These Are a Few of Our Favorite Things NYC through the eyes of the BAA Staff
Greetings, BAA Parents!
New York City is an exciting place and everyone who lives here has a different idea of the best things to do and see. Since we know many of you will have a lot of time on your own here in NYC, we asked our staff to share their favorite places and activities so you can enjoy an “insiders” experience. At the bottom of this document, you will also find information about getting around NYC- the subway is your friend! Please feel free to contact any of us with questions!
JOEY FALDUTI'S NEW YORK ([email protected] )
• Governor's Island. (http://www.govisland.com ) • The Cloisters. (www.metmuseum.org/visit/visit-the-cloisters ) • The High Line. (www.thehighline.org/ ) • The Tenement Museum. (http://www.tenement.org/ ) • Favorite restaurant for brunch: Peels on Bowery and 2nd St. (East Village) 325 Bowery, www.peelsnyc.com • Favorite restaurant for dessert: Rocco's Pasticceria (My favorite is the French Lulu!) 243 Bleecker St. (West Village) http://pasticceriarocco.com • Favorite place to grab a snack: Usually if it's something quick I drop into Starbucks since they're everywhere. And I LOVE Pax, I just wish there were more of them. • Favorite place to get something random I need: Duane Reade. Walgreens. CVS. • Favorite place to grab a coffee: Skip the coffee and check out Argo Tea (www.argotea.com ) • Favorite place to shop: SoHo!! Garden State Plaza Mall in Paramus, NJ (http://www.westfield.com/gardenstateplaza ) • Favorite neighborhood to walk around: The West Village • Favorite park: Try hopping on the PATH train (located at 33rd St. & 6th Ave) to Hoboken (last stop, about a 15 minute ride) and take a walk in the park along the Hudson. The view of the city is spectacular. There are also fantastic places to eat while you take in the view. The PATH is $2.25 each way and you can pay with a Pay-Per-Ride MetroCard, or buy a separate fare card at the station. • Favorite food: Food trucks!! The best Halal cart is Sammy's, which is usually parked on 6th Ave a little above W. 4th St. I recommend the Chicken & Rice or Lamb & Rice with white sauce. Be careful of the red sauce- it's made of fire. Keep an eye out for Wafels & Dinges (www.wafelsanddinges.com ), which has several trucks around the city. The Big Gay Ice Cream Truck was a big hit, but they now have two stores (www.biggayicecream.com ) and the truck will not be out this summer. Check out www.newyorkstreetfood.com for the latest in NY street food.
ANDI HOPKINS' NEW YORK ([email protected]
• Favorite restaurant for brunch: Boat House Cafe in Central Park • Favorite restaurant for dessert: Serendipity's • Favorite Broadway show: Motown • Favorite place to shop: Garden State Outlet, Elizabeth NJ (there is a bus from Port Authority) • Favorite neighborhood to walk around: Park Slope, Brooklyn • Favorite park: Hi Line • Favorite Sushi: Kodama (Midtown) • Favorite Theatre Restaurant/Bar Hang: Glass House Tavern (Midtown)
ASHLEIGH JUNIO'S NEW YORK ([email protected] ) • Favorite restaurant for brunch:Tea and Sympathy (http://teaandsympathynewyork.com/ )- I'm half Brit so I have a big soft spot for this English owned and operated restaurant in the West Village. Try the welsh rarebit, the scones with clotted cream, or the Full Monty breakfast! • Favorite restaurant for a swanky dinner: Quality Meats (http://www.qualitymeatsnyc.com )- If you want to treat yourself to a killer steak, this is the spot for you. They have fabulous small plates in addition to the more traditional steak house fare, and they have a GORGEOUS wine list! • Favorite cheap eats: Royal Bangladesh (http://www.yelp.com/biz/royal- bangladesh-indian-restaurant-newyork#query:indian%20row )- This Indian Restaurant has crazy decor (which I think is part of its charm), food that's tasty and CHEAP, and a garden out back that's fun in the summer. • Favorite restaurant for dessert: Rice to Riches (https://www.ricetoriches.com/ )- This place serves rice pudding and only rice pudding- about 30 different gourmet varieties, all of them RIDICULOUSLY yummy. Try the "Man Made Marscapone" or the "Cinnamon Sling". • Favorite place to grab a snack: Dogmatic (http://www.dogmatic.com/ )- Delicious gourmet "hot dogs" served in baguettes with your choice of special sauces! NOM NOM! • Favorite place to get a sexy grown up drink: Bathtub Gin (http://bathtubginnyc.com/) This is an intimate, "speakeasy" bar that is actually hidden inside a coffee shop! Get an “Aviation” cocktail, they’re my favorite! • Favorite place to get a laid back grown up drink: Birreria (http://www.eataly.com/birreria )- This is the rooftop bar has a FANTASTIC view of the NYC skyline and they have some mighty tasty beers, wines, and small plates. • Favorite clothes shop: Century 21 (http://www.c21stores.com/ )- This discount designer department store is an NYC favorite amongst those of us who like pretty clothes but who don't want to kill our bank accounts in pursuit thereof. • Favorite book store: The Strand (http://www.strandbooks.com/ )- Also an NYC staple and a great place to find a cool mix of new, used, and rare books. • Favorite park: Fort Tryon Park (http://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/forttryonpark )- Fort Tryon is perched on the cliffs of upper Manhattan, so you get an amazing view of the George Washington Bridge, the Hudson River, and the Palisades. There are lots of little gardens, lawns, rambling paths, and stone bridges. The park is also home to the Cloisters, a medieval art museum built in the style of a monastery (they have one of the famous Unicorn Tapestries if you're into that sort of thing...which I definitely AM!). • Favorite workout: Broadway Dance Center (http://www.broadwaydancecenter.com/)-One of NYCs top dance studios, this is a great place to take class whether you're a professional or you've never taken a class in your life! They offer about 50 "Drop In" classes per day in all different styles and levels. Each class is $18 and you pay as you go so there's no obligation to take more than one. If you don't happen to travel with your tap shoes (what? that's weird...), try a jazz, hip hop, or Zumba class where you can wear any old work out clothes and your sneakers. No fancy gear required!
MICHELLE LEHRMAN'S NEW YORK ([email protected] )
• Favorite “Day Off” Plan: Days off in New York are my favorite. I'm a morning person, so I'd get up on the earlier side and go take a class at SoulCycle, which is my favorite! There are multiple locations in NYC and my favorite is in TriBeCa, which is very easy to get to from midtown. After that, I love to have brunch with friends, especially if it's nice enough to sit outside! I'd probably spend some time at home after going to Trader Joe's and Zabar's for groceries, and then go out for a nice dinner. If it's nice out, I love to walk until I absolutely have to get on the subway. Oh, and if I could squeeze it in, I would definitely go see an improv show at Upright Citizen's Brigade in Chelsea (http://www.ucbtheatre.com/ )! • Favorite restaurant for brunch: Good Enough to Eat on 83rd Street. You're going to have to wait in line but it's worth it for the strawberry butter! (http://goodenoughtoeat.com/). • Favorite restaurant for dinner: Gene's on W. 11th Street. This place is old New York - it's been there since 1919. The food is consistently excellent and there is a very reasonable pre-fix menu. The scallops are heaven! (http://www.genesnyc.com/ ) Favorite restaurant for dessert: OK, I need to do this in categories. • Favorite Ice Cream Sundae: Sugar & Plumm on the Upper West Side. Get ANYTHING with salted caramel! (http://www.sugarandplumm.com/ ) • Favorite Cookies: Levain Bakery on the Upper West Side. Please bring me a chocolate chip cookie. Ashleigh probably wants one too. (http://www.levainbakery.com/ ) • Favorite Cupcakes: Molly's Cupcakes in the West Village. The cake batter cupcake is A-MAH-ZING! (http://www.mollyscupcakes.com/) If you're not sure what you're in the mood for and you want a bunch of options, Cafe Lalo is the place to go. You may recognize it from the movie You've Got Mail ! (http://cafelalo.com/cafe/ ) • Favorite place to grab a snack: Juice Generation. The I <3 Watermelon smoothie is myfavorite! (http://www.juicegeneration.com/ ) • Favorite Broadway show: Once. It broke my heart and I loved every second. It's so beautiful! • Favorite park: The Tribeca section of the Hudson River Park. It's beautiful! You can go enjoy the park after your class at the SoulCycle in Tribeca :) (http://www.hudsonriverpark.org/explore-thepark/ neighborhoods/tribeca ) • Favorite neighborhood to walk around: I love getting lost in the West Village. There are tons of shops to browse and plenty of restaurant options. • Favorite workout: SOULCYCLE!!!! I'm 200% addicted. It's a cardio party and a religious experience. Some might even call it a cult ;) All of the instructors are amazing, but I'll tell you my favorites if you ask! You can take your first class for $20 (normally $34) - just call the studio and set up an account!. My favorite studio is in TriBeCa, but I also go to the studios on W. 77th Street, E. 83rd Street, and E. 63rd Street. They are all relatively easy to get to from midtown. I might even go with you! (http://www.soul-cycle.com/soul-east/ ) And in the winter, Lyons Den Power Yoga in TriBeCa! (http://lyonsdenpoweryoga.com/ ) • Favorite tourist attraction: If you love Sex and the City like I do, the bus tour is actually a ton of fun. I did it a few years ago when a friend came into town. I do NOT recommend bringing any guests under 18! (http://www.zerve.com/OnLocation/SATC )
AMANDA LUPACCHINO'S NEW YORK ([email protected] )
• Favorite restaurant for brunch: Hudson River Cafe (W 133rd St) • Favorite restaurant for dinner: Blockheads (50th between 8th and 9th Ave, Worldwide Plaza) • Favorite restaurant for dessert: Schmackary's !!!! THEY HAVE GLUTEN FREE COOKIES :) (45th btwn 8th and 9th Ave) • Favorite place to grab a snack: Ripley Grier Oasis Café • Favorite place to grab a coffee: Starbucks • Favorite Broadway show: Matilda • Favorite place to shop: SoHo • Favorite neighborhood to walk around: Battery Park City • Favorite park: Riverside Park • Favorite workout: Running along the Hudson River or dance class at Broadway Dance Center
CAIT MURPHY'S NEW YORK ([email protected] ) • Favorite restaurant for brunch: Good Enough to Eat (85th and Columbus)-- the wait everyday (even during the week!!) is super long BUT the food is definitely worth it! • Favorite restaurant for dinner: Intermezzo in Chelsea OR Delta Grill (48th and 9th)-- just because I work there and the mac and cheese is AMAZING. • Favorite restaurant for dessert: Big Gay Ice Cream (7th Ave South and Grove)--- is this appropriate?!?! ALSO La Maison du Macaron on 23rd between 6th and 7th is AMAZING • Favorite place to grab a snack: Blossom du Jour (44th and 9th)-- GREAT kale salad and amazing vegan cookies! • Favorite place to grab a coffee: Think Coffee (Mercer and 4th Street); cool vibe, great coffee! • Favorite place to shop: 5th Ave from Union Square to about 23rd Street; there are also GREAT vintage stores on 23rd St. • Favorite neighborhood to walk around: getting lost in SoHo is always super fun--- there are always new things to find!! • Favorite park: Washington Square Park-- especially during the summer! There is always someone playing music (jazz, guitar, ANYTHING)-- great place for a picnic! • Favorite workout: running around the reservoir in Central Park around 86th street-- beautiful, peaceful, AND healthy!
DREW O'BRYAN'S NEW YORK ([email protected] )
• Favorite restaurant for brunch: The Hummus Place, Greenwich Village (7th Ave & Bleecker St) • Favorite restaurant for dinner: Caracas Arepa Bar (291 Grand St., Brooklyn) • Favorite place to grab a coffee: Butch's Oasis in Ripley Grier Studios! • Favorite Broadway show: Kinky Boots • Favorite place to shop: Soho has plenty of big stores and nice little boutiques surrounding the area. I go there when I'm in the mood for a bit of everything. • Favorite neighborhood to walk around: Greenwich Village is super cute and has a lot of cool historical/cultural places to see. Like The Stonewall Inn and Carrie Bradshaw's apartment! • Favorite park: Central Park gets the majority of my attention. • Favorite workout: Walking the Brooklyn Bridge.
SCHEHERAZADE QUIROGA'S NEW YORK ([email protected] ) • Favorite Park: I'd walk the High Line! (Chelsea)The Summer weather is perfect for this and it's the perfect place to enjoy and relax. A park built upon the abandoned NYC train elevated tracks, that crosses Chelsea from 30th to 14th Street through 10th Ave. The park is modern, filled with nice spots to seat and read, eat, enjoy unique and beautiful views of the city, enjoy unique art and refresh yourself in the watery walkway (you have to see it!) As it can get hot, I personally like to get ice cream, and then go up and walk down from 30th St. You get beautiful views of Chelsea, the Piers, the Hudson river and even New Jersey from across the river's shores. You can take some wonderful pictures, especially at dusk. Oh! And by the end of the walk, you're in the village at 14th St. nonetheless! With designer shops and restaurants to choose. You deserve a meal after that walk :) http://www.thehighline.org/ • Favorite restaurant for dessert: Levain bakery! HANDS DOWWWWNNN! They sell cookies that are oh-so-much more than a cookie: they're a concoction between a cookie, a brownie and cake. Words are not enough to describe this. They are so perfect that they only sell four kinds and one will fulfill you like a meal! My favorite location is at 67 W 74th St., right next to the 72nd street Subway stop (1, 2, 3). The shop is tiny but it's surrounded by cookie eaters devouring these baked pieces of heaven. My mouth is watering from writing this. http://www.levainbakery.com • Favorite place to grab a coffee: Amy's Bread! Wow... I go to a lot of bakeries, apparently. This is a lovely place to go have a bakery based, European style breakfast after dropping your little ones at BAA :) My favorite location is the village on Bleecker St. You can sit in the small round tables and enjoy the street view while enjoying a croissant and a proper cappuccino. All sorts of bread, cakes and baked goods are available, salty and sweet. Hope you're not on a carb diet! http://www.amysbread.com/ • Favorite Broadway show: It may be becoming an oldie, but BOOK OF MORMON is a must watch! Take a walk through the theatre district and try for the lottery for last minute tickets two hours before each show. If you win, you'll get front row seats. (Hey, I won! So it's doable!) • Favorite neighborhood to walk around: I love walking around Lincoln Square (UWS, between 59th and 72nd St). Especially through Lincoln Center, see the fountain and chill in the illumination lawn (and elevated, architectural lawn) in front of the Juilliard school and the Library of Performing Arts - - - Key places for every performer to know and use during their time in NYC! • Favorite park: Central Park :-) Watch the fireflies at dusk in the lawn of Central Park South! Walk around and enjoy the beautiful nature views paired with the NYC skyline, bump into musicians, enjoy the carousel or watch a baseball game. Oh! And have lunch at the Boat House (and take a boat around the lake too). http://www.thecentralparkboathouse.com/ • Favorite workout: Walking to the bakeries! :-)
JEFF SHADE'S NEW YORK ([email protected] )
• Favorite Park: CENTRAL PARK: 72nd Street and Central Park West entrance! • Favorite restaurant for dinner: TORTILLA FLATS - 767 Washington Street 212.243.1053 - Busy party like environment. Probably best to leave the children with a babysitter. Catch hulahoop night, bingo nights, trivia night! Reasonably priced and delectable Mexican food!!! Also, DALLAS BBQ on 42nd Street between 8th Ave. and Broadway! Fun family friendly atmosphere with moderately priced BBQ, burgers, salads, ribs, etc!!! • Favorite restaurant for dessert: SERENDIPITY, 225 East 60th Street- you'll recognize it from "the movies!" FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY! 212.838.3531 • Favorite place to grab a snack: AROMA ESPRESSO BAR, 161 West 72nd Street. 212.595.7700 • Favorite place to grab a coffee: AROMA ESPRESSO BAR • Favorite Broadway show: PIPPIN (didn't even see it yet - - but know it will be my favorite!) • Favorite place to shop - - OLD NAVY - - 34th Street, between 7th Ave and Broadway (pretty close to Ripley-Grier Studios) • Favorite neighborhood to walk around - - West Village (Take number 1 train to Christopher Street). Christopher Street is not really the most interesting of streets - - but ALL AROUND Christopher are beautiful cafes, boutiques, restaurants, and scenery! • Favorite park - - CENTRAL PARK, of course. Love the Central Park Zoo! It's kind of hidden. Enter the park at Central Park South and Fifth Avenue - - and walk north along the inside east path IN THE PARK. You will run right into it! There is also a children's petting zoo - - just a little further north of the regular zoo!!!! • Favorite workout - - dance class at STEPS ON BROADWAY! www.stepsnyc.com Classes for students ages 12 and older. If the student is younger than 12 - - it is possible to get permission from the teacher to allow attendance - - on a case by case basis. You can pay by the class (approximately $18.50). Located at 74th and Broadway - - Two blocks from the 1/2/3 subway stop at 72nd Street and Broadway!
Getting around NYC!
• PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: The easiest and most affordable away to get around NYC is to use the subway and bus system, which requires that you buy a Metrocard. Metrocards can be obtained at any subway station and you can generally use cash, credit, or debit to purchase one. There are two types of Metrocards you can buy: a regular Metrocard, where you pay for each ride, or an Unlimited Metrocard, where you purchase a week or a month of unlimited rides. If you plan to be in town for at least a week and use the subway or buses every day, the weekly unlimited card is a great option Otherwise, just purchase a regular Metrocard and pay for rides as you go. IMPORTANT : If you buy an unlimited MetroCard, you can only swipe it once every 20 minutes, so you can't share it with someone else. (http://web.mta.info/metrocard/ ) • TAXI CABS: Another easy (though not as affordable) way to get around NYC is to take a taxi. Yellow taxis are the most common and they will pick you up and drop you off pretty much anywhere. NYC also recently introduced GREEN cabs, which can only pick you up in an outer borough (Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn or Staten Island), although they can drop you off anywhere. The average cab ride around NYC costs between $5 and $35, depending on your destination, and it is now law that you can pay for your cab ride using cash, credit or debit. Please be sure to factor in a 20% tip for your driver for good service. • TRANSPORTATION APPS: The BEST app for getting around New York is HopStop (http://hopstop.com/ ). You can download the app on your iPhone or Droid phone. HopStop is great because it accounts for construction. It will also tell you approximately how long you will need to get from one location to another. All you need is the address!