SHOPPING:
- Century 21- brand name bargain shopping (kind of like Filene's Basement, but better)
- Forever21 - there is one near Times Sq. that is open until 2:30AM
- H&M - most popular location at 6th & 34th
- Apple Store
- FAO Schwartz & FAO Schweetz (candy section)
- Toys R Us (toy store) with a Ferris Wheel inside
- Hershey store
SIGHTSEEING:
- Empire State bldg. (Korea town is a few blocks away if you get hungry)
- Statue of Liberty (take ferry out)
- Ground Zero (where Twin towers used to be)
- Central Park (Shakespeare in the Park depending on the date or go running on the trail within the park), Peggy Guggenheim Museum nearby
- Times Square (TRL, Bubba's Shrimp Co., NY cheesecake, gyros off street carts or in little Greek hole-in-the-walls)
- Rockefeller Ctr (Kitchoan Minamoto nearby!) & St Patrick's Cathedral
- Grand Central Station
- MOMA
- MET
- Southstreet seaport - shops
NIGHTLIFE / ENTERTAINMENT:
- Broadway Shows - discount tickets sold day of show at tkts booths - recommend Rent, Phantom of the Opera, Wicked
- Blue Man Group
- Hotel Gansevoort rooftop bar (can see both Manhattan and Brooklyn bridges and skylines)
- Warehouse district for bars/clubs (Lotus, Hiro, Buddha Bar, etc.)
- Park - good food here, but it also converts into a bar/lounge late at night
- Brandy Library - chill lounge good for dates or smaller intimate groups for talking
GOOD EATS:
- Nobu57 - Nobu style ceviche, Lobster shiitake salad, Shrimp tempura, Chilean sea bass, Winter's Crush (?) cocktail
- Ippudo - Hirato pork buns, Akamaru Modern ramen (order w/ soft-boiled egg)
- Kyochun - original Korean Fried Chicken chain from Korea
- Bon Chon - revamped Korean Fried Chicken, supposed to be best in NYC
- Shanghai Cafe in Chinatown - xiao long bao (chinese soup dumplings) better than Djo's Shanghai
- Asian Jewels (aka Ocean Jewels) for dim sum in Flushing
- Flushing Mall for Taiwanese food - Ay Chung for thin noodle soup, herbal soup w pork and pork belly w rice, chicken nuggets, walk around street for Spicy Lamb skewer on street $1 each
- Upper Crust bakery - toasted sandwiches w/ fresh French bread
- Toasty's - sandwiches
- Cafeteria - semi-trendy restaurant featured in Sex & the City
- Gyros on street
- Kunjip for authentic Korean
DESSERTS / SWEET SNACKS:
- Lady Ms Confection - mille crepe cake is THE BEST, Maroons cake, green tea cake
- Spot in St. Marks - Soft cheesecake, Jackfruit dessert, Pineapple tiramisu
- Saint Alps Teahouse for bubble tea - I used to go to this chain in Hong Kong - great almond milk tea, gingerbread tea, Ginger black, jasmine green, ruby grapefruit w coconut jelly
- Minamoto Kitchoan (Japanese pastries) - REALLY good mochi and red bean cakes - 608 5th Ave, between 48th St & 49th St - near Lacoste store around Rockefeller Center
- Tai Pan Bakery- HK style coffee and yummy egg custard (much more authentic than Egg Custard King)
- Eileen's Cheesecake - http://eileenscheesecake.com/gallery2.htm - mini cheesecakes, blueberry is my fave - 17 Cleveland Place, New York, NY 10012
- Baked by Melissa - mini cupcakes, all flavors are pretty good
- Ceci Cela Patisserie - French bakery
- Pink Berry (yogurt) - http://www.pinkberry.com/ - 13 locations listed on website (one is next to rices to riches)
- Beard Papa - cream puffs and pastries
- Chinatown Ice Cream Factory - green tea, red bean, ginger, lychee flavors and more
- Rice to Riches (rice pudding, not for everyone) - walkable from Chinatown - 37 Spring Street, between Mott and Mulberry St
ACCOMMODATIONS:
- Hilton Hotel Fashion District (26th between 6th and 7th Ave) - great location
WILL TRY NEXT TIME:
- Pings dim sum in Chinatown
- Amy Ruth's chicken and waffles in Harlem
- Rairaiken ramen
- Xiao's Famous foods in Flushing Mall
