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[Lines]

Since I don't want to have the Toronto thread cluttered with talk about New York, this is where we can plan for it, if anyone is interested in venturing out to New York this March. I will be out from the 26th through the 29th (Wednesday-Saturday), but I'll be going up with a bunch of people from school, so my schedule is pretty flexible as to when I can hang out. I'm taking a bus, too, so we're leaving for NY Tuesday night and leaving from NY Saturday night, so anytime between those two days is awesome.

So...I've never been to New York! Feel free to make recommendations of what's worthwhile!

[Boro_Bandito]

Well if you're going I hear its customary to see Times Square and a show on Broadway, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Statue of Liberty, but I didn't go to any of those while I was there last time. I'd like to go to the Met this time if its possible though, I hear from my Dad whose a stingy bastard that you can technically pay only a buck to get in as long as you don't mind the dirty looks from the people working there.

[Ballard]

I'm sorry Phil, but those are some terrible suggestions. Sure, the Met is cool if you like art. As well as the Museum of Modern Art, the Frick Collection, the Guggenheim Museum, etc.

But FUCK Times Square. And FUCK broadway plays as a tourist attraction. I've seen plenty just cause I love Broadway plays but they're not good enough to spend a fair portion of your time here on. Also they're expensive.

The Statue of Liberty is disappointingly small in person and fucking boring. It's nicer to look at in photos. The Empire State Building is dirty, boring, has a two hour long line, and the observatory deck is so high up all you can see it tiny yellow taxi cabs.

I can show you guys fun, interesting, creative New York instead.

[Lines]

I will be going to the art museums, because I'm an art student, but I can save those for when I'm with my meatlife friends, so we can do fun, interesting, creative stuff!

(And I have no money for Broadway and Times Square/Statue can also be saved for non-NYers if we even feel like doing it.)

[Boro_Bandito]

Or we can leave little mister not liking one of the greatest collections of historic art butt behind and go see the Met without him. I want to see the fucking Metropolitan Museum of Art god damnit. And I'd like to See Times Square at least at night so I can see all the pretty lights and tall buildings in person, we don't have to go to a show, I've heard how hard it is to get tickets to anything good and that the lines are incredibly long. I didn't really want to see the Statue of Liberty, but small? come on dude, its huge for a statue, its the largest in the world isn't it?

[Ballard]

Nah, like I said, the Met is cool if you like art.

Times Square at night is MAYBE worth it. In fact probably, for a few minutes. During the day it's as boring as at night and less pretty.

Broadway shows aren't worth it unless you shell out 50-100 bucks apiece for good tickets. Lines aren't that long unless you go through tkts (in which case you're getting back of the theater tickets, which isn't worth it)

It is honestly really disappointing. It looks gorgeous or at least intriguing in pictures but up close it is a fairly small green statue. You spend an hour waiting in line, half an hour on a ferry to get there, and 5 minutes there. Then you get bored and leave disappointed. (If you don't trust a jaded local's opinion, I've had family come over from Russia excited to see it and when they did, they said, and this is an exact quote here, "that's it?")

[öde]

[Ballard]

Don't expect it to be any more exciting than that.

[öde]

Yeah, he's not even smiling.

[mooface]

to be honest, i thought the statue of liberty was pretty cool when i saw it!

[Inlander]

Yeah, he's not even smiling.

Not to mention he's pretty shifty-looking. I think he's keeping an eye out for easy marks.

[Lines]

Hey, we just had an NY meet-up!

I do have to come over to the States in the next couple of months so we'll see.

Yes, but this is the first time I'll be in a city where another forumite lives! I want to meet people while I'm out there.

Is that "Statue" of Liberty a dude? If so, that's excting. Cross-dressing national monuments are always exciting.

[jhocking]

Actually that photo brings up a good point about the Statue of Liberty. Don't bother with the ferry ride out (as ballard says, it's a long wait for nothing) but do go down to Battery Park to see the statue from the pier. The park is nice and you won't have to be stuck in a line for an hour in order to see stuff. The whole walk down there through the financial district will be worth it if you've never been to New York before. I mean, it'd be much nicer on a sunny spring day, rather than the middle of winter, but still. I don't know if the sketch artists and street performers come out when it's cold, but on nice days it's in Battery Park where guys like the statue of liberty in that photo are to be found, not on Ellis Island.

Besides, it's kind of a guilty pleasure to make fun of the Staten Island ferry.

---

One of my favorite areas to hangout when I lived in NYC was Union Square, largely because there were a number of cool restaurants in the vicinity, and Strand down the street. Also, Huda lives somewhere around Union Square, so if you meet up with her you will probably end up in that area anyway. Come to think of it, with the exception of one time eating dim sum with Dan in Chinatown, all of my QC meetups have been in Union Square.

If you are any kind of a science nerd like me then you will want to go to the Museum of Natural History. And even if you don't go into the museum itself, it could be cool to see the Upper West side. Like, my gf and I used to sit in the park around the museum all the time. We would go down there for breakfast at Sarabeth's, just a couple blocks from the museum.

I'll echo the FUCK Times Square. I never so much as stepped foot in Times Square if I could avoid it. All the disgusting chain stores are already annoying, but the insane crowds on the street are horrible to walk through. Even when going to Broadway shows I'd always go around Times Square and cut in to the theater on a side street.

The other big touristy area is 34th street (Macy's, Empire State building, etc.) but that I ended up walking through fairly regularly for a few reasons, such as B&H down by Penn Station/Madison Square Garden, and the Korean restaurants right next to Macy's (mmm kalbi.)

---

Oh, one other tip for someone interested in art: the big museums in Manhattan are certainly good to see, but for really cutting edge contemporary art go to PS1 in Queens. And of course the galleries are all in Chelsea, far south of most of the museums.

[yelley]

guys go to the strand. it is srsly the best bookstore i've ever been to. it is near union square... i think? it's been a while since i've been to nyc.

[pilsner]

Some things to do in NYC that don't suck (e.g. not Times Square, the Statue of Liberty or the Empire State Building)

(1) Go to a rock show, maybe at the Bowery Ballroom, Mercury Lounge, Irving Plaza, Webster Hall, the Knitting Factory (in Manhattan) or Studio B, Luna Lounge or Music Hall of Williamsburg (Brooklyn).

(2) Go to an art exhibit, maybe at MOMA, the Neue Gallery (best Austrian art exhibit outside of Austria, and delicious snacks at Cafe Sabarsky in the lobby), the Metropolitan, the Museum of Sex, or any of the other 100 or so good museums in the city.

(3) Go for drinks, maybe at hidden gem Angel's Share (walk up the stairs, throught the Japanese restaurant and take a sharp left, you must wait to be seated, parties of no more than 4, pricey), brew pub DBA (affordable, rotating list of mostly domestic microbrews with about 150 bottled brews in the cellar, beer garden out back), Williamsburg temple to beer Supyten Duyvil(check Google maps because there's no signage, near some really good restaurants and concert venues), or Williamsburg temple to classic arcade games and excellent domestic microbrews Barcade (where they had a FundRazor Childs Play fundraising event not long ago).

(4)  Go for great cheap food, maybe great cheap Thai at Pam Real Thai, great cheap Chinese food at Big Wong, great cheap sushi at my fave UES byob Poke, great cheap German food and beer at one of the forum's favorites Zum Schneider, or of course great cheap BBQ at Dinosaur BBQ.

(5) Go for some pricey but classy jazz at Birdland, Jazz Standard, Village Vanguard, Iridium, Smoke or Jazz at Lincoln Center, or go for some more affordable jazz at 55 Bar (haven't been for while, but the people working there are absurdly friendly, sort of the opposite of what the stereotyped haughty jazz loving anachrono-beatnick).

(6) Yelley is right about the The Strand.  You can lose hours there, although if you really like books, you should probably do what problem gamblers do and leave your credit cards behind.  Also check out Bluestockings for feminist themed books, t-shirts, coffee (well the coffee isn't feminist themed) and alternative menstrual products (better you than me).

I may add to this later on . . . . and it occurs to me that given how often this subject comes up, someone should probably add the info in this thread to a quiki page if quiki still exists . . . .
 

[Scandanavian War Machine]

I've only been to New York once but this is what i remember.

-The Statue of Liberty is much much smaller in person.

-I saw a show on broadway and i got to see Scary Spice's butt.

-I thought The Met was awesome.

-There is an amazing chinese restaurant in the...i don't know..."financial district" or something. Somewhere a restaurant doesn't really belong. You get your food in the basement and then walk up out onto the street and go up to the ground floor or second floor to eat. it was a pretty neat place.

-You knows those rocks in Central Park that Bruce Willis jumps in one of the Die Hard movies? I went there...they were just rocks.

-Also, the Restaurant from Seinfeld. Obviously, it looks totally different inside...but the outside is the same. And the service sucks.

[Boro_Bandito]

Yeah, last time when I went for the first time we ended up spending like an hour around Union Square, I think. Me and Katie(KTkat) were following 'Gene pretty much the whole time after the lunch at that Dinosaur BBQ place fell through. Then somewhere Huda jumped out at us and asked for cigarettes and then there was this place called Max Brenner's. Wait, or was Union square after lunch? I forget.

Not really interested in the modern art, really want to see the older stuff. And yeah, Museum of Natural History would effin' awesome too.

[Storm Rider]

great cheap Chinese food at Big Wong,

You have got to be kidding me.

[Lines]

Phil, I'll save the older art for you guys then, as I'll probably be trying to hit some galleries with my friends.

Pilsner and others, I will definitely keep those places in mind! I don't think I'll be there long enough to get all of them, but I plan on coming back some other time if I like the city. (I probably will, I like cities.)

[pilsner]

great cheap Chinese food at Big Wong,

You have got to be kidding me.

They guarantee that you'll leave full and satisfied!

[calenlass]

My spring break plans have changed; I just wanted to let anyone who might want to hang out know. I'm flying into La Guardia on the evening of the 6th and flying out on the last flight Saturday night (the 8th). Sorry for missing Sunday, but my sister's got a play thing and I will have a paper due (I found out about it today) and it will just all be a big shitting mess if I don't.

[Ballard]

The 6th of what, I'm sorry?

I'm down for some hanging out.

[Cam]

For the record, I thought the Met was fucking incredible.  I find the view from Empire State to be amazing, but if you are going to go, do it the first thing in the morning or pay the extra twenty bucks to cut by all the suckers standing in line.  I have to agree about Times Square though.  At night, it is worth walking through for a few minutes, but isn't really a big deal.  I can't weigh in on Lady Liberty because I didn't get a chance to see her. I'd hit some of the touristy things and then spend the rest of the time experiencing the "real" New York as suggested.

[tania]

at the behest of huda (or barfy, who doesn't actually post here anymore) there's a small chance i might actually show up for this! holy shit!

granted, when i promised her i'd visit i was thinking a little further into the future when i'd actually have some money but if enough people end up showing up for this in march i'll save and save like a good little student and see what i can do. i've never been to new york either, i think it's maybe about time.

[Lines]

Cool! Do you know when in March yet?

[tania]

my schedule is pretty flexible so i can just plan this for when you/other forumites are meeting up. march 26-29th would actually be pretty ideal for me as it's that gap right before exams when i don't have any classes but it's too early to study and i can pretty much just fuck off for a few days and do whatever. i have no idea what's happening yet though. the entire trip is going to cost me about $300 so basically this rests on whether or not i'll have $300 to spend a month and a half from now.

[calenlass]

The 6th of what, I'm sorry?

I'm down for some hanging out.

March. That's the tail end of my spring break.

[Ballard]

Kay guys being the only person who lives in New York except for Huda (who is most likely too busy with college shit to take a major role anyway) I'm assuming it's up to me to plan this thing.

PM me your contact information if there's a good chance you're coming and I'll try to get a comprehensive list up. We'll go from there.

[MusicScribbles]

I think it would be a good idea to get together a date first then.
Conceivably, I could come because my uncle owns an apartment in the Village, but he lives in New Orleans. I go up to the city pretty often so I'm sure I could be up for this. It might even fall on my spring break, I'll have to check.

[Lines]

Well, in the first post I put up my dates, Mar. 26-29, and Katie had hers as Mar. 6-8. So really, you can take your pick or do both! But yes, it would be good to at least set aside one specific day, at least the late March dates since I will be going to NY with other people and would like do stuff with both them and you guys while I'm there, so we can all do Fun Things^TM.

[KTkat]

Kay guys being the only person who lives in New York except for Huda (who is most likely too busy with college shit to take a major role anyway) I'm assuming it's up to me to plan this thing.

What the hell am I, chopped liver? :p

Also, Phil, I will totally go to the Met with you...I am in love with the Met...and the dirty looks aren't THAT bad if you spit out "I am a dirt-poor college student" as you hand over your pathetic dollar.

Linds, your dates rock for me, too...I'll just be getting back from spring break, so my schedule should be pretty empty.

[Ballard]

Ack I totally fail. Sorry for forgetting you Katie

[KTkat]

I forgive you.

As long as we just plan to meet in Union Sq. from the get-go this time. We are not going to Harlem.

[Boro_Bandito]

I don't know, the people in Harlem were very nice and helped me when I got lost. Especially since I had to wing it when I couldn't use the route told me due to construction and had to use a train that ended up about half a mile from where I was actually supposed to go. It was a good walk there and a nice day overall.

But anyway, I'm not sure exactly if I'll be able to go to this. I mean, I'll try and work it out, but I may not be able to stay at my sister's place or skip class or something, and I don't want to spend the money to get a room in New York if I'm trying to save up for Tronno on the 6.75 I make an hour at a job where I'm both the cashier and the janitor.

[KTkat]

Well, if lodging's a problem, we have an air mattress and a common room. I could probably house two people, actually (though of course I'd need to check with my roommates first).

[Ballard]

I already apologized to Phil on Gabbly for the Harlem thing recently. Definitely Union Square.

Unfortunately I can't house anyone 'cause I live with my parent

[Lines]

Well, at least that's free. And I found out the place we're staying is basically a half-way house or New York's version of a hostel. I am very happy I will be rooming with people I know.

Also, Phil, I will totally go to the Met with you...I am in love with the Met...and the dirty looks aren't THAT bad if you spit out "I am a dirt-poor college student" as you hand over your pathetic dollar.

Linds, your dates rock for me, too...I'll just be getting back from spring break, so my schedule should be pretty empty.

Sweet. How about we all go to the Met then when we meet up?

[KTkat]

As long as it's not Thursday, I'm all for it! Thursdays are everything bad and horrible rolled into one.

[Lines]

How about Friday then? That way, if Ballard isn't on his spring break he can at least do stuff after school with us and not have to worry about it being a school night.

[0bsessions]

Guys, y'know what's a fun activity to do when visiting NYC?

Hopping a bus to Boston to visit me instead.

[jhocking]

This meetup would have been a great idea a year ago.

[tommydski]

We already had it back in October.

Nobody would give Eugene a cigarette.

We all got hammered.

I got a fucking tattoo.

How can we have forgotten this already?

[0bsessions]

I got a really girly tattoo.

[MusicScribbles]

I'm actually supposed to be going to Boston for spring break as well to look at colleges. Who goes to college in Boston and would be willing to show me around?

Also, going to the Met sounds like a great idea (Because I can get in for free.).

[jhocking]

We already had it back in October.

February - 1 year != October

[KTkat]

Don't forget, Tommy, we also played on a roof!

[Lines]

Guys, y'know what's a fun activity to do when visiting NYC?

Me hopping a bus so I can hang out with you guys too.

[0bsessions]

Yeah, that's gonna happen.

[Lines]

Then you just have to wait for Tronno!

[Boro_Bandito]

We already had it back in October.

Nobody would give Eugene a cigarette.

We all got hammered.

I got a fucking tattoo.

How can we have forgotten this already?

You fail to remember that I wasn't there for the latter half of what would have otherwise been an epic evening, and so therefore it doesn't count at all. Come to think of it neither was Eugene, who went home early as well (after having been saved from a terrible menthol cigarette by me, who came in just in time to smoke it for him.)

Edit: Right, finally looked up when my Spring Break is going to be, so it turns out its from the 16-23 of March, making it completely useless for any of these plans.