by kittyasinmeow on Mon Feb 28, 2005 12:27 am
the new Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) opened just before xmas in a totally new building and i'd say it's definitely worth seeing. i have some issues with the way it's curated but there's just so much amazing art in the permanent collection. it's kind of pricey, i think 12 bucks for a student, but it's worth it and if you should happen to be in NY on a friday it's free from 4-8pm.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is also a must, it's free as far as i recall and is absolutely massive - you could literally spend days in there (which i did when i was small!). It's worth popping into though, and if you only had time to see one thing there i'd recommend the egyptian temple - they transported this thing brick by brick from egypt and reassembled it, and it's in the museum in this really cool room with a glass wall that looks out onto central park.
Speaking of which, a leisurely stroll in the park is a definite must!
One of my favourite places to eat in NY is Howard Johnson's, a diner in the middle of Times Square. it's not super-cheap (although fine really in English terms!) and doesn't have an extensive choice of mains for veggies, but it has awesome milkshakes and desserts, the decor, music and staff do not seem to have changed since the 1950s and if you get a window seat you can just sit and watch the buzz of Times Square, which is tres cool, as they say around these parts.
Getting a view of the city from afar is well worth doing, and a good way to do it if you're on a budget is to get the Statton Island Ferry, which i believe is free, rather than the one to liberty island - it's cool to see the statue of liberty up close and all, but you can't actually walk up it since sept. 11th so it's not quite the same, plus it's pricey and you have to queue for about a million hours.
Going up the . state building also provides an amazing, amazing view - i've always wanted to do it at night but that's still on my list!
You have to go and spend a day or an afternoon in Greenwich Village - unquestionably my favourite part of New York. It's near NYU and is where all the students, hippies, artists and queers have traditionally hung out. It's v. chill compared to the rest of the city and has some wicked clothes shops and nice cafes and bars. Plus no skyscrapers so you can see lots of sky!
Chinatown and Little Italy are right next to each other and are also worth a look. Little Italy is basically just two streets full of italian restaurants, but if you go there in the evening it can be very entertaining as they all have guys standing on the street trying to convince you that their restaurant is best, and there's usually lots of people shouting at one another in Italian on the street corners, in a racially-stereotypical way (i sometimes wonder if they are paid to be there by the tourist board). China town is a little more extensive and although v. touristy you do feel very much like Chinese people do actually live there themselves and it's an interesting part of town.
Take the statton island ferry
