The MoMA displays Andy Warhol’s 32 portraits of Campbell’s Soup Cans, one for each variety of the soup available in 1962.
THE SOLOMON R. GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM—Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and completed in 1959, this dramatic structure is shaped like a spiraling seashell. Take the elevator to the top and walk down through the uninterrupted, circling gallery to ground level (as Wright intended), and view works that span the late 19th century to the present, including Mr. Guggenheim’s original collection of nonobjective art; niece Peggy Guggenheim’s trove of Surrealist and abstract works; and examples from various other schools, including Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, German Expressionist, and Minimalist works. INFO: Tel 212-423-3500; www.guggenheim.org.
ROCKEFELLER CENTER AT CHRISTMAS—Built and financed in the 1930s by John D. Rockefeller, this complex of office buildings is a masterpiece of streamlined modern architecture, full of Art Deco relief work and sculpture that harks back to Greek mythology while paying homage to American optimism in the face of the Great Depression. The center looks its best at Christmastime, when a towering, brightly lit Norway spruce is displayed above the tiny but incredibly romantic ice-skating rink. The Top of the Rock observation deck offers stunning 360-degree midtown views from the 70th floor of 30 Rockefeller Plaza. In the evening, head to Radio City Music Hall, the complex’s Deco masterpiece, for the annual Broadwayesque Christmas Spectacular, starring the Rockettes and Santa. INFO: Tel 212-632-3975; www.rockefellercenter.com. RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL: Tel 212-247-4777; www.radiocity.com.
STATUE OF LIBERTY AND ELLIS ISLAND—Lady Liberty was designed by Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi and engineer Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel and was a gift from France to the United States in 1885. The 151-foot-tall copper-clad statue was dedicated on October 28, 1886, and received a remarkably effective face-lift in time for her centennial. Visitors can climb the 168 steps to Liberty’s crown, though the less athletic may just want to view her steel skeleton through the glass ceiling in the 10th-floor observatory.
Between 1892 and 1954, Ellis Island was the gateway to America for roughly 12 million hopeful immigrants. Today, about 30 percent of Americans have an ancestor who stopped here on arriving to this country. Visitors can view moving, interactive exhibits, research their heritage, and stand in the same baggage and registry rooms as their forebears once did. Those who want a good view of the Statue of Liberty and the Manhattan skyline without visiting the monuments can hop on the Staten Island Ferry for a free ride to and from New York’s outermost borough. STATUE OF LIBERTY: www.nps.gov/stli. Ferry information: tel 212-269-5755; www.statuecruises.com. ELLIS ISLAND: Tel 212-363-3200; www.ellisisland.org. STATEN ISLAND FERRY: Tel 718-815-2628; www.siferry.com.
TIMES SQUARE AND THE THEATER DISTRICT—By the 1970s, Times Square had degenerated into a swamp of peepshows, hustlers, and lowlifes. That all changed in the 1990s, when the city invited Disney and other business giants to redevelop the area. Broadway is once again the Great White Way, and Times Square a thriving family-entertainment and business district. Neon billboards are everywhere and theaters line the side streets. On New Year’s Eve, this is party central, when upward of a million people brave what’s sometimes single-digit weather, waiting for the famous ball to drop.
Times Square can feel like the crossroads of the world.
OTHER MUST-DOS
BIG ONION WALKING TOURS—This excursion company clearly thinks the Big Apple is more like a Big Onion—you could peel off layer after layer without ever reaching the core. Its 2-hour tours wend their way through Greenwich Village, Harlem, Chinatown, and many other neighborhoods. You can also book a historic walk or a specialty tour: for instance, one to explore and sample multiethnic foods. INFO: Tel 212-439-1090; www.bigonion.com.
BRONX ZOO AND NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN—Opened in 1899, the Bronx Zoo is the largest metropolitan zoo in the U.S. and home to more than 5,000 animals, most in natural settings across 265 pleasant acres. Exhibits include Himalayan Highlands, complete with rare snow leopards; the 6.5-acre Congo Gorilla Forest, with one of the largest breeding groups of lowland gorillas in captivity; and Wild Asia, populated by elephants, tigers, and rhinoceroses. Nearby, the New York Botanical Garden is a sanctuary of another sort, the home of more than a million plants that fill 50 gardens and of the largest Victorian conservatory in America. BRONX ZOO: Tel 718-367-1010; www.bronxzoo.com. NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN: Tel 718-817-8700; www.nybg.org.
BROOKLYN BOTANIC GARDEN—New York’s most popular garden covers 52 acres adjacent to Prospect Park (which was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux after their success with Central Park). The BBG has over 11,000 species of plants arranged in more than 20 specialty gardens, including the Cranford Rose Garden, the English-style Shakespeare Garden, and the Cherry Esplanade, one of the finest spots outside Japan to see cherry blossoms in spring. INFO: Tel 718-623-7200; www.bbg.org.
BROOKLYN BRIDGE—Completed in 1883 after 16 years of construction, this massive suspension bridge is undeniably one of the architectural gems of New York, connecting lower Manhattan with the 19th-century neighborhood of Brooklyn Heights, known for its handsome old brownstones and quiet, tree-lined streets. Stroll across the bridge’s boardwalk-like central promenade, and admire up close its huge stone pylons and spiderweb of steel support cables along with the expansive views of the East River below. The elegant River Café, beneath the bridge’s Brooklyn tower, offers one of the best restaurant views in town. RIVER CAFÉ: Tel 718-522-5200; www.rivercafe.com. Cost: 3-course prix-fixe dinner $100.
FRICK MUSEUM—Built in 1914 by the inordinately rich steel and railroad magnate Henry Clay Frick, this lovely French Neoclassical mansion houses a collection of mostly European masterpieces from the Renaissance to the 1900s. The opulent interior is resplendent with 18th-century French furniture and porcelain, and is much loved by New Yorkers for its intimacy and the relative absence of crowds. The museum’s highlights include works by Rembrandt, Vermeer, Holbein, Velázquez, Titian, El Greco, Bellini, and Goya. INFO: Tel 212-288-0700; www.frick.org.
GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL—Grand Central is grand indeed, and it’s one of the best places in the city to catch the spirit of early-20th-century New York and America. Its triumphant Beaux Arts exterior is adorned with statues of Hercules, Minerva, and Mercury. Inside, the ceiling covering its huge main concourse is lit with constellations, and lofty windows illuminate its marble interior with swaths of natural light. Have lunch at the Oyster Bar on the lower level. In business since 1913, it serves some 4,000 pounds of fresh seafood daily, including its famous New England clam chowder and dozens of different kinds of oysters. INFO: www.grandcentralterminal.com. OYSTER BAR: Tel 212-490-6650; www.oysterbarny.com. Cost: lunch $40.
HARLEM SPIRITUALS TOUR—Out-of-towners have been increasingly common at Harlem’s traditional Sunday morning services, home to the near-ecstatic black gospel tradition that was born during days of slavery. For those who want to be similarly stirred, the best bets are Mother A.M.E. Zion, founded in 1796 and with a history that connects it to the Underground Railroad; the Abyssinian Baptist Church, renowned for its choir; and the New Mount Zion Baptist Church, under the direction of much-loved pastor Carl L. Washington Jr. MOTHER A.M.E. ZION CHURCH: Tel 212-234-1545; www.amez.org. ABYSSINIAN BAPTIST CHURCH: Tel 212-862-7474; www.abyssinian.org. NEW MOUNT ZION BAPTIST CHURCH: Tel 212-283-2934; nmzbc.org. HOW: Harlem Spirituals Tours: tel 212-391-0900; www.harlemspirituals.com.
YANKEE STADIUM—“The House that Ruth Built” is technically no more, as the historic stadium was replaced in 2009 by a huge, swanky new one across the street, but architectural nods to the original (including the façade) would make the Babe feel right at home. There are about the same number of seats here as before but more of everything else, from leg room to concession stands, along with restaurants offering all kinds of fare, and a museum of Yankee memorabilia. If you can’t make it to a game, take the 1-hour stadium tour and see the highlights, including the storied Monument Park, which was lovingly moved
from its old home. INFO: Tel 718-293-6000; newyork.yankees.mlb.com.
Yogi Berra threw the ceremonial first pitch at the new Yankee Stadium in 2009.
WHERE TO STAY
THE BOWERY HOTEL—Helping transform a once-seedy area, this trendy hotel is a favorite of the younger celebrity set. Although the building is new, the lobby’s velvet sofas, wood paneling, and faded Oriental carpets evoke a vintage vibe. The 135 rooms aren’t large, but floor-to-ceiling factory-style windows with city views compensate, and the galleries, shops, and cafés of SoHo, NoLita, and the East Village are all within walking distance. Dine on rustic Italian fare at the hotel’s Gemma, or stroll two blocks downtown and sample Daniel Boulud’s hip eatery, DBGB (see p. 847). INFO: Tel: 212-505-9100; www.theboweryhotel.com. Cost: from $325 (off-peak), from $495 (peak); dinner $40.
THE FOUR SEASONS—Soaring 52 stories above one of the city’s toniest shopping areas, the I. M. Pei–designed Four Seasons Hotel is the destination of the posh and powerful. The sleek lobby exudes an almost templelike quiet, and leads to several restaurants and bars, including L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, the celebrated French chef’s first venture in New York, with haute (and très cher) French cuisine. The hotel’s 368 large, flawlessly decorated rooms and suites have 10-foot ceilings, opulent marble bathrooms, and soaring views over the city. INFO: Tel 800-487-3769 or 212-758-5700; www.fourseasons.com. Cost: from $695. L’ATELIER DE JOËL ROBUCHON: Tel 212-829-3844. Cost: dinner $100.
GRACE HOTEL—Tucked down a side street off Times Square, this boutique-on-a-budget hotel is a great find for young travelers who want to be in the thick of it all. The 139 small, quiet rooms are stylishly spartan but equipped with Wi-Fi and flat-screen TVs. Built-in furnishings make the most of the limited space, and some rooms even have bunk beds for traveling friends. A highlight is the lobby’s 22-foot heated pool with a swim-up bar and DJs. INFO: Tel 212-380-2700; www.room-matehotels.com. Cost: from $219.
THE INN AT IRVING PLACE—A little-known refuge of great charm and set a stone’s throw from the genteel enclave of Gramercy Park, this 12-room inn was created by combining two 1834 town houses. It offers the gracious atmosphere of Edith Wharton’s New York with luxurious period furnishings, Persian rugs, fireplaces, and flowers. Take afternoon tea in Lady Mendl’s Tea Salon, or sip something stronger in the clubby Cibar Lounge. INFO: Tel 800-685-1447 or 212-533-4600; www.innatirving.com. Cost: from $325 (off-peak), from $450 (peak).
MANDARIN ORIENTAL—For luxurious, five-star swank, it’s hard to beat this modern hotel on the edge of Central Park. Occupying floors 35 to 54 in the sleek Time Warner Center, it makes the most of its lofty setting with walls of windows framing jaw-dropping views. Asian touches keep the sophisticated décor timelessly serene. Enjoy afternoon tea in the Lobby Lounge, dine on Asian–New American cuisine at Asiate or try one of the other restaurants in the Time Warner building (see p. 849). The exquisite, state-of-the-art spa is considered New York’s best. INFO: Tel 212-805-8800; www.mandarinoriental.com. Cost: from $695 (off-peak), from $1,055 (peak). ASIATE: Tel 212-805-8881. Cost: dinner $70.
ST. REGIS HOTEL—Built by John Jacob Astor in 1904 as his residence, this opulent Beaux Arts building still reflects that era’s gilded grandeur, welcoming guests with top-hatted doormen, trompe l’oeil ceilings, and polished service. Upstairs, the 164 spacious rooms and 65 suites are done up in silk wall coverings, with marble baths, glamorous bedding, and 24-hour butler service adding to the indulgent feel. The King Cole bar, named for the Maxfield Parrish mural on one wall, claims to be the birthplace of the Bloody Mary, known here as the Red Snapper. The appropriate splurge is the sublime French fare at Adour, Alain Ducasse’s raved-about restaurant. INFO: Tel 800-759-7550 or 212-753-4500; www.stregis.com/newyork. Cost: from $895. ADOUR: Tel 212-710-2277. Cost: dinner $90.
THE STANDARD—A glass-and-concrete creation perched on 56-foot stilts, this futuristic-looking newcomer from trendy hotelier Andre Balazs straddles the High Line, a pedestrian park built on a disused elevated railroad. The hotel towers above the hip Meatpacking District, so the floor-to-ceiling windows in all 337 rooms have stellar views of the downtown skyline or the Hudson River. Décor morphs from sleek, early-20th-century style in the lobby to mid-century modern in the middle and 21st-century wow in the glass-enclosed, celebrity-studded lounge on the 18th floor. Diners can enjoy creative American fare at the stylish Standard Grill; sip a cocktail in the Living Room; or hoist a stein in the outdoor Summer Biergarten over hearty German fare. INFO: Tel 212-645-4646; standardhotels.com. Cost: from $295. STANDARD GRILL: Tel 212-645-4100; www.thestandardgrill.com. Cost: dinner $48. THE HIGH LINE: www.thehighline.org.
EATING & DRINKING
DANIEL—For years regarded by fellow chefs and devoted patrons as one of the country’s most brilliant French-trained talents, Daniel Boulud remains a trailblazer. Refined fantasy describes his flagship restaurant Boulud and its menu, which features technically complicated, perfectly executed, and artistically presented dishes. You can revel in Boulud’s inventive spirit less expensively at his stylish Café Boulud or at db Bistro Moderne, in the Theater District, justly famous for its sumptuous haute hamburger. More casual still are Bar Boulud, directly across from Lincoln Center, specializing in charcuterie and wines, with the Épicerie Boulud café next door, and downtown’s hip, industrial-chic DBGB Kitchen and Bar, where the brasserie-style menu features house-made sausages and a broad selection of beers. DANIEL: Tel 212-288-0033; www.danielnyc.com. Cost: 3-course prix-fixe dinner $105. CAFÉ BOULUD: Tel 212-772-2600. Cost: dinner $65. DB BISTRO MODERNE: Tel 212-391-2400. Cost: dinner $60. BAR BOULUD: Tel 212-595-0303. Cost: dinner $45. DBGB KITCHEN AND BAR: Tel 212-933-5300. Cost: dinner $40.
DELIS—Amid the city’s sophisticated dining scene, a handful of genuine Jewish delis prevail, offering a glimpse of old-time New York. What keeps folks coming back is the frill-free classic fare, specifically the towering, thick-sliced pastrami sandwiches, meant to be washed down with a cream soda or an egg cream. The oldest of all is Katz’s Delicatessen, a cavernous remnant of Jewish life on the Lower East Side that has been in business since 1888. The iconic Second Avenue Deli has relocated uptown to new black-and-white-tiled digs on East 33rd. There the nephew of the original owner continues to dish up the deli’s famous chopped liver, matzoh ball soup, triple-decker corned beef sandwiches, and other genuine kosher fare. Just north of the Theater District, the legendary Carnegie Deli is known for elbow-to-elbow tables and pretend-grumpy waiters. Locals always ask to share their mile-high sandwiches, and they still never leave without a doggy bag. Save room for the cheesecake. KATZ’S DELICATESSEN: Tel 212-254-2246; www.katzdeli.com. Cost: $25. SECOND AVENUE DELI: Tel 212-689-9000; www.2ndavedeli.com. Cost: $20. CARNEGIE DELI: Tel 212-757-2245; www.carnegiedeli.com. Cost: $30.
THE FOUR SEASONS—With stunning décor by Mies van der Rohe and Philip Johnson that’s remained virtually unchanged since the place opened in 1959, the Four Seasons is one of Manhattan’s legendary restaurants (and not part of the Four Seasons Hotel; see p. 845). At lunchtime, the city’s power elite gather to graze in the Grill Room. At dinner, out-of-towners dine there and around the white marble pool in the elegant, aptly named Pool Room, enjoying exceptional, classic American food from enlightened chef Fabio Trabocchi. INFO: Tel 212-754-9494; www.fourseasonsrestaurant.com. Cost: dinner $80.
THE ITALIANS—New York’s constellation of Italian chefs promise an embarrassment of choices. Among the standouts, television personality Mario Batali’s Babbo is a perennial hot spot, famous for introducing curious New Yorkers to such exotic delicacies as lamb’s tongue and ravioli stuffed with beef cheek. There are eight other Batali eateries; if you are in the mood for opulent, palazzo-style surroundings, opt for Del Posto. Or stop by Cesare Casella’s casual little wine-bar-cum-salumi shop, Salumeria Rosi, to sample his seasonal small-plate “assagi” of caponata and lasagna, and you’ll revel in the authentic flavors of Casella’s Tuscan hometown. Scott Conant brings dishes as simple as spaghetti with tomato
and basil to new heights at Scarpetta, located in a stylish town house on the edge of the Meatpacking District. BABBO: Tel 212-777-0303; www.babbonyc.com. Cost: dinner $55. DEL POSTO: Tel 212-497-8090; www.delposto.com. Cost: 7-course dinner $125. SALUMERIA ROSI: Tel 212-877-4800; www.salumeriarosi.com. Cost: dinner $40. SCARPETTA: Tel 212-691-0555; www.scarpettanyc.com. Cost: dinner $65.
JEAN-GEORGES—Unusual ingredients, innovative combinations, and artful presentations keep dazzling the foodies who have followed Jean-Georges Vongerichten since the early days at JoJo (still going strong), confirming his reputation as one of America’s most creative culinary forces. His newest venture, the chic Mark Restaurant, in the Mark Hotel, offers Vongerichten’s delectable take on comfort food, the likes of which your mom never made. JEAN-GEORGES: Tel 212-299-3900; www.jean-georges.com. Cost: 3-course prix-fixe dinner $98. JOJO: Tel 212-223-5656; www.jean-georges.com. Cost: dinner $48. THE MARK RESTAURANT: Tel 212-744-4300; www.themarkrestaurantnyc.com. Cost: dinner $75.
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