new york
tourism
1. times square - go at night, much better than during the day (7th avenue and broadway)
2. statue of liberty - http://www.nps.gov/stli/index.htm
3. empire state building - better to come on a week day after the morning rush to avoid too many people - http://www.esbnyc.com
4. grand central - beautiful space, seeing it during rush hour in the morning (8:30am) is fun - http://www.grandcentralterminal.com/
5. brooklyn bridge - great sun set view from the bridge
6. metropolitan museum of art - http://www.metmuseum.org
7. moma - museum of modern art, free entrance on fridays 4-8pm - http://www.moma.org
8. solomon r guggenheim museum - http://www.guggenheim.org
9. broadway show + tkts - pick up tickets for a broadyway show on the day you want to see the show for half price at one of the tkts boths. the downtown booth is less crowded and opens up earlier than the times square booth. a ticket costs approx $50-$60(after the discount) - https://www.tdf.org/
10. new york yankee's stadium - take me to a ball game... - http://www.yankees.mlb.com
11. sotheby's - world's best known auction house - http://www.sothebys.com/
12. comedy club - comedy club on macdougal st - http://www.comedycellar.com/
hotels
1. ameritania hotel - decent rooms for $100-$150 midtown - http://www.ameritaniahotelnewyork.com/
2. sohotel - decent rooms for $100-$150 downtown - http://www.thesohotel.com
3. bowery's white house hotel of ny (hostel) - lowest cost solution in central manhattan $40+ a night, must reserve in advance, what you pay is what you get (smaller space than a jail cell but its manageble) - http://www.whitehousehotelofny.com/
shopping
1. b&h photo-video-pro audio - electronic store with lowest prices in the business (world wide) - http://www.bhphotovideo.com/
2. century 21 - great discount designer fashion, mainly for business attire - http://www.c21stores.com/
restaurants
1. paul's da burger joint- crazy burgers for a good price, must get a burger combo(not a plain burger) - my favorite is the 2nd ave burger http://www.paulsburgers.com/
2. katz's deli - order the ruben sandwich on a roll - http://katzsdelicatessen.com/
2. cafe habana - cuban restaurant, the corn on the cobb is the best i ever had http://www.ecoeatery.com
4. saigon banh mi 1 inc - best vietnamese sandwiches for $3.50, get the house sandwich (369 broome st, new york, ny 10013 btwn elizabeth and mott st)
5. momofuku noodle bar - asian fusion, get the momofuku - http://www.momofuku.com
6. milon bangladesh indian restaurant - one of the wackiest dinning experiences - food isn’t amazing but the experience is worth it. remember to go up the stairs and to the left - http://www.milonny.com/
7. cha an japanese tea house - has a 3 course dessert and great teas, very traditional japanese - http://www.chaanteahouse.com/
8. big wong - cheap, authentic chinese atmosphere - http://bigwongking.com/
9. wo hop - good greasy chinese food - http://wohopnyc.com/
10. nobu - considered the best sushi in manhattan - http://www.noburestaurants.com/
11. kun jip - very authentic korean place, can be slightly more expensive but take in consideration that they will serve you many beginner plates - http://www.kunjip.net
12. nonya - malaysian experience, the soups are a malaysian specialty - http://www.ilovenyonya.com/
13. hill country - great southern american experience, buy the meat by the pound - http://www.hillcountryny.com/
14. pommes frites - great $4 dutch fries with sauces, good drunk food) favorite sauce is the mango chutney - http://www.pommesfrites.ws
15. mary's fish camp - best seafood i had in the city, get the steamers for appetizers - http://www.marysfishcamp.com
16. teany - if you know your tea's this is the place for you - http://www.teanynewyork.com/
17. magnolia bakery inc - best cupcakes in manhattan - http://www.magnoliacupcakes.com
18. veniero pasticceria - cheesecakes here are my dad's favorite http://www.venierospastry.com
19. b&h dairy - a real new york diner, small kosher & vegitarian place. a good place to go if you are eating alone (127 2nd ave, new york, ny 10003 btwn 7th st & st marks pl)
20. great jones st cafe - great burgers in the west village - http://www.greatjones.com
21. taim - hands down best falafel in the city, get the green the falafel (not the red) - http://www.taimfalafel.com/location
22. yemen café - tasty authentic yemenite food in brooklyn - http://www.yemencafe.com/
23. peter luger steak house - considered the best steakhouse in new york, need to make reservations one month ahead of time, cash only. approximate expense &50-$100 per head - http://www.peterluger.com
bars and clubs
1. fat cat billiards - huge basement full of ping-pong tables, pool tables, shuffle boards, foosball, scrabble, chess, beer and a jazz band right in the middle, one of my favorite places in the city - http://www.fatcatmusic.org/
2. angel's share - hidden bar, behind random door in 2nd floor japanese restaurant - http://www.yelp.com/biz/angels-share-new-york
3. little branch - cool intimate speakeasy bar, enter the unmarked door on the corner of the street - http://nymag.com/listings/bar/little_branch/
4. pdt - please don't tell, hidden bar, go through the phone booth of the hot dog place next door, better to make reservations - http://www.pdtnyc.com/
5. pravda - pravda means truth in russian (also a name of a famous publication in moscow), this place has a great style: underground classy place, get an infused vodka - http://www.pravdany.com
6. 230 fifth - high end roof top bar, great view of the city - http://www.230-fifth.com/
7. beauty bar - beauty parlor and bar in one, get your nails done on a friday night! - http://thebeautybar.com/home-new-york/
8. home sweet home - very hip downstairs place. they usually bring in djs that play electronic/alternative music - http://homesweethomebar.com/
9. union hall - very cool/classy bar/pub with 2 bocce courts inside! brooklyn - http://www.unionhallny.com
10. kgb bar - good ol' russian theme - http://www.kgbbar.com
11. mehanata bulgarian bar - balkan and eastern european craziness, really fun and crowded with people dancing all over - http://www.mehanata.com/
12. mcsorleys old ale house - claims to be the oldest bar in the city (150 years) - http://www.mcsorleysnewyork.com/
13. ace bar - bar with skee ball(!!),pool and darts - http://www.acebar.com
14. winnie's - japanese karayoke bar, authentic, family feel to this cute karayoke bar in chinatown - http://www.yelp.com/biz/winnies-bar-and-restaurant-new-york
live music
1. webster hall - amazing immense space to watch the best bands in town - http://www.websterhall.com
2. carnegie hall - an impressive theatre to enjoy the best classical music artists in the world - http://www.carnegiehall.org
3. metropolitan opera house - lincoln center, a beautiful place to watch an opera - http://www.metmuseum.org/
4. zinc bar - great place for african jazz in an intimate setting - usually worth the $10 cover - http://www.zincbar.com
useful links
airport buses
http://www.coachusa.com/ss.airport.asp - bus to newark airport
http://www.nyairportservice.com/
chinatown bus
http://www.fungwahbus.com/ - nyc <--> boston, $15 one way
http://www.apexbus.com/ - nyc <--> washington d.c, $20 one way
awesome deal - have used their services at least 10 times never had a problem (don't beleive all the stories)
you don't even need to reserve a ticket online (except for from washington to nyc)- just go the station and get on the next bus that leaves.
underground party scene
http://www.thedanger.com/ - underground party scene
http://www.directdrive.net/ - d'n'b scene
general
http://newyork.craigslist.org/ - the main website to find a sublet in the city
http://www.yelp.com/nyc - a great review list for restaurants and other places in nyc
http://www.meetup.com/ - the place to meet people with similar interests
http://newyork.timeout.com/articles/sex-dating/80468/best-bathrooms-for-public-sex - no comment...
For additional recommendations download this:
ethanwashere-nyc.xls