Best of New York
- Naomi
- May 9, 2017
- 6 min read
Updated: Nov 9, 2018
May marks my last month in New York, and to commemorate my four years in this magical city before I test out the West Coast, Best Coast theory, I'm sharing the 10 things I loved most -- I hope I inspire you to do some of them!
10. Standard Bingo
Every Sunday night at 10:30, a group of people seemingly in denial about the impending work week day show up at The Standard Grill's #notyourstandardbingo bash. Foreigners, locals, yuppies and hip, middle-aged folks alike turn out to turn up with giant alcoholic punch bowls, singing, dancing, and, obviously, bingo. Winning bingo earns you a bottle of prosecco, and a bingo tie results in a hilarious audience-judged dance-off.
Difficulty level: 7 out of 10 -- call 2 weeks in advance on Sunday at 9AM. Most tables are for 5 guests.
Price: $$$
9. Jazz at Marjorie Eliot's
Perhaps the most spiritually uplifting experience I've had in NYC was attending an intimate jazz concert at the house of an amazing woman named Marjorie Eliot. Marjorie has been opening her West Harlem home to the public every Sunday afternoon at 3:30 for nearly 25 years as a tribute to her late sons. She invites some of the best musicians in the city to play both original compositions and feel-good classics. Bring a date or a couple friends and experience what jazz was like in the 1940s and 50s, long before La La Land, while enjoying complimentary orange juice and granola bars. The space is cozy, with only around 50 seats, so arrive early for a good view.
Address: 555 Edgecombe Ave #3F, New York, NY 10032
Difficulty level: 7 out of 10 -- it's a bit of a trek
Price: free, though donations are accepted
8. Yoga
Of course you can do yoga anywhere, but there's something amazing about practicing yoga in the midst of the city that never sleeps. It's humbling reminder to disconnect from the constant hustle and bustle, even if only for an hour.
The most awesome experiences were African tribal-dance-infused yoga to deep house music at Verboten in Williamsburg (now closed, but deep house yoga is still offered at House of Yes), free summertime outdoor yoga at Battery Park (also offered at Bryant Park), and unpretentious, donation-based Yoga To the People-- where you'll inevitably, endearingly, practice two inches away from your neighbor, but just think about the sense of community that creates!
Difficulty level: 4 out of 10
Price: free to $$
7. Rooftops
My one consolation price for moving from a doorman building with an elevator and laundry to a fifth floor walkup the size of a closet is that I finally have roof access, and in New York, any rooftop is better than no rooftop. The door to my janky rooftop is propped open by a paint can, but the unfurnished space with an uneven floor and mediocre view is freeing because there are no rules. A friend in Williamsburg's rooftop, by contrast, has an unreal $20 cocktail-worthy view of every borough and famous landmark. It doesn't matter where you are as much as who you're with--find a roof that suits your style and enjoy being close to the clouds.
Difficulty level: 1 out of 10
Price: free to $$$$
6. Chelsea Gallery Hopping
New York's museums are hard-to-beat, but for a less overwhelming experience, visit Chelsea on Thursday nights from 6 - 8, when new galleries open their doors and serve complimentary beer and wine. It's a completely different experience than visiting the mammoth Met or MOMA-- the Chelsea galleries are more manageable because of their smaller sizes, and the crowd skews towards locals instead of tourists. With the free booze and general trendiness of people visiting the galleries, I recommend people-watching as an essential part of your gallery hop.
It's not uncommon for the artists themselves to be present. My favorite memory is stumbling upon painter Mark Kostabi's studio loft, where a friend and I munched on an amazing cheese tray and imbibed copious amounts of wine in the midst of stacks upon stacks of Kostabi's paintings while he signed autographs and entertained guests.
Difficulty level: 5 out of 10 -- check out the Chelsea Gallery Hop Meetup to make sure there's a hop happening on a given week, then you can wander around to your heart's content
Price: free
5. HAMILTON, Book of Mormon, Avenue Q, Wicked
Let me start by saying that if you live near NYC or Chicago and entering the HAMILTON lottery isn't part of your daily ritual, you need to make it one.
All the HAMILTON buzz-- it's true. The musical is a masterpiece. Is a ticket worth several hundreds of dollars? Probably, but since that's out of reach for nearly everyone, enter the lottery! Chances are slim, but most importantly not impossible, to win the $10 front row tickets. I won after a couple months of entering.
Prior to living in NYC, I'd seen zero Broadway/Off-Broadway plays or musicals, but seven shows later, I'm definitely a fan. My favorites are Book of Mormon (hilariously vulgar), Avenue Q (also vulgar, but with puppets!), and Wicked (heartwarming). I'd skip An American in Paris (more of a ballet than a musical), Miss Saigon (just okay), and Jersey Boys (too much talking, too little singing).
Pro-tip: to save money on Book of Mormon, show up at the box office two and a half hours before showtime and enter the $32 ticket lottery, then immediately get in line for $27 standing room only tickets. Lottery winners are drawn two hours before showtime. If you win, you get seats. If you lose, you can see the show from a great view for crazy cheap by standing for a couple hours.
Difficulty level: varies by show
Price: $10 to $$$$
4. Cheap Ethnic Eats
My New York food motto is to never eat at the same place twice. Deciding where to eat is the equivalent of a Yelp research project. I either embark on a one-off, epicurean exploration or hit-up one of my staples.
As a taco aficionado, I highly recommend NYC's ethnic taquerias, namely 2nd City (Filipino), Taco Mahal (Indian), and Kimchi Taco (Korean).
Shanghai He Ping is THE spot for cheap Chinese food in Manhattan if you don't want to venture to Flushing; Astoria is solid for Brazilian food (try the coxinhas at Pao de Queijo and buffet at Minas Cafe); and 8 course, $25 BYOB Shabbat dinners at Gila's Nosh cooked by Gila and her son, Tomi, including the most fluffy, delicious challah you'll ever eat.
Smorgasburg is a great way to try many different food vendors in one setting, although it can be painfully crowded on weekends.
Difficulty level: 3 out of 10 -- because not all eats are cheap, and not all cheap eats are good
Price: $
3. Wandering Around the Villages
Nice days are the perfect opportunities to walk aimlessly through the West and East Villages, where you're bound to run into something interesting, like a poetry reading and folk band performance in a park you didn't know existed. On the West Side you'll find cozy clothing shops, cute coffee and ice cream spots (get the Van Leeuwen salted caramel milkshake), whereas on the East Side you'll find more thrift stores and cheap ethnic eats.
Difficulty level: 2 out of 10 -- the streets can be a maze
Price: whatever you fall in love with and can't resist buying
2. Doing Absolutely Anything in Parks
New York's parks are fantastic, but living in the midst of a concrete jungle makes you appreciate them even more. Central Park is the perfect spot for a summer afternoon picnic, stroll around the Reservoir, game of Spikeball, or nap in Sheep Meadow to the soothing sounds of the mojito man. The Highline is gorgeous, but visit during off-hours to avoid annoying crowds. The Hudson River Park and East River Park offer unbeatable waterfront running and city views, as well as picnic tables and sports fields. I haven't yet been to Governor's Island, but andI'm told it's wonderful for biking and hammock relaxation.
Difficulty level: 1 out of 10 -- because green space can be difficult to come by
Price: free
1. NYC Marathon
Whether you prefer to spend Sundays pounding the pavement or pounding mimosas, Marathon Day in NYC is one you should experience. Held on the first Sunday of November, hundreds of thousands of people crowd the streets on one of the most exciting days of the year to cheer on over 50,000 runners from around the world. From Brooklyn, to Queens, to the Bronx, and Upper East Side, spectators wave clever signs ("Worst parade ever"), give high fives and snacks, and play or blast music as if to celebrate not running, but beware-- watching may convince you to participate!
You can gain entrance to the marathon by running a qualifying time, raising money for charity, running nine New York Road Runner races the previous year plus volunteering, or winning the lottery (difficult, but I won in my second year of entering). The race is so popular that you have to win a lottery to pay for the opportunity to run it-- CRAZY, but that's how unforgettable the experience is.
Difficulty level: 5 (spectators) /10 (participants) out of 10
Price: priceless (... plus a $295 entry fee)
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