Tips for New New Yorkers

A friend's daughter will be living in New York for a few weeks as part of a college course she's taking and I decided to pass on a few tips. This project, naturally, morphed into many pages of advice so that it's now more of a manual - but hey, New York is big. Since I ended up putting so much time into it, I figured I might as well share in case it comes in handy to someone else. Those not heading to NYC may want to skip this, though; it's pretty detailed.

Part of the fun of living in New York is exploring it for yourself. That said, since you have such a short time to be there some tips may help you with the necessities so you can devote your energies to the good stuff. Setting out to write this, I imagine it will be quite long, but I hope reading this stuff before your adventure will help prepare you so you can make the most out of your time in my favorite city. You can always skim it now and refer back to it later as you need it.

GENERAL TIPS AND HELPFUL RESOURCES

I'll start with the most important thing, which doesn't fit in any category below: Fulfill your obligations, but remember that you can sleep when you're dead. You will almost never regret joining friends for a cup of coffee at 1:00 A.M. instead of going home "early." You need to be rested enough to do what's expected of you, but (if your gut is telling you that things seem safe, of course) embrace opportunities to go to new places, meet new people, and have new experiences.

Getting around

·       Get a month-long Metro card; it works on both buses and subways and you'll be using both enough that you can get a better deal than if you refill your card each time it runs low.

·       Speaking of Metro cards, practice swiping it through the machine so that you can do it like a pro. There's a picture of the way to hold the card right by the slot. If you turn it the wrong way, you'll be prompted to swipe it again and feel like everyone is staring at you.

·       Bookmark the MTA Trip Planner website to help you navigate public transit. (It's possible that there's an app available, too, so look into that.) It's way easier than reading the subway map. It will give you step-by-step directions from one place to another and, even more valuable, it will tell you what time you need to leave if you have to arrive by a certain time. Check it well in advance of when you need to be somewhere, and remember to do it before you go underground into a station. Some stations have WiFi now, but not all of them do, and when you're on the train and it goes into the tunnel you'll get no signal at all.

·       Even though the Trip Planner is great, learn to read a subway map. The most confusing part for me was figuring out which stations were express (i.e. all trains stop there) and which stations were local (i.e. only local trains stop there and express trains go through them without stopping). Many times in my first year I'd get on the right line and then watch in horror as my train went right past the station I wanted. Pro tip: Express stations are marked by a white circle on the map. This means that all trains will stop at them. Go online and check out a map right now. See Times Square? That's an excellent example of how an express stop is marked. Local stations are marked by a black circle. Check out 110^th Street on the 1,2,3 line (which is red). See how there's a black dot there? That means that if you need to get to 110^th, take a local train. An express train will go right by it and won't stop until it gets to the next express station. (The signs will tell you which trains are express, and the conductor will also make an announcement as you're boarding the train so you'll be able to tell.)

·       Don't be afraid to ask someone waiting on the platform next to you if the train you're about to get on is going in the right direction. (Just say, "Does this train go to Grand Central?") Ditto for if you're worried that you may be getting on an express train when you need a local. New Yorkers have a bad reputation for being unfriendly, but they secretly love helping newbies because it stokes their egos. Do not, however, wait until you're about to step on the train to ask; if the person doesn't know the answer you'll want to leave yourself time to ask someone else.

·       A word about buses: Take a look at the subway map and notice that nearly all the lines in Manhattan run north to south. Traveling east to west, i.e. across Manhattan, is known as going "crosstown" and crosstown transportation in Manhattan is inadequate to say the least. The subway lines that will take you crosstown are few and far between. I found buses in New York to be really slow and preferred walking to taking the bus in almost all cases, but crosstown transportation was the exception. There are lots of bus lines that run east to west. Learn to love the crosstown buses.

·       Always allow yourself plenty of extra time to get somewhere. Best case scenario: You show up early and have time to look around the neighborhood or sit and read your book. Worst case scenario: You have time to recover when you miss your stop or get on a train going in the wrong direction. (If that happens, don't panic. Get off the train at the next platform and it's easy to fix.)

·       If the light on top of a cab is on, it's available. If the light is off, it's occupied. Don't waste your time trying to flag cabs with lights off. It always amazes me how many people attempt this. To flag a cab, stand on a corner and hold your arm straight up. No need to yell, "Taxi!" When you tell them where you want to go, give them a corner (e.g. "The corner of 8^th Avenue and 20^th Street") rather than an address or location. You may need to check Google maps before getting into a cab so you're ready to tell them where you want to go. If they ask what route you want to go (this is rare) just say, "Whatever you think will be fastest." You can pay by credit card or cash. Don't forget to tip. Sidenote: I almost (almost) always love talking to cab drivers, especially if they're foreign, which is almost always the case. Many are chatty and pleasant and have interesting things to say.

·       If you use Citibike, wear a helmet. Lots of people don't. They are all idiots.

Safety and Sanity

I virtually never felt unsafe in New York. There is always someone around (but if you find yourself on a sketchy, dark street at night and don't see another soul, find another street to walk down) and it's well policed. But you should still keep your wits about you, if for no other reason than you don't want to get stuck talking to a weirdo. There are lots of weirdos in New York. There are lots of cool, eccentric people, too, and you may worry that by following my advice to keep to yourself you will miss out on opportunities to get to know them. Consider this: Cool, eccentric people don't generally start conversations on the subway platform with strangers. Conversation with a stranger at a private party? Do it. Conversation with a stranger on the street? Most likely a weirdo. Move on.

·       Be aware of your surroundings. The very, very few muggings you hear about all start the same way: "I was looking at my phone and then, out of nowhere…" If you must check your phone, step off the sidewalk and stand with your back to a wall while you do it, and don't get too engrossed in what you're reading. Look up every ten seconds or so. If you wear earbuds in the city, particularly in a neighborhood you don't know well, keep only one of them in so you can hear what's going on. Look around you as you walk. Scary people target those who they can surprise. If you see someone who looks iffy, make eye contact with them. If they can't surprise you, you're not an easy target and they'll look for someone else. I don't want to scare you; I have every confidence you'll be more than fine. But it never hurts to stack the deck in your favor.

·       Keep your purse zipped.

·       Never carry your credit card and your debit card at the same time. It sucks to be in NYC without access to money, so on the off chance that you get mugged (again, I can't stress enough unlikely this is) or lose your wallet (much more likely), leave one of those cards safely in your apartment. If disaster strikes, you'll be able to eat and get around until you can get a replacement from the bank.

·       Develop a thick skin. Everyone in New York thinks they're very important and they all seem to be in a hurry. They will be curt and may snap at you, probably without just cause. Don't take it personally. Learn to roll your eyes, laugh to yourself, and move on with your life.

·       That said, be aware of when you're in the way, which takes a lot of concentration in a city as densely populated as NYC. For the love of god, don’t stop walking at the top or bottom of stairways, and if you need to look at your phone or a map on the sidewalk, pull over. Think of walking in NYC like driving. You have to look before you enter traffic, and you have to pull over if you're going to slow down suddenly or you'll cause a collision. Oh, and before you get on a subway car, stand to the side to let people get off it first, then walk into the middle of the car if you're going more than one stop.

·       Look into renter's insurance. It may not be worth it for just a month, but many plans will cover loss/theft, too. A friend of a friend had a cell phone stolen in Union Square (because she was probably being an idiot and set it down somewhere – don't do that) and her policy covered the cost. It'll cover your stuff in case a water pipe in your apartment bursts or something, too.

·       If someone strikes up a conversation with you, don't give them any personal information about yourself (e.g. your name, that you're new to the city, that you're alone if you are, where you live, etc.). If you ever feel that you're tired of talking to them or are getting a weird vibe, don't feel bad about ending the hurting someone's feelings. Don't worry about them; worry about you. You should always be polite, but it's totally fine to be curt and extricate yourself ("You know, I'm running late. Have a great day." Exit stage right)

·       People will ask you for money multiple times a day. Sometimes they will be pushy. Get good at saying no. You'll feel like a jerk sometimes, but if they're persistent, smile, say, "I'm sorry I can't help you. Good luck," then avert your eyes and walk away without waiting for them to respond.

General

·       In your purse, always carry the following: reading material, your phone charger, a small water bottle, a folding umbrella, a packable scarf (so you can wrap it around you if you get stuck on an overly air-conditioned subway car), a notebook and pen, a pocket pack of tissues (Starbucks is almost always out of toilet paper), and hand sanitizer. You may want a granola bar and some aspirin, too. If this stuff won't fit, get a bigger purse. You'll find that you leave your apartment in the morning and may not be back again for twelve hours or more, so you want to be prepared for anything. (You can always buy what you need on the go, but that can get pricey.)

·       Use your student ID for discounts wherever possible. Always ask if you're not sure whether you can get a discount. NYC is crazy expensive, so hit up deals every chance you get.

·       Always make reservations whenever you can. Get movie tickets in advance (using Fandango) and get to the theater early to score decent seats. Call restaurants ahead of time. It's beyond frustrating to have your evening plans foiled because everyone else in the city decided to go to the same ramen place you wanted to try. If you can't make reservations, show up early.

·       Use every clean bathroom you find, even if you don't really have to go. They are few and far between when you're out and about. In a pinch, Starbucks bathrooms are an option, but they're usually gross. (See above for tips about tissue and hand sanitizer. NYC is filthy. You will often be tempted to bathe in your hand sanitizer.)

·       Shoes that are comfortable in dry weather will kill your feet in humidity. Carry Band-Aids for blisters unless you've tested each pair of shoes you own over several miles. Don't wear heels – nothing is worth the price you will pay. Instead, invest in foldable flats and carry your heels in a tote until you get to your destination, then switch.

·       Don't eat around Times Square unless you long to pay top dollar for mediocre food from chain restaurants.

·       Do buy fruit from street vendors. They're legit, and you'll get good prices. Smile and they may throw in a free apple or something.

Now for the fun stuff!

Places to Sit for a While – free unless noted

One of the joys of living in New York is people-watching, but there aren't many benches around. Here are some good places to post up and read, write, or just watch the world go by.

·       Bryant Park – right next to the main branch of the New York Public Library. A small and charming oasis in the madness of midtown.

·       Reading room in the main branch of the New York Public Library – You don't need a library card to get in and you can sit all day in this beautiful, meditative place.

·       Poet's Walk in Central Park – The whole park is great, but I particularly like this tree-lined, gravel avenue, and there are tons of benches.

·       Riverside Park – You can sit in the grassy part or on one of the benches along the river. There's usually a nice breeze, too.

·       Grounded – My favorite coffee shop in the West Village. It's low-key and they don't mind if you hang out all day as long as you buy something.

·       Union Square – There are benches in the center. I love this area.

Free Stuff

New York is expensive, but there's a lot you can do for free if you know where to look.

·       Shakespeare in the Park – You can't buy tickets to this free series of performances in Central Park; they're only available gratis if you go in person or enter the online lottery. Check their website to see whether performances will be running while you're there. If so, create on online account and log in to try your luck each day. You can also get up at the crack of dawn to stand in line, but who wants to do that?

·       Shakespeare in the Parking Lot – This gem of a company is much smaller and so doesn't have to manage mobs of people like Shakespeare in the Park does. The quality of their performances is outstanding. Visit their website to see what's playing when and where. Sometimes they do actually perform in a parking lot in the center of a square of benches, but sometimes shows are in one of the city's smaller parks.

·       Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. I never get tired of doing this. The views are fantastic. You can take the subway back across the river once you get to Brooklyn, or walk back. (Don't bother walking across other bridges; they're not nearly as nice.)

·       The MOMA is free on (I think) Fridays. Brace yourself for a zoo, though.

·       The Metropolitan Museum asks for a donation of your choice rather than charging a set admission price. So technically you could get in for free, though I always felt weird not throwing out at least a few dollars.

·       Staten Island Ferry – More great views, though there's not much worth doing once you get to Staten Island. Ride the ferry out, get off the ferry when you arrive, then board the next one headed for Manhattan.

CHECK OUT

Restaurants

There are SO many good ones it's a little mind-blowing, but these offer not just great food but also memorable experiences.

·       Kenka – This is the most authentic izakaya (Japanese pub) I've been to in the States. Look carefully on a map before you try to find it; the sign is not in English. It's casual, inexpensive, and a little racy J Show up when they first open or be prepared to wait a while; they don't take reservations. At the end of the meal, you'll get a small cup of colored sugar, which you take to the cotton candy machine outside to make your own.

·       McSoreley's – Can't remember whether you're 21 yet. If you are, go to this place, which is the oldest continuously operating bar in the city. They have only two kinds of beer, light and dark, and they sell you two small glasses of either (or one of each) for $5. Don't ask for one glass for $2.50 – for some reason they don't do it that way, and the glasses are really small so you're not going to get smashed by drinking both. Be sure to note the gross dusty things hanging from the light fixture above the bar. They're wish bones. Apparently a bunch of local boys all hung them there the night before reporting for duty at the start of WWI. They all vowed to come back and remove their own wishbone at the end of the war. Some of them never came back, though, and so no one has taken their wishbones down. Pretty amazing.

·       The Cloister Café – I love this place. Sit in the garden under the grape arbor and it's like being transported to a Mediterranean country.

·       Murray's Bagels – This is the best bagel place in NYC; ignore anyone who tells you otherwise. Don’t ask them to toast your bagel; they'll snap at you that they don't toast their bagels because they're so fresh. Fair warning: You'll be ruined for other bagels for life once you taste theirs. Totally worth it, though. *Update: As of 12/2016, Murray's toasts their bagels. I expect that things will begin falling up instead of down any day now.

Museums

Yeah, the MOMA and the Met are nice, but don't miss these smaller ones, which are, in my opinion, far superior.

·       The Frick – Housed in the mansion of a Gilded Age tycoon-turned-art-collector, this is my favorite art museum in the city.

·       The Morgan Library – Girl, hold on to your hat. You will want to live here. When he wasn't running the world, J.P. Morgan collected manuscripts from every country and era. I have seen the actual handwritten first draft of A Christmas Carol here, a letter written by George Washington, and a short story Truman Capote wrote in pencil on binder paper when he was in middle school. There are also old Bibles, sheet music, and all kinds of other wonderful things and exhibits rotate frequntly. And you get to see Morgan's library and office, which are simply stunning.

·       Cooper Hewitt – This is a brand new museum, devoted to design (not fashion necessarily) in Andrew Carnegie's mansion. It's tough to describe what's in there exactly, but trust me: go. My parents and I spent hours looking at every single exhibit when we were there in February. It's fascinating, interactive, and really thoughtfully designed.

·       Jewish Museum – Check to see which rotating exhibit is on tap. They often have really outstanding art collections passing through, and the setting is more intimate than at some of the larger museums so you really have time to enjoy the pieces.

·       Tenement Museum – Walk through some of the old tenements that people used to live in during one of the two immigration booms in 1800s. It's incredibly interesting and feels a bit like you're in Gangs of New York.

Experiences

·       Go for a run in Central Park (the outer loop is six miles, but you can cut parts off of it and do shorter routes if you want). There is also a great running path along the Hudson River. Don't run over the Brooklyn Bridge; it's way too crowded and gets frustrating.

·       Register for and run a race with the New York Road Runners (www.nyrr.org). There's nothing like it even if you're not in the best shape of your life, and you'll get a cool souvenir t-shirt. Sign up early; they tend to sell out.

·       Shop at the Union Square Farmers' Market on a Saturday.

·       Spend time in both the West Village (posh) and the East Village (gritty) checking out boutiques and ducking into coffeehouses. Let yourself get lost—not tough to accomplish in these older parts of the city where you leave the grid of streets behind—and enjoy wandering.

·       Have a picnic in Strawberry Fields in Central Park. It's an area dedicated to John Lennon who used to live in, and was killed outside of, the Dakota, a huge apartment building right across the street.

·       Need some more green? Morningside Park, the north part of Central Park, and Riverside Park are all so close together you can walk through all of them in one afternoon.

·       Visit Rockefeller Center (beware, it's always crowded) to admire Diego Rivera's murals and go to the Top of the Rock. You can go to the top of the Empire State Building, too, but I'm partial to Top of the Rock. Don't do both, though; one is sufficient to give you a bird's-eye view of the city and the trips up are expensive.

Miscellaneous

·       Brooklyn Botanical Garden – Not free, alas, but worth every penny. Bring a picnic lunch and plan to spend the day sitting under trees and wandering the different gardens. Don't miss the greenhouses.

·       The Strand – Super cool, huge bookstore off Union Square that sells both new and used books. Be sure to buy one of their iconic tote bags.

·       Little Italy/Chinatown – Very different flavors, obviously, but they're right next to each other, which makes for an interesting experience. I don't recommend eating in Little Italy; the restaurants are mediocre and over-priced. (Let me know if you want me to recommend some great Italian food.) In Chinatown, though, eat at WuHop. It's cheap, authentic, and fantastic. And it's a great place to shop for cheap produce, tea, and that sort of thing, too.

·       Eataly – Part marketplace, part upscale food court (that’s a terrible description but I can't think of how else to say it), this enormous place is wonderful. It's fun to check out all the different imported food products, and you can eat at any of the restaurants inside it. There's pasta, pizza, fish, steak, etc. The cheese counter is unparalleled. You can shop with a glass of wine in your hand or visit the rooftop beer garden, too. And it's right next to Madison Square Park, which is a nice place to stop if you're in the neighborhood, though not so cool that you should go out of your way to see it if you're not already close by. Be sure to look for the Flatiron Building while you're in the area. They don't do tours or anything, but it's a really cool building to admire from the outside.

Performances

There's no shortage of great, and terrible, performances in New York. Here's a list of my favorite venues/performance series; check out their line-ups and get tickets for literary/musical/cinematic events you want to attend ASAP:

·       The 92^nd Street Y

·       Symphony Space (not just music)

·       The Moth

·       Cooper Union

·       Lincoln Center

Many bookstores arrange for visiting authors to come speak and you get top-notch writers in New York, so search for people you want to see that way.

It seems obvious to list Broadway, but you should see not only a musical but also a play while you're there. Check out off-Broadway shows, too. They're cheaper and are usually just as good. If The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is still there when you are, see it, and get seats as close to the front as you can.

Resources

·       The best source of information for events in New York is New York Magazine. It's an excellent magazine altogether, but even if you don't read a single article it's worth looking into just for their weekly event calendar. Either pick up a copy (it's at every newsstand and in every drugstore) or go to their website.

·       Also, check out my blog (www.bguadagni.blogspot.com). Use the tags "NYC Arts" and "New York" to skim through posts I wrote about the thing I did while there. You may get more ideas about things to do, and things to avoid.

I'm quite jealous; one has only one chance to fall in love with New York for the first time. Enjoy every moment!