... where Chelsea meets Greenwich Village and the Meatpacking District
Chelsea Pines Inn's Guide to New York City
There is so much to see and do in New York. Don't try to do everything, take some time to get familiar with the City and then decide what you want to do. Many of the attractions in the City are big, so planning is essential for a successful visit. Get a floor plan when you enter an attraction (they are usually free), take a moment to read it, and then go to the parts that interest you most. And don't be afraid to ask for directions, you can get lost in some of our museums (I have).
I hope that this (biased) guide will help you in planning. If you have any comments, suggestions, or corrections let me know.
~ Al Ridolfo
New York, New York, a helluva town Chelsea's Up and the Village is Down The people ride in a hole in the ground.... ~ Comden and Green - On the Town, 1944 (and again in 1998)
Betty Comden and Adolph Green wrote this in 1944 (The real lyrics are "the Bronx is Up and the Battery's Down") Not much has changed.
Up and Down
Chelsea Pines Inn is located on the border of Chelsea and Greenwich Village, two of the major gay areas in the City. Close by are the Far West Village and Meatpacking District, where trendy shops, galleries, and restaurants abound. The Theater District, Little Italy, SoHo, Union Square, Tribeca and many other interesting and unique neighborhoods are just a short walk or subway ride away. New York is made up of five boroughs. Manhattan Island is the location of the borough of Manhattan and is usually what a New Yorker means when he says "New York" or "the City". An address of New York, NY is in Manhattan. Staten Island to the south, the Bronx to the north, and Brooklyn and Queens to the east make up the "Outer Boroughs". Each has its own flavor and style with major cultural institutions like the Brooklyn Museum, The Bronx Zoo, and Flushing Meadows Park in Queens where you can find the National Tennis Center, Queens Zoo, and Queens Museum at the old World Fair Grounds. From Chelsea Pines Inn, Chelsea is Up (North) and the West Village (the western half of Greenwich Village) is Down (South). North is Uptown from wherever you are and South is Downtown. Cross-town means East or West. Most New Yorkers will give locations by the nearest intersection (14th Street and 8th Avenue) not by address. New York was built on a grid system, which is pretty regular north of 14th Street. Avenues run north and south and Streets run east and west. Most Streets have an East and West section with 5th Avenue dividing the East Side from the West Side down to Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village. Below the park Broadway divides the East Side from the West Side. Address numbers on streets start at 1 at the division between East and West and go up by 100 for each numbered avenue they cross (Note: Park Avenue used to be 4th Avenue). Avenue address numbers start at 1 where the avenue originally started (downtown), so get ready to be confused. Some avenues were extended south from their original start so there is a "south" section (for example; 7th Avenue starts at Greenwich Avenue. Below that it's 7thAvenue South). 200 5th Avenue is at 23rd Street, but 200 6th Avenue is downtown below 1st Street, at 23rd Street you will find 700 6th Avenue. Whenever you call for directions or locations always the cross streets. From Chelsea Pines Inn you can walk up into Chelsea.Up 8th Avenue there are restaurants of every style and price range. Walk down 7th or 8th Avenue to get to the heart of the (West) Village in 10 or 15 minutes. Christopher Street intersects 7th Avenue at Sheridan Square, the site of the Stonewall Rebellion on June 27, 1969, the beginning of the modern Gay Rights Movement. The Stonewall Inn, the first Gay and Lesbian site to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places is located on Christopher Street, just east of 7th Avenue. In the park across the street from the Stonewall Inn there are commemorative sculptures depicting gay couples that were installed by the City of New York. Christopher Street was once the center of Gay life in the City but it now competes with 8th Avenue in Chelsea. However, there are still many gay bars, restaurants, Clubs, and shops in and around Christopher Street that make the walk down there worth it.
A Hole in the Ground
The New York Subway System (the Subway) runs (mostly) in a hole in the ground. Run by the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) the subway will get you around quickly and inexpensively. Subway station names usually refer to their location, but so much rebuilding has gone on in the 100 years they have been around, some names are misleading, so don't hesitate to ask someone where the station is if you can't find it. For example; The entrances for the West 4th Street station on the A, C, E, B, D, F and V lines are convenietly located at Waverly Place (one block south of West 8th Street), or West 3rd Street.
The subway runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week but during overnight hours, on weekends and holidays, service is reduced and while every station is open, some entrances may be closed. You can tell if a station is always open by the lights near the station, a GREEN light is for an entrance that is always open, a red light means that that entrance is part time or MetroCard only. After Midnight you may find taking a Taxi much quicker. You can get a free map of the system at any token booth. We call the trains “the Subway” even if it’s an elevated line, which are mostly in the outer boroughs.The different subway lines are referred to by their letter or number, not by the color shown on the map. A good number of New Yorkers have no idea what line is "red" or where to catch the "blue" line and will stare at you quizzically if you ask where to get the "green" line. (The red line is the 1,2,3 line. You can catch the blue line on 8th Avenue, and the green line can be taken at Union Square.)There are a few reasons to call the lines by their letter or number designation: 1)that’s what they are called 2)you will sound like you know what’s what 3)you won’t get lost: a.The 1, 2, and 3 trains are RED on the maps. The #1 train will take you to South Ferry for the Staten Island ferry or the Statue of Liberty, but the #2 and #3 trains don’t go anywhere near there. b.The A, C, and E trains are BLUE on the maps. · The E train takes you to 5th Avenue for MoMA, but the A or C trains (Blue) will leave you with a long walk · The A train takes you to Howard beach for the AirTrain, the C or E trains don’t ·The C train will get you to the American Museum of Natural History, but the A or E trains will not take you to the Dinosaurs While system is huge, complicated, and a bit daunting, most token clerks will give you directions. New Yorkers have their own favorite ways of getting to different locations. You can get three different answers from two different people. Don’t worry about this, it's a big system and you can get there in many different ways. For example, to get from Chelsea Pines Inn to Bloomingdales you can: 1)Take the E train Uptown to Lexington Ave. and transfer to the Uptown 6 to 59th Street 2)Take the L train to Union Square and transfer to the Uptown 4, 5, or 6 to 59th Street 3)Take the L train to Union Square and transfer to the Uptown N, R or W to 59th Street Because the system is so interconnected there often are several ways to get to any location. Some want a faster trip or less crowding, others look for easier transfers, and for most of us it is just what we have been doing for years. Unlike other subway systems the New York City Subway has both EXPRESS and LOCAL trains so not all trains stop at every station. If a station is an EXPRESS stop all trains will stop there, if it is a LOCAL stop only the local trains will stop there. While this can be confusing, it does make travel a bit faster. On 14th street the 8th Avenue and 7th Avenue stops are EXPRESS stops; so all trains on the line stop there. The 6th Avenue stop is a LOCAL stop, so some trains skip that station. Union Square and 14th Street is also an EXPRESS stop. The subway maps are marked and you can always get directions from the token booth. To make things even more confusing, some stations that serve two different lines, like 59th Street/Columbus Circle, are express stops on one line but only a local stop for the other line. Don't worry about it, if confused just take the local train. For most locations in Manhattan it will be just a few minutes longer. Tip: In Manhattan the difference in time between taking the express or the local train is just a few minutes, and sometimes it makes no difference. If you are going up 8th Avenue to 42nd Street from Chelsea Pines Inn there is just one extra stop on the local, so take whatever train comes first. Just a few steps from the front door of Chelsea Pines Inn are the 14th Street Station for the A, C, E, and L lines. One block away on 7th Avenue you can catch the 1, 2, or 3 trains. From these two stations you can get almost anywhere in NYC.
Each subway or bus ride costs $2, paid using a MetroCard. Tokens ~ Tokens are no longer used in the system, but the booths where you in the stations are still called token booths by many New Yorkers.The “official” name of the token clerk is a “customer service agent”, but who cares? Single Ride MetroCard ~ Purchase from MetroCard Machines for $2. Good for one entry into the Subway or one Bus ride. This is not the best deal. Daily pass ~ Purchase from MetroCard Machines for $7.50. Good for unlimited subway or bus rides, Daily passes expire at 3:00 AM the morning after they are first used. Daily Passes are not available at token booths. This is a good deal if you take more than 4 rides that day. . Weekly pass ~ Purchase from Token Booth, MetroCard Machine, and some newsstands for $25. It expires at midnight on the 7th day after you first use it. Tip: A Weekly pass is a good buy if you are staying in New York 4 or more days.
With a daily or weekly pass you can use the subway and bus system as much as you want with only one restriction, you cannot use it at the same station or bus line twice within 20 minutes. "pay per ride" MetroCard ~ Purchase from token booth or MetroCard Machine for any amount from $4 to $80. If you purchase $7 or more you get a 15% bonus, reducing the cost to about $1.74 per ride. Good for entry into the subway system and bus rides. The cost of your fare will be deducted as you enter the system. You get one free transfer from the subway to a bus, bus to bus, or bus to subway within 2 hours of starting your trip. Transfers from subway to subway are free at almost every station that serves more than one line. Just follow the signs when you get off your train. Make sure you DO NOT exit through the turnstiles if you are transferring or you will have to pay again to enter the system. (Not a problem with daily or weekly passes.) A free transfer is automatically put on your card when you enter the system and is good for 2 hours. Tip: Always buy at least $7 if using a pay per ride card to get a 15% bouns. A $40 card plus the bonus will come to $46, giving you 23 rides. MetroCard machines are available in every station. You can purchase any type of MetroCard, including a daily pass, using cash, Charge Cards, or ATM Cards at these machines. Token booths take only cash. Some booths, painted red, only provide information. During the day the subway is usually the quickest, easiest , and most crowded way to get around. The front desk staff will be glad to assist you with directions and information for using the system.
Buses
There is also an extensive bus system, also paid by MetroCard or exact change in coins (no pennies or bills). The price is the same as for the subway system. You get a free bus to bus or bus to subway transfer if you use a MetroCard. You do not have to ask, it is automatically put on your card. If you pay with coins you can get a limited bus-to-bus transfer but you must ask for it when you board the bus. During the daytime taking the bus can be very slow but you do get to see the city and at night service is limited so you may have a bit of a wait. Tip: Taking the bus up 8th Avenue to 42nd Street at 6PM can take over 1/2 hour, the subway will get you there in 10 minutes. Taxicabs
Taxicabs are relatively inexpensive and a good way to get around during the overnight hours. When you enter a cab the initial charge is $2.50. There is an additional charge of 40¢ per 1/5 mile. From 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM there is a $1 surcharge, from 8:00 PM to 6:00 AM there is a 50¢ surcharge. This may be a bit confusing, but it means that you can get almost anywhere in Manhattan for less than $20.00. You cannot call cabs in Manhattan. The only way to get one is to "flag" one down but in most cases it will take you less than 10 minutes to get a cab except around 5:00 PM and late at night. Some taxi cabs now take credit cards, but if the machine does not work because it can not get a signal or your card does not work (cards that reaquire a pin number or cards with other restrictions) you will have to pay cash, so always be prepaired to pay in cash. Walking New York is a great walking city. Most streets are wide, well lit, and safe. If you are walking up or down an Avenue 20 blocks equals one mile (1.6km). As in any large city avoid deserted areas and take a cab in the late evening hours, if you are tired, had “one too many”, or if you are unsure as to where you are going. From Chelsea Pines Inn you can easily walk to Christopher Street, Union Square, Chelsea, the Village, and a host of other areas. Ask at the front desk for assistance. Getting here from the Airport Taxi: Go to the taxi stand in front of the terminal. The price is a flat rate of $45 + toll and tip from JFK. From Newark the price varies, but the dispatcher will tell you how much, usually about $50 + tolls and tip. From La Guardia you will be charged the metered rate + tolls and tip, usually $25 to $50 (depending on traffic). Car service: Call at the airport when you get your luggage. Price varies by company and time of day usually is about the same or a bit less than a taxi but you won't have to wait in line. Carmel: (212) 666-6666 Dial 7: (212) 777-7777 Airport bus: You can get a bus at La Guardia or Kennedy airports to the Port Authority Bus Terminal (8th Avenue at 42nd Street). The bus from Newark arrives at 34th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues. Shared van: SuperShuttle provides shared van service from all airports. Cheaper than a car service (for one) but takes longer because they drop off 2 or 3 other groups. We do not recommend shared van service because of the amount of time it can take and the fact that the saving compaired to the airport bus is minimal. Subway/Train: You can get here easily from JFK by subway, but it takes a bit of time. Follow the signs for the AirTrain at your arrival terminal. Take the AirTrain to Jamaica Station where you can transfer to the E train to 14th Street, 8th Avenue in Manhattan. Exit at the front of the station, up the stairs and to the right. Time is about 1 hour and 15 minutes. AirTrain fare: $5, subway fare: $2, both paid with a MetroCard, available at all stations. (Note: a Daily or Weekly MetroCard Pass can not be used to pay for the AirTrain.) From La Guardia take the Q33 bus to the E train in Queens. Then take the E to 14th Street in Manhattan. Go up the stairs at the front of the station; exit through the turnstiles, then up the stairs to the right. From Newark take Airport Monorail to the Newark International Airport Station and transfer to New Jersey Transit train to Penn Station, New York. (Be careful there is also a Penn Station, Newark.). Then take the A, C, or E train "Downtown" to 14th Street. Go up the stairs at the front of the station; exit through the turnstiles, then up the stairs to the right NOTE: Check www.njtransit.com for schedules and fare information. Train service limited from Midnight to 6AM (I’d take a taxi late at night) Tipping Unlike many countries, service is not included in the price unless specifically stated. Tipping is an American custom (for better or worse) and expected at hotels, restaurants, bars, and taxicabs. Here are some guidelines: Restaurants: 15-20% of the bill. An easy way to do this is to double the tax amount and round it up to the nearest dollar (tax is 8 ¼ % so you will be giving 16½ % of the pre tax total). If you have a large party check your bill carefully as some restaurants add a service charge for large parties. Coat Check:$1 per item. Bars:$1 per drink. Tip when you pay for your drinks (at many bars you will be asked to pay for each round when it is served). Taxi Cabs: 15-20% rounded up to the nearest ½ dollar. Luggage: 50 cents per bag, rounded up to the nearest dollar. $1 minimum. Hair Stylists: 15-20%, $2 minimum. If there is a separate shampoo person $1-2 given directly to them after they wash your hair. Hotels: $1 or $2 per day (more if they do something special) for the housekeepers, left in the room at the end of your stay. $5-10 for the concierge when if he does something special for you when they provide the service. These guidelines are for normal service. Adjust the tip for the level of service. If service is very good or someone did something special for you tip more. If service is very bad tip less, or even not at all. Remember; many waiters and bartenders depend on their tips for their livelihood. Movies Call (212) 777 FILM (212 777 3456) for times and locations of what movies are playing. You will be asked to enter a zip code, ours is 10014. There are several movie complexes in the area. The Chelsea Cinema on 23rd Street between 7th and 8th Avenues and the United Artists Union Square theater on 14th Street at Union Square are both just a short walk away. At 42nd Street and 8th Avenue there are two large movie complexes, the AMC 25 (25 Screens) and the Loews E-Walk (14 Screens) so you can see almost any movie that is currently playing there. There are lots of other smaller theaters within walking distance as well as some unique theaters like the Angelika at Bleecker and Houston. Movie theaters tend to get quite busy and new shows tend to get sold out, so you might want to buy tickets early and then return for the show. Theater- by J
At any given moment there are 50 or more Broadway and off-Broadway shows running. For shows that are not sold out you can get day-of-performance seats at the half-price ticket booth (known as "TKTS") located in the theatre district in the lobby of the Marriott Marquis Theater at 45th Street and Broadway; it's open from 3 to 8 PM Monday through Saturday for evening performances, and 10 am to 2 PM for matinees (Wednesdays, Saturdays) and Sundays from 11 am to closing. Keep in mind, though; that it's very crowded and the lines can last for an hour or more (going at 4:30 PM is suggested). Another option, generally less crowded, is the downtown branch of TKTS located at Front and John Streets in the South Street Seaport, just behind the Abercrombie & Fitch store. Hours are Monday through Saturday 11-6, and Sunday 11-3:30. In addition to day-of-performance tickets, you can also purchase matinee tickets the day before a performance at the downtown location.
For more information about the shows check the theater section of this guide or www.playbill.com Shopping New York is a shopper's paradise. You can find some of the best bargains and some of the most expensive items here. Beware of "going out of business" stores as well as electronics and camera stores that are not well known. Many sell "Gray Market" items at high prices and you may do better going to a national retailer. However, for most items you can find good bargains if you search. . Here is some information about some of the major shopping areas. SoHo Soho was once one of the most cutting edge areas of the city, filled with lots of art galleries and unusual shops. While they still have a major presence in the area there are now many major national retailers here as well. Walking down Broadway from Houston Street to Canal Street you will find a mix of shops for almost every taste. There are still many art galleries in the area, so don’ forget to walk around the side streets as well. Greenwich Village Shoes on W 8th Street. Tattoos and body piercing on St. Marks Place. Leather Chaps and harnesses on Christopher Street. Condoms in every conceivable shape and size (and flavor) on Bleecker Street. Food, Drinks, Clothing, and Tacky Souvenirs everywhere, you can get anything you want in the East or West Village. (Sorry Arlo) 5th Ave From Bergdorf Goodman and Tiffany's at 57th Street down past Trump Tower, Brooks Brothers, and Fortunoff's (cheaper than Tiffany, but no blue box) 5th Avenue is an exciting and unique shopping experience. Sak's (at 50th Street) and Lord and Taylor (at 40th Street) are two major luxury department stores that are worth a look. Additionally, many other retailers have stores on the avenue. 6th Ave 17th to 20th Streets Major national and regional retailers have staked out a claim to this area, once the premiere shopping district in the City. Check out Bed, Bath, and Beyond and the Container Store for household goods, Filenes's Basement and Marshals for clothing. All at 19th Street. Madison Avenue 44th Street to 80th Street Brooks Brothers is at 44th Street, Boutiques, Barneys at 61st Street, and galleries (starting in the 60's) are the hallmark of this most expensive of shopping districts. Macy*s The world's largest store. Larger than most shopping malls Macy's can be confusing and overwhelming, or impressive and exciting. Taking up an entire city block on 34th Street between Broadway and 7th Avenue, Macy's is host to many special events like the Thanksgiving Parade, the Flower Show in the spring, and the 4th of July Fireworks. The Cellar (appropriately located in the cellar) has housewares, food, small appliances, and more. The men's clothing department stretches over ½ a city block on 3 floors. There are numerous restaurants in the building, almost an entire floor of antiques, and even a post office. There is an Information Desk at the main entrance on Broadway between 34th and 35th Streets. Bloomingdales "It's like no other store in the world." Rumor has it that when Queen Elizabeth came to New York it was the first place she wanted to go. Today, Queens from around the world still think so. Worth the trip uptown to Lexington Avenue at 59th Street. Union Square At one time Union Square was the location of many major discount department stores. Now major retailers like Circuit City, a Virgin Megastore for Compact Disks and Videos, as well as a host of other retailers make Union Square a major shopping destination. For an interesting side trip check out ABC Carpet and Home, an unusual department store with home items, antiques, and more. Broadway at 19th Street just north of the Square. Chelsea While Soho used to be the place to go for unique stores and galleries, Chelsea is now the place to go for cutting edge shopping. On 14th Street between 9th and 10th avenues you will find many new galleries as well as some interesting stores like Bodum (housewares) Stella McCartney and Jeffrey (high priced designer clothing). On 9th avenue between 15th and 16th streets the Chelsea Market has some interesting food and housewares stores located inside. From 14th Street uptown to 29th Street there are many galleries showcasing emerging and cutting edge art, photography, sculpture, and multi-media works. Here is a list of some of the many galleries in the area: Chisholm Larsson Gallery 145 8th Ave, 212-741-1703 Tate 413 W 14th St # 3, 212-242-9888 Baumgartner Galleries 418 W. 15th St., 212-633-2276 Casey M Kaplan Inc 416 W 14th St, 212-645-7335 Heller Gallery 420 W 14th St 212-414-5959 Broan 423 W. 14th St.,212-633-6525 Wooster Projects 421 W 14th St, 646-336-1999 Postmasters 459 West 19th Street, 212-727-3323 Long Fine Art 427 W 14th St, 212-337-1940 RareArt 435 W. 14th St. 212-645-5591 Christine Burgin 243 West 18th St., 212-462-2668 Axis Gallery Inc 453 W 17th St, 212-741-2582 Barbara Ann Levy Gallery 453 W 17th St, 212-645-7810 Murray Guy 453 W 17th St, 2nd floor, 212-463-7372 Chelsea Ceramic Guild 233 W 19th St, 212-243-2430 African Art Production 220 W 19th St, 212-886-9066 Patricks Gallery 220 W 19th St, 212-741-7453 International Public Art 211 W 19th St, 212-463-8634 Marlborough Chelsea 211 W 19th St, NY 212-463-8634 David Webster 448 W 16th St, 212-367-8120 More Galleries In addition to the galleries in Chelsea there are still many galleries in SoHo and other areas of the City. Leslie-Lohman Gay Art Foundation located at 127B Prince St, 212-673-7007 highlights erotic gay art.Remy Toledo features cutting edge art and is located at 529 W 20th St. Phone: 212-243-7552. New York City is one of the world's leading proponents of new and emerging art. With so many galleries in the City you are sure to find something exciting and interesting in your exploration of New York's galleries Movie posters - by J Each room at Chelsea Pines Inn is dedicated to a (usually) former film actor or actress (most still alive, some pretty shaky). If you're interested in acquiring some posters or other movie memorabilia of your own to take home, start by contacting the owner (that's me, J) at cpimgr@aol.com. Original posters, particularly some of the vintage ones, can be quite expensive, but new ones are relatively cheap, and some classic film posters have been reprinted inexpensively. Happy shopping! Century 21 Major discounts on clothes and housewares at this local department store. Known as "the best kept secret in New York" because they rarely advertise. If you see it here and want it, buy it, because it may not be there when you get back. Selection changes rapidly with new goods arriving daily. 22 Cortlandt Street (take the E train downtown to the last stop). Museums and other attractions
There are so many museums in the City that it would take a lifetime to visit them all. There is probably a museum dedicated to your own interests somewhere in the City. The Metropolitan Museum of Art On 5th Avenue at 80th Street. One of the largest and most diverse art museums in the world. There is an entire Egyptian Temple in the Museum. There are major exhibits of French Impressionists, American Art, European Art, Clothing, Furniture, and more. You may be overwhelmed so if you go, look at the floor plan and decide what you want to see. During the warmer months you can enjoy a cocktail at the roof sculpture garden, which has great views of Central Park. Ask one of the guards to direct you to the roof garden. Just behind the museum in Central Park is "Cleopatra's Needle" a 2000 year old Egyptian Obelisk donated to the US in 1869 (it finally got here in 1880). Guggenheim Located on 5th Avenue at 90th Street, the Guggenheim was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Changing exhibits in the main building are arranged around a ramp you stroll down. It is one of the most interesting and unusual museums in the City. Museum of Modern Art - "MoMA" One of the best museums devoted to modern art has been completely redone. The extensive permanent collection includes works from such masters as Van Gogh, Warhol, Matisse, de Kooning, Cézanne, and Picasso. 53rd Street at 5th Avenue. The American Museum of Natural History & Hayden PlanetariumIf you are interested in Dinosaurs, Meteors, Gems, Science, Other Cultures, or anything in the Natural World a visit to this museum will satisfy your curiosity. The museum is located on Central Park West at 81st Street. Here you can see large meteorites, visit ancient cities, and walk through millions of years of dinosaur evolution all in one day. The Hayden Planetarium is housed in a large glass cube. Here you can learn about the Universe from the Big Bang to the end of time. The Central Park Zoo Just off 5th Avenue at 65th Street, inside Central Park, is the Manhattan Branch of the New York Zoological Society. A small and interesting zoo with the animals living in naturalistic habitats, this zoo is a pleasant respite from the concrete of the City. You can also visit the much, much, larger Bronx Zoo, one of the largest zoos in the world, or the Aquarium at Coney Island. All run by the New York Zoological Society, which also has branches in Prospect Park, Brooklyn and Queens. Both the Bronx and Brooklyn Botanical Gardens are world-class institutions. Ether one is worth a visit if you like plants and flowers. The Conservatory in the Bronx is one of the largest greenhouses anywhere and has recently undergone a complete refurbishing. Brooklyn Museum of Art - 200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn - #2 Train to Eastern Parkway has one of the best Egyptian Art collections in the world. The Cloisters - Fort Tryon Park - Take the A train to 191st Street. Medieval Art , including a large collection of tapestries, in one of the most beautiful and tranquil settings in the city. Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum - 5th Avenue at 91st Street. A branch of the Smithsonian devoted to the impact of design on everyday life. The Frick Collection - 5th Avenue and 70th Street. Large collection of "Old Masters" including Rembrandt, Renoir, Goya and El Greco in the beautiful Frick family mansion. International Center of Photography - 6th Avenue at 43rd Street. Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum - Pier 86 (West 46th Street and 12th Avenue) (closed until Fall 2008) The Jewish Museum - 5th Avenue at 92nd Street Lower East Side Tenement Museum - 90 Orchard Street (at Broome Street) Museum for African Art - 36-01 43rd Ave at 36th St, Long Island City, NY 11101(718) 784-7700 Museum of the City of New York - 5th Avenue at 103rd Street Museum of Jewish Heritage, A Living Memorial to the Holocaust - 18 First Place in Battery Park The Museum of Television and Radio - 52nd Street between 5th and 6th Avenues Museum of the Moving Image - 35 Avenue at 36 Street, Astoria, NY 11106 (718) 784-0077 Devoted to the art and history of the movies. National Academy of Design Museum - 5th Avenue at 89th Street National Museum of the American Indian - 1 Bowling Green at Broadway (the southern end of Broadway) - a branch of the Smithsonian devoted to the achievements of Native North Americans. Whitney Museum of Art - Madison Avenue at 75th Street has a large collection of contemporary art. Museum Mile refers to 5th Avenue from the Museum of the City of New York at 103rd Street to the Frick Collection at 70th Street (in typical New York fashion Museum Mile is almost 2 miles long).
Some more information:
New Yorkers have a reputation of being gruff, but we are really nice, friendly, and helpful. We are often in a rush so sometimes we forget to say please or thank you. We are really glad you are here and want you to love the City as much as we do.Because we are used to crowds we forget that most people are not used to sharing such a small space with 10 million other people and tend to get annoyed by those who are not. A few things will help. When walking around the City try not to block the sidewalk or entrances to buildings or the subway. On escalators, move away from the top or bottom when you get there, lots of people are behind you and the stairs keep moving. When getting on the subway stand aside and let passengers off the train first. It really does speed things along. Most New Yorkers walk fast, ignore "don't walk" signs, cross in the middle of the block (which is why there are fences at some areas to stop this) and will weave in and out of the pedestrian traffic. You don?t have to do this. If you stand looking at a subway map you will often get advice from strangers. Don?t hesitate to ignore it, but don?t hesitate to ask either. New Yorkers will generally let you know where you stand, when we say "have a nice day" we mean it. So, enjoy our city, ask questions, look around (and even up at the tall buildings) and have a nice day.
How to talk like a New Yorker (it's not how you say it, it's what you say) There are a few things that will let others know that you know the city: Don't worry about speaking with an accent. New Yorkers come from almost every country in the world and lots of us still have an accent. Greenwich (pronounced GREN-itch) Village is referred to Greenwich Village, usually we would say either "the East Village" (east of 5th Avenue or Broadway) or "the Village" for the center, and the western half is usually called "the West Village". It is NEVER called "Greenwich". Greenwich is a suburb of NYC, located in Connecticut, on Long Island Sound, just over the New York State border. Just to confuse things a bit more there are two major roads that cross the Village, Greenwich Avenue which cuts diagonally across the Village from 6th to 8th Avenues going uptown, and Greenwich Street.which heads downtown from 14th Street to the World Trade Center area. Houston Street is pronounced HOW-stun, it is not pronounced like the city in Texas (it was named after a different person).
We almost always say street or avenue when naming addresses, especially for the avenues. That's because there are often streets and avenues with the same name, like 8th Street and 8th Avenue, Washington Street and Washington Place.
Grand Central Terminal is the train station at 42nd St and Park Ave, Grand Central Station is the Subway station underneeth Grand Central Terminal. Many New Yorkers just say Grand Central.
Downtown does NOT refer to the main business district of Manhattan, but to the Financial District at the southern tip of the island, but it is also used as a direction (see the next item). North is Uptown or Up (I'm going Up to 42nd Street). South is Downtown or Down (I'm going Down to Houston Street). East and West are Cross-Town say "across to" or "over to". (I'm taking the Cross-town bus over to 1st Avenue or I'm going across to 1st Avenue) Use cross streets for locations. (Chelsea Pines Inn is at 14th and 8th or 14th between 8th and 9th) Ask for the cross street when asking for directions.
Manhattan is New York or The City. The other boroughs are referred to by their names. (Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Staten Island - Always say "the Bronx" for the Bronx.) Long Island (often called "the Island") doesn't mean the island to the east of us, but to the eastern end of that island. Brooklyn and Queens are on Long Island geographically but not in the minds of most New Yorkers. The Subway is always called the Subway even when it is an elevated line. The Metro is in Paris or Washington, DC, the T is in Boston (in order to confuse our friends from that fine city the MTA is planning to call the new Second Avenue Subway the T line, but that's years away). The "tubes" might be in London but for older New Yorkers they refer to the PATH tubes, a separate subway system that goes to New Jersey (just say the PATH). Refer to the line you want by the letter or number of the line, not by the color it is on the map, mainly because there are usually 3 or 4 lines using the same color, but going to different locations. For example, . Some New Yorkers will refer to the various lines by their older names: example the 8th Avenue line (A, C, E trains) or the Lex (the Lexington Avenue line ? the 4, 5, or 6 trains). We stand on line not in line, and never in queue. For breakfast we often have a "cuppa coffee" and maybe a "bagel with a schmeer" (a bagel with a little bit of cream cheese). Knowing Yiddish (regardless of your religion or ethnic background) is helpful. A Knish is a delightful item for lunch or a snack. The correct pronunciation is KA-nish?. NO ONE talks like The Sopranos.
We drink soda (Coke, Pepsi, 7-Up) not pop. "A diet" usually means a Diet Cola, which almost always comes with a slice of lemon. For example: "I'm going up to the Met to meet some friends for a burger and a diet." Translates to: "I am going to go uptown (north) to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to meet some friends for lunch. I think I'll have a hamburger (or maybe a cheesburger) and a diet coke with a wedge of lemon'. Really, it does. Honest. No kidding.
A word from the author I hope that you have enjoyed this totally biased and opinionated look at New York. These are my personal views (except for the sections written by the mysterious J). If prices are listed they are correct as of January 25, 2007. So you have my opinions, I hope that they were helpful, and I welcome your comments and suggestions. Special thanks to Comden and Green for the show, J, Tom, Derek, and Ric for their assistance, and special thanks to Brad for paying half the rent and so much more.