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New York City

	Restaurants	Style / Comment / Facts
	New York is probably the great Restaurant city of the world. While you'll surely find some better French food in Paris, and some better Italian food in Rome, New York has either the best or the second best city for just about every kind of cuisine.
	Il Mulino	Many New Yorkers say that this is the best Italian Restaurant in NYC. Some others hate it. Look at Zagat's and you'll see lots of `wonderful' and `terrible' ratings, with only a few in between. It does cost a lot, but I am in the `love' not `hate' group. There are two problems: quantities tend to be huge, and they are sloppy about honoring reservation times at dinner. If either of these things put you off, avoid it. They don't happen to bother me as I generally lunch there, and I love it. Particularly the after meal traditional Grappa. Il Mulino is at 86 W. 3rd St. (btw. Thompson St. & Sullivan St.) (212) 673-3783
	The Blue Ribbon	The Blue Ribbon;This is an offbeat place that I go to for Oysters. It is at 97 Sullivan St. (bet. Prince & Spring Sts.) (212) 274-0404. James is my favorite NYC Bartender, and Alonzo makes the best `salsa' (why doesn't everyone do this as an option to `ketchup' or `mignonette') for Oysters that there is in the world. I don't eat there often, but always try to drop in for a drink and a half-a-dozen or dozen of their wonderful oysters.
	Gotham Bar and Grill	A classy NYC place that may still have a real bargain lunch. It was something like $20.02 last time I was there. It's a class spot for either Lunch or Dinner, but a better bargain at Lunch. Down on 12th St near University Place.
	Patria	This is on the corner of Park and shares a wall with The Gramercy Tavern. Ecuadorian/South American food (fish, good stuff, not weird). 250 Park Ave S (corner 20th St)212-777-6211 Wear your basic black. Try a "Mojiito," Patria's version of the Cuban rum drink with fresh sugarcane juice. The surroundings are exquisite and extremely lively. The crowd is there both to see and be seen, Regis used to be a regular. May still be. I know that's important to you.
	The Four Seasons	Not the hotel, but the Restaurant in the Segram's Building on Park at about 50th. If there is a single place where the American Food Revolution began it was here. I love the `Pool Room'. The bar is the power place, where many major US corporate execs have their own lunch table reserved for them permanently. But the Pool Room, with the reflecting pool is a beautiful sophisticated NYC room, and the food has been good for at least 30 years.
	Zoe	I haven't been there in a while, but I used to really enjoy eating at the `Food Bar' in the back. At 90 Prince St. (bet. B'way & Mercer Sts.) 212-966-6722 At dinner there's wild mushroom multi-grain soup, rack of pork, and grilled yellowfin tuna on wok-charred vegetables. The bar serves incredible wines by the glass and fine microbrewed beers.
	The Oyster Bar	It's worth remembering the Oyster Bar in Grand Central Station. I find it mildly depressing at dinner, just because of the surroundings, but it makes a nice active lunch spot. I prefer eating in `The Bar' which is off behind a swinging door to the right, and is a shade less noisy. It's a spot I often use to entertain European visitors because Grand Central is such an American place and the American Wine List is extraordinary and the fish is good.
	Trattoria dell'Arte	Across from Carnegie Hall is a nice mid-town Italian spot where I used to see `CBS People' fairly frequently. Interesting Art on the Walls, and a great mural behind the bar---The `Great Italian Noses'. Food is fine. 900 Seventh Ave. (bet.56th & 57th Sts.) 212-245-9800 Lively, pumpkin-colored dining rooms at Trattoria dell'Arte make for a perfect gathering place after an evening at the concert hall. The Steckel sculptures of a huge ear, nose, and bosom are funny, and the antipasto bar is one of the city's best.
	Gascogne	At 158 Eighth Ave. (bet. 17th & 18th Sts.) (212) 675-6564 has wonderful Armagnacs that I used to enjoy, and a `Summer Secret' is the very nice little Garden out back, that you wouldn't know exists from the street. This makes it a particular summer treat on a nice evening.
	Union Square Cafe	I think it was Danny Meyer's first. At 21 East 16th Street 212.243.4020 and long reliable. My daughter's last `experience' there involved one of the `Friends' cast members, `Barney Miller', and quirky service. But the food is generally very good. And for a first class NYC restaurant I've always been treated kindly at the bar.
	The Gramercy Tavern	A newer Danny Meyer, and I like the `style' more, but it can be very hard to get in. It's at 42 East 20th Steet 212.477.0777. Reservations can be hard to get, but since they don't take them at the bar, you're always welcome there if there happens to be space.
	UN Delegates Dining Room	I haven't done it but apparently this is a wonderful place if you happen to be over on the East Side touristing. You should call in advance (they're happier with people willing to call than with those who just show up on the spur of the moment, if only for security reasons). Maybe not worth the trip, but worth it if you're over that way sightseeing.
	Tabla	My daughter likes the Bread Bar at Tabla, a Danny Meyer (Union Sq. Cafe, Gramercy Tavern) experiment. Food is sort of Indian/American fusion, but bar is good independent of whether you like Indian or not. Located on the corner of Madison Avenue and 25th Street, Tabla is housed in a beautiful marble edifice next to the Credit Suisse First Boston building.
	Bars	Cooling Hot Spots
	I have to rely on `outside expertise' (my daughter) for information about the bars of New York. She is definitely more `current' with respect to this scene than I am.
	Bars at the `W's	The Underbar at the Union Square `W' and `7' (the Lobby Bar) at Times Square are favorite gathering spots for both Visitors and Locals.
	Bar at the Helmsley	The Archbishop used to live just behind St. Patrick's. When the Helmsley was built, the old house was integrated into the hotel the main public rooms of the house became three of the best `bar' rooms in NYC (At least they used to be, I haven't been there for several years). The `Mary Queen of Scots' bar is swell, as is the ancient `Music Room'.
	Ice Rink	The Bar at Rockafeller Center's Ice Rink probably shouldn't be forgotten as a mid-summer offbeat way to `cool down'.
	Petrossian	In my NYC days I often gave myself (and my friends) a `birthday Caviar lunch' at Petrossian. Vodka, Caviar and Borscht. Liked it, but wouldn't want to do it (much) more often. Good thing for a special treat, but probably only if you really like Caviar. Up around 57th and 6th or 7th Ave.
	Luna	In the summer there is a bar in Union Square.
	Hotels	Where
	I rarely have to stay in NYC hotels. I generally stay with friends or spend the hour on the train to go home. So most hotel information is not from first-hand experience.
	Hotel Giraffe	I like the location but don't know much about any NYC hotels as I generally stay with friends 365 Park Avenue South at 26th Street (877) 296-0009 (toll free) (212) 685-7700 (Fax 212-685-7771). This is probably about $295, but these days I'd be tempted to try to deal. Unless they happen to be busy---these days a rarity---you might either get a Junior Suite or a cut in rate.
	The Avalon	Reasonable (under $200) but I don't have any direct word from someone who's stayed there. Location is only OK at 16 E 32nd St (5th Ave) 888-HI-AVALON or (212) 299-7000 Fax: (212) 299-7001
	Paramount Hotel	Schraeger's hotels are almost always interesting. This one at 235 West 46th St (at Eighth Avenue) is `theater district' and trendy if perhaps slightly sleazy. Rates probably in the $150 -> $400 range. Not really my part of town, so I'm not an expert.
	Sights	What to See
	NYC is one of the great tourist spots in the world. While it lacks the formal grandeur of Paris and the Ancient aura of Rome, it has a focus that both Los Angeles and Tokyo lack. As a city of immegrants it also has a truly international feel that I don't find anywhere else. To those of us that find NYC beautiful, the scale and scope of the city, coupled with its location on an island in an estuary make it truly grand.
	The River Cafe	I think the River Cafe is a great `sight' place. It's fine for dinner, but given the price well down on the list for me relative to other possibilities. The great thing is the view from the outside `bar' late afternoon, watching the sun set behind the buildings of Manhattan. Right under the Brooklyn Bridge on the Brooklyn Side. Another `great thing' is drinks at the bar in the evening. When this is a part of a walk up and down the Esplanade on a spring or fall evening, the experience can be magical.
	The Brooklyn Bridge	Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge is a particular delight for me. Particularly walking towards Manhattan. Might fit in with a trip to the River Cafe (above)
	The Esplanade	This is a walk up above the BQE along the `edge' of what used to be a `cliff' overlooking Manhattan in Brooklyn. This is a World Class view, but because it is in Brooklyn no one makes a big deal about it, except lots of movies get shot there. This is `up the hill' from The River Cafe, and runs along `Columbia Heights'. Montague is the central `shopping street of Brooklyn Heights (it gets its name from this `cliff') but it's not particularly touristy or trendy, just a good ordinary shopping street. There is a Deli just past my old Tennis Club---The Heights Casino---that is called Lassen and Hennigs and it has good Bagels and Lox and other sandwiches. Getting one and going to sit down on one of the benches on the Esplanade is a pretty swell event on a nice day.
	Ground Zero	I think the trip to Ground Zero is worth it, although that may be at least partially because I used to work around there. Still, it's something to be seen and pondered over...
	St. John the Divine	The Cathedral of St. John is just around Columbia University, and it is the American site most mindful of a European Cathedral (with the possible exception of some of the Mormon Cathedrals, perhaps). Around 110th and Broadway.
	Broadway	I know it sounds silly, but both my daughter and I regard as one of our most `memorable days' a day we took the subway up to about 100th and Broadway, and then walked the length of Broadway down to South Ferry, stopping and shopping and eating along the way. All kinds of NYC from trendy Upper West Side, Zabars, Lincoln Center, Columbus Circle, Times Square, Herald Square, Madison Square, Union Square, SoHo, City Hall, at the end of the day we took the Staten Island Ferry, both to get off our feet for a while and to drink in the views.
	Staten Island Ferry	The greatest tourist/travel bargain in the world. To Staten Island and back for $0.00. Ellis Island, Statue of Liberty, Governor's Island, etc. all along the way. Trip takes about 25 mins, and you can turn around and come right back---there isn't much of interest in the immediate vicinity of the Ferry Pier in St. George's (SI). Trip is for the view and is a (sometimes welcome) opportunity to sit down and relax after a day of walking.
	Museums	Character
	There are certainly hundreds of Museums in NYC, if not thousands. They range from pure kitsch to unbelievable. The must see museums are the Modern, Metropolitan, Guggenheim, and Whitney, but the Cooper-Hewett, Frick, and Brooklyn follow close behind, along with dozens of others.
	The Modern	I think the modern is closed for renovations for a few years. It has `opened' over in Queens somewhere, but it strikes me as not a thing to do unless you really have time to spare, given all the alternative uses of time. Needless to say the Modern's Collection is definitive, so it shouldn't be missed by any fanatic, but I've put it lower on my priority list until it moves back to Midtown.
	The Metropolitan	Clearly `World Class'. But maybe boring unless you are really into museums as it is a `conventional' grand collection.
	The Brooklyn Museum	The Brooklyn Museum can probably thank former Mayor Guiliani for making it controversial, and thus `putting it on the map' where it so rightly deserves. If this Museum wasn't in NYC it would be a `must see' and have a much broader reputation. As it is, it is a wonderful place---easy to get to by subway, and well worth combining (if your feet can take it) with a trip to the nearby Brooklyn Botanical Garden.
	The Guggenheim	I like the scale of the Venice Guggenheim better, and some really like the new Vegas Guggenheim, so maybe those are better places to `do' this one. The building is particularly great, though.
	The Whitney	An unusual collection, and a `doable' scale. Well worth taking a few hours out of your day, particularly if you happen to be nearby shopping anyway.
	Shopping	Areas
	Many people in New York are lucky enough to make a lot of money. Therefore it should not be a surprise that a great many other people find a comfortable living in selling things to those who have the money. There's shopping everywhere. And since not everyone in NYC is rich, there's a lot of moderately priced shopping as well as high-ticket items.
	The Village	I love shopping `The Village' in the Houston -> 14th street area between 7th ave and Greenwich Ave. The whole area often has a slightly gay affect that bothers some, but it doesn't strike me as offensive in the slightest... Colorful is a better description.
	West Broadway	There's East Broadway, Broadway and West Broadway. They are entirely different streets, all running North/South. East Broadway is over in The Bowery, and not of much interest, I think, to visitors. Broadway around 8th is a bit interesting, but I really like West Broadway from Houston down to where it hits 6th Ave. Prince, Spring, Greene, Thompson, Sullivan, 3rd, 4th, all wonderful shopping streets, restaurants, cool places.
	Brooklyn's 7th Ave	There are 5th, 6th and 7th Aves. in Brooklyn too. They are now multi-ethnic communities rich in street life. Probably not `special' enough for a short-term visitor, but nice to visit if you have the time and want to see what `real life' might be like in such an extraordinary city.
	Madison Ave 5th Ave	Around Barney's, there's also Bendels, Bergdorfs. Needless to say, if it weren't for Credit Cards, you'd have to drive there in an armored truck.
	Old Barney's	I still like the area around the old Barney's down on about 18th. Some good shopping, and not as pricey as around the new `Mother Store' which is now Midtown.
	Food	Areas and Off-Sale
	Again, it should come as no surprise that the international character of the city would interact with the presence of lots of people (and lots of money) to produce lots of wonderful opportunities for finding food. If you get tired of eating in Restaurants, these places will let you create a picnic that you can eat in one of the wonderful parks, or on the Ferry or just on a bench in the middle of Broadway.
	Zabar's	The `mother store' is on Broadway somewhere like 80th. This is the only place I buy caviar, and it has---in my opinion---the best smoked salmon in the world. I often go up there and buy Salmon and bagels and eat them either sitting on the benches in the middle of Broadway watching traffic, or go to Riverside Park or Central Park. Only on nice days, of course.
	Balducci's	Sadly, the SoHo Balducci's appears to have closed. Apparently there is an outlet uptown (66th?), but I don't get up there often, so I haven't been there to see if it continues the `feel' of the old SoHo place. For Historical Record: The best `SoHo' off sale food place. Glorious Fruit, Proscuitto, Cheese, Bread, etc. 424 6th Avenue (about 11th St) (212) 673-2600
	Dean and Delucca	Corner of Prince and Broadway. The last of the Big3 (with the two above) Off-Sale food stores of the first rank.
	Cheap and/or Ethnic Eats	Characteristics
	It is probably of less interest to the tourist---who is probably short of time available just to do the big things in NYC, but for those who spend more than just a few days there and want some `normal' and `reasonably priced' meals, there are lots of opportunities.
	Lower 2nd Ave	In the area East of Cooper Union and just before `The Avenues' (a volatile avant-guard art, drug, hippie i.e. like `The Village' used to be) and just above Houston St and up to 14th or so, you have an area full of cheap restaurants, head shops, starter galleries, etc. Fun, but probably not of much interest to tourists unless you really want to go `into the neighborhood'. I used to regularly eat at Frutti de Mare, for example, for about $8 (lunch) with the cast of a TV show being shot on those streets. It became `NYPD Blue' and although Franz, Delaney, and Smits weren't regulars, most of the `2nd level' cast was there regularly. Typical for the area.
	Upper West Side	`Friends' territory. Broadway, Central Park West, Amsterdam Ave. starting in the 80s. Coffee Shops. Hangouts. Good Ethnic Food (Victor's Cuban comes to mind---but you have to like Garlic)
	Parks	Various Things
	There are parks all over NYC. They range in size and scale from `pocket parks' tucked away in downtown blocks to the grand Central Park and Prospect Park. They provide `breathing space' in the busy city.
	Central	There's a nice drink spot up above Tavern on the Green right on the bank of the Lake in Central Park. I think it's called `The Boathouse'. As to `The Tavern', I've never liked it, but some do. I'd wander out of the park and go to Cafe des Artistes instead...
	Brooklyn Botanical Garden	The Garden is right near Grand Army Plaza, the Brooklyn Museum and Prospect Park, which some think is a greater triumph than Central Park. Surely the Botanical Garden is a real treat at each different season. The Brooklyn Museum often has good stuff as well. If you can't see the Cherry Trees in Washington in the spring, the Botanical Garden is a nice alternative.
	Music and Theater	What and Where
	People who love Los Angeles often argue that there's more theater in LA than in New York. Given the talent pool in LA it may be true. But there can't be much doubt that the definitive productions of plays and serious presentations of music are still heavily concentrated in NYC. There's some good opera, for example, in other parts of the country, but still there's nothing like The Met. And aspiring musicians seek out Julliard, which thus produces a flow of young available talent each year.
	Lincoln Center	Lincoln Center houses the Symphony, The Metropolitan Opera, and lots of smaller musical venues. There's something going on there virtually every day. There are also art cinemas and other performance oriented venues in the area that surrounds Lincoln Center.
	Brooklyn Academy of Music	It's all to easy to overlook the Academy in Brooklyn (BAM). If you are interested in serious music/theater/dance make sure you know what is playing there. It's easy to get to, and worth the short trip.
	Broadway	The NYC theater scene seems to be getting better and better as the Time Square area gets `cleaned up' and as new theaters and smaller venues spring up all over this part of town. There have been some blockbusters (The Lion King, The Producers, ...) that have continued to pull in visitors, and the whole scene is pretty lively.
	Off Broadway	The off-Broadway theater is also very active. Lots of good plays, and one often gets the chance, these days, to see favorite TV stars back `on the boards' as they hone their acting skills with live audiences.