The Best Of...

I'm always thinking...as I imagine most of you are... about everything. The past. The future. Rarely the present, but recently during one of my morning showers I decided it would be fun to sort of see what I consider my favorite things about New York to be in the early stages of my residency in the city. In no particular order I will list some of the things I've found to be gems in this mine of a city.

• My favorite bar to sip an expensive cocktail: PDT (Lower East Side)
• My best bar to chill at: Hop's Devil (8th and Ave. A)
• My favorite drink to order: Gin & Tonic
• My favorite bar for a beer: The Perfect Pint (Midtown)
• My favorite park to lounge in: Bryant Park
• My favorite part of town: Between W4 and Canal Street on Broadway.
• The best train ride: The 'Q' Train crossing the Manhattan Bridge
• The best tourist spot: Battery Park staring at the Statue of Liberty
• The most convenient subway stop: Union Square
• The best hot dog: Crif Dog's "Chihuahua" (wrapped in Bacon, fried and topped with avocado and cream cheese)
• The best drunk food: Burger joint next to Iggy's on Ludlow and Stanton whose name I can't remember obviously
• My favorite breakfast spot: Le Bagel Delight (Brooklyn)
• My favorite park for a jog: Fort Greene (Brooklyn)
• The best pizza I've had: Little Italy Pizza (42nd near 5th Ave- Midtown)
• The best view of Brooklyn Bridge: South Street Seaport
• Best clothing store not found anywhere else: UniQlo (Soho)
• The best street fair: Park Slope's 7th Ave.
• The nicest weekend getaway in the city: Caroll Gardens (Brooklyn)
• My favorite unique bar with a good vibe: Union Hall (Union St. just before 5th)
• My favorite tourist comment: "That's the Empire state building!" as they point to the Chrysler building.
• Best word puzzles: USA Today Sudoku
• Favorite subway reading material: AM New York
• Newspaper I check daily: The New York Post
• The best cheesecake: Junior's (Brooklyn)
• The best place to feel like a young professional: Grand Central Terminal amidst all the real honchos of corporate New York.
• Moment I realized I was no longer a visitor: When a tourist from Barcelona asked me if I spoke Spanish and then asked me for directions.
• The best cab ride: Flying over the Manhattan Bridge with the window down...feeling like I'm skiing (just two weeks ago.)
• Best B-list "celebrity" spotting: Jimmy Fallon wannabe from the show "30 Rock"
• Best museum I've visited: MoMA (they have Andy Warhol's)
• The best part about summer: Free concerts every Friday morning from Good Morning America and Today shows.
• My favorite place to get lost: SoHo
• Best place to escape the city: Central Park (you could seriously get lost)
• Best place for a gourmet "buffet" style lunch: Dishes (Midtown)
• Favorite pricy lunch spot: Cinema (Midtown)
• Best magazine to check out city happenings: Time Out New York
• My favorite sandwich from a restaurant: Ham & Cheese w/ Pear on Cranberry bread from 'Wich Craft (Bryant Park).
• The best way to get around: an Unlimited MetroCard
• My favorite part of the work week: Alternating the gym and yoga every other day
• The best place to avoid because of tourists: Times Square
• The best chain restaurant: Europa Cafe
• The best thing about my new apartment: My room and separate "office" space I fully intend to turn into a lounge.
• My favorite thing about my new apartment: Having whoever I want stay over when I want.
• The best feeling in the morning: Getting to the subway platform just as the train is approaching.
• My favorite day: Pay Days

My favorite thing about New York: The endless amount of things I have left to do!!