Spring in NYC

Quote: Despite my insistence upon visiting New York like a local, and not like a tourist, I absolutely LOVE Times Square. This is my favorite, and I think the most worthwhile, tourist attraction in the city.

In Times Square, you're close to every Broadway Theater, big NYC concerts and events, and some of the most beautiful hotels in the city.

My tips:

For a fun and luxurious view - go into one of the Times Square hotels (pretend you're a guest, act natural!) and go to the highest floor you can get to. Sit at a table by the windows and spend time people watching.

Avoid the Times Square vendors and restaurants if you're looking to save money. Most of the restaurants in Times Square are chains, and offer mediocre food. If you walk a few blocks out of Times Square, you can find fantastic restaurants at a much more reasonable price. Find your classic "I Heart NY" shirts a few blocks away as well, and save as much as $5 or $10 a piece.

Quote: I highly recommend AYZA to NYC tourists and locals alike. It's a fantastic little find in a fun NYC area, with great food, outstanding wine, and fun outdoor seating. Try it!

Pros: AYZA has incredible food! Very gourmet, and VERY decently priced for being a midtown restaurant in New York City. Even better = the wines. The wine menu is outstanding, and in addition to the wine we ordered, we received free samples of their delicious red spiced hot wine when we arrived.

Cons: Small portions. Wine and drinks are standard, but the food portions are very small. I am quite the light eater, and was still hungry after an appetizer and meal. Typically, my husband and I will share one appetizer and one meal, and both will be full by the end of it. Not so much, here.

Overall, it's worth the experience. A great place to avoid the tourists and feel like a real New Yorker.

Quote: When I heard that a non-profit in NYC (Housing Works) runs bookshops across town to raise funds to help the AIDS community, of COURSE I was going to go! I expected to find a mediocre used-shop with a few good reads, and was more than happy to make a purchase to support those in need.

What I found was so much more. Housing Work's bookstores truly are "holes in the walls", and a fantastic place to go and spend a day. The rickety wood building with a second floor loft filled with books is beyond charming, and the simple coffee shop, comfortable tables, and chairs overflowing with readers only adds to the charm.

It's a perfect place to sit and study, to read, to grab coffee with a friend, or to browse the endless shelves filled with fantastic books, cds, magazines, scripts, and more - all for an incredible price.

Please visit! You'll be glad you did. Bookstores that make you feel warm and fuzzy after you make a purchase are the best kind.

Quote: Come Fly Away is a new kind of musical. Not new in the sense that there is singing and dancing. Not new in the big band orchestra, the on stage musicians, or the cast full of dancers. However, Come Fly Away does something new, and quite incredible, musically - and pays tribute to one of the greatest American singers of all time in a new and exciting way.

Come Fly Away is a dance musical, choreographed by the talented Twyla Tharp, and tells the story of couples in a club over the course of an evening. Standard plot, slow moving and intriguing. The best aspect of the show however, is the inspiration it takes from Frank Sinatra, and the way the singers, musicians, and cast and crew pay tribute to his work.

The stage is filled with a big band, and a lone female singer standing in the spotlight. But when the music starts, the band begins to play, it's not her voice you hear - it's Frank's. Sinatra's voice comes through the loud speakers and fills the room, mixing with the live instruments as if he were really there. The female vocalist then gently adds harmony. Together, the show works to celebrate the here and now, and those of the past - and creates a harmonious, gorgeous score and song while combining the live and the recorded - a difficult feat!

If you like Frank Sinatra, this is a show you don't want to miss.

Quote: Avenue Q is one of the edgiest, most brilliant musicals of all time. A must see for it's innovation, creativity, and shock humor.

This is an adult show - it is offensive, it is crude, and it is full of unexpected surprises. If you're going to see a "nice, family" show, Avenue Q is not for you. But if you want raw humor, honesty, and a great laugh, this show is perfect.

Go in with an open mind, and you'll leave overjoyed.

Quote: Target offers free admission to the NYC public every Friday night at the MoMA - being frugal as all get out, we went for it!

Pros: LOVE this museum! Beautiful, clean, friendly, and an incredible display of well-known artists and fun exhibits. The touring exhibits are fantastic - when I was in the museum, the MoMA had both a Tim Burton exhibit, and a live performance and exhibit from Marina Abramovich. Outstanding! The MoMA works hard to make sure that visitors really experience the art - not just visually, but mentally, emotionally, physically, historically... and all things in between.

Cons: Free night is great - because it's free - but it's CROWDED. Get ready to be pushed and shoved, wait in long lines, and move at the same pace as the people in front of you, and the people behind you.

I REALLY recommend the MoMA. Not a high "touristy" spot at all times, and really gives you the opportunity to experience the artistic, edgy side of the city.