Dralowid
Michael
I assume Olden's camera shop off Broadway has gone? Haven't looked for it for years...it was great place with a cabinet full of old Leicas etc.
Advice with regards to my New York Trip
- Thread starter lxmike
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Prest_400
Multiformat
Can't believe 2015 has been so long, that's when I visited NYC. However, it was during December (a lucky mild temperature week) so experience should differ. At least, you will have long days.
I second Phil's advice, although if you intend to ride the subway more than once a day (easy to do), the 7-day metrocard might be better. Visited for 4 days as well, but my usage would have justified the 7-day card... And I would actually have rode more public transport.
B&H is almost a must to visit, and a great place to pick up some film. I almost filled my SD cards so bought some in Adorama as well, and they were very helpful. After so many years of reading online about the stores, it was interesting to be physically there. Found Adorama quite smaller.
NYC is quite shocking for an European. I've been in mid sized cities and visited London... But the scale and presence of NYC is nothing we have in the continent IMO. During blue hour walking around downtown is quite an experience due to the skyscrapers.
Touristy thing you have to do is to go up one of the main observation decks. I find the best time may be evening after a long day, though in my case I sadly missed sunset and was up during dark... Still very impressive. During hotel small talk with another guest, we culled it down to either Rockefeller's or Empire state. They are more centric and in the open than the WTO.
I stayed a couple hours up there, went to Macy's for some evening shopping, and off for the day.
On arrival you should find maps very easily, in the hotel for example. Times Sq/42st is just dead center, and from there you can ride anywhere. Also interesting to walk around the area (up broadway to columbus circle) at night. Although subway is very good to cover longer distance, I walked a lot.
I second Phil's advice, although if you intend to ride the subway more than once a day (easy to do), the 7-day metrocard might be better. Visited for 4 days as well, but my usage would have justified the 7-day card... And I would actually have rode more public transport.
B&H is almost a must to visit, and a great place to pick up some film. I almost filled my SD cards so bought some in Adorama as well, and they were very helpful. After so many years of reading online about the stores, it was interesting to be physically there. Found Adorama quite smaller.
NYC is quite shocking for an European. I've been in mid sized cities and visited London... But the scale and presence of NYC is nothing we have in the continent IMO. During blue hour walking around downtown is quite an experience due to the skyscrapers.
Touristy thing you have to do is to go up one of the main observation decks. I find the best time may be evening after a long day, though in my case I sadly missed sunset and was up during dark... Still very impressive. During hotel small talk with another guest, we culled it down to either Rockefeller's or Empire state. They are more centric and in the open than the WTO.
I stayed a couple hours up there, went to Macy's for some evening shopping, and off for the day.
On arrival you should find maps very easily, in the hotel for example. Times Sq/42st is just dead center, and from there you can ride anywhere. Also interesting to walk around the area (up broadway to columbus circle) at night. Although subway is very good to cover longer distance, I walked a lot.
KenR
Well-known
Museums
Museums
If you're going to museums, either go early or late. For example, the Metropolitan is open until 9PM on Fridays and Saturdays and is usually fairly empty in the evening compared to noon time any day. If you do go during the day, buy a "dirty water dog" (hotdog) from any of the vendors and sit on the steps and watch everyone take their selfies. Great fun.
Enjoy the trip.
Museums
If you're going to museums, either go early or late. For example, the Metropolitan is open until 9PM on Fridays and Saturdays and is usually fairly empty in the evening compared to noon time any day. If you do go during the day, buy a "dirty water dog" (hotdog) from any of the vendors and sit on the steps and watch everyone take their selfies. Great fun.
Enjoy the trip.
aperture64
Shoot Film
Take the 2/3 train from Times Square to Park Slope:
https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/garry_winogrand
https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/garry_winogrand
sepiareverb
genius and moron
The East Village and Lower East side are a bit more low key, yet still jammed with stuff to see. The walk from the F train at Houston either north or south in a zig-zag fashion offers a lot to see: galleries, food, drink, bridges to get out on, and as you get down towards City Hall even some of Chinatown. The old NY streets and alleys, small blocks, lower buildings, and hints of the grit that used to be everywhere.
If you get up towards Columbia U, Riverside Park is really lovely.
And yes, get a map. Also, don’t hesitate to ask anyone for directions or advice. Despite their reputation you will find New Yorkers quite nice folks.
If you get up towards Columbia U, Riverside Park is really lovely.
And yes, get a map. Also, don’t hesitate to ask anyone for directions or advice. Despite their reputation you will find New Yorkers quite nice folks.
nightfly
Well-known
Subways are f*cked on the weekends as others have said. Google Maps does subway directions pretty well.
I would say get out of Times Square unless you want to see other tourists. Anyone who lives here avoids it like the plague. The neon and video screeens are fun for 10 minutes and then it's just annoying.
HighLine is good but also crowded, weekday mornings probably best. Good spots to eat in Chelsea Market right below highline. If you are on the Highline pop off between 22nd and 24 streets and walk through the galleries. There is usually something fun to see. Also the Whitney is good manageable museum right on the Highline now.
Central Park is great on a nice day.
If you go to one of the other big museums like the Met, Natural History, or the Moma, I would advise to go in with a plan. They are huge and easy to get burned out on. If you have an idea of a few things to see, I feel like you get more out of it.
Contrary to others, I would say avoid B&H unless you need something. It's crowded and not a fun place to visit unless you have an unnatural attraction to big box commerce.
Taking the 2 or 3 trains out Brooklyn you can hit the Brooklyn Museum (great Gary Winogrand show right now), the Brooklyn Botanical Garden and Prospect park. They are all in walking distance from one another and lovely right now.
Let yourself wander about without too much a plan. Find a place you want to eat or a gallery you want to go to and walk there and see what happens. You kinda have to work at it now to find an unsafe place. The city is pretty defanged from years past so anywhere you're likely to go is fairly safe.
I would say get out of Times Square unless you want to see other tourists. Anyone who lives here avoids it like the plague. The neon and video screeens are fun for 10 minutes and then it's just annoying.
HighLine is good but also crowded, weekday mornings probably best. Good spots to eat in Chelsea Market right below highline. If you are on the Highline pop off between 22nd and 24 streets and walk through the galleries. There is usually something fun to see. Also the Whitney is good manageable museum right on the Highline now.
Central Park is great on a nice day.
If you go to one of the other big museums like the Met, Natural History, or the Moma, I would advise to go in with a plan. They are huge and easy to get burned out on. If you have an idea of a few things to see, I feel like you get more out of it.
Contrary to others, I would say avoid B&H unless you need something. It's crowded and not a fun place to visit unless you have an unnatural attraction to big box commerce.
Taking the 2 or 3 trains out Brooklyn you can hit the Brooklyn Museum (great Gary Winogrand show right now), the Brooklyn Botanical Garden and Prospect park. They are all in walking distance from one another and lovely right now.
Let yourself wander about without too much a plan. Find a place you want to eat or a gallery you want to go to and walk there and see what happens. You kinda have to work at it now to find an unsafe place. The city is pretty defanged from years past so anywhere you're likely to go is fairly safe.
Phil_F_NM
Camera hacker
What nightfly said is all good. That's why I said get on the subway and get out of Times Square.
I'm not a fan of B&H unless I need film and happen to be close.
Right now at the Howard Greenberg gallery is a Bruce Davidson retrospective. It's within walking distance.
If you like doughnuts, visit the Donut Pub on 7th ave and 14th. It is 24hrs/day and they have some of the best fried dough you can get. If you are there after last call you will see all sorts of local craziness. Maybe even Mike the Magic Man. Get a freshly dipped Boston Cream.
Find a corner pizza shop in Brooklyn and learn in just one slice what pizza is meant to taste like. Stay away from Katz's Deli unless you know exactly what you want when you're on line. Find an Essa Bagels and get a bialy. "Regular coffee" in NYC is with cream and sugar added. The cup is then placed in a bag.
Don't stand in the sidewalk blocking locals with a map up to your face.
Molly's is a family friendly Irish pub on 1st ave and 22nd in Madhattan with the best burger (IMO) you can get on the east coast.
Shoot a lot and have fun.
Phil Forrest
I'm not a fan of B&H unless I need film and happen to be close.
Right now at the Howard Greenberg gallery is a Bruce Davidson retrospective. It's within walking distance.
If you like doughnuts, visit the Donut Pub on 7th ave and 14th. It is 24hrs/day and they have some of the best fried dough you can get. If you are there after last call you will see all sorts of local craziness. Maybe even Mike the Magic Man. Get a freshly dipped Boston Cream.
Find a corner pizza shop in Brooklyn and learn in just one slice what pizza is meant to taste like. Stay away from Katz's Deli unless you know exactly what you want when you're on line. Find an Essa Bagels and get a bialy. "Regular coffee" in NYC is with cream and sugar added. The cup is then placed in a bag.
Don't stand in the sidewalk blocking locals with a map up to your face.
Molly's is a family friendly Irish pub on 1st ave and 22nd in Madhattan with the best burger (IMO) you can get on the east coast.
Shoot a lot and have fun.
Phil Forrest
semi-ambivalent
Little to say
The White Horse Bar, Hudson St. and 11th St. was a hangout for many famous literary types, Dylan Thomas being one. Kerouac was thrown out of there several times. I also manged to find the apartment building W.H. Auden lived in for twenty years, a block that is still pretty poor although not as sketchy as in the 1970s. For all its size New York is an eminently walkable city (for my wife and I, but we hike a good deal), and it smells better than in the subway. Many of the old neighborhoods are being rebuilt into insanely expensive condos and insanely expensive hip, low density clothing shops. Cities change, even the ones which don't, so take lots of pictures.
But let me say this: It's easy to attach a lot of cultural baggage to New York. The history, artists, writers, photographers, museums, etc. But as my brother-in-law told me, New York "is always in the process of becoming", and nothing could be more true. It is utterly unique, as are its people. It's also bankrupt and evidence of its decay is everywhere, alongside the evidence of its vast past and current wealth. It is best just to throw yourself headlong into everything it offers; the next time you visit it will be different in some indefinable way. I've been there only once and I ate a lot of crow while there. Just jump, you can sleep on the plane.
The traffic is managed chaos. Energizing at first but that will wear off, believe me. I found the theater district too crowded and Times Square was overwhelmed with tourists but the gigantic TV screens were something you might see in 'Tokyo meets Bladerunner'. I recall being on Hudson St and looking over my shoulder only to be startled to see in the distance the Empire State Building, alone, towering over everything around it. As if it still was The Tallest. Take away the cars and it was 1940. There are simple surprises everywhere and, as mentioned earlier, the people are truly friendly. But keep your kit simple and tune your situational awareness. I was cased on Madison Ave. and maybe 37th St. by a young man who decided he needed to tie his running shoe, using the fire hydrant, right next to me. I gave him a very long return stare and he ambled off.
I found the coffee everywhere to be terrible. You'll love it.
Oh, here's some places we ate:
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]CoCotte. Basque tapas. South of Washington Square I think. Awesome. Tiny.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Sam's Place. Across the street from Pod39. Italian, very good, I thought. Not too expensive-for New York.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Le Rivage. Theater District. Prix fixe. Very good.[/FONT][/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Alidoro. 39th st. near Pod39. Sandwiches were what we bought.[/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT]
But let me say this: It's easy to attach a lot of cultural baggage to New York. The history, artists, writers, photographers, museums, etc. But as my brother-in-law told me, New York "is always in the process of becoming", and nothing could be more true. It is utterly unique, as are its people. It's also bankrupt and evidence of its decay is everywhere, alongside the evidence of its vast past and current wealth. It is best just to throw yourself headlong into everything it offers; the next time you visit it will be different in some indefinable way. I've been there only once and I ate a lot of crow while there. Just jump, you can sleep on the plane.
The traffic is managed chaos. Energizing at first but that will wear off, believe me. I found the theater district too crowded and Times Square was overwhelmed with tourists but the gigantic TV screens were something you might see in 'Tokyo meets Bladerunner'. I recall being on Hudson St and looking over my shoulder only to be startled to see in the distance the Empire State Building, alone, towering over everything around it. As if it still was The Tallest. Take away the cars and it was 1940. There are simple surprises everywhere and, as mentioned earlier, the people are truly friendly. But keep your kit simple and tune your situational awareness. I was cased on Madison Ave. and maybe 37th St. by a young man who decided he needed to tie his running shoe, using the fire hydrant, right next to me. I gave him a very long return stare and he ambled off.
I found the coffee everywhere to be terrible. You'll love it.
Oh, here's some places we ate:
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]CoCotte. Basque tapas. South of Washington Square I think. Awesome. Tiny.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Sam's Place. Across the street from Pod39. Italian, very good, I thought. Not too expensive-for New York.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Le Rivage. Theater District. Prix fixe. Very good.[/FONT][/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Alidoro. 39th st. near Pod39. Sandwiches were what we bought.[/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT]
Last edited:
nightfly
Well-known
The coffee at Eataly isn't bad but yeah for a city with great food, the coffee is pretty terrible, even at places that think they make good coffee.
Dralowid
Michael
...and don't even think about the tea.
Pentode
Well-known
My god!! How did I forget The Donut Pub?!? It truly is one of the last vestiges of 'real' New York.
lxmike
M2 fan.
Its 02:10 am in the morning, l should be in bed but instead l am quaffing tea, Russian Caravan, thank you everyone for the replies, l shall endeavor to reply to each post over the coming weekend. As far as l can recall l have been aware of a city called New York, the prospect of visiting it fills me equally with dread and awe, your replies in this thread are invaluable, I feel an encounter with New York may assault the senses, although l work in a city l live in a small market town and spend my spare time fishing isolated beaches in Northumberland and Scotland.............as my granny used to say, 'the change will do you good'. Anyway, its early and l should be in my bed, until tomorrow my friends..............
Mcary
Well-known
If you haven't done so already download the NYC subway APP, the Route Planner is great for figuring out which train(s) to take to get around additionally the Planned service changes will show what lines/station are down/closed.
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