The oldest hotel in New York, the Sohotel definitely has class and a sense of history, while at the same time it provides all the modern facilities and comforts of today. Situated in a superb Manhattan location, the Bowery neighbourhood, the hotel is near many attractions, museums, art galleries, as well as Little Italy and China town. The room we had was modern with lots of character, it was spacious enough and comfortable. Probably not the cheapest place in New York, it was reasonably priced in my opinion, considering the location and the historic status. There are many great bars and restaurants in the area, ask the receptionists for advice and bookings.

thesohotel.com/
341 Broome street, Manhattan
New York NY 10013 – USA

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Zoë's is the coolest restaurant in New York. You'll find locals and regulars and celebrities all coming for one thing: the good, quality food.

245 Eldridge Street in New York City on the Lower Eastside at Houston Street

(646) 559-5962.

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Spending 4h in a car with a stranger COULD be awkward, but not with Dave – he is easy company and conversation was never less than absorbing.
We got off to a great start, with an unexpected and rare (for winter) appearance by the Checker. Such a beauty, and we weren’t the only ones who thought so – passers-by would constantly stop to look and take pictures. Disconcerting at first, yet understandable and quite good fun!
As for the food, we placed ourselves in Dave’s capable hands. By continuously gaging our preferences and appetites throughout the tour, he ensured a well-rounded experience. Everything was excellent, from the beautiful Dominican drink Morir Soñando‎ (orange juice, condensed milk, vanilla and ice – it really was as good as it sounds) in Williamsburg, to the moistest and most gorgeous pastrami washed down with Cel-ray Soda at David’s Brisket House in Bed-Stuy. To the flavorsome, spicy doubles and aloo pie at Trini Gul. To the improbable Gargiullo burger (burger, hot beef, onions, cheese, the whole lot dipped in beef broth) at Brennan and Carr in Homecrest. To the chewiest think pizza at New Park Pizza in Queens. I could go on – you get the idea.
We ended the day full and happy and with a greater understanding of New York than any guidebook could give you. Thoroughly recommended, and if/when we visit New York again, we will definitely repeat it.

www.famousfatdave.com

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Is public napping performance art? It is if you're kooky, androgynous actress Tilda Swinton! She did just that in London's Serpentine Gallery in 1995, in collaboration with the artist Cornelia Parker, and now she's at it again at the MoMA. Swinton will appear unannounced six times in 2013 to publicly sleep in a clear box. But hey, maybe you'll be at the museum at the right time? You may as well check. The Museum of Modern Art is at 11 West 53rd Street between 5th and 6th Avenues.

www.moma.org/
11 W 53rd St, New York, NY, United States
+1 212 708 9400
Google map: bit.ly/17o7Abq

* Amanda is our Been there local for New York. You can check out her page here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/new-york-local-amanda-green.jsp and her own NYC blog here: www.noisiestpassenger.com/. She's also on Twitter: @amandagreen

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Some people skip dessert and some people eat it first. If you're the latter, then visit either the ChikaLicious Dessert Bar or Club across the street from each other on East 10th Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues. I recently visited the popular Dessert Bar with a friend and had a three-course dessert served by Chika herself. Desserts are of the beautiful, fanciest-meal-of-your-life variety. You can pair them with wine, sherry, or tea. My favorite detail: Everything comes on pretty china! I visited on an unusually slow night, but there's usually a long line. If that's the case, you can pick up something less delicate to-go across the street at ChikaLicious Dessert Club. ChikaLicious Dessert Bar is at 203 East 10th Street. The Dessert Club is right across the street at 204 East 10th Street.

www.chikalicious.com/
204 E 10th St, New York, 10003, United States
+1 212 475 0929
Google map: bit.ly/YspNS2
+1 212 475 0929

* Amanda is our Been there local for New York. You can check out her page here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/new-york-local-amanda-green.jsp and her own NYC blog here: www.noisiestpassenger.com/. She's also on Twitter: @amandagreen

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Olek is a Polish crochet artist (don't call her a "yarn bomber"!) who's crocheted the Wall Street bull statue and various other items around NYC. She hasn't had an NYC exhibition since getting arrested in London a few years ago. Now she's back and crocheting skeletons, household items, people, and more. Check out her funny, subversive, and very touchable exhibition "The End Is Far" at Jonathan LeVine Gallery in Chelsea's gallery district until March 23. If you go on the right day, you might see me!

www.jonathanlevinegallery.com
529 W 20th St #9, New York, NY, United States
+1 212 243 3822
Google map: bit.ly/167CfZT

* Amanda is our Been there local for New York. You can check out her page here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/new-york-local-amanda-green.jsp and her own NYC blog here: www.noisiestpassenger.com/. She's also on Twitter: @amandagreen

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I recently had to interview a bunch of NYC kids for a parenting magazine. I asked them for the #1 thing they love about their neighborhood, and all the Upper East Side kids said the same thing: Sedutto. The tiny ice cream/frozen yogurt shop has tons of flavors and mix-ins. You can even order a cupcake, and they'll replace the inside with your favorite ice cream flavor. A bunch of Manhattan kiddos can't be wrong. It's a sweet pit stop if you're hanging around Museum Mile.

1498 1st Ave # 1, New York, NY, United States
+1 212 879 9557
Google map: bit.ly/XS2PCV

* Amanda is our Been there local for New York. You can check out her page here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/new-york-local-amanda-green.jsp and her own NYC blog here: www.noisiestpassenger.com/. She's also on Twitter: @amandagreen

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The best place in NYC to enjoy an Old Fashioned and look back towards central Manhattan.
The views are fantastic and unimpeded stretching from Central Park down to Wall St - well worth a trip out to West 48th to go and watch the city that never sleeps from one of its best vantage points.

www.ink48.com/
653 11th Ave, New York, NY, United States
+1 212 757 0088
Google map: bit.ly/XWfn84

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If you treat your own shoe collection like a museum, then wait 'til you see how a real museum does it. The "Shoe Obsession" exhibit at The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) showcases more than 150 pairs of haute shoes, from the good to the very good to the "Who'd try to walk in those?" (Answer: Lady Gaga.) The museum free and open every day, except for Mondays and Sundays. It's located at 7th Avenue and 27th Street, a quick walk from Penn Station.

www.fitnyc.edu/
227 W 27th St New York, NY 10001, United States
+1 212 217 7999
Google map: bit.ly/YsIlgk

* Amanda is our Been there local for New York. You can check out her page here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/new-york-local-amanda-green.jsp and her own NYC blog here: www.noisiestpassenger.com/. She's also on Twitter: @amandagreen

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Since the 1970s, the sculptor and conceptual artist Wolfgang Laib has been collecting pollen, pouring it in museums and galleries, and calling it art. Not that I'm skeptical — NYC's been so dreary that I think we could all use a burst of color, at the very least. "Pollen From Hazelnut" is on display in the Marron Atrium at Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) until March 11. Don't forget to bring antihistamines! MoMA is at 11 West 53rd Street and is open free for all every Friday from 4-8 p.m. Check the website for more hours.

www.moma.org/
11 W 53rd St New York, NY 10019, United States
+1 212 708 940
Google map: bit.ly/XNFKyX

* Amanda is our Been there local for New York. You can check out her page here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/new-york-local-amanda-green.jsp and her own NYC blog here: www.noisiestpassenger.com/. She's also on Twitter: @amandagreen

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Everyone knows the best thing about heartbreak, loneliness, and unrequited love is the music. Especially the Smiths. This Valentine's Day, February 14, you can celebrate your love, or lack thereof, with The Sons & Heirs, a Smiths and Morrissey cover band at The Bell House in Brooklyn. (Check out their songs here.) Doors open at 8 pm and the show starts at 9 pm with a Smiths-inspired cabaret. You can buy tickets in advance for $12 or $15 at the door. And yes, there will be lots of alcohol and singles there! The Bell House is located on 149 7th Street off the F and G trains.

www.thebellhouseny.com/
149 7th St Brooklyn, NY 11215, United States
+1 718 643 6510
Google map: bit.ly/TNui8e

* Amanda is our Been there local for New York. You can check out her page here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/new-york-local-amanda-green.jsp and her own NYC blog here: www.noisiestpassenger.com/. She's also on Twitter: @amandagreen

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Single Fare just might be the most New York art exhibition of all. For starters, it's an open-call exhibition. And there's only one requirement: All art must be made on a MetroCard, the same plastic card you swipe to ride NYC subways. This year, artists of every discipline from all over the world will be part of the show. I've even submitted my own snarky homage to the inspiring — and often slow — lettered subway lines! The opening reception for Single Fare 3 is Wednesday, February 13, from 6-9 pm at RH Gallery on 137 Duane Street. You can check out the exhibition until February 22.

www.rhgallery.com/
137 Duane Street New York, NY 10013, United States
+1 646 490 6355
Google map: bit.ly/XmkujA

* Amanda is our Been there local for New York. You can check out her page here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/new-york-local-amanda-green.jsp and her own NYC blog here: www.noisiestpassenger.com/. She's also on Twitter: @amandagreen

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Based on an old-fashioned European apothecary shop, Apotheke is a cocktail bar like no other. The menu is eclectic and the bar is more of a chemistry lab than a drinks station, surrounded by medicinal jars from around the world. Great atmosphere, potent cocktails and attractive bar staff.

www.apothekenyc.com/
9 Doyers St, New York, NY 10013
+1 (212) 406 0400
Google map: bit.ly/TKviFw

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Cooperstown is a picture perfect small town in upstate New York. A world away from Manhattan but only a couple of hours by car. Cooperstown is home to the National Baseball Hall of Fame - you don't have to be a baseball fan to enjoy the displays. The main street is like something from a Norman Rockwell painting, especially in the fall (autumn) with the leaves turning orange, red and gold and pumpkins in front of the clapboard houses. Other nearby attractions include Glimmerlgass, with its summer music festival, and the Fenimore Art Museum, for American folk and decorative art.

www.thisiscooperstown.com/
Google map: bit.ly/VE8MmP

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They have a great tour (the night photo tour.) Very enjoyable, I learned a lot and took great pictures.

www.citifari.com
+1 262 726 1201

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It's a cafe, restaurant and bar with a terrace with great views facing the Hudson.

www.boatbasincafe.com/
West 79th Street, New York, NY, United States
+1 212 496 5542
Google map: bit.ly/Jr3mlC
It's where W79 St meets the Hudson. Take a 1 train to 79 St and walk west (downhill), or take the M79 bus a block or so. Walk under the West Side Highway and keep going. You don't see it till you're there.

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On our first trip to New York, my boyfriend and I decided to blow the budget on a yellow cab from the airport. The driver said he normally took the tunnel, but that he would take the bridge so we could get our first view of the skyline as we crossed he Hudson. It was perfect. Manhattan glittered in the sunshine against a bright blue sky, as magical as I had always hoped it would be. I grabbed my boyfriend’s hand and saw that he was feeling the same, and I swear I could hear Gershwin. One view that definitely should be shared, and that I will never forget.

www.iloveny.com/
Google map: bit.ly/yLa0OM

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A Mexican/Asian/American restaurant with the absolutely best view of southern Manhattan, especially after dark. Worth the effort getting to it in Brooklyn. Chances are you'll need a reservation and make sure you eat on the roof terrace!

almarestaurant.com/
187 Columbia Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231
+1 718.643.5400
Google map: bit.ly/w5qIxd

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This museum of early twentieth-century German and Austrian art and design has a fabulous collection of art including many pieces by Egon Schiele and Klimt.
It also has two delightful cafes serving Viennese style food, wonderful cakes and gorgeous breakfasts. It's quite small and a refreshing change from some of the enormous museums in New York that can quickly exhaust you. Also it's not far from the marvellous Frick collection which is also fairly small and "do-able"

www.neuegalerie.org/
1048 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10028
+1 (212) 628 6200
Google map: bit.ly/uVgiK6

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Get the bus out of the Port Authority building to Woodbury Mall about an hour out of NYC. All the top stores have outlets and if you thought Barneys, Century City et al were cheap wait till you see the fabulous prices at every store from Banana Republic, Gap, to Samsonite. It's not a cheap trip (probably £20 return) but if you have retail therapy on your mind it's a must do!

www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/outlet.asp?id=7
498 Red Apple Court Central Valley, NY 10917, United States
+1 (845) 928-4000
Google map: bit.ly/sBxU1n

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