Classy Rooftop Hotel Bars

Hudson Hotel- 58th and 9th. 356 W. 58th St.  Sky Terrace Sat- Sun-2PM-9PM Mon- Fri 3-11PM . Also Library Bar and Hudson Bar

Ganesvoort Hotel -13th St and Ninth Avenue -Zezura at Plunge- Nightclub and bar Mon-Sun 11-14PM

Standard Hotel High Line- 13th and Washington: Top of the Standard  also Le Bain Nightclub   and the Standard Biergarten

Dine Around Downtown at 28 Liberty Plaza- June 8 2016

NYC has no shortage of food festivals in the summer, and they're a fantastic way to sample restaurant fare--some quite high-end--without having to spring for an entire meal. Our particular favorite from this comprehensive list for the week at  Gothamist.com is Dine Around Downtown  --held Wednesday, 11-3 at 28 Liberty Plaza (Between Liberty & Pine and Nassau and William),  and hosted by the Food Network's ubiquitous Alex Guarnaschelli. Over 40 local restaurants will be serving small plates and the event couldn't be in a more scenic venue.

Cheap-and less cheap-places to stay in NYC

Manhattan is one of the costliest cities in the world to visit, and I get a lot of people asking me for tips on inexpensive places to stay in NYC. Yes, they’re hard to find. But if you're willing to make concessions on amenities, they do exist. And a cheap hotel in NYC can be a better choice than staying in a New Jersey or airport hotel. Though staying off-the-grid in NJ or by the airport is definitely an option, you need to consider that you'll likely spend all day in Manhattan, since the commute could be an hour or more. This makes going back to the hotel for a rest mid-day, or to regroup for an evening out, very difficult.

And, of course, there is the added thrill of staying in Manhattan itself, where you have a plethora of entertainment options right outside your door. Manhattan is more compact than any other city its size; pretty much anything is reachable by a subway ride of under a half hour. You can go from Battery Park (downtown NYC/ Wall Street) to the Upper West Side (Central Park) in 30 minutes or less! Subways are frequent, run 24 hours, and are the most efficient way to travel in NYC (though unfailingly gross and grubby--but remember they were built over 100 years ago, so cut us some slack!).  

So below are TWO recommendations for VERY inexpensive (by NYC standards) but SAFE accommodations in great Manhattan neighborhoods (I am partial to the 63rd St. Y location and casual, young and budget- European vibe, myself, but have visited the POD Hotel on 51st and liked it very much):

2 or 3 days in NYC- A Tutorial

Having just spent 4 days in New Orleans, I know a short-term trip in a totally unfamiliar city (especially one was complicated as NYC) can be daunting, because there is so much to see, and it's hard to A: Decide what to prioritize and B: figure out how to get everywhere quickly, when public transportation is the only way of getting around that makes sense (yes, you can take taxis/ Uber if you have the $, but for longer distances or crosstown during daytime, cars can take forever. Even rich people take the subway when in a rush!).

Therefore, below are some of my hints on what might make a short visit easier and help you hit the highlights without having a panic attack!