Do It Go

When one has visited all of the major attractions in New York City such as the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building and the Brooklyn Bridge and has shopped at all the must shop places around the city, it may be time for a more local view. The locals shop and visit these places as well but they have daily lives that are rich with the New York experience as well. They like to enjoy all of the different neighborhoods in the city. Each area has such a different feel.  

While you are visiting a accommodating hotel catch a cab to the West Village. This neighborhood will take you back to the early 19th century. It is filled with cozy brownstone buildings lined with cobblestone streets that seem to have been unchanged for a hundred years now. The only changes to the area are the new markets and cafes that modern times has created. Get a map while visiting the streets in this neighborhood because they don’t follow the normal street grid or not. Just wondering with no direction works as well, you can always catch a cab who can get you back to your hotel. Some of the things to see along the way are the Jefferson Market Courthouse, the Magnolia Bakery and the Spotted Pig for a case beer.  

If your a film lover you may have already taken some of the tours that get you to all the sights where your favorite films were made. Another element for film lovers to enjoy is the Film Forum . It has been around for forty years now and has been a leading independent film movies house from the start. Check out some of the masterpieces from film makers who get to make what they want, they way they want. This is a true film art experience that shows films one might other wise never see. This is were making time for what the locals contribute to the city is at its best.

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There are a few ways to not only get cheap tickets for New York’s Broadway and Off-Broadway shows, but you could also get great seats in the orchestra section as well. One way to get cheap tickets is to find theaters that hold lotteries. A lottery is where a show, about two hours before show time, will let you write your name on a small index card, write down your zip code and circle if you want one or two tickets. Then, you drop the card in a bucket and about a half-hour later, an employee of the theatre will pick a card from the bucket and announce the winners. There usually are about 25 tickets given out for seats in the orchestra section of the theater. You’ll only pay either $25 to $27 in cash. Yes, this is a gamble because the odds are against you, but if you go during the weekdays as opposed to Weekend nights, your odds are improved. Currently, there are two shows that are offering the lottery: Hair and In the Heights , both Broadway shows.

Another way to see plays for less is to go to the TKTS booth in Times Square, located at 46th Street. They have offers for half-price tickets for certain Broadway and Off-Broadway shows for that days performance. The downtown TKTS booth at South Street Seaport is less crowded than the 46th Street venue, but it doesn’t offer matinee tickets. Also, TKTS only takes cash. Before you stand in line, and the line is long, see what shows are available at TKTS’s website.

If you are booked in a hotel , call up the concierge desk and ask if they have any vouchers for Broadway shows, most times, a hotel concierge will have great ticket deals for their guest. You might also see if the human resource department of the company where you work offer discount vouchers for Off-Off-Broadway productions, musical performances and any other events, these discount vouchers can be redeemed at the box office of any of the participating organizations.

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