New York City – Interesting Places To Visit
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1. Time Warner Center
The Time Warner Center is a mixed-use skyscraper developed by The Related Companies in New York City. Its design, by David Childs of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, consists of two 750 ft towers bridged by a multi-story atrium containing upscale retail shops. Construction began in November 2000, following the demolition of the New York Coliseum, and a topping-out ceremony was held on February 27, 2003. It is the property with the highest-listed market value in New York City, $1.1 billion in 2006
The complex is located on Columbus Circle at the southwest corner of Central Park — sip a cocktail while enjoying spectacular views of the park from the bustling Stone Rose Lounge or the more refined Mandarin Hotel bar. Multitaskers can get the view and the drink while listening to first-rate jazz at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, one of Jazz at Lincoln Center’s trio of venues in the building.
At lunchtime, grab a basket from Dean & Deluca on the second floor or Whole Foods downstairs, and head into the park for an impromptu picnic. Or, if you just want to shop in a mall, you can do that too: There are some 50 high-end stores to choose from.
Where is the Time Warner Center?
10 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10019; 212-823-6300
2. Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center is a complex of 19 commercial buildings covering 22 acres between 48th and 51st streets in New York City. Built by the Rockefeller family, it is located in the center of Midtown Manhattan, spanning the area between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1987.
Rockefeller Center was named after John D. Rockefeller, Jr., who leased the space from Columbia University in 1928 and developed it from 1930. Rockefeller initially planned a syndicate to build an opera house for the Metropolitan Opera on the site, but changed his mind after the stock market crash of 1929 and the withdrawal of the Metropolitan from the project. Rockefeller stated “It was clear that there were only two courses open to me. One was to abandon the entire development. The other to go forward with it in the definite knowledge that I myself would have to build it and finance it alone.” He took on the enormous project as the sole financier, on a 24-year lease for the site from Columbia; negotiating a line of credit with the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company and covering ongoing expenses through the sale of oil company stock.
3. Film Forum
ilm Forum is a nonprofit movie theater located at 209 West Houston Street in New York City. It began in 1970 as an alternative screening space for independent films, with 50 folding chairs, one projector and a US$19,000 annual budget. Karen Cooper became director in 1972 and under her leadership, Film Forum has grown exponentially. Its current Greenwich Village cinema was built in 1990. Film Forum is a 3-screen cinema open 365 days a year, with 280,000 annual admissions, nearly 500 seats, 60 employees, 4500 members and an operating budget of US$4.4 million. Film Forum is the only autonomous nonprofit cinema in New York City and one of the few in the United States of America.
New York is a film-lover’s town and Film Forum is Mecca for the city’s cinephiles. See here the movies you may otherwise only read about in the New York Times. Smart programming ranges from provocative indie features and documentaries to the best foreign art cinema culled from the world’s top film festivals. The always-entertaining repertory calendar is a mix of the de rigeuer, the artsy and the audacious. Try the concession stand’s lemon-poppy sponge cake!
Where is the Film Forum?
209 West Houston Street, New York, NY 10014; 212-727-8110
4. Grimaldi’s Pizzeria
Patsy Grimaldi, the founder of Grimaldi’s, learned to make pizza at his uncle Patsy Lancieri’s pizzeria in 1941 at age ten. He eventually opened his own restaurant, Patsy’s Pizzeria, in Brooklyn. Grimaldi originally planned to build it in Manhattan. However, he believed that coal-fired brick ovens produced the best pizza, and it was illegal to build new coal ovens in Manhattan. As a result, he moved to the current location at South Ferry, Brooklyn. Eventually, Grimaldi sold the naming rights to a corporation and had to change the name of his restaurant to Grimaldi’s.
New Yorkers love to argue about the best pizza, with Totonno’s, Di Fara’s, John’s and Lombardi’s being among the primary contenders. We won’t settle that score here, but if you have only 24 hours you can’t go wrong with Grimaldi’s, a coal-fired pizzeria under the shadow of the Brooklyn Bridge. Not only will you get a memorable pie, you’ll also get a memorable view of Manhattan from one of the oldest — and most picturesque — parts of Brooklyn. Not to mention a jukebox filled with classics by Frank Sinatra, who, legend has it, had Grimaldi’s pies flown to him in Vegas.
Where is Grimaldi’s Pizzeria?
19 Old Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201; 718-858-4300
5. Empire State Building
The Empire State Building is a 102-story landmark Art Deco skyscraper in New York City at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street. Its name is derived from the nickname for the state of New York, The Empire State. It stood as the world’s tallest building for more than forty years, from its completion in 1931 until construction of the World Trade Center’s North Tower was completed in 1972. Following the destruction of the World Trade Center in 2001, the Empire State Building once again became the tallest building in New York City and New York State.
If you must visit an ultra-touristy site, the ESB is the one. The stately deco architecture rivals the nearby Chrysler Building for Best in Class honors and it is, once again, New York’s tallest structure. The view from the 86th-floor observation deck is breathtaking. You won’t be the only one who’s decided to visit, so prepare to wait in line; to avoid the throngs, the best times to come are at 8:30 a.m. or during lunch and dinner hours, Monday through Wednesday. Tickets are steep, but worth it: $17.61 for adults; $41.52 for an “express pass” that whisks you pass the hordes. For an extra $15 you can buy a ticket to the more intimate 102nd-floor observation deck. Buy your ticket online to reduce waiting-in-line time.
Where is the Empire State Building
350 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10118; 212-736-3100
6. Central Park
Central Park is an urban park that occupies about 1.2 square miles 843 acres in the heart of Manhattan in New York City. It is host to approximately twenty-five million visitors each year. Central Park was opened in 1859, completed in 1873 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1963. Eighty-five percent of the park’s operating budget comes from private sources via the Central Park Conservancy, which manages the park pursuant to a contract with New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.
7. P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center
The P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center is one of the largest and oldest institutions in the United States dedicated solely to contemporary art. It is located in the neighborhood of Long Island City, Queens in New York City. In addition to its renowned exhibitions, the institution also organizes the prestigious International and National Projects series, the Warm Up summer music series, and the MoMA/P.S.1 Young Architects Program with The Museum of Modern Art. It also ran WPS1, an Internet art radio station founded in 2004. P.S.1 has been affiliated with The Museum of Modern Art since January 2000.
MoMA is home to the modern masters. But head to MoMa’s cutting-edge kid sister across the East River to see tomorrow’s masters. Located in a refurbished public school, P.S. 1 consistently mounts challenging exhibitions from the world’s most provocative artists. Don’t miss James Turrell’s transcendent installation, Meeting, and, in summer, the always-changing architectural garden. Also, on summer Saturdays, hit the early evening Warm Up session, a free weekly dance party that’s become a must-stop on the city’s nightlife calendar.
Where is the P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center?
22-25 Jackson Avenue, Long Island City, NY 11101; 718-784-2084
8. Bergdorf Goodman
The company began in 1899 when Herman Bergdorf, an immigrant from Alsace, opened a tailor shop just above Union Square in downtown Manhattan. Edwin Goodman, an employee of Bergdorf’s, purchased the store then located in the “Ladies’ Mile” in 1906, and moved to the present location on Fifth Avenue. In 1914, Goodman became the first couturier to introduce ready-to-wear, making Bergdorf Goodman a destination for American and French fashion. The store moved to its present location at 5th Avenue and 58th Street in 1928, building its Art Deco store on the site of the Cornelius Vanderbilt II mansion. With Goodman’s son, Andrew, as president, the store opened a fur salon, developed the successful Bergdorf Goodman Number Nine perfume, and created Miss Bergdorf, a ready-to-wear line for younger customers. Edwin Goodman retired from the company in 1953.
Now that Barneys — still a stellar place to shop — has become a national mini-chain, Bergdorf’s is the sole remaining New York–centric luxe department store. Even if you can’t afford a thing, it’s still fun to browse and dream. But if you can, rev up your credit card. For the ladies, an all-star roster of couture designers is on hand, from Alexander McQueen to Zac Posen. Tight on time? Arrange for a personal shopper to help you out. Guys get their own store across the street, which is no less exquisite — and no less expensive.
Where is Bergdorf Goodman?
754 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10019; 888-774-2424
9. Bowery Ballroom
The Bowery Ballroom is a music venue in the Bowery section of New York City. The structure, at 6 Delancey Street, was built just before the Stock Market Crash of 1929. It stood vacant until the end of WWII, when it became a high-end retail store. The neighborhood subsequently went into decline again, and so did the caliber of businesses occupying the space. In 1997 it was converted into a music venue. It has a capacity of 550 people.
Hands down the best music spot in New York, Bowery Ballroom should be visiting music-lovers’ first stop. Up-and-coming national acts with indie-rock leanings occupy the two-level music venue, home to the city’s best sound system. The downstairs bar is a great place to warm up before the show. The Ballroom is the crown jewel of the Bowery Presents chain of local venues, which includes the Music Hall of Williamsburg, Mercury Lounge, Terminal 5 and Webster Hall.
Where is the Bowery Ballroom?
6 Delancey Street, New York, NY 10002; 212-533-2111
10. Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal is a terminal station at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Built by and named for the New York Central Railroad in the heyday of American long-distance passenger trains, it is the largest train station in the world by number of platforms: 44, with 67 tracks along them. There are on two levels, both below ground, with 41 tracks on the upper level and 26 on the lower, though the total number of tracks along platforms and in rail yards exceeds 100. When the Long Island Rail Road’s new station, below the existing levels, opens, Grand Central will offer a total of 75 tracks and 48 platforms. The terminal covers an area of 48 acres.
Take the express back to a bygone era. Grand Central Terminal — don’t call it Grand Central Station — is a living, bustling temple to New York’s illustrious past. Gaze at the celestial ceiling mural above the vast main concourse. Slurp some Kumamotos at the legendary Oyster Bar downstairs, and wash them down with a Manhattan at the swank Campbell Apartment. Mingle with the commuters in the gourmet culinary market. Explore the “secret” elevated passageways for a spectacular view of the concourse. Even if you have nowhere to go you can spend hours here and never get bored.
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