22 MAY 2019: I am just back from a long weekend in The Big Apple and I’m happy to report that you don’t have to be related to Donald Trump or the Rockefellers to enjoy this mult-faceted metropolis. From freebies to bargains to a few well-deserved indulgences, here’s where to save and splurge in the city that never sleeps. All prices approximated in US dollars.
The “Cheap Thrills” Save List
Give Yourself a Goldstar
If you are looking for bargains on theatre tickets, I recommend Goldstar. I was able to snag two tickets for a hilarious performance of The Play That Goes Wrong for just $20 each. Goldstar.com
Star Spangled Pig
In the heart of West Greenwich Village (314W. 11th Street) The Spotted Pig, a local hangout, specializes in seasonal British and Italian fare. Shoestring fries and roasted Brussels sprouts are insanely good, as are the burger topped with Roquefort cheese and smoked haddock chowder. The Pig may be the world’s least pretentious restaurant to have earned one Michelin Star. It’s open for brunch, lunch and dinner on a first-come first-served basis. Thespottedpig.com
Soho Arlo
Located near Hudson and Canal Streets in Soho, the Arlo Soho offers good value. Rooms are a bit snug for two but well designed and everything is modern and new. Perks include free use of bicycles and weekday “detox” happy hour offering unlimited wine and beer between 5:30 and 7:00 p.m. For more libations, there’s also a cool rooftop bar, Harold’s restaurant and a convenient deli/candy bodega. Arlohotels.com
Cross Over the Bridge
A Slice of Brooklyn Pizza Tour is a fun and informative way to spend an afternoon. We boarded the bus near Union Square where our guide, Marc asked, “Are you ready to eat a bunch of pizza with strangers?” First stop was Grimaldi’s located just under the Brooklyn Bridge. This landmark has been serving up thin-crusted Neopolitan-style pies, cooked to perfection in the coal-fired oven since 1990. We had the “purist’s pizza” —a Margarita, topped with San Marzano tomatoes, Mozzarella and basil. The bus then took us to lots of Brooklyn sites, including many spots where movies were filmed, including Saturday Night Fever, Goodfellas, and The French Connection.
Our second stop was L&B Spumoni Gardens for a couple of slices of Sicilian-style pizza. This one is rectangular with a thick soft crust, lots of long-simmered tomato sauce and cheese. After a stroll along the boardwalk at Coney Island, we headed back to Manhattan while Marc regaled us with tales and videos of the many famous folks who hailed from Brooklyn. The list, including Mae West, Michael Jordan, Jerry Seinfeld, Al Capone, Barbara Streisand and so many more, was so long, I started to wonder what famous people were not from Brooklyn. Tour lasts almost four hours and costs $80 per adult. Asliceofbrooklyn.com
Caffeine Buzz
I’m a self-confessed coffee snob who goes out of her way to find the best brews in whatever city I’m visiting. In New York, if you’re in Little Italy, get your java jolt at Caffe Reggio (119 MacDougal Street). Caffereggio.com
In the lower lever of Rockefeller Center Blue Bottle does great espresso-based drinks as well as divine drips. Bluebottlecoffee.com
At the Chelsea Market, once the original Nabisco factory and home to the world’s first Oreo cookies, try an award-winning latte at Ninth Street Espresso where the barista quips he’s made it into GQ’s list of where to get the best coffee in America. Ninthstreetespresso.com
Take a Pass
Buy a New York City Pass ($187 for adults) and save more than forty percent on admission to the town’s top attractions such as The Empire State Building, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Top of the Rock Observation Deck and ferry to the Statue of Liberty. Your Pass is valid for nine days so that gives you plenty of time to see ten sights, often skipping the lines. Citypass.com
The House that Herring Built
“Russ & Daughters occupies that rare and tiny place on the mountaintop reserved for those who are not just the oldest and the last—but also the best.” That’s fine praise from celebrity travelling chef, the late Anthony Bourdain. In 1907, Joel Russ immigrated from the shtetl of Strzyzow, now part of modern day Poland. He got his start selling schmaltz herring out of a barrel to the throngs of Eastern European Jews on the Lower East Side. It took him seven years to work his way up from that first herring barrel to having a pushcart operation, a horse and wagon, and then, in 1914, a brick and mortar store. In 1920, he moved to 179 East Houston Street, where the business has thrived ever since. Four generations later, Russ & Daughters is still serving the best smoked salmon, herring, caviar, bagels and borscht you can imagine. Russanddaughters.com
Choose your Hood
Pick your neighbourhood (Soho, Little Italy or Coney Island, for example) and take a free stroll with a resident New Yorker Big Apple Greeter. This non-profit organization began in 1992 and now has about 300 volunteers who will welcome visitors in up to 22 languages. A walk around Central Park, for instance, could reveal such hidden delights as the 1871 carousel, John Lennon’s Imagine memorial garden and the largest Gothic cathedral in the world, St. John the Divine. Try to arrange at least a month in advance and bring your walking shoes. The greeters are enthusiastic and indefatigable. No tipping but the organization does accept donations. Bigapplegreeter.org
Gramma-style Pasta
Nonna Beppa, named in honour of his grandmother, is the proud establishment run by chef Giancarlo Cacciatori. The menu features authentic dishes from the Emilia-Romagna area of Italy, including handmade tortellini filled with cured meats, fresh pork and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Yum! Nonnabeppa.com
Artsy Deal
Admission to the Museum of Modern Art is free for all visitors every Friday evening, 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. (and until 9:00 p.m.) from July 1 to September 2). Avoid long lines by arriving after 6 p.m. Moma.org
Soho with a Soupçon of Francais
Cocotte is a sweet little hole in the wall in Soho where chef/owner Sebastien Pourrat fuses gutsy Basque flavours with French finesse. Order a cheese and charcuterie platter as a starter and try the house Negroni cocktail.
The “You Only Live Once” Splurge List
Bring on the Bubbles
No trip to New York is complete without a visit to The Plaza Hotel (managed by Fairmont), Manhattan’s Grand Dame overlooking Central Park. The Champagne Bar began as the Champagne Porch in 1907, patronized by the likes of Diamond Jim Brady and the Prince of Wales. After a shopping workout on Fifth Avenue, I recommend a few reviving bubbles. Fairmont.com
Carnegie and Caviar
How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice, as the old adage goes…or take a one-hour tour ($17; $12 for seniors, children and students) with a docent and learn how Andrew Carnegie came to build the famous music hall that escaped the wrecker’s ball twice. Note: Tours run from September to June. See the box where Carnegie installed a cot in case he dozed off during Tchaikovsky’s premiere performance in 1891. The Rose Museum is full of treasures such as Benny Goodman’s clarinet. Carnegiehall.org
Take a peek and perhaps indulge in a caviar and vodka tasting at the ornate Russian Tea Room nearby.Russiantearoomnyc.com
Den of Denim
SOHO is full of designer shops and boutiques such as the Jean Shop selling what GQ Magazine dubbed “the Cristal of the denim world” for about $150 a pair. Remember, life’s too short to wear cheap jeans! Jean-shop.com
Anthony Bourdain Would Approve
I was a huge fan of the late great Anthony Bourdain and his TV shows. Often Tony would invite his buddy Eric Ripert to join him on an episode. Ripert is chef of the Michelin three-starred Le Bernardin restaurant. It’s the kind of place that requires booking a table in the dining room months in advance. But here’s an insider tip: the Lounge opens at 5:00 p.m. and tables are available on a first come/first served basis. We enjoyed some posh bubbles and a few fabulous seafood appetizers. Patrons of the Lounge may also order from the dining room menu. Le-Bernardin.com
Piscean Platters
The Chelsea Market is my favourite place to graze on Saturday mornings. The former Oreo Cookie factory is now home to boutiques and eateries galore. If you’ve got a fetish for fish, head to the Lobster Place Seafood Market. This Piscean emporium offers sushi, freshly shucked oysters, chowders and freshly steamed whopper lobsters. Pull on the plastic gloves and prepare to do battle with your crustacean along with fellow lobster lovers at communal tables. Lobsterplace.com
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