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New York

10 Under-the-Radar Things to Do in NYC

by katie*

A travel journal

Last Updated: May 1, 2005

Journal Usefulness Rating 2 out of 5
Journal Usefulness Rating
10
Reviews

Times Square a little too much for you - or do you just not want to look like a tourist?

Tournesol

Restaurant

Tournesol might not be a secret much longer. This small restaurant in Long Island City serves up French food worthy of the expense account-padding restaurants that line Park Avenue. The restaurant is crowded, but the service is excellent.
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by katie* on May 1, 2005

Tournesol
50-12 Vernon Blvd. New York, New York
(718) 472-4355

P.S. 1 is a converted elementary school in Queens. The exhibits change frequently - sometimes as much as seven or eight times a year - and include contemporary sculpture, painting, drawing, metalwork, video art, sound art, dance, and performance art. Throughout the year, there are gallery presentations and scheduled talks by artists. There are also live music performances in the evenings in summer. Admission to P.S. 1 is only $3 for anyone with a student/faculty I.D., and the regular price is $5. The museum cafe is also a gem: they have delicious gourmet pizza and sandwiches and homemade sorbet.
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by katie* on May 1, 2005

P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center
2225 Jackson Ave Queens, New York 11101
+1 718 784 2084

The UCB theater in Chelsea is a great place to watch some improv comedy. You might remember the popular "Upright Citizens Brigade" TV show from Comedy Central. Those performers went on to start this theater as a showcase for other emerging improv performers. Tickets range from free to $10 - check out the website, ucbtheatre.com, to find shows and reserve tickets via email. My personal favorite troupe is "The Swarm," who perform Friday nights. You might also check out one of UCB Theater's "Cage Matches" - two improv troupes battling it out. UCB Theatre serves cheap beer and sodas, and there are plenty of cheap places to grab a bite nearby.
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by katie* on May 1, 2005

Upright Citizens Brigade Theater
161 West 22nd St New York, New York 10011
+1 212 366 9176

Even though it's only steps from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Neue Galerie is blissfully uncrowded. This is a very small museum, but every item in the collection is carefully selected and beautifully presented. The museum showcases German and Austrian painting, drawing, and design. The clocks and glassware especially are really cool. This museum isn't really a bargain destination - students/senior $7, regular admission $10 - but it's definitely an oasis on the Museum Mile.
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by katie* on May 1, 2005

Neue Galerie
1048 Fifth Avenue New York, New York 10028
(212) 628-6200

Bronx Zoo

Activity

A zoo? Yes, a zoo. The Bronx Zoo isn't just any zoo - it sprawls out over more than 265 acres, and there are more than 4,000 animals to gape at during your visit. Because of its size and approach to creating natural environments for the animals, the Bronx Zoo feels a lot more like a wildlife preserve than a city zoo. The vast size also thins out the already small crowd of zoogoers - be careful on Wednesdays, though, when admission to the zoo is free. The food available at the zoo isn't very good - typical fast-food hotdogs, chicken sandwiches, and hamburgers - so I suggest bringing a picnic lunch, as there are plenty of places to sit and enjoy one.
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by katie* on May 1, 2005

Bronx Zoo
Bronx River Parkway New York, New York 10460
(718) 367-1010

Pearl River

Activity

Pearl River is in SoHo, just on the fringe of NYC's Chinatown. The store is huge - three floors! - each filled with pottery, tea, clothing, and other curiosities from China. You could buy an elaborate set of dishes for several hundred dollars or an embroidered silk change purse for $3.
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by katie* on May 1, 2005

Pearl River Mart
477 Broadway New York, New York 10013
+1 212 431 4770

Barge Music

Activity

Want to listen to Mozart or Chopin at dusk on a barge in the East River? Yes? Barge Music is for you. Although the concerts are pricey, the venue is very romantic indeed. Walking around the Fulton Ferry Landing and Fulton Mall can also be a relaxing experience.
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by katie* on May 1, 2005

Barge Music
Fulton Ferry Landing New York, New York

Baggot Inn

Activity

The Baggot Inn is a nice Irish pub in Greenwich Village with cheap beer and good live music. There are covers for some of the weekend performances, but the best night to go is Wednesday for live bluegrass music.
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by katie* on May 1, 2005

Baggot Inn
82 West 3rd Street New York, New York
(212) 477-0622

Cloisters

Activity

The Cloisters in upper Manhattan is a branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The museum is actually a cluster of four reconstructed monastic cloisters housing a large collection of medieval tapestries, statues, religious artifacts, and paintings. Another highlight is the gardens! Each cloister has its own garden, planted true to records of monastery gardens in the Middle Ages. If you really want to save money, you can visit The Cloisters and The Met on the same day, as your ticket covers both ($12 adults, $9 seniors/students). It's easy to make a day trip out of The Cloisters; however, as Fort Tryon park itself is very relaxing, with fantastic gardens and views of the George Washington Bridge.
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by katie* on May 1, 2005

Cloisters
Fort Tyron Park New York, New York 10040
(212) 923-3700

Jackson Heights

Experience

Jackson Heights is a neighborhood in Queens, but in some sense, it's the true crossroads of New York. Although the neighborhood is best known for its fabulous Indian restaurants and markets, the neighborhood has more ethnic diversity than perhaps any other in the five boroughs. Whether you come to eat, shop, or look around, Jackson Heights is a low-budget adventure. The best known of the Indian restaurants is Jackson Diner at 37-47 74th St., but most people prefer to duck into one of the smaller places nearby.

About the Writer

katie*
katie*
Brooklyn, New York

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