Jade Spilka is a former Lumination staffer now living and working in New York City. She is completing her final semester away and will graduate from Lipscomb in May.
The Lipscomb Bisons are making their way to The World’s Most Famous Arena, Madison Square Garden in New York City for NIT semifinals. At least 400 Lipscomb fans are expected to be in New York to support the team this week.
With all the options for activities in the city, here are some favorites among locals and frequent tourists:
Where to Eat:
A Salt & Battery
112 Greenwich Ave., New York, NY 10011
Located in the charming Greenwich Village, A Salt & Battery is a fish and chips shop run by Brits and visited by many Lower Manhattan residents.
The affordable spot is considered to be the best fish and chips restaurant in the United States by The Daily Meal.
The space, however, does not have a large seating area so it’s best to stick to small groups when planning a trip there.
Big Gay Ice Cream
125 East 7th St., New York, NY 10009
207 Front St., New York, NY 10038
61 Grove St., New York, NY 10014
Home to the best soft serve in New York City, Big Gay Ice Cream is a happy and vibrant shop packed with tourists. The Instagramable desserts offered at Big Gay Ice Cream are not only cute, but also extremely well reviewed by critics in the city.
If you plan on visiting A Salt & Battery, consider stopping by Big Gay’s nearby Greenwich location for dessert.
Ladurée
864 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10021
398 West Broadway, New York, NY 10012
1 West 59th St., New York, NY 10019
Ladurée, a French luxury bakery with three locations throughout the city, is credited with having the best macarons in the world.
Each bakery location is decorated with beautiful interiors and often filled with French servers and cashiers.
The pastel colored shop includes gift options to purchase for friends and family as well.
Tavern on the Green
Central Park, West 67th St., New York, NY 10023
Located beside a walkway in Central Park is Tavern on the Green, an upscale American cuisine restaurant that’s perfect for a special occasion or night of celebrating. With both indoor and outdoor seating, the restaurant offers a variety of different experiences. Tavern is a great place to seemingly step out of the city and escape the noise for a few hours.
What to See:
Oklahoma!
1633 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
Oklahoma!, the best reviewed show of the season, is currently in previews at Circle in the Square Theatre. The Broadway musical, being referred to as “not your grandmother’s Oklahoma!,” is a reimagined version of Rodger’s and Hammerstein’s classic work.
The show offers onstage seating and free food at intermission, both rarities in the New York theatre scene.
Wicked
222 West 51st St., New York, NY 10019
Broadway’s biggest hit, Wicked, is a must-see for first-time tourists. The show is often many individuals introduction to New York theatre. Since its opening in 2003, the production has done over 50,000 shows in New York alone.
Mrs. Murray’s Menagerie
511 West 54th St., New York, NY 10019
For someone who may not prefer a Broadway show, Ars Nova is a quaint, offbeat theatre in Greenwich Village. Their current production is the experimental play, Mrs. Murray’s Menagerie. The small theatre offers an intimate setting with content that can truly only be found in New York.
Where to Explore:
DUMBO, Brooklyn
DUMBO stands for “down under the Manhattan Bridge overpass.” The charming seaside neighborhood is nestled between the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridge and is a quiet contrast to the busy city. DUMBO is the best place in all five boroughs to take pictures because of the excellent view of the Manhattan skyline from the water.
Times Square
The most popular attraction in New York is Times Square, home to Broadway shows and a multitude of famous restaurants. Stop in Carlo’s Bakery, of Cake Boss fame, take pictures amidst the giant skyscrapers and hop into a local 99 cent pizza joint. There are also many fun museums to stop in like Madame Tussauds New York and Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Times Square.
Helpful Things to Know:
Transportation
Only get in cars you have verified to be Ubers, Lyfts or taxis. Many fake car services exist to exploit money and in more extreme cases, kidnapping has occurred. Stay away from car services like Carmel Car Service that has had multiple reported attempted kidnappings. When catching a ride in an Uber or Lyft, check the license plate and be sure to ask the driver the name of the person they are supposed to be picking up before getting into the car. For alternative transportation, the subway systems are easy to navigate using Google Maps or City Mapper. Maps of the subway lines are also posted within the stations.
Broadway Shows
Broadway for Broke People and Today Tix are great resources for finding the cheapest tickets possible. Broadway for Broke People provides all the information on standing room only, general rush, digital rush and lottery tickets, while Today Tix offers discounted ticket prices. If you are sensitive to strobe lights or gunshots, check with the theatre to ask if the production includes either before purchasing tickets. Many current productions include one of the two.
Expenses
Be prepared for everything to be a lot more expensive than usual. Anything that you can bring with you to keep from having to purchase in the city will not be in vain. Websites like The Skint provide roundups of free or cheap events throughout New York. There are a lot of free ways to stay entertained, but it does take some research to find them.
Photo by Jade Spilka, Danielle Parhizkaran, Paula Court, the Mad Ones.