The New York Challenge
I’ve signed up for The New York Challenge that’s being hosted by Jill of Fizzy Thoughts. The mini-challenge for February is:
For the month of February, your task (should you choose to accept it) is to compile a list of ten things about New York. It can be a reading list, a list of songs, restaurants, places to visit (or that you’d like to visit), places to avoid…whatever you want to share.
I’ve decided to accept the task and list things that I’d like to do or do again when I’m in New York. I’ve only been to New York twice – once when I was three years old and last year for BEA, so I’m certain there’s lots to do there that I don’t know about. Anyway, here’s my list, in no particular order:
- Go to a Broadway play – preferably a musical with fabulous costumes
- See the Christmas tree lit up at Rockefeller Center
- Visit some unique bookstores like The Strand and The Mysterious Bookshop
- See the Rockettes perform at Radio City Music Hall
- Visit the Museum of Modern Art
- Go to the Statue of Liberty
- See the taping of a TV show
- See the Naked Cowboy – just so I can say I’ve done it
- Buy something on Fifth Avenue – and visit the Apple store while I’m there
- Attend a sporting event – maybe a basketball game at Madison Square Garden
For those of you more familiar with New York – what’s the one thing I must do that’s not on my list?
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It has been years since I’ve been to NY, but from memory this list looks good! How about a little dinner cruise in the harbour?
Great list! I would recommend visiting Central Park and Ellis Island (you can hit Ellis Island along with the visit to Statue of Liberty).
I think this challenge is great. My list of favorite places to read in NYC is here
Oh – I may have to take this challenge! I do have a one “must see” suggestion for you, if you haven’t done it yet: take a horse carriage ride through central park – but make sure it takes you past Tavern on the Green. The lighting is breath-taking!
I am going to do this challenge too. I love all things New York, yet I still haven’t been there.
Great list — I haven’t done many of those myself either. For us, the big one is visiting the American Girl store!
When I lived in Philadelphia we had an office in NYC, so I made the trip several times a month. I’d add to your list a couple of “typical New Yorker” activities.
* Ride the subway. Just for the experience. The sights, the sounds, (the smells) and the people watching make it a must-do, at least once.
* Shop an outdoor flea market. There is one on the weekend, 6th Ave. & 26th, that goes on for blocks and has everything. Plus, it’s another opportunity for people-watching.
* Stroll through Tribeca and Greenwich Village. It’s a different world from Mid-Town and the Park. You never know when you might see a celebrity.
Check this sight and you’ll know where to look.
http://gawker.com/tag/stalker/
I definitely want to go to the Strand! All great choices.
Great list Kathy. I think I will be doing this one over the weekend. We have some common things we want to see and do in NY.
I have done everything on your list except #7…and I can’t say I really want to.
My very, very favorite thing in NYC..the Cloisters. ok, the Met in general, (I could spend a week there) but especially the Cloisters.
I should join this challenge since my next post will be a book that takes place in New York so I’d be done!
The Strand is one of my favorite places. Well, and Central Park, and Broadway, and the Met…
I think I really need to do my own post 🙂
Have a great time!
Great list! I’m so excited to meet you (and everyone else) at the convention. 🙂
I cannot wait to see more of NYC this year. Its going to be great! Thanks for sharing this list.
Great list! I’ve only been there once — this past October.
I want to go to Ellis Island!
I loved Ellis Island..but I’m pretty big in genealogy.
I also loved that we took one of the harbor cruises, the kind that started a bit before dark and then ended after dark, so we were able to see the city skyline in day and night. That was something I wouldn’t have come up with on my own, but glad somebody did.
While I wasn’t able to go into Fraunces Tavern or the small museum on the 2nd story due to my travel companions, I did get to walk to it and it was a bit surreal looking at it. I would recommend at least taking a peak at the outside if you have time. It’s close to where you get the boat for Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island.
http://www.frauncestavern.com/index2.htm
I saw Billy Elliot and loved it, but Billy Elliot is one of my favorite movies. I’m not sure the musical is for everyone but if you love the movie you would probably enjoy it.
You must go eat out in one of NY’s great restaurants. There are so many to choose from!
This is a great list. They all sound like fun to me! The only one that I have done is to go to the Statue of Liberty. The bookstore visits sound nice. I’m going to have to go look up what the naked cowboy is exactly. 🙂
It really is a naked cowboy! LOL! Yup. I’d keep that one on the list. 🙂
Love your list! And did you ever see my post on my personal blog about the Naked Cowboy? We went to NYC in December and I saw him and got a photo with him. Here is the link:
http://mrsfligs.blogspot.com/2009/12/our-annual-holiday-trip-to-nyc.html
I’ve only been one time but I took a day and did a Grey Line Tour. I know it sounds touristy but I saw everything. I also saw Fiddler on the Roof on Broadway, went up to the Empire State building, saw ground zero, ate in some amazing restaurants and rode public transportation for the people watching. Good luck with the challenge.
Great list! Thanks for participating!
I’ve been to NY twice before, too, but I’ve never visited Ellis Island. My mom and I have put that at the top of our list for this trip.
i love new york and it’s only a quick hop for me to get there (by train or car). there’s so much to see and there’s something for everyone. i like the flea and famers’ markets, restaurants, museums, bookstores, costume shops, and fabric and notions shops in the garment district. enjoy!
you should make your way to levain bakery- they have the best chocolate chip cookies, its amazing. Also, you should go to south street seaport, go to clinton street bakery for brunch, they have amazing pancakes, and you should definitely go to a broadway or off broadway show!
Have fun with this challenge!
Your list is a good list, but too short.
1. The Metropolitan Museum. You have to do this in pieces, but take a quick sample of whatever interests you most.
2. The Frick Museum. Look at the portrait of Sir Thomas More.
3. Walk in Central Park on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Great for people watching.
4. Walk through ChinaTown on a Sunday afternoon (shopping day for out-of-town Chinese). Watch people. Eat in a restaurant.
Have you been to the top of the Empire State Building yet? That’s worth a quick ride.
I went to several concerts at MSG and I have to say it’s so much smaller in real life. The stature discussion gives it makes it seem larger than life! It was still great to be able to see though. Hope you get a chance 🙂
Top of the Rock is a much nicer view than the Empire State Building. Plus, you’ll have the ESB in your pictures (and you can check out the rest of Rockefeller while you’re there)!
Most importantly, avoid midtown and Times Square! [If you’ve been to Times Square once, that’s enough].
*Walk through the Village, both East and West. Get a cupcake from Magnolia.
*Go to Chinatown only for a meal (check out Nha Trang on Centre St), but don’t spend more than an hour there. It’s obscenely crowded.
*Stroll along the Hudson River.
*Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge and eat at Grimaldi’s under the bridge.
*Go to the Met, exit into the park, and just walk south through the park.
*Go to Shake Shack in Madison Square Park.
When people visit me, our sightseeing generally revolves around food.
How sad that I grew up 20 miles outside the city, still live within an hour’s drive, and I have yet to see the Rockettes, the Statue of Liberty or the Strand bookshop.
Don’t worry, the Naked Cowboy will most likely find you when you least expect it! (He found me when I was with my two boys last fall…laughs all around!)
Hey, great list! I’ve done most of these and they are totally worth it. If you can, The Colbert Report and The Daily Show are two tapings that you can reserve tickets for months in advance (besides being totally fun and exciting to be in the audience for)!
And my Naked Cowboy experience happened on my 18th birthday. Lol!
I’m participating in the New York Challenge too, and if you’d like to see my “off the beaten path” list of NYC musts, it’s here!