| Cheap Car Rental La Guardia Airport | | | | worth it: $17.61 for adults; $41.52 for an "express pass" |
| 1. Time Warner Center | | | | that whisks you pass the hordes. For an extra $15 you |
| The Time Warner Center is a mixed-use skyscraper | | | | can buy a ticket to the more intimate 102nd-floor |
| developed by The Related Companies in New York | | | | observation deck. Buy your ticket online to reduce |
| City. Its design, by David Childs of Skidmore, Owings | | | | waiting-in-line time. |
| & Merrill, consists of two 750 ft towers bridged by | | | | Where is the Empire State Building |
| a multi-story atrium containing upscale retail shops. | | | | 350 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10118; 212-736-3100 |
| Construction began in November 2000, following the | | | | 6. Central Park |
| demolition of the New York Coliseum, and a | | | | Central Park is an urban park that occupies about 1.2 |
| topping-out ceremony was held on February 27, 2003. | | | | square miles 843 acres in the heart of Manhattan in |
| It is the property with the highest-listed market value in | | | | New York City. It is host to approximately twenty-five |
| New York City, $1.1 billion in 2006 | | | | million visitors each year. Central Park was opened in |
| The complex is located on Columbus Circle at the | | | | 1859, completed in 1873 and designated a National |
| southwest corner of Central Park — sip a cocktail | | | | Historic Landmark in 1963. Eighty-five percent of the |
| while enjoying spectacular views of the park from the | | | | park's operating budget comes from private sources |
| bustling Stone Rose Lounge or the more refined | | | | via the Central Park Conservancy, which manages the |
| Mandarin Hotel bar. Multitaskers can get the view and | | | | park pursuant to a contract with New York City |
| the drink while listening to first-rate jazz at Dizzy's Club | | | | Department of Parks and Recreation. |
| Coca-Cola, one of Jazz at Lincoln Center's trio of | | | | 7. P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center |
| venues in the building. | | | | The P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center is one of the |
| At lunchtime, grab a basket from Dean & Deluca | | | | largest and oldest institutions in the United States |
| on the second floor or Whole Foods downstairs, and | | | | dedicated solely to contemporary art. It is located in the |
| head into the park for an impromptu picnic. Or, if you | | | | neighborhood of Long Island City, Queens in New York |
| just want to shop in a mall, you can do that too: There | | | | City. In addition to its renowned exhibitions, the institution |
| are some 50 high-end stores to choose from. | | | | also organizes the prestigious International and National |
| Where is the Time Warner Center? | | | | Projects series, the Warm Up summer music series, |
| 10 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10019; | | | | and the MoMA/P.S.1 Young Architects Program with |
| 212-823-6300 | | | | The Museum of Modern Art. It also ran WPS1, an |
| 2. Rockefeller Center | | | | Internet art radio station founded in 2004. P.S.1 has |
| Rockefeller Center is a complex of 19 commercial | | | | been affiliated with The Museum of Modern Art since |
| buildings covering 22 acres between 48th and 51st | | | | January 2000. |
| streets in New York City. Built by the Rockefeller | | | | MoMA is home to the modern masters. But head to |
| family, it is located in the center of Midtown Manhattan, | | | | MoMa's cutting-edge kid sister across the East River |
| spanning the area between Fifth Avenue and Sixth | | | | to see tomorrow's masters. Located in a refurbished |
| Avenue. It was declared a National Historic Landmark | | | | public school, P.S. 1 consistently mounts challenging |
| in 1987. | | | | exhibitions from the world's most provocative artists. |
| Rockefeller Center was named after John D. | | | | Don't miss James Turrell's transcendent installation, |
| Rockefeller, Jr., who leased the space from Columbia | | | | Meeting, and, in summer, the always-changing |
| University in 1928 and developed it from 1930. | | | | architectural garden. Also, on summer Saturdays, hit |
| Rockefeller initially planned a syndicate to build an | | | | the early evening Warm Up session, a free weekly |
| opera house for the Metropolitan Opera on the site, | | | | dance party that's become a must-stop on the city's |
| but changed his mind after the stock market crash of | | | | nightlife calendar. |
| 1929 and the withdrawal of the Metropolitan from the | | | | Where is the P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center? |
| project. Rockefeller stated "It was clear that there | | | | 22-25 Jackson Avenue, Long Island City, NY 11101; |
| were only two courses open to me. One was to | | | | 718-784-2084 |
| abandon the entire development. The other to go | | | | 8. Bergdorf Goodman |
| forward with it in the definite knowledge that I myself | | | | The company began in 1899 when Herman Bergdorf, |
| would have to build it and finance it alone." He took on | | | | an immigrant from Alsace, opened a tailor shop just |
| the enormous project as the sole financier, on a | | | | above Union Square in downtown Manhattan. Edwin |
| 24-year lease for the site from Columbia; negotiating a | | | | Goodman, an employee of Bergdorf's, purchased the |
| line of credit with the Metropolitan Life Insurance | | | | store then located in the "Ladies' Mile" in 1906, and |
| Company and covering ongoing expenses through the | | | | moved to the present location on Fifth Avenue. In 1914, |
| sale of oil company stock. | | | | Goodman became the first couturier to introduce |
| 3. Film Forumilm Forum is a nonprofit movie theater | | | | ready-to-wear, making Bergdorf Goodman a |
| located at 209 West Houston Street in New York | | | | destination for American and French fashion. The |
| City. It began in 1970 as an alternative screening space | | | | store moved to its present location at 5th Avenue and |
| for independent films, with 50 folding chairs, one | | | | 58th Street in 1928, building its Art Deco store on the |
| projector and a US$19,000 annual budget. Karen | | | | site of the Cornelius Vanderbilt II mansion. With |
| Cooper became director in 1972 and under her | | | | Goodman's son, Andrew, as president, the store |
| leadership, Film Forum has grown exponentially. Its | | | | opened a fur salon, developed the successful Bergdorf |
| current Greenwich Village cinema was built in 1990. Film | | | | Goodman Number Nine perfume, and created Miss |
| Forum is a 3-screen cinema open 365 days a year, | | | | Bergdorf, a ready-to-wear line for younger customers. |
| with 280,000 annual admissions, nearly 500 seats, 60 | | | | Edwin Goodman retired from the company in 1953. |
| employees, 4500 members and an operating budget | | | | Now that Barneys — still a stellar place to shop — |
| of US$4.4 million. Film Forum is the only autonomous | | | | has become a national mini-chain, Bergdorf's is the sole |
| nonprofit cinema in New York City and one of the few | | | | remaining New York–centric luxe department store. |
| in the United States of America. | | | | Even if you can't afford a thing, it's still fun to browse |
| New York is a film-lover's town and Film Forum is | | | | and dream. But if you can, rev up your credit card. For |
| Mecca for the city's cinephiles. See here the movies | | | | the ladies, an all-star roster of couture designers is on |
| you may otherwise only read about in the New York | | | | hand, from Alexander McQueen to Zac Posen. Tight |
| Times. Smart programming ranges from provocative | | | | on time? Arrange for a personal shopper to help you |
| indie features and documentaries to the best foreign | | | | out. Guys get their own store across the street, which |
| art cinema culled from the world's top film festivals. | | | | is no less exquisite — and no less expensive. |
| The always-entertaining repertory calendar is a mix of | | | | Where is Bergdorf Goodman? |
| the de rigeuer, the artsy and the audacious. Try the | | | | 754 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10019; 888-774-2424 |
| concession stand's lemon-poppy sponge cake! | | | | 9. Bowery Ballroom |
| Where is the Film Forum? | | | | The Bowery Ballroom is a music venue in the Bowery |
| 209 West Houston Street, New York, NY 10014; | | | | section of New York City. The structure, at 6 |
| 212-727-8110 | | | | Delancey Street, was built just before the Stock |
| 4. Grimaldi's Pizzeria | | | | Market Crash of 1929. It stood vacant until the end of |
| Patsy Grimaldi, the founder of Grimaldi's, learned to | | | | WWII, when it became a high-end retail store. The |
| make pizza at his uncle Patsy Lancieri's pizzeria in 1941 | | | | neighborhood subsequently went into decline again, and |
| at age ten. He eventually opened his own restaurant, | | | | so did the caliber of businesses occupying the space. |
| Patsy's Pizzeria, in Brooklyn. Grimaldi originally planned | | | | In 1997 it was converted into a music venue. It has a |
| to build it in Manhattan. However, he believed that | | | | capacity of 550 people. |
| coal-fired brick ovens produced the best pizza, and it | | | | Hands down the best music spot in New York, |
| was illegal to build new coal ovens in Manhattan. As a | | | | Bowery Ballroom should be visiting music-lovers' first |
| result, he moved to the current location at South Ferry, | | | | stop. Up-and-coming national acts with indie-rock |
| Brooklyn. Eventually, Grimaldi sold the naming rights to | | | | leanings occupy the two-level music venue, home to |
| a corporation and had to change the name of his | | | | the city's best sound system. The downstairs bar is a |
| restaurant to Grimaldi's. | | | | great place to warm up before the show. The |
| New Yorkers love to argue about the best pizza, with | | | | Ballroom is the crown jewel of the Bowery Presents |
| Totonno's, Di Fara's, John's and Lombardi's being | | | | chain of local venues, which includes the Music Hall of |
| among the primary contenders. We won't settle that | | | | Williamsburg, Mercury Lounge, Terminal 5 and Webster |
| score here, but if you have only 24 hours you can't go | | | | Hall. |
| wrong with Grimaldi's, a coal-fired pizzeria under the | | | | Where is the Bowery Ballroom? |
| shadow of the Brooklyn Bridge. Not only will you get a | | | | 6 Delancey Street, New York, NY 10002; 212-533-2111 |
| memorable pie, you'll also get a memorable view of | | | | 10. Grand Central Terminal |
| Manhattan from one of the oldest — and most | | | | Grand Central Terminal is a terminal station at 42nd |
| picturesque — parts of Brooklyn. Not to mention a | | | | Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New |
| jukebox filled with classics by Frank Sinatra, who, | | | | York City. Built by and named for the New York |
| legend has it, had Grimaldi's pies flown to him in Vegas. | | | | Central Railroad in the heyday of American |
| Where is Grimaldi's Pizzeria? | | | | long-distance passenger trains, it is the largest train |
| 19 Old Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201; 718-858-4300 | | | | station in the world by number of platforms: 44, with |
| 5. Empire State Building | | | | 67 tracks along them. There are on two levels, both |
| The Empire State Building is a 102-story landmark Art | | | | below ground, with 41 tracks on the upper level and 26 |
| Deco skyscraper in New York City at the intersection | | | | on the lower, though the total number of tracks along |
| of Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street. Its name is | | | | platforms and in rail yards exceeds 100. When the |
| derived from the nickname for the state of New York, | | | | Long Island Rail Road's new station, below the existing |
| The Empire State. It stood as the world's tallest building | | | | levels, opens, Grand Central will offer a total of 75 |
| for more than forty years, from its completion in 1931 | | | | tracks and 48 platforms. The terminal covers an area |
| until construction of the World Trade Center's North | | | | of 48 acres. |
| Tower was completed in 1972. Following the | | | | Take the express back to a bygone era. Grand |
| destruction of the World Trade Center in 2001, the | | | | Central Terminal — don't call it Grand Central Station |
| Empire State Building once again became the tallest | | | | — is a living, bustling temple to New York's illustrious |
| building in New York City and New York State. | | | | past. Gaze at the celestial ceiling mural above the vast |
| If you must visit an ultra-touristy site, the ESB is the | | | | main concourse. Slurp some Kumamotos at the |
| one. The stately deco architecture rivals the nearby | | | | legendary Oyster Bar downstairs, and wash them |
| Chrysler Building for Best in Class honors and it is, once | | | | down with a Manhattan at the swank Campbell |
| again, New York's tallest structure. The view from the | | | | Apartment. Mingle with the commuters in the gourmet |
| 86th-floor observation deck is breathtaking. You won't | | | | culinary market. Explore the "secret" elevated |
| be the only one who's decided to visit, so prepare to | | | | passageways for a spectacular view of the |
| wait in line; to avoid the throngs, the best times to | | | | concourse. Even if you have nowhere to go you can |
| come are at 8:30 a.m. or during lunch and dinner hours, | | | | spend hours here and never get bored. |
| Monday through Wednesday. Tickets are steep, but | | | | |