We asked some New Yorkers and a visitor or two to talk about things to do while here. Check it out, even if you know the city you may find a place or two you'd like to try.
Our Distinguished Panel:
Leigh
- FlyBalletGuy, your host!
Joe - GoodKarmaGuy
Glen
- Izzik
Albert - awc4
JC - JCinNYC
Owen -
Village Flyer
EAT
A favorite place to have
breakfast?
Glen: Kitchenette Uptown
Albert:
When I feel decadent, I like Payard's
on 74th and Lex; love Sarabeth's
without the crowds;
Owen:
DOMA off 7th. Actually I
never have b-fast anywhere except at
home, but I pick up muffins there in the morning (which are
good)
and I have been there in the evening, when it is crowded with
people writing novels
Leigh: Eatery for brunch.
Banana-chocolate stuffed waffles. Mmmm.
Joe: Room
Service ALWAYS... wouldn't it be fun to order up in our jammies? I
would host!
Favorite cheap lunch spot?
Joe:
Columbus Circle Whole Foods....
what a trip!
Glen: Dallas
BBQ
Albert:
Marumi (LaGuardia Place and 3rd
Street); Neil's Coffee Shop
on
70th and Lex; Veselka
on E 9th Street; Cafe Habana (Prince Street);
Hampton Chutney Company (Prince
Street and also uptown on Amsterdam); H&H
Bagels
JC:
Così
Guest
Commenter Bluesincenew: Chip
Shop
Owen: Golden
Krust Caribbean bakery
Favorite splurge lunch spot?
Joe:
Plaza Hotel (Leigh: - it's undergoing renovation right now to become
yet another high
priced condo.)
Glen: Sakagura
Albert: Salt
(Macdougal) is one of my favorite places on this planet; Gradisca (W
13th Street) is great.
JC: Asia de Cuba
Owen:
Brasserie in the Seagram Building
Leigh:
Not lunch, but tea at the Astor Court in the Hotel St. Regis.
Gold columns and a harpist will soothe the most frazzled
nerves.
Great
place for a cheap dinner?
Leigh, Albert
& Glen: Pam Real Thai (and we're going there on Saturday night!)
JC:
La Palapa
Owen: Gus's -- Greek +, on Bleecker in the Village
just South of NYU
Offbeat
place to eat?
Glen: Oceanview
Cafe
Albert: Karma Kafe (Indian - Hoboken); La Isla
(Cuban - Hoboken)
JC: La Isla (Hoboken)
Owen:
Fedora on 4th West of 7th -- time capsule gay restaurant from
the 50s, with mediocre 50s food -- inexpensive, good martinis.
Leigh:
Han Bat for family style Korean that isn't as volcanic as the oily red
chili pasted on the outside of the food makes it seem.
Best ethnic restaurant?
Glen:
Boy, this is a tough one! I'd have to say Beyoglu. Every meal I
have had there was fantastic.
Albert: Darbar on E 46th Street
(Indian); Vong on E 54th Street (Vietnamese-French Fusion); Tsampa on E
9th Street (Tibetan)
JC: Oh Taisho
Owen:
Lederhosen on Grove -- very authentic South German cuisine, cheap
and bad for you. Good beer on tap, of course. Also
Salaam on
13th between 6th and 7th -- Syrian, with some Moroccan dishes
Top
DRINK
Friendliest bar?
Albert
& Leigh: Barracuda
Glen:
Boy, this is another tough one! =) Altho it's a
little sleazy, Urge
is an approachable crowd. I also think the Townhouse is pretty friendly, but
it's clearly not for everyone.
JC: 1984 @ Pyramid
Sexiest bar?
Glen:
Therapy.
Good decor is sexy.
JC: XES
Hottest bartenders?
Joe:
Anywhere besides where I live (Farmville, VA... not a joke)
JC
& Glen: Splash.
Best
drinks?
Glen: Therapy.
Top
SEE
You shouldn’t leave New York
without seeing this.
Joe: Ground
Zero
Glen: Coney
Island (esp before it gets demolished).
Albert:
Museum of Modern Art; Cooper-Hewitt; Getting Lost in the West Village
or the Meatpacking District; Lincoln Center; the UN
JC: Times
Square in the evening
Favorite place to get away from
it all – reachable by public transit.
Joe:
West side promenades along the river... always breathtaking...
controversial architecture, etc. too!
Glen: The Cloisters/Fort Tryon Park - Leigh and Albert
concur.
Albert: Chelsea Market comes to mind too
JC:
Sandy Hook, NJ (by ferry from midtown or downtown)
Owen:
Christopher St pier (no, no sex)
Favorite Museum
Leigh:
The
Frick Collection.
Joe: Duh. The Met!!
Glen: NYC
Transit Museum
Albert: Did I mention MoMA?
JC:
Museum of Natural History
Owen: Rudin Museum of Himalayan art,
conveniently located in Chelsea.
Sure, it’s touristy, but I love
it!
Joe: The Empire
State Building and Ground Zero, too
Glen: Shopping
in SoHo.
Albert: The Apple Store on Fifth Avenue
JC:
Central Park
Owen: Staten Island ferry
Top
PLAY
Best place for boy watching.
Joe:
The renovated piers on the west side
Glen: Anywhere on 8th Ave
between 14th and 23rd. (Leigh concurs)
Albert: LA
has spoiled me, so I don't know anymore.
JC: Chelsea Piers
Owen:
Union Sq market on Saturday. Also good for vegetable buying.
Best place for naughtiness.
Glen
& JC: The
Cock, of course!
Leigh: Is it
still open?
Owen: Sauna of my gym.
Albert: If I only
knew...
Top
SSSSH!
The best kept secret in the city.
Joe:
Century
21 at ground zero for clothes (but not on the weekend! too
crowded!)
Glen: Doughnut Plant. I want to enjoy all of
those Valrhona chocolate doughnuts for myself.
Albert:
You'll have to ask about this one...
An undiscovered gem.
Joe:
Rise, the bar at the top of the
Ritz Carlton Battery Park... BEST view of the Statue of Liberty and not
too hoity-toity
Glen: For cheap and tasty Malaysian food, Sanur in Chinatown (18B Doyers,
basement - 212.267.0088) is the way to go.
Albert:
The Dia Center and International Center for Photography are
awesome.
Leigh: The Morgan Library