From the Inside Flap
Fodor's upCLOSE NYC"Good writing and a sassy attitude." --
Chicago Sun-Times"Takes you places locals love and tourists don't know about." --
American Way magazine
"Perfect for finding bargains." --
Shape magazine
Designed for people who want to travel well and spend less: With candid reviews and a fresh outlook, Fodor's upCLOSE points the way to authentic experiences that will take you away from the crowds and close to the culture -- without having to spend a fortune.
Great places to stay that don't cost a fortune -- From avenue-view penthouses to hostels with character and characters.
The best places to eat, drink, and play with the locals -- From ethnic eateries and neighborhood joints to dancing 'til dawn and art-house cinemas.
On-the-money insights into local culture, history, and sights.Great side trips and adventures beyond the obviousPacked with savvy tips and practical information -- From airfare deals to tips on losing the crowds.
Clear, readable maps
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Traveling upCLOSETake the subway. Stay in a B&B. Try a hostel. Relax at an outdoor concert. Picnic in Central Park. Prowl the flea markets. Go to a festival. Memorize the symphony of the streets. And if you want to experience the heart and soul of New York City, whatever you do, don't spend too much money. The deep and rich experience of New York City that every true traveler yearns for is one of the things in life that money can't buy. In fact, if you have it, don't use it. Traveling lavishly is the surest way to turn yourself into a sideline traveler. Restaurants with white-glove service are great -- sometimes -- but they're usually not the best place to find the perfect knish or slice of pizza. Doormen at plush hotels have their place, but not when your look-alike room could be anywhere from Düsseldorf to Detroit. Better to stay in a more intimate place that truly gives you the atmosphere you traveled so far to experience. Don't just stand and watch -- jump into the spirit of what's around you.
If you want to see New York City up close and savor the essence of the city and its people in all their charming, stylish, sometimes infuriatingly arrogant glory, this book is for you. We'll show you the local culture, the offbeat sights, the bars and cafés where tourists rarely tread, and the B&Bs and other hostelries where you'll meet fellow travelers -- places where the locals would send their friends. And because you'll probably want to see the famous places if you haven't already been there, we give you tips on losing the crowds, plus the quirky and obscure facts you want as well as the basics everyone needs.
IntroductionIn recent years, the city of New York has been hanging banners around town proclaiming that it's the Capital of the World. And despite the claims to fame of other cities -- Tokyo has more banks, Seattle has more musicians, Vancouver is the new darling among moviemakers, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, now has the world's tallest skyscraper -- New York can still lay claim to the most grand-championship titles. It's home to the United Nations and is a longtime nucleus of such varied fields as advertising, art, publishing, classical music, fashion, cuisine, finance, law, and headline-grabbing corporate takeovers. Though naysayers the world over have been predicting New York's demise for decades, it still seems you can't turn on the TV or read a magazine without getting the impression that at least half of everything in the United States happens in New York. And if you were to ask someone in Bangkok or Berlin or Bujumbura to sketch an American city, it's at least even money that the Empire State Building or the Statue of Liberty would appear in the picture.
Which leads to another thing New York is the capital of: attitude. True, Parisians are probably equally, um, brusque, but you'll find few other places on earth where people so clearly bear the imprint of their hometown. After a few days walking Manhattan streets you'll really know your New Yorkers. Be they foppish like Eustace Tilley, Rea Irvin's famed
New Yorker cartoon cover model, or tough and street savvy as DeNiro in
Taxi Driver, whether they're newly immigrated cabbies or megalomaniac financiers, all seem to possess a real whoop-de-do enthusiasm (and wardrobe heavy on black clothes) for living here. Maybe it's survivor's mentality: The journalist Edward Hoagland once jokingly noted that annually the city's 7.3 million residents probably "see more death than most soldiers do."
