{ "version": "https://jsonfeed.org/version/1.1", "user_comment": "This feed allows you to read the posts from this site in any feed reader that supports the JSON Feed format. To add this feed to your reader, copy the following URL -- https://becomeanewyorker.com/feed/json -- and add it your reader.", "home_page_url": "https://becomeanewyorker.com", "feed_url": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/feed/json", "language": "en-US", "title": "Become A New Yorker", "description": "Get here. Get settled. Get around.", "icon": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/cropped-favicon.png", "items": [ { "id": "http://becomeanewyorker.com/?p=2575", "url": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/a-weekend-guide-to-grown-up-south-brooklyn/", "title": "A Weekend Guide to Grown Up South Brooklyn", "content_html": "\n
When I was relocating from my home in Manhattan’s midtown east neighborhood of Sutton Place, I was eager to be among the young who were absent from my old-timer part of town. And so I looked to Brooklyn\u2014the apparent Logan’s Run of New York City.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIt’s not all bowties and handlebar mustaches as the ever popular Williamsburg may have you to believe. There’s also trendy “Grown Up” South Brooklyn. This includes the area from DUMBO south to Red Hook, and Brooklyn Heights/Cobble Hill east to Park Slope. As gentrification persists the expanse between downtown Brooklyn and Williamsburg contracts like a reversed Big Bang.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSouth Brooklyn is replete with cocktail bars and eateries including the Michelin starred La Vara and Take Root, and emporiums with antiques for the home as well as haberdasheries reminiscent of those on far away Madison Avenue. This part of Brooklyn has the sophistication and glamour of the Upper East Side, charming historic neighborhoods full of old carriage houses and brownstones with a low key, organic-minded Brooklyn sensibility though with slightly more strollers in bars than its Williamsburg counterpart.
\n\n\n\nLadies and gents, here is your guide to a weekend through South Brooklyn.
\n\n\n\nYou’ve just ridden the F train all the way across Manhattan to the Bergen Street stop; or you’ve skipped the traffic after work and spent the $23+ taxi right to Atlantic Avenue. Once the Brooklynites convert you from a Manhattanite\u2014you will start to hail cabs much less.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPhoto credit: Chez Moi Instagram
\n\n\n\nStart the evening at Chez Moi, an authentic French restaurant with perfectly dim lighting and the best moule frites this side of the East River. Skip the Bordeaux, or at least postpone it for your second drink, and try one of their well crafted cocktails. Grab stools at the bar to sneak in some people watching, tr\u00e8s fran\u00e7ais.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWalk a few blocks into Boerum Hill for an after dinner drink at the Brooklyn Inn. This gorgeous, high ceilinged German bar from the 1870s was imported and placed on the corner of Bergen and Hoyt. It’s simple bar menu \u2014 a great place to switch to your after dinner liquor.
\n\n\n\nGrab your morning coffee at Ted & Honey and bring it to sit in the quaintest of parks \u2014 Cobble Hill Park. Sit among well manicured tulips and a shaded row of green and pink carriage houses or stroll the Warren Place Mews. Or head over to Bien Cuit for freshly made croissant and sit in their alluring backyard.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFor brunch, head over to Alma in Columbia Heights and ask for rooftop seating. There are heat lamps setup for the colder months. Take in one of Brooklyn’s most epic views of Manhattan over a delicious Mexican menu with a jalape\u00f1o margarita to liven the most important meal of the day. If the francophile in you is still hankering for more, head to Bar Tabac for authentic eggs Norwegian among soccer fans and daytime jazz.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNow that you’ve tasted the delight of being well fed Brooklynite, take a stroll along Smith and Court Streets, the central veins of Cobble Hill. Stop in By Brooklyn for locally made crafts or the familiar and chic Rag & Bone, Steven Alan or Jacadi which have been swiftly dotting the neighborhood. Stroll Atlantic for the many home goods stores or unique shops like Horseman Antiques and Hatchet Outdoor Supply.
\n\n\n\nBe sure to check the listings at BAM to enjoy a late afternoon performance or indie flick. Or take the 30 minute stroll along the water to Red Hook where lobster, crab beautiful bicycles and key lime pie await.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNow the evening is approaching and you’re likely ready to imbibe a libation and start to thinking about dinner.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nStop for a drink at Congress or June on your walk over to Columbia Heights. Or for a trip to the local watering hole, grab a seat outside or prop up at the bar and watch your favorite team at Strong Place over wine or beer and fried chickpeas. For dinner, grab a table at Petite Crevette for some of the best seafood this side of France.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIf you’re still up to party head south to Sunny’s or the Brooklyn Ice House in Red Hook, north to Long Island Bar or east to the huge backyard at Lavender Lake to keep the fun going.
\n\n\n\nHead to Iris Caf\u00e9 for brunch, my personal favorite is the avocado toast with poached eggs and then stroll idyllic Brooklyn Heights and DUMBO Bridge Park.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBefore heading back to whereabouts you came, in the afternoon find yourself at Henry Public to listen to live jazz and blues over artisanal cocktail.
\n\n\n\n\n", "content_text": "When I was relocating from my home in Manhattan’s midtown east neighborhood of Sutton Place, I was eager to be among the young who were absent from my old-timer part of town. And so I looked to Brooklyn\u2014the apparent Logan’s Run of New York City.\n\n\n\nCredit: Dakota Arkin\n\n\n\nIt’s not all bowties and handlebar mustaches as the ever popular Williamsburg may have you to believe. There’s also trendy “Grown Up” South Brooklyn. This includes the area from DUMBO south to Red Hook, and Brooklyn Heights/Cobble Hill east to Park Slope. As gentrification persists the expanse between downtown Brooklyn and Williamsburg contracts like a reversed Big Bang.\n\n\n\nPhoto credit: Dakota Arkin\n\n\n\nSouth Brooklyn is replete with cocktail bars and eateries including the Michelin starred La Vara and Take Root, and emporiums with antiques for the home as well as haberdasheries reminiscent of those on far away Madison Avenue. This part of Brooklyn has the sophistication and glamour of the Upper East Side, charming historic neighborhoods full of old carriage houses and brownstones with a low key, organic-minded Brooklyn sensibility though with slightly more strollers in bars than its Williamsburg counterpart.\n\n\n\nLadies and gents, here is your guide to a weekend through South Brooklyn.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nA Quick Sponsor Ad:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFriday\n\n\n\nYou’ve just ridden the F train all the way across Manhattan to the Bergen Street stop; or you’ve skipped the traffic after work and spent the $23+ taxi right to Atlantic Avenue. Once the Brooklynites convert you from a Manhattanite\u2014you will start to hail cabs much less.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPhoto credit: Chez Moi Instagram\n\n\n\nStart the evening at Chez Moi, an authentic French restaurant with perfectly dim lighting and the best moule frites this side of the East River. Skip the Bordeaux, or at least postpone it for your second drink, and try one of their well crafted cocktails. Grab stools at the bar to sneak in some people watching, tr\u00e8s fran\u00e7ais.\n\n\n\nPhoto credit: NY Mag\n\n\n\nWalk a few blocks into Boerum Hill for an after dinner drink at the Brooklyn Inn. This gorgeous, high ceilinged German bar from the 1870s was imported and placed on the corner of Bergen and Hoyt. It’s simple bar menu \u2014 a great place to switch to your after dinner liquor.\n\n\n\nSaturday\n\n\n\nPhoto: Malcolm Brown\n\n\n\nGrab your morning coffee at Ted & Honey and bring it to sit in the quaintest of parks \u2014 Cobble Hill Park. Sit among well manicured tulips and a shaded row of green and pink carriage houses or stroll the Warren Place Mews. Or head over to Bien Cuit for freshly made croissant and sit in their alluring backyard.\n\n\n\nPhoto credit: Bien Cuit\n\n\n\nFor brunch, head over to Alma in Columbia Heights and ask for rooftop seating. There are heat lamps setup for the colder months. Take in one of Brooklyn’s most epic views of Manhattan over a delicious Mexican menu with a jalape\u00f1o margarita to liven the most important meal of the day. If the francophile in you is still hankering for more, head to Bar Tabac for authentic eggs Norwegian among soccer fans and daytime jazz.\n\n\n\nPhoto credit: By Brooklyn\n\n\n\nNow that you’ve tasted the delight of being well fed Brooklynite, take a stroll along Smith and Court Streets, the central veins of Cobble Hill. Stop in By Brooklyn for locally made crafts or the familiar and chic Rag & Bone, Steven Alan or Jacadi which have been swiftly dotting the neighborhood. Stroll Atlantic for the many home goods stores or unique shops like Horseman Antiques and Hatchet Outdoor Supply.\n\n\n\nBe sure to check the listings at BAM to enjoy a late afternoon performance or indie flick. Or take the 30 minute stroll along the water to Red Hook where lobster, crab beautiful bicycles and key lime pie await.\n\n\n\nPhoto credit: Papillionaire\n\n\n\nNow the evening is approaching and you’re likely ready to imbibe a libation and start to thinking about dinner.\n\n\n\nPhoto credit: June Wine Bar\n\n\n\nStop for a drink at Congress or June on your walk over to Columbia Heights. Or for a trip to the local watering hole, grab a seat outside or prop up at the bar and watch your favorite team at Strong Place over wine or beer and fried chickpeas. For dinner, grab a table at Petite Crevette for some of the best seafood this side of France.\n\n\n\nPhoto credit: Craig Cavallo\n\n\n\nIf you’re still up to party head south to Sunny’s or the Brooklyn Ice House in Red Hook, north to Long Island Bar or east to the huge backyard at Lavender Lake to keep the fun going.\n\n\n\nSunday\n\n\n\nHead to Iris Caf\u00e9 for brunch, my personal favorite is the avocado toast with poached eggs and then stroll idyllic Brooklyn Heights and DUMBO Bridge Park.\n\n\n\nPhoto credit: Brooklyn Heights Blog\n\n\n\nBefore heading back to whereabouts you came, in the afternoon find yourself at Henry Public to listen to live jazz and blues over artisanal cocktail.\n\n\n\nPhoto credit: Dakota Arkin", "date_published": "2015-11-01T18:00:54-05:00", "date_modified": "2020-01-27T18:40:05-05:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Dakota Arkin", "url": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/author/dakotaarkin/", "avatar": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/19.jpg" } ], "author": { "name": "Dakota Arkin", "url": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/author/dakotaarkin/", "avatar": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/19.jpg" }, "image": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/josh-wilburne-rdJXlCdRVaQ-unsplash.jpg", "tags": [ "Alma", "Bar Tabac", "Bien Cuit", "Brooklyn", "Brooklyn Crab", "Brooklyn Heights", "Brooklyn Ice House", "Brooklyn Inn", "By Brooklyn", "Chez Moi", "Cobble Hill", "Cobble Hill Park", "Congress", "Drink", "DUMBO", "DUMBO Bridge Park", "Eat", "Hatchet Outdoor Supply", "Henry Public", "Horseman Antiques", "Iris Caf\u00e9", "June", "Key Lime Pie", "Lavendar Lake", "Long Island Bar", "Papillionaire", "Petite Crevette", "Red Hook", "Red Hook Lobster Pound", "Shop", "Steve's Authentic", "Sunny's", "Ted & Honey", "Weekend", "Wythe", "Eating Out", "Shopping" ] }, { "id": "http://becomeanewyorker.com/?p=1351", "url": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/broadway-tickets-get-em-cheap/", "title": "Broadway Tickets: Get \u2018Em Cheap", "content_html": "\nOne of the must-do activities in New York, whether you\u2019re visiting or living locally, is attending live theatre. This is where the best of the best work – and a Broadway run is where it\u2019s at.
\n\n\n\nSo, how does one get an affordable ticket to a show? With prices ranging from $25 to $400 for the primo seats, it can be a bit daunting. With that, here are some easy tips to help you find the cheap, but still awesome, seats.
\n\n\n\nThe most popular is the Tickets Booths, called TKTS. At any given time they offer approximately 50 shows at a discount and change what shows they offer every day. There are three locations: Times Square, Downtown Brooklyn and the South Street Seaport. Each booth offers something different and each has their advantages. The Times Square sells tickets for same-day evening performances. Brooklyn sells evening performances and for matinees next day. And as of this article being published, the South Street location is closed due to damage sustained during Hurricane Sandy. In general, there are significantly longer lines at the Times Square location, so if you can make it to Brooklyn you very well might say yourself 30 minutes or more in a line.
\n\n\n\nShow tickets can be discounted from 20 to 50 percent off, but as there is usually a bit of a wait, be prepared. Also, TKTS take most major credit cards, but you should be advised that some Off Broadway shows will only accept cash. All of this information is available on their website. There is also a nifty app for smart phones (which I highly recommend) that let you know what shows are available each day.
\n\n\n\nBonus tip: if you are a student, theatre professional, clergy, teacher, active military or over 65, you can become a member of the Theatre Development Fund which runs TKTS. \u00a0It costs $30/ year but it gets you even steeper discounts for tickets offered by TKTS as well as access to some cool events and access to some off-Broadway shows for as little as $9.
\n\n\n\nThere are some shows on Broadway that offer standing room tickets. You are usually at the back of the house on the ground floor- and yes, you will be standing for the entire show. One show that notably does this is Book of Mormon – one of the most expensive and sought after tickets at the moment. Standing room tickets go on sale for most shows 1 hour before curtain, but people line up long before that for some (such as Book of Mormon). This type of ticket is harder to come by than a standard theatre ticket and require some research on your part. You usually have to visit a shows website to get information regarding standing room options.
\n\n\n\nThis is sort of a BINGO type situation. Some shows will do a drawing prior to the start of the show. You write your name on a piece of paper and the theatre pulls names out. Newsies and Book of Mormon are examples of shows that have done this. Show up to the Theatre two and a half hours before curtain and enter your name. Names are drawn 2 hours prior and there is usually a two ticket per person limit. Some houses require cash only; others will take credit card, so make sure you check the website of the show you want to attend for all the rules.
\n\n\n\nSome of these Broadway houses are HUGE. As a result, there are literally nosebleed sections. You know- the back of a Theatre, 3rd balcony with thinner air. Luckily, these theatres were also constructed with acoustics in mind- so even if you can barely see what\u2019s going on, you can usually hear it pretty well. For example, Phantom of the Opera offers rear mezzanine seats starting at $27. A pretty good deal if you ask me, as often on a weekday you may be one of a handful of people up there. Again – check the show website and see what they offer.
\n\n\n\nTickets are a hot commodity in NYC. A lot of shows, especially if they\u2019re new or if they\u2019ve just won awards, will not have discount tickets. If you want to see a show badly enough, you may end up paying full price for a ticket. That being said- do NOT buy tickets off of someone on the street. Fraudulent tickets are a serious problem and if you find yourself with fakes, they will NOT be honored. So the guy on the corner that says he has the hottest, cheapest tickets for that show you are just dying to see? Don\u2019t do it. Good rule of thumb: If it sounds too good to be true it probably is.
\n\n\n\nRemember, to get these deals, it will require a sacrifice of your time – standing in line, with no guarantee of getting the ticket that you want. So always have a backup plan. Make sure you have 2 or 3 shows you want to see when in line at the TKTS booth. If you don\u2019t get that standing room ticket at Mormon, pop over to Phantom and buy a cheap seat. There is so much good theatre in town; there is always something to see.
\n", "content_text": "One of the must-do activities in New York, whether you\u2019re visiting or living locally, is attending live theatre. This is where the best of the best work – and a Broadway run is where it\u2019s at.\n\n\n\nSo, how does one get an affordable ticket to a show? With prices ranging from $25 to $400 for the primo seats, it can be a bit daunting. With that, here are some easy tips to help you find the cheap, but still awesome, seats.\n\n\n\nTKTS Ticket booths\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe most popular is the Tickets Booths, called TKTS. At any given time they offer approximately 50 shows at a discount and change what shows they offer every day. There are three locations: Times Square, Downtown Brooklyn and the South Street Seaport. Each booth offers something different and each has their advantages. The Times Square sells tickets for same-day evening performances. Brooklyn sells evening performances and for matinees next day. And as of this article being published, the South Street location is closed due to damage sustained during Hurricane Sandy. In general, there are significantly longer lines at the Times Square location, so if you can make it to Brooklyn you very well might say yourself 30 minutes or more in a line.\n\n\n\nShow tickets can be discounted from 20 to 50 percent off, but as there is usually a bit of a wait, be prepared. Also, TKTS take most major credit cards, but you should be advised that some Off Broadway shows will only accept cash. All of this information is available on their website. There is also a nifty app for smart phones (which I highly recommend) that let you know what shows are available each day.\n\n\n\nBonus tip: if you are a student, theatre professional, clergy, teacher, active military or over 65, you can become a member of the Theatre Development Fund which runs TKTS. \u00a0It costs $30/ year but it gets you even steeper discounts for tickets offered by TKTS as well as access to some cool events and access to some off-Broadway shows for as little as $9.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nA Quick Sponsor Ad:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nStanding Room Tickets\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThere are some shows on Broadway that offer standing room tickets. You are usually at the back of the house on the ground floor- and yes, you will be standing for the entire show. One show that notably does this is Book of Mormon – one of the most expensive and sought after tickets at the moment. Standing room tickets go on sale for most shows 1 hour before curtain, but people line up long before that for some (such as Book of Mormon). This type of ticket is harder to come by than a standard theatre ticket and require some research on your part. You usually have to visit a shows website to get information regarding standing room options.\n\n\n\nLottery Tickets\n\n\n\nThis is sort of a BINGO type situation. Some shows will do a drawing prior to the start of the show. You write your name on a piece of paper and the theatre pulls names out. Newsies and Book of Mormon are examples of shows that have done this. Show up to the Theatre two and a half hours before curtain and enter your name. Names are drawn 2 hours prior and there is usually a two ticket per person limit. Some houses require cash only; others will take credit card, so make sure you check the website of the show you want to attend for all the rules.\n\n\n\nCheap Seats\n\n\n\nSome of these Broadway houses are HUGE. As a result, there are literally nosebleed sections. You know- the back of a Theatre, 3rd balcony with thinner air. Luckily, these theatres were also constructed with acoustics in mind- so even if you can barely see what\u2019s going on, you can usually hear it pretty well. For example, Phantom of the Opera offers rear mezzanine seats starting at $27. A pretty good deal if you ask me, as often on a weekday you may be one of a handful of people up there. Again – check the show website and see what they offer.\n\n\n\nA Word of Warning\n\n\n\nTickets are a hot commodity in NYC. A lot of shows, especially if they\u2019re new or if they\u2019ve just won awards, will not have discount tickets. If you want to see a show badly enough, you may end up paying full price for a ticket. That being said- do NOT buy tickets off of someone on the street. Fraudulent tickets are a serious problem and if you find yourself with fakes, they will NOT be honored. So the guy on the corner that says he has the hottest, cheapest tickets for that show you are just dying to see? Don\u2019t do it. Good rule of thumb: If it sounds too good to be true it probably is.\n\n\n\nRemember, to get these deals, it will require a sacrifice of your time – standing in line, with no guarantee of getting the ticket that you want. So always have a backup plan. Make sure you have 2 or 3 shows you want to see when in line at the TKTS booth. If you don\u2019t get that standing room ticket at Mormon, pop over to Phantom and buy a cheap seat. There is so much good theatre in town; there is always something to see.", "date_published": "2013-04-10T21:05:14-04:00", "date_modified": "2020-01-27T18:43:05-05:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Brooke Redler", "url": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/author/brooke/", "avatar": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/29.png" } ], "author": { "name": "Brooke Redler", "url": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/author/brooke/", "avatar": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/29.png" }, "image": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/sudan-ouyang-UQuka_ruWxQ-unsplash.jpg", "tags": [ "Broadway", "coupons", "discounts", "entertainment", "shows", "Theatre", "Arts", "Entertainment", "Living in New York", "Technology", "Travel" ], "summary": "Seeing a show on Broadway is a quintessential activity for visitors and residents alike in NY. You don't always have to break your budget to see a good show. Here are some tips on how to do that. " }, { "id": "http://becomeanewyorker.com/?p=970", "url": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/know-your-landmarks-bridges-of-the-east-river/", "title": "Know Your Landmarks: Bridges of the East River", "content_html": "\nOf all the architectural wonders we encounter every day in New York City, some of the most stunning and unique are the various bridges that carry commuters and cabs alike between the boroughs and neighboring states. Each is a unique attribute to the skyline of the city, no matter your perspective. And while anyone can appreciate the occasional drive across one of the seven major bridges, knowing a little bit about each and, of course, being able to identify which is which will help you know the city a little bit more.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPossibly the most iconic span crossing in all of North America, the Brooklyn Bridge is easy to spot – its only competition for recognizability is the Golden Gate on the opposite coast. It is the southernmost bridge on the East river, reaching from Fulton Ferry Landing in Brooklyn over to City Hall in Manhattan. Its span is 1,595.5 feet long (total length is a massive 5,989 ft) and when it opened in 1883 after 13 years of construction it was the biggest, longest, and first in nearly every category. It was the longest suspension bridge, the first suspension bridge built with steel cables, the first bridge to connect to Long Island, the first land connection to Manhattan from the East or West and remains the only stone passenger bridge over the Hudson or East Rivers.
\n\n\n\nThe bridge was designed by John Roebling, a German immigrant, but he died before construction really got underway, so his son lead the effort for a short time until he suffered a severe case of decompression sickness. Decompression sickness was a major source of pain for construction workers on the bridge due to the ‘caissons’ used to drop the main columns into the bedrock. Check out the Wiki entry for caissons to see how they worked… basically an insane death trap by today’s standards. Washington Roebling continued to work remotely on the project and on paper was still the guy in charge, but in fact it was his wife that acted at the go-between for Roebling and his crews in the 11 years that followed. One of the most incredible feats of the bridge’s construction was the stringing of the 4 massive cables. Each 15 inch cable is made up of 5,434 smaller cables, each about the size of a pencil lead, wrapped around one another, allowing a single cable to support up to 11,200 tons. To make these behemoths, over 14 miles of cable was strung across the river and spun into the form you see now.
\n\n\n\nToday, the Brooklyn Bridge serves 120,000 vehicles, 4,000 pedestrians and 2,600 bikes on a daily basis. It is also in the midst of a reconstruction project that will go through 2014 and modernize the entrance/exits on both sides as well as upgrade the aging infrastructure throughout the bridge.
\n\n\n\nGoing upriver from the Brooklyn Bridge, the next major crossing is the Manhattan Bridge. Distinguished by its tall, exposed blue metal arches with 4 blue spheres on each support, it also features a beautiful arch colonnade on the Manhattan side. Opened in 1909 and stretching 1,480 ft over the water with an incredible total length of 6,855 ft, this is the newest of the suspension bridges over the East River. While the story of it’s construction was not quite as dramatic as that of the Brooklyn Bridge, it was designed and built by Leon Moisseiff, one of the leading suspension bridge architects of the 1920s and ’30s. However, his reputation was later ruined by the collapse of what he described as “the most beautiful bridge in the world”: the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. If you have never seen the newsreel footage of that bridge blowing like a sheet in the wind, it is pretty trippy. Hopefully we never see the Manhattan doing the same.
\n\n\n\nThe Williamsburg Bridge was the 2nd bridge to be built over the East River and when it opened in 1903, it took over the Brooklyn Bridge’s record as the world’s longest suspension bridge span, a record it held until 1924, and was actually built by the Roebling Company, the namesake company of the builders of the Brooklyn Bridge. It was also the first suspension bridge to feature all-steel support towers – with a span of 1,600 ft and total length of 7,308 ft, this bridge connects the Lower East Side at Delancey St with Williamsburg in Brooklyn. The impact of connecting these two areas was so profound, the bridge is credited with directly influencing ethnic migration patterns. 1st and 2nd generation Irish and German workers had heavily populated the Williamsburg area, but following the opening of the bridge, many Jewish families moved across from the overcrowded Lower East Side, giving the bridge the temporary nickname of the “Jew’s Bridge.” As a result, many residents of Williamsburg relocated to Queens, giving rise to the Germanic communities that exist there today.
\n\n\n\nThe Williamsburg Bridge is easily distinguished by its extensive trusswork and square frame but in total, it is a bit less imposing than the Manhattan or Brooklyn Bridges. The Williamsburg Bridge does, however, know how to party. When it was completed, the workers for the project celebrated by playing a huge game of capture the flag and 100 years later, the city celebrated the centennial of the opening with a truck-sized birthday cake made by Domino Sugar.
\n\n\n\nIn the late 1980’s the bridge was in such a state of disrepair that it was closed to all traffic for two months in the spring of 1988. After initial repairs, it was reopened and a $1 billion reconstruction project took place from 1991 to 2006. This project was an incredible undertaking because when completed, the bridge had not been “fixed”, but rather “replaced”. Nearly every piece of the bridge had been replaced without ever having completely closed the bridge to vehicular traffic. However, for about 1 week after the September 11 terrorist attacks, the bridge was closed to all traffic except emergency vehicles. Today, the Williamsburg and Manhattan bridges are the only bridges in New York City that continue to support rail and vehicle traffic with the Williamsburg carrying approximately 140,000 vehicles per day.
\n\n\n\nThe Queensboro Bridge, also known as the 59th St Bridge and more recently renamed for former mayor Ed Koch, doesn’t enjoy the same level of fame as it’s neighbors to the south, but as the only major cantilever bridge, it is quite unique and has actually had a few brushes with celebrity. From the Simon and Garfunkle song to the poster of Woody Allen’s Manhattan, most people recognize the bridge without even realizing it. Not only was it the longest cantilever bridge in the United States when it opened in 1909, but it was also designed for heavier loads than any other and had a major impact on traffic patterns. With 10 lanes of traffic on its 2 decks, it allowed for incredibly easy trips between Long Island City and Midtown East, crossing right over Roosevelt Island. (Side note: if you ever drive onto the bride and start to freak out because it feels like you are actually on a bike path sticking off the side of the bridge… it’s just keep going.. might have happened to me once upon a time)
\n\n\n\nToday, this unique span across the East River is the busiest bridge in all of New York City. According to 2009 estimates, over 180,000 vehicles cross from one side to the other an average weekday.
\n\n\n\nRecently renamed the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge, few people in New York realize how incredible the story of this Northern-most commuter bridge really is. Rather than a single stretch of bridge, this behemoth is actually three linked spans accessing Manhattan, The Bronx and Queens (thus its original name) and is the product of one of the biggest initiatives ever undertaken in the history of the city. Mayor Jimmy Walker broke ground on the project in 1929, the day after Black Tuesday began the nation’s decent into the Great Depression, resulting in a tumultuous start to the construction. Funding dried up quickly and due to quixotic politics and competing egos in city government at the time, not much progress was made through 1933 when controversial/legendary New Yorker Robert Moses became interested. He sought to improve access from The Bronx and Westchester to the city parks on Long Island and after realizing how derailed the project really was, lobbied Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia and Governor Al Smith for control of its progress. Funded with the city’s first loan from the new federal Public Works Administration, LaGuardia succeeded in keeping the Tammany Hall political machine out of the project, stating:
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWe are going to build a bridge instead of patronage. We are going to pile up stone and steel instead of expenses. We are going to build a bridge of steel, and spell steel “s-t-e-e-l” instead of “s-t-e-a-l.” The people of the City of New York are going to pay for that bridge, and they are going to pay for it in tolls after its completion.
Once Moses gained control and had the support he needed, progress came quickly, aided by a country literally starving for jobs and industry. This project was far from just a bridge – it dwarfed anything Robert Moses had attempted before and its total cost would be greater than all of them combined. The approach ramps were so big that hundreds of large-scale apartment buildings had to be demolished, the anchorages were comparable in size to pyramids of ancient Egypt, the concrete needed to build them and to pave the road across the bridge (not including the approaches) would be enough to pave a four lane highway from New York to Philadelphia. Just to supply the bridge, entire cement factories reopened from Maine to the Midwest, nearly 50 separate steel mills in Pennsylvania were reignited. All elements considered, this was the single largest traffic project ever undertaken anywhere in the world. By its end, the Triborough project had generated an estimated 31,000,000 man-hours of work in 134 cities in 20 states.
\n\n\n\nToday, the bridge carries over 165,000 vehicles a day and costs $6.50 per car to go between any 2 of the boroughs it serves. In 2010, it was renamed in honor of Robert F. Kennedy though most people you hear will still refer to it as the Triborough (or Triboro… same thing).
\n", "content_text": "Of all the architectural wonders we encounter every day in New York City, some of the most stunning and unique are the various bridges that carry commuters and cabs alike between the boroughs and neighboring states. Each is a unique attribute to the skyline of the city, no matter your perspective. And while anyone can appreciate the occasional drive across one of the seven major bridges, knowing a little bit about each and, of course, being able to identify which is which will help you know the city a little bit more.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBrooklyn Bridge\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPossibly the most iconic span crossing in all of North America, the Brooklyn Bridge is easy to spot – its only competition for recognizability is the Golden Gate on the opposite coast. It is the southernmost bridge on the East river, reaching from Fulton Ferry Landing in Brooklyn over to City Hall in Manhattan. Its span is 1,595.5 feet long (total length is a massive 5,989 ft) and when it opened in 1883 after 13 years of construction it was the biggest, longest, and first in nearly every category. It was the longest suspension bridge, the first suspension bridge built with steel cables, the first bridge to connect to Long Island, the first land connection to Manhattan from the East or West and remains the only stone passenger bridge over the Hudson or East Rivers.\n\n\n\nThe bridge was designed by John Roebling, a German immigrant, but he died before construction really got underway, so his son lead the effort for a short time until he suffered a severe case of decompression sickness. Decompression sickness was a major source of pain for construction workers on the bridge due to the ‘caissons’ used to drop the main columns into the bedrock. Check out the Wiki entry for caissons to see how they worked… basically an insane death trap by today’s standards. Washington Roebling continued to work remotely on the project and on paper was still the guy in charge, but in fact it was his wife that acted at the go-between for Roebling and his crews in the 11 years that followed. One of the most incredible feats of the bridge’s construction was the stringing of the 4 massive cables. Each 15 inch cable is made up of 5,434 smaller cables, each about the size of a pencil lead, wrapped around one another, allowing a single cable to support up to 11,200 tons. To make these behemoths, over 14 miles of cable was strung across the river and spun into the form you see now.\n\n\n\nToday, the Brooklyn Bridge serves 120,000 vehicles, 4,000 pedestrians and 2,600 bikes on a daily basis. It is also in the midst of a reconstruction project that will go through 2014 and modernize the entrance/exits on both sides as well as upgrade the aging infrastructure throughout the bridge.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nA Quick Sponsor Ad:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nManhattan Bridge\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nGoing upriver from the Brooklyn Bridge, the next major crossing is the Manhattan Bridge. Distinguished by its tall, exposed blue metal arches with 4 blue spheres on each support, it also features a beautiful arch colonnade on the Manhattan side. Opened in 1909 and stretching 1,480 ft over the water with an incredible total length of 6,855 ft, this is the newest of the suspension bridges over the East River. While the story of it’s construction was not quite as dramatic as that of the Brooklyn Bridge, it was designed and built by Leon Moisseiff, one of the leading suspension bridge architects of the 1920s and ’30s. However, his reputation was later ruined by the collapse of what he described as “the most beautiful bridge in the world”: the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. If you have never seen the newsreel footage of that bridge blowing like a sheet in the wind, it is pretty trippy. Hopefully we never see the Manhattan doing the same.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nA Quick Sponsor Ad:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWilliamsburg Bridge\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Williamsburg Bridge was the 2nd bridge to be built over the East River and when it opened in 1903, it took over the Brooklyn Bridge’s record as the world’s longest suspension bridge span, a record it held until 1924, and was actually built by the Roebling Company, the namesake company of the builders of the Brooklyn Bridge. It was also the first suspension bridge to feature all-steel support towers – with a span of 1,600 ft and total length of 7,308 ft, this bridge connects the Lower East Side at Delancey St with Williamsburg in Brooklyn. The impact of connecting these two areas was so profound, the bridge is credited with directly influencing ethnic migration patterns. 1st and 2nd generation Irish and German workers had heavily populated the Williamsburg area, but following the opening of the bridge, many Jewish families moved across from the overcrowded Lower East Side, giving the bridge the temporary nickname of the “Jew’s Bridge.” As a result, many residents of Williamsburg relocated to Queens, giving rise to the Germanic communities that exist there today.\n\n\n\nThe Williamsburg Bridge is easily distinguished by its extensive trusswork and square frame but in total, it is a bit less imposing than the Manhattan or Brooklyn Bridges. The Williamsburg Bridge does, however, know how to party. When it was completed, the workers for the project celebrated by playing a huge game of capture the flag and 100 years later, the city celebrated the centennial of the opening with a truck-sized birthday cake made by Domino Sugar.\n\n\n\nIn the late 1980’s the bridge was in such a state of disrepair that it was closed to all traffic for two months in the spring of 1988. After initial repairs, it was reopened and a $1 billion reconstruction project took place from 1991 to 2006. This project was an incredible undertaking because when completed, the bridge had not been “fixed”, but rather “replaced”. Nearly every piece of the bridge had been replaced without ever having completely closed the bridge to vehicular traffic. However, for about 1 week after the September 11 terrorist attacks, the bridge was closed to all traffic except emergency vehicles. Today, the Williamsburg and Manhattan bridges are the only bridges in New York City that continue to support rail and vehicle traffic with the Williamsburg carrying approximately 140,000 vehicles per day.\n\n\n\nQueensboro Bridge (Ed Koch)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Queensboro Bridge, also known as the 59th St Bridge and more recently renamed for former mayor Ed Koch, doesn’t enjoy the same level of fame as it’s neighbors to the south, but as the only major cantilever bridge, it is quite unique and has actually had a few brushes with celebrity. From the Simon and Garfunkle song to the poster of Woody Allen’s Manhattan, most people recognize the bridge without even realizing it. Not only was it the longest cantilever bridge in the United States when it opened in 1909, but it was also designed for heavier loads than any other and had a major impact on traffic patterns. With 10 lanes of traffic on its 2 decks, it allowed for incredibly easy trips between Long Island City and Midtown East, crossing right over Roosevelt Island. (Side note: if you ever drive onto the bride and start to freak out because it feels like you are actually on a bike path sticking off the side of the bridge… it’s just keep going.. might have happened to me once upon a time)\n\n\n\nToday, this unique span across the East River is the busiest bridge in all of New York City. According to 2009 estimates, over 180,000 vehicles cross from one side to the other an average weekday.\n\n\n\n RFK Triborough Bridge\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRecently renamed the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge, few people in New York realize how incredible the story of this Northern-most commuter bridge really is. Rather than a single stretch of bridge, this behemoth is actually three linked spans accessing Manhattan, The Bronx and Queens (thus its original name) and is the product of one of the biggest initiatives ever undertaken in the history of the city. Mayor Jimmy Walker broke ground on the project in 1929, the day after Black Tuesday began the nation’s decent into the Great Depression, resulting in a tumultuous start to the construction. Funding dried up quickly and due to quixotic politics and competing egos in city government at the time, not much progress was made through 1933 when controversial/legendary New Yorker Robert Moses became interested. He sought to improve access from The Bronx and Westchester to the city parks on Long Island and after realizing how derailed the project really was, lobbied Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia and Governor Al Smith for control of its progress. Funded with the city’s first loan from the new federal Public Works Administration, LaGuardia succeeded in keeping the Tammany Hall political machine out of the project, stating:\n\n\n\nWe are going to build a bridge instead of patronage. We are going to pile up stone and steel instead of expenses. We are going to build a bridge of steel, and spell steel “s-t-e-e-l” instead of “s-t-e-a-l.” The people of the City of New York are going to pay for that bridge, and they are going to pay for it in tolls after its completion.\n\n\n\nOnce Moses gained control and had the support he needed, progress came quickly, aided by a country literally starving for jobs and industry. This project was far from just a bridge – it dwarfed anything Robert Moses had attempted before and its total cost would be greater than all of them combined. The approach ramps were so big that hundreds of large-scale apartment buildings had to be demolished, the anchorages were comparable in size to pyramids of ancient Egypt, the concrete needed to build them and to pave the road across the bridge (not including the approaches) would be enough to pave a four lane highway from New York to Philadelphia. Just to supply the bridge, entire cement factories reopened from Maine to the Midwest, nearly 50 separate steel mills in Pennsylvania were reignited. All elements considered, this was the single largest traffic project ever undertaken anywhere in the world. By its end, the Triborough project had generated an estimated 31,000,000 man-hours of work in 134 cities in 20 states.\n\n\n\nToday, the bridge carries over 165,000 vehicles a day and costs $6.50 per car to go between any 2 of the boroughs it serves. In 2010, it was renamed in honor of Robert F. Kennedy though most people you hear will still refer to it as the Triborough (or Triboro… same thing).", "date_published": "2013-03-08T12:10:13-05:00", "date_modified": "2020-01-27T18:44:09-05:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Andrew Cafourek", "url": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/author/acafourek/", "avatar": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/2.jpg" } ], "author": { "name": "Andrew Cafourek", "url": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/author/acafourek/", "avatar": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/2.jpg" }, "image": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/brandon-jacoby-4AKdjpLGHl4-unsplash.jpg", "tags": [ "bridges", "Brooklyn", "Brooklyn Bridge", "fun facts", "manhattan", "Manhattan Bridge", "Queens", "Queensboro Bridge", "RFK Bridge", "transportation", "Williamsburg Bridge", "Landmarks" ] }, { "id": "http://becomeanewyorker.com/?p=1205", "url": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/ice-skating-in-new-york/", "title": "Ice Skating in New York", "content_html": "\nIt seems like every movie from my childhood that was set in a New York winter had at least once shot of people skating on the Rockefeller Ice Rink. It is a New York City tradition to go skating outdoors in the winter, and over time there have been a series of additions to the ice skating scene of New York. Each one of the four outdoor skating options in New York offer their own particular set of benefits and whether it’s price, location or amenities we break down each for you in this quick guide.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAll skating is first come first serve, and as you would expect it gets quite crowded. There are now a bevy of options for different skating packages you can purchase – from an all season pass with a locker to VIP skating with complimentary hot cocoa. Their site allows you to make a lot of decisions.
\n\n\n\nQuickly becoming one of the other classic choices in NYC is the Citi Pond at Bryant Park. With an awesome location right off Times Square and impressive views of the Empire State Building, The Pond is an incredible space to skate. With a host of food and shopping options surrounding the rink itself, this skating locale makes an awesome spot for a date.
\n\n\n\nThe first section of Central Park to open was the Lake and in its first winter, froze over to host the inaugural skaters on the pond. Pretty cool considering the park opened in 1858! Who knows, maybe you’ll skate in the same spot as Abraham Lincoln did when he visited NY in the winter of 1860…
\n\n\n\nThe 60’s were a crazy time in New York, and one product of all that craziness was the construction of the Lasker Pool and Rink. Part of the year it’s a swimming pool, the other part of the year it is a skating rink. Really, what more could you ask for? Lasker is the more affordable of the two rinks in Central Park, but doesn’t lose any of the Central Park charm. It also plays host to a winter hockey league.
\n\n\n\nUnfortunately, the Wollman rink in Prospect Park is still under renovation and won’t be open until at least 2013. You can look for updates on the project here.
\n", "content_text": "It seems like every movie from my childhood that was set in a New York winter had at least once shot of people skating on the Rockefeller Ice Rink. It is a New York City tradition to go skating outdoors in the winter, and over time there have been a series of additions to the ice skating scene of New York. Each one of the four outdoor skating options in New York offer their own particular set of benefits and whether it’s price, location or amenities we break down each for you in this quick guide.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRockefeller – the timeless and still classic choice\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAll skating is first come first serve, and as you would expect it gets quite crowded. There are now a bevy of options for different skating packages you can purchase – from an all season pass with a locker to VIP skating with complimentary hot cocoa. Their site allows you to make a lot of decisions.\n\n\n\nAdmission Fees: Adults $25, Children under 11 and seniors: $15Skate Rental Fee: $10Skate Lessons: $35Hours: Open between 7 AM and Midnight with various half hour closures for Ice ResurfacingLocation: Located between 49th and 50th street on 5th Ave. Closest subways are the B, D and F train at Rockefeller Center 47-50th Street. Map available here.Check the website for The Rink at Rockefeller Center for more info.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nA Quick Sponsor Ad:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Pond at Bryant Park\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nQuickly becoming one of the other classic choices in NYC is the Citi Pond at Bryant Park. With an awesome location right off Times Square and impressive views of the Empire State Building, The Pond is an incredible space to skate. With a host of food and shopping options surrounding the rink itself, this skating locale makes an awesome spot for a date.\n\n\n\nAdmission: FREE (that is so awesome)Skate rental fee: $14Skating lessons: $50 for one person, $65 for group of 2-3, $80 for group of 4-8Hours: Sunday thru Thursday 8 AM-10PM – Friday and Saturday 8 AM-MidnightSeason: October 26, 2012 thru March 3, 2013Location: Located on 42nd street between 5th and 6th avenue. Closest subway is the B/D/F at the 42nd Street Bryant Park stop. Map available here.Check the site for Citi Pond at Bryant Park for more info.\n\n\n\nCentral Park Rink 1 of 2: Wollman Rink\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe first section of Central Park to open was the Lake and in its first winter, froze over to host the inaugural skaters on the pond. Pretty cool considering the park opened in 1858! Who knows, maybe you’ll skate in the same spot as Abraham Lincoln did when he visited NY in the winter of 1860…\n\n\n\nAdmission Fees Monday thru Thursday: Adults $10.75, Children $5.75, Seniors $4.75Admission Fees Friday thru Sunday: Adults $16.00, Children $6, Seniors $8.75Skate Rental Fee: $6.75Hours: Monday & Tuesday 10AM-2:30PM, Wednesday & Thursday 10AM-10PM, Friday 10AM-11PM, Saturday & Sunday 10AM-9PMSeason: November thru MarchLocation: Located slightly inside the park from the 61st street entrance on 5th Ave. Closest subway is the N, Q and R trains stop at 5 Ave/59th Street. Map available here.Check the Central Park website for more information.\n\n\n\nCentral Park Rink 2 of 2: Lasker Rink\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe 60’s were a crazy time in New York, and one product of all that craziness was the construction of the Lasker Pool and Rink. Part of the year it’s a swimming pool, the other part of the year it is a skating rink. Really, what more could you ask for? Lasker is the more affordable of the two rinks in Central Park, but doesn’t lose any of the Central Park charm. It also plays host to a winter hockey league.\n\n\n\nAdmission Fees: Adults $7, Children $4, Seniors $2.25Skate Rental Fee: $6Hours: Monday 10AM-3:45PM, Tuesday 10AM-3:30PM and 8PM-10PM, Wednesday & Thursday 10AM-3:45PM, Friday 10AM-5:15PM, Saturday 7PM-11PM, Sunday 12:30PM-4:30PMSeason: November 2 thru March 13Location: Located between 106th and 108th street on the west side almost half way into the central of the park. Nearest subway the 2 or 3 train’s 110th street stop or the B and C train 110th street stop. Map available here.Check the Lasker Rink website for more information.\n\n\n\nUnfortunately, the Wollman rink in Prospect Park is still under renovation and won’t be open until at least 2013. You can look for updates on the project here.", "date_published": "2012-11-19T08:55:45-05:00", "date_modified": "2020-01-27T18:44:50-05:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Nick Trusty", "url": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/author/nicktrusty/", "avatar": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/4.jpeg" } ], "author": { "name": "Nick Trusty", "url": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/author/nicktrusty/", "avatar": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/4.jpeg" }, "image": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/marc-ruaix-pV9_u0zDk4E-unsplash-scaled.jpg", "tags": [ "Bryant Park", "Central Park", "ice skating", "winter", "BANY Recommends", "Entertainment", "Events", "Holidays", "Living in New York", "Things to Do" ], "summary": "Each one of the four outdoor skating options in New York offer their own particular set of benefits and whether it's price, location or amenities we break down each for you in this quick guide. " }, { "id": "http://becomeanewyorker.com/?p=1059", "url": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/in-search-of-relief/", "title": "In Search of Relief", "content_html": "\nYou find yourself on a crowded curb in Manhattan, waiting for traffic to break and give you safe passage across the street. Suddenly, your abdominal muscles flex and contract. Your bowels rumble, making you hyper aware of your genitals. Disaster has struck; you are in desperate need of a bathroom in the middle of New York City. But fear not dear reader, with any luck this article should assist you in navigating through all future gastrological landmines and deliver you safely to the comfort of bladder and bowel relief.
\n\n\n\nIf you have just moved to New York, you have no doubt been struck by signs proclaiming, \u201cBathrooms are for customers only.\u201d These signs are lies. In their place, one should infer the following, that the bathroom is open to anyone, assuming they\u2019re sober, not homeless and generally normal.
\n\n\n\nIf these exclusionary stipulations don\u2019t apply to you then, when in need of a restroom, simply find the closest restaurant, caf\u00e9 or bar. Ignore any sign the establishment may have, but, to be prudent, the location\u2019s standard attire should not differ too significantly from your current dress. Once inside, cross to the back; nine times out of ten, restrooms are situated in the rear of food and beverage establishments.
\n\n\n\nAs you traverse clusters of crowded tables, scan the room as if searching for an already seated friend. Before reaching the restroom, give a nod of acknowledgement to your phantom friend, wave and point to the restroom. The ultimate goal of this performance is to the give the impression that you plan on joining an already seated patron but need to use the restroom first.
\n\n\n\nAfter you\u2019ve done your business, just leave. If you\u2019re nervous about someone questioning you about your misappropriation of the lavatory, walk out of the bathroom with your cell phone to your ear.
\n\n\n\nI\u2019ve applied this method on a number of occasions to use a customer only facility and have never once been stopped or questioned as to my purpose in the establishment. This method\u2019s success rate should come of no surprise. When you enter a restaurant or caf\u00e9, no one inside has any reason to suspect you of a nefarious intention to misuse the pluming resources. In fact, without significant grounds for suspicion, service industry professionals, working for tips, have a notable motivation to be courteous and helpful.
\n\n\n\nYou may find, as I have, that this performance is almost always unnecessary. Waiters and waitress have busy difficult jobs and don\u2019t care if you use their bathroom\u2014sign or no sign. If a bathroom requires a key, ask for it, but be polite! Proper etiquette on making a request to use the bathroom should have been imparted to you by your parents or teachers shortly after you learned to speak, but, in the event those responsible for your upbringing failed, allow me to provide you with the basic script.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nExcuse me, Sir. May I please use your restroom?
In the event your subject is a female, simply replace Sir with Ma\u2019am.
\n\n\n\nThe body, in many situations, acts as an independent animist, making the random need to use the bathroom a shared part of the human condition. Without a clear means by which to profit off the position, few people, charged with playing gatekeeper to a toilet, will deny a polite request for access submitted by a fellow member of their species suffering from this relatable crisis. If you are denied and told that the restroom is for customers only, don\u2019t be afraid to say please and ask again. From my experience, most key holders will buckle if sufficiently impressed with your need to go.
\n\n\n\nRarely will this method fail at providing you with a place to relieve yourself, but, if you suffer from some form of bladder related social anxiety or are a real stickler for rules, there are a myriad of other options available to you.
\n\n\n\nMany corporate chains throughout New York City provide public restrooms: Starbucks, Barnes and Noble, Borders, Apple. If you have a smart phone, searching Starbucks in Google Maps is one of the fastest ways to find a bathroom. Most major parks, including Washington Square and Central Park, have bathrooms open from dusk till dawn.
\n\n\n\nIn Time Square, if in a time of need, you can typically relieve yourself at the Crowne , Marriot Marquis or on the 3rd floor of the M&M Store. If you\u2019re capable of holding it, and willing to walk, you can always hike over to Port Authority on 8th Avenue. A quick ride on the S train will take you to Grand Central Station, where public restrooms are located on the lower level. During the holiday season, make sure to check out Charmin\u2019s promotional public restroom. Cleaned by an attendant after every use, this toilet stall is likely cleaner than the bathroom in your apartment.
\n\n\n\nDiscovering bathrooms is an inevitable part of making New York City your home. The shortage of usable restrooms, purported by past inhabitants and disgruntled tourists, is a myth. Any New Yorker worth their MetroCard, knows a restroom on almost every block of the neighborhoods they frequent and, if pressed, can find one from Pelham Bay to the Far Rockaways.
\n\n\n\nThis ability is not the result of cataloguing toilets. It is, at its heart, an inevitable byproduct of becoming a New Yorker, of seeing the term New Yorker not as something that separates you from everyone living in the five boroughs, but as the quality that connects you. Across the country, suburban life impresses people with a sense of entitlement to public amenities, like drinking fountains and bathrooms or free parking and affordable housing; in New York City, you are entitled to nothing. Knowing this, you\u2019ll walk faster and speak directly, abstaining from and abhorring anyone who wastes another\u2019s time. You\u2019ll master the language and pace of the greatest city on earth and proudly say, \u201cI am a New Yorker.\u201d
\n", "content_text": "You find yourself on a crowded curb in Manhattan, waiting for traffic to break and give you safe passage across the street. Suddenly, your abdominal muscles flex and contract. Your bowels rumble, making you hyper aware of your genitals. Disaster has struck; you are in desperate need of a bathroom in the middle of New York City. But fear not dear reader, with any luck this article should assist you in navigating through all future gastrological landmines and deliver you safely to the comfort of bladder and bowel relief.\n\n\n\nIf you have just moved to New York, you have no doubt been struck by signs proclaiming, \u201cBathrooms are for customers only.\u201d These signs are lies. In their place, one should infer the following, that the bathroom is open to anyone, assuming they\u2019re sober, not homeless and generally normal.\n\n\n\nIf these exclusionary stipulations don\u2019t apply to you then, when in need of a restroom, simply find the closest restaurant, caf\u00e9 or bar. Ignore any sign the establishment may have, but, to be prudent, the location\u2019s standard attire should not differ too significantly from your current dress. Once inside, cross to the back; nine times out of ten, restrooms are situated in the rear of food and beverage establishments.\n\n\n\nAs you traverse clusters of crowded tables, scan the room as if searching for an already seated friend. Before reaching the restroom, give a nod of acknowledgement to your phantom friend, wave and point to the restroom. The ultimate goal of this performance is to the give the impression that you plan on joining an already seated patron but need to use the restroom first.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nA Quick Sponsor Ad:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAfter you\u2019ve done your business, just leave. If you\u2019re nervous about someone questioning you about your misappropriation of the lavatory, walk out of the bathroom with your cell phone to your ear.\n\n\n\nI\u2019ve applied this method on a number of occasions to use a customer only facility and have never once been stopped or questioned as to my purpose in the establishment. This method\u2019s success rate should come of no surprise. When you enter a restaurant or caf\u00e9, no one inside has any reason to suspect you of a nefarious intention to misuse the pluming resources. In fact, without significant grounds for suspicion, service industry professionals, working for tips, have a notable motivation to be courteous and helpful.\n\n\n\nYou may find, as I have, that this performance is almost always unnecessary. Waiters and waitress have busy difficult jobs and don\u2019t care if you use their bathroom\u2014sign or no sign. If a bathroom requires a key, ask for it, but be polite! Proper etiquette on making a request to use the bathroom should have been imparted to you by your parents or teachers shortly after you learned to speak, but, in the event those responsible for your upbringing failed, allow me to provide you with the basic script.\n\n\n\nExcuse me, Sir. May I please use your restroom?\n\n\n\nIn the event your subject is a female, simply replace Sir with Ma\u2019am.\n\n\n\nThe body, in many situations, acts as an independent animist, making the random need to use the bathroom a shared part of the human condition. Without a clear means by which to profit off the position, few people, charged with playing gatekeeper to a toilet, will deny a polite request for access submitted by a fellow member of their species suffering from this relatable crisis. If you are denied and told that the restroom is for customers only, don\u2019t be afraid to say please and ask again. From my experience, most key holders will buckle if sufficiently impressed with your need to go.\n\n\n\nRarely will this method fail at providing you with a place to relieve yourself, but, if you suffer from some form of bladder related social anxiety or are a real stickler for rules, there are a myriad of other options available to you.\n\n\n\nMany corporate chains throughout New York City provide public restrooms: Starbucks, Barnes and Noble, Borders, Apple. If you have a smart phone, searching Starbucks in Google Maps is one of the fastest ways to find a bathroom. Most major parks, including Washington Square and Central Park, have bathrooms open from dusk till dawn.\n\n\n\nIn Time Square, if in a time of need, you can typically relieve yourself at the Crowne , Marriot Marquis or on the 3rd floor of the M&M Store. If you\u2019re capable of holding it, and willing to walk, you can always hike over to Port Authority on 8th Avenue. A quick ride on the S train will take you to Grand Central Station, where public restrooms are located on the lower level. During the holiday season, make sure to check out Charmin\u2019s promotional public restroom. Cleaned by an attendant after every use, this toilet stall is likely cleaner than the bathroom in your apartment.\n\n\n\nDiscovering bathrooms is an inevitable part of making New York City your home. The shortage of usable restrooms, purported by past inhabitants and disgruntled tourists, is a myth. Any New Yorker worth their MetroCard, knows a restroom on almost every block of the neighborhoods they frequent and, if pressed, can find one from Pelham Bay to the Far Rockaways.\n\n\n\nThis ability is not the result of cataloguing toilets. It is, at its heart, an inevitable byproduct of becoming a New Yorker, of seeing the term New Yorker not as something that separates you from everyone living in the five boroughs, but as the quality that connects you. Across the country, suburban life impresses people with a sense of entitlement to public amenities, like drinking fountains and bathrooms or free parking and affordable housing; in New York City, you are entitled to nothing. Knowing this, you\u2019ll walk faster and speak directly, abstaining from and abhorring anyone who wastes another\u2019s time. You\u2019ll master the language and pace of the greatest city on earth and proudly say, \u201cI am a New Yorker.\u201d", "date_published": "2012-10-24T14:17:33-04:00", "date_modified": "2020-01-27T18:45:28-05:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Bukovac", "url": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/author/mattbukovac/", "avatar": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/13.jpg" } ], "author": { "name": "Matt Bukovac", "url": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/author/mattbukovac/", "avatar": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/13.jpg" }, "image": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/paul-green-gWFXgcH-LeU-unsplash.jpg", "tags": [ "bathrooms", "guides", "how to", "peeing", "Emergencies", "Getting Around", "Living in New York" ] }, { "id": "http://becomeanewyorker.com/?p=751", "url": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/grocery-shopping-in-new-york-city/", "title": "Grocery Shopping in New York City", "content_html": "\nI grew up in the midwest, so the past few years in New York have been quite the life adjustment as I’ve gotten used to smaller spaces, more people, and public transportation. When trying to explain this shift to people back home, I’ve found the best example to be grocery shopping- everyone buys groceries and the difference between shopping in the city and shopping back in Missouri could not be more stark.
\n\n\n\nThe first thing to know about grocery shopping in New York City is that it is expensive. I know it likely comes as a shock that things are far more expensive here, but prepare to spend more on a box of Wheat Thins than you have ever seen. But seriously, buying groceries and making your own dinner/lunch will likely save you a bunch of money rather than eating out twice a day. It may take a little while to get used to making a major investment in food each week rather than simply spending $10 every meal on takeout, but you will be better for it. If you have a roommate and the two of you actually go grocery shopping every week, I think you can plan on spending $100-$150 /wk ($50-75 /person) on groceries and eat comfortably, though there are plenty of people who get by spending far less by being incredibly frugal. Keep in mind, that number is not a ‘food budget’ because it doesn’t include eating out or drinks (both of which will add a fair amount to your costs).
\n\n\n\nSome examples for what you can expect to pay for a few random items (obviously these are all estimates):
\n\n\n\nAfter awhile, you start to get used to paying higher prices and you simply adapt your budget and what you buy until you get the most bang for your buck. Keep in mind that these prices will probably vary greatly across the city: a fresh head of lettuce is a bit cheaper in Red Hook than it is in midtown Manhattan and different grocery stores tend to have\u00a0dramatically\u00a0different prices even if they are around the corner from one another. Also, FreshDirect tends to have slightly lower prices than most stores, but I’ll go over FreshDirect at the end.
\n\n\n\nNot only is the process of grocery shopping much different in New York, but the actual stores themselves are very different as well. If you live outside of the city, you are used to large stores with full sized carts, wide isles and dozens of brand/variety choices for nearly every product. Here, you will encounter stores of so any different sizes and descriptions, it is nearly impossible to characterize a “New York City grocery”. None of them will be the large, well stocked places you find elsewhere – in fact, most are incredibly small with very narrow aisles doubling as storage space for stacks of cans or boxes, between which you either maneuver a half-sized cart or tote a hand basket (recommended). You will also find that because of the small space, they tend to have only two or three variations of a product. You might have a choice between Heinz ketchup in a 10oz squeeze bottle, a generic brand in the same size or both brands in a larger bottle- but those will be your only 4 choices for ketchup. Unless you are in a bigger store, you are unlikely to find 4-5 brands/sizes or that 15oz low-sodium specialty Persian ketchup with a glass bottle you so voraciously desire.
\n\n\n\nThe good news is that there is a huge variety of stores in New York. Just because one place doesn’t have something, you will probably be able to find it elsewhere. (unless you are looking for hash browns…which are pretty much impossible to find…trust me, I know) Many people tend to favor Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s because they offer fresh organic foods, but Whole Foods tends to be a bit more expensive and while many people love Trader Joe’s, I’m not a huge fan simply because every time I enter one, it feels like I am in Toys-R-Us the week before Christmas. I will say that Trader Joe’s has some pretty great food for impressively low prices, so you should check it out for yourself. But be sure to explore other options in your neighborhood – Stop n’ Shop, Trade Fair, Food Emporium, Gristedes, D’Agostino, Fairway and many others have locations all over New York, not to mention the infinite number of local non-chain stores.
\n\n\n\nAnother note: many local stores (not the big chains) have cats that you will come across in the aisles. This is against more than a few health codes and at first you will probably be a bit appalled at the notion of animals near your eggplant, but they are an effective safeguard against mice in the store, which we can all agree is a much worse thought than Fluffy the cat. If a store has a cat, it is likely a short haired one that spends most of it’s time sleeping on some cereal boxes, so don’t worry about it too much. And resist the urge to report them to the health department… the rest of us want to keep the mice away from our food.
\n\n\n\nIn college when my roommate and I had to start doing our own grocery shopping, we would simply drive over to Wal-Mart (or Sam’s Club, if we were feeling especially flush with cash for bulk buying) and load up the car with as many groceries as we could carry in the truck/back seat. This meant making the trip every month or so and having food for most of our meals fully stocked.
\n\n\n\nHere, this strategy is all but impossible unless you live in some of the further reaches of Queens where the legends tell of New Yorkers with cars. Instead, we typically go to the store and buy only what can be manually carried back home – maybe 6 or 7 bags per (strong) person, meaning you likely need to make a trip every week or so.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSome people get collapsable grocery carts like the one to the right which help solve this problem. It’s no car trunk, but it definitely enables you to carry a lot more home. If you live by yourself and don’t have someone to help carry things, this is definitely a good idea. When I first came to New York, I thought the carts where the exclusive tools of elderly people, but I quickly realized that New Yorkers of all ages use them regularly. They collapse to fit behind your bookshelf or fridge and definitely make the process of grocery toting easier.
\n\n\n\nOf course, if you are planing on making a really big grocery trip for whatever reason, it might make sense to rent a ZipCar for an hour or two and load it up. This is probably a bit expensive to rely on for your regular trips, but might be a good idea if you are buying for a big meal like Thanksgiving. If you do this, always have a partner. You will save some money on the reservation by sending one person in to do the hour-long shopping adventure and sending the second person to get the car, meeting up after you’ve checked out. Also keep in mind that you probably don’t have the cabinet space you are used to back home, so do not buy a whole car full of food if you have nowhere to put it.
\n\n\n\nSome stores also offer delivery options, often in the form of free or cheap ($5) door service in the neighborhood. Others like Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s offer city-wide delivery at various rates.
FreshDirect is a company in New York that solves a lot of the issues, hassels or hurdles I have mentioned in this post. The short pitch: you order food online and it is delivered to your door the next day. They tend to have slightly better prices on most items and their produce is supposedly some of the freshest in the city, all delivered right to your door. I heard from friends that their service is unbeatable, but I never took the plunge until this year. For the past few months, my two roommates and I have done almost all our grocery shopping through FreshDirect and I cannot recommend it highly enough. We order about $200 of food every 2 weeks or so, the delivery has always been on-time and the food really is impressively fresh. (And they have bags of frozen hash browns, which as I mentioned are practically non-existent in New York City.)
\n\n\n\nI estimate we save about $50 /order by buying through FreshDirect rather than our local store and we avoid the hassle of actually going to the store and carrying all of our food home with us. We still get a few things from stores in the area- bread, some canned goods and yogurt are a bit cheaper and have a wider selection than we found on FreshDirect but almost everything else comes from them.
\n\n\n\nMy recommendation: get FreshDirect once you have an apartment, plan out a few meals and place an order. If you see their trucks around the city, write down the promo codes on the side and get a few discounts – usually 5 free deliveries, $50 of your first order, 20% off your first 3 orders, etc. If you don’t see them around the city, check out RetailMeNot for up-to-date codes.
\n\n\n\nThere are a few things anyone can do to help save some money and make grocery shopping easier:
\n\n\n\nFarmers Markets: You can find markets all over the city (Hell’s Kitchen, Union Square, Astoria and pretty much every neighborhood in Brooklyn) one or two days per week, offering a great way to get fresh produce at lower prices than you would pay in a store. (Also, see if your neighborhood has a CSA … sometimes, but not always, this is a great way to get fresh food and save money while supporting local farmers.)
\n\n\n\nCo-Ops: I have never been a member of a food co-op, so I cannot personally attest to the ins and outs, but I have heard a lot of good things. Essentially, you volunteer at a local co-op (think of it as a members-only grocery store) for a few hours per month. Rather than getting paid, you are able to shop at the co-op, potentially saving 20-40% on groceries! I know there are a few of these in Brooklyn, one of the biggest is in Park Slope, and they might be able to steer you towards some in your area.
\n\n\n\nCoupons: Your mother did not clip coupons while you were growing up because it was fun- she did it because while 50 cents here and there doesn’t sound like much, they add up quickly. Especially since a lot of stores offer double coupons, meaning that with 10 coupons for 50 cents of, you actually save $10, which is no chump change for most people new to the city.
\n\n\n\nMake Food: It may seem obvious since this article is about grocery shopping, but going to the store and buying ready-to-eat chicken tiki masala and garlic bread is not grocery shopping. That is ordering takeout, but without the convenience of home-delivery. It is okay to have a couple of these on reserve for days that you just want something quick, but it does not count as ‘cooking’ (no matter what your Liz Lemon-esque friend says), and it gets expensive quickly. Buy ingredients, make a dish and enjoy your personal creation and the cost-savings that comes with it.
\n\n\n\nBring Your Own Bag: Some places such as Whole Foods will offer a small discount for bringing your own grocery bags. It is usually only a couple of dollars, but if you have your own bags, bring them along – I wouldn’t run out and buy a dozen reusable bags for $10 each, but you could reuse IKEA bags, old paper bags or even a duffle bag if you have one.
\n\n\n\nGet FreshDirect: In case I wasn’t clear: FreshDirect is awesome, saves your money, time and sanity. Sign up.
\n\n\n\nThe real key to saving money and grocery shopping effectively in New York City is legwork. Check out all the grocery stores in your area, see which ones are cheaper for certain types of products, ask about their frequent shoppers program, see if they have delivery options and don’t forget to grab a weekly circular if they have one. I think FreshDirect is the way to go for 90% of your shopping, but every person is different. Knowing what to get and where to get it takes time and effort, but is worth it in the long-run. What are some of the grocery shopping lesons you’ve learned in the city?
\n", "content_text": "I grew up in the midwest, so the past few years in New York have been quite the life adjustment as I’ve gotten used to smaller spaces, more people, and public transportation. When trying to explain this shift to people back home, I’ve found the best example to be grocery shopping- everyone buys groceries and the difference between shopping in the city and shopping back in Missouri could not be more stark.\n\n\n\nPrices\n\n\n\nThe first thing to know about grocery shopping in New York City is that it is expensive. I know it likely comes as a shock that things are far more expensive here, but prepare to spend more on a box of Wheat Thins than you have ever seen. But seriously, buying groceries and making your own dinner/lunch will likely save you a bunch of money rather than eating out twice a day. It may take a little while to get used to making a major investment in food each week rather than simply spending $10 every meal on takeout, but you will be better for it. If you have a roommate and the two of you actually go grocery shopping every week, I think you can plan on spending $100-$150 /wk ($50-75 /person) on groceries and eat comfortably, though there are plenty of people who get by spending far less by being incredibly frugal. Keep in mind, that number is not a ‘food budget’ because it doesn’t include eating out or drinks (both of which will add a fair amount to your costs).\n\n\n\nSome examples for what you can expect to pay for a few random items (obviously these are all estimates):\n\n\n\nBread: $2.99Deli Ham: $7.99-9.99 /lbBoxed Crackers: $5 (Triscuts, Wheat Thins, etc… also about the same price for Oreos)Ramen Noodles: $0.45Skippy Peanut Butter: $4Canned Tuna: $1.99\n\n\n\nAfter awhile, you start to get used to paying higher prices and you simply adapt your budget and what you buy until you get the most bang for your buck. Keep in mind that these prices will probably vary greatly across the city: a fresh head of lettuce is a bit cheaper in Red Hook than it is in midtown Manhattan and different grocery stores tend to have\u00a0dramatically\u00a0different prices even if they are around the corner from one another. Also, FreshDirect tends to have slightly lower prices than most stores, but I’ll go over FreshDirect at the end.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nA Quick Sponsor Ad:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nStores\n\n\n\nNot only is the process of grocery shopping much different in New York, but the actual stores themselves are very different as well. If you live outside of the city, you are used to large stores with full sized carts, wide isles and dozens of brand/variety choices for nearly every product. Here, you will encounter stores of so any different sizes and descriptions, it is nearly impossible to characterize a “New York City grocery”. None of them will be the large, well stocked places you find elsewhere – in fact, most are incredibly small with very narrow aisles doubling as storage space for stacks of cans or boxes, between which you either maneuver a half-sized cart or tote a hand basket (recommended). You will also find that because of the small space, they tend to have only two or three variations of a product. You might have a choice between Heinz ketchup in a 10oz squeeze bottle, a generic brand in the same size or both brands in a larger bottle- but those will be your only 4 choices for ketchup. Unless you are in a bigger store, you are unlikely to find 4-5 brands/sizes or that 15oz low-sodium specialty Persian ketchup with a glass bottle you so voraciously desire.\n\n\n\nThe good news is that there is a huge variety of stores in New York. Just because one place doesn’t have something, you will probably be able to find it elsewhere. (unless you are looking for hash browns…which are pretty much impossible to find…trust me, I know) Many people tend to favor Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s because they offer fresh organic foods, but Whole Foods tends to be a bit more expensive and while many people love Trader Joe’s, I’m not a huge fan simply because every time I enter one, it feels like I am in Toys-R-Us the week before Christmas. I will say that Trader Joe’s has some pretty great food for impressively low prices, so you should check it out for yourself. But be sure to explore other options in your neighborhood – Stop n’ Shop, Trade Fair, Food Emporium, Gristedes, D’Agostino, Fairway and many others have locations all over New York, not to mention the infinite number of local non-chain stores.\n\n\n\nAnother note: many local stores (not the big chains) have cats that you will come across in the aisles. This is against more than a few health codes and at first you will probably be a bit appalled at the notion of animals near your eggplant, but they are an effective safeguard against mice in the store, which we can all agree is a much worse thought than Fluffy the cat. If a store has a cat, it is likely a short haired one that spends most of it’s time sleeping on some cereal boxes, so don’t worry about it too much. And resist the urge to report them to the health department… the rest of us want to keep the mice away from our food.\n\n\n\nGetting Groceries Home\n\n\n\nIn college when my roommate and I had to start doing our own grocery shopping, we would simply drive over to Wal-Mart (or Sam’s Club, if we were feeling especially flush with cash for bulk buying) and load up the car with as many groceries as we could carry in the truck/back seat. This meant making the trip every month or so and having food for most of our meals fully stocked.\n\n\n\nHere, this strategy is all but impossible unless you live in some of the further reaches of Queens where the legends tell of New Yorkers with cars. Instead, we typically go to the store and buy only what can be manually carried back home – maybe 6 or 7 bags per (strong) person, meaning you likely need to make a trip every week or so.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSome people get collapsable grocery carts like the one to the right which help solve this problem. It’s no car trunk, but it definitely enables you to carry a lot more home. If you live by yourself and don’t have someone to help carry things, this is definitely a good idea. When I first came to New York, I thought the carts where the exclusive tools of elderly people, but I quickly realized that New Yorkers of all ages use them regularly. They collapse to fit behind your bookshelf or fridge and definitely make the process of grocery toting easier.\n\n\n\nOf course, if you are planing on making a really big grocery trip for whatever reason, it might make sense to rent a ZipCar for an hour or two and load it up. This is probably a bit expensive to rely on for your regular trips, but might be a good idea if you are buying for a big meal like Thanksgiving. If you do this, always have a partner. You will save some money on the reservation by sending one person in to do the hour-long shopping adventure and sending the second person to get the car, meeting up after you’ve checked out. Also keep in mind that you probably don’t have the cabinet space you are used to back home, so do not buy a whole car full of food if you have nowhere to put it.\n\n\n\nSome stores also offer delivery options, often in the form of free or cheap ($5) door service in the neighborhood. Others like Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s offer city-wide delivery at various rates.\n\n\n\nFreshDirect\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFreshDirect is a company in New York that solves a lot of the issues, hassels or hurdles I have mentioned in this post. The short pitch: you order food online and it is delivered to your door the next day. They tend to have slightly better prices on most items and their produce is supposedly some of the freshest in the city, all delivered right to your door. I heard from friends that their service is unbeatable, but I never took the plunge until this year. For the past few months, my two roommates and I have done almost all our grocery shopping through FreshDirect and I cannot recommend it highly enough. We order about $200 of food every 2 weeks or so, the delivery has always been on-time and the food really is impressively fresh. (And they have bags of frozen hash browns, which as I mentioned are practically non-existent in New York City.)\n\n\n\nI estimate we save about $50 /order by buying through FreshDirect rather than our local store and we avoid the hassle of actually going to the store and carrying all of our food home with us. We still get a few things from stores in the area- bread, some canned goods and yogurt are a bit cheaper and have a wider selection than we found on FreshDirect but almost everything else comes from them.\n\n\n\nMy recommendation: get FreshDirect once you have an apartment, plan out a few meals and place an order. If you see their trucks around the city, write down the promo codes on the side and get a few discounts – usually 5 free deliveries, $50 of your first order, 20% off your first 3 orders, etc. If you don’t see them around the city, check out RetailMeNot for up-to-date codes.\n\n\n\nTips & Tricks\n\n\n\nThere are a few things anyone can do to help save some money and make grocery shopping easier:\n\n\n\nFarmers Markets: You can find markets all over the city (Hell’s Kitchen, Union Square, Astoria and pretty much every neighborhood in Brooklyn) one or two days per week, offering a great way to get fresh produce at lower prices than you would pay in a store. (Also, see if your neighborhood has a CSA … sometimes, but not always, this is a great way to get fresh food and save money while supporting local farmers.)\n\n\n\nCo-Ops: I have never been a member of a food co-op, so I cannot personally attest to the ins and outs, but I have heard a lot of good things. Essentially, you volunteer at a local co-op (think of it as a members-only grocery store) for a few hours per month. Rather than getting paid, you are able to shop at the co-op, potentially saving 20-40% on groceries! I know there are a few of these in Brooklyn, one of the biggest is in Park Slope, and they might be able to steer you towards some in your area.\n\n\n\nCoupons: Your mother did not clip coupons while you were growing up because it was fun- she did it because while 50 cents here and there doesn’t sound like much, they add up quickly. Especially since a lot of stores offer double coupons, meaning that with 10 coupons for 50 cents of, you actually save $10, which is no chump change for most people new to the city.\n\n\n\nMake Food: It may seem obvious since this article is about grocery shopping, but going to the store and buying ready-to-eat chicken tiki masala and garlic bread is not grocery shopping. That is ordering takeout, but without the convenience of home-delivery. It is okay to have a couple of these on reserve for days that you just want something quick, but it does not count as ‘cooking’ (no matter what your Liz Lemon-esque friend says), and it gets expensive quickly. Buy ingredients, make a dish and enjoy your personal creation and the cost-savings that comes with it.\n\n\n\nBring Your Own Bag: Some places such as Whole Foods will offer a small discount for bringing your own grocery bags. It is usually only a couple of dollars, but if you have your own bags, bring them along – I wouldn’t run out and buy a dozen reusable bags for $10 each, but you could reuse IKEA bags, old paper bags or even a duffle bag if you have one.\n\n\n\nGet FreshDirect: In case I wasn’t clear: FreshDirect is awesome, saves your money, time and sanity. Sign up.\n\n\n\nThe real key to saving money and grocery shopping effectively in New York City is legwork. Check out all the grocery stores in your area, see which ones are cheaper for certain types of products, ask about their frequent shoppers program, see if they have delivery options and don’t forget to grab a weekly circular if they have one. I think FreshDirect is the way to go for 90% of your shopping, but every person is different. Knowing what to get and where to get it takes time and effort, but is worth it in the long-run. What are some of the grocery shopping lesons you’ve learned in the city?", "date_published": "2012-09-14T22:47:04-04:00", "date_modified": "2019-12-08T22:35:41-05:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Andrew Cafourek", "url": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/author/acafourek/", "avatar": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/2.jpg" } ], "author": { "name": "Andrew Cafourek", "url": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/author/acafourek/", "avatar": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/2.jpg" }, "image": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/rob-maxwell-6Xb0-zJM_lU-unsplash.jpg", "tags": [ "co-ops", "farmers markets", "food", "FreshDirect", "groceries", "shopping", "Trader Joe's", "Whole Foods", "ZipCar", "As Soon As You Get Here", "Living in New York", "Shopping" ] }, { "id": "http://becomeanewyorker.com/?p=919", "url": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/how-to-fly-into-laguardia-and-get-where-youre-going/", "title": "How to Fly Into LaGuardia and Get Where You\u2019re Going", "content_html": "\nFor the most part, arriving at LGA is the easiest and cheapest of the three major NYC airports. You\u2019re close to the Brooklyn Queens Expressway (BQE) and the RFK bridge (previously the Tri-Borough Bridge) which takes you into Manhattan and the Bronx while the BQE takes you to Brooklyn and Queens. The only place that LGA is far away from is Staten Island and far parts of Brooklyn/Queens which are closer to JFK.
\n\n\n\nThe first thing that you\u2019ll want to do upon arriving is pick up the few and precious things that you\u2019ve come to this fine city with. Head out of the concourse and to the baggage claim and find your bags.
\n\n\n\nOnce you have your bags there are three different approaches you can take to getting to where you need to be. You can either: take a cab, take a bus or take a pre arranged car. In most cases I would recommend taking a cab, but depending on your budget this may or may not be an option. Cab fares vary depending on where you are going and how long it takes to get there. However, in general, I would estimate your total fare to be between $30 and $45 for most areas of Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan on a decent time for traffic. If you want to try and estimate how much you will be paying in a cab fare to your specific destination, I would recommend World Taxi Meter‘s site, as I have found it to be relatively accurate. Put in LGA as your starting destination and your end address and follow the steps to calculate your potential fare.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIf you end up deciding to take a cab you\u2019ll need to exit the terminal and look above you for signs to the nearest cab line. Find the sign that has a little person with it\u2019s arm raised and \u201ccab/taxi\u201d written next to it. Follow the arrows and you\u2019ll undoubtedly find a line people next to a little stand and a line of taxis in front of it. Undoubtedly you will be accosted by people asking if you need a cab and pressuring you to use them – don’t take them. While it often works out just fine, sometimes it doesn’t. Enter the line and wait your turn. LGA is one of the few places where you cannot hail a cab by standing on the curb with your arm raised. You must wait in the line. When you get to the front of the line the taxi stand person will hand you a slip of paper and ask \u201cWhere are you heading?\u201d. The answer they\u2019re looking for is what borough, not a specific address, so say \u201cManhattan, Staten Island, Queens, Brooklyn or Bronx\u201d. After this the taxi director will tell you what cab to head to. Walk to the cab, put your bag in the trunk and get in the car. The driver may or may not ask you for your piece of paper that the taxi stand director gave to you, and depending on this either keep it or give it to him/her. At this point you’ll give your taxi driver the specific address for your destination, and if you know it, what route you would like to take. Check out our Taxi! post for more information on dealing with cabs.
\n\n\n\nIf you want to take public transit, one of the most frequently used options from LGA is the M60 bus. The M60 runs through queens and then along 125th street making stops on every avenue in Manhattan. You can view a schedule of the M60 here. Along the M60 route you can easily connect to the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, A & C subway lines in Manhattan and can also connect to the N & Q lines from the Astoria Blvd stop (the stop right before the bus hits the RFK bridge). Determine what subway you need to take before getting on the bus and know approximately what avenue or stop it is near. To actually take the bus the first thing you\u2019ll need to do is either have three dollars in cash you can use for the bus fare or purchase a MetroCard. MetroCard machines, and spots to buy them, vary in each terminal. It\u2019s easiest to just ask someone that works in the terminal where you can buy a MetroCard. After either getting cash or a metro card go to the bus stop, wait for the M60 and head into the city. The only direction buses go to from LGA is Queens/Mahanattan so don’t worry about which way the bus is heading.There are other buses, but many require going into difficult to navigate neighborhoods in Queens, so unless you have a smart phone telling you to go somewhere else – I recommend taking the easier but sometimes longer ride on the M60. You can view a listing of some other bus options here.
\n\n\n\nIn the event that you’ve planned ahead and arranged for a car simply follow the directions the driver gives you. Good luck!
\n", "content_text": "For the most part, arriving at LGA is the easiest and cheapest of the three major NYC airports. You\u2019re close to the Brooklyn Queens Expressway (BQE) and the RFK bridge (previously the Tri-Borough Bridge) which takes you into Manhattan and the Bronx while the BQE takes you to Brooklyn and Queens. The only place that LGA is far away from is Staten Island and far parts of Brooklyn/Queens which are closer to JFK.\n\n\n\nThe first thing that you\u2019ll want to do upon arriving is pick up the few and precious things that you\u2019ve come to this fine city with. Head out of the concourse and to the baggage claim and find your bags.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nA Quick Sponsor Ad:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTaking a Cab\n\n\n\nOnce you have your bags there are three different approaches you can take to getting to where you need to be. You can either: take a cab, take a bus or take a pre arranged car. In most cases I would recommend taking a cab, but depending on your budget this may or may not be an option. Cab fares vary depending on where you are going and how long it takes to get there. However, in general, I would estimate your total fare to be between $30 and $45 for most areas of Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan on a decent time for traffic. If you want to try and estimate how much you will be paying in a cab fare to your specific destination, I would recommend World Taxi Meter‘s site, as I have found it to be relatively accurate. Put in LGA as your starting destination and your end address and follow the steps to calculate your potential fare.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIf you end up deciding to take a cab you\u2019ll need to exit the terminal and look above you for signs to the nearest cab line. Find the sign that has a little person with it\u2019s arm raised and \u201ccab/taxi\u201d written next to it. Follow the arrows and you\u2019ll undoubtedly find a line people next to a little stand and a line of taxis in front of it. Undoubtedly you will be accosted by people asking if you need a cab and pressuring you to use them – don’t take them. While it often works out just fine, sometimes it doesn’t. Enter the line and wait your turn. LGA is one of the few places where you cannot hail a cab by standing on the curb with your arm raised. You must wait in the line. When you get to the front of the line the taxi stand person will hand you a slip of paper and ask \u201cWhere are you heading?\u201d. The answer they\u2019re looking for is what borough, not a specific address, so say \u201cManhattan, Staten Island, Queens, Brooklyn or Bronx\u201d. After this the taxi director will tell you what cab to head to. Walk to the cab, put your bag in the trunk and get in the car. The driver may or may not ask you for your piece of paper that the taxi stand director gave to you, and depending on this either keep it or give it to him/her. At this point you’ll give your taxi driver the specific address for your destination, and if you know it, what route you would like to take. Check out our Taxi! post for more information on dealing with cabs.\n\n\n\nTaking the Bus\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIf you want to take public transit, one of the most frequently used options from LGA is the M60 bus. The M60 runs through queens and then along 125th street making stops on every avenue in Manhattan. You can view a schedule of the M60 here. Along the M60 route you can easily connect to the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, A & C subway lines in Manhattan and can also connect to the N & Q lines from the Astoria Blvd stop (the stop right before the bus hits the RFK bridge). Determine what subway you need to take before getting on the bus and know approximately what avenue or stop it is near. To actually take the bus the first thing you\u2019ll need to do is either have three dollars in cash you can use for the bus fare or purchase a MetroCard. MetroCard machines, and spots to buy them, vary in each terminal. It\u2019s easiest to just ask someone that works in the terminal where you can buy a MetroCard. After either getting cash or a metro card go to the bus stop, wait for the M60 and head into the city. The only direction buses go to from LGA is Queens/Mahanattan so don’t worry about which way the bus is heading.There are other buses, but many require going into difficult to navigate neighborhoods in Queens, so unless you have a smart phone telling you to go somewhere else – I recommend taking the easier but sometimes longer ride on the M60. You can view a listing of some other bus options here.\n\n\n\nIn the event that you’ve planned ahead and arranged for a car simply follow the directions the driver gives you. Good luck!", "date_published": "2012-07-30T10:31:21-04:00", "date_modified": "2020-01-27T18:47:47-05:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Nick Trusty", "url": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/author/nicktrusty/", "avatar": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/4.jpeg" } ], "author": { "name": "Nick Trusty", "url": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/author/nicktrusty/", "avatar": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/4.jpeg" }, "image": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/LGA-Photo.jpg", "tags": [ "BQE", "cabs", "flying", "LGA", "M60", "RFK", "transportation", "As Soon As You Get Here", "Public Transit", "Subway", "Travel" ], "summary": "Arriving in NYC is tricky enough as it is, so here's a helpful article about the various ways to get to your end destination in the city when arriving into LaGuardia Airport. " }, { "id": "http://becomeanewyorker.com/?p=1098", "url": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/order-everything-you-need-in-new-york-online/", "title": "Order Everything You Need In New York\u2026 Online", "content_html": "\nAs New York becomes an epicenter of technology companies and great new startups, it is gaining a reputation as one of the most digitally connected hubs in the country. Whenever I tell people back in the Midwest that I order my groceries online, they tend to give me funny looks- but as I’ve written before, grocery stores here are crazy crazy places. And it is not just groceries, there are a number of services and tools that will help make your life a bit easier by digitally connecting you to essential services all over town. With new things popping up all the time, this is just a small glimpse at what it is out there- a list of the services I use on a regular basis and can wholeheartedly recommend. (And for each one, we have discounts or promotions you can use!)
\n\n\n\nI’ve gushed about the benefits of FreshDirect before so I’ll try not to be too repetitive. Basically, ordering groceries online has made my life so much easier- I eat more healthily because I now order less take-out, I save money (on most things) because I can browse the weekly specials, I save my sanity because I avoid going to 5 tightly packed stores to get everything I need and I save energy by not having to go to the store every few days and lug home overflowing bags of food.
\n\n\n\nIf you haven’t ordered from FreshDirect yet, give it a try and see what you think. Click this link to sign up for FreshDirect and get $25 off your first order!
\n\n\n\nSeamless is an awesome site that shows you restaurants that are delivering to your address right now. It is incredibly handy because you don’t need to worry about what hours they are open, finding a menu or if they take credit cards- they have it all online. Browse the menu, select what you want, add it to your “Bag” and checkout (cash or card, al the time!)- it is that simple. A few minutes later you will get an email confirming your order and giving you a time estimate for when to expect your delivery to arrive. For times when you have run out of your FreshDirect order (or are just too lazy to cook), this is an awesome way to get food straight to your apartment.
\n\n\n\nI am always surprised at the number of places that deliver near me- restaurants I never would have expected are available all day. And if you haven’t tried it yet, use this link to sign up for Seamless and get $5 off your first order!
\n\n\n\nSpotless City is a new service that brings browsing, ordering and delivery to dry cleaning and laundry. Browse the cleaners that serve your area, schedule a pickup/drop off time and pay online- quick and easy. I have used it a few times and love it- the best part is that you can see price lists. It is easy to use Google to find cleaners in your area and call them, but most do not have websites (if they do, they are rarely very helpful). Spotless City gives you a great tool to do your research ahead of time and then take care of everything online. (And they just had a great showing at the Disrupt NY conference)
\n\n\n\nGive Spotless City a try for your dry cleaning- use the promocode OurFriends and get 15% off your first dry cleaning & laundry order through the end of June 2012.
\n\n\n\nYes, I even buy toilet paper online. Soap.com has a huge selection of the things most New Yorkers buy at Duane Reade- trash bags, deodorant, paper towels, cleaning products and even ‘personal bedroom items’. One of the great features is coupon integration- if there is a coupon for a particular product, it will tell you as you add it to your cart- it may only be $.25 here and there, but hey, it’s New York and we’re all broke, so I’ll take it.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe best part about Soap is that if you buy more than $25, 2 Day shipping is free. Items tend to be close to the same price you would pay in the store, though some things like toilet paper are actually considerably cheaper; I like to order from Soap because even at the same price, it’s more convenient for me.
\n\n\n\nSoap has 4 companion sites that cover other types of products: Diapers.com for your baby stuff, Wag.com for pet supplies, YoYo.com for toys/games and Casa.com for home decor. I have only used Soap so I can’t attest to the selection or prices on the other sites, but conveniently, you can shop across all 5 sites and checkout in a single shopping cart.
\n\n\n\nUse the promocode BANY to get 20% off your first order on any of the Soap.com family of sites and they will also donate $30 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
\n\n\n\nWhile not a delivery service, Uber is an app that can make life quite a bit easier from time to time. I live in a neighborhood that doesn’t get a lot of cab traffic, meaning I either need to call a car service or walk aways before finding one. Recently, Uber launched here in NYC and it has made finding a car anywhere in town a breeze. Download the iPhone app, enter your name, email and password then take a photo of your credit card (yes, just a photo- no forms at all). You see a map of cars near you; just hit “Request pickup” and within a few seconds, you have a driver en route. It is great- the driver’s name, photo and can real time location are al shown within the app. Even better, you just hop in when they arrive and go- Uber charges your card automatically at the end of the ride, adds a 20% gratuity and emails you a receipt- so no cash, no paper. Just like they advertise, it really is just like having your own car service.
\n\n\n\nIt is a bit more expensive than taking a regular yellow cab, but it can be really handy in the outer boroughs, late night or when you just need a black car. The only downsides are that you don’t see rates ahead of time (unless you look online) and you cannot specify the number of passengers which makes a group of 5 a crap shoot (though I did get an Escalade once).
\n\n\n\nTry it out and let us now what you think. The in-app signup is super fast but if you register for Uber online with this link, get $10 off your first ride.
\n\n\n\nFor everything else you could ever need, I recommend Amazon. Last year I paid the $79 for an Amazon Prime membership which gets me free 2 Day shipping (and since they have a warehouse in Queens, it isn’t uncommon for things to show up next day), access to their library of Online videos (similar to Netflix) and a whole host of other perks I’m sure I’m not using to the best of my ability. Not having to worry about shipping makes life a lot easier and it has paid for itself many times over – and not just for books. I’ve ordered kitchen utensils, shower curtains, a beard trimmer, bookshelves, ice cube trays and rugs just to name a few.
\n\n\n\nI use Amazon to order most everything around the house that doesn’t fall into categories covered by the other sites I’ve mentioned. Go sign up for a Prime membership if you don’t have one already and welcome to the land of everything you’ve ever wanted… delivered.
\n\n\n\nOf course the convenience of having all of these things delivered depends a lot on your circumstances- with FreshDirect and Seamless, you can specify delivery windows to make sure you are home but for others, you are at the mercy of UPS/USPS. If you have a doorman, this isn’t much of a problem, but for the rest of us, you might end up having to go to the post office to pick up your package. I have a couple of families in my building, so usually UPS can find someone to buzz them into the lobby to leave packages by the stairs but no guarantees. If you do have a reliable way of getting deliveries, these services will make living in New York a bit easier- giving you digital access to things you used to have to go get yourself. Let us know in the comments of any other awesome services out there that I’ve missed)
\n\n\n\n(apologies to anyone who read the title of this article and though it was going to include a weed delivery service)
\n", "content_text": "As New York becomes an epicenter of technology companies and great new startups, it is gaining a reputation as one of the most digitally connected hubs in the country. Whenever I tell people back in the Midwest that I order my groceries online, they tend to give me funny looks- but as I’ve written before, grocery stores here are crazy crazy places. And it is not just groceries, there are a number of services and tools that will help make your life a bit easier by digitally connecting you to essential services all over town. With new things popping up all the time, this is just a small glimpse at what it is out there- a list of the services I use on a regular basis and can wholeheartedly recommend. (And for each one, we have discounts or promotions you can use!)\n\n\n\nGroceries: FreshDirect\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nI’ve gushed about the benefits of FreshDirect before so I’ll try not to be too repetitive. Basically, ordering groceries online has made my life so much easier- I eat more healthily because I now order less take-out, I save money (on most things) because I can browse the weekly specials, I save my sanity because I avoid going to 5 tightly packed stores to get everything I need and I save energy by not having to go to the store every few days and lug home overflowing bags of food.\n\n\n\nIf you haven’t ordered from FreshDirect yet, give it a try and see what you think. Click this link to sign up for FreshDirect and get $25 off your first order!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nA Quick Sponsor Ad:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTake-Out: Seamless\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSeamless is an awesome site that shows you restaurants that are delivering to your address right now. It is incredibly handy because you don’t need to worry about what hours they are open, finding a menu or if they take credit cards- they have it all online. Browse the menu, select what you want, add it to your “Bag” and checkout (cash or card, al the time!)- it is that simple. A few minutes later you will get an email confirming your order and giving you a time estimate for when to expect your delivery to arrive. For times when you have run out of your FreshDirect order (or are just too lazy to cook), this is an awesome way to get food straight to your apartment.\n\n\n\nI am always surprised at the number of places that deliver near me- restaurants I never would have expected are available all day. And if you haven’t tried it yet, use this link to sign up for Seamless and get $5 off your first order!\n\n\n\nDry Cleaning: Spotless City\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSpotless City is a new service that brings browsing, ordering and delivery to dry cleaning and laundry. Browse the cleaners that serve your area, schedule a pickup/drop off time and pay online- quick and easy. I have used it a few times and love it- the best part is that you can see price lists. It is easy to use Google to find cleaners in your area and call them, but most do not have websites (if they do, they are rarely very helpful). Spotless City gives you a great tool to do your research ahead of time and then take care of everything online. (And they just had a great showing at the Disrupt NY conference)\n\n\n\nGive Spotless City a try for your dry cleaning- use the promocode OurFriends and get 15% off your first dry cleaning & laundry order through the end of June 2012.\n\n\n\nHome and Personal Products: Soap\n\n\n\nYes, I even buy toilet paper online. Soap.com has a huge selection of the things most New Yorkers buy at Duane Reade- trash bags, deodorant, paper towels, cleaning products and even ‘personal bedroom items’. One of the great features is coupon integration- if there is a coupon for a particular product, it will tell you as you add it to your cart- it may only be $.25 here and there, but hey, it’s New York and we’re all broke, so I’ll take it.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe best part about Soap is that if you buy more than $25, 2 Day shipping is free. Items tend to be close to the same price you would pay in the store, though some things like toilet paper are actually considerably cheaper; I like to order from Soap because even at the same price, it’s more convenient for me.\n\n\n\nSoap has 4 companion sites that cover other types of products: Diapers.com for your baby stuff, Wag.com for pet supplies, YoYo.com for toys/games and Casa.com for home decor. I have only used Soap so I can’t attest to the selection or prices on the other sites, but conveniently, you can shop across all 5 sites and checkout in a single shopping cart.\n\n\n\nUse the promocode BANY to get 20% off your first order on any of the Soap.com family of sites and they will also donate $30 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.\n\n\n\nTransportation: Uber\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWhile not a delivery service, Uber is an app that can make life quite a bit easier from time to time. I live in a neighborhood that doesn’t get a lot of cab traffic, meaning I either need to call a car service or walk aways before finding one. Recently, Uber launched here in NYC and it has made finding a car anywhere in town a breeze. Download the iPhone app, enter your name, email and password then take a photo of your credit card (yes, just a photo- no forms at all). You see a map of cars near you; just hit “Request pickup” and within a few seconds, you have a driver en route. It is great- the driver’s name, photo and can real time location are al shown within the app. Even better, you just hop in when they arrive and go- Uber charges your card automatically at the end of the ride, adds a 20% gratuity and emails you a receipt- so no cash, no paper. Just like they advertise, it really is just like having your own car service.\n\n\n\nIt is a bit more expensive than taking a regular yellow cab, but it can be really handy in the outer boroughs, late night or when you just need a black car. The only downsides are that you don’t see rates ahead of time (unless you look online) and you cannot specify the number of passengers which makes a group of 5 a crap shoot (though I did get an Escalade once).\n\n\n\nTry it out and let us now what you think. The in-app signup is super fast but if you register for Uber online with this link, get $10 off your first ride.\n\n\n\nEverything Else: Amazon (Prime)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFor everything else you could ever need, I recommend Amazon. Last year I paid the $79 for an Amazon Prime membership which gets me free 2 Day shipping (and since they have a warehouse in Queens, it isn’t uncommon for things to show up next day), access to their library of Online videos (similar to Netflix) and a whole host of other perks I’m sure I’m not using to the best of my ability. Not having to worry about shipping makes life a lot easier and it has paid for itself many times over – and not just for books. I’ve ordered kitchen utensils, shower curtains, a beard trimmer, bookshelves, ice cube trays and rugs just to name a few.\n\n\n\nI use Amazon to order most everything around the house that doesn’t fall into categories covered by the other sites I’ve mentioned. Go sign up for a Prime membership if you don’t have one already and welcome to the land of everything you’ve ever wanted… delivered.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOf course the convenience of having all of these things delivered depends a lot on your circumstances- with FreshDirect and Seamless, you can specify delivery windows to make sure you are home but for others, you are at the mercy of UPS/USPS. If you have a doorman, this isn’t much of a problem, but for the rest of us, you might end up having to go to the post office to pick up your package. I have a couple of families in my building, so usually UPS can find someone to buzz them into the lobby to leave packages by the stairs but no guarantees. If you do have a reliable way of getting deliveries, these services will make living in New York a bit easier- giving you digital access to things you used to have to go get yourself. Let us know in the comments of any other awesome services out there that I’ve missed)\n\n\n\n(apologies to anyone who read the title of this article and though it was going to include a weed delivery service)", "date_published": "2012-06-01T10:29:45-04:00", "date_modified": "2020-01-27T18:48:36-05:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Andrew Cafourek", "url": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/author/acafourek/", "avatar": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/2.jpg" } ], "author": { "name": "Andrew Cafourek", "url": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/author/acafourek/", "avatar": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/2.jpg" }, "image": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/new_york_delivery1.jpeg", "tags": [ "Amazon", "freebies", "FreshDirect", "groceries", "Pets", "Seamless", "Soap.com", "Spotless City", "transportation", "Uber", "Living in New York", "Shopping" ] }, { "id": "http://becomeanewyorker.com/?p=1084", "url": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/nycs-team-the-new-york-yankees/", "title": "NYC\u2019s Team: The New York Yankees", "content_html": "\nWhen it comes to NYC sports there is one that dominates all: baseball. When it comes to sports, there\u2019s no more dominant franchise in history than that of the New York Yankees. America\u2019s true pastime\u2026in the city that demands a pastime the most. Outside of Prospect or Central Park there is no finer piece of grass than that of the outfield in Yankee Stadium.
\n\n\n\nI feel obliged to state that there are actually two different baseball teams actually in NY: The NY Mets and the NY Yankees. However, in following with the proper protocol established in the upcoming prose, the NY Mets are not New York\u2019s baseball team. With that\u2026we present our beginner\u2019s guide to becoming New York Yankees fan.
\n\n\n\nRule number 1: Love the Yankees. Hate the Red Sox
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe rivalry between the Red Sox and the Yankees is often considered to be the greatest rivalry in American sports. Whether you\u2019re looking at the Celtics/Lakers \u2026 the Tar Heels/Blue Devils \u2026 Buckeyes/Wolverines \u2026 no one comes close to the intense passion that fuels every meeting between these two clubs. For over 100 years the Yankees and Sox have been hard at work to destroy one another on the field, with an overall record of 1,132 \u2013 954 -14 (with the advantage of course being with NY). This rivalry finds its roots in the development of both cities. New York being one of the strongest economic engines in America during its birth and Boston having a cultural and artistic streak to its name, these two Northeastern cities were destined to loathe one another. When you see a Red Sox cap on someone\u2019s head in NY, don\u2019t smile. When someone says that Boston is going to have a good year, simply reply that while it might be good \u2013 it\u2019ll surely not be as good as that of the Yankees. Finally, when you see the Red Sox drop a game, cheer. Respect your enemy, but at the same time\u2026respect the tradition of the rivalry.
\n\n\n\nRule Number 2: Know the history. Know the tradition (this section written by Mark Durbak)
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAlthough the first rule may be a burning hatred of the enemy, the second rule is an all-encompassing love of your own traditions. It\u2019s remarkably easy to love the Yankee tradition because it boils down to two words: WINNING and GREATNESS. Winning: Over the course of our (i.e. the Yankees) prolific history we have dominated and humiliated our competition. We\u2019ve won twenty seven World Series, almost three times as many as the next highest winner and almost four times as many as a certain New England rival. After that everything else is secondary, but we can also add forty American League Pennants, twenty nine AL East Titles, and about one thousand wins in the last decade alone. Greatness: We have had forty three players and eleven managers who have been inducted into the Hall Of Fame, representing over one-sixth of all inductees. Our great ones have included Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio. Our proud traditions continue with modern day legends like Mariano Rivera, Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez, as well as upcoming superstars like Robinson Cano. Our greatness is symbolized by our iconic pinstripe uniforms. When we walk out onto the field, even the hardest of rival competitors can\u2019t help but be intimidated. Unlike the other teams in our league, our uniforms don\u2019t have players\u2019 last names on them. Each player knows that he is only the latest in a long line of greats that have proudly carried on the Yankee tradition.
\n\n\n\nRule Number 3: Go To a Game\u2026and Stay till the End
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWhether you take the 4 train from the east side of Manhattan or the B, D train from wherever, the first step in going to a Yankee game is the ride up on the subway. A wonderful tradition, filled with your fellow Yankee fans, there is no better way to immediately feel the camaraderie and support of your fellow fan than being surrounded by them on the way to The Bronx. As you approach the new cathedral of baseball you won\u2019t see a corporate brand as the name (sorry Citi Field). You won\u2019t see a giant oil companies\u2019 sign near the stadium (Citgo). What you will is a beautiful concrete facade with each twenty seven of the years the Yankees have won it all surrounding the top of the stadium in bright Yankee Blue. The Stadium itself is relatively new, full of places to eat, shop and drink. When you go to purchase tickets, no doubt you\u2019ll react with a bit of sticker shock. There is no way around it, the tickets are expensive. However, if you search for tickets in the bleachers you\u2019ll be treated to not only an awesome sight line of the stadium, but as well the Bleacher Creatures \u2013 a relative part of the Yankees themselves. As you watch the game unfold, listen for the original Yankees announcer read of Yankees Captain Derek Jeter\u2019s name (Bob Sheppard passed away at the age of 99 but Jeter recorded his name being announced by Bob in his honor). Listen to the crack of the bat at Cano blasts a homerun into the stands. Listen to Metallica\u2019s Enter the Sandman come over the speakers as the greatest closer of all time takes the mound. Listen for Old Blue Eyes rendition of New York, New York to come over the system when Mariano closes them out. The sights and sounds that will greet you in this stadium are the sensations that make Baseball great.
\n\n\n\nThere are a thousand more things that can be said about becoming a Yankee fan, but what it boils down to is the understanding the Yankees place in baseball history \u2013 past, present and future. They are and will always be the greatest. To be a Yankees fan, and to live in New York, is a privilege that shouldn\u2019t be spoiled.
\n", "content_text": "When it comes to NYC sports there is one that dominates all: baseball. When it comes to sports, there\u2019s no more dominant franchise in history than that of the New York Yankees. America\u2019s true pastime\u2026in the city that demands a pastime the most. Outside of Prospect or Central Park there is no finer piece of grass than that of the outfield in Yankee Stadium.\n\n\n\nI feel obliged to state that there are actually two different baseball teams actually in NY: The NY Mets and the NY Yankees. However, in following with the proper protocol established in the upcoming prose, the NY Mets are not New York\u2019s baseball team. With that\u2026we present our beginner\u2019s guide to becoming New York Yankees fan.\n\n\n\nRule number 1: Love the Yankees. Hate the Red Sox\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe rivalry between the Red Sox and the Yankees is often considered to be the greatest rivalry in American sports. Whether you\u2019re looking at the Celtics/Lakers \u2026 the Tar Heels/Blue Devils \u2026 Buckeyes/Wolverines \u2026 no one comes close to the intense passion that fuels every meeting between these two clubs. For over 100 years the Yankees and Sox have been hard at work to destroy one another on the field, with an overall record of 1,132 \u2013 954 -14 (with the advantage of course being with NY). This rivalry finds its roots in the development of both cities. New York being one of the strongest economic engines in America during its birth and Boston having a cultural and artistic streak to its name, these two Northeastern cities were destined to loathe one another. When you see a Red Sox cap on someone\u2019s head in NY, don\u2019t smile. When someone says that Boston is going to have a good year, simply reply that while it might be good \u2013 it\u2019ll surely not be as good as that of the Yankees. Finally, when you see the Red Sox drop a game, cheer. Respect your enemy, but at the same time\u2026respect the tradition of the rivalry.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nA Quick Sponsor Ad:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRule Number 2: Know the history. Know the tradition (this section written by Mark Durbak)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAlthough the first rule may be a burning hatred of the enemy, the second rule is an all-encompassing love of your own traditions. It\u2019s remarkably easy to love the Yankee tradition because it boils down to two words: WINNING and GREATNESS. Winning: Over the course of our (i.e. the Yankees) prolific history we have dominated and humiliated our competition. We\u2019ve won twenty seven World Series, almost three times as many as the next highest winner and almost four times as many as a certain New England rival. After that everything else is secondary, but we can also add forty American League Pennants, twenty nine AL East Titles, and about one thousand wins in the last decade alone. Greatness: We have had forty three players and eleven managers who have been inducted into the Hall Of Fame, representing over one-sixth of all inductees. Our great ones have included Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio. Our proud traditions continue with modern day legends like Mariano Rivera, Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez, as well as upcoming superstars like Robinson Cano. Our greatness is symbolized by our iconic pinstripe uniforms. When we walk out onto the field, even the hardest of rival competitors can\u2019t help but be intimidated. Unlike the other teams in our league, our uniforms don\u2019t have players\u2019 last names on them. Each player knows that he is only the latest in a long line of greats that have proudly carried on the Yankee tradition.\n\n\n\nRule Number 3: Go To a Game\u2026and Stay till the End\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWhether you take the 4 train from the east side of Manhattan or the B, D train from wherever, the first step in going to a Yankee game is the ride up on the subway. A wonderful tradition, filled with your fellow Yankee fans, there is no better way to immediately feel the camaraderie and support of your fellow fan than being surrounded by them on the way to The Bronx. As you approach the new cathedral of baseball you won\u2019t see a corporate brand as the name (sorry Citi Field). You won\u2019t see a giant oil companies\u2019 sign near the stadium (Citgo). What you will is a beautiful concrete facade with each twenty seven of the years the Yankees have won it all surrounding the top of the stadium in bright Yankee Blue. The Stadium itself is relatively new, full of places to eat, shop and drink. When you go to purchase tickets, no doubt you\u2019ll react with a bit of sticker shock. There is no way around it, the tickets are expensive. However, if you search for tickets in the bleachers you\u2019ll be treated to not only an awesome sight line of the stadium, but as well the Bleacher Creatures \u2013 a relative part of the Yankees themselves. As you watch the game unfold, listen for the original Yankees announcer read of Yankees Captain Derek Jeter\u2019s name (Bob Sheppard passed away at the age of 99 but Jeter recorded his name being announced by Bob in his honor). Listen to the crack of the bat at Cano blasts a homerun into the stands. Listen to Metallica\u2019s Enter the Sandman come over the speakers as the greatest closer of all time takes the mound. Listen for Old Blue Eyes rendition of New York, New York to come over the system when Mariano closes them out. The sights and sounds that will greet you in this stadium are the sensations that make Baseball great.\n\n\n\nThere are a thousand more things that can be said about becoming a Yankee fan, but what it boils down to is the understanding the Yankees place in baseball history \u2013 past, present and future. They are and will always be the greatest. To be a Yankees fan, and to live in New York, is a privilege that shouldn\u2019t be spoiled.", "date_published": "2012-04-12T12:52:02-04:00", "date_modified": "2020-01-27T18:48:54-05:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Nick Trusty", "url": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/author/nicktrusty/", "avatar": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/4.jpeg" } ], "author": { "name": "Nick Trusty", "url": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/author/nicktrusty/", "avatar": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/4.jpeg" }, "image": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/rsz_1ny-yankee-logo.jpg", "tags": [ "Sports", "Traditions", "Yankees", "About New York", "As Soon As You Get Here", "Landmarks", "Living in New York", "People of New York", "The Spirt of The City" ], "summary": "This is a quick three rule guide on how to become a Yankees fan once someone moves to NY. " }, { "id": "http://becomeanewyorker.com/?p=910", "url": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/do-you-belong-in-new-york-city/", "title": "Do You Belong In New York City?", "content_html": "\nAfter living in New York City for a few months, I started getting asked two questions a lot: 1) What is it like to live in New York City and 2) What are some tips for living in New York City? That realization eventually gave rise to this entire site, which is hopefully helping to answer those questions for the curious. In the same vein, my friend Erica Zucco recently sent over a link to a blog post from Penelope Trunk: Do You Belong In NYC? Take The Test which touches on some of the nuances of living here in New York. Penelope breaks the decision down to 3 simple questions:
\n\n\n\nI think this perhaps over-simplifies the way of life in the city and skews heavily towards the midtown/downtown Manhattan-driven lifestyle of\u00a0achievement\u00a0and competition, but those are important views to understand since it is what brings most of us here in the first place.
\n\n\n\nI found the most interesting aspect of Penelope’s points to be in her second question, focusing on competition and professional drive. New York City is incredibly competitive and it does not take long to realize that the people and clients you work with on a daily basis tend to be more demanding, more driving and generally in a higher gear that you find in many smaller markets. I know that after working as a Project Manager in the technology field for a few years here, I had the sense that I could move home to a small town in Missouri and perform at a much higher level than if I hadn’t ever lived in New York. That sounds a bit pretentious at first, but in reality, it is kind of like gaining experience in a pressure cooker: you might be able to condense 5 years of work experience in a smaller city down to just 2-3 years of work experience here in NYC (which might explain why most New Yorkers are functioning alcoholics compared to the rest to the country as well). It is evident after working for a while that New York attracts people of similar motivations and that makes it a bit daunting to get started, but I’ve found that rather than being cutthroat, a sort of a mutual-motivation occurs and you help push each other.
\n\n\n\nDespite this, there are plenty of people who don’t live in this race to the top- there are about as many varieties of life experiences here as you could imagine. It certainly may not be for everyone, but I do think Penelope’s framing of the question and the requisite qualities for living here is a decent (if slightly soul-crushing) stating point. You could ask the same question of “Do you belong in NYC?” by asking:
\n\n\n\nIt is impossible to answer the question of Do You Belong In New York City in a single post- that is what this whole site is about and we hope to make that question a little easier for everyone to answer as time goes on. I think there are a few ways of looking at life here in NYC and the perpective Penelope describes is definitely one everyone should be cognizant of before coming here… give it a read, but don’t get too wrapped up in any one perspective- after all, no one is here for the same reasons so no one can really tell you if you should be here or not.
\n", "content_text": "After living in New York City for a few months, I started getting asked two questions a lot: 1) What is it like to live in New York City and 2) What are some tips for living in New York City? That realization eventually gave rise to this entire site, which is hopefully helping to answer those questions for the curious. In the same vein, my friend Erica Zucco recently sent over a link to a blog post from Penelope Trunk: Do You Belong In NYC? Take The Test which touches on some of the nuances of living here in New York. Penelope breaks the decision down to 3 simple questions:\n\n\n\nAre you a maximizer?Do you want to be at the top of your field (or marry someone like that)?Do you value an interesting life over happy life?\n\n\n\nI think this perhaps over-simplifies the way of life in the city and skews heavily towards the midtown/downtown Manhattan-driven lifestyle of\u00a0achievement\u00a0and competition, but those are important views to understand since it is what brings most of us here in the first place.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nA Quick Sponsor Ad:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nI found the most interesting aspect of Penelope’s points to be in her second question, focusing on competition and professional drive. New York City is incredibly competitive and it does not take long to realize that the people and clients you work with on a daily basis tend to be more demanding, more driving and generally in a higher gear that you find in many smaller markets. I know that after working as a Project Manager in the technology field for a few years here, I had the sense that I could move home to a small town in Missouri and perform at a much higher level than if I hadn’t ever lived in New York. That sounds a bit pretentious at first, but in reality, it is kind of like gaining experience in a pressure cooker: you might be able to condense 5 years of work experience in a smaller city down to just 2-3 years of work experience here in NYC (which might explain why most New Yorkers are functioning alcoholics compared to the rest to the country as well). It is evident after working for a while that New York attracts people of similar motivations and that makes it a bit daunting to get started, but I’ve found that rather than being cutthroat, a sort of a mutual-motivation occurs and you help push each other.\n\n\n\nDespite this, there are plenty of people who don’t live in this race to the top- there are about as many varieties of life experiences here as you could imagine. It certainly may not be for everyone, but I do think Penelope’s framing of the question and the requisite qualities for living here is a decent (if slightly soul-crushing) stating point. You could ask the same question of “Do you belong in NYC?” by asking:\n\n\n\nAre you driven?Do you want to work with motivated and dynamic people?Do you want to live somewhere where each day presents unique experiences?\n\n\n\nIt is impossible to answer the question of Do You Belong In New York City in a single post- that is what this whole site is about and we hope to make that question a little easier for everyone to answer as time goes on. I think there are a few ways of looking at life here in NYC and the perpective Penelope describes is definitely one everyone should be cognizant of before coming here… give it a read, but don’t get too wrapped up in any one perspective- after all, no one is here for the same reasons so no one can really tell you if you should be here or not.", "date_published": "2011-12-06T10:00:45-05:00", "date_modified": "2020-01-28T07:46:46-05:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Andrew Cafourek", "url": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/author/acafourek/", "avatar": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/2.jpg" } ], "author": { "name": "Andrew Cafourek", "url": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/author/acafourek/", "avatar": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/2.jpg" }, "image": "https://becomeanewyorker.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/42nd-St.jpeg", "tags": [ "lifestyle", "midwest", "motivation", "Penelope Trunk", "working", "Living in New York", "The Spirt of The City", "Working in New York" ] } ] }