Manhattan Musts

Ahhh, the Big Apple, Empire City, Broadway. It has endless names, but to me, it’s the city that never sleeps. I’ve been fortunate to visit New York at least 100 times, and no exaggeration in this number. As a teenager I’d visit on weekends from Maryland, and as an adult I worked for a company based there. I am like a little kid when my next trip is close, and there are so many reasons why. Below is a must on each visit to Tin Pan Alley.

Be a tourist

Everyone likes the spotlight, and the minute you walk down Broadway, you’ll be shined upon brightly. Strolling Times Square is a must each visit. It’s like stimulation overload. Climb the big bleachers in the heart of the square, then sit and watch little kids and their big eyes staring at the lights, or grandparents reminiscing about their trip 20 years ago. No place in the world has that same exhilaration of Times Square, New York City.

The Palm Steakhouse

Visit an old school classic steakhouse

I love dark mahogany walls, grouchy old men waiters, and a martini as stiff as a board. Oh, and I love a good Rib-eye! Sure, you could go to a chain steakhouse like Ruth’s Chris or Delmonico’s, and I frequent these also. But enjoy a libation at an iconic location like Keens Steakhouse on 36th or the Old Homestead Steakhouse (era 1868) in the Meatpacking district. Oh, if those walls could talk. You don’t have to be meat eater to enjoy the ambiance and old school vibe. A cocktail here is all you need to feel like maybe Al “Scarface” Capone bellied up to the bar also.

The Plaza

The Plaza Hotel

A must visit….the end. Do you think of the movie Home Alone 2 when you hear the name of this hotel? I do, and a smile crosses my face. Just stroll through; you do not even need to stop for a glass of Champagne, but why wouldn’t you?

Time to wander

Strap on those sneakers and grab those Beats; you’re hitting the park. Central Park. Just wander in and get lost. In the summer I take my coffee and bagel, and in the winter, I like a hot chocolate and churro. Take a chance and forget using your iPhone map. Get lost; it’s not that hard to get out and hail yourself a cab.

BG cafe

Go shopping

Bergdorf Goodman, Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s. The department stores in Manhattan are like no other. Take your pick. Each one has a restaurant and/or bar to belly up to if you are not in the spending mood. Bergdorf’s is my favorite and I always have a glass of Champagne at BG café on the 7th floor. Elegant and classic with a view of Central Park.

Lombardi’s Pizza

Pizza or Egg Roll?

Both, please! I love Little Italy, and have recently spent more time in Chinatown. It’s easy to see the one block that divides the two cultures. I am sure you can Google and get hundreds of lists for “the best” pizza in NY. Over time, you will find your favorite, and mine is Lombardi’s Pizza on Spring Street. In my opinion, their thin-crust Neapolitan style pizza is the best, and they’ve been doing it since 1905.

The Palm Steakhouse

Forget the diet and indulge

Yep, you ate too much. When I visit a city where I plan on eating all day, a pair of leggings are packed and ready to go if that pastrami sandwich and cheesecake caused the jeans to not zip properly. New York is a town of incredible food, and for me, killer places to enjoy some bubbles or cocktails. New York is not a city you visit once. And once you do, I promise you will be back again and again. So when’s your next trip to Broadway?