Bronx Botanical garden is free on Wednesdays (grounds only)
Cloisters is always PWYC - Fort Tryon and the Heather Gardens are free
Snug Harbour, Staten Island, always free
New York Conservatory Garden, at the top of Central Park, is always free.
Tuesday
Spring! Free and discount Botanical Gardens!
Bronx Botanical garden is free on Wednesdays (grounds only)
Cloisters is always PWYC - Fort Tryon and the Heather Gardens are free
Snug Harbour, Staten Island, always free
New York Conservatory Garden, at the top of Central Park, is always free.
Wednesday
MET: History of American Fashion opens in May
The Metropolitan Museum of Art chose Fashion Week to announce their upcoming exhibit, titled American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity (brought to you by The Gap! No, not kidding.) The major exhibition, opening in early May, will focus on the American woman's wardrobe from 1890 to 1940.
The Museum says this is the first time they'll draw exclusively from the newly established Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at the Met. They aim to explore "developing perceptions of the modern American woman from 1890 to 1940, and how they have affected the way American women are seen today. Focusing on archetypes of American femininity through dress, the exhibition will reveal how the American woman initiated style revolutions that mirrored her social, political, and sexual emancipation."
According to the Guardian, the exhibition will be split in to six sections, and range from "the ball gown-wearing 'dollar princesses' of the 1890s" to Bohemians of the early 1900s, 1920s flappers, and the screen sirens of the later years. So if the future of fashion isn't your thing, stay away from Bryant Park this week and hold out for the Met in May.
The Museum says this is the first time they'll draw exclusively from the newly established Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at the Met. They aim to explore "developing perceptions of the modern American woman from 1890 to 1940, and how they have affected the way American women are seen today. Focusing on archetypes of American femininity through dress, the exhibition will reveal how the American woman initiated style revolutions that mirrored her social, political, and sexual emancipation."
According to the Guardian, the exhibition will be split in to six sections, and range from "the ball gown-wearing 'dollar princesses' of the 1890s" to Bohemians of the early 1900s, 1920s flappers, and the screen sirens of the later years. So if the future of fashion isn't your thing, stay away from Bryant Park this week and hold out for the Met in May.
Thursday
Wednesday
Tuesday
Places I hide out
When it's all too crowded...
Met Museum. Pay what you wish. Peace in the Astor Court, the Cypriot Galleries, the Modern Art gallery, the period rooms, the music gallery, the Greek study collection. Or the Cloisters, any time.
Morgan Museum on Friday nights (free)
FIT museum(always free. Open late)
Roosevelt Island - and over the bridge to the Noguchi museum
New York public library reading room at 42nd street (the lions), and Bryant Park - great washrooms
Ferry to Red Hook
Wagner Park - near battery park. Also Carl Schurtz park, near Gracie Mansion. The NORTH end of Central Park.
Churches. Everywhere (except st Pats - try St Thomas). Grace, the Actors Church (little church around the corner), St Mary the Virgin in midtown, etc.
Small art galleries, the Bard gallery, top floor of the Museum of Folk Arts, Grolier gallery, Mechanics library reading room,
"Quiet 42nd street" idea: Breakfast in Bryant Park. Tour the NYPublic Library. (possible lunch St Andrews pub ) or in the Met Life building restaurants. Wander up to the Onassis Gallery in midtown (nobody ever there) and sit in the atrium cafe.
Break in coffee shop area in front of the Pershing Restaurant, under the bridge across from Grand Central station. They let you hang out there and nurse a coffee. Use the lovely washrooms in the 2nd floor of the Crown Plaza across the street (private wooden cubicles - always nice and empty), and go down and enjoy the dark art deco lobby of the Crysler building.
and walk along the beach at the eastern end of Coney Island (Manhattan Beach, Brighton Beach) in winter - or to Staten Island to the Tibetan garden or Snug Harbour...
Met Museum. Pay what you wish. Peace in the Astor Court, the Cypriot Galleries, the Modern Art gallery, the period rooms, the music gallery, the Greek study collection. Or the Cloisters, any time.
Morgan Museum on Friday nights (free)
FIT museum(always free. Open late)
Roosevelt Island - and over the bridge to the Noguchi museum
New York public library reading room at 42nd street (the lions), and Bryant Park - great washrooms
Ferry to Red Hook
Wagner Park - near battery park. Also Carl Schurtz park, near Gracie Mansion. The NORTH end of Central Park.
Churches. Everywhere (except st Pats - try St Thomas). Grace, the Actors Church (little church around the corner), St Mary the Virgin in midtown, etc.
Small art galleries, the Bard gallery, top floor of the Museum of Folk Arts, Grolier gallery, Mechanics library reading room,
"Quiet 42nd street" idea: Breakfast in Bryant Park. Tour the NYPublic Library. (possible lunch St Andrews pub ) or in the Met Life building restaurants. Wander up to the Onassis Gallery in midtown (nobody ever there) and sit in the atrium cafe.
Break in coffee shop area in front of the Pershing Restaurant, under the bridge across from Grand Central station. They let you hang out there and nurse a coffee. Use the lovely washrooms in the 2nd floor of the Crown Plaza across the street (private wooden cubicles - always nice and empty), and go down and enjoy the dark art deco lobby of the Crysler building.
and walk along the beach at the eastern end of Coney Island (Manhattan Beach, Brighton Beach) in winter - or to Staten Island to the Tibetan garden or Snug Harbour...
Williamburg and Brooklyn
Is Queen Street E & W (for Toronto people). Rich bankers, trust-fund hipsters, still a few artists/media peeps, and German tourists. The food is only OK - better in Brooklyn (Court Street), but as long as you have 1950s eyeglass frames, you can saunter along the grittiness and enjoy yourself. Lots of posters around to tell you what is happening, but the L magazine will list most events open to outsiders. Take the L to Bedford, and get out and wander. Pop-Up galleries change a lot - you see what's up at 33 Grand, where we married lots of hipster couples last summer.
You can set aside a hipster tour agenda for Williamsburg, the Lower East Side, Astoria (if you have friends to help you find stuff) and Red Hook, which has the advantage of great views and some fun bars. Plan on late evenings. Red Hook has no real transportation, the rest is on the subway line.
You can set aside a hipster tour agenda for Williamsburg, the Lower East Side, Astoria (if you have friends to help you find stuff) and Red Hook, which has the advantage of great views and some fun bars. Plan on late evenings. Red Hook has no real transportation, the rest is on the subway line.
Walking down broadway - a tour
An easy way to enjoy NY on a short visit is to WALK DOWN BROADWAY – all the way to Battery Park. Here is a walking tour, which you could split into 2/3 trips. I like to start in Central Park. (or reverse, and walk uptown, of course).
CENTRAL PARK to UNION SQUARE – A GREAT WALK.
I like to go in to the Park across from the Museum of Natural History at 77th street. The Museum is good for a rainy day – skip the dinosaurs and see the Marine mammals and undersea exhibits, and the planetarium show - it's open on Mondays, when other things are closed.
Cross into Central Park at 77th by the Museum, OR 72nd by the Dakota and Strawberry fields. You can also take the subway UP to 72nd on Broadway, get a hot dog across from the Subway, and walk WEST to Central Park at 72nd street. I often wander down through the park to 59th street and exit at 5th avenue at the Plaza. You can do this in an easy ½ hour walk. Great people watching.
MIDTOWN, ROCKEFELLER, 5th AVENUE
Walk out of the park at 59th Street at the Plaza, and enjoy walking down 5th avenue (Saks, Tiffanys, ESPN, H&M, etc.) to 50th street and Rockefeller Center, Saks and St Patricks all meet at 50th. (Or you can go to the Time Warner center at Columbus Circle on the West end, great views, bathrooms).
There are some inexpensive places to eat UNDERNEATH Rockefeller Center – just go inside 30 Rock and down the stairs - and a Starbucks right underneath the plaza, and nice bathrooms. Lots of tables. (Don't eat in the fancy two restaurants right by the skating rink, but check out the cafeteria and the pizza places behind them) (NOTE: you can also take the subway uptown to directly UNDER Rockefeller Center, or if you're tired, you can take the subway DOWNTOWN from Rockefeller).
From the inside of Rockefeller Center You can go up to the Top of the Rock observation tower. Use the coupons or get a discount $2 off coupon from the people wearing red blazers handing out cards around the skating rink (which is a café in the summer). NO food up there, but lots of food in the bottom of Rock Center.
From Rockefeller Plaza, go back to 5th and you can continue walking south on 5th avenue to 42nd street and BRYANT PARK – behind the NY Public Library with the lions is on 5th, Bryant Park is the big park behind it which runs to 6th. Lots of tables and chairs and sandwich places in the park. Lots of people to watch. The best public bathroom in the city. Flowers, even.
TIMES SQUARE/2nd STREET to UNION SQUARE
At 42nd, You could go East 2 blocks on 42nd street to Grand Central Station, there are lots of touristy stores and lots of places to eat inexpensively UNDERNEATH Grand Central Station. Also washrooms. But it's not so interesting south of Grand Central, just Park Avenue and apartment.
Or go WEST 2 blocks to Times Square, and eat on the new little tables where they've blocked off Times Square. Try visiting the tourist office at 46th and Broadway, (washrooms) and pick up coupons - (you could get to here from Rockefeller, too).
From either Times Square or Bryant Park at 42nd Street, You could keep walking south down either 5th avenue, 6th avenue or Broadway, to 34th Street (Herald Square) and Macy's. Lots of discount stores and inexpensive shopping, and of course Macy's, which often has good deals – lots of food around Macys. But it's really crowded and wild and noisy and crazy here. Washrooms and food in Macys.
From Herald Square, some shopping on 34th, or Keep going 2 blocks south on 6th - I like the buffet called SPEEDYS at the corner of 33th and 6th avenue, south side, because they have lots of salad and stuff but also fried chicken, roast pork, etc. Can be pricy if you get a lot of heavy food, though. There's also a burger heaven around here and other lunch places. Greeley Square, where you can sit and eat (crowded)
Detour: (You can walk West to Madison Square Garden – not very good food around here – but there are LOTS of food places inside Penn Station, which is right next to Madison Square Garden.) However, I like walking down Broadway to 23rd street, which is the Flatiron building. Another nice park, Madison Square – and food places around the park. (Not as many) The famous Shake Shack is in Madison Square – huge lines, and don't go right at lunch.
Then keep walking down Broadway to Union Square. Lots of shopping, lots of food – A fun sit-down restaurant is Chat & Chew, at 10 E 16th Street, just to the East of Union Square. A little crowded, but cheaper than the restaurants on Union Square.
UNION SQUARE TO SOHO
You could keep walking down Broadway (or University) to HOUSTON, which is Soho (South of Houston) and NYU territory, lots to look at, and increasing places to eat, because it's university territory. To your WEST is Greenwich village, to the EAST Is the East Village – punkier. In the middle is SOHO. Great hotdogs and Broadway &8th – lots of food here.
5th avenue ends at Washington Square, which is 4th Ave.
SOHO to Canal - to Chinatown.
CITY HALL – BROOKLYN BRIDGE
Keep walking right down Broadway to City Hall, City Hall Park, the Fountains, and Wall Street.
YOU CAN WALK OVER THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE AT CITY HALL
Keep walking South, to the world trade Center, Ground Zero, Battery Park, and CENTURY 21 - the big department store that survived 911, and has lots of stuff for everyone.
END UP IN BATTERY PARK, free washrooms at the Museum of the American Indian, at the Customs House, right at Broadway and Battery park. Great building. Free.
~~~~~~~~~~~
FOOD:
Most pubs have food – it's the law. Irish pubs are usually better. Some are awful, of course – greasy fries and overpriced burgers. There are delis and bagel shops everywhere. Most deli's have upstairs seating, and you can choose your own food or anyone will make you a sandwich to go – just go in any deli and go up to the sandwich counter.
Lunch is always cheaper. Watch out for restaurants around Times Square and Broadway – often $ and bad. You can read menus outside. Lots of lunch deals. If you end up in Greenwich village (or the East Village) at supper, there are lots of cafes and places which post their menus and specials on blackboard.
SHOPPING:
Union Square
Soho – for looking, not so much for buying
CENTURY 21 – by the World Trade Center – has a complete shoe store with athletic shoes, and everything else, it's great fun to watch people here.
VIEWS:
Go down to Battery Park for views of the statue of Liberty. My favourite wandering place down there is South Cove – head West along the top of Battery Park to Wagner Park – nice benches, great views of the Hudson! Nice trees, etc.
AVOID:
South Street Seaport – just a shopping mall, really – good view of the Brooklyn Bridge, though
Little Italy – awful food, too many tourists
Canal street – Chinatown, full of people from Florida trying to buy fake handbags
Empire State Building – long lines, and the view is better from the Top of the Rock
Staten Island ferry is free – but once you go over you just walk across the terminal and come back – nice views, just a bit crowded. Leaves on the ½ hour from Battery Park.
Learn to stop and have a drink or a coffee and a sandwich when you're tired – and a washroom. Use the parks – lots of people watching, and a good rest.
Remember: 20 blocks to a mile. So Central Park to Union Square is really only 2 miles – with stops.
I have easily walked this in one day – including lunch – but not much shopping.
CENTRAL PARK to UNION SQUARE – A GREAT WALK.
I like to go in to the Park across from the Museum of Natural History at 77th street. The Museum is good for a rainy day – skip the dinosaurs and see the Marine mammals and undersea exhibits, and the planetarium show - it's open on Mondays, when other things are closed.
Cross into Central Park at 77th by the Museum, OR 72nd by the Dakota and Strawberry fields. You can also take the subway UP to 72nd on Broadway, get a hot dog across from the Subway, and walk WEST to Central Park at 72nd street. I often wander down through the park to 59th street and exit at 5th avenue at the Plaza. You can do this in an easy ½ hour walk. Great people watching.
MIDTOWN, ROCKEFELLER, 5th AVENUE
Walk out of the park at 59th Street at the Plaza, and enjoy walking down 5th avenue (Saks, Tiffanys, ESPN, H&M, etc.) to 50th street and Rockefeller Center, Saks and St Patricks all meet at 50th. (Or you can go to the Time Warner center at Columbus Circle on the West end, great views, bathrooms).
There are some inexpensive places to eat UNDERNEATH Rockefeller Center – just go inside 30 Rock and down the stairs - and a Starbucks right underneath the plaza, and nice bathrooms. Lots of tables. (Don't eat in the fancy two restaurants right by the skating rink, but check out the cafeteria and the pizza places behind them) (NOTE: you can also take the subway uptown to directly UNDER Rockefeller Center, or if you're tired, you can take the subway DOWNTOWN from Rockefeller).
From the inside of Rockefeller Center You can go up to the Top of the Rock observation tower. Use the coupons or get a discount $2 off coupon from the people wearing red blazers handing out cards around the skating rink (which is a café in the summer). NO food up there, but lots of food in the bottom of Rock Center.
From Rockefeller Plaza, go back to 5th and you can continue walking south on 5th avenue to 42nd street and BRYANT PARK – behind the NY Public Library with the lions is on 5th, Bryant Park is the big park behind it which runs to 6th. Lots of tables and chairs and sandwich places in the park. Lots of people to watch. The best public bathroom in the city. Flowers, even.
TIMES SQUARE/2nd STREET to UNION SQUARE
At 42nd, You could go East 2 blocks on 42nd street to Grand Central Station, there are lots of touristy stores and lots of places to eat inexpensively UNDERNEATH Grand Central Station. Also washrooms. But it's not so interesting south of Grand Central, just Park Avenue and apartment.
Or go WEST 2 blocks to Times Square, and eat on the new little tables where they've blocked off Times Square. Try visiting the tourist office at 46th and Broadway, (washrooms) and pick up coupons - (you could get to here from Rockefeller, too).
From either Times Square or Bryant Park at 42nd Street, You could keep walking south down either 5th avenue, 6th avenue or Broadway, to 34th Street (Herald Square) and Macy's. Lots of discount stores and inexpensive shopping, and of course Macy's, which often has good deals – lots of food around Macys. But it's really crowded and wild and noisy and crazy here. Washrooms and food in Macys.
From Herald Square, some shopping on 34th, or Keep going 2 blocks south on 6th - I like the buffet called SPEEDYS at the corner of 33th and 6th avenue, south side, because they have lots of salad and stuff but also fried chicken, roast pork, etc. Can be pricy if you get a lot of heavy food, though. There's also a burger heaven around here and other lunch places. Greeley Square, where you can sit and eat (crowded)
Detour: (You can walk West to Madison Square Garden – not very good food around here – but there are LOTS of food places inside Penn Station, which is right next to Madison Square Garden.) However, I like walking down Broadway to 23rd street, which is the Flatiron building. Another nice park, Madison Square – and food places around the park. (Not as many) The famous Shake Shack is in Madison Square – huge lines, and don't go right at lunch.
Then keep walking down Broadway to Union Square. Lots of shopping, lots of food – A fun sit-down restaurant is Chat & Chew, at 10 E 16th Street, just to the East of Union Square. A little crowded, but cheaper than the restaurants on Union Square.
UNION SQUARE TO SOHO
You could keep walking down Broadway (or University) to HOUSTON, which is Soho (South of Houston) and NYU territory, lots to look at, and increasing places to eat, because it's university territory. To your WEST is Greenwich village, to the EAST Is the East Village – punkier. In the middle is SOHO. Great hotdogs and Broadway &8th – lots of food here.
5th avenue ends at Washington Square, which is 4th Ave.
SOHO to Canal - to Chinatown.
CITY HALL – BROOKLYN BRIDGE
Keep walking right down Broadway to City Hall, City Hall Park, the Fountains, and Wall Street.
YOU CAN WALK OVER THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE AT CITY HALL
Keep walking South, to the world trade Center, Ground Zero, Battery Park, and CENTURY 21 - the big department store that survived 911, and has lots of stuff for everyone.
END UP IN BATTERY PARK, free washrooms at the Museum of the American Indian, at the Customs House, right at Broadway and Battery park. Great building. Free.
~~~~~~~~~~~
FOOD:
Most pubs have food – it's the law. Irish pubs are usually better. Some are awful, of course – greasy fries and overpriced burgers. There are delis and bagel shops everywhere. Most deli's have upstairs seating, and you can choose your own food or anyone will make you a sandwich to go – just go in any deli and go up to the sandwich counter.
Lunch is always cheaper. Watch out for restaurants around Times Square and Broadway – often $ and bad. You can read menus outside. Lots of lunch deals. If you end up in Greenwich village (or the East Village) at supper, there are lots of cafes and places which post their menus and specials on blackboard.
SHOPPING:
Union Square
Soho – for looking, not so much for buying
CENTURY 21 – by the World Trade Center – has a complete shoe store with athletic shoes, and everything else, it's great fun to watch people here.
VIEWS:
Go down to Battery Park for views of the statue of Liberty. My favourite wandering place down there is South Cove – head West along the top of Battery Park to Wagner Park – nice benches, great views of the Hudson! Nice trees, etc.
AVOID:
South Street Seaport – just a shopping mall, really – good view of the Brooklyn Bridge, though
Little Italy – awful food, too many tourists
Canal street – Chinatown, full of people from Florida trying to buy fake handbags
Empire State Building – long lines, and the view is better from the Top of the Rock
Staten Island ferry is free – but once you go over you just walk across the terminal and come back – nice views, just a bit crowded. Leaves on the ½ hour from Battery Park.
Learn to stop and have a drink or a coffee and a sandwich when you're tired – and a washroom. Use the parks – lots of people watching, and a good rest.
Remember: 20 blocks to a mile. So Central Park to Union Square is really only 2 miles – with stops.
I have easily walked this in one day – including lunch – but not much shopping.
Saturday
cheap flights on Twitter
An increasing number of travel companies are using Twitter to market their brands, often by tweeting exclusive deals to followers. JetBlue calls out last-minute discounts at JetBlueCheeps on Tuesday mornings. A recent example: “$89 BOS to LAS this Sat. LAS to BOS this Mon. or Tues. 25 seats avail or til 6 pm ET.” Fairmont Hotels offers its Twitter followers special discounts before anyone else. Farecompare’s “flyfrom” Twitter feed offers location-specific fare sales when you plug in your home airport’s three-letter code, as in flyfromNYC
Cheap Lincoln Centre tkts
As part of its anniversary celebration, Lincoln Center has remade the grim Harmony Atrium just southeast of the main campus (Broadway between 62nd and 63rd Streets) into a visitors’ center and ticketing space named for David Rubenstein (that’s what you get when you give $10 million). Along with a face-lift, the atrium got a new box office, selling same-day discount tickets at 25 to 50 percent off regular prices (with a two-ticket-per-person limit) for performances at Lincoln Center and all its constituent organizations — including the Metropolitan Opera, the New York Philharmonic and the City Opera (new.lincolncenter.org/live/). Check what’s on and pick up a pair.
Wednesday
Central Park events, and newsletter
sign up on the CentralPark.com website
Winter Holiday Lighting
December 6, 2009 3 - 5 pm
Ring in the Christmas season with the 13th annual lighting of the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center. Located at the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center (Inside the Park at 110th Street between Lenox and Fifth Avenues), the event is hosted by the Women's Committee of the Central Park Conservancy
Winter Holiday Lighting
December 6, 2009 3 - 5 pm
Ring in the Christmas season with the 13th annual lighting of the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center. Located at the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center (Inside the Park at 110th Street between Lenox and Fifth Avenues), the event is hosted by the Women's Committee of the Central Park Conservancy
Friday
NY Twitters
Here are some useful twitter addys
http://twitter.com/NewYorkology
http://twitter.com/Newyorkist
http://twitter.com/gothamist
http://twitter.com/NewYorkology
http://twitter.com/Newyorkist
http://twitter.com/gothamist
Wednesday
Improv Everywhere
See the archive on Gothamist, and try and get on their crowdsource alert. More fun cannot be had.
Friday
Performance you might want to pay for (not too $$)
White Oak Dance Project (Barishnikov)
LaMama
St. Ann's Warehouse
PS 122
Mannes/New School
Merkin
Joyce
Bargemusic (Music on a barge in Brooklyn)
LaMama
St. Ann's Warehouse
PS 122
Mannes/New School
Merkin
Joyce
Bargemusic (Music on a barge in Brooklyn)
Fun Favourite Free Things
Walk from 110th Street (Morningside Park W) through Central Park to Greenwich village or to Chinatown and over the Brooklyn bridge. Takes about 4-7 hours or so. Cut over to 5th, and then over to Broadway at the Flatiron (23rd)
Stop for food and bathrooms at the Met (pay what you can), the Mall, Rockefeller Center), Bryant park, Madison Park, Union Square, then it's East or West - Highline or Brooklyn Bridge or Canal, etc.
Circle Line Tour - get a coupon at the Tourist Center or look online - and take the 3pm one from 42nd street which is 3 hours circumnavigating the entire island. TAKE FOOD (it's terrible on board). Sunset coming home. Can't be beat.
Roosevelt island tram, (free) walk over the bridge to Queens to the Noguchi Museum (cheap). Or just walk around the island to the lighthouse.
Wagner Park - much nicer than Battery park - stunning views of the harbour and the Statue of Liberty. Walk around South Cove and up the Hudson.
Central Park - esp. the Northern End, much ignored. Fort Tryon Park (take the A train, and take the bus back from the Cloisters). Pay what you can at the Cloisters, keep your ticket, go back to the MET via 5th avenue and get in for free until 9pm on Fri/Sat.
Frick museum free from 11-1 on Sunday morning, right across from Central Park.
Morgan museum free on Friday nites from 7pm
Take the subway to Brooklyn Heights or Dumbo (A to High Street) then go through Cadman plaza and walk BACK over the Brooklyn Bridge - a better view.
Take the F to horrible deserted desecrated Coney Island and get great views from Smith Street. Walk to Brighton Beach and get Russian Food from the supermarket and have a picnic on the boardwalk.
Brooklyn Botanic Garden on Saturday morning - free, and then Pay What You Can at the Brooklyn museum and see Judy Chicago's Dinner Party.
Interesting restored tapestries at St. John the Divine - see the restoration after the fire. Have coffee and apricot pastries at the Hungarian Coffee Shop on Amsterdam.
Romaniote Synagogue in Chinatown
Greenwood cemetery, Brooklyn
Central Reading Room of the New York Public Library
Stop for food and bathrooms at the Met (pay what you can), the Mall, Rockefeller Center), Bryant park, Madison Park, Union Square, then it's East or West - Highline or Brooklyn Bridge or Canal, etc.
Circle Line Tour - get a coupon at the Tourist Center or look online - and take the 3pm one from 42nd street which is 3 hours circumnavigating the entire island. TAKE FOOD (it's terrible on board). Sunset coming home. Can't be beat.
Roosevelt island tram, (free) walk over the bridge to Queens to the Noguchi Museum (cheap). Or just walk around the island to the lighthouse.
Wagner Park - much nicer than Battery park - stunning views of the harbour and the Statue of Liberty. Walk around South Cove and up the Hudson.
Central Park - esp. the Northern End, much ignored. Fort Tryon Park (take the A train, and take the bus back from the Cloisters). Pay what you can at the Cloisters, keep your ticket, go back to the MET via 5th avenue and get in for free until 9pm on Fri/Sat.
Frick museum free from 11-1 on Sunday morning, right across from Central Park.
Morgan museum free on Friday nites from 7pm
Take the subway to Brooklyn Heights or Dumbo (A to High Street) then go through Cadman plaza and walk BACK over the Brooklyn Bridge - a better view.
Take the F to horrible deserted desecrated Coney Island and get great views from Smith Street. Walk to Brighton Beach and get Russian Food from the supermarket and have a picnic on the boardwalk.
Brooklyn Botanic Garden on Saturday morning - free, and then Pay What You Can at the Brooklyn museum and see Judy Chicago's Dinner Party.
Interesting restored tapestries at St. John the Divine - see the restoration after the fire. Have coffee and apricot pastries at the Hungarian Coffee Shop on Amsterdam.
Romaniote Synagogue in Chinatown
Greenwood cemetery, Brooklyn
Central Reading Room of the New York Public Library
Coupon Hunt
Go to the Times Square visitors center (and check your email for free) and ask for the "Two-fers", a book of coupons at the desk, which have "2 for 1" tickets for shows, opera, ballet, etc.
Also pick up the little wallet-sized coupons for discounts on Top of the Rock, the Morgan Museum, Boat tours, museums and various arty places. They are sometimes out of this stuff, so also check the other tourist office up on 7th.
Also pick up the little wallet-sized coupons for discounts on Top of the Rock, the Morgan Museum, Boat tours, museums and various arty places. They are sometimes out of this stuff, so also check the other tourist office up on 7th.
NYU events calendar
NYU seems to have revised its websites, and now it's hard to sort out the concerts and lectures. NYU CALENDAR
A bit hard to navigate, but you can find free art exhibits and lectures and concerts
Here's a blog for the public which doesn't seem to be updated since October, though.
Better to check the music, theatre, art division individually. Here's music:
NYU Steinhardt
Such as:
Barnes & Noble/NYU Steinhart Conversations in Jazz Series, Hosted by Dr. David Schroeder. Interviews and performances with jazz legends, NYU Jazz faculty, and students
Oct. 30, Lenny Pickett 7pm
LOCATION: Barnes & Noble Booksellers
ADMISSION: Free Fridays from 7 to 8 pm
Hint: Look through Barnes and Noble for author events - we've seen Richard Dawkins, Garrison Keillor, Anthony Bourdain, and just missed Jimmy Carter.
A bit hard to navigate, but you can find free art exhibits and lectures and concerts
Here's a blog for the public which doesn't seem to be updated since October, though.
Better to check the music, theatre, art division individually. Here's music:
NYU Steinhardt
Such as:
Barnes & Noble/NYU Steinhart Conversations in Jazz Series, Hosted by Dr. David Schroeder. Interviews and performances with jazz legends, NYU Jazz faculty, and students
Oct. 30, Lenny Pickett 7pm
LOCATION: Barnes & Noble Booksellers
ADMISSION: Free Fridays from 7 to 8 pm
Hint: Look through Barnes and Noble for author events - we've seen Richard Dawkins, Garrison Keillor, Anthony Bourdain, and just missed Jimmy Carter.
Cheap theatre tickets
Sign up for free, and PRINT OUT THE COUPON CODES and go to the Box Office for best seats. You get better seats than lining up in Times Square.
Broadway Box
TheaterMania
Playbill.com
Broadway Box
TheaterMania
Playbill.com
Free and Cheap at Miller Theatre, Columbia Univ.
An alternative to the crowded Julliard concerts: a good variety, as in:
Miller Theatre, e.g, Marty Ehrlich Rites Quartet Oct 24. $7-20.
Bach: Keyboard Partitas free lunchtime concert, Oct 28
Miller Theatre, e.g, Marty Ehrlich Rites Quartet Oct 24. $7-20.
Bach: Keyboard Partitas free lunchtime concert, Oct 28
Jazz at Lincoln Center
sorta cheapish - but not really, still, fun to go once
Jazz at Lincoln Center $20 cover
Perhaps a better bargain, more crowded, at SMALLS, in Greenwich Village $20 for the whole evening
Jazz at Lincoln Center $20 cover
Perhaps a better bargain, more crowded, at SMALLS, in Greenwich Village $20 for the whole evening
NYC Parks Calender of Events
NYC Parks Calendar of Events
Sometimes silly, sometimes funky.
INWOOD ASTRONOMY PROGRAM
GHOSTS of MANHATTAN
Sometimes silly, sometimes funky.
INWOOD ASTRONOMY PROGRAM
GHOSTS of MANHATTAN
Free Lunch Concerts
CUNY Music in Midtown
Miller Theatre, Columbia
ARTEK, Early Music @ St Barts Wed. @ 1pm.
Juilliard concerts
Miller Theatre, Columbia
ARTEK, Early Music @ St Barts Wed. @ 1pm.
Juilliard concerts
Free museums - Part 1
This is NOT a list of free days at the biggies - you can find a link over on the right column to figure that out. This is "always free" museums.
Free and Funky:
FORBES GALLERIES
Great location at 5th avenue and 12th, just up from Washington Square, which you should go and see - it's all renovated, but it's being recolonized by the locals. Forbes was crazy. See his tin soldier and toy boat collection - he sold lots of stuff when the market crashed, though. Free, and good bathrooms. They have changing modern exhibits.
The Forbes Galleries
62 Fifth Avenue (at 12th Street)
New York City
Tuesday – Saturday
10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
FIT Museum, Chelsea
Great Free museum of the Fashion Institute of Technology, 7th Ave @ 25th street.
Also lectures, as in
"Ruben Toledo’s Art: From Fashion to Literature"
Thursday, October 29, 6 pm
Ruben Toledo talks about art, fashion, his wife Isabel, her influence on his work, and why “collaboration is the name of the game” for this Cuban-born artist.
ONASSIS gallery in Midtown - usually great stuff from the National Museum of Greece.
(but the big exhibit on Mycenae just left - a modern exhibit now installed. Free, in midtown, right behind the Trump Tower. lovely oasis of peace)
Hispanic Society Museum Weird and wonderful. Totally free. Goyas and Roman glass and Victorian genre paintings and wonderful antiquities. Next to Trinity Cemetery at 156th street, which has lots of mausoleums with stained glass.
"The collections of the Hispanic Society are unparalleled in their scope and quality outside the Iberian Peninsula, addressing nearly every aspect of culture in Spain, as well as a large part of Portugal and Latin America, through the twentieth century"
of course you can catch NEW culture at the Museo Del Barrio on 5th avenue (being renovated)
Free and Funky:
FORBES GALLERIES
Great location at 5th avenue and 12th, just up from Washington Square, which you should go and see - it's all renovated, but it's being recolonized by the locals. Forbes was crazy. See his tin soldier and toy boat collection - he sold lots of stuff when the market crashed, though. Free, and good bathrooms. They have changing modern exhibits.
The Forbes Galleries
62 Fifth Avenue (at 12th Street)
New York City
Tuesday – Saturday
10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
FIT Museum, Chelsea
Great Free museum of the Fashion Institute of Technology, 7th Ave @ 25th street.
Also lectures, as in
"Ruben Toledo’s Art: From Fashion to Literature"
Thursday, October 29, 6 pm
Ruben Toledo talks about art, fashion, his wife Isabel, her influence on his work, and why “collaboration is the name of the game” for this Cuban-born artist.
ONASSIS gallery in Midtown - usually great stuff from the National Museum of Greece.
(but the big exhibit on Mycenae just left - a modern exhibit now installed. Free, in midtown, right behind the Trump Tower. lovely oasis of peace)
Hispanic Society Museum Weird and wonderful. Totally free. Goyas and Roman glass and Victorian genre paintings and wonderful antiquities. Next to Trinity Cemetery at 156th street, which has lots of mausoleums with stained glass.
"The collections of the Hispanic Society are unparalleled in their scope and quality outside the Iberian Peninsula, addressing nearly every aspect of culture in Spain, as well as a large part of Portugal and Latin America, through the twentieth century"
of course you can catch NEW culture at the Museo Del Barrio on 5th avenue (being renovated)
Free Museums - Part 2
More FREE museums, not FREE NIGHTS -
Library of Performing Arts, Lincoln Center Fantastic exhibits
National Museum of American Indian (NY) Customs House, Battery Park. Most of the collections are now in Wash, DC, but travelling exhibits are here, in this great building on the waterfront. Free, calm, good gift store.
Rose Museum Carnegie Hall
More than 300 items recall the concerts, lectures, and other events that have appeared onstage at the Hall, along with the history of the building itself up through the 1986 renovation. Also on view are materials related to notable tenants of the studios above the stage, including Leonard Bernstein and Marlon Brando. From the silver trowel with which Mrs. Andrew Carnegie laid the cornerstone in 1890, to batons of Toscanini and von Karajan, Benny Goodman's clarinet, and an autographed program of the Beatles' landmark 1964 concert at the Hall, the display suggests the changing tides of American musical and social history." (not sure it's still free - check before going)
Library of Performing Arts, Lincoln Center Fantastic exhibits
National Museum of American Indian (NY) Customs House, Battery Park. Most of the collections are now in Wash, DC, but travelling exhibits are here, in this great building on the waterfront. Free, calm, good gift store.
Rose Museum Carnegie Hall
More than 300 items recall the concerts, lectures, and other events that have appeared onstage at the Hall, along with the history of the building itself up through the 1986 renovation. Also on view are materials related to notable tenants of the studios above the stage, including Leonard Bernstein and Marlon Brando. From the silver trowel with which Mrs. Andrew Carnegie laid the cornerstone in 1890, to batons of Toscanini and von Karajan, Benny Goodman's clarinet, and an autographed program of the Beatles' landmark 1964 concert at the Hall, the display suggests the changing tides of American musical and social history." (not sure it's still free - check before going)
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