The Big Apple - a NY City Guide
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Welcome to the Big Apple, the City that Never Sleeps
When most people say "New York City" they are really referring to the island of Manhattan, a borough of NYC. When most people visit New York, this is where they go. The area is small compared to the State, but the history is a rich, multi-cultural one. Those who love to live here are a special breed.
Ever hear somebody say "What is this?... Grand Central Station?" Here's an actual picture of it!
Currently in NY City...
local conditions and forecast
Current weather conditions in New York, NY (10020)
Local Pollen Reports
68°F (Feels like 68°F)
Last update: 5/30/12 3:51 AM EDT
Humidity: 93%Visibility: 10.0 mi
Dew Point: 66°F
UV Index: 0 (Lawn and Garden Weather)
Barometer: 29.77in falling
Moon: Rush Hour Traffic
Wind: 6mph From: Airport Conditions
New York for the Holidays
starting in late November and running into early January
New York doesn't just do things big, it does them BIG! The holiday season definitely gets off to a start in November, with the city setting up displays and decorations thoroughly by the end of the month. Two of the City's regular ol' celebrations are so big, they get televised nationally. Think about that. The rest of the country is willing to watch average New Yorkers going about their thing in the streets.One of the BIGGEST events in NYC during the holidays is the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade which inevitably gets shortened verbally to "Macy's Parade." This parade and it's large scale balloons is unlike any other in the world. It also features lip-sync and live dance performances by current Broadway stars and show casts.
If you're attending the parade live, bundle up! Traditionally, it's very "nippy" this time of year, so extras like gloves, hats and scarves are really required to ensure comfort. Also, bring binoculars if you have them, you never know how far away or close you'll wind up. And don't forget a digital camera!
At the end of November, the famous New York City Christmas Tree will be officially lit in Rockefeller Center. This too is such a well-known event, it too is given national tv coverage. The entire center is decorated elaborately and the massive installation will stay up through New Years. It gets taken down shortly thereafter.
The City also lights an official Menorah to mark the eight nights of Hannukah.
New Year's Eve spent in Times Square is a NY classic! Hundreds of thousands turn out no matter what the weather to watch the famous ball drop down the spire of the building at One Times Square.
The Heart of the Big Apple Map
navigate Manhattan and more
Art Museums of the Big Apple
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York: metmuseum.org
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art Web site features information on upcoming museum events, fine art exhibits, special exhibitions, the Met collection and art galleries online.
- Guggenheim Museum
- Spiral your way through this musuem.
- MoMA | The Museum of Modern Art
- The Museum of Modern Art's Web site provides information on current and upcoming art, film and media, and online exhibitions; highlights from MoMA's unparalleled collection of modern and contemporary art; and listings of education and family programs.
- American Museum of Natural History
- The American Museum of Natural History is one of the world's preeminent institutions for scientific research and education, with collections of more than 32 million specimens and artifacts.
- Whitney Museum of American Art
- The Whitney has always been a forum for discussion about ideas and attitudes in American culture.
- American Folk Art Museum
- American Folk Art Museum, 45 West 53rd Street
Bird's Eye View on NYC
new york city photography
Free Wireless in NYC
Many folks traveling today hope to be able to get online somewhere to keep up with email and other developments back home. If you're traveling with a laptop, you'll be able to log on from these free wireless hotspots.
- Free Wireless Access at the Library
- The Branch Libraries of the New York Public Library.
- Lower Manhattan Wireless Network
- In eight different public spaces throughout Lower Manhattan, you can enjoy free wireless Internet access from your laptop or PDA. So step out and log on: surf the Web, check your e-mail, and send instant messages while relaxing in the park.
- UnionSquareNYC.org - Wireless Access
- Union Square Park is open for free wireless connections to the Web. The Partnership has teamed up with Wired Magazine and Emenity to provide free-of-charge Internet access from anywhere in the Park. Students, office-workers, anyone with a wireless-enabled laptop or PDA can access the node and the World Wide Web 24-hours a day from Union Square Park.
- free_wifi @ the Saurin Parke Cafe
- We offer it free to our customers every day and the cafe is one of the best places to go to surf the web.
- chelseamarket.com - free wireless internet
- Get FREE, high-speed, wireless-internet access every time you step foot inside Chelsea Market's ground floor concourse with your laptop. It triples the speed of a T1 connection (meaning 40 to 100 times faster than dial-up), and you don't need any connecting wires to get online.
New York Travel Guides
take yourself on a tour of Manhattan or beyond!
New York Pizza - Best In The World!
I was in New York City for the first time in 20 years in the fall of 2005. I had a small list of to-dos. Right at the top in the #1 spot was eat real NY pizza. Number two was eat a real NY bagel. Obviously, it's got to be something in the water.New York pizza is one of those things. It's like Chicago pizza. Once you eat it in the hometown where it's from, you get what everyone is talking about. I grew up eating NY pizza, going into the city on weekends as a teenager. You ate it standing up, at crowded shops with greasy counters. You fold your pizza. Hey, that's just what you do there, like how you read the NY Times on the train. (I played 'spot the Tri-state commuter' for many years in the Bay Area). If you watch the movie "Saturday Night Fever" I learned to eat my pizza the same way that John Travolta's character Tony eats his in the movie: walking down the street, folded in half.
The crust of a NY pizza is thin, whereas Chicago is thick. I think both have their merits, but my preference is for the NY style. There's something about the NY sauce too. That's what struck me the most this fall with that first bite. Right after the perfect crunch of the crust, the sauce was a spicy burning flood over my tongue. Aaahhh....
Real NY pizza does not have things like artichokes, shrimp, eggplant, bbq chicken and the like on it. It does not blaspheme itself with things like whole wheat crust. A classic plain cheese pizza done well NY-style will have enough flavor to satisfy, enough texture to fulfill. Too often, NY-style fails, becoming soggy instead of capturing a necessary crispiness.
The worst pizza I ever ate was in London in the summer of 1985. 'Nuff said on that.
Yelp Manhattan Talks Food
reviews and recommendations for eating out in NYC
Get advice and reviews on local stuff, and leave your own reviews of the things that you do and eat while you are in New York City.
Here's what Yelpers have to say about Food in 10020
- Borgatti's Ravioli & Egg Noodles (Bronx)
- "wow.... just awesome! I can't believe I missed this place during my last visit." more
- Los Paisanos (Brooklyn)
- "A terrific local butcher, judging from my one experience. I needed a great rib roast for guests and didn't want to pay the even higher prices at Staubitz...." more
- Tinto Fino (New York)
- "Just a gem of a wine shop built and designed by people who know Spanish wine. Expertise and service is on full display here, especially if Keren is around,..." more
- Japan Premium Beef (New York)
- "I have been buying only the highest quality beef from this fine establishment since inception. The service is outstanding, and I even use their exceptional..." more
- Caputo's Fine Foods (Brooklyn)
- "my go to place for hot soppressata and cheeeeeeeeese.... it's mom and pop and super friendly. i love it when the teenage kids are working at the counter......" more
powered by Yelp
Hot Time, Summer In The City
The Big Apple's Best Summer Events
If it's a classic NY street fair that you're looking for, they tend to run from April to November. Here's a great guide that will let you see if there will be one during your visit.All summer you can help revitalize and celebrate Lower Manhattan at the River to River Festival, which takes place each summer from June through September, in a variety of public venues that canvas all of Downtown New York - from Chambers Street down to the southern tip of Manhattan and across the island from river to river.
Most Friday mornings from April to August, you can catch a free concert as part of the Today Show Concert Series. The range of musical guests is really diverse and if you get on camera, you can wave to the folks back home.
The Delacorte Theater in Central Park will play host to the Public Theater's productions of Shakespeare In The Park from June through August. These free performances reach over 75,000 visitors and city residents alike.
At the end of June is a NY one-of-a-kind event, the Coney Island Mermaid Parade.
If you're in the city over the 4th of July, it's pretty much guaranteed you won't miss Macy's Fireworks Show.
If you'd like to get out of the city, and take a step back in time, NY offers two Renaissance Fairs. Running from July into August is the Sterling Renaissance Festival held in Sterling, NY. Then, running from early August into September is the New York Renaissance Festival held in Tuxedo, NY.
New York Websites
Take a bite out of the Big Apple
New York City web sites, including major museums and arts organizations, travel sites, and New York guides.
- NYC.gov
- Welcome to the official New York City Web site
- NYC & Company
- NYC & Company (formerly known as the New York Convention & Visitors Bureau) is New York City's official tourism marketing organization.
- NYC Ballet
- New York City Ballet
- NYC Opera
- New York City Opera
- The New York Public Library
- Come see the big stone lions as well as one of the world's best known libraries.
- NYC Marathon
- Homepage of the world's largest marathon.
- Welcome to www.nycsubway.org
- NEWS & EVENTS, Photos from Today's Date in History, Station by Station Guide
- New York's Greenwich Village: A one-stop place for food, fun and unique NY
- This small and vibrant section of New York City is packed with places to eat, stores for shopping and all the people watching you can come to expect from the Big Apple.
Share Your NY State Of Mind
comments and contributions
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jimmyworldstar
Jan 23, 2012 @ 12:16 pm | delete
- I would hope you could post more things about the different boroughs of NY and the individual neighborhoods. If you go to NY you absolutely have to eat at local places, there's no excuse for eating at an (overpriced) chain where you can eat anywhere else.
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Candlemakingsupplies
Aug 21, 2011 @ 5:38 pm | delete
- My son wants to live in NY once he graduates.
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kiwisoutback Mar 25, 2011 @ 11:15 am | delete
- Just came back to tell you I added you to the NY section of my East Coast road trip lens.
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- I haven't been to NYC in five years or so. I'm anxious to get back there. Last time I went we were there for the Feast of San Gennaro Festival (every September) in Little Italy. Blessed by the US Travel Angel!
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A Manhattan Map
handy and travels well
Streetwise Manhattan Map - Laminated City Street Map of Manhattan, New York - Folding pocket size travel map with subway map, bus map
Amazon Price: $3.41 (as of 05/29/2012)
Do NYC on a Budget
Frommer's NYC Free and Dirt Cheap (Frommer's Free & Dirt Cheap)
Amazon Price: $8.82 (as of 05/29/2012)
NY Times Headlines
all the news that's fit to print
