan and head to Canal St in Chinatown for a little bargain shopping, gradually making my way into Little Italy and Nolita, where I can gaze longingly through the windows of the high-priced boutiques on Mott and Prince Sts. To restore my sense of perspective on life, Ill head uptown for the afternoon, taking the 6 train to 103rd, grabbing a taco at El Paso Taqueria, then walking west to Fifth Ave. El Museo del Barrio and the City Museum, two of my favorites, are crowd-free most afternoons. That puts me in a prime position later to stroll down to the Guggenheim Museum on 89th, arriving about an hour before closing, which is when most people are headed out, rather than in. A nice glass of wine around 7 at a quiet boite like Etats Unis, followed by dinner with friends, and then Im ready to cap off my day with some jazz at an uptown place like smoke.

modern hiStory
Between 1900 and 1930 the new metropolis absorbed a huge wave of European immigrants who arrived at New Yorks Ellis Island and its population exploded, from just over 3 million in 1900 to 7 million in 1930. During this period, horsedrawn trolleys disappeared as a major network of underground subways and elevated trains (Els) expanded into the citys outer reaches. As the immigrant population gathered political strength, demands for change became overwhelming and during the Depression a crusader named Fiorello La Guardia (previously an Ellis Island interpreter) was elected mayor. In three terms in office the popular Little Flower fought municipal corruption and expanded the social service network. Meanwhile civic planner Robert Moses used a series of appointed positions to remake the citys landscape through public works projects, highways and big events like the Worlds Fairs of 1939 and 1964. Unfortunately, his projects (which include the Triborough Bridge, Lincoln Center, several highways and massive housing projects) often destroyed entire neighbourhoods and rousted huge numbers of residents. New York emerged from WWII proud and ready for business. As one of the few worldclass cities untouched by war, New York seemed the place to be. But prosperity wasnt limited to the city. In the 1950s, highways made access to the suburbs easy and hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers moved away permanently. It wasnt just an understandable desire for upward mobility that drew them away: many white residents left neighbourhoods they felt had gone bad, which was a racist way of saying that

The Flatiron building

6 | New York City Guide / Sights

time in decades the city contemplated huge (and necessary) projects to augment its infrastructure, such as a new rail tunnel under the Hudson River. Meanwhile Times Square underwent transformation from a crime- and drug-ridden red-light district in the 1960s and 1970s to a Disneyfied tourist attraction in the late 1990s. The city became safer and more prosperous, but also more homogenised; the gap between rich and poor widened, and the colourful subcultures that used to give Manhattan its edge began a mass exodus to the suburbs.

sites rebirth is underway.

Sights
Look around (looking up makes you look like a tourist). From the top of the Empire State Building to the bottom of a glass in a Manhattan nightclub, New York has it all. For a closer look at the city, wander through Times Square and the streets of Greenwich Village and Soho, check out the Wall Street super traders, or hop on a ferry to Staten Island. Brooklyn Bridge

When it opened, the 486m (1596ft) span between its two support towers was the longest in history. Today, the Brooklyn Bridge continues to dazzle. World Trade Center Site

7503 massive sheets of orange fabric hunge from frames placed throughout 37km (23mi) of walkways throughout the otherwise stark and frozen park. Some New Yorkers loved it, others despised it, but people came out in droves for the unique and exciting spectacle. Yankee Stadium

Financial District, West St, 10006 Transport: (underground rail) N, R to Cortlandt St; A, C, J, M, Z, 2, 3, 4, 5 to Fulton St-Broadway-Nassau
The dust of September 11 2001 may have cleared, but controversy over what to do with Ground Zero is not settled. Discussion over what kind of redevelopment is appropriately soulful, strong, beautiful and useful has been fraught with drama, often pitting grieving survivors against the artists and architects trying to bring global meaning to the tragedy. Central Park

recent hiStory
New Yorks famous hustle and bustle was abruptly cut short on 11 September 2001 when a terrorist attack in the form of two hijacked passenger aircraft razed the gleaming twin towers of the World Trade Center. Thousands of people were killed in the worst terrorist act ever on US soil. New York, though severely shaken, showed its grit. The city was fairly quick to regain its composure and normality, rebuilding its business district and its confidence. Shops and restaurants near the site re-opened and tourists re-appeared. However, memories of the attack still linger for most New Yorkers but the rebuilding for the Ground Zero

E 161st St at River Ave, Bronx,10032-6120 Tel: (info) 1718 293 6000 Url: www.yankees.com Transport: (underground rail) 4 to Yankee Stadium station; D, B to River Ave station
The Boston Red Sox like to talk about their record of two World Series championships in the last 80 years, but Yankees have won a mere 26 in that period at his legendary ballpark. The teams banking that the magic will move with them across 161st St to the new Yankee Stadium. The Yankees play from April to October. The old stadium offers hour-long guided tours of the dugout, press box, clubhouse, field and Monument Park (with plaques commemorating greats like Babe Ruth and Joe DiMaggio). Museum of Modern Art (Moma)

South Street Southport cnr Park Row & Ave of the Finest Tel: (info) 212 484 1200 Transport: (underground rail) 4, 5, 6 to City Hall
A New York icon, the Brooklyn Bridge has many stories to tell. It held the angry marchers outraged by the police torture of Abner Louima in 1997. In spring 2004 it hosted a crowd of gays and lesbians who marched in support of legalising same-sex marriage. In late 2005, the NYC masses commuted across it due to the three-day Transit Workers Union strike.

Bounded by 5th Ave & Central Park W, Manhattan Tel: (info) 212 360 3444 Visitor Center Url: www.centralparknyc.org Transport: (bus) M1-5, M72, M79, M86 (underground rail) 5th Ave (N, R), Columbus Circle, 72nd St (B, C), 81st St, 86th St (B, C), Cathedral Okwy (B, C), Central Park North
If youre ever lucky enough to fly into New York over the stretch of Manhattan, one of the most stunning visuals is not the buildings themselves but the lack of them, within the 843-acre carpet of green that makes up this stunning park. Located smack-dab in the middle of the borough, this is definitely a place that is not to be missed. An oasis from the insanity - the lush lawns, cool forests, flowering gardens, glassy bodies of water and meandering, wooded paths provide the dose of serene nature New Yorkers crave. While the park swarms with joggers, inline skaters, musicians and tourists on warm weekends, youll find it quieter on weekday afternoons. Folks flock to the park even in winter, where snowstorms can inspire cross-country skiing and sledding or a simple stroll through the white wonderland - and crowds turn out every New Years Eve for a popular midnight run. February of 2005 had an added bonus with the installation of Christos Gates, comprising

11 W 53rd St btwn Fifth & Sixth Aves, Midtown Tel: (info) 212 708 9400 Url: www.moma.org
MOMA, a veritable art universe of more than 100,000 pieces, is hailed for its physical design and the soul of its exhibits. Big hitters like Matisse, Picasso, Cezanne, Rothko and Pollock are housed in the central five-story atrium. The museums sculpture garden returned to its original, larger vision of the early 1950s by Philip Johnson is a joy to sit in. Statue of Liberty

New York Harbor, Liberty Island, 10004 Tel: (info) 1212 363 3200 (booking) 1212 269 5755 Url: www.statuereservations.com Transport: (ferry) Circle line from Battery Park (underground rail) 4, 5 to Bowling Green
Lady Libertys upper section is closed up tight for security reasons, but a visit is definitely in order if you havent been before. The sheer

Walking along Brooklyn Bridge

7 | New York City Guide / Entertainment

size of her, seen up close, is mesmerizing. If you want to enter the monument base, make a reservation for a Time Pass, otherwise you cant get inside. Nearby Ellis Island is even more fascinating. Its carefully assembled exhibits and detailed accounts of immigrant life are moving and informative. Radio City Music Hall

Did you know?

PICASSOS! CABS! Yellow cabs, with a black and white checker strip down the side, were a common sight on New York streets for 60 years. The last checkered cab was retired in 1999, and sold at Sothebys for US$134,500.
Gingers

51st St at Sixth Ave, Midtown,10020 Tel: (info) 212 247 4777 Url: www.radiocity.com Transport: (underground rail) B, D, F, V to 47th-50th Sts-Rockefeller Center Hours: Mon-Sun 11:00-15:00, Tours leave every half hour
This 6000-seat Art Deco movie palace had its interior declared a protected landmark and is looking fine, thanks to extensive restoration. The velvet seats and furnishings have been returned to the exact state they were in when the building opened in 1932, and even the toilets are elegant at the Showplace of the Nation. Samuel Roxy Rothafel, the man responsible for the highkicking chorus line, declared a visit to Radio City is as good as a month in the country. Chrysler Building

Formerly an auto-body shop, a yoga studio and various storage spaces, this brick-walled garage has been completely refurbished into a state-of-the-art dance and theater complex, with a large sprung floor, professional lighting and sound package. Now it does critically acclaimed productions like Jenna is Nuts, Habitat, In a Strange Room (based on Faulkners As I Lay Dying), stagings of Chekhovs Three Sisters and ONeills Beyond the Horizon. Jazz At Lincoln Center

Eating
If youre hungry in New York, youre just not trying - its a gluttons dream. With around 20,000 eateries, the possibilities are almost endless: you could have dinner at a different restaurant every night for 50 years, running the gourmet gamut from hot dog to Cordon Bleu. Mo Pitkins

363 Fifth Ave, Brooklyn Tel: (info) 718 778 0924 Transport: (underground rail) F, M, R to Fourth Ave-9th St
Let-love-rule lesbian bar with ruby-red walls that sees a lot of gays and straights at its long bar up front and big garden in the back. More laid-back than Manhattans lesbian bars? Sure, this is Brookburg, baby. Double Happiness

Broadway at 60th St, Upper West Side Tel: (info) 212 258 9595 Url: www.jazzatlincolncenter.org Transport: (underground rail) A, B, C, D, 1 to 59th St-Columbus Circle
Of the three venues, the fancy Rose Theater and Allen Room, its Dizzys Club Coca-Cola that youre most likely to wind up in, as its got nightly shows. And how lucky for you, since, with the exception of its awful name, the nightclub is flawless, with stunning views overlooking Central Park and excellent lineups of both local and touring artists.

34 Ave A btwn 2nd and 3rd Sts, East Village Tel: (info) 212 777 5660 Url: www.mopitkins.com Transport: (underground rail) F, V at Lower East SideSecond Ave
Words really cant do justice to the whacked out, high energy shows that appear at Mo Pitkins, a Judeo-Latin restaurant/cabaret/literary salon. Mo Knows Songwriters is a popular weekly crooner event, but youll also see acoustic sets and all-out big band swing on other nights. Either way, its innovative entertainment with some kicking kosher Latin food. Monday night is literary night; expect live readings. Dishes include mac-n-cheese, garlic fries with manchego, fried artichokes, rotisserie kosher chicken and other delights, like flourless chocolate cake.

Midtown 405 Lexington Ave at 42nd St, 10017 Transport: (underground rail) any train to Grand Central-42nd St
The 319m (1048ft) Chrysler Building has been widely named as a favourite work of architecture by lay people and building aficionados alike - an art deco masterpiece designed by William Van Alen in 1930. It briefly reigned as the tallest structure in the world until being superseded by the Empire State Building a few months later.

173 Mott St, Btwn Broome & Grand Sts, Chinatown 10002 Tel: (info) 1212 941 1282 Transport: (underground rail) J, M, Z to Bowery, 6 to Spring St
Enter down a flight of stone steps that lead into a dark basement with no sign - its all part of the fun though, and the well-mannered crowd inside enjoys the joke enough to come back again and again. The narrow room is filled with flickering candles, lending it a sexy and sinister air. Brick Theater

Entertainment
New Yorks novella-length weekly entertainment listings tend to include a favourite performer you never dared dream youd see live. The city also contains thousands of venues, ranging from poky East Village bars to pulsating mega-clubs or luxurious late-night lounges.

575 Metropolitan Ave btwn Union Ave & Lorimer St Brooklyn Tel: (info) 718 907 6189 Url: www.bricktheater.com Transport: (underground rail) G, L to Metropolitan Ave-Lorimer St

Skating in Manhattans Central Park

8 | New York City Guide / Shopping

Amuse

108 W 18th St, Chelsea Tel: (info) 212 929 9755 Transport: (underground rail) 1 to 18th St
Youll love grazing on the small plates of Amuse Fries (served with chipotle and aioli), olive poached tuna, braised beets or roasted shiitake mushrooms (to name but a few). To try it all, get the prix-fixe sampler. Tavern on the Green

tequila) and big fresh salads - are consistently delicious. And so are the lovely looking waitstaff and clientele. Elmo is on the big bandwagon of diners sporting a nightclub vibe (and its got an actual clubby lounge, with a rotating performance schedule, in its basement). Zaitzeff

Central Park West at 67th St Tel: (info) 212 873 3200 Transport: (underground rail) 1 at 66th St.-Lincoln Center, B, C at 72nd St
Everything about Tavern on the Green screams romance - its location, its quiet ambience, its bejeweled and bedecked gardens with sweeping views. Its a unique experience to dine there, but dont go expecting great cuisine. The menus been the same forever it seems, and the kitchens apparently just lost interest. But, dont let that fact spoil your view. Boathouse

72 Nassau St Lower Manhattan Tel: (info) 212 571 7272 Url: www.zaitzeffnyc.com Transport: (underground rail) 2, 3, 4, 5, A, C, J, M, Z to Fulton St-Broadway-Nassau St
Finally, healthy but quick organic eats in downtown Manhattan. A former Wall St trader opened this zippy spot and now sells all-natural beef burgers (turkey, too) on whole-grain Portuguese buns to former colleagues. Plenty of organic muffins, salads, sweet-potato fries and vegetarian options available too (also for takeout or delivery).

Shopping
There isnt a craving that cant be satisfied in New York. Tibetan fur-trimmed hat? Wormstudded lollypops? Thought youd never ask! The shopping is so good that you might find yourself buying something you thought youd never need: extra luggage. Century 21

E 72nd St at Park Dr N, Central Park Tel: (info) 212 517 2233

After a recent makeover and refinancing, Central Park Boathouse shed its reputation as a restaurant that only cared about communing with nature and became a culinary delight. The roasted duck and delicate salmon tartare are on par with some of the citys best, and it still has that gorgeous waterfront spot. Elmo

22 Cortland St at Church St Lower Manhattan Tel: (info) 212 227 9092 Url: www.c21stores.com Transport: (underground rail) A, C, 4, 5 to Fulton StBroadway-Nassau St
Welcome to New Yorks worst-kept secret. Deep discounts on really high-end couture line the racks of this square-shaped downtown department store. Most of the time its a mob scene, but you can walk out with some gorgeous designer duds. Footlight Records

156 Seventh Ave btwn W 19th & W 20th St, Chelsea Tel: (info) 212 337 8000 Transport: (underground rail) 1 to 18th St
An epicenter for Chelsea boys, Elmo is a sexy scene with high ceilings, low lighting, cushy banquettes and a garage door-like facade thats opened to the street come spring and summer. The simple, comfort-food favorites - meatloaf, fried chicken, baked mac n cheese (with added fontina and Gruyre), mussels (steamed in

113 E 12th St, East Village Tel: (info) 212 533 1572
A NY taxi on 5th Avenue

9 | New York City Guide / Hotels & Hostels

Transport: (underground rail) R, W to 8th St-NYU, 6 to Astor Pl

Home to a well-chosen collection of out-ofprint Broadway and foreign-movie soundtracks, Footlight is a must-visit for vinyl hounds, show tune lovers and anyone searching for a particular version of a hard-to-find cabaret song. Bloomingdales

1000 3rd Ave at 59th St, Upper East Side Tel: (info) 212 705 2000 Url: www.bloomingdales.com Transport: (underground rail) 4, 5, 6 to 59th St, N, R, W to Lexington Ave-59th St
Its big and brash and full of attitude - beloved Bloomies is where New Yorkers go to get a major shopping fix. While the store carries plenty of high-end names, it also likes to bring in new designers and right-off the runway collections that wont break the bank.

Sunlight pours into the huge windows - though sensitive sleepers may want to face 77th St instead of Broadway. Flat-screen TVs give a little extra elbow room, useful in the small standard rooms. Spacious deluxe rooms cost extra. All rooms have dataport and wi-fi access in the rooms, and theres a business center in the lobby, and a nice sitting area, where a pianist plucks away nightly. If you can swing it, the 23 penthouses rooms and suites with private balconies are best. Everyone has access to the glassed-in top-floor balcony with stunning views to the north. Hotel 373

35th St and Fifth Ave, Midtown East, 10016 Tel: (info) 212 213-3388 Url: www.hotel373.com
Rooms are a bit of a squeeze, but its hard to beat Hotel 373s location and overall quality for its price point. Ignore the lack of space, and this clean, modern and stylish hotel has got everything else going for it. The claustrophobic among us will not appreciate Hotel 373s cunning, multi-use furnishings and teeny-tiny little rooms, but those who like a great deal will understand that affordable and clean, fun, fabulous hotels just steps from the Empire State Building always have a drawback somewhere. Hotel 373s rooms are a tight squeeze, but its just a wee sliver of a building, and what it lacks in square footage it makes up for in charm. Besides, the managers have somehow found a way to get in small chairs and workspaces without making you feel smothered. And can you beat the fact that the next door Starbucks is practically in the lobby? Baisley House

On a side street of mid-18th century townhouses, the three-room Baisley House is like taking a step back in to the days of Victoria with its collection of 17th- to 19th-century pieces. Its lush and comfortable, which befits the home of an engaging interior decorator who doubles as a human encyclopedia of area knowledge. One of Brooklyns best deals, the Baisley is named for the first owner (a merchant who moved there in 1845) - later Edithe Marrener (better know as Hollywood starlet Susan Hayworth) grew up in the house. Everywhere you look are authentic pieces of the past - busts and clocks on mantels, wing-back chairs, periodpiece paintings (one bedroom has eight!). Big breakfasts consisting of a daily changing menu of crepes, omelettes, waffles, potato pancakes

are served on a round table in the parlor (unless the weathers good, when genial host Harry moves breakfast to the garden outside). All rooms have access to a clean shared bath. Mercifully, rooms have air-con in summer, plus TVs with cable and telephones - the rest is all 1845, babe. Iroquois

49 W 44th St, Midtown, 10036 btwn 5th & 6th Aves Tel: (info) 212 840 3080 Email: reservations@iroquoisny.com Url: www.iroquoisny.com
Most who come here are from the affluent older set, who youll most probably see reading the Times in the small oak library in the lobby. Some rooms on the top three of its dozen floors face the Chrysler Building through a canyon of Midtown buildings. Done up in relaxing greens and creams, all rooms have giant headboards and goose-down pillows. Bathrooms are small, with Italian marble that reaches the ceiling. Wi-fi access is available throughout the hotel. Theres a small fitness centre overlooking 44th St. The superb lobby restaurant, Le Petite Triomphe, stirs a mean martini, and attracts a loyal pretheatre crowd. Bring your leather pumps - guests get a free shoeshine upon arrival. Jimmy Dean mustve dug that.

Hotels & Hostels

There are almost limitless options in New York City, but pick your budget range and your neighborhood wisely. Business travelers and theater lovers prefer Midtown, while families go for the Upper East and West Sides. Backpackers and non-establishment travelers will find a few good budget places sprinkled around town, and for the young and hip, it has to be downtown. On the Ave

Further Reading
The Encyclopedia of New York City, Kenneth Jackson (ed) (history/politics) This heavyweight will test the strength of your bookshelf, but its indispensable to New York know-it-alls. AIA Guide to New York City, The American Institute of Architects (non-fiction) Direct from the gurus, this is the classic text for aficionados of New York Citys architecture. New York: A Guide to the Metropolis, Gerald Wolfe (history/politics) Reveals the citys history through walking tours of its neighbourhoods and architecture.

2178 Broadway The address says its on Broadway, but the door is around the corner on 77th St, Upper West Side 10024 Tel: (info) 212 362 1100 (info) 800 497 6028 (toll free) Email: info@ontheave-nyc.com Url: www.ontheave.com Transport: (underground rail) subway 2, 3, 9 to 79 St
An excellent uptown hotel, the stylish and cool 16-floor On the Ave boasts 266 rooms done up in earthy tones and lots of extras from a recent renovation, including featherbeds, fluffy down duvets, fudge-colored suede headboards and bedside CD players.

294 Hoyt St in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn 11231 Tel: (info) 718 935 1959 Email: baisleyhousenyc@aol.com Url: www.virtualcities.com/ons/ny/n/nyn1901.htm Transport: (underground rail) F, G Btwn Union and Sackett Streets; from the Carroll St station. Head N a block to Union Street, turn right for a block to Hoyt St, then left; its half a block down on the left.

The Iroquois Hotel

10 | New York City Guide / Further Reading

The Historical Atlas of New York City, Eric Homberger, Alice Hudson (history/politics) This unsual tome comprehensively maps the citys past. The Epic of New York City, Edward Robb Ellis
(history/politics)

Kafka Was All the Rage, Anatole Broyard

(history/politics)

A bittersweet look at life in Greenwich Village just after WWII by the late book reviewer for the New York Times. New York in the Fifties, Dan Wakefield
(history/politics)

An anecdotal history of New York covering most major events from colonial times to the mid-20th century, especially the late-19th-century corruption of Boss Tweed and his Tammany Hall gang. World of Our Fathers, Irving Howe (history/politics) The perfect accompaniment to a trip to the Lower East Side Tenement Museum, this is a comprehensive study of the lives of New Yorks Eastern European Jewish immigrants in the late 19th century. The Power Broker, Robert Caro (history/politics) The story of the ruthless civil servant Robert Moses, whose 40 years in power changed the face of New York. 722 Miles: The Building of the Subways and How They Transformed New York, Clifton Hood (history/politics) Not only for locomotive buffs, the history of New Yorks subway system is a fabled and fabulous story. WPA Guide to New York City, Federal Writers Project (history/politics) Published in 1939 as a Depression-era employment project for the citys writers, this volume offers a time-frozen look at a lost metropolis. A Drinking Life, Pete Hamill (non-fiction) One of New Yorks most famous newspaper columnists recalls his Irish American Brooklyn childhood. The Andy Warhol Diaries, Andy Warhol, Pat Hackett (ed) (non-fiction) A wild and bitchy account of New York clublife in the 1970s. Lonesome Traveler, Jack Kerouac (non-fiction) Down and out on the streets of New York Kerouacs self-portrait is legendary.

A renowned journalist recalls this stultifying decade. Here is New York, EB White (history/politics) The author of Stuart Little and Charlottes Web treats New Yorkers to an affectionate view of life in the fast lane in 1940s New York. Slaves of New York, Tama Janowitz (fiction) Kooky interrelated short stories from the queen of 80s New York eccentrica. Underworld, Don de Lillo (fiction) De Lillos all-the-balls-in-the-air masterwork starts at a legendary New York baseball game and goes on to interrogate the nature of America. Worth the hard work. Colossus of New York, Colson Whitehead
(travel)

A collection of personal vignettes, meditations and memories of the city from a real New Yorker, capturing a chaotic mix of hope and sadness.

Cafe culture in Greenwich Village

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