New York by Nicole: The Met and Central Park - My Highlights

This is one of my favorite itineraries because it combines two things I love more than anything in NYC - Art and Sunshine.  This is a good itinerary on a nice sunny day and for people who aren't "art" and "museum" lovers.  Yes, I know, you're going to the Met, but the Met has so many more interesting things than just traditional "art."  When people see the Egyptian Temple of Dendur and can walk up to it and touch it... it's amazing for anyone, even if they're not an "art" lover.

The Metropolitan Museum and Central Park - My Highlights

Duration:  Late Morning to late afternoon 

Cost: Affordable (you can do it for under $25, if you're thrifty)

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Starting Point: Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 5th Ave at 82nd Street
Cost: Suggested Donation (which for you cheap asses, means almost free) $1 - 25

Temple of Dendur

When I go into the Met, I like to start out in the Egyptian wing (hang a right when you go in).  You can meander through until you reach the Temple of Dendur - great photo opportunity!

American Wing

From there go through the beautiful new American wing and Neoclassical facade of the Branch Bank of the United States, originally located on Wall Street.

Then stroll through the Renaissance and Medieval galleries that show off gorgeous stained glass, religious iconography, and a complete Spanish choir screen from the Valladolid cathedral of 1763.  Eventually you will find yourself in a skylighted room full of European sculptures (check out the brick facade here - its part of the Museum's original 1888 south facade).

New York by Nicole: Immigrant Neighborhoods Food & Walking Tour

Eat your through New York City's historical immigrant neighborhoods!  Have a nosh and wander through some of New York's oldest neighborhoods.

This tour will take you through the Lower East Side, Chinatown, Little Italy, and back full circle to where you started.  Since there is a lot, and I mean a LOT of eating on this tour, it is recommended that you share everything (it's also cheaper that way) so you don't end up in a food coma halfway through.  But it you do it right, you'll thank me later!

NYC Immigrant Neighborhoods Food and Walking Tour
Duration: All day
Cost: Moderate $40 - 50 (includes TONS of food and admission into 2 museums)



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Starting Point A:  Breakfast in the Lower East Side

Start your morning off right with a traditional Jewish nosh.  There are two great options on Houston for a filling breakfast.

Yonah Schimmel's Knishes

137 E Houston St, b/t 2nd Ave and Chrystie St

Cost: $4

This place has been slinging world famous knishes since 1910!  They're piping hot and delicious!

Recommendations... Potato Kinish - you can't go wrong with a classic.

- or -

Russ and Daughters 

179 E. Houston St., b/tEast Houston St and Chrystie St

Cost: $4
This purveyor of smoked fish and specialty foods has been around since 1914 and is a fourth generation owned store.  It's worth the pop in just to see.

Recommendations... Bialey toasted with scallion cream cheese - no one will appreciate your breath as the day goes on, but it's well worth it, so who cares.  I'm not a lox fan, but I've been told they are the best.

Eat your bialey or kinish while you make your way down Orchard Street to the Tenement Museum.

B: Tenement Museum

108 Orchard St., b/t Delancey and Broom

Cost: $15 - 20

This is really a NYC must see!  I can’t believe it took me so many years to come here, but I’ll be back on a regular basis.  Step back in time and into the preserved and partially restored 1863 tenement building at 97 Orchard St., where you can get an idea of how our ancestors lived when they first came to America.  It's an eye opening and extremely touching tour that I highly recommend!  Building tours are limited to 15 people, so you may want to consider buying tickets in advance.  Also, they have an awesome gift shop.

Recommendations... Getting By: Immigrants Weathering Hard Times Tour, it is extremely comprehensive and wonderful.

Next it’s time for a little taste of Chinatown…

C: Vanessa's Dumpling House  

118 Eldridge St, b/t Broome St. and Grand St.

Cost: less than $5

This is my favorite cheap eats in NYC.  Not only is it good, but it’s fresh and made right in front of you.  Watching the Chinese women make the dumplings and scallion pancakes is memorizing and fascinating.  Tip: Bring cash!  They take cards with a $9 minimum, and you could buy the whole place lunch and never hit $9.  It’s soooo cheap.

Recommendations... Get the Peeking Duck Scallion Pancake, it'll change your life.  No really, I'm not kidding.  Trust me, I know what I’m talking about.

After you’ve finished stuffing your face, it’s time to waddle down to the beautiful and historical synagogue on Eldridge.

D: Museum at Eldridge Street 

12 Eldridge St

Cost: $8 - 10

This is a Jewish Synagogue that was built in 1887.  They recently finished a 20 year restoration and it was well worth it.  This place is beautiful, serene and historical.  Another must see.

Recommendations...

• ·         Do one of the free guided tours they offer.  They have them every half hour.
• ·         Mondays are free.

Now it’s time to hit up little Italy and have a little gabagool, as Tony Soprano would say.

E: Alleva Dairy & Di Palo's Fine Foods 

Grand Street, b/t Mott St. and Mulberry St.

Cost: Depends 

These are the two best Italian deli and cheese markets in Little Italy and they’re right next to each other.  You can’t go wrong with anything in these places.  Pop in, grab a little smattering of cheese, cured meats, and maybe a stuffed pepper or two and continue on your way.

F: Rice to Riches

37 Spring St, b/t Mott St. and Mulberry St.

Cost: $4 - 7

This rice pudding bar in NoLita is one of a kind.  They have 20+ types of rice pudding (and you can try them all before you decide).  It’s a great stop for a sweet treat.  The portions are big and the pudding is very rich.

Recommendations... Man Made Mascarpone Rice Pudding with roasted cherries, it’s rich, subtle but not too sweet – it’s to die for and clearly my favorite.

G: St. Patrick's Old Cathedral 

263 Mulberry Street, b/t Prince St. and Houston St.

Cost: Free

If you've watched The Godfather, you've seen the inside St. Patrick's Old Cathedral—this is where the infamous baptism scene was filmed. It’s New York’s first Cathedral Church, built in 1818.  The outside doesn't look like much, but it’s unbelievably stunning on the inside.  There's a maze of mortuary vaults underneath the cathedral, and the outdoor cemetery is the final resting place for notable and historic New Yorkers.

Finish up your tour of Little Italy and NoLita by ending full circle back in the Lower East Side.  Round off your day of eating with an old fashioned pastrami or corned beef sandwich.

H: Katz Deli 

205 E Houston St, b/t Avenue A and Essex St

Cost: $20 

This is hands down my favorite Delicatessen in NYC, and there are a lot of good ones to choose from.  It’s been around since 1888 and has been in numerous movies, most famously where Sally had her “orgasm scene” in When Harry Met Sally.  The food is expensive, but the portions are HUGE!  So you can share and still have leftovers.

Recommendations... The Ruben and a Chocolate Egg Creme - just do it.

Living 80/20

A couple months ago I started grappling with the idea of going vegan or at least vegetarian with no dairy (that's not exactly vegan - sorry vegan peeps).  I didn't eat that much meat on a regular basis so that was going to be easy.  Dairy is a different story, but I had cut out milk a couple months earlier and had switched to almond milk.  Cheese was going to be the hardest to break up with, or so I thought.  

So I started and went all the way in.  It was pretty good, until a few days in I was brought down by spicy crunchy tuna roll craving while out on a date - oh yeah, I ate it all right and I would do it again!  This is when I realized that going a 100% wasn't going to work for me.  So now, I do what I like to call The 80/20.

New York by Nicole: 42nd Street Tour

I love being a tourist in my own city.  New York is unbelievable and I get excited to show people the city I love so much.  I never get tired to going to the same places as they all still hold wonder for me.  However, nothing terrifies me more than when I ask one of someone who is coming to visit me what they want to do while they're in New York and they say "I don't know.  Whatever you think is good."  Or even worse, they have an unrealistic idea of where everything is and how to get there - Empire State Building, World Trade Center Memorial, and the Gugenheim are not going to happen in the same day. 

It can be overwhelming for non-New Yorkers to make a feasible itinerary for when they come to visit.  I started having my friends make a list of the top 5 things they want to see while their here and then I built itineraries around them.  Over the years, I have perfected these itineraries into optimum sightseeing machines!  And now, I will share my New York Tourist wisdom with you...  Welcome to my new series, New York by Nicole!     
42nd Street Walking Tour 

Duration:  Early Afternoon into evening 
Cost: El Cheapo! (includes lunch and dinner)

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Starting Point A: Grand Central Station 

42nd Street at Lexington Ave

Cost: Free

Grand Central is not only the world's largest (76 acres) and the nation's busiest (nearly 700,000 commuters and subway riders use it daily) railway station, but also one of the world's most magnificent, majestic public spaces.  Every time I walk through Grand Central I get this warm amazing feeling of New York Pride.  I never get tired of wandering through it and noticing little details that I never noticed before.

Recommendations...

Self Guided Walking Tour:  this is great printable walking tour of Grand Central that is full of facts and history.  You won't miss anything!

Vanderbilt Hall Exhibits: If you check out the event calendar, usually there is an art installation in Vanderbilt Hall that is always spectacular.  During the holidays they have a nice bazaar there.