NYC in the Summer... Hot, Sticky, Wonderful Deals

NYC in the summer is uncomfortable. In August, it can honestly be unbearable. If you are lucky, you will arrive in one of these freak years where the breeze is actually cooler than the ambient temperature, but don't count on it.

In the meantime, indulge in the free concerts, theater, films that are littered throughout the city for your amusement and chill time.

Here is the list. I'll add more details in other posts.

Free Summer Concerts

Lincoln Center

Central Park

Bryant Park

Tomkins Square Park

Prospect Park

Free Theater

Shakespeare in The Park (There is actually no other worth comparison)

Free Film

Bryant Park

Prospect Park

All of these include big names, some popular to the masses, other popular to the fans of such tastes. Always great stuff that should not be free. (We are spoiled in NYC. We expect Santana to show up for free in Central Park and Cyndi Lauper to put on a surprise concert in Bryant Park). Sometimes, you may have to camp out, or picnic out, in order to get a seat, ticket, spot, viewing place. But how tough can that be? Prepare a basket or a bag and lay in the park with friends, portable music, books, newspapers (or iPods and iPads) and enjoy the people watching while laying on soft grass and looking up at the sky .

Life can be very very good!

Deep Fried... Anything?!

Yes, there is a place for that. Specifically, in Park Slope, Brooklyn, which is an area known for a certain amount of affluence. However, it is populated and frequented people with a wide range of tastes. Great Brunch, sushi, thai, burgers, cafés and my favorite middle eastern restaurant. This little shop is decidedly not upscale, but it's too strange to be anything else.

The Chip Shop is owned a by a British couple and they will batter and deep fry anything you bring in (as long as it doesn't have too much of a water content as, apparently, that has explosive consequences. That means no fruit!)

They also serve traditional fish and chip shop fare complete with mushy peas, as well as bangers & mash, shepherd's pie, macaroni & cheese and puddings (like Rhubarb crumble w/cream, English port trifle and spotted dick). Ah, my beating heart... please don't stop beating!

I haven't been here. And you know my favorite English place to eat in NYC (Tea & Sympathy), but this is just too cool and too weird to pass up. Plus, they're in Brooklyn and I can't resist the idea of an English shop in Brooklyn. Here's the article that brought this shop to my attention.

383 Fifth Avenue (at 6th Street), Brooklyn, NY

718.CHIP.SHOP

photo from The Daily Mail

Where To Sleep... On The Cheap

The worse thing about planning a trip to New York City is paying for a place to stay. I'm lucky, I've never had this dilemma, but I very much sympathize. There is so much amazing and delectable and fantastical things to experience... on the cheap, but then you have to pay $1,000 for a place to stay. That is just scandalous!

Here are few websites to check out first.

Apartments to Rent

How about renting an apartment for $70/night on the hip, trendy and atmospheric Lower East Side. Yup, that is one of the deals I found here on Air B-n-B. You can rent whole apartments, or rooms in the houses, or more likely, apartments of artists and other interesting people. I already have a couple of friends who've used this site and highly recommend it and the people they rented from.

AND... it is not only for NYC. San Fran, Paris... Perhaps this will become your "go-to place" to find a place to rest your weary and well-traveled head.

One can always try craigslist, but I prefer Air B-n-B.

Hostelling

It actually does work in NYC. Prices run from $30-$38 per bed/per night, and then go higher if you require greater privacy.

Hostelling International New York (The hostelers hostel. Wonderfully decorated and huge garden. On the Upper West Side.)

891 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10025

212.932.2300

New York Loft Hostel (looks very cool. gourmet kitchen, jacouzzi, garden and live music. Received great ratings. Located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, which is hipster central, but not exactly tourist central. For the adventurous. Has anyone been there?)

249 Varet Street, Brooklyn, NY

718.366.1351

Chelsea International Hostel (located somewhere between the West Village and the Empire State Building. This hostel is centrally located for excursions uptown, midtown and downtown. It's even not too bad for a trip to Brooklyn or Queens.

251 West 20th Street, New York, NY 10011

212.647.0010

You do not feel like you are backpacking (as long as you ignore all the backpackers, eh?). Plus, they are located in great areas to start your New York wanderings. Do your own research if you like. You never know what you will find!

Sushi Samba

I usually don't go for large “trendy” restaurants, but I ended up at Sushi Samba on Halloween one year with some Belgian friends and New York friends. And so, with a great view of 7^th Avenue, we watched the Halloween parade begin.

The food is a wonderful fusion of flavors that really works. Japanese, Peruvian and Brazilian come together to create surprising and wonderful mouth combinations. It is worth it for the experience to come at least once. Come again for the atmosphere and the view. Be prepared to pay.

Vietnam? Misha asks. Of Course, I Say...

L'ANNAM

This is one of the best vietnamese you can find north of Chinatown without being vietnamese. Techincally, Republic is vietnamese, with a twist. This is vietnamese with more meat and less fresh herbs (by less, I mean - instead of a plate full, you get a handful - still good for me). But still superbly good and great for the price. You will have to take food home. I do not know who they are trying to feed all that food to.

Luckily, it's scrumptious mouth-watering food, and you can eat the rest the next day for lunch via your microwave.

121 University Place (between 13^th & 14^th Streets)

Where Noodles Come To Get Their Groove On!

REPUBLIC

How can I forget this?! One of my favorite spots and best eating in NYC!

I avoided going in for years, because it looked like a university cafeteria and just looked all “we are so cool, we don't have to decorate” - which annoys me. But...

It's great. Between Republic and Café Orlin it is hard to know which restaurant I go to most often. It's right on Union Square, so it has amazing train connections. You are quickly there and quickly home, and in between, you feed yourself well.

The soups are amazing. Brothy or coconut-milk-creamy, in large bowls filled with noodles, fresh herbs, lime or whatever fills you belly and soul. It will always keep you warm and fragrant... yes, fragrant.

They do pork, like no one else. Their grilled pork is succulent BBQ honey perfection served with rice or over cold rice noodles in a spicy-sweet sauce with carrots and apples, or some other slightly sweet fresh root vegetable.

And if you have time for appetizer – the grilled japanese eggplant is flavor layered on juiciness layered on smokiness good. But everything here is good, as far as I can tell. And if you can afford a cocktail, do! They are awesome.

You will be sharing tables that have hanging wire baskets underneath so you can put your coats, umbrellas and bags away. But the tables are spatious, wooden and support all your various plates and drinks well!

If you can get the green tea ice cream. Do! If you can get that anywhere, you must try. I think Beard Papa Cream Puffs also sells it. But Republic has such a nice communal atmosphere. It does sometimes feel like a club with the music, the lights and the beautiful people, but it's NYC. Sometimes you can't avoid the party scene. :)

37 Union Square West (between 17^th & 16^th Streets)

Potatoes Double Fried and Smothered in Sauce

Pommes Frites

If you're nostalgic for “frites” or “frietjes”, then go here. The best fries in NYC. They come in a paper cone and there are hundreds of sauces (or at least it seems). You can even get a simple mix of mayonaise, ketchup and finely chopped onions, as is done in Belgium.

I'm English, so I just dowse my fries in malt vinegar. But if you're Belgian, you'll feel almost at home. The wooden interior reminds me of those “brown cafés” in Gent. There isn't much place to sit, so wander outside, find a stoop and enjoy your “frites met mayonnaise”. Sorry, no stoverij...

123 2^nd Avenue (between St. Mark's Place & 7^th Street) – I go to this one. There are others.