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Everyone who has ever visited New York City has a different opinion about what is essential about the place. So let's hear it! What do you think captures New York's character or appeal? The best stories we receive will be printed in an upcoming issue of the magazine.
To get your juices flowing, here are a half-dozen of the many good NYC responses we've gotten from other readers so far. They're good because they focus on one place in the city and they give us details. (They've been slightly shortened for space.)
The Peanut Butter Co. serves different combinations of the delicious peanut butter sandwich. Nowhere else has it, and I go there every time I'm in NYC. It's in Greenwich Village, 240 Sullivan Street. I'd go there every day if I lived there.—Ange, CanadaThe Hotel Roger Williams The staff make you think you're in a small town. They remember your name and are genuinely concerned about your having the best possible NY experience If you are fortunate enough to get a view of the Empire State Building then you can just look out your window to remind yourself that you are NOT in Kansas any more.—Lisa Mastin, Smyrna, TN
Panna II, an Indian restaurant in the East Village, offered me my most uniquely NYC experience. I was immediately attracted by thousands of Christmas lights dangling from the ceiling in this tiny, cozy, yet dynamic locale. Upon walking down First Avenue, we were greeted by a man standing atop a staircase, pleading and shouting for passersby to come in and eat. Due to the high volume of the restaurant, we shared a table with an artist couple from Brooklyn (with whom we were sharing food and funny stories ten minutes later). Since Panna II doesn't have a liquor license, we ran to a Spanish wine shop two doors down, and our waiter whisked the bottle off our table and poured the wine into glasses without us having to ask. The food was outstanding, and in what other city in the U.S. could you dine in a place whose claim to fame is Where chili pepper lights meet Christmas lights ? Needless to say, my boyfriend and I have made numerous trips back for the food and atmosphere at Panna II. Only in New York.—Eileen Burrowes, Blue Point, NY
H&H Bagels are hands down the best bagels in the entire world. Some people say it's the NYC water that makes these bagels so good. Nobody really knows why but when I bite into an H&H Bagel, my whole face feels like it's smiling. They're so good you can even eat them plain. On our most recent trip to NYC, we brought back 3 dozen. They're in our freezer and we try to ration out 2 every day. Plain, sesame, onion, garlic. Whenever I am sitting in my kitchen in Florida and eating an H&H bagel, I close my eyes. For a brief moment, I am transported back to my post-college days in the city. I imagine that my friends and I are sitting at one H&H's little tables dishing about last night's activities at the local hot spot.—Melissa Vanefsky, Deerfield Beach, FL
Rudy's Bar is the reason that I love New York. Located on 9th Avenue in Hell's Kitchen, it's close enough to Broadway to be centrally located but just far enough to retain some classic New York style grittiness. Duct tape hold the red vinyl seats together, the beer is cheap, the smell of hot dogs drifts through the air, and if that's not enough, there is a gigantic pig perched outside the front door. A mixture of young professionals, international travelers, and a few regulars fill the small bar to capacity in the evenings. It is a world away from the posh New York City bars shown in movies and television shows but it somehow manages to feel like the most authentic. You step into the New York City of the 80's and it is a wonderful feeling.—Kristin Templin, Auckland, New Zealand
The Strand Bookstore. It's 16 miles of books and my idea of heaven. When I lived in NYC 20 years ago, I made weekly trips to rummage through the bins. It's much more organized now (and even has air-conditioning and computer check-out), but still a biblioholic's dream— Nancy Mackler, Saxtons River, Vt.
We want to know what you love about the city and why. The more specific, the better: What's the restaurant, shop, attraction, or characteristic that makes New York so uniquely New York? Click here to make your case.
Photo by 416style on Flickr via Creative Commons
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One of my favorite places in New York City is City Island, in the Bronx. It's hard to believe you are within the city limts.
Just a subway and bus ride away, City Island has some great restaurants and seems like a "Cape Cod" village transplanted to NYC.
There is also a flock of wild parrots that nest up in the telephone poles at the end of the island. Only in New York!
Posted By Michelle on October 22, 2007, 1:28 PM
Go to Ferraro's in Little Italy on Mulberry St. to have a heavenly pastry, and during the San Gennaro Festival the handsome waiters will ask you to dance. Truly a magical moment, and completely unexpected.
Posted By Nancy Johnson on October 22, 2007, 2:20 PM
Hello, All,
Thanks for the great tips. Please remember that you need to click here:
http://www.budgettravel.com/bt-dyn/content/article/2007/08/28/AR2007082801310.html
to enter the contest with your NY tip!
Regards,
Sean
Blog editor
Posted By Blog Editor on October 22, 2007, 3:16 PM
The Metropolitan Museum is the most exciting museum in the USA. It's easy to contract museum overload anywhere. Anywhere, that is except the Met. It's the only museum you can spend the entire day with and still want more. On a recent visit, when I had not been to the Met for a couple of years, my wife and I spent the day, on Saturday, with extended hours, purusing the new and newly renovated galleries and old friends. Then to top it off we met friends at the museum and since they were members had a great dinner in the members' dining room.
Posted By walter romanek on October 22, 2007, 3:27 PM
If very difficult to me choose only ONE thing what I love New york, but if you insist I pick skate in ice in central park in christmas time. When i got sad, i tried to remember those excelent moments.
Ludivina Garcia, Monterrey, Mexico.
Posted By Ludivina Garcia on October 22, 2007, 9:20 PM
The Lemon Ice King of Corona, Queens. There's nothing better than enjoying a fresh Italian ice from this place & walking down the street to the triangular shaped park & watching the old Italian fellas playing bocce ball all through the night. Corona is a diverse neighborhood with many immigrants settling from South America to the Indian subcontinent, but this street in Queens maintains the Italian flavor from immigrants of generations past, from the "Parkside" Italian restaurant to the bocce ball courts, you'll feel like an extra in a Hollywood mob flick. And you'll be enjoying some of the most delicious Italian ices this side of Palermo...
Posted By Evan S. on October 23, 2007, 12:19 AM
Don't miss China Town. It's almost impossible to have a bad meal. Try those small places that look mysterious. And don't forget to save room for an ice cream from the China Town Ice Cream Factory. . . try the green tea.
Posted By Stephen Part on October 24, 2007, 2:11 PM
What makes NYC special? The Subway. Why? A look at the common man. You see the homeless just try to get thru the day. You see the kids on their way to/from school (or not). You see workers going to their jobs whether it is to a restaurant to wash dishes, or to an executive office suite. You can catch some good or bad music at the larger stations. You can catch the desperate (so they portray) youth trying to make a buck, so they don't have to "resort" to selling drugs. People watching on the subway is great. A slice of life.
Posted By Bob Adams on October 28, 2007, 12:36 PM
I grew up in metropolitan New York and loved the energy and the stylish, fashionable,artistic and cultural aspects of my town. There are so many beautiful places that hold important memories of peace demonstrations in Central Park to learning how to be a New York woman by modeling myself on older women when I was a girl. But, for me, the most magical hideaway, to this day, remains The Cloisters, with its tapestries, rebuilt monastic structure, and its view of the Hudson River. I am proud to be a native New Yorker!!
Posted By Janice Lipani on November 8, 2007, 3:45 PM
I just came back from New York a week ago and even though I was scared it would be cold, by the end of my trip I was convinced that the fall months bring out the best of the City. So I'm voting for Central Park in November with its long foliage walks and beautiful colors of the trees, the phaetons and rickshaws, and all the animals you can see there. This place really made me sing... "It's autumn in New York, it's good to live it again."
Posted By Margarita Kitova on December 4, 2007, 12:48 AM
Tucked away behind the NY Public Library in midtown Manhattan you'll find Bryant Park. It's not as grand as Central Park, but it's far more quaint. In the warmer months, city dwellers flock to sunbathe on the open lawn. And when "it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas" that green goes white. The park turns into a skating rink outlined with unique shops and eateries. It's the perfect place to catch a glimpse of the Empire State building, find that special Christmas present, or even just people watch. No matter the time of year, there's always activity. Looking for a little piece of tranquility in the busiest city in the US? Bryant Park is the place you'll find it.
Posted By Kristin Bartzokis on December 17, 2007, 4:52 PM
The Hudson Beach Cafe in Riverside Park at 104th Street is where I spend my summers! Compared to the boat basin at 79th street, this quaint outdoor cafe serves grilled food and has a full bar. Although what draws me there is not the food, but the ambience. I often sit and watch the sunset over the Hudson River while enjoying some live music. This is also a playground for families because there are beach volleyball courts and rings in a large sand pit at the cafe. Riverside Park is a natural sanctuary from the city and the Hudson Beach Cafe is the hidden treasure within it.
Posted By Kim on December 18, 2007, 10:06 PM