Ashley is a fellow travel lover currently living in New York. I knew Ashley and I would become fast blogging buddies when I saw she was just as crazy about Iceland as I am! Today I am so excited to have Ashley on my blog to share with us an insiders guide to New York City. You better believe I will be taking notes as I will be headed to NYC this November!
———–
Hi Unlocking Kiki readers! I’m Ashley and I blog over at Under The Ash Tree. I’ve lived in New York for the past seven years and today I’m going to share the Ultimate Local New York City Tour with you guys! If you’ve never been to New York, then this tour probably isn’t for you. This is for the second- or third-time New York City visitors. This is for the people who’ve already been to Time Squares, Central Park & the Brooklyn Bridge; for those who have seen Broadway shows, comedy shows or Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden. This is for the people who are ready to venture out of Manhattan or at least Midtown.
The Ultimate “Local” New York City Experience
9am: Hit Snooze—We’re in a city that never sleeps! New Yorkers run around like crazy and like to get a little extra shut-eye every so often. More importantly, later mornings mean later evenings and that is what we like.
10am: Wake up, get dressed and head out to brunch! Brunch is a culture here in the City. Popularized by Sex and the City, Girls and Gossip Girl, brunch is a weekend foundation and a must-do for any visitor.
Need Ideas?
Tea & Sympathy
108 Greenwich Ave, New York, NY 10011
Do you love London? Then this tiny British Tea shop is for you. It has authentic food (Welsh Rarebit anyone?), great tea and a whole staff of Brits who make you feel right at home. The place is quite small and there is usually a little bit of a wait, but it’s Instagram potential is endless and the food is so worth it!
Di Wine
41-15 31st Ave, Astoria, NY 11103
If you are looking for yummy and cheap, jump on the subway and head out to Astoria. Here you’ll find not only a great meal, but also a vibrant neighborhood. Brunch Prix fixe is $15, but for an extra $14 you get yourself unlimited mimosas, bellinis, or Bloody Marys. It’s a trip!
The Crooked Knife
29 East 30th St, Murray Hil
lIf you’re dying to check out Brooklyn, brunch is an excellent time to do so. Crooked Knife is cozy and once again has a great brunch special. $29 for an entree with all the mimosas you could want from 10am-4pm. They’re not stingy on the campaign either!
12pm: If you’re feeling okay after your boozy brunch, noon is the perfect time to hit up a local museum or an exciting exercise class. Calling all Hot Yoga fans out there? Some of the best teachers in the world are right here in New York City!
Need Ideas?
Chelsea Market & The Highline
75 9th Ave New York, NY 10011
This may not be a secret anymore, but it’s 100% worth the trip to Chelsea Market. Spend sometime exploring the shops, both local and commercial. Once you’re bored, head down the street to the Highline and walk down the epic, outdoor train line turned park.
Yoga 216:
511 W 20th St, New York, NY 10011
Small classes, both heated and unheated rooms, plus classes offered at 2:16pm are donation based!
Museum Of The Moving Image
36-01 35th Ave, New York, NY 11106
If you love Movies and Television this museum is a must-do! Plenty of interactive exhibits, lots of movie and tv artifacts and vintage arcade games you can play with! Plus if you have time, your ticket comes with admission to the theater where there are always “older” movies being played.
2pm: Grab a book or a laptop and head to a coffee shop to enjoy the ambience and do a little people-watching (which ought to be the City’s official sport). You’ll find writers meeting deadlines, lots of first dates meeting up over coffee, and bloggers catching up on posts. In fact, I’m writing this at my local coffee shop right now!
Need Ideas:
Ground Support
399 West Broadway, SoHo, New York, NY
Intelligentsia coffee, lots of baked goodies and plenty of seating! Plus dogs, allowed!
The Queens Kickshaw
40-17 Broadway, Astoria, Queens
Counter Culture coffee, Mast Brother Hot Chocolate and was recently voted the best grilled cheese in the city!
Sit & Wonder
688 Washington Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238
Stumptown coffee, donuts from Dough and lots of space to sit, read or write!
3:30: Ready for another adventure? The afternoon is perfect for a tour, a shopping break or an early beer.
Need Ideas:
The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine
1047 Amsterdam Ave New York, NY 10025
St. John’s is the largest gothic church in the world and is still fairly unknown by most tourist (and even New Yorkers.) It’s stunning, and filled with ancient art and unique sculpture. It’s a $10 suggestion donation—which means you can pay whatever you can—but it’s worth the trip to take some pictures and explore this massive cathedral in the middle of a city.
The City Reliquary
370 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211
This is fun, tiny museum in Williamsburg with some a random rotating collection of NY artifacts. $5 suggested entry. A great place for “quirky place” enthusiasts!
Brooklyn Brewery
79 N 11th St Brooklyn, NY 11211
A free beer tour, and cheap beer at Brooklyn’s largest brewery! It’s a great place to chill
5:00: It’s 5 o’clock somewhere! Time to head to a fancy cocktail bar—somewhere you’d never be able to afford without a happy hour special is preferable. If it’s winter, order a fancy cocktail or a glass of wine and watch the sunset. In summer, order a fancy cocktail or glass of wine and chill on the rooftop. Either way it’s bliss.
Need Ideas:
The Ides Bar at the Wythe Hotel
80 Wythe Ave Brooklyn, NY 11249
Expensive cocktails, but has the best view of the skyline of Manhattan. Awesome indoor and outdoor area!
230 Fifth
230 5th Ave New York, NY 10001
Another top notch view of Manhattan. Great to sit out in the nice weather, but even during the winter this place is open. The bar provides you with fuzzy robes to wear outside and heated lamps to keep you toasty on the coldest days.
7:00: New York is a foodie’s paradise. Make reservations at a place you’ve always wanted to try, or find somewhere completely unique and local. Get your camera’s ready and don’t forget to Instagram your favorite dish.
Need Ideas:
Má Pêche
15 West 56th Street, New York, NY 10019
This sort of breaks my rule because it is in Mid-town, but Má Pêche is one of the best restaurants in New York City at a reasonable(ish) price. They have a menu with starters and larger dishes, but their main meals are served dim sum style.
M Noodle
549 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211
This is my go-to restaurant for affordable and amazing chinese cuisine. For less than $20 and you can get appetizer and huge plate of food! Their soup is my favorite
The Meatball Shop
84 Stanton St, New York, NY 10002
My roommates and I stumbled into this place one day and fell in love! It’s fully customizable which is what makes this place so great! You get a menu, a dry-erase marker and then mark off what you want! Don’t fill up because dessert is the best part!
9:00: Nothing in New York starts early, so before you hit the bar, go to a show! There are tons of talented people in New York just wanted to perform for you for cheap!
Need Ideas:
See A Cheap Show
Atlantic Theater Company, Theater for a New Audience, New York Theater Workshop, Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, NYC Parks, Central Square Theater, Shakespeare in the Park
All of these theater companies put on incredible works and usually for a pretty cheap (and sometimes free!) price! Check them all our indivisually for what they are currently doing and how much it costs. If you are under 35 or are a student, make sure you give them a call before you pruchase they usually have a deal going!
Comedy Celler
117 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012
If you are over 21, then there is no better place in the city to see stand up comedy. Everyone is professional, and funny! Often times, incredibly famous comics, Ray Ramano, Louie C.K., Chris Rock etc. Will show up for a surprise set. Highly recommend you make reservations online to insure you can buy tickets, reservations are free so if you can’t go it’s no big deal, but it’s worth the tiny extra hassle.
UCB—Upright Citizens Brigade
307 West 26th St., New York City, NY 10001
For $5 or $10 you can get a night of awesome comedy. UCB is mostly a school, so you aren’t always guaranteed perfection, but for the price you can’t beat it. Plus occasionally if you get really lucky, Amy Poehler or the cast of the Office show up, so keep that in mind.
11:00: If you want to go “out” now is the time to do it. Bars are getting crowded, clubs are starting to hop and the late night comedy shows are get raunchy. If you’re not up for it, go home, get some sleep and prepare for your next day, there is always something amazing and cool to do in New York!
———–
Thanks Ashely for the insider tips! This just means I will need to visit NYC a few more times:) For more from Ashley head over to her blog now!