NYC Hidden Secrets
Insider Top Picks for August 2009
Not visiting this month? See plans for September, October, November.
These NYC Hidden secrets are not really hidden, or even secret. As a matter of fact, they are all very public.
They are not in your tourist guides or the lobby of your hotel (those things are filled with advertisements and the really cool stuff doesn't get advertised, it's published and spread by word of mouth).
Things to Do in August in New York City
Hot, hot, hot! Everyone is out of town, mostly at the beaches - Hamptons, Montauk, Fire Island (including me). So the two great things for you are that you'll have the whole city to yourself and everything is on sale! On top of the things below, I'm also going to watch the Yankees sweep Boston, because this year, they are going all the way!
Central Park Film Festival, by Bloomberg
August 18 - 22, 2009
8:00 pm, gates open at 6:00 pm
Can you think of anything more quintessential NYC than watching Sex and the City, Twilight or Ocean's 11 outdoors in Central Park in the summer? For FREE? 
Central Park Film Festival
7th Annual Central Park Film Festival, sponsored by Bloomberg.
Tuesday: SEX & THE CITY
Wednesday: SHAFT
Thursday: OCEAN’S 11
Friday: TWILIGHT
Saturday: VIEWER’S CHOICE: Men in Black, Goldfinger (1965), Desperately Seeking Susan
Gates open at 6:00 pm. To find Rumsey Playfield, enter the Park at Fifth Avenue and 69th Street. Rain or shine. See the Central Park Website for more info.
The Highline - New York City's newest park |
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The Highline just opened in June 2009. It is NYC's newest outdoor, second level park/walkway that runs from Meatpacking to Chelsea. It used to be an above ground railroad. I went after a great dinner at Revel on Little West 12th St in the Meatpacking District and it was the perfect way to walk off dinner before heading to the new Standard Hotel for cocktails. |
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There are really cool wood lounge chairs, both single and double (very romantic) and lots of people were just chilling out and enjoying the view. There is some sort of viewing area over 9th Ave, which frankly, I can't figure out (but kids LOVE it!). It has stadium seating and people just look at traffic..go figure. I wouldn't call it a destination place, but definitely check it out if you are in the MP District shopping and eating. |
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Restaurant Week
July 12-31 (update: extended to Sept 7th)
A three-course dinner at the best restaurants in New York for $35? Sign me up! One of my favorite times of the year. I'm a foodie, so I'm happy to pay the normal price and eat at these restaurants all the time, but I love a good bargain almost as much as I love good food. It almost feels like you're stealing..only you're not.
My top choices this summer are Asia de Cuba, Artisanal, Barolo (I just LOVE their outdoor garden) and Nobu. Restaurant Week is a great opportunity to try out a restaurant that may usually be out of your budget, or test some new restaurants with a little less financial risk. Check out NYCGO to see which restaurants are participating and my annual event schedule for the next Summer or Winter Restaurant Week.
Barney's New York Warehouse Sale
Aug 20 - Sept 7, 2009
255 W 17th St (7th and 8th Aves)
www.barneys.com
Run and grab up everything! This is the famous Barneys New York Sale (maybe you saw it on the TV show, Will and Grace?). Shoes, clothes, bags - all at least 50% off, usually more.
Metropolitan Opera Performance
Live, outdoors on a huge HD screen, and FREE
August 29-Sept 7, 2009
Missed last year's Opera season - or maybe you didn't have $300 per ticket to spend? 
Metropolitan Opera Live Outdoor Summer
Good news, The Met will present its first-ever Summer HD Festival, featuring screenings of ten productions from the company’s Peabody and Emmy Award-winning Live in HD series. The HD productions will be shown in Lincoln Center Plaza on consecutive nights—for free. 2800 seats will be available each night on a first-come, first served basis.
Performances are La Fille du Régiment, Roméo et Juliette, Eugene Onegin, Macbeth, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Peter Grimes, La Bohème, Orfeo ed Euridice, Il Trittico and Madama Butterfly. See the Metropolitan Opera for details.
Make sure to check into September, when the city gets going again, for the US Open, Barney's Famous Warehouse Sale and more.
If I had kids..
Intrepid Museum Summer Movie Series: APOLLO 13
Friday, August 21, 8:30 pm (Doors Open at 7:30PM)
Bring your lawn chairs, picnic baskets and blankets to the Intrepid Flight Deck for a screening of Apollo 13 on the former mobile military aircraft carrier docked on the Hudson. Why: It’s the summer series finale. Try and rock the boat. When: Where: Pier 86, (46th St at 12th Ave). Visitors are encouraged to bring food, snacks and beverages to the screening. Alcohol is NOT permitted. Limited to the first 1,300 people. Intrepid Museum. More on Intrepid Museum.
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