NYC: Beyond Food (Well...mostly)

By Crivenica

Some people have come to me with questions about New York City lately. Though, I would never claim myself to be an expert on NYC, I am happy to give first time NYC visitors some suggestions on what to do, what to see, and where to eat. So I thought to make it easy for everyone, I should just write a posting on NYC again that doesn’t just focus on food. 

It’s hard to only pick a few things to write because there are so many things to do and spots to visit in Manhattan alone. It is even harder when I had to pick fewer places for a day visit when my friend, Lily, came to NY for business.  We knew each other from Jakarta and I was so excited that I happened to be there during her short visit. I would've loved to take her to the museums like the Metropolitan Museum of Art (the Met), the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) or the American Museum of Natural History, but visiting one museum alone would take a whole day. But then, I didn’t want to just take her to the well-known tourist sites like the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty and Times Square. In the end, I think I managed to show Lily a mix of touristy sight-seeing with a tour to the more charming sides of Manhattan. And I hope to do so here, too. 

I’m sure most people know that NYC is a walking city. Though the streets are always full of cars and the subway trains full with people, you see people from all walks of life pounding the sidewalks every day. Sure, they take taxis if they’re in a hurry or the trains if their destinations are too far to cover by foot, but my husband always says, “If you're in a rush and it’s 10 blocks or less, you walk.” So, I’ve done a lot of walking here with him and not just walking, but New York pace walking, which is fast. Boy, was that first trip into the city with him gruesome! Hence, before I list down my suggestions, I would highly recommend anybody who’s planning to visit NYC to pack some really comfortable footwear.

Walking Along 5th Avenue

Lily & I at Rockefeller Center

I always love walking along 5th Ave because, after all, I am a girl and there are a lot of stores to check out, from the more affordable Banana Republic to the famous Saks Fifth Avenue. And when I took Lily there, she was not disappointed because she suddenly squealed in delight when she spotted the Louis Vuitton store at the corner of 5th Ave & 50th st. Obviously, my friend is a fan of the LV. And there are more well known brands along the avenue like Cartier, Tiffany & Co., Henri Bendel, Prada and Bergdorf Goodman. Even if I can’t afford to shop at most of these stores, it’s always nice to window shop. However, there is more to 5th Ave than just stores. There is the beautiful St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Rockefeller Center, famous for its giant Christmas tree that is erected there every holiday season in December. If you’re in NYC during Christmas time, make sure that you walk up 5th Ave from Rockefeller Center to 60th st. to check out the spectacular holiday lights and decorations.

Central Park

The Lake, Central Park

Another favorite NY pass time for me is taking a walk through Central Park. It’s so famous, it hardly needs any explanation. All I can say is that I wish Jakarta had this big of a stretch of clean green area which we could enjoy. I’ve spent hours walking the path, passing the Central Park Zoo toward the Bethesda terrace & fountain and continue on all the way to the Great Lawn where a lot of New Yorkers can be found lying around under the sun all summer long. Lily and I had fun people watching and taking pictures at famous spots we had seen in movies, but I also love walking the lonely path, enjoying that little piece of nature in the middle of that concrete jungle. Just don’t walk around the park alone when it’s dark. 

The Green Market

Try stopping by Union Square on 17th st. at Broadway on a Saturday morning and you’ll see a throng of people browsing through fresh produce, fresh baked goods, meat, cheese, jams and apple ciders. The green market is an outdoor farmers market that takes place on one side of Union Square and ever since I first went there, it’s always packed with shoppers. I find it to be really cool that even when you live in a city like NYC, you can still buy local organic produce directly from farmers in tri-state area, which is why the green market was founded in 1976 in the first place. And though I don’t live in NYC, I still love going through the market and checking out the goods. Sometimes I would buy a cookie or some other baked good that looked especially delicious and eat it while hanging out at one of the park tables. Check it out on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Circle-Line Cruise

View of Manhattan skyline from Hudson River

I wouldn’t usually do something that obviously caters to tourists, but this cruise seems to be a good and relaxed way to see New York City and its surroundings from the water. Circle-Line offers several cruises from a 75-minute Liberty cruise to a 3-hour full island one. I’d say if you have the time, take the full 3-hour cruise and it will take you from the 42nd st. marina south toward the Statue of Liberty and then up the East River all the way around the north tip of Manhattan to go back down on the Hudson River. You will see the famous bridges connecting Manhattan to the rest of the NY boroughs like the Brooklyn bridge (often seen in movies, like ‘Sex in the City’) and other famous landmarks. By the way, I do not get paid to mention them :)

The High Line 

Flowers covered train tracks

I think the High Line is just way cool. Located on the west side of Manhattan from West 34th st. to Gansevoort st. between 10th and 11th avenues, the High Line is an old line of elevated freight train tracks that haven’t been used since the 1980s. However, a community non-profit group called Friends of the High Line in partnership with the City of New York turned it into a very cool elevated public park. The structure is very well maintained and you still can see the actual tracks among the boardwalk, wild flowers and plants. The High Line is a wonderful spot in the city for people to hang out and relax. You can see people reading, working on their computers or just sipping coffee on benches, chairs and lounges. Check it out by entering from the 30th st. entrance and walk down to 14th st. or Gansevoort st., then you can continue off the High Line and check out the very chic stores in the Meat Packing district.

The Village & Soho

Things can get a bit confusing when you walk down past 14th st. It is here where Manhattan's organized grid of streets and avenues begins to blend with the chaotic directions and named streets of Manhattan's old city.  I have gotten lost several times. However, there’s nothing alarming about getting lost in the Village. The West, Greenwich and East Villages are charming areas to walk around in. This part of NYC has many great local restaurants and charming unique shops. And as you keep walking down toward Soho (South of Houston st.), hit Prince st. and Broadway for a total New York shopping experience. 

Lombardi’s

You can’t visit New York city and not get some authentic New York pizza and what would be better than to get it at America’s first pizzeria? Lombardi’s was given its license in 1905 and it has continued to be the standard for some pretty freaking good pizza. I’ve never gone there without having to wait in line for a table, but the wait is always worth Lombardi’s pizza pie. They make their own mozzarella cheese and sweet Italian sausage (my favorite topping) that is just to die for. I will let the picture tell it all. Just a block away from the shops on Prince st., Lombardi’s is a perfect place to fuel up after a long day of walking and shopping. Just make sure you come early enough to get a table. Lombardi is located on 32 Spring st. on the corner of Spring and Mott.

There are tons of other places to check out in NYC, like the great shopping streets in the East Village, China Town, the small but very pretty Madison Square Park, Washington Square Park, Madison Avenue (where all the big name designers have their boutiques) and the uptown neighborhoods.  But if we get to all of them, this will be a book and I can’t say that I’m qualified to write it. Instead I hope some of my favorite spots will give those of you who are planning to visit NYC some ideas for a lovely trip.

Notes: Special thanks to Lily for some of her trip pictures. It was fun taking you around!