Budget. New York. With Kids. Or Not.

I love New York City rain gear. I am not talking about fancy things that you might buy at Saks or a cool downtown boutique. I am talking about plastic shopping bags. I am always impressed by the ability of a New Yorker to take a simple bag and wrap it around his head to protect himself from a sudden downpour. But, I am not talking about the generic bag raincoats that they give people on those open, double-decker tourist buses, either. They are all the same. They are manufactured to be rain gear. I'm talking about creativity here, people. I'm talking about the real thing.

Because I lived in the city for many years, I am occasionally called upon for a list of things to do and see by friends who are contemplating a visit to New York. I give them the list, and then they ultimately ignore all of my recommendations. I don't let this hurt my feelings. Their reasoning for this is sound. Only a handful of the items on my list are things that most tourists do. My list just doesn't seem right. To many, the things that make New York, New York, are not on my list. But I beg to differ. New York is a different place from what most tourists see, hear . . . and even smell.

Before I was married, I lived in New York for about ten years, and spent another five or so with the husband and the baby girl and baby boy children. While the kids each spent some of their babydom in the city, their formative years were spent visiting. Kind of like, well, tourists. They will never admit to this, by the way. If you ask them they will deny it. Just want to make that clear. They've spent a lot of time in town. They know their way around.

Since Spring is officially here, tourist season is on its way. Even though March is coming in and going out like a lion. Even if Punxsutawney Phil's handler is taking some heat for Phil's predictions. I figured I'd give some tips for visiting New York this spring or summer for those on a budget, with kids or on their own. On a budget, because I am cheap. With kids, because I have some and they like to do cool things. On their own because most of these ideas are good for folks with and without the little monsters. And, as an FYI, the family doesn't like to stand in lines. That's really important. Minimal line standing. Unless it's for something really, really good. But I will say that you should absolutely do some New York line-standing-touristy-things, just not too many, or you will waste all your time standing in lines. You might  even want to buy a one-day ticket on one of those tourist buses to get your bearings early on if you're there for a few days. Definitely head to the top of the Empire State Building. It's historic and it's just a cool building. Ellis Island is an interesting place to go as well. And if you must see Times Square, go ahead and walk around for a few minutes. Just don't linger. All those guys dressed up as Elmo and Minnie Mouse? They are not the real New York.

This past summer, the family and I took a dream vacation to Europe. One week was spent entirely in Paris, the next in Rome. The husband had never been to Europe and had always wanted to go. I was all for it. We decided to rent apartments in each city, allowing us to live to a certain extent as Parisians and Romans do, grocery shopping at local stores and outdoor markets, stopping at the corner boulangerie in the morning and boucherie in the afternoon. Since the girl child studies Italian, the boy child French, and the husband gets by in Spanish, Italian and German, we did pretty well language-wise. I think that I, the consummate American, handled speaking English pretty darn well. It really helped that many Europeans do too. I do, however believe that the husband's native Tagalog was the most useful language in Rome. Lots of Filipinos in Rome. Who would have known? Anyway, we enjoyed some time in museums and tourist attractions, but most of our trip was spent walking the neighborhoods, eating the local foods, and getting to know the people. Our apartment hosts had left us amazing walking tours and lists of their favorite restaurants and gelaterie. And thanks to some pre-trip social media chats, we made some new friends that have become dear friends. How lucky are we?

I highly recommend an apartment over staying at a hotel if you're planning some time in New York. There are agencies out there to help with finding the right place, but you have to be sure to ask the right questions regarding the kitchen appliances, laundry facilities, etc. although I think this might apply more in Europe than in the U.S. And check out the neighborhood as best you can. Try to find a friend in the city that can steer you to one, although remember that their tastes may differ from yours, especially if they are used to being in a city environment and you are not. What seems harmless to them may seem scary to you! But "living" in the city, rather than "visiting" it, can give you a unique perspective that you wouldn't ordinarily get while staying at a hotel.

As a day tripper, there is much more to do than going to a Broadway show or a museum, although those things are surely worthwhile. My kids were surprised to discover that many of their classmates think that all of New York looks like Times Square. And we only live about an hour from the city. The following is a list of places to go and things to do that you might not have thought about otherwise. If you enjoy them, please let me know!

THEATER
I don't do Broadway. I will catch flack for saying this, I am sure. There are some amazing shows out there. I know that. I have been to shows, but typically the cost to entertainment-value ratio leaves me underwhelmed. I did especially enjoy a production of Guys and Dolls starring Nathan Lane, but you probably don't want to hear about that because it was over twenty years ago. I will move on.

I am not good at navigating online ticket sellers and TKTS. I have no patience for this. But this does not mean that my children have been deprived of theater. Au contraire. New York is full of professional and pre-professional theater that is cheap or free (but you want to give a donation!) Some of our family favorites are:

The New Victory Theater (http://www.newvictory.org/Home.aspx)
We started going to the New Vic when the kids were young. It's a small theater on 42nd Street where you can find theater productions from all over the world for kids of all ages. For us, it has always been a safe space. Upon entering, the boy child and girl child would take off to participate in an activity or see an exhibit while we placed our bags in a locker and stowed the stroller.

Tickets run about $25 each, more or less, and just about every seat in the house is good. If sitting in the orchestra, kids have the option of soft booster seats. All shows are listed with information such as age appropriateness (roughly from two to everyone) and length, and just about everyone can enjoy a New Vic show. One of my fondest memories at the theater involves the young boy child at one of the first shows we attended. We were sitting up in the mezzanine and were pleased to discover that there was a talkback that day. Folks, mainly downstairs, were asking questions of the actors on the stage. All of a sudden I realized that the boy child had his hand up in the air. The next thing I knew, my shy boy was standing and asking his question, projecting all the way down to the stage below. Proud Mama. Not sure of another place where this could have happened. I love the New Vic.

TADA! Youth Theater (https://www.tadatheater.com/currentseason.asp)
We were turned on to TADA! by a friend when the kids were quite small. When the girl child became interested in performing, she took some classes there. They have a Youth Ensemble that is a pre-professional theater program, and a huge number of kids audition for the ensemble each year. I know this because the girl child auditioned for it herself a couple of times.

The shows are all original, and the casts are made up completely of incredibly talented kids from tiny to teen. It is not a fancy theater, you sit on benches, but tickets range from $8-$25 or so and you definitely get more than you pay for.

Arm-of-the-Sea Theater (http://www.armofthesea.org/)
Arm-of-the-Sea is a mask and puppet theater that deals with contemporary themes. We've been able to catch them a couple of times in Central Park in the summer. Entertainment for all ages. Check out their website for their touring shows.

New York Classical Theatre (http://newyorkclassical.org/about-us)
Although some may think so, you are never too young for Shakespeare and the other classics. I know this to be true because we began bringing the boy child and the girl child to see the New York Classical Theatre when they were quite young. They have seen more Shakespeare performed than most adults I know, and some Moliere for good measure.

New York Classical performs what they call "panoramic theater." Basically, the "stage" moves from place to place, and the audience follows. This may sound chaotic, but they've got it all down. No tickets and no waiting in line. You can find them in warm weather in Central Park near West 103rd Street, Battery Park at Castle Clinton, or at the World Financial Center when the weather is cooler. They also have family workshops before the shows on certain nights. We usually head to whichever park with an early picnic, eat a light supper on the grass, and wait for the show to begin. Yes, we've been rained out in the middle of a performance more than once, but it's just given us a good excuse to see the show again!

DINING
Do not expect a New York foodie tour from me. I'm sure there are tons of blogs out there that will tell you where the trendiest, coolest places are. I cannot tell you that, although I understand: I was a tall food addict myself, back in the day. What I will give you is a rundown of some ideas for eating in the city. Before we begin, you must follow some basic rules:

Rule number one: If you can eat at the same restaurant at your local mall in Ohio, do not eat there in New York. Seriously. Why would you do that?

Rule number two: Do not wait on line for a chain restaurant that is supposed to be trendy and cool and isn't and that has outlets in various cities across the globe and serves expensive, mediocre (at best) food. You know what I'm talking about.

Really. There are so many excellent places to eat. I am going to stick with ideas in Manhattan, but there are tons of great restaurants in the boros, so if you have time, head out to Flushing for Asian, Astoria for Greek or Egyptian, or Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn for some Middle Eastern fare. But if you can't do that there are different neighborhoods in Manhattan dedicated to serving great, ethnic food, all for a price that will be comparable or less than what you'd pay if you broke either rule number one or number two above. Some examples are:

1. Curry Hill, the area between 26th and 30th streets on Lexington Avenue. My family likes to go to the Pakistani restaurant where a lot of the cab drivers go. It's totally no frills combo plates from behind a glassed-in steam table. But, there are more upscale places to choose from, as well as some amazing markets to shop in, like Kalustyans.

2. Koreatown: This area is located between 31st and 33rd Streets, between 5th and 6th Avenues, close to Macy's and the Empire State Building. There are places where you can order raw meats, seafood and veggies, and cook them up on a grill in the middle of your table. A DIY hibachi restaurant, if you will. Korean restaurants will typically provide you with small bowls of appetizers, like pickles and salads, included with your meal. There are also some great dumpling places. Our favorite is Mandoo Bar. You can watch the staff making the dumplings through the window.

3. Chinatown: Of course, we've all heard of Chinatown in NY. We like to walk around and check out all the markets. A few things to know about eating:
a. If you go to the Peking Duck House, order Peking Duck. Otherwise, go someplace else. Really.
b. Try a dumpling house. There are blogs about these so you can find one. My family likes one on Chrystie Street, but don't take my word for it because there are others that are probably just as good. One day, my family of four had lunch there for $11. Not kidding.
c. Joe's Shanghai is not the only place that serves soup dumplings. You don't need to wait on line.
d. If you are a party of four or less, you may be seated at a table with other patrons. Do not be alarmed.
e. Go to Mei Li Wah Bakery and try some buns. Sure, it's not fancy. Not even close. But try it anyway.
f. Check out some of the snack shops like Aji Ichiban or taste some pastries from a bakery. Lots of good stuff for cheap.
g. Chinatown is not just about Chinese food. There are Vietnamese, Malaysian and other Asian cuisines available as well.

4. Little Italy: I don't have much to say about Little Italy. It's a bit too touristy for my tastes and the one meal I ate there, many years ago, was so-so. I would suggest going for a walk through the area after eating in Chinatown, and maybe grab a gelato or a pastry. For pizza, my family likes John's Brick Oven on Bleeker, and I've had great pizza at Lombardi's as well.

5. There is a proliferation of "hole-in-the-wall" restaurants that are cheap and good, all over the city. The girl child loves Dogmatic on 17th street, where everything is all-natural and grass fed. Of course it costs more for grass fed than Grey's Papaya, but you get what you pay for here. There's Mamoun's for falafel, Meatball Obsession for, uh, meatballs, Dos Toros for Mexican . . . I could go on but I won't.

6. Finally, if you're out and about and the weather is nice, a fun thing to do is check out the food trucks. There are so many amazing ones in the city, and the great thing is that you can track them online. Googling "food trucks in nyc" will give you a number of websites to choose from, and you can find places using zip codes or your current location from your smart phone. Rickshaw dumpling bar now not only has a restaurant on 23rd Street, but a food truck and kiosk in Times Square. If you're at the restaurant, try the chocolate dumplings. Wear the bib.

THINGS TO DO:
New York has some of the best museums in the world, and many major tourist attractions. But, here are some things that might seem off the beaten path, but just as great:

Greenmarkets: My kids love to go to Union Square on greenmarket days. If your family lives in a city or the suburbs, chances are they haven't really had a chance to talk to a real farmer. Well, here's that chance—who would have imagined? Plus, the veggies are so amazing, you won't want to pass them up, even if you're only just looking. I had the pleasure of living a few blocks away for more than ten years, so I know this to be true. If you're staying in an apartment, this is a great place to do some marketing for veggies, meats and dairy as well. One of the things both the girl child and boy child like to do is grab a fresh loaf of bread and some cheese, and possibly a giant brownie, from a local farmer. Then we sit in the park with some bottles of water from the bodega down the street, and have a picnic.

Candy stores: There are folks that must go to a candy store in Times Square that sells items you can buy in the supermarket. OK. Let me repeat something I've said before. Really? Others insist that Dylan's Candy Bar is the best. I've been there. It's a bit glitzy for me.

There's a plethora of great chocolate shops throughout the city with gourmet candies and macaroons, and you can find them all online. My favorite shop, however, is Jacques Torres on Hudson Street (https://www.mrchocolate.com/news/about/locations/hudson-street/) In it, you can find the window to my soul. Well, actually, it's just a window you can look through and see the chocolates being made. Same thing. Anyway, they have other locations but I like this one best because you can see the crew at work. They will allow you to taste the hot chocolate from the hot chocolate bar if you want. I highly recommend it. It is so rich, my family just shares one cup.

For something less extravagant, I recommend heading over to Economy Candy on the Lower East Side (http://www.economycandy.com/). It's a tiny space crammed with sweet-y goodness. They have all the favorites from childhood (if you're old like me), plus any kind of halvah you might like. Even if it's not fancy, I'd say that it rivals Dylan's any day.

The New York Public Library/Bryant Park: Did you see Ghostbusters? Well, if you did, then checking out the reading room is a must. Ah, it's a must anyway. It's so cool. There are also some interesting exhibits there as well. And, behind the library is Bryant Park, which houses a shopping village and a skating rink in winter, and a carousel, ping pong and outdoor movies in the summer.

NYC Parks: You can't beat the NYC Park System. (http://www.nycgovparks.org/) I've already mentioned a couple of them. There are so many things to do. Green markets, free tai chi and yoga, chess, ping pong, movies, theater, music, playgrounds, and buskers. We used to take the kids to Central Park and just let them climb around on the rocks. Best. Day. Ever.

Street Fairs: These are not confined to those you've been to selling socks and "as seen on TV" products. Check out the Tribeca Family Festival Street Fair (https://www.facebook.com/events/433908179968455/) or the World Science Festival Street Fair (http://worldsciencefestival.com/events/street_fair_2012) Ninth avenue hosts a food festival. These are also listed online.

The Cloisters/Fort Tryon Park:  The Cloisters is a branch of the Metropolitan Museum and definitely worth a visit. (http://www.metmuseum.org/visit/visit-the-cloisters) Fort Tryon Park is nice on any day, but even nicer when there's a medieval fest (http://www.whidc.org/home.html)

The Cathedral of St. John the Divine: (http://stjohndivine.org/index.html) Not only is the cathedral beautiful, but it hosts events and workshops, concerts and shows. Check out their website for details.

The High Line: (http://www.thehighline.org/) Visit the High Line, a public park built on a historic rail line. Eat at the food stands or just go for a walk. Great on a beautiful day.

Hudson River Park: (http://www.hudsonriverpark.org/) Check it out on a bike or on foot. Lots of things to do along the water.

Governor's Island: (http://www.nyharborparks.org/visit/gois.html) only a ferry ride away.

The Brooklyn Bridge: walk across!

TRANSPORTATION:
I like to walk in NY. Maybe that's just me. I had some friends visiting years ago and I walked them around for so many hours I think that I may have broken them. The next day, they took a tour bus. As I mentioned, the tour buses are convenient and let you on and off wherever you want to go. However, there is something to be said for navigating the local transportation system when you visit a city. While I wasn't particularly fond of the Paris Metro, it got us around very well. I did like taking the tram in Rome, even if it didn't go very far. So I suggest giving the subway a try. It can be confusing, but it's a great way to get around fairly quickly. Metro buses may take a bit longer, but you get to see some of the city while riding. We sometimes enjoy taking what we call "the slowest bus down Fifth Avenue." If you can get a seat, it's not so bad. For walking and public transportation directions within the city, go to hopstop.com.

A few autumn's ago, the girl child asked a friend to come and spend the day with us in the city. The boy child was going to his fencing class, and we were going to hang out—we didn't really have a destination except for Economy Candy on the lower east side. We parked the car, dropped off the boy child, and headed by subway to the store. I thought it would be fun to let the girls buy the metro cards, and while they were standing at the machine we heard a commotion. Before I realized what was happening, a small rat ran right over the girl child's friend's feet. Apparently a rat fight gone wrong. She was a good sport, the girl child's friend. She didn't flinch; she laughed it off. A trouper, this girl child was. To this day, I am still amazed that the girl child's friend's parents ever left her in our care again, but they did.

The rest of the subway trip was uneventful, and we made it to the candy store. However, we decided that maybe it would be fun to walk back uptown. It started to drizzle about halfway to Union Square, so we hopped on a train and decided to wait it out at Barnes and Noble. But we got bored at B&N, so we grabbed some plastic bags and held them over our heads as we ran through what was left of the day's green market. We found ourselves in Filene's Basement, a misnomer because it was actually located on the second, third, and fourth floors. Anyway, when we got there we heard some sloshing. The girl child's friend was wearing some cute ballet flats, which were now filled with water. We hit the ladies room, where she dried them under the hand drier. Resourceful. I settled into a chair by the windows with a view of Union Square park, and when I turned around, the girl children were giving me a fashion show. They had created New York City rain hats from plastic bags. Priceless.