Snow days are great, some of us got our classes cancelled, and others just have to go to work, but all it matters is just to enjoy snow days as much as we can.
Archive for the ‘NYC’ Category
Just another snow day!
Thursday, February 25th, 2010a pot to pee in
Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009
My iconic memory from my first trip to Paris was not seeing the Eiffel Tower at night, or viewing the Mona Lisa at the Louvre. No it was the wonder of the public pay toilet.
For less than a euro one could relieve themselves in relatively clean, and by public toilet standards, palatial splendor.
Coming from New York where there is virtually no such thing as a public pay toilet it really was akin to stepping into a brand new world.
So where does the New York tourist with a tiny bladder, or even the local resident go when they need to, well, go?
That is an artform unto itself because most restaurants require a purchase to use the restroom. The easiest way, then is to hit up a local fast food chain and purchase the cheapest thing on the menu to get the bathroom code. If you’re cheap and fast you can avoid purchasing an item altogether snagging an entree from an exiting user.
This technique works best in crowded establishments.
But if you move a little slowly or you simply don’t want to pay there are other alternatives. I’ve hi-lighted some of your best options below:
- Starbucks by virtue of its sheer ubiquitous is the best bathroom around if you don’t want to buy anything. Unfortunately, ever yone in the city knows this and their bathrooms (especially in Union Square) can sometimes seem as though everyone in the city has traipsed through. Heavily trafficked and occasionally lacking in toilet paper, it’s best only to hit in a pinch.
- The bookstore chains Border and Barnes and Nobles b oth have publicly accessible bathrooms.
- Whole Foods also have public restrooms and no way of requiring a purchase.
- The following subway stations: Times Square, Grand Central and Penn Station have reliably open bathrooms.
knish knosh
Tuesday, December 8th, 2009
A long time ago in what feels like a lifetime away I used to work on the Upper Westside. When the day was a bit too blustery, or when my stack of work was a bit too high, or when I got a little too tired of dodging the usual Upper Westside riff raff: film crews, prep school kids and nannies wielding SUV sized strollers which too often doubled as weapons, I would disappear into Artie’s for a reprieve.
Artie’s Delicatessen (2290 Broadway @ 83rd Street) just celebrated its 10th anniversary this past October but it feels like it’s been around for much, much longer. With hanging salami’s hanging from the ceiling, pastrami made from a closely guarded secret recipe, and traditional Ashkenazi Jewish fare such as potato kugel, red counter stools along with restaurant seating, and a not bad wine list, Artie’s has the right feel, smell, and of course taste, of an authentic New York Jewish Deli and then some. And, unlike its counterparts the Carnegie Deli and Katz’s Deli Artie’s is almost completely devoid of tourists and thus the obligatory endless lines which means getting a meal in a hurry, or sitting down and really taking your time are both plausible options.
My personal Artie’s favorite – a 4 order of Cheese blintzes with apple sauce and sour cream – appears to have sadly disappeared from the menu, but the potato pancakes and knishes almost make up for its loss. Almost.
Artie’s is close to Central Park, the Children’s Museum of Manhattan, The Museum of Natural History (and the Hayden Planetarium which is located in the Museum of Natural History).
Taking it to the Streets
Wednesday, November 25th, 2009
There is a tendency, perhaps an American one, to want to brag about how one’s country/state/town does such and such better than anyone else on the planet. And while I have not set foot in every nation in the world, I can without hesitation say that no other city in a Western Industrialized nation tackles the awesomeness that is street food, better than New York.
And no, it’s not just hot dogs.
There are the deluxe fancy cars hawking artisan ice cream in flavors as common as vanilla and as uncommon as ginger. There’s the roaming Rickshaw Dumpling Cart that sells an assortment of Asian inspired dumplings, and of course the Calxico cart which has done so well in it’s two Soho locations that they actually opened a brick and mortar shop.
And yes, there are the ubiquitous hot dog carts peddling hot dogs, pretzels, sausage, and my personal late night favorite, chicken-on-a-stick, as well as the morning coffee carts selling not-so-spectacular but ever so dependable coffee, donuts, mu
ffins, and even freshly made bacon and eggs .
But the best carts, in my opinion, are often the humblest carts cobbled together by immigrants who manage to scrape together thousands of dollars to rent black-market vendor permits (yes such a thing exists) and which extol the flavors of their homeland. The names of such carts are often legendary among cart loving circles: “The Jamaican Dutchy” cart in the financial district, The Arepa lady in Jackson Heights, and the Red Hook Food Carts in Red Hook Brooklyn. They are the bread and butter of New York food cart culture; the perfect intersection of taste, convenience and price.
For the scoop on which carts to seek out (and where) there are a number of sources. Each year the Vendy Awards, for example ranks the best street cart vendors in the city. Similarly, this 2007 New York Magazine article is still fairly accurate though it leaves out some of the city’s most recent entrees. And there is of course, the old standard of just asking a New Yorker. They’re sure to have strong opinions.
One final word of caution. If you’re worried about street food making you sick, don’t be. With 20+ years of street food eating under my belt, I can honestly say I’ve never gotten sick from frequenting a cart. Now certain restaurants on the other hand…
V is for Volunteering
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009
Last night mingled with some interesting people, checked out a cool new space, listened to pretty decent music, saw some interesting artwork and drank a bit too much Bear Flag Wine all for free.
A few months ago I was able to meet lots of interesting people, sample some of New York’s best street food washed down with Grown-Up Soda and Brooklyn Brewery Beer, and check out the artwork of the Queens Museum of Art (including the panorama) also all for free. I even walked away with an apron and a container of Grey Poupon mustard.
How?
I volunteered.
New York has a ton of organizations trying to accomplish a lot but who lack the ability to pay for event help. Enter the event volunteer. Unpaid, yes, but volunteering offers entree into an event you either wouldn’t otherwise know existed (as was the case with the event I volunteered with last night) or, which would ordinarily be extremely pricey (as in the case with the Vendy Awards).
In general, because the organizations know that you’re volunteering your time you still get to experience the event. At the Vendy Awards we worked in shifts to make sure everyone was given time to eat and mingle (and with free aprons to boot!), as was true of the event I worked last night.
It’s a great way to get an insiders view of New York, meet some locals (or recent transplants), all for free. And if you’re thinking about moving to New York for long term work, it’s a great way to network and check out your potential career scene. Great websites to learn about opportunities include Treehugger and Idealist.org, as well of course, as the eve ubiquotous Craigslist. Another avenue is you already know about the event but you can afford to attend, look up a point of contact on the website and simply ask if you can volunteer. If you’re hard working, and honest (it’s rude to skip out on your duties) they’re usually happy to have you. And if they say no, well, you haven’t lost anything.
Beer Bars
Wednesday, November 11th, 2009
Beer Bars
I love beer.
There’s something about a frothy pint that fits every season, from a fall Okotoberfest, to a spicy winter ale, to a nice brown ale for spring to a summer wheat. The beautiful thing about New York is, no matter what your flavor, you can find a great brew.
The downside is that in New York if you’re not careful it’ll cost you. It’s not uncommon to shell out $8-bucks for a lukewarm Heineken in some bar in the meatpacking district.
So where does the traveler with a discriminating beer palate go to sample some of New York’s bar scene without getting taken for a ride?
There is a lot of New York love for East Village dive bar the Crocodile Lounge (325 E 14th Street, between 1st and 2nd, (212) 477-7747). At around $6 bucks a pint the beers come in at solidly moderately priced but every beer purchased comes with a free personal pizza making it an overall cheap meal. The Crocodile Lounge is actually a spin-off, the original location, Alligator Lounge in Williamsburg Brooklyn (600 Metropolitan Ave Brooklyn, NY 11211-3606 – (718) 599-4440) offers the same deal with $3 dollar pints (but no pizza) before 6pm on weekdays.
With a great selection of Belgian beers, delicious muscles and a (weather willig) outdoor courtyard, Vol de Nuit ( 148 W 4th St, between Avenue Of The Americas & Mac Dougal St, (212) 982-3388) is exactly the sort of place one heads to for a low key night, or the start to a crazy night.
The website declares LIC Bar to be a classic New York City watering hole, and it’s a location that honestly fits the bill. No need to get dressed up, or leave Fido at home (LIC Bar is pet friendly) this is a great neighborhood bar with weekend bands and Thursday night quiz nights that give it a distinctly convivial vibe.
Against the Grain (620 E. 6th St., near. Ave. B 212-358-7065) is not so much a bar as it is a beer hallway. With a twelve seat communal table that dominates the small space, a 75-deep beer menu, and a decent selection of bar foods to keep any hunger pains at bay, it’s an interesting marriage of beer and experience.
Stare at our Staff Photo and get dizzy.
Saturday, November 7th, 2009
LOFTSTEL Staff Meeting
Friday, November 6th, 2009
Nancy – French-Canadians are taking us over. Bar Tabac!
Friday, November 6th, 2009
Clemence
Friday, November 6th, 2009
