New York City
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Like NYC itself, this page is currently under construction.
The purpose of this page is to help tourists understand and enjoy New York City.
I have combined my personal experiences with research and feedback in order to give both
an accurate as well as, I hope, a colorful account of New York City.
Despite recent events, New York City is still a great place to visit and live. Although the Twin Towers
of the World Trade Center were major attractions for tourists, they were only a fraction of
what made 'The Big Apple' great. We are all saddened by what took place, but NYC is more
than just buildings; it is a state of mind. Our skyline may be deminished, but our character
has only been strengthened.
From Times Square to Central Park, Madison Square Garden to the Empire State Building,
and the Statue of Liberty to the Village, no city can compare with New York. Don't take my
word for it, just ask friends who have been here. There is nothing else like it!
Once you've experianced it for yourself, please help me improve this page by sending your
impressions to
lars_h_hansen@hotmail.com. Tell me if I can quote you here.
* Unless otherwise indicated, all the photographs on this page were taken by Lars H. Hansen.
The history of New York City
The tourist's guide to New York City
Guide to NYC Nightlife
Links to New York City
The history of New York City
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The tourists guide to New York City
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Guide to NYC Nightlife
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New York City is called "The City that never Sleeps" - while not strictly true, New York City is probably the most active city you will ever visit. Bars and Clubs are everywhere, but the best are found on Manhattan. Visitors are warned that the New York State drinking age, 21, is strictly enforced and everyone, even your Grandmother is "carded"- their ID is checked - so bring something with your picture and age on it - a Driver's License or Passport with.
The epicenter of New York nightlife can be found in the Village. Divided into East and West, the Village begins at around 14th Street and continues down to about Canal Street and Chinatown.
If you are using the New York Subway, the West Village can be reached on the A, C, E (get off at 14th Street or West 4th Street) and the 1 and 9 lines (get off at 18th, 14th, Christopher or Houston Street stations). The B, D, F, N, R, Q, and 6 lines serve the East Village. Get off between 14th Street and Broadway-Lafayette if you are on the B,D,F or Q lines. On the N or the R, get off at 14th Street or 8th Street. The 6 line will take you to 14th Street-Union Square, Astor Place and Bleecker Street.
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Here is a list of places I've been to (marked with one to four stars * depending on how I liked it, the more stars the merrier!), or heard about, and my comments:
Arthur's Tavern ** 1/2
57 Grove Street (West Village, Manhattan)
(212) 675 - 6879
Comments: This bar is a Mecca for Jazz-fans. Live bands every night - they play in a small
corner of the bar.
If you sit down, the waitresses will run a tab so you should be careful and attentive to what
you drink.
Personally, I'm not much of a Jazz person, but for anyone that is, a trip to New York City
without a night at Arthur's is wasted.
You may have to pay a cover charge at Arthur's.
The Asylum **
149 Bleecker Street (West Village, Manhattan)
(212) 254 - 8492
Comments: Bar/Dance Club - Nice small club with patrons ranging from 21 to 50-years-old.
Good, though somewhat standard,'80s and '90s popular dance music.
Features a nice long bar, good waitress service, and cozy couches and chairs.
B. B. King Blues Club & Grill
West 42nd Street - between 7th and 8th Ave.s (Times Square, Manhattan)
(212) 997 - 4144
Comments: New Yorkers love the blues and B.B.King's establishment is the place to see the big names on the Blues scene.
Also features a 'Gospel Brunch' on Sundays.
The BlindTiger Ale House ***
518 Hudson Street and West 10th Street (West Village, Manhattan)
(212) 675 - 3848
Comments: Very cool bar in the heart of the West Village.
The Blind Tiger serves excellent imported beers (incl. Carlsberg) as well as American microbrews. They have a fine selection of uncommon spirits as well.
The Tiger rests during the day, but hunts at night... every night! Loud and talkative regulars meet and greet at the bar as well as in old-fashioned wooden booths along the one wall. The patrons are mostly young with a sprinkling of the 30-something crowd. The music tends towards 70's FM-rock with a dash of Latino spice and Motown classics. Sorry, no room for dancing.
The Blind Tiger is an excellent place to warm up before hitting the clubs or just to sit back and drink.
There is no cover charge at the Blind Tiger.
CBGB's
315 Bowery and Bleecker Street (East Village, Manhattan)
(212) 982 - 4059
Comments: The history of this bar is speckled with names like the Ramones and Debbie Harry (Blondie). What Arthur's is for Jazz, CBGB's is for Rock/Punk.
Cafe Wha? *
115 McDougall (Between Bleecker and West 3rd Streets on Manhattan)
(212) 254 - 3706
Comments: Very "clubish" small bar/dance club.
Live music every night (Friday, fexs. is Brazilian Night), thus the cover (entry) charge of $10.
Although the music is often excellent, I found the waitress-only bar service both irritating and difficult. It takes too long to get a drink and it is hard to keep track of your spending as a "tab? is run for the whole evening - you pay when you leave. (this can be a shocker!)
Cafe Wha? is not very big so make sure you and your group get a table early - you must have a table as the whole table is billed, not just one member of the party.
There is very little space for dancing.
Coyote Ugly
153 1st Avenue and 10th Street (East Village, Manhattan)
(212) 477 - 4431
Comments: Inspired by the original 'Hogs and Heifers' at 859 Washington Street (see below), rumor has it that Coyote is but a pale imitation of H&H - but movie-buffs may want to drop in just so they can say "Been there, done that."
Down the Hatch***
177 West 4th Street and 7th Avenue (West Village, Manhattan)
(212) 627 - 9747
Comments: Great watering hole for the college and early-thirties crowd. Bit of a meat-market.
Though quite in the afternoon until about 4PM (the beginning of Happy Hour), the Hatch is a loud but relaxed place for the rest of the evening.
People who want to dance will have to look elsewhere, but if you have an eclectic taste in
music you will enjoy the musak at the Hatch: Often featuring the Stones, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and others.
Nice long Happy Hour with half-priced drinks. Even during regular hours, the Hatch is one of
the cheapest places for pitchers of domestic beer.
Some food is served: basic bar-fare like chicken wings.
Guys will appreciate the Bartenders and Waitresses, predominantly female and easy on the
eyes. Gals will enjoy the plentitude of single males with disposable incomes.
There is no cover charge at Down the Hatch.
Hogs and Heifers***
859 Washington Street (West Village, Manhattan)
(212) 929 - 0655
Comments: A must-see true New York City experience - makes 'Coyote Ugly' (the Film) seem
tame by comparison.
This is an all-American motorcycle ("Hogs") loving kind of place. Female bartenders clad
in bikini tops, cowboy boots/hats, cut-off jeans or tight leather pants serve their patrons beer,
shots and N.Y. attitudes all night.
The crowd is mostly male, partial to domestic beer and spirits, and completely focused on
the bar. The reason for this intense concentration is obvious - girls are usually dancing on the
bar and, on a "good night", these young women from the audience may rid themselves of
items of clothing - a cascade of discarded bras decorates the back of the bar in silent
testimony to the hell-raising atmosphere in H & Hs. Rumor has it that a few starlettes have
left trophies behind during their aspiring-actress days in New York City.
If none of the patrons are dancing, your bartenders will be!
There is no cover charge at Hogs and Heifers.
Enjoy!
Hogs and Heifers Saloon
1843 1st Avenue, between 95th and 96th Streets (Mid-town Manhattan)
(212) 722 - 8635
Comments: A recent spin-off, this is a slightly more "respectable" version of the Washington
Street bar.
I have heard that there is even a dance-floor - for couples.
Stay tuned - I need to see this to believe it!
N. V.***
Comments: Cover charge.
Two-level dance club - features an intimate basement lounge/bar section and a huge
dance-floor/bar section on the second level. Dancing on both levels.
Polly Esther's*
186 West 4th Street and 7th Avenue (West Village, Manhattan)
(212) 924 - 5707
Comments: 70's inspired 'dance club.'
A dance floor the size of a dumpster and bartenders who demand tips.
There is a cover charge at Polly's.
Don't waste your time.
Webster Hall
125 East 11th Street and Lexington Avenue (Manhattan)
(212) 353 - 1600
Comments: Long a flagship among New York nightclubs, Webster Hall is the club everyone has been to - just not me!
The Sound Factory
Cover Charge is $20 - Dance Club (must be well-dressed)
This is an infamous "Beautiful-People-Only" kind of place.
The Sound Factory often has a theme night, for example, Saturday night is the 'Thong-Party' - all females must be wearing a thong to get in. After 4am, the bars close and the off-duty strippers come in to party.
Some patrons report wide scale use of...stimulants and orgy-like conditions in the co-ed bathrooms - but I am sure this is just a rumor.
Straight males are warned to beware of Transvestites - some of whom are very convincing.
Links to New York City
NYC The official New York City website.
NYCCTB
The New York Convention and Tourist Bureau.
WTC Great photos of the World Trade Center.
New York City professional sports teams:
Knicks The New York Knicks Homepage.
Mets The New York Mets Homepage.
Yanks The New York Yankees Homepage.
NY/NJ Metrostars Metrostars Soccer Club Homepage.
N. Y. Giants The New York Giants Homepage.
N.Y. Jets The New York Jets Homepage.
It's great to be a 'New Yawkah', join us - find an apartment in New York City:
Metro Metro Mgt.'s no-fee apartment rentals site.
NoFeeLandlords.com Avoid broker's fees, rent directly from the landlord - get list for $29.95.
Tower Brokerage East Village specialists.
The Village Voice Sign up with this newspaper and get email alerts when apartments come on the market - for a small fee.
Rent-Direct.com $189 for database access.
Go No Fee.com K&R Realty Mgmt. Inc. - Why pay a broker's fee anyway?
NYC No Fee Rentals Well, not exactly - $29.95 for 90 day access to a database.
Immediate Apartment $29.95 for 4 months of access to a database.
Sublet This is often the quickest way to find temp. houseing in the Big City. A true no-fee site.
Zarembar Realty .
Stillman Realty Realtors with a corny sense of humor.
easyrent.com Easy if you are willing to pay $189 for access to the database.
Cresthaven Realty In Long Island City just accross the river from Manhattan.
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