North America Travel Guides

Activities

Traffic and its fumes are a serious disincentive to exercise-minded New Yorkers. So are bagels and cream cheese. Most New Yorkers are not fitness freaks, and yet there seems to be a gym on every corner. The gyms at Chelsea Piers feature most sports from beach volleyball to golf.

gym

The massive gym at Chelsea Piers has a thousand ways to make you sweat. Choose - if you can - from bowling, skating, horseback-riding, indoor wall-climbing and swinging a golf club.

jogging

Central Park's 10km (6mi) roadway loops around the park and is closed to cars between 10:00 and 15:00 weekdays and all weekend. The Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir has a soft 2.5km (1.5mi) running track and there's a runner's pathway along the Hudson from 23rd St to Battery Park City.

fishing

You can actually fish for striped bass, porgies, flounder and more on the piers overlooking the Hudson River, but the river's history of chemical contamination makes eating the fish an unlikely proposition. For better fishing, head to City Island in the Bronx.

cycling

The only places for good-karma cycling in the city are the pastoral paths of Central or Prospect Park or along the Hudson River.

skating

Central Park is the place to try out your Xanadu skating impressions. Head to the mall that runs east of Sheep Meadow or, on weekends, skate on Central Park Dr, which is off-limits to cars.

Points of interest

Museum of Modern Art

MOMA, a veritable art universe of more than 100,000 pieces, is hailed for its physical design and the soul of its exhibits. Big hitters like Matisse, Picasso, Cezanne, Rothko and Pollock are housed in the central five-story atrium. The museum's sculpture garden - returned to its original, larger vision of the early 50s by Philip Johnson - is a joy to sit in.

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American Museum of Natural History

Founded in 1869, this museum is a classic for kids. Its halls are fascinating wonderlands of more than 30 million artefacts, and the thrilling Rose Center for Earth & Space was added in 2000. Plan to spend most of a day here so you and your littlies can see as much as possible.

The museum is most famous for its three large, recently renovated dinosaur halls, as well as for the enormous (fake) blue whale hanging from the ceiling of the Hall and Ocean Life. Kids of all ages will find something to intrigue them, whether it's the stuffed Alaskan Brown Bear, the Star of India sapphire or the skullcap of a pachycephulasasurus - a plant-eating dino that roamed the earth 65 million years ago. In all sections of the museum, you'll find enthusiastic volunteer guides keen to answer questions.

It's the Rose Center for Earth & Space, though, that has been the star attraction since its much-heralded opening. Just gazing at its facade - a massive glass box containing a silver globe, home to space-show theatres and the planetarium - is mesmerising, especially at night, when all its otherworldly features are aglow.

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New Museum of Contemporary Art

Recently moved from SoHo to here, a temporary location until the fabulous new Lower East Side digs are ready, this museum's widespread mission is to give space to works created in the last decade. A recent highlight was a survey of works by Vancouver-based Brian Jungen, who transforms consumer goods such as baseball bats and sneakers into powerful sculptures.

Check out the video and audio installations in the Media Z Lounge and the impressive array of art reference titles and monographs in the bookstore.

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Jewish Museum

Primarily featuring artwork examining 4000 years of Jewish ceremony and culture, this homage to Judaism also has a wide array of children's activities (storytelling hour, arts and crafts workshops, etc). The building, a 1908 banker's mansion, houses more than 30,000 items of Judaica.

The institution also offers lectures and screenings - in January it collaborates with Lincoln Center for the annual New York Jewish Film Festival.

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Irish Hunger Memorial

This small and poignant maze of low limestone walls and patches of green grass is the creation of artist Brian Tolle to raise awareness of the Great Irish Famine and Migration (1845-52) which led so many immigrants to leave the Irish Republic for the chance of a better life in the Big Apple.

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Empire State Building

Catapulted to Hollywood stardom as the vertical perch that King Kong was knocked down from, the Empire State Building is one of the New York skyline's most famous landmarks. It's a limestone classic built in just 410 days, or seven million man-hours, during the depths of the Depression at a cost of over 40 million dollars. The view is a dandy.

The famous antenna was originally meant to be a mooring mast for zeppelins, but the Hindenberg disaster slammed the brakes on that plan.

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Coney Island

About 50min by subway from Midtown, Coney Island sits on the calm Atlantic tides and is fronted by a beachside boardwalk. It makes for a fun day trip with rides, freak show, vodka and beach time. In late 2005, Mayor Bloomberg unleashed a plan to make Coney Island's famous amusement park a year-round attraction.

Coney Island is named after wild rabbits ( konijn in Dutch), which were pretty much all the first Europeans saw on the grassy shoreline in the 17th century. By the end of the 19th century, it had become a den for gamblers, hard drinkers, boxers, racers - some called it 'Sodom by the Sea.'

The 20th century brought a new era with late-night concerts, Buster Keaton films and, best yet, amusement parks. The most famous, Luna Park, opened in 1903 and was a dream world of lagoons, camels and elephants, and rides to the moon - all lit by over a million bulbs (fire eventually claimed it in 1946). By the 1960s, Coney Island's pull had slipped and the 'hood became a sad, crime-ridden reminder of past glories. During the 1980s, a slow, enduring comeback began, with new rides and 'freak shows' (sword swallowers, bearded women, folks with lizard skin etc) trickling in. There is a beautiful baseball stadium on the beach, home of the minor league Cyclone's; equally interesting is Brighton Beach is next door; walk down the beach at Coney Island until you see the large, Russian restaurants on the boardwalk or walk under the elevated train until you hear no longer hear any English spoken and all the stores and restaurants are Russian.

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Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met is New York's most popular single-site tourist attraction with one of the richest coffers in the art world. It's a self-contained cultural city-state and the collections of European art from Ancient Greek and Roman, through Rembrandt and Velázquez to Renoir, Seurat and Picasso will leave you wondering if there's anything left to see in Europe itself.

The Met has two million individual objects in its collection and an annual budget of over USD 120,000,000.00 . It presents more than 30 special exhibitions and installations each year.

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Central Park

If you're ever lucky enough to fly into New York over the stretch of Manhattan, one of the most stunning visuals is not the buildings themselves but the lack of them, within the 843-acre carpet of green that makes up this stunning park. Located smack-dab in the middle of the borough, this is definitely a place that is not to be missed.

An oasis from the insanity - the lush lawns, cool forests, flowering gardens, glassy bodies of water and meandering, wooded paths provide the dose of serene nature New Yorkers crave. While the park swarms with joggers, in-line skaters, musicians and tourists on warm weekends, you'll find it quieter on weekday afternoons. Folks flock to the park even in winter, where snowstorms can inspire cross-country skiing and sledding or a simple stroll through the white wonderland - and crowds turn out every New Year's Eve for a popular midnight run. February of 2005 had an added bonus with the installation of Christo's Gates, comprising 7503 massive sheets of orange fabric hunge from frames placed throughout 37km (23mi) of walkways throughout the otherwise stark and frozen park. Some New Yorkers loved it, others despised it, but people came out in droves for the unique and exciting spectacle.

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Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty is one of the most recognisable icons, up there with the Eiffel Tower and Taj Mahal, and its beloved image seems to have been coopted by everyone. You can't enter the statue anymore but you can visit the museum to peer into its intricate interior through a glass ceiling at the Lady's base, or enjoy the view from the observation deck.

Surprisingly, a great majority of local New Yorkers have never even visited the lady.

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Franklin Station Café

This small, airy cafe features a unique, refreshing menu that's a thrill to stumble upon any time of day. While the breakfast menu is quite international, lunch and dinner are more Malaysian-focused. Try the spicy shrimp with noodles and bean sprouts; curried squid or vegetables; or grilled salmon in turmeric ginger sauce.

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Doma Cafe

This is the kind of West Village bohemian cafe, with timber floors and tables, where it seems like everyone is working on a novel, a screenplay or at least the Great American email. You can sit for hours on the cushioned window seats and watch the city go by, with bagels, muffins, panini, salads and great coffee to keep you company.

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Empire Diner

Dine alfresco in the fumes, with Chelsea boys and other beauts, in this famous NY landmark, an old deco-style rail car. After hours, it's especially animated, crammed with merry night-owls, hungry drag queens, and other fun folk. Simple but tasty diner faves like club sandwiches and burgers make up the menu; their fries are the best in the USA.

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Five Points Restaurant

This classy spot presents a robust Meditteranean-inspired menu with fish a specialty. There is a warm, inviting bar that's just the spot for a drink or three while you wait for a table in the candlelit dining room. It is popular with the locals of this historic neighbourhood, where 'Gangs of New York' was set.

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Sparky's

This skinny new snack spot, enclosed by a glass storefront, is filled with cheap, tasty, high-quality fast foods. Its hot dogs come in beef or soy, and are topped with anything from blue cheese to roasted jalapenos. There's real ice cream or Tofutti sandwiches, hand-cut fries and locally-made yoghurts for breakfast. And it's all organic.

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Bubby's Pie Company

Though it started in 1990 as a pie company, Bubby's is now one of the most popular eateries in Tribeca. The buzz about it being a magnet for local celebs has died down, but it's still a great draw for families with kids - who are welcome and easily sated here with a special kids' menu, brimming with classics.

Adults find plenty to get excited about, too, from the mellow, high-ceilinged ambience to its excellent takes on homey basics: luscious mac-and-cheese, slow-cooked barbecue including Texas-style brisket, grits, matzo-ball soup, buttermilk fried chicken and a selection of Mexican plates - all melt-in-your-mouth good.

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Lombardi's

A Soho fave amongst locals and tourists alike, Lombardi's pizzas feature tasty tangy sauce, fresh mozzarella, sky-high toppings and a thick crust embedded with sesame seeds. One of the city's oldest eateries, it opened in 1897, just down the road to its present location.

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Les Halles

Celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain reigns at this packed and serious bistro where vegetarians need not apply. Among the elegant light-fixtures, dark wood panelling and stiff white tablecloths you'll find a buttoned-up, meat-lovin' crowd with deep pockets. Favourites include cote de boeuf and steak au poivre.

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Ruben's Empanadas

Though this quickie takeout shop ain't flash, the empanadas here more than make up for its decorative shortcomings. These healthy, stuffed South American pastries are delicious and cheap. Along with the requisite beef and chicken versions, try the broccoli with mozzarella and ricotta, or Argentine sausage.

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Blue Ribbon Sushi

Blue Ribbon's sushi outpost here saves many Brooklynites a subway ride to its Manhattan branch. Next to Blue Ribbon's meat- and oyster-filled restaurant, the sushi counterpart features sleek wooden benches and a long list of sashimi, sushi and maki rolls. If you can't pick and choose, there's a reasonably priced sushi sashimi combo.

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Australian Consulate General

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British Consulate General

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Hospital Audiences Inc

A great resource for disabled travellers is Hospital Audiences Inc, which publishes an online guide, Access for All, revealing how accessible places really are and giving information including height of telephones and alternative entrances.

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Canadian Consulate General

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French Consulate General

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Irish Consulate General

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NYC & Company

The city's official tourism arm is the extremely helpful NYC & Company, which offers maps and all sorts of pamphlets at its three information locations, and endless useful stuff online, from upcoming special events and various discounts to historic titbits and security updates.

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Netherlands Embassy

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LGBT Community Center

The West Village is one of the strongest gay neighbourhoods in New York, and is where you'll find the city's queer headquarters: the LGBT Community Center, which hosts hundreds of meetings and events weekly, and offers counselling, traveller services and loads of local gay publications.

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Times Square Information Center

This information center, run by the Times Square Business Improvement District, offers pamphlets, maps and tourism counsellors who can advise you in ten different languages.

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Chelsea Hotel

New York's number one rock 'n' roll, bohemian sleeping quarters, the Chelsea Hotel, has been immortalised in songs by the likes of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen. Sid's Nancy died there in 1979 and other famed residents have ranged from Dylan Thomas to Ethan Hawke.

A stay here can feel like life on a film shoot (there's probably one going on next door). In from the guitar shops, along bustling two-way 23rd St, the Chelsea's lobby oozes with relics of an illustrious past which pre-dates its rock 'n' roll flirtation. The massive wooden mantle over the fireplace and the wall-mounted seats herald a far fussier age than that of fuzz-box distortion pedals. Priced somewhat for its lore, the mix and match style of the rooms show their decades - most are huge, with ruby-red carpets or drip-drop designs on rugs over wooden floors. Some have shared bath; suites have small kitchens, sitting areas, and settees in front of the windows. Rooms come with Internet access and there's wi-fi in the lobby. Hallways are lined with artwork from past and present residents - about two-thirds of the hotel are long-term residents.

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Franklin

If you need an Upper East Side bed for under USD 400.00 , the compact, nine-floor Franklin is a cosy choice, with 49 wee - seriously little - rooms and French accordion music piped into the lobby.

Rooms fit a lot into their small shape though - quilts hanging off the end of the hefty beds, work desks, flat-screen TVs (in superior rooms), CD players, free Internet access. The downstairs lobby has a computer guests can use; in the back is a small cafe with wine-and-cheese from 17:00 to 19:00 and free breakfast in the morning.

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Gershwin Hotel

Screw the Chelsea, the 13-floor Gershwin - with its tear-shaped drip-drop bulbs along its red facade out front, framed Pop Art in lobby and rooms, and Museum of Sex next door - is a primo art'n'rock'n'roll hotel for a lot less. The kept-clean 159 rooms - including a handful of dorms - savour the past but don't skimp on comfort.

Along an appealing Midtown side street north of Madison Square Park, the Gershwin's rooms have wooden floors, with yellow pastel walls and sparkling-clean yellow-tile bathrooms. Heat pipes cough in winter, wall-unit air-conditioners hum in summer. There's cable TV, a dresser, a closet with safe, oval mirror on a stand, and high-speed Internet. Dorms are simpler (four, six or 10 bunks per room), but come with a private bathroom; most are co-ed, there's one women-only dorm too. The rooftop deck is a great hang-out space (though it was under renovation during our last visit). No kitchen. The next door Gallery Bar is past a giant curtain from the small lobby (which has a tour desk and wi-fi access). Despite the fun vibe, not only combat-boot backpackers revel in the Gershwin's easy access to Midtown for cheap. Plenty of 'adult' types lather in the glory. Reserve ahead.

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The Mark New York

Little brother to the Mandarin Oriental, this regal, neoclassical Italian-style hotel still maintains the grace and feel of its 1920s Art Deco Upper East Side residential origins. Being a couple of blocks from Central Park - and running less than half of the Mandarin's rates - doesn't hurt either.

Mandarin Oriental has operated the 176-room Mark since 2000. Rooms are a little chintzy, check out the floral fabrics and ruffled curtains. Standard rooms are fine (with writing desks looking out the windows), but the deluxe is worth the splurge - it offers more room as well as a fully stocked European-style kitchen (with stove, refrigerator and microwave). In most rooms, lovely black-and-white tile graces the bathrooms, with separate shower and tubs. A renovation put a little more colour in the rooms as well as some Asian touches like a Chinese-style cabinet for the TVs and VHS players. The suites best reflect the apartment feel - the executive suite has French doors leading to the living area with two plush sofas, plus a jacuzzi in the big bathroom. There's a small fitness centre.

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Shoreham

Artful and chic, the Shoreham's ongoing renovation has put a surprising modern splash into its 175 rooms. In the works are a ground-floor gallery and a new, futuristic restaurant/lounge that should give the scene even more buzz.

Built in two side-by-side towers, the Shoreham's new design is apparently inspired by lilies. Said flowers feature througout the hotel in various guises from the framed pictures on walls to enlarged pictures of them behind beds surrounded by plump headboard frames. Standard rooms aren't giant - but have enough details to keep it comfy. Flatscreen TVs are on the wall. Work desks line a wall, with a clear-door icebox below, stocked with your requested treats. Bathrooms shine in all-white tile. At research time, much of the ground floor was under construction, with a planned video wall, featuring a split-screen video with loops of hummingbirds and soaring animated birds (they're serious about art, it seems). There's also 24-hour coffee/tea downstairs, and a nice sitting area (stocked with Time Out and other mags) that becomes a bar in the evenings.

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SoHo Grand Hotel

A decade old, and benefiting from a recent renovation, the 17-story, simple-from-outside SoHo Grand remains a fresh, top downtown hotel for its industrial chic looks (check the warehouse-like beams and 'chicken wire' ceiling mirrors in the expansive second-floor lobby).

The 363 rooms have huge windows, looking over Chinatown and SoHo's water towers and rooftops. Rooms feature slightly darker earth tones to balance the light pouring in, as well as leather-studded headboards above the king-size feather beds, Bose alarm clocks, wi-fi Internet access, free-standing wardrobes and plasma flat-screen TVs. Bathrooms feature funny black-and-white bird wallpaper. For all the extra dollars, the 'grand king' double offers only a little more space. Ceilings tower in the lobby's Grand Lounge, which gets going with DJs (plus drinks and meals) later in the evening. In summer, a courtyard restaurant serves drinks and BBQ. On your way out, grab a juicy apple from the bowl by the elevators.

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Hudson

The Ian Schrager-owned and Philippe Starck-designed Hudson is for the modernly inclined. It's simply one of Manhattan's coolest spots - for sleeping, for drinking, or for simply reading the Times in its jaw-dropping lobby.

There's some trickery upon entering the Hudson. The fluorescent lemon-lime sliding doors light up the escalator-tube which leads to the trompe l'oeil low-lit red-brick and 'vine'-roofed lobby, with sofas in nooks and the adjoining floor-lit Chambers Bar. Just behind is a courtyard and the Library bar, with a purple pool table. Rooms are cruise-ship small, but cushy in the bare details. Translucent curtains separate the walkway, open closet and the all-white room (a sheet envelops the comforter to simplify the look). Many rooms have glass-walled showers for those who like a peek. There's a small desk and a cabinet with a tiny TV. Deluxe studios get you a sofa (with studded white-leather frame) and more room. There's a sky terrace on the 15th floor with looks downtown and at the namesake river.

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Awesome B&B

Space is tight, but ah the love (of art! of knights! of Brooklyn!) swells at this wonderfully artful B&B. Awesome! Yeah! All this on the edge of one of Brooklyn's most appealing neighbourhoods - and cheap!

Lined with local art - with rooms named for themes ranging from 'Sun on the Beach' to 'Gothic Nights' - this simple, friendly, B&B puts travellers steps away from several subway links to Manhattan. Awesome's six rooms are small, but overflow with detail - eg heaps of small lamps rather than a lone buzzing fluorescent bulb above, wooden dressers or entry tables, textured hand-painted walls playfully showing their smears and cable TVs. The 'Dragon Palace' room has an Asian-style dragon wrapping around three walls (it's just paint, kids - leave your jousting lance at home). The two shared bathrooms are tidy, with some shampoos and soaps provided. A breakfast of croissants, fruit and coffee or tea is laid out in the small hallway. Tell staff some of your New York plans, and they'll print out maps for you. Rooms aren't big, and there's no public space yet but it's clean and cheap.

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Harlem Flophouse

For a different slant on New York, this gorgeous four-bedroom guesthouse on a pleasant, active, one-time boarded-up Harlem backstreet conjures up the jazz era with its antiques, polished-wood floors and radios throughout tuned to jazz radio stations.

Two huge rooms share a bathroom on each floor of the 1890s brownstone - with no air-con or TV, the stress here is a step back to Harlem's glorious jazz days. Owner Rene Calvo proudly offers a tale behind any piece or detail (hanging chandelier or mirror, wall moulding, cast-iron tubs, painted-red sprinkler system running below the ceilings) throughout the four-storey brownstone. You wouldn't guess it, but many of them he found on the street, including one of the bathrooms' sinks, lugged back from the sidewalk outside the now closed, historic Blumstein's shop on 125th St. To fix the tin ceilings, he found a manufacturer that began in the 1850s and got them to use the original moulds. Rooms are big and have a sink, creaky wooden floors, a bed, desk, closet and radio. Renee can point out the real gospel church services (no tour buses) and good soul food restaurants nearby.

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Library Hotel

Right on the 'Library Way' (with engraved quotes on the sidewalk leading to the main library on Fifth Ave), this 60-room Library keeps the book theme going inside with classy, themed floors based on the 10 major categories of the Dewey Decimal System.

You don't have to be able to read squat to enjoy it though - and staff don't hush you if you get riled up at the rooftop deck bar. (There's also a nice all-glass sitting area, with year-round Midtown views.) Though living up to its name, the sophisticated 'petite' room includes a small desk, a small shelving area in the wall, and framed prints that follow up on the floor's theme - all lending a very 'uptown' feel. The two-room junior suites are on the corners - facing the real library - with pull-out couch in their sitting area. All rooms have TVs with cable and VHS - the in-house library includes the so-called 'top 100' films. There's a free breakfast, wine-and-cheese most evenings and a grand piano to play in the airy second-floor reading room. Built in a stately 1912 mansion, the Library has been a hotel since 2000.

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Barramundi

This Australian-owned arty place, formerly located on Ludlow St, has taken up residence in this old tenement building after losing its lease at the old spot. Though its garden is gone, it's still home to Barramundi's biggest draws: convivial booths, reasonably priced drinks (including some Aussie imports) and some cool tree-trunk tables.

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Mo Pitkin's House of Satisfaction

Part comfort-food restaurant, part cabaret/burlesque lounge and part retro-style cocktail lounge, Mo Pitkin's is in a league of its own. Drink up at the century-old bar, where you can order various tap beers and unique only-in-New-York drinks like the Absolut egg cream and chat with a variety of East Village characters, both old and new.

Conceived as a showcase for the East Village at its best (read: wacky, edgy, delightful), this is where you'll see every hip downtown sensation in town, from über-host (and gaymous drag king) Murray Hill to acoustic artists like Laura Cantrell, and up-and-coming comics and burlesque artists at the weekly variety shows.

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Pravda

Pravda tried to remain on the down low, but lines out the door leaked the secret to the entire city. If you dress hip enough and look sufficiently intense, you'll make it past the gatekeepers and enter clouds of cigar smoke in this mock East European speakeasy. The martinis make all the hassle worth it, together with the two-page vodka list.

Includes Canada's Inferno Pepper, a home-grown Rain Organic and a slew of specialty martinis. Iced racks of global caviar make a perfect match.

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Campbell Apartment

Take the lift to the West Balcony and head out the doors to reach this sublime spot for a cocktail. This used to be the apartment of a landed railroad magnate and has the velvet, mahogany and murals to prove it. Cigars are welcome, but sneakers and jeans are not. The Apartment is a great way to enjoy the grandeur of the train station.

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Jeremy's Ale House

An odd mix of frat house and quirky dive bar, Jeremy's is where you'll find bras hung over the bar, cheap pints served in Styrofoam cups and a lovely view of the Brooklyn Bridge. It's a curious place for a quick stop-in - which can happen at pretty much anytime, thanks to its frighteningly early opening hours.

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Bemelman's Bar

Waiters wear white jackets, a baby grand piano is always being played and Ludwig Bemelman's Madeleine murals surround you. It's a classic spot for a serious cocktail - the kind of spot that could easily turn up in a Woody Allen film. So get ready for a scene - a completely sophisticated one, of course - that's as fascinating as it is blandly predictable.

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Bowlmor Lanes

Bowling is just the beginning at this sprawling alley complex, where you can visit just to take a candy-colored mod-style seat at the lengthy bar and watch glow-in-the-dark games through a massive glass window. The retro atmosphere is popular for large groups, and the groovy DJs might even inspire you to pick up a ball yourself.

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Apollo Theater

This has been Harlem's leading space for political rallies and concerts since 1914. Virtually every major black artist of note in the 1930s and '40s performed here, including Duke Ellington and Charlie Parker. After a desultory spell as a movie theater and several years of darkness, the Apollo was bought in 1983 and revived as a live venue.

After the completion of a two-year renovation (phase one in a long-range plan), the Apollo is more beautiful than ever, with a restored facade, marquee, glass-and-steel storefront and brand-new box office. Its famous weekly Amateur Night, 'where stars are born and legends are made,' still takes place on Wednesday, with a wild and ruthless crowd that's as fun to watch as the performers. On other nights, the Apollo hosts performances by established artists like Stevie Wonder and the O'Jays.

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Welcome to the Johnsons

The irony of this Brady Bunch-like theme bar still hasn't worn off, which means it must be pretty cool. It's especially a draw to former suburbanites, who can't get enough of its tacky '70s living-room vibe, cheap-ass drinks (including great margaritas) and hip crowd of young locals.

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Blue Note

This is by far the most famous (and expensive) of the city's jazz clubs. Some sky-high cover charges get you in to hear big stars, from Cecil Taylor to Abbey Lincoln, play short sets to a serious jazz audience (which means no talking - ever!).

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Chelsea Girl

This small boutique is owned by eagle-eyed Elisa Casas and has made all the big fashion mags, pulling in its share of celebrity fans. Racks are filled with mint-condition dresses, gowns, sweaters, shoes and suits; don't be surprised if you find a Pucci silk dress from the 70s sharing space with an Adrian wool gabardine jacket from the 40s.

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Kiehl's

Making and selling skincare products since it opened as an apothecary in 1851, this Kiehl's flagship store has doubled its shop size, but its personal touch remains - as do the generous sample sizes. Try the legendary moisturizers, masks and emollients, including Creme with Silk Groom for the hair.

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Rizzoli

This handsome outlet of the Italian bookstore/publisher sells great art, architecture and design books (as well as general-interest books). There's also a good collection of foreign newspapers and magazines.

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Screaming Mimi's

With a warm and colourful storefront that, ahem, screams out to be entered, Screaming Mimi's stocks vintage accessories and jewellery, and an excellent range of clothing - organised by decade, from the '40s to the '70s. It's all in great condition, from the suede mini dresses and well-matched white leather go-go boots.

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St Marks Bookshop

This indie bookshop specialises in political literature, poetry, new nonfiction and novels and academic journals. There's also a superior collection of cookbooks, travel guides and magazines, both glossy and otherwise. Staffers are a bit on the unsocial side, but hey, they're bookish - and they really know their stuff.

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Pearl River Mart

This one-stop Canal St classic, now in its fancier Broadway location, is still Chinatown's best shop. Find everything Asian here - cheap Chinese and Japanese teapots, dragon-print dresses, paper lanterns, pecking chicken wind-up clocks that look Mao era and various (loud) Asian instruments. Eastward ho!

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Tiffany & Co

This famous jeweller, with the trademark clock-hoisting Atlas over the door, has won countless hearts with its fine diamond rings, watches, silver Elsa Peretti heart necklaces, and fine crystal vases. The classy elevators are operated by old-school humans - and whatever you do, don't harass them with tired 'Where's the breakfast?' jokes. Okay?

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Apple Store Soho

Apple's uplifting, airy flagship location - with translucent stairway and upstairs walkway - bustles with Soho shoppers picking up iPods, iBooks and other items from the iUniverse. The young, hip-geeky staffers are friendly and helpful, either answering questions or leaving you to test-drive the gadgets, from computers to digital video cameras.

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Chinatown Ice Cream Factory

Totally overshadowing the nearby Häagen Dazs is this busy ice-cream shop, where you can savour scoops of green tea, ginger, red bean and black sesame. The Factory also sells ridiculously cute trademark yellow T-shirts with an ice cream-slurping happy dragon on it.

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Mixona

An oft-cited favourite lingerie shop for New Yorkers, this industrial-chic space is bursting with sexy scores that'll make you and your loved one go bump in the night. Lacy, pretty, sexy, stretchy or cute ol' cotton - you'll find it here, from all the best brands in underthings, including Cosabella, Dolce & Gabbana, Kenzo, La Perla, Moschino and more.

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Events

Hardly a week goes by without a special event taking place in New York. In fact, there are some 50 officially recognised parades each year, along with more than 400 street fairs. Times Square's New Year's Eve festivities are probably the most famous in the world; less popular is the 5 mile (8km) midnight run in Central Park. On 5 January, thousands of children wander up Fifth Ave, in a cavalcade of sheep, camels and donkeys, for the Three Kings Parade. The St Patrick's Day Parade down Fifth Ave on 17 March has been held every year for 200 years.

In May the Tribeca Film Festival, co-organised by Robert DeNiro, kicks off, while in mid-June head for Fifth Ave between 44th and 86th Sts for the salsa sounds of the Puerto Rican Day Parade. The JVC Jazz Festival is also held in June, as is the Mermaid Parade, for which some of the city's most glamorous residents transform the Coney Island boardwalk into a sea of sequins on the last weekend of the month.

On 4 July, Macy's sponsors an Independence Day fireworks spectacle on the East River. The city's premier black neighbourhood celebrates Harlem Week in August, and on Labor Day over one million people take part in the West Indian American Day Carnival Parade in Brooklyn, the biggest single event for the year. The New York Film Festival also takes place in September. Don't miss the Halloween Parade on October 31, when the kooks take over Sixth Ave in the West Village. Back in the straight world, Macy's Thanksgiving Parade in November is always popular, and for more festive cheer don't miss the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting on the following Tuesday.

festival/events

5 Jan	Three Kings Parade
first week in May	Tribeca Film Festival
Jun	JVC Jazz Festival
4 Jul	Independence Day
first Monday in September	West Indian American Day Carnival Parade
Oct 31	Halloween Parade
late Jan	Super Bowl
mid-Mar	St Patrick's Day
31 Oct	Halloween

official holidays

third Monday in January	Martin Luther King Jr Day
Mar/Apr	Easter
4 Jul	Independence Day
second Monday in October	Columbus Day
fourth Thursday in November	Thanksgiving Day
4 Jul	Independence Day
25 Dec	Christmas Day
third Mon in Jan	Martin Luther King Jr Day
last Mon in May	Memorial Day
second Mon in Oct	Columbus Day