I'd like to read about New York City. I'm looking for more general "New York 101" overviews, or books about longer eras/themes. I'm not looking for books about cultural "scenes" or specific events/short periods. I have my eye on "Gotham" by Burrows and Wallace, which seems like the standard one volume history, and also "The Power Broker" by Caro (which, to give you an idea, is about as focussed and specific a book about New York as I'm looking for right now). What else can you recommend?
posted by caek
on May 16, 2013 -
17 answers
I'm planning to move from one NYC neighborhood to another at the end of the summer. Though I'm 99% sure I'll be able to cover all potential expenses (movers, security deposit, first/last month's rent, broker's fee), I was wondering if there's a
reputable company that advances small loans to help cover these costs.
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posted by incomple
on May 14, 2013 -
11 answers
In a few weeks I'll be flying into NYC around 9:00 AM and flying out around 9:00 PM, and I'd like to take a shower somewhere and maybe even leave my bag for the day so I can wander the city. So far the only options I've found are to pay about $50 for access to an airline lounge, which seems too pricey for what I want, or to book a hotel room. Surely there are cheaper options? I'm not too picky about location, but somewhere in Lower Manhattan would probably be best. Please help me out, New Yorkers!
posted by reductiondesign
on May 13, 2013 -
20 answers
Recommendations for good bachelor party "activity"-type places in NYC. Not looking for debauchery—right now, we're considering something like
Brooklyn Bowl and/or
Barcade. Thinking along those lines or pool/darts, that sort of thing, but also interested in other ideas. Manhattan or Brooklyn.
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posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell
on May 9, 2013 -
9 answers
A colleague and I are traveling to New York at the end of the month (Tues-Thurs, if it matters) for business that will take place near the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
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posted by obliquicity
on May 1, 2013 -
9 answers
I'm moving to New York and don't know a lot about neighborhoods. Where should I live?
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posted by naoko
on May 1, 2013 -
15 answers
The job part is secured. Now on to the "living there" part. Where should I live for $1200 or under, and how should I go about achieving this living situation?
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posted by windbox
on Apr 29, 2013 -
22 answers
I need recommendations for an excellent play for which I can get tickets for a somewhat older couple this weekend in NYC. No musicals, please, and nothing too risque or avant-garde. Any ideas?
posted by shivohum
on Apr 18, 2013 -
6 answers
I live in New York City and am visiting Montreal and I'm looking for Chinese translated manga / manhua. Tian Hua in Montreal used to have some, but maybe they got rid of them when they moved? Is there another place that stocks them in either city?
Bonus points if you know any good sources for Chinese children's books in either city.
posted by Jeanne
on Apr 13, 2013 -
5 answers
Heading to NYC next week with the family for a few days. What are some good destinations for a family that likes geeky things?
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posted by bondcliff
on Apr 11, 2013 -
33 answers
Yesterday, I found a delicious and huge banh mi on Broome street for $4.50. This made me think: there have to be, in my general vicinity, other good lunches that don't cost a lot. I generally pay $8 to $15 for lunch, and I'm tired of it, and I'm also fatigued from all the places I currently go. Tell me other (cheap) places to try!
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posted by millipede
on Apr 10, 2013 -
21 answers
Where to go for dinner next in NYC? I'm a lifelong New Yorker and love going out to eat. However, I feel like I'm in bit of a rut, mostly returning to neighborhood reliables and a handful of other favorite restaurants around the city. The wealth of information about NYC restaurants out there is pretty daunting, so I'm hoping for some direction from the hivemind. Some more details inside.
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posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell
on Apr 2, 2013 -
18 answers
As I said in
my last post, I'm packing up and hitting the road to travel the world for a year. I have a one bedroom apartment full of stuff in Brooklyn Heights, NY that I need to store. I'm going to try to pare down as much as possible, but I have nice furniture that I paid a good amount of money for and like, as well as art and books, much of which I want to keep. Having done some quick searching online, it definitely appears to make sense to store much of my furniture from my cost/benefit point of view, versus buying all new furniture at similar prices to what I previously spent when I get back. I'm looking for climate controlled storage for a large one bedroom worth of stuff, anywhere in the NYC area.
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posted by traveltheworld
on Mar 28, 2013 -
5 answers
What is the process and what taxes must I pay when transferring a car title from my father to me? Interstate snowflakes inside.
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posted by domnit
on Mar 25, 2013 -
4 answers
I'm coming to the realization that I need to either buy a new tux or a vintage tux for my wedding. Tell me of your experiences with vintage tuxes please? Tell me of your experiences with cool vintage store in New York City please? Or some other place in the area to buy a tux that isn't a chain or a department store?
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posted by Potomac Avenue
on Mar 17, 2013 -
9 answers
I'll be wrapping up a stressful period of work and have a long weekend coming up. I'd like to find a spa, or hotel with spa within 4-5 hours radius of NYC to just veg.
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posted by TravellingCari
on Mar 16, 2013 -
6 answers
I've got my nose buried in Bonfire of the Vanities and Ladies and Gentlemen, the Bronx is Burning. What books should I read next? What are the must-reads from or about this era of New York City?
posted by johnnybeggs
on Mar 15, 2013 -
20 answers
The other night there was a fire in my friend's building in New York City; the fire was on the 10th floor, he lives on the 21st. He wasn't present while the fire happened, but there was smoke damage to his apartment, particularly to his clothes. My friend doesn't have renter's insurance.
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posted by gerryblog
on Mar 12, 2013 -
9 answers
I could use some input on how I can pull off the bachelorette party I have envisioned, in New York City, in late May of this year. Keywords: fun (not raunchy), slumber party, karaoke, good food, overnight.
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posted by rachaelfaith
on Mar 8, 2013 -
8 answers
Two of my closest friends are marrying in two months and leaving for New York City for (at least) two years this fall. For their wedding gift I'd like to give them "small papery things" - subway tickets, restauraunt coupons, tickets to museums, etc. - that they could take easily with them and give them a headstart in exploring the city. Now I'm looking for recommendations in general but also helping hands to get these things to Austria.
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posted by bigendian
on Mar 7, 2013 -
16 answers
I a (mostly) West coaster, and will be on the Eastern seaboard next week for some travel. Here's what my plan is:
(1) Thursday - Washington DC to West Point (by train and rental car)
(2) Sunday - West Point to NYC (by rental car, need to drop someone in NY at an airport)
(3) Sunday - Stay overnight in NYC are thereabouts in prep for (4). Nice to have would be within striking distance to do something in NYC that night, but this is optional
(4) Monday - Fly out from LaGuardia in the afternoon
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posted by artlung
on Feb 25, 2013 -
17 answers
I recently subleased a place in NYC for three months. I put down a $2000 deposit and paid $3200 for the first month. I’ve been there for two weeks. The lease specified that I’d pay for each remaining month on the first of the month. I've been told "you’ve lost your fucking money, get out". What next?
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posted by suncoursing
on Feb 24, 2013 -
28 answers
This question is specific to NYC. I'm wondering what people's experiences have been getting free haircuts from the various schools around town - Aveda, Bumble and Bumble, Arrojo. Often, people offer free haircuts on craigslist and elsewhere, in order to get models for class projects. FWIW, I'm a male, 29 yo "hipster," although I'd also welcome opinions from women.
posted by outlandishmarxist
on Feb 23, 2013 -
17 answers
I am looking to do volunteer work in New York and was hoping to do something that would engage me like teaching. This could include tutoring, GED classes, SAT classes, job hunting, etc. I have a BFA and an MBA so I think I could be fairly versatile. I am hoping for specific suggestions I could pursue. Thanks!
posted by azoth
on Feb 19, 2013 -
7 answers
I'll be spending the day with my two year old son in New York (staying in Cobble Hill, probably heading into Manhattan) on Sat. 3/2, and am looking for suggestions for fun, reasonably-priced activities that we can do together.
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posted by ryanshepard
on Feb 15, 2013 -
14 answers
After an extended illness that involved a severely limited diet, I'm finally on the mend and able to eat my old favorite foods. With that in mind, I want to treat myself and a friend to a
fantastic bagel in New York City. However, I'm still recuperating and am pretty low on energy, so the standard "go to Murray's and then walk to the High Line/sit on a bench/walk around" type advice doesn't work for me. I'm looking for a restaurant that combines
extremely good bagel with a comfortable seating area, with a strong preference for table service. If I have to compromise, I'll compromise on quality of bagel and accept suggestions for places with a nice environment that serve acceptable bagels. I'm happy to travel to anywhere in the city to do this.
posted by telegraph
on Feb 8, 2013 -
13 answers
In NYC: Want to get 10-30 people in a quiet room for a discussion (in a place that's not someone's apartment) for about 90 minutes. What's free (or quite cheap), and easy to obtain on short notice? This is a noncommercial thing, if that would help.
posted by shivohum
on Feb 4, 2013 -
9 answers
Back in 2005, I visited St. John the Divine Cathedral in New York with a friend of mine. Recently he asked if I remembered a quote engraved on the floor, something to the effect of, "Forget the [...], take up the chorus". While this sounds very familiar to me, I can't recall the full quote or the source. I remember it was part of a series of quotes engraved on the floor, mostly from (I believe) 20th-century writers and thinkers. Other than that, I'm stuck.
posted by Yiggs
on Jan 31, 2013 -
4 answers
I love to stop and draw when I take walks in New York. I'm inspired by architectural details and monumental perspective, contrasts of space and light. Usually I wander aimlessly until I find an interesting spot to sit with my sketchbook, but that's a bit tougher when it's 20 degrees outside. I'm in the process of setting up weekly sketching adventures with a novice artist friend, and I feel there should be some planning involved. Help me compile a list of potentially inspiring places we can sit and sketch in the city without our fingers freezing off.
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posted by alight
on Jan 27, 2013 -
8 answers
I love watching male ballet dancers in the New York City Ballet. What else would I enjoy watching?
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posted by EmilyFlew
on Jan 23, 2013 -
13 answers
My husband and I are taking my nearly 2 year old on her first trip to New York. We're going to be there to buy books and fabric, but this will take less than a day out of our three day trip. We've been to New York dozens of times, but never with a kid in tow. We'd like some suggestions for toddler-friendly shops, sites, and restaurants that we can use to break up our errands.
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posted by Alison
on Jan 21, 2013 -
19 answers
I'm an established photographer with a large body of work in travel and performance/event, with a niche in circus arts. I've exhibited in the past, and I'm looking for resources on funding/grants to put on an exhibition in either New York or London.
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posted by felspar
on Jan 8, 2013 -
5 answers
What weather and road issues should I be aware of in my drive from Birmingham to Boston next Saturday, and what sights should I see?
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posted by bamassippi
on Dec 29, 2012 -
8 answers
Where in New York can I get a machine-washable 35"-40" long apron for ~$15? I'm tired of wearing aprons that end at mid-thigh, but all the long aprons I've found are heavy, expensive things designed for protection while welding or turning wood or working with chemicals. This is just for cooking, so a waterproof backing would be nice but I don't need leather or ballistic nylon or pockets. I'd rather not go online because the shipping alone is often $15.
posted by d. z. wang
on Dec 29, 2012 -
6 answers
New Yorkers: Visiting early next year, wife and child traveling with me. Wrinkle: I'll be working during the days, so I'm looking for cool (and safe) things for them to do and places to go while I sit in a convention center.
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posted by jbickers
on Dec 28, 2012 -
32 answers
What is the copyright status of works created by the New York City government? Specifically works created by the Department of Health or similar agencies, concerning vital statistics and similar public data? (That is, indices to vital records but not actual vital records, which are protected by privacy restrictions.) Does it make a difference if the records and books were published more than 50 years ago? 40 years ago?
posted by Asparagirl
on Dec 22, 2012 -
5 answers
Need a NYC doctor (GP) that is laid back and understands people who are terrified of doctors.
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posted by thirdletter
on Dec 4, 2012 -
6 answers
This non-New Yorker is looking for personal recos for an awesome place (coffee shop, library, resturaunt) to work from in mid-town Manhattan tomorrow. Requirements: cheap WiFi, not too far from a subway drop, and doesn't mind me hanging out for basically 10 hours on my laptop.
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posted by JPowers
on Nov 14, 2012 -
14 answers
I am in New York City until Friday evening. What are some good ways to pass the time (indoors, please!)
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posted by amicamentis
on Nov 7, 2012 -
8 answers
I want to donate more in support of Hurricane Sandy, but I'm concerned that while the Red Cross and the NYC Mayor's Fund are probably getting a ton of love, there are other charities in the city that are in dire straights as a result of the hurricane. (Or just in general.) What smaller, local NYC charities need our support the most?
posted by tweebiscuit
on Nov 6, 2012 -
12 answers
