[alchemist]

OK, I'm hitting up NYC in April for about a week. Going solo and staying in a hostel because (a) it's all I can afford and (b) I like hostelling and meeting folks there.

My plans are pretty much what you'd expect - sightseeing, some cultural stuff, soaking up the city's atmosphere, eating, pubbing, clubbing and hopefully banging.


So, if anyone here's from NY or has spent a good bit of time there, could you give me some advice on these questions?

* What are the absolutely must see/must do things?? A week is a short time in a city the size of New York and I know I won't be able to see everything, so what should I absolutely see and do?

* Do you think it's worth my while heading out the city (i.e. upstate) for a day or so? Any nice small towns/rural areas worth seeing?

* Where is good for going out? A bit of a broad question in somewhere like NYC I realise, but I'm looking for bars/clubs that are cool and decent with hot girls but not overly expensive/pretentious/snobby. Any recommendations welcome...Manhatten or the other boroughs.

* Any tips on particular in picking up in New York, whether at day or night? I realise guys on this forum spend a lot of time trashing American women but I'm guessing there are more hot girls per capita in Manhatten than in rural Arkansas or whatever - also very international/cosmopolitan. I've heard all about New York girls' attitudes - is it true what they say? Do you take a different route here than elsewhere?

Cheers in advance!

[thegmanifesto]

Check this:

New York City, I am Thinking…

http://www.thegmanifesto.com/2009/10/new...nking.html

"* Do you think it's worth my while heading out the city (i.e. upstate) for a day or so? Any nice small towns/rural areas worth seeing?"

Hell no.

[Weapons]

"OK, I'm hitting up NYC in April for about a week. Going solo and staying in a hostel because (a) it's all I can afford and (b) I like hostelling and meeting folks there."

- Don't put your bags on the floor. Put them on a table, shelf, whatever - bed bugs are a serious issue in some good hotels but definitely hostels.

* What are the absolutely must see/must do things?? A week is a short time in a city the size of New York and I know I won't be able to see everything, so what should I absolutely see and do?

- A week is fine. Lived there for 3 years and it wasn't enough to do everything, but you can hit the main shit in a week. TOURISTY SHIT - If the weather is good, Central Park is an absolute must - Just spend 2 hours walking around. Spend time in Greenwich Village. Screw 5th Avenue. Screw Times Square. Screw Midtown. Ground Zero is worth experiencing, but can throw you into a funk. SoHo on a Saturday is mobbed with people - worth the experience, and decent shopping. Museums - MoMA and The Met are both fantastic. Sights - The Brooklyn Bridge - walk out to the middle for view of Manhattan. I would recommend a lot more if it was summer - but that's the late winter recommendations.

* Do you think it's worth my while heading out the city (i.e. upstate) for a day or so? Any nice small towns/rural areas worth seeing?

- If it was summer, the Hamptons are fantastic, but now, absolutely not.

* Where is good for going out? A bit of a broad question in somewhere like NYC I realise, but I'm looking for bars/clubs that are cool and decent with hot girls but not overly expensive/pretentious/snobby. Any recommendations welcome...Manhatten or the other boroughs.

- In Manhattan - Clubs are NOT king in NYC. Life happens in the dive bars. They are everywhere so no specific recommendations. Lots of good bars in the East Village, and Greenwich Village. 2nd Ave and 3rd Ave in the 60's - 70's is a college scene if you like that age range. If you like Jazz (or Japanese chicks), go to Smalls in Greenwich. Lower East Side remains a hot bed of bars, small clubs, minimal attitude. I like The Delancey and The Porch in the LES. If you do want clubs - Cielo is pretty good, and APT is pretty good, both in the Meatpacking District. (note - this is all coming from a guy who LOVES clubs elsewhere in the world - just not the thing in NYC since Crobar closed...) Outside Manhattan - Park Slope in Brooklyn is decent. I like a bar called "The Lakes" on 5th. There is also some bar with Bocci Ball insdie the bar there that is alwasy packed - just ask around if you go for a night...

* Any tips on particular in picking up in New York, whether at day or night? I realise guys on this forum spend a lot of time trashing American women but I'm guessing there are more hot girls per capita in Manhatten than in rural Arkansas or whatever - also very international/cosmopolitan. I've heard all about New York girls' attitudes - is it true what they say? Do you take a different route here than elsewhere?

- Girls do NOT have an attitude in NYC. I think the reputation is incorrect. Girls are very approachable. I don't recall ever getting dissed in NYC. So just go for it, and you'll probably be pretty happy. Remember, Manhattan is filled with the most intelligent people on earth - a.k.a. there are a million total geeks, so if you're halfway cool you're ahead of the pack. If you're staying in Manhattan, you might want to find out from the chick before you get too deep into your effort if they live or are staying in Manhattan too, because you don't want to take a cab out to Queens, and not be able to get one back into the city at 3 of 4am...

[thegmanifesto]

"Girls do NOT have an attitude in NYC. I think the reputation is incorrect. Girls are very approachable."

Agreed.

And get your eat on there. Heavy. Some of the best restaurants in the world. The best part is they have fly girls at them as well.

[speakeasy]

You gotta go to the top of the Empire State Building for the view. It's incredible. They say night time is better. I've only been up there in the day.

[MiXX]

(03-11-2010 12:15 AM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  

"Girls do NOT have an attitude in NYC. I think the reputation is incorrect. Girls are very approachable."

Agreed.

And get your eat on there. Heavy. Some of the best restaurants in the world. The best part is they have fly girls at them as well.

Born and raised in New York, graduated form NYU - and I also agree with this. You better be charming and full of wit! NY girls have game of their own, and can battle with the best of 'em.

there is one thing I specifically love about NY girls - THEY ARE NOT SHY!!! If she likes you, trust me, you will know it!

[alchemist]

(03-12-2010 04:04 PM)armanid27 Wrote:  

Born and raised in New York, graduated form NYU - and I also agree with this. You better be charming and full of wit! NY girls have game of their own, and can battle with the best of 'em.

Sounds like a challenging place to practice game, but that's not necessarily a bad thing

(03-12-2010 04:04 PM)armanid27 Wrote:  

there is one thing I specifically love about NY girls - THEY ARE NOT SHY!!! If she likes you, trust me, you will know it!

Kind of like the US version of Brazilian girls then? Can't wait!


Also, anyone have an idea of what kind of budget per day I should be looking at (not including hostel)? How much - realistically - should I take for public transport, taxis, touristy shit, food, drinks, going out etc? I'm going to be careful with my money but still want to have a good time there.

Finally, any good hostel recommendations? L Hostel just up from Central Park looks like an early winner just now.

[speakeasy]

(03-13-2010 06:07 AM)alchemist Wrote:  

(03-12-2010 04:04 PM)armanid27 Wrote:  

Born and raised in New York, graduated form NYU - and I also agree with this. You better be charming and full of wit! NY girls have game of their own, and can battle with the best of 'em.

Sounds like a challenging place to practice game, but that's not necessarily a bad thing

(03-12-2010 04:04 PM)armanid27 Wrote:  

there is one thing I specifically love about NY girls - THEY ARE NOT SHY!!! If she likes you, trust me, you will know it!

Kind of like the US version of Brazilian girls then? Can't wait!


Also, anyone have an idea of what kind of budget per day I should be looking at (not including hostel)? How much - realistically - should I take for public transport, taxis, touristy shit, food, drinks, going out etc? I'm going to be careful with my money but still want to have a good time there.

Finally, any good hostel recommendations? L Hostel just up from Central Park looks like an early winner just now.

You sound like you're on a budget. NYC probably ain't the place to go on a budget to be honest. If I have limited funds, I ain't going to Tokyo, London or Monaco either. Same with NYC. Be ready to spend some cash unless you're couch surfing, cause ain't nothing cheap in NYC.

I don't know what your budget is, but the Pod Hotel is probably where I'd go if I wanted a private room for cheap in Manhattan that was still modern, social, and wired. Rooms look pretty small and minimal, but adequate just as a place to crash(or fuck). Not quite cheap, but about as cheap as you're going to get in Manhattan without having to smell some stranger's feet.
http://www.thepodhotel.com/yourpod_single.html

[kerouac]

One thing I definitely recommend is getting a taste of that Artichoke Pizza on, I think, 14th st. It is the shizzzzzniiittttt!

Besides that, man, New York is fun, and what someone else said about bars vs clubs is true-- bars are where it's at!

Uptown doesn't have very much to see, although I've had good times at the Jazz on the Park Hostel if you wanna keep your trip cheap. Besides that, check out Brooklyn as well... particularly around Williamsburg and Greenpoint... a lot of fun smaller bars around there, although Williamsburg has an annoying hipster scene going with it.

Most of the fun happens around the Village, L.E.S., and the vicinity. For the one day getaway maybe hit up Ithaca? I haven't been there but it's a student town (Cornell) and I hear upstate is good for apples.