I gotta say, the first time I went to New York City, I had just graduated high school and was visiting because my dance school wanted to take classes at Broadway Dance Center. The classes from renowned instructors and choreographers Frank Hatchett, Finis Jhung, and Jason Samuels were AMAZING and challenging, but the rest of the trip we spent exploring New York City left an impression of a busy and dirty city with too much stuff in it that I didn’t care about. It probably didn’t help that we didn’t do much research and a lot of things that we did besides dancing were just us wandering around different neighborhoods. If you know me, “wandering” with no destination or objective is NOT my favorite way to enjoy a destination. I came home from that trip not wanting to go back anytime soon.
I had friends in college from New Jersey, so I did visit the city on trips from their house a few days in college, and I had a bit more knowledge of what there was to enjoy as well as more objectives to accomplish while I was there, and I warmed up a bit more to the city.
Fast forward to 2013, my friend Casey and I went to New Jersey to attend a friend’s wedding and then tacked on a few days in the city onto the end of the Labor Day weekend. At the time I was working for the Four Seasons, so we got to stay in one of the most luxurious hotels for free! We made a VERY detailed plan, procured a CityPass, and set out to explore all the city had to offer!
I grew up watching musicals on PBS and VHS tapes and going to see touring shows in Jacksonville, where I found my FAVORITE MUSICAL OF ALL TIME, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Starlight Express. You must imagine me as a kid, OF COURSE people acting, singing, and dancing while on ROLLER SKATES would capture my imagination!
My parents also raised me with at least SOME culture, going to historical sites and various museums as I was a kid taught me about the world and art, something I am thankful for now as I explore more of the world in my travels.
Putting together theatre and museums makes New York City a perfect place to visit for me. My friend Dora moved to New York City around 2010, so between 2013 and the time Covid came about (when my hotel job ended and Dora moved to Nashville) I managed to visit the city FREQUENTLY by splitting the time staying with her or the hotel.
I keep an eye on the goings on on Broadway, so when George Clooney announced that he would be starring in Good Night, and Good Luck, the stage adaptation of his Oscar nominated 2005 movie of the same name, my interest was piqued and I told myself if the tickets were reasonably priced, I would plan a trip.
Lo and behold, I was able to snag a ticket for $99, so true to the name of this blog, New York City in May really IS “Katherine’s Next Trip!” Since I always stayed for free with Dora or at the hotel, my usual budget this time is WAY higher than my recent trips have been (even one during covid was SO CHEAP!), but having many months to plan has come in handy.
Since I have been so much and I do so many random things, I wanted to point out a few restaurants and activities that I love to do so I can give you a little inspiration for your next trip to New York City!
Activities I love:
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
You might have heard it called The Met, but it is the largest museum in the United States. Have you seen the Sesame Street movie “Don’t Eat the Pictures”? It was my first introduction to all the amazing art housed within the walls of the museum. I loved learning about Egypt with Big Bird, discovering one of my favorite paintings, Washington Crossing the Delaware, with Bert and Ernie, appreciating the broken statues with Oscar the Grouch, and trying NOT to eat the pictures with Cookie Monster.
There are so many types of art and artifacts there, I am POSITIVE that everyone can find something that interests them. Some collections and items that you might not know exist inside are Arms and Armor, Asian Art, the Costume Institute, furniture and décor in the American Wing, a Frank Lloyd Wright room, the Temple of Dendur from Egypt, the Islamic Wing, and even a staircase from the Chicago Stock Exchange. Once your brain is full of art and artifacts (I suggest only one museum per day as your brain will get tired), you can dine at one of their many restaurants with different price points as well as head to the bar on the roof to grab a bite to eat or sip a cocktail while admiring the view of Central Park and the season’s newest outdoor art installation!
Top of the Rock
When you think of a tall building you can visit the top of in New York City, you probably think of the Empire State Building. It is SO iconically New York. So why do I like Top of the Rock, located at the top of the Rockefeller Center building, better? Because you get to SEE the iconic view of the Empire State Building! If you go to the top of the ESB, you can’t see it. The viewing platforms on the top of the Empire State Building are VERY tiny and crowded, whereas the viewing platforms at the Top of the Rock are LARGE and it generally FEELS less crowded. The barriers are mainly glass which makes your pictures prettier as well!
The High Line and Chelsea Market
The subway is wonderful and can get anyone almost anywhere quicker than driving, but New Yorkers also walk….A LOT. On a nice day, one of the best ways to enjoy the city is to take a stroll along the High Line, an elevated train track that begins at the new-ish (fully opened within the last 10 years) Hudson Yards complex in the north and the Whitney Museum (perfect to pair with a walk on the High Line!) in the south. You can see a little of the neighborhood, catch some nice views of the river, and get some fresh air! You can do a little shopping in the upscale stores in Hudson Yards or make your way down to Chelsea Market for the AMAZING food stalls they have there for a lunch on the go, my favorites being Los Tacos No. 1, Berlin Currywurst, Los Mariscos, and the Doughnuttery with their mini doughnuts for dessert! Though by surveying their current offerings, I might need to branch out a bit to the other delicious looking options like Creamline and some of their Asian spots!
Central Park
Central Park is SO BIG! One day my friends and I committed one whole day to walking to and through the park, and WOW, were we tired! There are so many “iconic” locations in Central Park that come to mind when you think of it, but they aren’t very close to one another! Most tourists set foot in the park on the south end, with great views of the skyline of midtown and the Central Park Zoo, but it’s even better to venture north and bring a picnic to enjoy on one of the many open lawns you will find, or even pop over to one of the MANY restaurants inside the park to break up your stroll.
Walk up the mall to Bethesda Fountain to imagine yourself in the big “How does she know?” number from Enchanted and then rent a rowboat to paddle about the lake for a spell. Escape from the skyscrapers on an adventure to discover a new part of the park!
Good for Newbies, though I don’t do them very often:
Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
Greeting immigrants in the New York Harbor as they made their way to a new life is the Statue of Liberty, followed by the processing hub of Ellis Island. They are icons of New York City, and you really should go! There is nothing like standing before one of the symbols of our country that you have seen and heard about your whole life. They have MANY different options for tours and ways to learn more about these two islands, we took advantage of the free audio guides on Liberty Island and then signed up for a more in-depth tour of Ellis Island who was very thorough in painting a picture of the reality for the immigrants when they disembarked in the United States. You can book tickets up to 6 months in advance, on the first day of the month, and the Ellis Island hard hat tour, Pedestal Museum Reserve, and Crown Reserve tickets sell out way in advance, so make your plans early!
Museum of Natural History
The exhibits at the Museum of Natural History are world-famous, such as the Hall of North American Mammals, dinosaur fossils, and the 21,000-pound model of a blue whale suspended above the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life. Visit the Mignone Halls of Gems and Minerals to see dazzling stones and then lay back in your seat to get lost in space in the Hayden Planetarium Space Show. If you have ANY interest in our natural world, this is the place for you.
MOMA
I’m more of a Renaissance art fan, but just as the Met has a wide variety of art inside, the Museum Of Modern Art has a wide variety of modern art as well. Artists with famous works here include Dali, Chagall, Matisse, Picasso, Cezanne, Gauguin, and Monet. You might recognize Monet’s Water Lilies and Van Gogh’s Starry Night from your art education, and they are a sight to see. There are also works of art that will make you think and stretch your brain, which is always interesting and fun.
Circle Line Sightseeing Cruise
After looking up at skyscrapers all day, your neck needs a break, and your feet need a rest! A great way to see the city from a different way is on the Circle Line! The narrator is great at pointing out landmarks and famous buildings that you might not be able to appreciate as you are walking around the city, and you can see the beautiful skyline as well! Since it travels south and around the tip of Manhattan and turns back to complete a “U” of the island, you get the views twice, and they have even more information for you on the way back. A great way to see the city sparkle is to take a cruise close to sunset so you can see the city in sunlight and then see light up as you return in the dark!
Roosevelt Island Tram
Have you seen the old USA show White Collar? The main character, Neal Caffrey made one of his getaways on the top of this tram that goes over the river onto the almost 2-mile-long island that often gets overlooked. It provides a unique view of the city as you make your way onto an island that feels far removed from the hustle and bustle of Manhattan. Roosevelt Island is perfect for a nice walk and some fresh air as you make your way south to the Franklin D Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park, commemorating his famous State of the Union address. There is also an abandoned smallpox hospital to represent the history of the island from when it was home to numerous prisons and hospitals before it was the pleasant community just minutes away from Manhattan it is today. The tram leaves from 59th street and 2nd Avenue every 7-15 minutes and is part of the city’s transit payment system.
My Favorite Restaurants:
Clinton Street Baking Company
My favorite pancakes IN THE WORLD are here at this small restaurant and bakery on the Lower East Side. I make a point to visit every time I have been to New York City since discovering it, so frequently that my friend who I used to visit once said “isn’t there ANYWHERE ELSE you want to eat?!?!” They USED to be cash only and no reservations, but you are now in luck, you can pay by card AND make reservations in advance for your busy day in New York! The maple butter that goes on top of the fluffy blueberry (you can choose something else if you want, but blueberry is the CLASSIC) pancakes is so perfect that you don’t need anything else on top of them!
Their second location is inside the TimeOut Market in Brooklyn, and I can attest that their pancakes are just as good across the river. The Brooklyn restaurant is “counter service” only (I sat at the counter, but they are in a food hall so I bet you could take your dishes away from the stall) and open earlier than the LES at 8am, just in case your touring plans necessitate an earlier start in the day (mine did when I needed to get to the Met by 9:45). It is a great way to see a bit of Brooklyn, and I might even hop over there on my next trip if I need to hit the ground running on Saturday morning!
Gray’s Papaya
I LOVE HOT DOGS. My parents told me that when I was growing up in Rhode Island, we would go get hot dogs many Sundays after church. I must have a hot dog when at a baseball game and I’m always going to grab one at a cookout. Gray’s Papaya has been around since 1973, after operating as a part of the famous Papaya King brand, closing, and then opening as it’s own brand. Both Papaya King (ensconced on the Upper East Side) and Gray’s Papaya (on the upper West Side) are famous for their cheap hot dogs served alongside tropical drinks (hence where the “papaya” comes from). It is a restaurant with no chairs, where you are lucky even to squeeze out some counter space to juggle your “recession special” of 2 hot dogs and a tropical drink for $7.50. That was what I was doing on my birthday a few years ago for lunch, standing in the corner of their small lobby scarfing down delicious hot dogs. It is not a culinary experience that will take you long, probably no longer than 15 minutes, so it is perfect for a day you find yourself between activities on the Upper East Side. May I suggest after a visit to the Museum of Natural History or a stroll in Central Park?
Los Tacos No. 1
Los Tacos No. 1 seems to be everywhere I want to be! I first tried their counter in Chelsea Market before a nice stroll along the High Line and I was HOOKED. Their tacos, quesadillas, and mulas are sold separately, so you can pick and choose how many you want. Another place with no chairs, I will gladly stand in their long lines and stand up to eat their delicious carne asada and adobada quesadillas “con todo” (with everything) in the middle of an action-packed day in the city. The Chelsea Market restaurant might have the longest (and hardest to navigate) line, but they also have spots in Hudson Yards (at the other end of the High Line!), Penn Station, near Grand Central Station, and just off Times Square (where I trekked to get dinner to take back to my parents when we were staying on 57th street once!). The time you wait in line might be longer than the time it takes to eat your tacos, but it is so worth it!
Zero Otto Nove
I have only been here once, but I know it is delicious and I gotta give a shout out to Salerno, the Italian town I lived in almost 20 years ago. When I was living in Italy, there was a bar called 089 just down the street from our house, taking the area code of Salerno as its identity. When I heard of Zero Otto Nove, I was so baffled that a restaurant would choose random numbers until I did a little more investigating and realized that the chef really is from Salerno! I am partial to southern Italian food, so that was enough reason to get me in the door. I ate there the last time I was in the city, and I am going back the next time!
Charlie Palmer Steak
I have been to other steakhouses in the city, but I stumbled upon Charlie Palmer Steak the last time I visited New York City before I went to a Broadway show and their pre-theatre menu was AMAZING. The waitstaff was so pleasant and welcoming and my three-course menu was SO delicious, if not “classic”, with a Caesar salad, steak frites, and a perfect cheesecake. If you are feeling carnivorous and want to start off your big night with a nice dinner before a Broadway show within walking distance, Charlie Palmer Steak gets my vote.
Places I Want to Go Soon:
Frena
I love going to New York City and trying new restaurants and cuisines, so I search the far reaches of the internet to find new places that strike my fancy prior to my visit. Frena is now at the top of that list. I visited chef Efi Naon’s previous restaurant Taboon years ago and always wanted to go back (but my friend who lamented Clinton Street put her foot down and made me try new places haha) but didn’t get another chance to visit before it closed after a fire. Good news for me, the chef came to Frena with the signature clay oven from Taboon and it seems like the magic is still there! The menu is a mix of Israeli/Moroccan/Mediterranean food and their dips to go alongside their famous bread could be a meal in themselves. I am looking forward to the lamb terra cotta cooked in a clay pot to go alongside those delicious dips!
Tenement Museum
Learning about the past of the city helps you appreciate the present-day New York, and you can do that at the Tenement Museum on the Lower East Side (perfect after eating your pancakes at Clinton Street!). The tours that take you through the many different eras of the building, following the histories of the different spaces and families who lived there from the 1860s to the 1930s. The rooms are decorated to depict the time of the residents with historical artifacts and personal belongings that remained inside after the building was shuttered over 70 years ago. Do a little research to see what type of story interests you and take a few steps into history!
New York Transit Museum
I had always heard about this museum in Brooklyn, but since it was FAR and I never had enough time to make the trek over there, I have never been. It is in a decommissioned subway station and has multiple historical subway cars and even a bus down there! You can learn about all the modes of public transportation through the years and how transit evolved and shaped New York from the turn of the 20th century until now.
Now I have over 4 months before I go back, which means I have over 4 months to research what else I will be doing on Katherine’s Next Trip to New York City! If you saw something you liked, let me know if I can help you plan your next trip too!
Katherine's Next Trip! 
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