I’m coming home (First trip to NYC in 20 years)

21Architect

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Unbelievable, right?

How could I not visit the greatest city in the world for 20 years (I’m 45 years old)?

I spent summers in NYC when I was younger. My father worked in NYC for many years. I remember going on the subway with him back in like 1982. Shit was crazy for me at the time.

When I told my NY friends they thought I was joking. But it’s true. Since I’ve been in Miami, they’ve all visited ME.

Sure, I flew into LaGuardia in 2006, but it was for a wedding an hour north of the city.

And, yeah, I went to a wedding in Lake George 2 summers ago.

But I’ve spent ZERO time in Manhattan in TWENTY years.


My plane lands @ 9AM on a Monday.

I booked a room at Arlo in SoHo. It’s not an ideal location but if I remember correctly, SoHo, West Village, Little Italy (Nolita) and Tribeca are good places just to walk around and take the city in.

I’m going to the 9/11 memorial Monday after I check my bag at the hotel. I’m going to pre-purchase a ticket online.

I’m going to a concert at the Beacon Theater on Monday night.

Other than that I have no plan (other than local friends meeting up with me).


The self-facepalm part of this is that my flight departs LaGuardia at 9:30 PM on Wednesday night so I don’t have a lot of time. Things are too busy at home to stay longer unfortunately.

Any MUST GO TO pizza places/bars/restaurants in the area I’m staying at?
 
Unbelievable, right?

How could I not visit the greatest city in the world for 20 years (I’m 45 years old)?

I spent summers in NYC when I was younger. My father worked in NYC for many years. I remember going on the subway with him back in like 1982. Shit was crazy for me at the time.

When I told my NY friends they thought I was joking. But it’s true. Since I’ve been in Miami, they’ve all visited ME.

Sure, I flew into LaGuardia in 2006, but it was for a wedding an hour north of the city.

And, yeah, I went to a wedding in Lake George 2 summers ago.

But I’ve spent ZERO time in Manhattan in TWENTY years.


My plane lands @ 9AM on a Monday.

I booked a room at Arlo in SoHo. It’s not an ideal location but if I remember correctly, SoHo, West Village, Little Italy (Nolita) and Tribeca are good places just to walk around and take the city in.

I’m going to the 9/11 memorial Monday after I check my bag at the hotel. I’m going to pre-purchase a ticket online.

I’m going to a concert at the Beacon Theater on Monday night.

Other than that I have no plan (other than local friends meeting up with me).


The self-facepalm part of this is that my flight departs LaGuardia at 9:30 PM on Wednesday night so I don’t have a lot of time. Things are too busy at home to stay longer unfortunately.

Any MUST GO TO pizza places/bars/restaurants in the area I’m staying at?
As you probably know already a lot has changed but this is still the same NYC at its heart. I'd recommend asking for some alone time (if you're traveling with a significant other) and taking advantage of this time to walk around anywhere you want in the city and doing whatever it is you want to do. After if you're with a significant other I'd probably take her out to an expensive dinner to make up for leaving her alone all day.
 
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As you probably know already a lot has changed but this is still the same NYC at its heart. I'd recommend asking for some alone time (if you're traveling with a significant other) and taking advantage of this time to walk around anywhere you want in the city and doing whatever it is you want to do. After if you're with a significant other I'd probably take her out to an expensive dinner to make up for leaving her alone all day.


I’m going SOLO!

Leaving the wife home to take care of the cat. I’m taking her to Lake Tahoe for a week in January.
 
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I mean, there's Joe's, in Bleecker st. There will be tourists, but it IS good pizza. Nice inside, too.

But really can't go wrong at almost any local pizzeria in those neighborhoods Or ray's original.
 
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Unbelievable, right?

How could I not visit the greatest city in the world for 20 years (I’m 45 years old)?

I spent summers in NYC when I was younger. My father worked in NYC for many years. I remember going on the subway with him back in like 1982. Shit was crazy for me at the time.

When I told my NY friends they thought I was joking. But it’s true. Since I’ve been in Miami, they’ve all visited ME.

Sure, I flew into LaGuardia in 2006, but it was for a wedding an hour north of the city.

And, yeah, I went to a wedding in Lake George 2 summers ago.

But I’ve spent ZERO time in Manhattan in TWENTY years.


My plane lands @ 9AM on a Monday.

I booked a room at Arlo in SoHo. It’s not an ideal location but if I remember correctly, SoHo, West Village, Little Italy (Nolita) and Tribeca are good places just to walk around and take the city in.

I’m going to the 9/11 memorial Monday after I check my bag at the hotel. I’m going to pre-purchase a ticket online.

I’m going to a concert at the Beacon Theater on Monday night.

Other than that I have no plan (other than local friends meeting up with me).


The self-facepalm part of this is that my flight departs LaGuardia at 9:30 PM on Wednesday night so I don’t have a lot of time. Things are too busy at home to stay longer unfortunately.

Any MUST GO TO pizza places/bars/restaurants in the area I’m staying at?

If you're into craft beer at all I'd classify Blind Tiger just north of you as a must go to bar. If liquor is more your thing Brandy Library is worth checking out.
 
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If you're into craft beer at all I'd classify Blind Tiger just north of you as a must go to bar. If liquor is more your thing Brandy Library is worth checking out.
Blind Tiger? Did you miss where he said he was 45?

Go to Vol de Nuit or Rabbit Hole in that hood. But take friends. Still too much NYU Crowd, but better beer, better crowd, easier to handle for non-idiots. Blind Tiger has been an annoying place for as long as I can remember.

In general, these days, I suggest The Spaniard over any of them. Will think on it and get back to you, 21Architect 21Architect.

The pizza you want is Arturo’s. And Lombardi’s, as Gotham said. I love both, but Arturo’s if you only get one.

Get the plain spaghetti at L’artusi if you get a chance. Boiled in Parmesan broth. So fucking good, even though it looks and sounds plain as hell.
 
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Blind Tiger? Did you miss where he said he was 45?

Go to Vol de Nuit or Rabbit Hole in that hood. But take friends. Still too much NYU Crowd, but better beer, better crowd, easier to handle for non-idiots. Blind Tiger has been an annoying place for as long as I can remember.

In general, these days, I suggest The Spaniard over any of them. Will think on it and get back to you, 21Architect 21Architect.

The pizza you want is Arturo’s. And Lombardi’s, as Gotham said. I love both, but Arturo’s if you only get one.

Get the plain spaghetti at L’artusi if you get a chance. Boiled in Parmesan broth. So fucking good, even though it looks and sounds plain as hell.

With caveat of needing to like craft beer the recommendation still stands. If you're into craft beer it's one of the orginal spots in the city and typically has 5-6 beers on draft at all times that you can likely only get in about 3-5 bars in the country. I'm 37 you won't catch me in there at midnight on a saturday but afternoons or early evening the place is filled with bearded craft beer guys typically in the 35-55 age range likely because it's been on every top 100 craft beer bars in america list for a solid 2 decades. You can snark all you want but if you think a place with a beer list like the one listed below is better than the list at blind tiger you have no idea what you're talking about when it comes to craft beer.

http://www.voldenuitbar.com/main1.html
 
With caveat of needing to like craft beer the recommendation still stands. If you're into craft beer it's one of the orginal spots in the city and typically has 5-6 beers on draft at all times that you can likely only get in about 3-5 bars in the country. I'm 37 you won't catch me in there at midnight on a saturday but afternoons or early evening the place is filled with bearded craft beer guys typically in the 35-55 age range likely because it's been on every top 100 craft beer bars in america list for a solid 2 decades. You can snark all you want but if you think a place with a beer list like the one listed below is better than the list at blind tiger you have no idea what you're talking about when it comes to craft beer.

http://www.voldenuitbar.com/main1.html
I just enjoy Vol de Nuit, and it has a little garden and good mussels.

I’m not a craft beer aficionado. I enjoy it. But it isn’t something I go nuts for, mostly because I find as much bad as good when I go sampling. I like to get what I like.

Eta: honestly, I’m just about tired of beer. Games are about the only times I drink it these days. It’s weird. Over the past 3-4 years, it seems most of my social crowd has just drifted away from beer. We used to only drink beer.

And now I’ve hit on another reason why I can’t stay out as long any more. Too damn drunk from drinking liquor like it’s beer.
 
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I just enjoy Vol de Nuit, and it has a little garden and good mussels.

I’m not a craft beer aficionado. I enjoy it. But it isn’t something I go nuts for, mostly because I find as much bad as good when I go sampling. I like to get what I like.

Eta: honestly, I’m just about tired of beer. Games are about the only times I drink it these days. It’s weird. Over the past 3-4 years, it seems most of my social crowd has just drifted away from beer. We used to only drink beer.

And now I’ve hit on another reason why I can’t stay out as long any more. Too damn drunk from drinking liquor like it’s beer.

That's fair, I likely should have been a bit stronger with a warning that if you're not into craft beer there's no reason whatsoever to go to blind tiger.
 
I just enjoy Vol de Nuit, and it has a little garden and good mussels.

I’m not a craft beer aficionado. I enjoy it. But it isn’t something I go nuts for, mostly because I find as much bad as good when I go sampling. I like to get what I like.

Eta: honestly, I’m just about tired of beer. Games are about the only times I drink it these days. It’s weird. Over the past 3-4 years, it seems most of my social crowd has just drifted away from beer. We used to only drink beer.

And now I’ve hit on another reason why I can’t stay out as long any more. Too damn drunk from drinking liquor like it’s beer.



Ya the only time I drink beer these days is at the beach (PBR tall boys) or at a baseball game. And I think after last night at Marlins Park, I’ll stick to Maker’s Mark and Coke at the ballpark. Beer gives me a weird hangover that whiskey does not. I know, it sounds weird.

I’m definitely more of a bourbon/whiskey aficionado.

Thanks to everyone for the insider pizza recommendations. I’m definitely going to try at least 2 of those places.
 
I already miss lower Manhattan and I left 48 hours ago.

The 9/11 Memorial was very emotional. The 102nd floor of One World Trade Center was the most touristy thing I did. I ended up paying $65 because I was pressed for time and wanted to skip the line. An inspiring view, for sure, but it felt weird right after the Memorial.

I saw The The at The Beacon Theater on Monday night. Outstanding.

I wish I could remember all of the places that I ate, drank and had fun.

For some reason I remember Famous Ben’s Sicilian pizza in SoHo, Cubby Hole in the West Village, The High Line on a hot Tuesday afternoon, SoHo Cigar Bar and Bubby’s in TriBeca.

Arlo SoHo is an outstanding hotel and I will be back.

I really wish I could live in Lower Manhattan but it’s just not possible for me right now.
 
433 Graham ave
Brooklyn NY

Right off the L train at graham ave.

Panini shoppe. Order the FDNY with waffle fries and a nutella milkshake

Granted they sell other original sandwiches too but thats a fan fave. The Healthilicous is popular too.
 
433 Graham ave
Brooklyn NY

Right off the L train at graham ave.

Panini shoppe. Order the FDNY with waffle fries and a nutella milkshake

Granted they sell other original sandwiches too but thats a fan fave. The Healthilicous is popular too.

The sandwich you want from Anthony's is the NYPD Panini -- chicken cutlet, bacon, Munster cheese, lettuce and tomato with ranch dressing.
 
The sandwich you want from Anthony's is the NYPD Panini -- chicken cutlet, bacon, Munster cheese, lettuce and tomato with ranch dressing.
Well I know where I'm going to lunch today, *that's* for sure.

ETA: And ugh, it's only a few blocks from the synthesizer store I go to far too often. Thanks for nuthin', bud.
 
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Well I know where I'm going to lunch today, *that's* for sure.

ETA: And ugh, it's only a few blocks from the synthesizer store I go to far too often. Thanks for nuthin', bud.
PAGpsBH.jpg

Was gonna get the NYPD as you recommended but what you failed to mention was that the FDNY is on garlic bread. Maybe next time though.