Manhattan is, as the title of a recent book attests, the "island at the center of the world." And this is hardly hyperbolic. Below the growing skyline, which the world's top architects are constantly transforming, and amidst the bustle of businessmen, the armies of yellow taxis and the miasma of millions of people crammed onto this island, there's a city waiting to be discovered—its surface beckoning to be scratched—crammed with people from just about every corner of the planet.. Moreover, Sinatra wasn't kidding when he crooned, if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere; and, as a result, New York City boasts the best of the best: from the world's most acclaimed eateries and famed museums to a shopping culture where everything and anything can be bought, sold, distributed and delivered on a moment's notice.
But there's more to this city than the elongated island. Cross the bridge to New York's hippest borough, Brooklyn, for less-chaotic tree-lined streets flanked by historic brownstones; or take the subway to Queens, the country's most ethnically diverse county, for taste bud tantalizing Indian cuisine. With subways running every direction and the swarm of yellow cabs on every street, getting lost is nearly impossible. So we encourage you to emerge and explore, seek out and discover and, above all, be adventurous.
Accommodations here run the gamut: from the world's most luxurious hotels that offer rooms in the five-digit-per-night category to no-frills cheapies. For top-of-the-line hotels, it's hard to beat the newly revamped Plaza, a New York institution that looks like it always has from the outside, but is now crammed with enough state-of-the-art perks to make you never want to leave your room. For something slightly less flashy, it's hard to go wrong with Robert De Niro's new downtown hotel, The Greenwich Hotel, where nearly every employee knows your name. In the more moderate category, the Duane Street Hotel sounds unassuming, but this new Tribeca hotel packs a lot of perks for the price, including a turn-down service that leaves guests famed Jacques Torres Chocolates and a sleek in-house eatery, 'beca.
DAY 1
Manhattan grew from the southern tip and then spread northward, so it's best to see it that way, too. Start your adventure at Battery Park. From here you can take a ferry to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, where millions of immigrants passed through during the 19th and 20th centuries in search of the elusive (and sometimes illusionary) American Dream. Beyond Ellis Island lies Staten Island, dubbed New York City's "forgotten borough" because of its dearth of attractions and suburban-like environment. The free ferry, however, is a good alternative to taking the ferry to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, as it passes right by Lady Liberty.
Curiosity or patriotism (or a mixture of both) may guide you to the post-September 11, 2001, construction site at the World Trade Center, now known as Ground Zero. Except for an unfinished Santiago Calatrava-designed PATH train station (which whisks commuters to New Jersey), and some tributes to the victims of the terrorist attacks, there isn't much to see. Do look for the Vesey Street staircase, a partly ruined concrete structure and the WTC's only remaining above-ground remnant. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has placed the staircase on its list of America's most endangered historic places.
But if you have your heart and mind set on skyscrapers, the cooler-than-you-think Skyscraper Museum is the place for you. A disaster relief center during the terrorist attacks of 2001, the museum (and its exhibits) tell the history of the city skyline, noting the players and historical forces that shaped the architectural marvel that is the skyscraper.
Because lower Manhattan was the original Dutch colony, its streets are narrower and more winding than elsewhere in the city. It is a good idea to stroll around the area, where Colonial era churches (and cemeteries) sit next to heaven-reaching bank buildings. In addition to the churches, street names like Water and Bridge are some of the few remaining reminders of New Amsterdam. Eventually you may stumble on to Wall Street, home of the heavily guarded New York Stock Exchange and symbol of American capitalism. It's best to be here during the week when you can see the starch-collared professionals zipping up and down the street.
The nearby Brooklyn Bridge is a must for any New York City itinerary. Built in 1883, it was, at the time, the world's largest suspension bridge. If you don't want to walk all the way across, meander just to the first gothic-arched tower for camera-friendly views of the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building. (Another option is to take the A or C subway trains to High Street in Brooklyn and walk across to Manhattan.)
For lunch, wander north into Chinatown for a unique treat: soup dumplings. These golf ball-sized dumplings magically hold savory soup made of crab and pork and it's impossible to just eat one. The best place for these Shanghai sensations is Joe's Shanghai, located on historic Pell Street .
For some real New York pizza, it's best to avoid Little Italy's restaurant-laden main drag, Mulberry Street—unless you like over-priced, unsatisfying Italian-American food. Instead, try Lombardi's on Spring Street between Mulberry and Mott. The pizzas are cooked in an ancient coal oven and are arguably the city's best. Lovers of the "stinking rose" can take advantage of the complimentary coating of garlic that the chefs will sprinkle on your pie on request.
The nearby Tenement Museum, one of the most underrated museums in the city and located in the formerly immigrant-filled Lower East Side, gives a fascinating account of the area's history. The hour-long tours, which tell the story of a Sicilian, German and an Orthodox Jewish family, lead through the original families' apartments that are decked out the exact same way they were 150 years ago.
Focusing on just one ethnic group, the Museum of Chinese in the Americas (located on Mulberry Street ) is housed in a 100-year-old schoolhouse. It concentrates on the role Chinese immigrants have played in shaping New York, the United States and the two American continents.
Hit nearby Soho after lunch. Once known as "Hell's Hundred Acres" because of its reputation as a gritty industrial neighborhood, Soho (short for South of Houston Street, pronounced HOW-ston) is the center of upscale downtown shopping and an area where high-priced clothes shops are overrun by the catwalk-prancing "beautiful people" who love them. The neighborhood also features many architectural gems. Walk the streets and don't forget to look up at the cast iron structures. Two buildings worth seeking out are the art nouveau-inflected King of Greene Street and Queen of Greene Street ( 72-76 Greene Street between Broome and Spring Streets and 28-30 Greene Street between Canal and Grand Streets). For dinner, try one of the city's most cutting edge eateries, Fiamma, which successfully serves up haute Italian cuisine.
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