By Lauren YargerTourists flock to the Big Apple every year to take in its wonderful sights, and hopefully, some great theater too. That season is upon us, as schools let out and the Fourth of July is right around the corner.
There was a time when I would have picked you out as a tourist (yes, you look like a tourist – whether you are visiting from another country or just another state) and said, “Oh, no. A tourist.” Once, I advocated making Broadway open to visitors, but banning them from Seventh Avenue and requiring ID cards for New Yorkers (and by this term I mean those who live and work there) for access just so I could walk unobstructed when needing to be in the touristy parts of the city. New Yorkers have a reputation for being unfriendly, but I personally know this isn't the case. Most New Yorkers are more than willing to assist you if you try just a little not to be annoying.
Tourists often get in the way and make us late for appointments. Rather than avoiding you as an annoyance, however, I have come to realize that we need you. The economy is in the pits -- New York’s in particular -- so the city, and the Broadway and the theater communities, need tourism to keep thriving.
Thus, I’m willing to bite my tongue, show a little patience and try to be helpful. In print, I’ve shared information about what shows to see and a special tour of Little Italy to entertain you (and get you to spend money) while you’re here. I also have been helpful in person. Recently I redirected a group of international travelers who had been waiting, for a few days I believe, for a B train that never was coming to that station. I also aided a woman who was stuck in the turnstile at the subway, also for days I believe, after having caught the handle of her suitcase in the turning mechanism. I’d like some credit, please, for going out of my way to help those visiting the city, even though I once might have had more fun giving them directions to 42nd Street that in reality, would have put them on a quick ferry to Jersey.
So, in the spirit of continuing that good will, and knowing that all New Yorkers are not as patient as I am and that there are some who indeed will take great pleasure in putting you on a ferry, I offer the following tips in the hopes that getting this information first hand from a person familiar with navagating the city's streets will enable you to be less annoying, have a more enjoyable stay in the city and spend a lot of money while you are there (and I suspect that most of these tips will apply in any major city you might like to visit and probably will give my fellow New Yorkers a few laughs of recognition.) Please note that none of these tips apply to the elderly, mobility impaired or to parents leading small children around. You do what you need to do to navigate. Everyone else, listen:
Tip #1: You are not the only person walking in New York today.
Oh, I know you think you are because you do things a person aware of other people on the planet wouldn’t do, but I’m here to help. Perhaps you are visiting from somewhere where you can walk along the streets of your town or village without meeting anyone else, but in New York, there are about a million other people walking along with you. The best advice I can give you is STEP OUT OF THE WAY!
Top #2: Go. Don’t stop.
New York has many interesting, breath-taking and downright bizarre sights. You will see very tall buildings, bright lights, celebrities, men dressed like women, women dressed like men and some people not completely dressed. If you see one of these things, your impulse will be to stop and gape, point them out to your tourist friends or take a photo of them. If you decide to do any of those things, first STEP OUT OF THE WAY! Never stop in the middle of pedestrian traffic or someone will put you on a ferry.
Tip #3: These rules are made for walking.
Follow them or you will fall down or cause someone else to fall down or be responsible for a collision.
• Always walk perpendicularly to the street. If you suddenly cut a diagonal to get to a store or a tourist site, you’ll knock a bunch of us down. Make a diagonal approach by taking a few steps forwards and a few steps over until you reach your destination. Also, generally speaking, follow the same rules for driving while walking. Walk on the right side of the sidewalk. Pass left.
• Never walk backwards. You are not the only one on the sidewalk (see Tip #1). You will definitely crash into someone and if it’s a New Yorker, they definitely will be annoyed.
• Don’t walk while trying to take a photo. First STEP OUT OF THE WAY, then take your shot.
• Walk fast – about three times faster than you ever have in your life. There are people behind you (see tip #1) and if they are New Yorkers, they walk faster than you. Slow walkers either get run over or annoy those who are trying to pass. If you are wondering whether you are walking too slowly, here’s a guide to check:
Are you from New York? If the answer is no, you are walking too slowly.
Glance behind you (don’t walk backwards, see above) while continuing to walk, (see Tip #2). Are people piled up, dominoed on the ground behind you or looking at you with hatred in their eyes? If so, you’re walking too slowly.
• Never cross the street when you don’t have the “walk” signal – unless there are no cars coming. In New York, if vehicular traffic is clear, pedestrians cross, regardless of whether the light is green. This differs from other cities, like say Washington, where I amusedly watched crowds waiting on the corner for the little count down signal telling them they had permission to cross, despite the fact that there were no cars any where in sight. This happened even at the corner of the White House, where barricades prevent any cars from driving through the intersection, but where people waited for the light to cross any way. Perhaps wasteful bureaucratic procedure is catching there. Or maybe nothing gets done in Washington because everyone is still waiting to cross the street. I’m not sure, but I guarantee you, it’s different in New York. If you’re unsure about whether you should cross STEP OUT OF THE WAY! And stay out of the curb cuts. People wheeling carts and using wheel chairs, for example, needed to cross at those spots.
• Never walk hand in hand or wrap your arms around each other unless you’re prepared to do so single file. Linking together horizontally forms a wall around which those behind you can’t get past. If you crave closeness, STEP OUT OF THE WAY!
• If it’s raining and you need to use an umbrella, remember, you’re not the only one walking on the sidewalk (see tip #1). You’ll need to angle your umbrella to prevent catching it on anyone else’s. Two umbrellas held straight up will collide as you pass. If you are not adept at manipulating umbrellas in traffic, don’t use one or STEP OUT OF THE WAY! Take shelter by spending some money at a coffee shop or restaurant until the clouds part.
Tip #4: You can get there from here.
If you are lost and need to check your I-Phone GPS, street signs or one of the many maps you are carrying for directions, STEP OUT O F THE WAY! No one behind you will suddenly stop because you are lost. The subway system can be very confusing. Check out routes BEFORE you get on a train and check for service changes, especially on the weekend (that’s how those poor international tourists came to be waiting for three days for the phantom B train). If you’re not sure whether you’re on the right train STEP OUT OF THE WAY so people who do need that train can get on. If you end up at Grand Central Terminal and you see a person running, STEP OUT OF THE WAY. This person is running to catch a train and you will be in the way while you are attempting to take a photo of the constellations painted on the ceiling. (see tip # 3 about STEPPING OUT OF THE WAY while taking photos.) I’m a kind person, but I will mow you , your elderly grandmother and your camera down if you get between me and the 10:22 to New Haven.
Tip #5: Have a great time and see lots of theater while you are in the city.
Buy full –priced tickets online before you come to the city to guarantee seats. For discounts online, visit http://www.givenik.com/index.php/Masterworks. Discounts also are available the day of the show at the TKTS Booth at Times Square. Broadway is the best there is when it comes to theater and Off-Broadway has some terrific offerings too (see tips for which shows to see here).
Tip #6: When all else fails, STEP OUT OF THE WAY!
Tip #7: Some great places to visit when you’re not seeing theater (no they don’t pay me to include them here. I just have had good personal experience and customer service at these places, so I feel comfortable recommending them to you):
RESTAURANTS
• Sardi’s – 234 West 44th St. Don’t miss an opportunity to dine amidst all of the caricatures of celebrities hanging on the walls. Right in the heart of the theater district. http://www.sardis.com/htmldocs/cms/
• Excellent food (the eggplant parm is to die for) at two locations: 83rd Street at Second Avenue and 147 West 43rd in Times Square. http://www.tonysnyc.com/
• Langan’s, 140 west 47th Street. Varied menu and reasonable prices with excellent service. http://www.langans.com/
• Playwright’s Tavern, 202 West 49th. TVs will keep you up on the latest sporting events. http://www.playwrighttavern.com/. Or try the Celtic Playwrights, 732 8th Avenue, for an Irish twist. http://www.playwrightcelticpubnyc.com/
HOTELS
• The Westin at 43rd Street and 8th Avenue. http://www.westinny.com/. Reasonably priced, central to the theater district. Friendly, accommodating staff.
• The Michelangelo, 152 West 51st Street. A little more pricey, but they often have some really great packages and offers. http://www.michelangelohotel.com/. Walk to Rockefeller Center.
• The Mayfair New York Hotel, 242 West 49th. One of the best kept secrets. This hotel has small rooms, best suited to one person (or two), very reasonably priced, right in the heart of the theater district. http://www.mayfairnewyork.com/
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