My New York List

I'm a big believer in really experiencing where you live.  I know it seems kinda touristy, but I just don't understand how some people can live in a place for a while and never experience some of the things that highlight their area.  I know people here in New York that have never done those quintessential NYC things, like seeing the Statue of Liberty or going to the top of the Empire State Building (mhmm... I got your number).  What a shame! 

Lately, I've been referencing my NY List, so I figured that maybe some of you readers may be interested in seeing it.  It's pretty extensive.  I'm quite proud of it.  And I'm also very proud to say that I've done most everything on the list, too.  I still have quite a few left over, but that is because I can't stop adding things onto it!  I figure that as long as I live in a place that offers so much, I should totally take advantage of it. If you are planning on visiting NYC (or if you live here) then I encourage you to read on and check out these places.  You'll be so happy you did. 

Here it is, in no particular order.

- Take the Liberty Island Ferry and see the Statue of Liberty.
- Visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- Spend a Saturday at the Cloisters.
- Visit MOMA (Museum of Modern Art).
- And the Guggenhiem Museum too.
- Eat at Pete's Tavern (an O'Henry hotspot and one of the oldest continuously operating bar/restaurants in NYC).
- Explore Trump Tower and see the indoor waterfall.
- Eat at Katz Deli (where "Harry met Sally").
- Explore Chinatown (and buy something from a "back room").
- Eat a cannoli in Little Italy.
- Visit Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum and have a "celebrity sighting."
- Hang out in a NYC highrise apartment and just enjoy the view.
- Ride on the Toys R Us giant ferris wheel and explore the life-sized Barbie house.
- Eat at Tom's Restaurant or at the Soup Kitchen for a bit of Seinfeld kitch.
- Go to the top of the Empire State Building ("the nearest thing to heaven").
- Step on the giant piano and go toy crazy at F.A.O. Schwarz.
- Watch the Macy's Day Parade IN PERSON!  And watch them blow up the balloons in the park the night before (so cool).
- Go for a ride in a yellow cab.
- Ice skate in Central Park.
- Have a "frozen hot chocolate" at Serendipity III.
- Be there in person to see the New Year's Eve ball drop in Time Square!
- Go Christmas shopping in the city and admire the lights and the window displays.
- Sit on the Macy's Santa's lap!
- Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge.
- See the NY Marathon
- Go to an opera at the MET (I saw La Boheme).
- Drive across the GW Bridge listening to the song from the Sopranos - cigar is optional.
- Explore the Central Park Zoo and Belvedere Castle.
- Go to a Broadway show (or several).
- Navigate the subway system.
- Visit Ground Zero.
- Go to the Cherry Blossom Festival at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden.
- See the Bethesda Fountain in every season (I LOVE that fountain).
- Read something in the "Reading Room" at the NY Public Library and see the Gutenberg Bible, too.
- Go see a Mets or a Yankees game.
- Go to a TV show taping. (I've been to Letterman, Daily Show, Colbert Report, and Martha!)
- Travel in the city ALONE (I find this frightening because of my terrible sense of direction).
- Buy a used book at the Strand Bookstore.
- Eat a hot dog or a pretzel from a street vendor.
- See Shakespeare in the Park at the Delacorte Theatre.
- Chat with a NYC cop.
- Enjoy a bagel in the city... also a "slice."
- Go to the American Museum of Natural History.
- Experience the South Street Seaport on the Fourth of July.
- Go "shopping" in an expensive store, like Prada or Michael Kors.
- Wear a hat in the Easter Hat Parade on 5th Ave!
- Ride on the Central Park Carousel.
- Go on the "Intrepid WWII Ship" and the Growler.
- Experience "Fleet Week."
- Visit Wall Street and see the "Bowling Green" bull.
- Be in the Mermaid Parade on Coney Island.
- Go to Jones Beach.
- Go see Amateur night at the Apollo!!! (I JUST did this one!)
- See the Rockettes perform for the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall.
- Visit St. Patrick's Cathedral.
- Celebrate Chinese New Year in Chinatown.
- Have lunch in a cafe in Bryant Park.
- See the Macy's Flower Show.
- Check out Wave Hill Garden.
- Sit in the bandstands at a St. Patrick's Day parade.
- Go to the 9th Ave. International Food Festival.
- See the U.N. Building.
- Go on a "twilight" boat ride in the NY harbor.
- Visit the Frick Museum.
- See the giant globe at the Daily Planet building in Superman (The News Building on 42nd Street).
- Attend the Shakespeare Festival at Fort Tryon Park near the Cloisters.
- See Washington Square in Greenwich Village.
- Visit Castle Clinton.
- See the "little red lighthouse."
- Have a picnic in Riverside Park.
- Go to a ballet at the Lincoln Center.
- Have high tea at the Russian Tea Room.
- Visit the Old World's Fair Museum and see the panorama view of mini NYC (Queens Museum of Art).
- Go to the "Top of the Rock" at the Rockefeller Center.
- Visit City Hall.
- See Trinity Church and St. Paul's Chapel.
- March in costume in the Village Halloween Parade.
- Visit the "Museum of the City of New York."
- Attend a fashion show at "NY Fashion Week!"
- Walk down "Fashion Ave." and see Mood, Parsons and the giant button sculpture.
- Ride a pedicab.
- Satisfy that Top Chef crazy and eat at Craft and WD50.
- Go to ComiCon!!!
- Eat a "Magnolia's" famous cupcake.

And here are the things I still haven't done:

- Ice Skate in Rockefeller Center.
- Rent a rowboat in Central Park.
- See the "Naked Cowboy" in Time Square.
- Ride on the Bryant Park Carousel.
- Attend a poetry reading in the Village.
- Visit Staten Island.
- Check out the Russian Onclave on Coney Island.
- Have cheesecake at D'Aiuto's (a "Baby Watson" Cheesecake).
- Take a helicopter aerial tour of NYC.
- Go to the 6th Street Flea Market in Chelsea.
- See the lighting of the Rockefeller Tree.
- Go to an event at Madison Square Garden.
- See the Big Apple Circus.
- Visit Langston Hughes' house in Harlem.
- Watch a NY Rangers Hockey game.
- Go to Grant's Tomb.
- Visit the Cathedral of St. John the Divine and take the "vertical tour"  (it's the world's largest gothic cathedral).
- Go to the Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx.
- See a planetarium show at the Museum of Natural History.
- Visit the Tenement Museum.
- Check out the Japanese Museum Christmas Tree.
- Take the cable car to Roosevelt Island.
- Take a "tea" tour of Gracie Mansion.
- Go play something at Chelsea Piers.
- Suffer through an Ellis Island tour.
- See something at Carnegie Hall.
- Attend the TriBeca Film Festival.
- Eat at Mr. Chow's (Andy Warhol's favorite).
- Go learn something at the Sony Tech Lab.
- See the "Winter Garden" in the financial district.
- Go to Governor's Island.
- Go to Inwood Park, where the legendary Manhattan Purchase happened.
- Visit Mark Twain's house and take the "walking tour."
- Picnic in Gantry Park, Queens.
- Check out Brooklyn's Floyd Bennett Field.
- Watch some improv at Upright Citizens Brigade - the ASSSSCAT 3000!
- Have a hot chocolate at "Max Brenner."
- Veneiro's Pastry sounds like a delicious pit-stop.
- See some fish at the NY Aquarium.
- Go to the "Poe Cottage" in the Bronx.
- Have milk & cookies at the Ronybrook Milk Bar in Chelsea.
- Stroll through the "Conservatory Garden" in Central Park.

If that list wasn't enough for you, you could always check out the Not For Tourists site, too!  It's chock full of interesting ideas.  I may have to add to my list again!  Maybe you have some suggestions for me?  Is there something I missed?