By Phyllis W. Zeno

“New York, New York...it’s a helluva town,” or, ”...a wonderful town,” depending on the version of the song you listen to. As a transplanted New Yorker who has lived in Florida for a quarter of a century, I still feel an emotional tug that draws me back to New York as frequently as possible.

Certainly I felt the devastation of 9/11 as deeply as any New Yorker—or any American, for that matter. And yes, I’ve seen the change that has come over my city since that dreadful day, but with typical New York resilience, it’s bounced back to its customary vitality, albeit with a gentler demeanor, and surprise, surprise...it tied Charleston, SC, for the most hospitable city in America in a recent poll. They want us, they need us, so let’s go to New York.

You’ll probably want to visit Ground Zero, and tours are available that will take you to the site, but chances are you won’t be able to get close, since it is well guarded. However, new viewing platforms have been built recently, and for a price you can overlook the area for 30 minutes.

There is so much to see in New York, you’ll want to plan your time carefully.

Among other of the “world’s largest” anything, New York has the world’s largest Gothic cathedral...St. John the Divine at Amsterdam and 112th. It caught fire on Dec. 18, but only the gift shop and a few tapestries were destroyed, so it’s open to the public once more. And, of course, Macy’s at 34th Street is the world’s largest department store.

Fifth Avenue above 57th Street is called Museum Mile, and you’ll probably want to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art at Fifth and East 82nd Street with its three million artworks. Target what you want to see and head for those rooms specifically. You could spend a week there and not see it all.

The Guggenheim Museum is at 5th Avenue and East 89th Street. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, it is one of New York’s premier showcases for modern and contemporary art.

Across the Park at Central Park West and West 79th Street is the American Museum of Natural History. Head to the fourth floor for the dinosaur exhibit, and you’ll have seen the most popular display in the museum.

MoMA, the Museum of Modern Art at 11 West 53rd Street rounds out your museum tour unless you have more days to visit the Whitney and the Frick and endless others. At MoMA, you’ll see permanent masterpieces of Picasso, Van Gogh and Piet Mondrian, as well as a whole gallery devoted to Claude Monet’s Water Lilies. Gray Line New York’s red double-decker hop-on, hop-off bus tours allow you to cover much of the city in a few hours. Departures are every 30 minutes between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. from the Gray Line Visitors Center at 777 8th Avenue (between 47th & 48th Streets).

The neighborhoods on the Downtown Loop are some of the oldest and some of the newest in Manhattan. Stops will include Greenwich Village, where the literary past comes alive, and the New Times Square, Empire State Building—an icon of architecture—as well as the Flatiron building and Union Square shopping districts, Soho, Chinatown, Little Italy, Lower East Side, East Village, Rockefeller Center, Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum and more.

Tour Length: 2 - 3 hours
Dates: 01/02/02 - 12/31/02
Adults: $30.00, Children (Ages 5-11): $20.00
The Uptown Loop takes you to some of the most romantic sights in New York and to a world of cultural diversity—from famous museums and churches to the vibrant neighborhoods of Harlem. Stops include Central Park West, Lincoln Center, American Museum of Natural History, Cathedral of St. John the Divine, Apollo Theater, Harlem Market, The Museum Mile, Guggenheim, Metropolitan Museum, Central Park and Fifth Avenue.

Tour Length: 2 hours
Dates: 01/02/02 - 12/31/02
Departure Times: Every 45 minutes,
9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. daily
Adults: $30.00,
Children (Ages 5 -11): $20.00

If shopping is Number One on your list, Fifth Avenue between 50th and 59th is the most chic. Saks at 50th and Bergdorf Goodman and Tiffany’s at 57th share business with newcomers like Niketown and Warner Bros. at 57th. Takashimaya at 54th is a department store that offers the finest in Japanese fashion. And, of course, you’ll want to hop over to Bloomingdale’s at 59th and Lexington.

A Broadway show may be on your list of “must sees.” New York’s biggest hit is The Producers at the St. James. Disney is well represented with Aida by Elton John and Tim Rice at the Palace, 47th and Broadway, and Beauty and the Beast at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, Broadway and 46th. Musical revivals include: Cabaret at Studio 54; Chicago at the Shubert; and 42nd Street at the Ford Theatre. Thoroughly Modern Millie recently won top Tony awards. The new musical, Mamma Mia, by half of the ABBA troupe, wraps a slight story around some of their
former hits.

Valerie Harper has taken over for Linda Lavin in The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife, a comedy starring Tony Roberts and Michelle Lee, as well. Proof, winner of three Tonys, is at the Walter Kerr Theatre.

Where to dine? Restaurants come and go, but these few will probably be there forever, or at least for a very long time.

Sardi’s, 234 W. 44th Street, between Broadway and 8th Ave. Vincent Sardi is long gone from this famous theatrical restaurant, but the walls still bear caricatures of performers, and you’re likely as not to see some famous movie star or Broadway actor sitting beneath his portrait. The canneloni is great.

21 Restaurant, 21 W. 52nd St. between Fifth and Sixth avenues. This former speakeasy serves everything from famous burgers to Hawaiian Snapper Tartare with papaya and mango. You’ll recognize the cast-iron jockeys lining the steps ...they’ve been there for years.

Tavern on the Green Restaurant,W. 67th St. at Central Park West, is still a favorite for wedding parties and groups, as well as individual diners who just want to eat in one of the prettiest settings in Manhattan.

The Russian Tea Room,150 West 57th Street, is back after several years and millions of dollars of renovations. It opened originally in 1927 by members of the Russian Imperial Ballet as a place for Russian emigrants to meet. Its second floor offers international music after 7:30 p.m. The first floor serves Russian delicacies. 

Whether you spend a day or a week or even a month in New York City, you’ll surely leave singing, “New York, New York...it’s a wonderful town.”

It’s delightful...it’s delicious...New York Delis
If you salivate over the mere mention of pastrami and corned beef, or stuffed derma and knishes, topped off with strawberry cheesecake and washed down with Dr. Brown’s Cel-Ray in the can, then RUN, do not walk, to one of New York City’s top five delis.

1. Carnegie Deli
7th Ave. between 54th and 55th Sts.
Founded in 1937. Home of a lean, tender, tasty pastrami and corned beef sandwich named “Broadway Danny Rose” after the Woody Allen movie. Or try Number 13, a whopping pound of turkey, corned beef and Swiss cheese in a sandwich that weighs three pounds. You might run into Janet Jackson or Alec Baldwin.

2. Stage Deli
834 7th Ave.
Opened in the early 1930s by Russian émigré Max Asna on the corner of Broadway and 48th. Forced to move in 1943 to the present 7th Ave. location. Milton Berle claimed, “They have the best chopped liver in town.” Their T-shirts read, “Sandwiches so big they come with instructions.”

3. 2nd Avenue Deli
156 Second Ave. at 10th St.
Since 1954. Traditional Jewish delicacies like gefilte fish, stuffed cabbage, matzah ball soup, cholent and knishes. They’ll mail you a 2-pound salami for $24.95.

4. Rupert Jee’s Hello Deli
W. 53rd off of Broadway
Rupert’s the New York-born son of Chinese parents who shot to fame after appearances on David Letterman. You may encounter Kelsey Grammer, Mary Tyler Moore or Dave himself.

5. Katz Deli
205 E. Houston St., Greenwich Village
Open since the 1890s, with a grungy sheen to prove it. Immortalized in the scene from When Harry Met Sally when a customer says, “I’ll have what she’s having!”

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