Donuts and Bubble Tea and Hotel Bars--Oh My!

I've been following on Instagram a few accounts that have opened my eyes to some cool things in NYC that I didn't know about but certainly want to visit at some point. Below is a compilation of some of these places:

COOL FOOD 

TAIYAKI NYC : https://taiyakinyc.com/ 119 Baxter St. NYC Exciting Japanese Ice cream concoctions, and "jiggly pancakes".

STUFFED ICE CREAM https://stuffedicecreamnyc.com/  139 First Avenue/ East Village
Just what is sounds like...very cool Japanese ice cream creations (dragon eggs!).

SUPERMOON BAKEHOUSE https://www.supermoonbakehouse.com/  120 Rivington

SMORGASBURG https://www.smorgasburg.com/ NYC's giant all-food market in Williamsburg Sat 11-6 and Prospect Park Sundays 11-6

FIATNYC  https://fiatcafenyc.com/ C 203 Mott St. Cozy Italian cafe . Looks pink and cute.

SOUVLAKI GR : https://www.souvlakigr.com/ 116 Stanton and 164 W. 56

DRUNKEN DUMPLING http://www.drunkendumplingny.com/  137 First Avenue

MILK AND CREAM CEREAL BAR https://www.milkandcreambar.com/  159 Mott St.
"Milk & Cream Cereal Bar is a modern spin on a timeless favorite. A place where the old reconnects with the new and we strive to bring back your fondest memories and to help create new ones. We serve nostalgia in every bite with an endless combination of your favorite cereals! "

DUCHESS COOKIES NYC https://duchesscookies.com/  Ganesevoort Market 353 W 14th

BEN'S COOKIES www.benscookies.com 12th and University PLace

CAFE PATORO  http://www.cafepatoro.com/#intro  123 Front St. South Street Seaport bakery Brazlian

CITY CAKES https://citycakes.com/ t 251 West 18th Street Half pound cookies?!?!?

DOMINQUE ANSEL BAKERY https://dominiqueanselny.com/  189 Spring St.

DIU TEA https://diu-tea.business.site/ 116 Orchard. Selfie bubble tea!

THE CABIN NYC https://thecabinnyc.com/  205 East 4th Brunch etc.

MARCHE MARMAN: https://www.mamannyc.com/  Cute French cafe
239 centre- SOHO;  2111 W Broadway TRIBECA  837 Washington (inside Samsung)- MEATPACKING

LAUDEREE SOHO  https://www.laduree.fr/en/laduree-new-york-soho.html a bit precious but cute and typcial Soho outdoor cafe.

HOTEL BARS/ COOL BARS

THE BOWERY LOBBY https://www.theboweryhotel.com/dining/bowery-lobby/  335 Bowery Very cool looking hotel bar and Gemma restaurant,  which looks cute.

MCKITTRICK HOTEL GALLOW GREEN  https://mckittrickhotel.com/gallow-green/

FLEUR ROOM NY  http://moxy-hotels.marriott.com/nyc/chelsea/the-fleur-room/ 105 West 28th St.
"The glass-encased lounge on Moxy Chelsea’s 35th floor has showstopping, 360-degree views of the Manhattan skyline, from the Statue of Liberty to the Empire State Building."

HUDSON HOTEL  https://www.morganshotelgroup.com/hudson/hudson-new-york/eat-drink/library-bar Library Bar, Sky Terrace

HAVEN ROOFTOP http://www.havenrooftop.com/ 132 W 47 St.

THE BELFRY NYC http://belfrynyc.com/ Music/ blues and cool look

THE BROKEN SHAKER NY https://freehandhotels.com/new-york/broken-shaker/  23 Lexington Avenue

THE JAMES HOTEL - NOMAD Madison and 29th  https://www.magellanluxuryhotels.com/new-york-city/the-james-new-york-nomad/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw19DlBRCSARIsAOnfRege27o5WXlOq_n7nicNobEUNv3DzC3Nml05T3l1LiWiIuWIu2V12NIaAsOoEALw_wcB#hotel-details

ART

THE SHED IN HUDSON YARDS: https://theshed.org/  Art/ music etc  in a puffy / expandable "shed". Reich Richter Part in summer 2019--more to come on a constant basis.

THE VESSEL HUDSON YARDS; https://www.hudsonyardsnewyork.com/discover/vessel You need reservations to climb this!


PIZZA

Joes Pizza http://www.joespizzanyc.com/  7 Carmine St-- Quintessential by the slice hole in the wall.

Lombardis: 32 Spring Street, New York, NY, 10012 (and one other location) 

290 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10001 212-256-1973 25th and Eighth 

Motorino:  510 Columbus Ave, New York, NY, 10024 (and two other locations)

Pizzeria Serinetta 568 Amsterdam Avenue (86th), New York, NY, 10024 

Arturos  Houston and Thomson

101 Things to Do in NYC

An inspiring list from Time Out New York: 101 Things to Do in New York City.

Right now I want to go to Gallow Green! I have never heard of this place-- and this is why I love lists. Invariably there is something new on them that even as a jaded New Yorker intrigues me.

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!

Restaurants to try below 14th St.

New York Magazine always has a fantastic list of restaurants and reviews on their website that I refer to when I want to direct visitors to someplace special. What follows are some of their recommendations that sound like places I would like to try, all below 14^th Street. Will I? I hope so!  As usual, I find that my visitors often are more adventurous than I am in NYC—so let me know if you go to any of the following, and report back!

East Village: 
Bruno Pizza  ($) 204 E. 13th St., nr. Third Ave)

Superiority Burger  ($) 430 East 9th Street. Veggie burgers but with a twist  CLOSED TUESDAYS

Pearl and Ash ($$$)   220 Bowery

West Village: Po ($$$) 31 Cornelia St. nr. Bleecker St.

Home 20 Cornelia St.,nr. Bleecker St.  

Cafe Cluny  284 W. 12th St.at 4th St.  

Lower East Side:

Cheeky Sandwiches  ($) 35 Orchard St., nr. Hester St.8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Note: Miniature beignets are deep-fried to order. 

Best NY Breakfasts-from New York Magazine

Loved this article in NY Magazine this week--Best Breakfasts in NY by Adam Platt. Everything sounds so delicious! Breakfast! Who needs anything more!
All are on Lower East Side area or so. I’m intrigued by these places especially:

• Santina's   820 Washington St., at Gansevoort St. 
• Pies 'n' Thighs: 43 Canal St., nr. Ludlow St.
• El Rey Coffee Bar and Luncheonette   100 Stanton St., near Ludlow St. 
• Dimes   Canal near Orchard St. 
• Baz Bagel and Restaurant  181 Grand St., near Mulberry St 

NYC BASIC: WTC, Brooklyn Bridge, 34th Street. Met. Museum, Empire State, Brooklyn Bridge

I probably have 4 different posts on this site about basic NYC directions and how-to-do-it-quicker hacks. But there seems to always be something new that comes up, so herewith a list of visitor-hacks for some popular NYC sights-to-see:

NYC Basic: Downtown NYC, including: WTC, Statue of Liberty views (west side of downtown tip of NYC), and South Street Seaport/ Brooklyn Bridge (east side of downtown tip of NYC)

----------------------------------------------

Downtown NYC (tip of NYC): To the west is the Hudson River, where the Statue of Liberty is. To the East is the East River where the South Street Seaport and the Brooklyn Bridge is. 

The tip of Manhattan is not so wide across--you can usually walk from West to East in about 20 minutes or less. If you’re in good shape you can walk from the WTC/ Esplanade/ Statue of Liberty area east towards South Street Seaport and Brooklyn Bridge.

Best NYC Bars

I don't drink--but I still know plenty of people who do. And I'm not opposed to drinking a Diet Pepsi at a bar, as long as it's not too rowdy. Herewith, some famous old-timey NYC bars that are a must-visit if you are a history buff--and then some links to articles with a list of other NYC bars worth a visit. 

Old-Time NYC Bars with historical connection:

• The  Old Town Bar: 45 East 18th St, of Fifth Avenue a
• White Horse Tavern 567 Hudson St in Greenwich Village, of 11th St, north of the Christopher Street #1 stop, where Dylan Thomas had his last drink. 
• McSorely’s - 15 East 7th St. Oldest pub in NYC (or so they say)

Also, links to a few articles with reviews of other bars:

• 10 Best Open Rooftop Bars at Gothamist.com  
• 10 Best Rooftop Bars--Indoor at Gohtamist.com 
• East Village Bar Crawl at New York Magazine
• Ultimate NY Bar Crawl at Lonely Planet    
• Best NYC Rooftop Bars at Thrillist
• 50 Best NYC Bars  at Time Out New York

Higher -priced restaurant bars:

• The Dead Rabbit: 30 Water Street, South Street Seaport
• NoMad ("Best Hotel Bar"): 117 Broadway, (at 28th Street)
• Saxonand Parole-:316 Bowery at Bleeker
• Cafe Standard--Cooper Square (5th Street) at Bowery (East Village higher end hipster feel)