Recently, I spent time in and around New York City. Translated: I hung out in Lower Manhattan, the Financial District, the Village, Upper East Side, and Brooklyn’s Boerum Hill, Greenpoint, and Red Hook neighborhoods. Why’s it important to mention this? There’s more to New York than meets the eye, more than shopping Fifth Avenue and attending productions in the Theater District. Don’t misunderstand; hitting the requisite attractions (designed by someone who deemed it necessary to prove you did more than simply land at JFK or LaGuardia), without a doubt, is joyful.
When you’re ready to enjoy New York for the eclectic metropolis it truly is, allow a local to fill in the gaps. A local will remind you about plenty of free cool things to do such as walking the Brooklyn Bridge that spans the East River. You won’t see a more captivating view of either Brooklyn’s or Manhattan’s skyline from anywhere else, including the ferry rides or harbor cruises. Too, locals know the subway lines, and since there are at least 27 of them, this offers a tremendous advantage over getting lost. Locals rarely waste money on cab rides, so you’ll walk a lot. If you’re not prepared to walk, don’t go to NYC. My personal limit is 12 miles a day. A reasonable figure, I believe.
Locals help you keep a pulse on the cultural perimeters, such as resisting the urge to hug a New Yorker as if he’s another Southerner. Just mimic a local’s behavior on the subway as a reminder that chatting with those seated around you is not encouraged: these folks are rushing to get to or from work and don’t care that you’re visiting from the South. Instead, chat with people in the hotel bar, or while waiting for your table, or even better, exchange pleasantries with those you’re sitting elbow-to-elbow with at a quaint restaurant in the Village. Or stop chatting; choose to listen instead.
For the best off-the-beaten-path NYC experience, be open to the regeneration of a familiar item. To the point, not all New York bars are prepared to serve an accustomed version of your favorite South-of-the-border beverage. Take the margarita, for example. Most bartenders will ask before reaching for a top-shelf blanco tequila, like Patrón Silver, but they may choose to go with gold (not technically correct). Hopefully, they’ll round out with a true triple-sec, like Cointreau, instead of Grand Mariner. And avoid the sour mix altogether. It’s still a great drink, now with a New York twist. Hold out for the lime, though.
My best advice for visiting NYC, or any other place, for that matter, is to get street level. And grab a local to lead the way to live jazz clubs, like Rue-B on Avenue B. I’m lucky; my local is my son. How you find your local is entirely up to you.
