If you're going to the Tenement Museum and want to have the best smoked salmon and cream cheese on a bagel in your life, then do not miss Russ & Daughters a few blocks from the Museum on Houston Street. If I had to choose between going here or Katz's,
I would go here instead. Although Katz's is iconic and very good, depending on the time of day you could be waiting forever for their beloved pastrami. If you have a sweet tooth and want to stay in that area of the Lower East Side, I'd recommend Doughnut
Plant or Il Laboratorio del Gelato. Doughnut Plant has crazy flavored doughtnuts like peanut butter & jelly, or tres leches. Il Laboratorio del Gelato, right across the street from Katz's, features crazy flavors of gelato, like avocado and pink peppercorn.
Museum-wise, if you want to stay in that part of Manhattan, I would recommend going to the Merchant's House Museum on 4th and Lafayette because it's a nice contrast to the Tenement Museum, and because I recently finished up a project there returning the home's
interior to its 1850s paint scheme. Again, staying in that area, head west on 4th Street and check out Washington Square park. Depending on the time of year and the weather there are usually NYU students hanging around listening to outdoor musicians or families
watching street performers.
Being a Manhattan resident, I steer clear of Times Square because it's sensory overload and often crowded. If you think you'll only be in NYC once, then definitely go, but I'd recommend a ferry ride across the East River to Brooklyn Bridge Park, or walking
across the Brooklyn Bridge itself instead. You'll get the best views of Manhattan from here, and the quaint brownstones of Brooklyn Heights are just a stone's throw away. For me, that's New York.
Other things worth noting: Grand Central--aside from the rushing crowds, there's an awesome secret bar called The Campbell Apartment that has lots of wood paneling and retro cocktails; New York Public Library's Schwarzman Building and it's famous reading room;
Rockefeller Center--where ice skating happens and good views of Midtown from the Top of the Rock; Empire State Building--good views of the city and a great brewpub called Heartland Brewery. Also, the subway system isn't that daunting and is much cheaper than
taking a cab everywhere. Unless you're in a rush, take the subway. In addition, many restaurants offer brunch on Saturday and Sunday that feature an "unlimited" option where you pay a set price and you can have unlimited bloody marys or mimosas while you're
there. I remember you saying there was a bachelorette component to your trip, so that could be an option.
That should give you enough to chew on.
Brian Horne
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