Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with nyc and york

The ice is going to break!!! (in Christopher Walken voice)

cazoo — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 12:00:58 -0800

Ice Skating in NYC. Recommendations please? I am looking for an ice skating rink in NYC for a date. I'm trying to find one that is fun and not so crowded and you know...romantic and shit. So there are a few options I know of, Rockefeller Center, Central Park, and Bryant Park. I'm looking for an outdoor rink so Chelsea Piers is out of the question. How about the one at the Museum of Natural History? Is the one in Prospect Park any good? I'm not discounting Brooklyn. (I am a native, therefore surprise surprise, I have not been to any of these places.)

Also, this is important, which one has good hot chocolate nearby?

Metropolitan Museum Filter

Flood — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 09:27:50 -0800

Metropolitan Museum of Art filter: Any suggestions for visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art with teenagers? I will be in NYC for a brief trip with my extanded family. Two of my teenage nieces have become interested in Art History. I am going to spend a day with them at the Met.

I have studied art history. I have been to the Met several times, and know it a bit. I know the big highlights of the museum - but what are the really great things to see that people might overlook? Where in the museum are these things?

I am interested in hearing any other info that you would like to share about the musuem. Keep in mind, the goal here is to deepen and further teenage interest in art history.

Any and all thoughts are appreciated. Any good web-sites (the official website for the museum is very good, but anything else).

Big Apple and No-neck monsters

Lame_username — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 10:40:53 -0800

What are some cool things to do in New York City with a toddler? She will have her third birthday in a few weeks and loves animals, arts & crafts and other kids. We are temporarily looking after our city-smart niece while her parents go on a one week vacation. She lives in Chelsea. Like many NYC kids, she has a busy schedule of play dates and classes, but we hope to do some special activities to spoil her. We took her to the Carousel and the Children's Zoo last time we had her and she loved that. The other big hit we've found is the Children's Museum near Chinatown. Her parents mostly don't feed her candy or sugar (but are OK with the idea that we don't have no stinking rules), so a cool mega-candy store would be fun too. We usually take her to Billy's Bakery for a mega-cupcake, but a little variety would be cool.

I was thinking about the Bronx Zoo, but wasn't sure if that would be too much (and if I'd get lost!) From answers to past questions, I'm looking in Tmie Out New York Kids. We have her starting next Wednesday, if there are date specific ideas.

"Let them eat bagels."

whimsicalnymph — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 12:08:15 -0800

Where can I find the best bagel in NYC? At the risk of starting a riot, I'd like to hear MeFites' opinions on where the best bagel can be found in NYC.

I have lived in New York over a year, and I have yet to eat a bagel (I think Super Size Me made me not want to eat them for a while).

I have a friend coming into town in October, and as part of her visit, I'd like to take her to a great NYC place, with the best bagels on Earth. No small feat, but I imagine if anyone knows where such bagels can be found, the people of AskMe will know.

help me thrive with a car in nyc

jak68 — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 20:07:15 -0800

NYC parking filter - I need to know what you know. I'm going to have a car in manhattan around 125th street.

I didnt want to have a car up here but i'm stuck with it now.

Can you help me make my car-in-NY experience a bit more bearable?

I will learn the alternate side of street parking rules in my neighborhood. But -- is it true that once the street cleaner passes by, you can go park your car back where it was, even if the official time slot for no parking (for instance, 8:30-10) isnt over yet? The street cleaner doesnt come back, does it?

Is it true that the street cleaner comes by at around the same time for a given street, each time that it comes by? For instance, if I observe it coming by at 9:30AM on a given street, will it come by around 9:30 AM again the next tues or thurs?

So could I just sit in the car a bit before the expected time, wait to see the cleaner, drive around the block and park once more where I was once the cleaner has left that street?

Is it worthwhile to park waaaay far away like in queens even tho i live in manhattan? I hear the parking rules are much less oppressive there, with alternate side parking only once a week instead of twice.

Is it worth finding out "good parking neighborhoods" along the #1 subway train going uptown, parking up there and taking the subway back?

So what kinds of things did you do to survive NYC parking? Can it actually become bearable?

thanks!

Recommend casual button-down shirts for sale in NYC

Spacelegoman — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 12:28:20 -0800

Please recommend good quality button-down shirts for sale in NYC for a slender guy - I'm looking for something casual that can be worn tie-less and untucked if I'm in the mood, but still well made with good fabric and cut, i.e. at the level of Thomas Pink or w/e but casual. Priced up to around let's say $200 a shirt, although if it's less that's even better. Thanks!

Neighborhoods in NYC

Wolfster — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 07:18:30 -0800

Mr Roger’s Neighborhood: NYC, introduce me to your neighborhood plus rental places NYC filter

I’ve lived in NYC for about 4 years and really enjoy living here.

Now I like my current neighborhood, but the apartment is very, very small and has a lot of problems. Because the rents are currently dropping (my landlord just offered to lower my rent for a few hundred dollars), I figure this is the time to upgrade.

I would love it if people share what they like/love/don’t like about their neighborhood and what they think I could get for a ballpark sum of $. Even if I can’t afford your neighborhood, please share! Pretend you are a broker for your neighborhood but also tell me about the warts (a broker, with truth serum!). Even if things that you like are not on my list – tell me about them, I knew nothing about this neighborhood when I moved here and have grown to enjoy it.

As a plus please let me know if it has some of the things I am looking for/not looking for although I still would enjoy the introduction to your neighborhood.

Below are things that I enjoy about my neighborhood, like/don’t like about my apartment, and my dream list.

Current neighborhood: UWS/near Lincoln center

Love:
• Hudson path along the water for walking
• Riverside drive for biking (no cars come from opposite lane, can get to GW bridge to ride out of the city, not much traffic)
• Very safe (sometimes I come home very late –not a problem)
• Can easily visit friends on UES
• Proximity to a few subway trains – 1,2, A, C
• Close to activities but not in the middle of everything (eg, Lincoln center free music in August; can walk to theaters ~ Times Square)
• It isn’t that loud compared to other parts of town
• There is a store/deli around every corner (if I need a cookie…I walk 10 feet)

Current apartment: In this neighborhood, I pay about $1400 and the rent will be lowered to $1200

Like: location

Don’t like:
• Very, very small (200 square feet) – I can’t take this anymore!
• The heating system is poor (this system that is either turned completely on or off in the winter…(baking, freezing baking, freezing)
• My neighbors are very, very young/college kids (I am fine with this age group, but I need to work, and they are dancing, drinking, hollering and living la vida loca at 1, 3, and 4 in the morning…too loud)

Where do I want to live?

Amt to pay: Up to $1500, but not much more, and I would love to get a 1-BR, but that may be delusional so …a large studio is ok. Are there buildings that have a normal heating/cooling system or keep it on rather than turn it off most of the day in the winter?

Features of neighborhood: 1) safe (can still walk around late at night), 2) still near activities or things to do (ie, I don’t want to ride a subway or boat for an hour to go to a play), 3) can still get to UES within 30 minutes/45 minutes 4) easy to bike (the highway is not surrounding me on all sides)

Not essential: I freelance and work from home – subway is not essential but makes things easy in the winter.

I like Manhattan, but I am open to Brooklyn and Queens as long as I am not commuting for an hour.

Whats the deal with spray tans?

Unred — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 12:11:56 -0800

What do I need to know, as a very pale girl, about getting a spray tan? I have to wear a dress for a wedding in about a month, and I'm a little worried about my alabaster skin distracting the wedding guests. I've never gotten a spray tan, but think it'll look better than smearing on self tan. Any stories/tips to share?? And any recommendations for NYC tanning salons are appreciated.

NYC folks: What happened to the BAMN! automat?

querty — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 16:26:23 -0800

NYC folks: What happened to the BAMN! automat? I'm curious why it didn't work out for them... Wikipedia says it's been closed since March, but I just saw them featured on a TV show the other night (it could've been a re-run though); have they re-opened or re-located?

If they're totally done, then I wonder what happened to them/what went wrong. Maybe the lack of customer service? I think many fast food restaurants can be turned into vending machines, but at the same time, people want customer service; a face, a smile, a real person in front of the machine.

Zipcar Update?

The Whelk — Thu, 28 May 2009 13:35:30 -0800

Daytrip Dreamin': I've read the previous question about Zipcars in NYC, but it's about a year old and I have some specific questions. I am considering joining, but have heard that the availability is not terrific. What's it like for a daytrips out of the city? Any big problems? Does it make sense if you're only planning to use it 2 or three times a year?

NYC Restaurant Recommendation

ruwan — Mon, 25 May 2009 06:11:50 -0800

NYC Restaurant Filter: Looking for a nice restaurant very close to Carnegie Hall for dinner on Wednesday night. (Or walking distance from Madison Sq Park would also work.) - Reservations a plus (we have a group of 6).
- One of our party is vegetarian, so should have some options for him. (aka no steakhouses unfortunately.)
- ~$25 entree range
- Asian, Thai, or Indian would be nice but isn't a requirement. Any recommendation would be helpful, thanks!

Ethnic Jewelry in NYC?

tk — Thu, 21 May 2009 18:22:17 -0800

I'm looking for a store in New York City (Manhattan and Brooklyn, ideally) that sells ethnic and sterling silver jewelry. The store could have clothes, accessories, or art, but it should have a significant amount of jewelry for sale. Can anyone help me out? I'm of course googling on my own, but this is the kind of place you would know when you see it, and I can't walk all the streets of NYC. Thanks for any leads.

Advice on finding a not-tiny, affordable hotel room in NYC

ManInSuit — Tue, 05 May 2009 20:27:45 -0800

Advice on finding a not-tiny, affordable hotel room in NYC Hi. I wonder if the anyone can help with advice on finding a hotel room.

Here’s what I’m hoping to get

1) I’ll be doing some work around the financial district (a block from the NYSE). So I don’t want to be too far uptown. I guess I’m happy anywhere up to 42nd street or so… (And I guess, near a subway that’ll get me to the office quickly. But my sense is, there are subways all over that’ll do that…)

2) A given, I assume: High speed internet in the room. (Wifi is best. Free is best. But I can deal w. paid/wired if I have to).

3) Max price of $200/night

4) I’m traveling with a friend (who’s stowing away on my business trip), and since we’ll be sharing the room, I’m hoping for something not-too-tiny. A small suite would be awesome, though possibly unrealistic at our price range.

Item #4 is the question that leads me to post to the green. I haven’t been able to find any internet resources that provide much information on room sizes. I tried putting “suites” into various hotel search engines, w. mixed results. One place (Murray Hill East Suites) has an affordable price for “studio suites”, which sounds like an oxymoron to me. (What the hell is that?) Mostly, after some searching, I’m just baffled.

So…. I wonder if anyone has either:

a) ideas for strategies for finding a room that meets these criteria
or
b) specific suggestions for hotels to try.

Any help much appreciated!!

It's too darn hot. How to cool off my studio apartment?

lsemel — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 22:25:33 -0800

How can I cool off my NY studio apartment this summer? Our building has central air conditioning, and while it's cold enough when I sit right next to the unit, the rest of the apartment gets boiling hot. During today's heat wave, when it was 82 outside, a thermometer sitting on the unit read 70 degrees. On the other side of the room, it was more like 75, and on the other side of of the apartment, almost 80. The building doesn't allow window air conditioners. This is making living here really uncomfortable -- what else can I do to cool this place off? I've been putting up with hot, stuffy summer air in my apartment long enough. I want to do anything and everything I can to cool the place down this year. The heat wave of the last few days reminded me once again how uncomfortable it can get.

Here's a plan that's similar to my apartment. (Unlike the apartment depicted, I don't have the main area divided into two rooms.) The central A/C is to the right, underneath the window. This unit has cold water pumped to it, and cools the room by blowing air over the cold water pipes. The window is south-facing, as wide as the entire wall, and extends all the way up to the ceiling,. Today, when it was around 82 degrees out, a thermometer sitting on the unit reads 70 degrees. On the other side of the room, it'll read more like 75, and in the bathroom or kitchen, or by the front door, almost 80. I have a Vornado fan underneath the air conditioner blowing upwards.

The building won't allow a window air conditioner to be installed. Last year I tried getting a portable air conditioner (this model) but it had absolutely no effect whatsoever, even after running it for days.

What else can I do to keep things cooler in this apartment? More fans? Install a ceiling fan? Replace all my inefficient, heat-emitting incandescent light bulbs? Any ideas would be appreciated!

Getting to Newark from Manhattan

greta simone — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 09:41:15 -0800

Cheapest way to get to Newark airport from the city? I have a flight out of Newark at 9pm Monday night. I'll be running around Manhattan most of that day with only a small overnight bag, so luggage isn't an issue. I'm trying to find the cheapest way to get to Newark from where ever in the city I can get to by subway. I took the Blue Van into the city, which was cheap, but I don't think they do pick-ups to take you back to the airport. I prefer something uncomplicated, meaning I don't want to have to take two trains and then two buses or anything like that, but also cheap, so no NYC cabs straight there. Something in the middle would be best. I don't know exactly where I'll be in the city when it's time for me to leave, but I'm open and can catch a train anywhere.
Thanks for your help!

Billy on the Subway

sdsparks — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 12:31:22 -0800

Would I be silly to bring a largeish bookcase on the NYC subway? So I just bought a bookcase off Craigslist, your normal Billy from Ikea, dimensions:
Width: 31 1/2 "
Depth: 11 "
Height: 79 1/2 "
I need to get it from Park Slope to the Lower East Side and I can't figure out if its crazy to bring it on the F train. I keep going back and forth. 80 pounds won't be too heavy for two people right? Will the subway officials let me enter the station with it? Will it be too obnoxious for other riders? Will the F train be too full at 10:15 AM? I don't want to be a nuisance, I just want to save 50 bucks off the man with a van. So, thoughts? Sorry if this is too specific for MeFi, fell free to delete it if that's the case. Thanks!

Doctor Recommendation in NYC

smartypanties — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 04:29:21 -0800

Can you help me find a great primary care doc and a ob-gyn who take Cigna in NYC!? Help! I keep losing my docs. Please help me find a great doc and girly doc who accept Cigna! My current docs are horrible.

What's a not so expensive place to eat on a Sunday night, 9PM close to Madison Square Garden?

falameufilho — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 12:29:39 -0800

What's a not so expensive place to eat on a Sunday night, 9PM close to Madison Square Garden? I know you want to say Korean - but it's not an option. I have some guests I need to take to dinner at around 9PM tonight close to MSG. I wanted to take them to Korean, but I just found out they're a little picky with "exotic" food (I know). So I want to play it safe - steakhouses, Italian, chain restaurants. The problem - what's open on a Sunday night so "late"? Everything I am looking at Yelp or Menupages closes at 9PM.

Help!

Dear Abby, I'm looking for a good witch doctor. Yours, anxious in NYC.

grumblebee — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 05:02:00 -0800

I need a good psychiatrist / neurologist in NYC. Oxford Health Plan. All my life, I've suffered from anxiety. It's low grade. I don't have panic attacks. I function as I'm supposed to and perform well at my job. I come from a family of Woody-Allen-esque Jews, so I figured that anxiety was simply my birthright. Most of my relatives are worry warts.

At 43, I've had an epiphany: I don't have to -- or at least I shouldn't have to -- live that way for the rest of my life. It's not fun or romantic or funny. I'm tired of walking around with a slightly queasy stomach all the time. I'm tired of constant what-if thoughts and sleepless nights. I want to be able to truly relax.

I've done the talking cure before, and I think it can be effective for some things, but that's not the route I'd like to go now. (Though if an MD suggests it as part of a treatment regime, I'm open to it.) I've also tried meditation. So far I've failed with that, but I'll keep trying. I'd love to try biofeedback some time, but that's another story.

What I've never tried is meds. I suspect that my life would be better if I was on some sort of anxiety medication. I want to explore this option (and other options) with an expert. Who should I see?

What NYC hotel should I pick for a Christmastime visit?

objdoc — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 19:28:53 -0800

What interesting but not too hipster NYC hotel should I choose for a four-night near Christmastime stay in December? I'm heading to New York City in December for a work related conference near Times Square. We are also thinking about attending the Metropolitan Opera, and going to see The Nutcracker at Lincoln Center while in town. My partner plans to check out the Met and the Guggenheim while I am working, along with window shopping the Christmas displays around 5th Ave.

Last time we stayed at Le Parker Meridian which we liked well enough.

We'd like to find someplace interesting to stay, reasonably accessible to where we plan to spend most of our time. Caveat: we are late 30's but not terribly hip, even though we like architecture and design.

Price range: $350 or less, more only for something great

Vote Early and Often

andromache — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 14:10:33 -0800

What's the scoop on early voting in New York? I'd like to vote early, in person, in Manhattan. According to Obama's website, There is no early voting in New York; according to the NYC Board of Elections' website, "Absentee voting in person begins as soon as the ballots are available (at least 32 days before an election)."

I may be out of town on November 4., and I fear that by requesting an absentee ballot this late in the game, I may jeopardize my ability to vote. My mailing address is a P.O. box that takes black holes right out of the realm of the theoretical and incontravertibly proves that at least one exists, and it's in Morningside Heights. I'm talking, mail arriving weeks late (a separate gripe that may warrant its own AskMeFi post).

I've spent a while unsuccessfully slogging through the automated menus of 1-866-VOTE-NYC and, as seen above, Google returns conflicting results. I thought about getting a ballot in person at the Board of Elections Office, but given that the info I found on early voting may be suspect, I wonder about picking up absentee ballots in person, too.

Anyone got good intel or suggestions? Thanks, kids. Fifteen days.

Where should I take my parents for Thanksgiving in NYC?

chinese_fashion — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 22:00:40 -0800

Where can I take my visiting parents and sister for a nice Thanksgiving meal in New York City? My parents will be coming up to visit me in NYC for the first time EVER, and I'm really excited about this. They don't leave Virginia much. I'd like to take them out to a nice place for dinner on Thanksgiving, and as a family, we're looking forward to the adventure of it. I've spent 31 out of 32 Thanksgivings in Southern VA with the fam, so this is a huge stretch for them.

They're not as adventurous with their palates as I am, mind you. I didn't know you could even eat beef rare until after leaving college. They like Chinese and Italian just fine, though. So I guess I'm saying that turkey and stuffing isn't necessarily mandatory.

My dad's got some issues with long subway/car rides. He's got a health condition that means he needs to be near a bathroom pretty often. Nothing's COMPLETELY out of the question, but I don't know if he could swing a trip to say, Coney Island or Harlem on the subway.

I live in Williamsburg and they'll be staying here/Greenpoint too. It could be as easy as going to DuMont or something, I just don't know what's open and who does what.

So I'm asking: any suggestions for a good Thanksgiving tuck-in in Brooklyn/Manhattan?

Yet another NYC restaurant request, but with details!

anthill — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 20:53:21 -0800

Yet another NYC restaurant recommendation request: Taking ~15 colleagues out to dinner, walking from Times Square (46th&Broadway), looking to spend $20-30 per head, and be able to make a same-day reservation. Tall order, but bonus points for an NYC experience not available in Toronto/Montreal. Recommendations so far include Wu Liang Ye (48th between 5th-6th)... but even that's right on the edge of walking distance. I know it's lame and we should go to Downtown/Brooklyn/Uptown/anywhere else, but please help!

NYC Limo/Van Referral Needed

Man with Lantern — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 13:39:33 -0800

I'd like a referral for a service in New York City that can provide transport for six people, and luggage, from Penn Station to the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal. There are dozens - if not hundreds - limo services to choose from so I just need help separating the wheat from the chaff. Thanks.

NYC - One Night Only?

Oktober — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 07:57:41 -0800

I'm going to be in NYC this Saturday and I'd like to see as many of my friends as I can. I'm planning on picking a bar, and just letting everyone known I'll be there from, say, 8-11 or somesuch. I need a bar in NYC that's accessible to people coming from Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and New Jersey. Our tastes run on the slightly-geeky side. Think pinball and old arcade games. There will be 10-20 of us, mostly in our late 20s. So far, I've had a few recommendations:

Ace Bar

Barcade
Crocodile Lounge

That said, I haven't really lived in the area in 8 years, so hivemind, any suggestions?