i do think anyone visiting NYC for the first time should go to times square and a musical, empire state building etc just for the novelty of it, and here are some other things that may be fun! (also search “new york”/“nyc” on pi.fyi, i did it for “london” and found a lot of cool stuff!)
- definitely go to moma or the met! also the guggenheim has an amazing jenny holzer exhibit on until sept 29. skip amnh!
- NYPL Polonsky Exhibition - everything from the original winnie the pooh to a beautiful mini leaf-shaped Quran! (you could get coffee, go to the whitney then walk the high line and take the subway to the NYPL main branch for the exhibit!)
- staten island ferry in the afternoon - to see the statue of liberty! however, do NOT go during rush hour (6-9:30AM and 3-8PM) it sucks for locals when tourists add to the crowd during that time and the boats will be crowded enough with commuters that the experience sucks for you also lol
- picnic in central park! you could do lunch, or broad nosh bagels is like a block away from the 59th st station, sometimes if i’m around in the morning, i get breakfast from there and eat it in the park. at least have a bagel at some point
- cool bookstores: the strand, p&t knitwear, housing works (soho)
enjoy your visit!! :)
Sep 11, 2024
Related Recs
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i've transcribed our conversation for your reading pleasure.
parks:
- Rockefeller park
- Central Park, but not if you don't like crowds and are looking for a peaceful walk (you can also rent a bike nearby and ride it through the park)
- not necessarily a park, but the Highline. used to be a railway, is now a place for gardening and walking. beautiful views, lovely walk.
- Robert F. Wagner Jr. Park, river views, great for picnic
- Battery Park, very zen place to be, suggest you go at dusk to see the sun set over the city skyline. you can also see the statue of liberty from there
brunch:
- Gee Whiz Diner, dope pancakes, bomb eggs benedict
- Sarabeth's, stunning pancakes
- Pick A Bagel, you can get any kind of bagel to go/to stay, absolutely delicious
lunch/dinner:
- Shake Shack, great burgers, best attraction is the fries, can't go wrong with fast food
- Gee Whiz Diner, again, incredible grilled cheeses
- Golden Unicorn, stunning Chinese cuisine, godly dumplings
- Lombardi's, historic pizza place
- Benihana, Japanese food, you get the chef cooking in front of you experience
activities:
- Museum of Natural History, if you are a fan of archeology/paleontology/or just science in general
- South Street Seaport, occasionally there are seafood stands, but otherwise its a nice walk and a historic location
- Pier 25, great minigolf, can also play volleyball here
- If you like sports, Chelsea Piers, its also right by the Highline so you can kill two birds with one stone
- if you have money and want to do some shopping, check out Williamsburg
- take the ferry to Ellis Island, it stops at Liberty Island so you can still see the statute of liberty up close but you don't have to get off if you don't want to deal with the crowds. Plus Ellis Island is also pretty cool, you can search up if your relatives came through Ellis Island
Apr 16, 2024
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Hi!! I’ve lived in brooklyn for a few years and part of living here is that you become effectively a part-time airbnb for all your friends when they come to NY. So I feel like i’ve seen the good and bad ways to visit.
10 days is a nice chunk of time! i think the most important thing is to pick 1 area or neighborhood and plan your days around that. like spend a day doing all the little shops in williamsburg, do a park slope / brooklyn museum day, etc.
The “perfect day for first-timers” that i take my friends when they visit me for the first time: Get a cute little lunch at Cafe Gitanne in Dumbo, go to the little dumbo shops - Front General (both locations), Natural Selection, Hudson Wilder. Then take the ferry to greenpoint - you get to see the entire skyline and it’s literally $4. Get pierogis and borscht from pierozek. Go to the greenpoint bars, end up at three-decker diner in the middle of the night.
also go to rolo’s and get the polenta flatbread!!!!
Jan 17, 2025
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- The grocery store franchise closest to you is possibly overcharging, so sometimes groceries become a sort of Halloween style I buy fruit from here, pantry things from here, etc etc
- Lots of free things to do with a library card!! so many museums have discounted / free admission, the Met for example allows you to do a suggested donation when showing a library card
- Obvious but tap water is 🤌🏻🤌🏻🤌🏻 no need to buy fancy water when going out to eat (and on this note I always carry around a reusable water bottle and one of those little electric fans bc the temperature outside never matches the subway)
- There is no greater joy than getting a blanket and a book and people watching on Sheep Meadow/the Mall/ at any park
- Explore the other boroughs!!
- It’s so cliche but you can stumble upon so many fun restaurants, events, bars, shops, concerts, museums, etc etc by just strolling around
- In tandem with the above I sometimes check the Time Out NY website, the New York Times daily newsletter, New York Magazine. The New Yorker, etc for inspiration and info about things going on
- Citymapper is your bff for navigating the subway/bus/transit/walking/etc and is great with keeping you posted on any delays
- On this note also always check an MTA app or citymapper etc to see if trains are running, can save you time and sanity
- So many free concerts and events at places like the 92nd Street Y, in Bryant Park, SummerStage in Central Park
- If you like TV you can go to tapings of shows or get paid to be part of the studio audience on websites like 1iota or Shadow Casting and Productions
- Also can get lots of free things from pop ups that different brands host throughout the city, my roommate usually finds them on instagram
- Join the free rewards program of your favorite coffee place / grocery store/ etc
Feb 21, 2024
Top Recs from @marxinista
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being traditionally cool is really quite boring and iterative, and it’s actually very cool and sexy to geek out about something you like or share bits of knowledge on a topic you’re passionate about
Aug 17, 2024
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i had it for a little over a year until i was like wow this is actually terrible! i genuinely think it has negatively impacted society by ruining people’s attention spans, having a horrific algorithm, and most of all by the most mind-numbing or outright harmful trends -
fake words that people now use IRL (“unalive”), trad wife tiktok, shein hauls, body-focused fitness vids that encourage fatphobia and unhealthy habits, shallow political/feminist theory and queer discourse, “alpha male” podcaster tiktok, encouraging overconsumption in general, trends ruining local spots or niche things… the list goes on
Aug 17, 2024
a million times cooler than the lackluster “sleek” tech color palette used today
Feb 22, 2025