What's your favorite New York neighborhood?

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Permalink Reply by John Rolf Jordan on May 21, 2009 at 10:28pm

I would have to say my most memorable and favorite experience associated with NYC would be Christmas about two years ago. It was cool and the streets were lit up along with Rockefeller Center, of course. My girlfriend and my family had just finished a wonderful dinner at Tavern on the Green when we separated ways. My girlfriend and I snuggled up together under a blanket as the horse drawn carriage meandered through Central Park. Under my earlier request the horse and driver stopped not far from John Lennon's Strawberry Fields, the NYC skyline was towering over the branches of the reaching trees, and I dropped to my knee to tell her that I wanted to serve and love her for the rest of my life as my wife. A homeless man shuffled by in attendance as she said, "Yes." Ah, memories.

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Permalink Reply by Taylor Martin on May 21, 2009 at 10:31pm

I got to perform Off-Broadway at the Greenwich Village theatre where The Fantasticks ran for nearly 40 years. It was a good night as I found a legal parking place right in front of the theatre. The show is called Monday Night Magic and it, along with Magic Chicago, inspired my show Indy Magic Monthly. The audience included my parents and it was the only time my Mom got to see me perform as my alter ego, Andrea Merlyn. People helped me bring in my equipment and costumes and the show was sold out. I bought a pretzel for dinner from a street vendor and had a dirty water hotdog afterwards. I do so love NYC and haven't been there since 9/11. I need to get back.

Tayor Martin

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Permalink Reply by benjamintraub on May 21, 2009 at 10:33pm

getting mugged, in manhattan, at age 9.
best city on the planet. really.

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Permalink Reply by Kelly Thrasher on May 21, 2009 at 10:34pm

Being in New York at Christmas time with all the lights and decorations. My husband proposed in Central Park...
so yes, New York is kind of Special to me too. It is a very vibrant city! I am amazed that on Christmas day how many stores were open.

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Permalink Reply by Matt Nettleton on May 21, 2009 at 10:38pm

Top 3 NYC experiences 3) nice afternoon drinking beer and tossing a Frisbee on the steps of Low Library 2) the end of semester afternoon bender at McSorleys and number 1) carrying the goalposts back from Baker Field after a huge upset win versus Princeton

Obviously I am a fan of the Upper West Side Morningside Heights area.

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Permalink Reply by Jack Pincus on May 21, 2009 at 10:44pm

You've got my attention. I was born, raised and educated in New York. There are so many great neighborhoods in all of the boroughs. However, theLower East Side stands out for me. It has been and continues to be the first place in New York that the different waves of immigrants lived. These are the people who make New York what it is.

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Permalink Reply by Darrell Day on May 21, 2009 at 10:51pm

Before I was a composer, I studied opera and sang until age 35 or so. At age 27, I went to New York to visit a friend. As an opera singer, I had planned to make it to New York at SOME point in my life so I guess that 1984 was my time. My first day in New York, I HAD to visit the Metropolitan Opera. It is an ABSOLUTE MUST for singers. I walked into the lobby and was overwhelmed by the atmosphere of the whole place. I saw a female employee walking by and asked her if, by chance, there might be a job available. She said "I don't know, but let's go find out." Thirty minutes later, I am a new employee at the Met and have to call my parents to send my things! A side note to this: two months later, I auditioned for the Met Chorus and was taken aside by the director after I sang. He asked me if I was studying with anyone in New York. I told him I was new and hadn't found a teacher yet. He offered to teach me for free! And did...

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Permalink Reply by Ken Christie on May 21, 2009 at 10:53pm

There are many to choose from - these come to mind:
- running the first major trade show at the Jacob Javits Center after organized crime had been 'removed' by Pataki (the 'average' crime level of the former locals was manslaughter and above!)
- staying in a high-rise 'bed and breakfast' on the upper West Side
- catching any original cast in a Broadway show - especially if TKTS had good seats
- ordering a Mel Brooks at the Stage Deli
- experiencing the top level of The Top of the Rock with 60 mile per hour winds
- getting the full experience at Katz
- shopping the Virgin superstore
- favorite neighborhood? Little Italy (so far)
- getting mugged - and catching the mugger in the act (I gulped, he ran, luckily)

I have taken a 'Dad and daughter' only long weekend trip with each of my daughters for their 13th birthday, with the first two choosing NYC. For my oldest, the favorite moments were visiting Dylan's Candy Bar, and just walking the streets with her. With my middle daughter - seeing her first Broadway show knowing that's where she wants to be one day, and watching her ice skate at Rockefeller Plaza.

Time for another trip soon....

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Permalink Reply by Stacie Lee Peterson on May 21, 2009 at 10:54pm

Thanks for the great question which brings back fond memories of the years I lived in NYC...there are too many neighborhoods and experiences but one in particular, a food experience is worth mentioning. One of my favorite restaurants is Chanterelle and one evening I had the pleasure of sitting next to the table of Christopher Reeve and Robin Williams. Christopher had just started going out in public in his wheel chair after his accident. He said hello to my table and apologized for his wheel chair and its size and Robin Williams joked "Size doesn't matter". We ended up having a wonderful dialogue between our tables and ended the evening going to an old speak easy pub. Chanterelle is on Harrison Street at the corner of Hudson in lower Manhattan between Tribeca and Greenwich Village. The closest thing in Indy for restaurants, for me, is L'Explorateur and Elements (both of which have closed their doors) - still working on finding the hidden speak easy!

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Permalink Reply by Beth King on May 21, 2009 at 11:01pm

I love Broadway and shopping. And nothing in Indy compares to either. That's really too bad!

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Permalink Reply by Connie Zeigler on May 21, 2009 at 11:05pm

Love the Village. Also mid-century modern shopping in Tribeca.

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Permalink Reply by PK Koduri on May 21, 2009 at 11:09pm

Does an Airport qualify? August 12th, 1997 (The day landed in the US) - flying into JFK from Mumbai (Bombay) and the first thing I see are two 6 feet plus tall NYC cops - I was excited and terrified. Glad I made NYC my first port of entry. Haven't been back since then but would love to sometime this year.

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