Something I am excited about: Chock Full 'o Nuts has opened a full-service cafe on 23rd Street! This may not seem like much of a big deal, but I have been into Chock ever since I read about its history. You see, having experienced antisemitism, founder William Black was sensitive to discrimination, and he made a point of hiring integrated staff, whom he paid a living wage and benefits. Later, Jackie Robinson was brand spokesman and after his retirement, Vice President of the company. In addition, the chain was known for high quality and uncompromising hygiene.

But I wouldn't be so excited if the menu wasn't totally retro and awesome: chicken croquettes, cream cheese on date-nut, and the "Chock Special" of "nutted cheese" on raisin bread! How I wish I still worked in the Flatiron! What a fab alternative to Eisenberg's Sandwich!

Sweet dreams!

S

A NYC Itinerary Suitable For First-Time Visitors

While this plan doesn't incorporate some tourist strongholds, I think -- I hope! -- it gives a good flavor of the city! Everything I list is accessible by subway. It's very walking-heavy, so you may want to ride to some of the stops. In any case, wear good walking shoes. And bring a change if you're going somewhere fancy; New York is big,and and you may not have time to go home and change!

For starters, I'd avoid:

Times Square
Little Italy
South Street Seaport
Grimaldi's

(Although no one will be mad if you don't!)

Day 1: (Saturday)
Have breakfast somewhere convenient, although if you want ideas, please hit me up! If you're in Brooklyn, stop by the Brooklyn Flea at 10; you can get a bite there, too. But in any case, this itinerary will take you into Manhattan.


Start out at Kalyustan's. Browse the amazing array of spices and have am early lunch in the shop's second-floor cafe: cheap, delicious, and mostly vegetarian! This area is known as "Curry Hill" and you'll see tons of terrific restaurants.

Now you're going to walk south (downtown) until you reach Gramercy Park at E. 21st, the city's last private park, surrounded by some of its prettiest and priciest buildings.
Go to the Manhattan Arts Club at 15 Gramercy Park S. and beg the door guy to let you look upstairs. He may have a parrot on his shoulder and will probably let you. It's gorgeous.

Okay, so continue south, through Irving Place (stopping to look at my favorite house on the corner of 17th!)and move onto Union Square. The Greenmarket will be going on, as well as much revolutionary activity and assorted art and happenings. This is, in fact, the traditional political upheaval center of the city.

Go to the Strand. Hang out here for an hour or so, or however long you want.

Now, choose-your-own-adventure-style, you have two options:

East Side:
Wander down to the East Village. Check it out. Hungry? There's a lot to eat. I am partial to Veselka, which is 24-hours and kind of an institution, or the pork buns at Momufuko
On the LES, head down Orchard Street; there are lots of boutiques, good gelato at the Labortorio, and coffee at the Roasters, if you like that sort of thing. I rec a visit to the Tenement Museum Gift Shop, especially if you're souvenir-shopping. And in fact, one of the walking tours or museum tours is really fun and really informative!

West Side:
Take the L from 14th Street to 8th Avenue. You are now on the West Side! Walk still further West; you are going to the High Line at 20th street. Walk the High Line and, if you're feeling peckish, visit the Chelsea Market afterwards. Feeling contemplative? Wander south to the Garden at Saint Lukes to read and sit for a while.

You're also right near Chelsea; you may want to visit a few galleries (all of which are listed in Time Out New York.)

Now, hop back on the A/C and head down town to Broadway/Nassau. I know I said not to go to South Street Seaport, but I take it back: it may be touristy, but it's still old and kind of cool. Walk down Pearl Street, especially. If it tickles your fancy, you're also near the Fed, the Stock Exchange, and Trinity Church -- to say nothing of what's left of Ground Zero.

Now, whether you went east or west, I recommend taking the Staten Island Ferry. The best view of the city -- and the Statue of Liberty! (Also, Free!)

Back in Manhattan, you're now going to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge.

In Brooklyn, proceed through Brooklyn Heights on Clinton Street. At Atlantic Avenue, cut up to Henry and get a drink at Henry Public. Sit and decompress for a while.

At 6, head further South on Henry until you reach Lucali at Henry and Carroll, making sure to grab a bottle of wine along the way. Hopefully you've beaten the rush; if not, put your names down and wander east a few blocks into Carroll Gardens; walk down Court and take a look at one of the city's Little Italys. Still thirsty? Abilene is always fun.

Don't feel like Brooklyn? Want to go home for a while instead? Eat in Manhattan: I love Tartine and Joseph Leonard.

After dinner, head into the city and grab some culture! The Met or the NY Philharmonic if you can -- or, there are always shows aplenty.

You will probably be tired by now, but if you feel like a cocktail, try Milk and Honey! Or, in BK, Delmano Hotel. If you really feel like a swanky experience, have a cocktail at The Carlyle.

Day 2: Sunday
Uptown: Brunch is a necessity! Go to Barney Greengrass.
Now, weather permitting, you're going to walk across Central Park -- don't rush it, there's a lot to see! (Unless, that is, it's raining. In which case, catch the crosstown bus at 86 Street.)

- Go to a museum! The Met, the Guggenheim, the Museum of the City of New York, the Neue Gallery. Give it a few hours.

- Now, a snack at Cafe Sabarsky!


OR

Downtown: Have brunch at Prune (first choice!) or Freeman's. Or get a bagel with the works at Russ and Daughters and eat it in the little park across teh Street by the handball courts. Maybe do the downtown itinerary you didn't choose yesterday! If you end up at South Street, hit the excellent New Amsterdam Market for provisions.

Now go home.

Restaurant: Minetta Tavern

Minetta Tavern
113 MacDougal St. nr. Bleecker St.
Hours:Mon-Fri, 5:30pm-1am; Sat-Sun, 11am-3pm and 5:30pm-1am
Subway: A, B, C, D, E, F, V at W. 4th St.-Washington Sq.


Minetta Tavern (which, once upon a time, was indeed a humble Village tavern)is part of a recent wave of clubby, "old New York"-y restos that are hard to get into and disingenuously sceney. It's also famous for a $26 "Black Label Burger" that some rank among the best in Gotham, and which is indeed delicious if you like a distinctly aged, rather gamey patty. That's $26. That said, I would recommend it: it is expensive, but still cheaper than, say, 21. And, if you'll recall, this is where they installed Joe Gould as "resident bohemian" and where he received his mail, which really should count for something.

Yes, it's a scene, but if you go early, getting a table should not be a problem. Cocktails are delicious, the menu is old-fashioned and satisfying, and the service very cordial. Plus, the vintage interior is undeniably seductive. The capper, for me: M and I went to share that $26 burger at the bar one evening and found ourselves seated next to a garrulous Episcopal priest who discussed Bitters with great knowledge and enthusiasm, had a large and sumptuous meal, and ordered the souffle.

Restaurant: Azul Bistro

Azul Argentine Bistro
152 Stanton St
Lower East Side
Subway: F to Delancey St; J, M, Z to Delancey–Essex Sts
Mon–Thu, Sun 6pm–midnight; Fri, Sat 6pm–1am.


If you want steak, but don't feel like The Steakhouse Experience, I highly recommend Azul! It gets very, very loud, and it's a tight fit. But if you're in the right mood - or if you go very late - this is not a problem. The ceiling is papered with Argentine pinups, the walls with soccer stars, the vibe is festive and the light is magical. There are all sorts of Argentine things on the menu, but I always get the marinated skirt steak for two (with another person, that is) which comes with mashed potatoes and garlicky chimichurri. And you'll leave happy!

Restaurant: Torrisi Italian Specialties

Torrisi Italian Specialties
250 Mulberry St. nr. Prince St.
Subway: 6 at Spring St.; B, D, F, V at Broadway-Lafayette
Tue-Sun, 11am-4pm and 6pm-11pm; Mon, closed

Torrisi is very good to know about if you're in Soho, but then it's good to know about anyway: it's terrific. The premise is: old-school Italian deli. The twist is: everything is, in fact, locally sourced. The spot is as casual and sepia-toned as one would imagine from that description, and on the friendly side of cool. By day, it's a sandwich shop serving up chicken parm heroes, eggplant parm plates, and a garlicky vegetables. At night, it becomes a proper restaurant and a pricey one to boot. You've got to do prix-fixe (I'm not telling you, they are: it's the only option) so if you're not feeling hungry or spendy, do elsewhere. If you do decide to visit, however, you'll have fresh, luscious, local food well-prepared and a darling plate of house-made "rainbow cookies" and other Italian bakery standards, reinvented. By candlelight, of course. By the by, the tables aren't made for more than four, max, so take this into account. NB: M has accused me of favoring it just because their website is "piginahat.com" Not true!

One Meal in Brooklyn

Recently, there was a query on Chowhound that started a lot of conversation. The poster said he was trying to get his wife to move "to Brooklyn" while she wanted to stay in Manhattan. Each was given one meal to make his case. Cute, I guess, but completely ludicrous given the wide range of neighborhoods and atmospheres in both those enormous boroughs (although, I guess if one is a certain sort of yuppie, and I'm honestly not being snide, there are only about three areas in each that one would consider, and they're not very different at that.)

Anyway, the recs flew thick and fast, and ultimately, the couple had a highly influential meal at Marlowe and Sons. But the whole thing got me thinking: what if you did have to recommend just one place? Of course, luckily, these things are slightly more specific: there's some geographical limitation, or sensibilities to consider, or conservative taste-buds. Certainly, the one place you'd recommend to someone's parents is not necessarily the same one where you'd bring an out-of-town friend.

Were I answering the original poster's question, and wanted something hip-ish, and delicious, with typically Brooklyn insouciance, I'd probably go with one of these:

-Marlowe and Sons (with a drink at Delmano Hotel!)

-Lucali (with a drink at Henry Public!)

-Frankies (with a drink at MiniBar!)

-Roberta's (you'll drink on the deck while you wait and like it)

I'm not saying these are where I'd go, necessarily, for my birthday (in fact, we went to Petite Crevette) but all are festive and wonderful and representative and unlikely to disappoint, whatever someone's expectations.

Manhattan, now, is another ballgame. I asked M, and he said "Supper" (but he always says Supper.) I, on the other hand, might go with Torrisi Italian Specialties. Or Joseph-Leonard. Or maybe Tartine...well, that's for another day.

Restaurant: Joseph Leonard

Joseph Leonard
170 Waverly Place
West Village
Subway: 1 to Christopher St.
Mon, 5:30pm-midnight; Tue-Fri, 8am-2am; Sat, 10:30am-2am; Sun, 10:30am-midnight

Joseph-Leonard is, as of this writing, a hot-spot. Not in the creepy way, but it's no-reservations and small and you'll wait. Is it worth the wait, you ask? I am not the one to ask: I am firmly of the beat-the-rush school and am much more inclined to do a brunch-early-bird, myself. That said, it's indeed something special, and relaxed and fun and delicious and terribly New York. Last time we dined there, we had basil Gibsons, a delicious beet salad and a terrific skirt-steak and David Wain and his parents were at the next table. It was perfect. So, that's up to you.

Restaurant: Momofuku Noodle Bar

Momofuku Noodle Bar
171 First Ave., nr. 11th St.
Subway: L at First Ave.; 6 at Astor Pl.
Sun-Thu, noon-4pm and 5:30pm-11pm; Fri-Sat, noon-4pm and 5:30pm-midnight

A bit foodie-ish, yes, and not for the vegetarian, but Momofuku's noodle bar is actually terrific. It's fancy takes on street food: ramen made with Berkshire pork and pork buns that are a local legend (get them!) And it's affordable - if chaotic - too.

Chelsea Market

Chelsea Market
75 Ninth Ave. nr. 15th St
Subway: A, C, E at 14th St.
Mon-Sat, 7am-10pm; Sun, 8am-8pm


The Chelsea Market is sort of a funny thing to put down here, but it's neat enough that if you're in the area - especially if you're going to the Highline - it's well worth a stop. Basically, it's a food hall: a collection of high-end stores in the old Nabisco factory. The space is cavernous and odd, and the picnic pickings superlative. Just a few highlights:

Amy's Bread for sandwiches and bread

Butcher shop for sandwiches and salumi

Bella Italia for antipasti and panini

Lucy's Whey for cheese

Jacques Torres for chocolate

Ronnybrook Milk Bar for ice cream

Fat Witch for brownies

(Needless to say, also great if you've got a kitchen!)

Patisserie Claude

Patisserie Claude
187 W. 4th St. nr. Barrow St.
Subway: A, B, C, D, E, F, V at W. 4th St.-Washington Sq.
Daily, 8am-8pm


Patisserie Claude, which is shleppy and shlumpy, was for years actually run by Claude, who was the sourest French baker in the whole world. He's retired now and a much nicer employee has bought the place, but the croissants are as good as ever. A true old-Village experience! Sit and eat, but nb: there's no AC come summer.

Bar: Black Mountain Wine House

Black Mountain Wine House
15 Union St. at Hoyt Street
Boerum Hill, Brooklyn
Subway: F, G at Carroll St.
Daily, 5pm-midnight


Black Mountain is the most relaxing, un-sceney place imaginable to get together with a group of (female) friends, although I imagine it'd be good for a date too. The setting is causal and comfy, there's a fire in winter and the staff is super-friendly. And the food is good too: cheeses and charcuterie and salads and, on Tuesdays, fondue.

Restaurant: Roberta's

Roberta's
261 Moore St (between White St & Bogart St)
Bushwick, Brooklyn
Subway: L to Morgan Avenue
Mon-Fri 12 p.m. - 12 a.m.
Sat-Sun 11 a.m. - 12 a.m.


If you fancy a hipsterish, aggressively locavore, authentic New Brooklyn experience, I believe Roberta's - with its southern-accented Italian and pizzas - may be for you. It's off the beaten path, and you may have to wait in the back yard with a beer. But it's friendly and convivial and it's laid-back and even the weird pizzas are pretty excellent thanks to the terrific ingredients. A really fun place for a crowd, too - because it's loud and you'll sit at communal picnic tables.

Restaurant/Bar: Moto

Moto
394 Broadway, at Hooper St.
Williamsburg
Mon-Fri, 6pm-1am; Sat, 11am-2am; Sun, 11am-1am
Subway: G at Broadway; J, M at Hewes St.



I always called this "the bicycle restaurant" because there's an old bike frame over the door, but in fact it has nothing to do with bikes and only a little to do with motorcycles and a lot to do with a sepia-toned, atmospheric, Francophile bar with good live music most nights. "Chill" is a word I don't often use, but it generally applies here, not least because it's a bit off the beaten path (albeit right on the subway line.) There's classic French "fare," but it's a great place to go just for some good beer, music and an intimate, low-key hang. NY Mag calls it "Kafkaesque," so make of this what you will. Extra-appealing on a rainy night!

Shops: Cobble Hill/Carroll Gardens

Smith Street: (F,G to Bergen or Carroll) Shops and much yuppie folderol.

Dear Fieldbinder (198 Smith Street @ Baltic)
I worked here for years; the people are wonderful and the clothes beautiful. No "boutique freeze" whatsoever, and very good sales.

Smith & Butler (225 Smith @ Butler)
Kind of old-timey aesthetic boutique, with good men's and womenswear.

Joe's (Su)Perette
This place is an enormous dump and the staff are surly, but do yourself a favor and order a couple of "prosciutto balls."(I think they're 50 cents each.) It's a little cheese-and-prosciutto croquette, fried fresh, that one of my friends likened to "tasting sugar for the first time.)

Court Street (basically a food walk through the old neighborhood!)

Court Pastry
If you like Italian pastry (I'm not such a fan) this is the best.



D'Amico Coffee Roasters (309 Court @ Degraw)
Amazing coffee - to buy or to drink - at a neighborhood stronghold. I love the "Red Hook Blend."

F. Monteleone & Cammareri Bakery (355 Court St @ Union St.)
Everyone has opinions about the best "lard bread," a spicy loaf filled with cheese and hunks of salami. For my money, this is #1 - and they make it in a roll, so you won't need to buy a whole one. But as Lavar would say, don't take my word for it: Caputo's and Mazzola are just a few blocks away!


Esposito's Pork Store (357 Court @ President)
A family-run business with amazing house-made salamis and soppressatas.


Marietta Dry Goods (392 Court St @ 1st Place)
A time-warp clothing store run by two octogenarian brothers who will tell you stories of the old neighborhood. Pick up some cheap PJs, undershirts or a half-slip while you're at it.

(Look for the "social clubs" hereabouts: you'll know them by the old men speaking Italian.)

Olive's Very Vintage (434 Court Street @ 2nd Place)
A touch pricey, but I've had some good finds!


Caputo Fine Foods (460 Court @ 4th Place)
Amazing sandwiches and the most divine homemade mozzarella. And I love how three generations work there at once


Store 518 (518 Court @ Nelson)
Vintage and oddness. Have found some wonderful shoes, an antique doll, and some vintage name barrettes for friends.

Neighborhood Overview: Dumbo, Brooklyn Heights and BoCoCa

Although this actually covers a few miles, they are a natural grouping.

Cross the Brooklyn Bridge at some point - it is equally nice in good weather or after dark.

Under the bridge is Dumbo, which is somewhat ridiculous and has become like a mini-Soho, with its industrial buildings turned into home stores etc. If you are here, though, you may want to check out Jacques Torres' Chocolate Shop or the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory. There is also a really pretty park along the waterfront. AVOID GRIMALDI'S. You will see the lines, but they are suckers and there is better pizza to be had.

If you walk south, further into Brooklyn, you will be in Brooklyn Heights. This is staid and mature, but very beautiful. A nice spot for a coffee, if needed, is Iris Cafe (20 Columbia Pl between Joralemon St & Atlantic Ave) , or get a drink at Henry Public (329 Henry St between Atlantic Ave & Pacific St.)

Next, you hit what realtors call BoCoCa, but which is really Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill, and Carroll Gardens. All you need to know is, they have all been gentrified like crazy. You don't need to know it, in fact, because it will shortly become obvious. (In Boerum Hill, one may find the New York City Transit Museum.)

Carroll Gardens, which is very pretty, was a Little Italy until recently, still is a bit. I have a lot of restaurant tips for this area and, because it's a neat area, some shopping tips, too. I recommend a leisurely stroll down Court Street, maybe ending up at Lucali or Frankies.

Small Museums

Just a few I like! There are more...

Manhattan:
East Village

Merchant's House Museum</span>
29 East 4th Street
A small, not terribly well-known museum, this house was donated to the city after the last of the siblings died in the 1930s, leaving in tact a 19th century time capsule. The old spinster, by the way, is said to have been the inspiration for Henry James' Washington Square. She's also said to haunt the place.

New York City Fire Museum
278 Spring Street
For fire buffs, of course, but interesting generally and an odd, good contrast to the shopping and gallery-hoppers of NoLiTa.

Forbes Galleries
62 Fifth Avenue
Inside the mind of a rich person. It involves Faberge, and lots of toys.

Financial District:

Fraunces Tavern Museum
54 Pearl Street
Revolutionary history!

American Numismatic Society/Fed
33 Liberty Street

Museum of American Finance
48 Wall Street
Both, naturally, deal with finance. The first, with coins!

Midtown:
Horticultural Society of New York
147 West 37th Street 13th Floor
Delightfully old-fashioned and calming.

Mt. Vernon Hotel Museum and Garden
421 East 61st Street

Museum of American Illustration
128 East 63rd Street

Uptown:
Nicholas Roerich Museum
319 W. 107th Street
The home of Russian artist Nicholas Roerich, extremely interesting and perfect for a rainy day.

Museum of Art and Origins
430 West 162nd Street
Its purpose is slightly vague, but both museum and brownstone are lovely!

Queens:

Louis Armstrong House
34-56 107 Street
7 to 103-Corona
Flushing, Queens


Living Museum at Creedmore Psychiatric Center
80-45 Winchester Blvd, Building 75
This is a museum of the hospital's early days, yes, but also a functioning psychiatric hospital and a place to show the patients' work. While it may sound odd or macabre, in fact it's moving and fascinating.

Brooklyn:

City Reliquary
370 Metropolitan Avenue
A small museum to the city that makes for a nice change from all the Williamsburg hipness!

New York City Transit Museum
Corner of Boerum Place and Schermerhorn
Boerum Hill/Cobble Hill
In an abandoned station!

Staten Island:

Alice Austen House
2 Hylan Boulevard • Staten Island
Thursday through Sunday 12:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M. The grounds are open every day until dusk.
Alice Austen was a Victorian photographer and her cottage is absolutely lovely. The photography is also fascinating. Near the ferry and the bridge.

Staten Island Museum
75 Stuyvesant Place
One of those Victorian museums full of taxidermy and random things.

Do: Film Forum

Film Forum
http://www.filmforum.org/
209 West Houston Street between 6th and 7th Avenues
Subway: 1 to Houston Street


The Film Forum is the city's best revival house and it's always worth checking their schedule! The popcorn is also excellent, although I've never found Jacques Derrida's recommendation of the banana bread to be convincing one way or the other. If you go during the day, many, many oddballs. Oddly, there's only ever a wait for the men's room here.

Notable Buildings

While you can get books and books on NYC architecture, the AIA Guide to NYC is highly recommended for its bizarre and highly opinionated critiques of buildings such as this chauvinistic and possibly unwarranted review of the Grace Building at Bryant Park: "A disgrace to the street. Bowing to its era's zoning requirements for setbacks produced an excuse to develop the flashy swooping form that interrupts the street wall containing Bryant Park. The plaza behind is a bore." With over 5000 entries (all personally visited by the authors) this brick of a book is still small enough to carry on your explorations of NYC. The opinions here are M's and M's alone:


Citicorp Center @ Lexington & E53rd
Forceful, exposed, and masculine, the base of this building is the architectonic equivilent of an urban flasher exposing his erect penis. I get nervous standing near it. But opposing that yang, there is hidden underneath an elegant post-brutalist chapel and a small performing arts theatre. Urbane.

Also be sure to catch a glimpse of the Long Island City Citibank building in Queens by looking east, down 53rd street and across the river. This modern ode to the ziggurat is one of the most successful forays of Post-Modern architecture, and its axial relation to the Citicorp center is nothing short of genius.

Credit Suisse Building @ Madison Square Park (23rd and Broadway)
What can one say? This is simply an exquisite, sexy building. It alone convinced me not to short Credit Suisse's stock back in '07. A wise move. Incidentally, the former Bear Sterns building is a po-mo junk heap.

NYC Police Headquarters @ City Hall
I find it hard to describe what I find so attractive about this building. I once brought a girl here to look at it, and she broke up with me shortly after. Go figure. Its volumes are massed expressively, projecting a solidity and force befitting a police headquarters, yet the F.L. Wright inspired corner windows (which I think open manually) speak to the humanism and empathy one hopes a police force can aspire to.

Edmond Safra's Republic National Bank (now an HSBC) @ Bryant Park
To quote the AIA Guide, "a digital tidal wave that swells over the old Knox Hat Building." I enjoy transacting business here.

7 World Trade Center
The finest skyscraper built in NYC in the last several decades. A modern paean to Mies van der Rohe's unrealized crystalline sketches for the Friedrichstrasse office tower. If there was to be a dictionary entry on the concept of transparency in architecture, a picture of this building would suffice. From a distance one can see straight through one side of the building and out the other, and the support structure emanating out from the elevator shafts is fully legible. Brilliant.

Restaurant: Supper

Supper
156 E. 2nd St., nr. Ave. A
Mon-Thu, 10am-midnight; Fri, 10am-1am; Sat, 11am-1am; Sun, 11am-midnight
Subway: F, V at Lower East Side-Second Ave.



Supper is a place I tell everyone to go, because the food is just so good and after a day of walking there is nothing more relaxing than sitting down in its dim dining room with its flea-market decor and hand-written menus. After a family wedding weekend (his family) in Buffalo, M and I rolled off the plane and came straight here for house red, shaved fennel salad, tuna with eggplant and tomatoes and spaghetti with lemon. I can't tell you how revivifying it was. Cash only!

Bar: Sunny's

Sunny's
253 Conover St.
Red Hook, Brooklyn
Wednesday, Friday, Saturday - 8pm to 4am
B61 Bus to Van Brunt


The best bar in NYC, but also quite isolated and open only 3 nights a week, Sunny's is the last of New York's longshoreman's taverns. Now, it has live Western Swing on Wednesdays, old-timey music on weekends and amazing atmosphere all the time. Sunny is a famed local eccentric. And I liked it before my brother worked here, too.