Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with Manhattan

Where should I stay in Manhattan?

RachelSmith — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 17:53:31 -0800

I'm visiting New York for an interview at 5th and 46th in 10 days. Where should I stay? I'm a grad student on a budget, and the suit that I'll be wearing to the interview isn't exactly built for cold weather, so I was thinking about trying to find a place to stay near the interview site. The number of neighborhoods on hotwire/priceline/craigslist is a little overwhelming- can anyone suggest an area?

I've never really been to New York and will have two days to explore (1/5-1/8). I'm a firefighter/Environmental scientist and love walking, interesting food, and culture- all of which I've heard New York has in abundence.

Related question: I'll be arriving on a redeye at 6 a.m. at JFK, my interview is at 5th and 46th at 10. Does JFK have showers? Initial research would indicate not. Any other suggestions on how to get cleaned up in the time I have between my arrival and my interview?

Thanks!

where can i buy beau monde seasoning in manhattan?

nanhey — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 12:20:35 -0800

Where can i buy Beau Monde seasoning mix in manhattan? places i've tried already: food emporium, gristedes and kalustyans. i called whole foods and they said they hadn't heard of but i haven't physically gone there.

i've found recipes online to make it from scratch but i really don't want to buy all the separate spices.

thanks!

Cheap(er) Manhattan pharmacy?

melissasaurus — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:40:38 -0800

Cheap(er) Manhattan pharmacy? I live in Manhattan and need to have a prescription filled. Problem is, it's not covered by my insurance. I usually go to Duane Reade, but without insurance coverage, it seems pricey (about twice as much as the internet says it should be). I'm hoping it's not just a typical NYC mark-up. Anyone have experience with full-price prescriptions at other pharmacies in Manhattan? No need to get specific w/ the type of drug or anything, just trying to narrow down the number of places I should call.

NYC broadway birthday brunch on short notice

Oktober — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 07:05:33 -0800

Looking for a good place to have a birthday brunch for my mom in midtown manhattan before a matinee at 3. There's six of us and we're leaving in an hour or so.

Help me find a (good) CBT psychiatrist/psychiatrist around 14th Street in Manhattan.

Anonymous — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 07:44:52 -0800

Help me find a (good) CBT psychiatrist/psychiatrist around 14th Street in Manhattan who takes Aetna student. Here's the symptoms I'd like to treat: I've been feeling kind of sad, a little lost and unmotivated. Probably some sort of depression, although it might just be situational. I've been feeling very compulsively sexual and have had been sexually abuse in my early years, leading to dysfunction in my relationships, so someone good with couples therapy/sexual issues would be great.

I don't have a Primary Care Physician (although I made an appointment for one based off of a metafilter found recommendation but it's not until February, and I'd rather not wait that long)

Insurance, etc: I have Aetnea student. I have access to DocFind but it's just a list of names, you know?

Why CBT: I had a talk therapist for years (along with medication) and I found it was easy to just vent, leave feeling relieved but not make any major changes in my life. I'm hoping CBT will be more focused and lead to more success and less wheel-spinning. That being said, if you have a great NON-CBT recommendation, I'm all ears, er, eyes.

Thanks in advance, since I probably won't be able to respond except through mods.

Help us put Starbucks out of business, for a week.

yom3ts — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:06:00 -0800

Any tips on a short-team lease of retail space in Manhattan? Brainstormfilter: Modeled after the costume shops that pop up for a month or so around Halloween and then disappear, combined with the down retail market, we're considering a short-term lease of a small commercial space to get the word out about our brand and products. The idea would be to offer freebies to attract a crowd (did someone say free cup of coffee?), and use the space as a showroom for our equipment and for our salespeople to make some quick contacts.

Granted, Manhattan's real estate market isn't experiencing the same horrors as some other parts of the country, but if we're ever going to do this, now has to be the time. Any tips/info on leasing retail space for as short as a few weeks to a few months, tops?

Recommendations for reasonably-priced and distinctive jeweler in Manhattan?

Grinder — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 04:56:33 -0800

Recommendations for reasonably-priced and distinctive jeweler in Manhattan? I'm looking for recommendations for a not-terribly expensive jeweler in Manhattan (if such can be found!). I'd prefer a place with a distinctive style. In particular, I'm looking for an engagement ring.

I can also travel out to the other boroughs, but don't have a lot of time in the city.

(Previous questions have been about repairs rather than purchases.)

Help with starting a NYC apartment search

FireStyle — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 08:17:35 -0800

Two young professional creative types looking for an apt in Brooklyn or Manhattan. We'd like a little help getting our search started. I've read quite a few posts about apartments in NYC but as times change and our price point is a bit higher than other posts I was hoping to recieve responses more in line with our situation. Also, some of the prices mentioned in other posts were studio apts; the price for a 2bdr skyrockets in those same neighborhoods!

We're looking for a 2 bedroom apt (if we're lucky, 3 bedroom so one room can be converted to a project studio) preferably in Brooklyn or manhattan. Optimally our budget is $1900/mo but we can go as high as $2300. We'd also like easy subway access to TriBeCa, but having done the long commutes in my time in California, I don't mind a commute. Finally, safety is of optimal concern: definitely looking for a safe area with a creative vibe to it. Thanks!

Finger Licking Good

Anonymous — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:17:38 -0800

What are the best BBQ restaurants in Manhattan? Bonus points if it is Texas themed in someway. Cost is not an issue. I had a great first date with a girl I met from Texas. She recently moved to NYC and is feeling a little homesick. She also loves steak, ribs and good Texas eating, so I thought it would be a cute idea to take her to a great NYC BBQ place for our second date. Any ideas?

Cost is not an issue. One of us is lives midtown and the other the east village, but anywhere in Manhattan is fine.

So far, I am thinking about Blue Smoke as a good option.

Also, any other Texas themed things I am missing that may be fun to show her in NYC?

Unique men's clothing resale in Manhattan or Brooklyn?

4midori — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 22:01:16 -0800

Recommend unique, affordable men's clothing resale stores in Manhattan or Brooklyn? Hipster ok, or vintage. I'm looking mainly for short- and long-sleeve collared shirts.

Sunrise in the New York City?

exhilaration — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 05:31:09 -0800

Where's the best place to watch the sunrise in New York City, preferably Manhattan? Since this is for my honeymoon, the more romantic the location, the better. :)

Your name on this grain?

sub-culture — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 08:48:57 -0800

Looking for someone who can write on grains of rice in Manhattan. When I lived in San Francisco I'd occasionally see these guys set up as sidewalk vendors. Looking for someone in New York who'll provide the same service.

Karaoke in NYC

Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 20:54:22 -0800

NYC KaraokeFilter: Looking for a great karaoke place in Manhattan to hold a birthday party for about 20 or so people. We'd like to rent a private room. A big English songlist is a must, and the place should serve alcohol. Cool & loungey is a major plus. Thanks! Ideally, we'd like a somewhat "nicer" place which is conducive to lounging around, mingling, and drinking as well as singing. Some places we've done some research on which look like possibilities: Karaoke One 7, Karaoke Top Tunes and Sing Sing. Red Bar has a very cool front room, but they couldn't promise that the karaoke machine would be working. (Zuh?) We've been to spots like Duet 35, but I feel that the rooms there are heavily geared toward singing and not so much for just mingling.

Anyhow, if you have any comments on any of these places, or can suggest some other locations, that would be terrific. Thanks so much.

P.S. I found one helpful previous question on this subject, but it's three years old, and our needs are a bit different.

How can I learn NYC's street repair status?

mhz — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 08:08:30 -0800

How can I learn NYC's street repair status? Is it possible to learn the scheduled start/stop of road repairs in New York City? They're always fixing roads, and every once in a while another stretch is 'scratched' up (whatever it is that they do,) and is a pain to drive on and downright scary to bike on.

Is there a place to find out when these projects are scheduled for? When they're at least supposed to end? All I could find with Google was bridge and tunnel status, nothing about regular street.

Should anyone have specific current information, right now I'm concerned mainly with Bedford Avenue from approximately Willoughby to Flushing, as well as the few blocks of Flatbush Avenue that are currently scratched.

Thanks!

Help us find an Anechoic Chamber in NYC

Brainy — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 20:14:33 -0800

Is there any place in Manhattan where my class could visit an Anechoic Chamber? My Synesthetic Perspectives class watched a documentary and in it, someone went into an Anechoic Chamber. The professor said he'd love to take us to one and we all said we'd love to go. He said he'd look into it, but I figured I'd help out by asking here.

The class meets from 3 - 5:40 on Wednesdays, we're all bachelors students so the age range is 20-30 years old, there are about 20 of us. We would be very well behaved and willing to work with whatever the situation is.

Thanks!

Stay in Newark ,commute to manhattan?

citybuddha — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 12:14:09 -0800

Stay in Newark ,commute to manhattan? Man hotels are pricey in Manhattan,
We are thinking of staying in Newark and commuting daily into the city.
Can anyone offer some advice as to if this is a bad idea or not? We are early risers and not late party people.
Would love to know of some affordable options between the two

How hard can it be to rent out a no fee ferchristsake

cestmoi15 — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 16:35:40 -0800

Where do you search for an apt in NYC? I'm looking to rent out my apt in NYC by owner, no fee. I've signed up with Craigslist, but have been out of the market for so long I no longer know where else people check. So, where is it the kids are rental hunting these days?

Relatively cheap restaurants in Manhattan that have good vegetarian options?

exolstice — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 15:18:54 -0800

Relatively cheap restaurants in Manhattan that have good vegetarian options? I'll be in Manhattan August 22-24 and I need suggestions of places to eat for someone on a budget who is a vegetarian going with another person who isn't. I'm flexible on location, but ideally in the Midtown East or East Village areas.

Help us choose an NYC birthday activity!

rachaelfaith — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 10:24:06 -0800

NYCFilter: Group of four 20-something friends need a birthday activity for this Sunday! Conditions: not too pricey, preferably Manhattan or Brooklyn, nothing too physically strenuous. My friend's birthday is this Sunday, and while we have reservations for dinner, we all wanted to do something fun beforehand. We were considering mini-golf, but Chelsea Piers seemed too expensive and we're questionable on The Putting Lot.

We're all female. Common interests include food, movies, parks, dessert. [So unique!] We're not really into coffee/tea, biking, touristy things.

So, any cool festivals or activities going on this weekend? Hit me with your creative ideas!

WiFi coffee shop in manhattan

greta simone — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 10:55:42 -0800

Good Manhattan (free, unlimited) WiFi locations? Just moved to the area and I need to get out of my apartment for a change of scenery while doing my job search.

Ideal location:
-Coffee shop (no libraries, I want to be able to drink/snack/take a phone call)
-Unlimited free Wifi
-Small, quiet, not a busy place, somewhere I'm likely to get a seat.
-Good coffee, ideally some snacks, affordable
-NOT a Starbucks

My favorite coffee shop at the moment is 9th Street Espresso in Alphabet City, but I'm trekking into the city from Port Authority at 41st, so maybe something on a quiet side street in Chelsea would be ideal? I'd like to be downtown at the very least.

Thanks for your help!

Last-minute July 4th plans for NYC wanderer

jckll — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 09:36:59 -0800

Last-minute July 4th plans for NYC wanderer? My plans for July 4th fell through over the weekend so I'm left with nothing to do. I beseech you, AMeFi armchair travel agents: Help me find something fun for the long weekend!

I would prefer to travel outside the city, and would do so by plane, train or bus. Don't own a car. I will spend a reasonable amount of money, but cheaper is, of course, better. Would also consider city-based activities or maybe a daytrip or two to a nearby locale. I am a Manhattan-centric NYCer, so recommendations of things going on in the outer boroughs would be very welcome. Help me show myself how cool Brooklyn and Queens are!

Things I like: hiking, interesting food and restaurants, camping (but all my camping gear is elsewhere! boo), biking (bike=with the camping gear), reading, water (to play and to drink), music/concerts, sports, documentaries and movie screenings, outdoor festivals, etc etc etc

I am open to almost anything. Even if I didn't list it above, and you know of something cool going on, tell me!

Perfecting a Brooklyn/Manhattan bike route

mhz — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 06:24:00 -0800

BrooklynBikeRouteFilter: Please help me map the best route to/from Brooklyn/Manhattan by bike. I'm trying to start riding to/from work every day. My route starts at Eastern Parkway and Rogers in Brooklyn, and ends at Broadway and Astor Place in Manhattan.

Ridethecity is giving me directions which I'm not entirely comfortable with [I've never ridden on, and so want to avoid, the Williamsburg Bridge,] so I'm looking for a better route. It seems to prefer the Williamsburg Bridge over the Manhattan Bridge because of the routes in Manhattan, but NYC Bike Maps seems to have a more updated version which includes Lafayette and Chrystie Streets with bike lanes.

So once in Manhattan it seems like Chrystie>Grand>Lafayette>Astor would work.

But what about in Brooklyn? I used to ride Flatbush Avenue… I'm not crazy about that. Neither Ridethecity nor NYC Bike Maps show Washington Avenue as having a bike lane, but I'm fairly certain it does. If so, then the most direct route would seem to be Eastern Pkwy>Washington>Bergen, but then what? (I can also get onto Bergen from Bedford if I'm wrong about Washington Ave.) From Bergen Street, what's the best route to the Manhattan bridge?

As for the way back…

Ridethecity tells me to go down to Grand>Chrystie>Canal to the bridge. Is Broadway better of worse than Mercer to get down to Grand? Is there a a better route altogether?

And once I'm back in Brooklyn, what's the best route to get back to Eastern Parkway? Is it Jay>Myrtle>Washington/Bergen?

Thanks!

Good resources for finding livable rent-stabilized apartments in Manhattan?

jdruk — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 09:42:14 -0800

Good resources for finding livable rent-stabilized apartments in Manhattan? My husband and I are looking for the impossible - a livable, 700+ sqf, 1+ bedroom apartment in Manhattan that's not in Harlem, Washington Heights or the Upper East Side.

I've been living in the city for 15+ years, and I feel like I've exhausted the only resources that I know of - Craigslist, NYBits, friends and relatives... and I have nothing to show for it.

I know, it's ludicrous to even hope for such a thing. Nonetheless, does anyone have any suggestions of other things to try? I've heard people read the obits, but I'm afraid that as soon as a stabilized apartment opens up, it automatically goes to a family member of the managing company's boss or becomes destabilized.

So... any ideas? Success stories to share?

Good places to study along the 1 line in NYC?

Outis — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 18:20:39 -0800

What is a good place to study in the evening and at night along the 1 line between Penn Station and City College? I'm living in Harlem (W 137th St.) for the summer while I take a course at CUNY Graduate Center. I need a place to study in the evening and into the night, though not the morning. It'll be everyday from about 5pm to 11pm or 12pm. (Uninterrupted sessions of at least five hours.)

I'm fine if it's not open late night on Sundays.

I'd rather not study somewhere that brings to mind a cave, aka the CUNY Graduate Center. Also, I need it to be relatively quiet, though not necessarily hushed, and a place where people won't think I'm completely insane for talking quietly to myself incoherently. (I'm here studying Ancient Greek.)

Thanks in advance, I'm not familiar with the city.

Help me watch the Wings take Pittsburgh

razzamatazm — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 16:18:39 -0800

I know it's late but I'm trying to find a bar in Manhattan that's showing the Red Wings game... Anybody having a good time and want a couple Detroit fans to yell at tv's with them?