Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with nyc

Great NYC self-serve copy shops?

Narrative Priorities — Sun, 19 May 2013 08:43:01 -0800

I want to organize a small event where people would make/assemble their own b&w zines and minicomics. Is there a copy shop that meets my needs? Things that this ideal copy shop would have:

- Enough room for several people to work - tables where you can organize your material, more than one machine, etc

- Analog black and white machines, as opposed to digital

- Lets you make your own copies

- Either has a lot of paper stock to choose from or lets you bring/load your own paper

- Has the ability to trim copies down, if needed

- Proximity to a space where people can hang out and work for a long period of time -- coffee shop, public library, preferably some place that has tables -- or so large and laid back that we can do the whole event there

- Easily accessible by NYC public transit

The Staples in Park Slope (4th Ave and 3rd) will do in a pinch, but their copiers aren't great and I'd rather patronize a local business.

I'd be willing to travel a little outside the five boroughs for a really great shop, as long as it's easy walking distance from the train and the ride isn't so long that it'll discourage my friends.

I realize this is probably a long shot, but if any group of people can help me out with this, it's you guys!

Moving from London to NYC

colie — Sat, 18 May 2013 11:38:48 -0800

I'm 40, likely to be moving to NYC from London with my partner and 11 year old daughter, and am fortunate enough to have an apartment to rent out in London which gives me a budget of 5,000 dollars a month. Where would MeFi people recommend to live in Manhattan when looking for a 2 bedroom place with that budget? I have no clue, have never been there but it seems like the greatest place on Earth!

Books about the history of New York City

caek — Thu, 16 May 2013 08:14:35 -0800

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?

NYC travel challenge: LaGuardia to Weekhawken this Saturday afternoon

brozek — Thu, 16 May 2013 06:28:59 -0800

My wife is traveling to New York City for work this weekend, so we're making a family trip out of it (including a 5 and 1 year-old). Their first time - yay! Unfortunately, we're flying into LaGuardia and the person organizing her travel just changed the hotel reservation to the Sheraton Lincoln Harbor in Weehawken. We've only visited NYC a handful of times, but enough to know that's a difficult jaunt with no direct route. Getting a car service is an option, but it's almost $200 and we'd like to find more frugal option using public transportation if at all possible. Is our best bet an airport bus to the Port Authority, then transfer to something going into Weehawken (bus or bus/ferry combo)?

Loans for NYC Moving Expenses

incomple — Tue, 14 May 2013 07:29:25 -0800

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. Though at this point I'm fully expecting to be able to cover all the expenses, I'm worried about the possibility of some sort of emergency that would necessitate dipping into these savings. The amount that I would potentially need to borrow would be small (absolute worst case scenario, probably $4000), and could be repaid reasonably immediately.

I have doubts about my bank (Chase) advancing such a loan, though I'll be thrilled if anyone tells me otherwise. I'm also strongly considering asking for an increase to my credit limit, because though I have yet to encounter a landlord who takes payments by card, I know that could be the thing that preserves my bank balance in an emergency.

Basically, any advice on how to cover my ass, beyond just crossing my fingers, would be appreciated.

Where can I take a shower and leave a bag for the day in New York City?

reductiondesign — Mon, 13 May 2013 15:33:17 -0800

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!

Best way to get from Northern Virginia to NYC?

alligatorman — Mon, 13 May 2013 14:05:16 -0800

I need to get to NYC on a Friday evening. I work in Tyson's Corner, I live in Arlington, and I will have my car with me. I would rather not drive, and I don't live near the metro. What are my options if the earliest I can leave work is 4PM? Back when I worked in DC, I would take the buses from Union Station, but getting into DC now sounds like it would be a nightmare. I would probably lose a few hours and get into NYC very late. Do I have any other options, other than just driving? Are there any trains that I could take where I could leave my car overnight for a weekend?

Working with a broker to find an apartment in NY: A guide.

windbox — Mon, 13 May 2013 08:05:07 -0800

A few years ago there was a phenomenal write-up on this site about buying a car and working with skeezy car dealers. I wanted to know if similar advice existed for working with skeezy brokers in NY, specifically Brooklyn. I posted a few weeks ago about finding a room in a shared apartment in a nice neighborhood in Brooklyn (Boerum, Fort Greene, Prospect Heights, anywhere nice along the C or 1,2, etc) and got some awesome advice. But I'm thinking if that doesn't happen I might end up having to buckle down and use a broker to find a studio, if any small but livable ones exist for under $1300 (in my last post, I had been told they did).

I'm looking to be smart about working with them though. I imagine I'm of course supposed to avoid signing anything unless it's a contract on the place, and if I find a place I like, to jump on it immediately. I'd also like to avoid being shown places that are straight up out of my price range or flat out not in the neighborhood I asked for. What other tricks do brokers do to waste your time or scam you, and how do you avoid them? Will brokers flat-out not work with you at all if your criteria is too picky/come off as inflexible (like telling them straight up, "look, I'm not even interested in looking at anything east of X st or for more than $1250 so don't even bother). Is it smart to name an asking price lower than what I want to pay and anticipate them showing me higher priced places?

As far as materials that I have on my end: ID, checkbook, offer letter for my new job, and a signed statement from my bank disclosing how much money is in my savings (should be enough to pay many, many, many months of rent in the event of an emergency). I've talked to people about pulling a credit report and they told me that they'll usually do that on their end, I just pay the fee. Correct me if I'm off or if I need anything else.

Sorry, clueless about how a lot of this goes down which means I'm ripe for being ripped off or having my time wasted - I've done a lot of research and read stories about others experiences, but a lot of it is conflicting and wanted to know if there was any input, advice, expectations from all of you.

What should I do on my Mondays off in NYC?

sciencegeek — Mon, 13 May 2013 07:29:21 -0800

I have a new work schedule (Tuesday-Saturday) which, after taking care of chores on Sunday, leaves me with Monday off. I also have discounted access to most of the cultural institutions of NYC. I'd like to use my Mondays well. Please suggest things to do on Mondays in NYC. Many museums and other cultural institutions are closed on Mondays, so a bunch of the obvious things are eliminated (including the Transit Museum, boo). Tell me what you'd do if you had a Monday off, limited spending money and an unlimited metrocard.

I live in the Bronx/Yonkers, so I'm aware that Brooklyn is very nice and all, but I will be more excited about visiting things that are less than an hour away by subway. That said, do feel free to suggest something absolutely spectacular in Brooklyn/Queens/Staten Island, because some stuff really is worth the subway ride.

I've lived here for five years more or less but haven't done most of the tourist things, so if there's a tourist thing that's kind of awesome, I'd like to know that as well.

Why are clothing donation boxes proliferating in my neighborhood?

Dr. Wu — Sat, 11 May 2013 08:26:13 -0800

I live in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, and have noticed that, over the past several months, a sizable number of clothing donation boxes have appeared on sidewalks and in little disused nooks of urban space. There are three on my block alone that have sprung up, seemingly overnight, within the last couple months. What's going on? I'm referring to the big, steel boxes -- each about the size of a commercial refrigerator -- that have large levered drop-compartments to accept donations. Most of them are painted or stickered with the name(s) of the charitable organizations that are ostensibly collecting and donating the deposited items.

My question is: Why? Why so many, why at this particular moment, why in this neighborhood? Also: who is behind the placement of these boxes? There's a fair bit of infrastructure needed: the boxes themselves, trucks, cranes, workers, not to mention a system of collecting, sorting, and dealing with the donated materials. This is not just two guys and a van.

I am somewhat suspicious about the "charitable organizations" whose names are on the sides of the boxes, but I can't put my finger on why. Maybe I'm too skeptical, though...

Some data points:
- While I don't remember the names of those charitable organizations, they have struck me more than once as sounding "generic" -- along the lines of "NYC Clothing Charities," e.g.
- I noticed, just this morning, that one of the new boxes had been slapped with a sticker by some branch of the city government. The notice indicated that this particular box had to be removed within 30 days, because such boxes are not permitted on NYC sidewalks. Another small piece of evidence that these things are perhaps a little shady.
- Crown Heights is gentrifying at a pace heretofore unseen in human history. What was until very recently a predominantly middle-aged West Indian neighborhood is transforming unbelievably rapidly into a neighborhood favored by white 20- and 30-somethings. It occurs to me that perhaps this demographic shift has something to do with the proliferation of donation boxes -- the logic being that, since the young white kids turn over their wardrobes pretty often, there's an opportunity to collect and profit from their castoffs. But do donated clothes and shoes really represent a solid revenue stream?

All of this is speculative. I'd like to know more about the "system" behind these boxes, and would be grateful if you could point me to resources where I could learn more.

Need to find a necklace in nyc for mother's day.

jefftang — Fri, 10 May 2013 09:27:02 -0800

I'm looking for a necklace similar to these: But maybe nicer. Can anyone recommend a place in or near manhattan where I can find necklaces like this?

How do I Awesomly "wrap" a birthday trip to NYC?

pearlybob — Thu, 09 May 2013 18:49:53 -0800

I need some help coming up with a super cool, creative way to tell my new 13 yr old daughter about her upcoming birthday present, a weekend in NYC... I asked this question a few weeks ago about things to do while there... Thanks for all the great answers!! Now I need a great way to "give" her the gift. Something to wrap, some cool, creative way to let her know about it. She already has an I love NYC t-shirt that grandma brought her several years ago.....was gonna wrap the plane tickets but that's so boring. I want something with wow factor!!! The more elaborate, the better. So hit me green....let's see what the hive can come up with. Thanks all, again!!!

"Activity" places for a bachelor party in NYC

Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell — Thu, 09 May 2013 14:40:36 -0800

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. We'll be eating dinner somewhere in the middle there, so something high-intensity like laser tag is out. We're probably talking about a dozen guys in their 30s. There will be drinking (so places where we can drink are preferred, though not required), but this crowd definitely won't be very rowdy. Thanks for your help!

BOS to Deleware. Need meeting point on 1-95 NYC, public transit...

thatgirld — Thu, 09 May 2013 07:30:07 -0800

I'm road trippin' with friends. They are driving from Boston to Deleware. I'm in NYC. I need to meet them somewhere along the 1-95 route in the NYC area, So they don't have to go out of their way to pick me up. Snowflake details: I'll be getting picked up around 10-11pm -- need somewhere safe to wait if i need to.
Would like it to be public transit accessible from the west side of Manhattan.
I don't want to take a train to CT, just to drive back through NY.

Help, meFi. you're my only hope.

Izakaya in New York

Tanizaki — Fri, 03 May 2013 14:12:59 -0800

I will be traveling to Manhattan this weekend. I would appreciate recommendation for izakaya or other Japanese eating/drinking establishments of note. Happenstance takes me to Manhattan this weekend. I will be arriving on Saturday night. I would like to visit an izakaya or other Japanese drinking and eating establishment. If it is a place full of Japanese staff and customers and you can barely order without speaking Japanese, that is exactly the place I am looking for. I came across this review of NYC izakaya but I cannot discern from the page which shops might be up my alley. The more informal and earthy, the better. Midtown would be preferable if at all possible.

Any local MeFites are welcome to join me, I might add. Thank you very much.

Salsa dancing in NYC on Saturday night?

never.was.and.never.will.be. — Fri, 03 May 2013 10:52:29 -0800

Where can 2 couples go for some salsa and merengue dancing in the city on Saturday night? I've done some googling, and a lot of the clubs have descriptions that include words like "NYC's sexiest ladies and finest men" or "steamy nights" which frankly intimidates me. 3/4 of us aren't Hispanic and are still learning how to dance, and while we are indeed sexy ladies and fine men, I want to go to a place that we'll feel comfortable in, where not every woman will be scantily clad.

Manhattan only, please, since that would be the central location for all of us. Friday night suggestions are OK too, but Saturday night is preferred. We're all around 30 years old and are not big partiers, we just want to dance. Have you been to a club/bar that would be good for us? Bonus points if they will play mostly salsa/merengue/bachata and not switch to normal club/reggaeton/hip hop music too often. We don't need lessons, but a bar/lounge that has a lesson and then has music playing the rest of the night would be fine too, as long as they keep playing Spanish music the rest of the night and don't switch to regular club music.

Thanks for your help!

Where should I live in New York?

naoko — Wed, 01 May 2013 18:41:22 -0800

I'm moving to New York and don't know a lot about neighborhoods. Where should I live? My boyfriend just got a new job, we are moving in together in New York - he is moving in June and I am following some time in the next several months (September-ish?). I currently live in DC (U Street area) and he lives in Cambridge, MA (between Harvard and Central Squares) (we both really like our current neighborhoods a lot, fwiw). His new office is around 5th Ave and 34th Street.

Things we don't care about at all:
- Doorman
- Fancy in-building facilities like a gym. Washer and dryer in the building would be nice but that's about it.
- Shiny perfect new appliances

Things we do care about
- Near a subway stop and a not horribly long commute for him to get to work
- Feels like a "neighborhood" - an area with some personality and character, has affordable bars and restaurants and culture-y things to do (movie theaters? funky bookstores? live music? I don't know exactly, but that sort of thing), and where other young-ish people live (we are both 28). It doesn't have to be the hippest area, just somewhere that's not boring commercial wasteland. Basically we want to give ourselves the best possible shot at falling in love with New York.

Based on the 40xrent=salary rule that I've seen in other threads about NYC apartment hunting, our budget is around $2500 (note: this only takes into account his salary. I am currently in a (low-paid, but paid) internship in DC and do not have a job lined up in New York yet). I don't really have a great idea of what different neighborhoods are like and what that amount of money gets us. My sister (who lives in the West Village) is pretty convinced that what we want is Williamsburg, and from what she says it sounds appealing, but I'd love to hear other opinions. I floated East Village/Lower East Side and she said I might find it a bit on the noisy side but that it might be an option. Other ideas appreciated too! Boyfriend and I are headed to New York this weekend to take a look around and get a better idea of what's what, so any guidance going into that would be much appreciated!

Question Part B:
Since my boyfriend will be moving there several months before me, does it make sense for him to get a sublet until we can move into our real apartment together? Or will the hassle of finding a sublet and moving in and then finding a permanent apartment and then moving again outweigh saving some money by having a smaller place until I get there? I hear so many horror stories about New York apartment hunting that I wonder if the peace of mind and less drawn-out process of only having to find a place once might be worth it. Then again, that puts a lot of pressure on us to find that more permanent apartment really soon. Also, if I can find a job before I move then our budget can be bigger. I've been mentally going around in circles on this and I just don't know.

Help me make a birthday weekend in NYC amazing!!

pearlybob — Wed, 01 May 2013 15:23:41 -0800

I'm taking my daughter to NYC for her 13th bday gift around the end of June. She is going to be so excited!! I'm trying to plan some great things for a Mom and a 13 yr old to do but I'm getting overwhelmed.... We will do a broadway show for sure...but any other suggestions? Help me decide what is really cool and worth doing and what would be just "meh". She loves the arts and creating and cooking and falls on the nerdy, quirky, funny side of life. She's perfect!! We will be there 3 nights and 4 days. Staying in SoHo but can Uber Car pretty much anywhere. I also have a very dear friend who lives there and will be with us to help navigate. He loves my daughter and will be up for anything but has no clue what 13 yr old girls of her ilk are into so he hasn't been much help....Thanks all!

Need Examples to Fight Ban on NYC Parks Performers

Sophont — Wed, 01 May 2013 01:58:19 -0800

On May 8th NYC will start enforcing rules that will effectively ban performers from Washington Square park and most areas of the other parks. If I get a minute or three to speak at a hearing about this (first is 5/1/2013) I'd like to enumerate the films and TV shows that have NYC Park performers, and also performers who got their start busking in NYC. What should be on the list?

Graduation dinner in NYC

vrakatar — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 17:37:28 -0800

Old friend coming to the city in a few weeks sent me the following: "We are looking for a place for a graduation dinner. Likely about 11 people -- with a couple of kids. We want something good, but festive and fun. Any ideas?" I think it is Columbia, but not sure where that places the ceremony, or if they want something close. Maybe Calle Ocho? Is that place still there? I used to be a waiter and so hooked into the scene, but now I have no clue where to send these folks. Help me help them, hivemind!

A week between Cape Cod and NYC (via DC)

brettski — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 03:14:09 -0800

What to see during a spare week in August between leaving Hyannis on a Friday (having had a few days there and before that Boston) and need to be in NYC the following Friday for a long weekend of sightseeing? Wife and I, with two boys 9 and 6 looking to spend a couple of days in Washington during that week too, but what else to do? We don't want to spend whole days driving, will have plenty of city time in Boston, NYC and Washington. Couple of days on the coast would be nice would be nice, but is everything back to normal after Sandy? A national park type place would also be good, but without having to drive a day to get there......

Bonus question - Cape Cod, based in Hyannis for 3 nights - recommendations?

Looking for a specific NYC therapist recommendation

prefpara — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 18:01:28 -0800

I am trying to find mental health help (talk therapy as a start) for my friend, urgently. My friend has the following limitations, in order of importance:

1. sees patients on Saturdays (this is a must)
2. is on or convenient to the UWS (this is very beneficial but not a dealbreaker)
3. is good (this is hard to control for but... you know... obviously highly desirable)
4. has any sort of expertise in, or experience with, patients dealing with chronic illness

I see a referral to a psychiatrist as likely in the future, but at present my friend has only agreed to see a talk therapist, so I'm focused on that presently attainable goal.

I am currently really swamped at work, very stressed, and feel freaked out by the possibility that I won't find someone for my friend to see this Saturday. I would really appreciate any specific names that you can suggest.

Moving to NY: How's my game plan? And other questions.

windbox — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 08:12:03 -0800

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? I know, you saw the $1200 price point and were ready to crush my dreams. So let me just make it clear that yes, I am looking for a room in a shared living situation and not my own apartment/studio.

My work will be smack in the middle of the area Google Maps calls "Hudson Square" - it's a couple blocks from the Hudson st. 1 and the Spring st C/E, and maybe a half mile or so from all the lines on W. 4th st - not sure if that hike would get old, though.

I want to live somewhere that is safe and also has some stuff going on - it does not have to be the epicenter of everything hip and awesome, but I would prefer not to live in a wasteland of only crappy bodegas and fast food joints. A few cool bars, restaurants, and a healthy population of young people would be nice. I'd also like to try and keep the commute at 30 minutes or under. Sorry to everyone in Inwood and Washington Heights - it's too far, I think. Correct me if I'm wrong.

I guess I should try to be living either somewhere on the west side of the city, or on the C somewhere in Brooklyn - like Boerum Hill, Clinton Hill (around the Clinton-Washington or Lafayette stops)...what else am I missing? I see a whole lot more listings around Franklin ave, I guess that's more Bed-Stuy right? What's that like these days? From my sheltered internet research it seems like it's still sort of barren with maybe a tiny smattering of neat stuff, but overall not what I'm looking for. Again, please correct me if I'm wrong.

My plan: To sublet a place for the last two weeks of May while I scour craigslist and be ready to accept a June opening on the spot. I'd have all my credit reports, bank statements, etc together and ready to prove I'm not a bum.

Sorry, this is all over the place. I guess I'm trying to figure out if my plan is a good one (or if I'll need more time, or if there are other resources I'm missing besides craigslist), if my neighborhoods are within my budget, if there are any neighborhoods I'm missing or if some of my assumptions are completely incorrect and I'm going about this all wrong.

Any other advice - things you wished you did when you first tried to move here, 2013 edition - is also greatly appreciated.

Help me, a mid-twenties licensed adult in NYC, finally learn to drive!

yaymukund — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 16:55:09 -0800

Help me learn to drive! What's a good driving school or private instructor in NYC for a mid-twenties guy who's never been comfortable driving? I have the next 10-15 days and $500 to get as many hours behind the wheel as possible. A bit of context: I will be traveling to a Ohio for one month where I'll basically need to drive to work daily. My past experiences with driving instructors were both when I was 16 or 17:

1) my dad doing his best to teach me, but I could tell he was nervous/frustrated and it made me nervous/frustrated in turn.

2) a crochety and sort of racist driving instructor who put me on Rt. 70 on my first day because he believed everyone my age learned how to drive while playing Grand Theft Auto. (Hey, buddy, have you even seen anyone play GTA??)

Anyway, I'm nervous and excited. I realize it's very short notice, but I'm also glad to have this opportunity to get over my fear. Thank you!

Help me eat some delicious cake!

Narrative Priorities — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 09:49:04 -0800

I don't eat baked goods very often any more, so when I do I want them to be as amazingly tasty as possible. I've been working up a pretty serious cake craving, but where (in NYC) should I go? I tend to prefer my cake to be moist without going all the way into "basically flavored butter" territory. Italian cakes with pastry cream filling are an old favorite of mine, but I'm open to just about anything.

I'd prefer a place where I can sit and hang out for a while, maybe with table service. Bonus points if I can have some great coffee or tea while I'm there.

I live in Brooklyn on the D train, but I'm willing to spend an hour on the subway for an excellent cake experience.